Chapter 1
(Authors Note: I'm going back and editing all the chapters before I continue on. Trying to make them easier to read and fix some small mistakes and errors. Some dialog has changed as well. I'll notate each chapter that has been edited by leaving a simple note. Chapter 1 edited)
"She'd trade Collarado if he'd take her with him
Closes the door before the winter lets the cold in,"
"So, Carrots, where are we headed?" Nick wondered aloud while riding shot gun in Judys truck, the same old farm truck she bought from her dad a few weeks after Nick
graduated from the academy.
"You'll see" She answered with a grin.
Nick and Judy had been spending a lot of time together lately. Not just at work but outside of it as well. As the truck turned off the paved road and down a dusty two track toward Ravenwell River.
She pulled the truck around next to the rivers bank and looked over at a bewildered Nick, "Lets go!" she smiled.
"Where?" Nick looked confused, only thing here was a boat ramp, dock, and woods.
"FISHING!" Judy laughed and slammed shut the door of the old truck.
Nick and Judy fished for a few hours. Well, a better description would be Judy taught Nick how to fish for a few hours. Nothing was caught. Except for each others eyes. They both sat on the bank, leaning back and looking at the clouds. Around dusk Judy hopped up and looked down at Nick.
"Ready to go slick?"
"Yup, and don't call me slick" He replied, although deep down he liked it.
As they started to leave Judy pulled the truck off to the side of the little dirt road and put the gear lever into park.
"Everything OK?" Nick asked, feeling slightly uneasy.
"No. Look, we spend a lot of time together. And, well, uh we." She wasn't sure where to go from here.
The silence was unbearable. Nick just stared straight ahead, scared of the direction this was going.
"Look" Judy said "Are we more than friends or not?"
This is what Nick had dreaded. "Carrots, we are great friends. The best of friends. And I don't want anything to get in the way of that. We.."
Judy cut him off "And? Look, I get that I'm not a fox, but come on! We have been through a lot together. When we aren't hanging out or working together I still want to be around you. I need to know what is the end game here Nick, where will be going with this relationship?"
"No! It's not that" Nick rebutted, "I'm not willing to risk this for something that could screw it up, sorry Fluff." He sighed, "I'm not bringing you into my world, you are just too...uh...you!"
"Fine" Judy said, and put the truck back into gear. The ride back to Nicks apartment was quiet. As she pulled up to his apartment Nick got out
"See ya in the AM Judy"
He didn't even get his door shut as she pulled off rather abruptly. Hmm he thought, this should go well tomorrow. He watched her truck lumber down the road and wondered what she could see in him anyway. He would love to settle down with a girl like her. But he can't imagine bringing her life down by anchoring it to his. He cared too much to do something that horrible to someone that good and decent. He went in to wash up and get some shuteye. He knew tomorrow would be a difficult morning.