A/N: I hope everyone enjoys this not so short, fluffy chapter.-Alisabeth
Fingers stroking the array of fabrics in varying colors, Daelyn listening half heartedly as her sister and the bridal consultant yammered on. Her temples pounding and her feet aching as they passed through the fifth store of the day she fought the urge to pout, barely controlling her ever growing temper. She understood finding the perfect dress but that was for the bride, not the bridesmaid. She would be content with whatever she could find that matched the color scheme and at this rate, the sooner the better. Nose wrinkling up at a taffeta mess that Rowan pulled from the racks she sighed, shaking her head. This was getting nowhere fast. Straying from the group she paced the aisles, wondering what she'd done in her past that warranted the dismal, daunting task of all day dress browsing. Silk, satin, taffeta… the fabrics passed by her with every step, seeming to get worse and worse every aisle. Glancing about she eased to the ground, her shrunken form obscured from sight as she hid, easing her cell phone from her purse, as well as her notebook, extracting the pen that had been looped through the base of her ponytail.
Hesitating as she lit up her screen, she tapped at it a few times, entering her password before opening a blank text pad. Entering the recipient she wrote what she wanted, sending the text message and hoping that he was available. It was as if ever since he'd stopped by two weeks previous to help her with their lists, Daelyn couldn't shake the budding friendship forming between she and Kelly. Usually so reserved, it unnerved her at how easy it was to talk to him, and even Shay who often accompanied him when she had nothing better to do. The butt end of her pen bouncing between her fingers as she mulled over a new plot line, she jumped, flinching as her phone vibrated against her thigh. Opening the message, she grinned slightly, easing against the wall.
Giggling over his response she typed back. "Out dress shopping….first store wasn't so bad, now we're in the fifth." Head bowed as she scribbled fast, inspiration striking, she got comfortable in her little alcove, blocking out the soft pop music and chatter that filled the boutique. Receiving an 'lol' in response a moment later she opted to call Kelly, and so double tapping his name at the top of their message feed she held her phone to her ear, listening to the generic symphony ring back with contempt. Knowing that the boys weren't on shift that day made her feel less guilty about interrupting him with a phone call. Continuing to outline her ideas she felt a flood of relief when a husky yet deliciously smooth chuckle met her the moment he picked up, warming her from the inside.
"So how bad is it really?" Kelly asked, chuckling from the end of the line the moment he answered, a slight ruckus playing in the background.
Scoffing, she replied as she closed her notebook, tucking her pen back into her ponytail. "Miserable. Five stores and the dresses just keep getting worse and worse. To be honest, I'm hiding from Ro and the clerk behind a large poufy dress. How sad is that?" His chuckle became full blown laughter and she waited, glancing at the thin watch on her left wrist. "Are you done?"
"Sorry, sorry," he said, obviously amused. "But the image of you hiding behind a dress, from a dress is just really funny." It was easy to imagine his boyish smile that seemed to appear whenever he was truly amused. Far different from his casual smirk and the beaming, eye twinkling smile he gave when he was happy, or the contented, soft smile he often wore, that boyish smile still reaped havoc on her senses. "Where are you guys now?"
Not completely sure of the answer herself, Daelyn glanced about, squinting at the tag on one of the dresses. "Garibaldi's on Eighth," she recited, "The storefront that's covered in pink if I remember correctly."
"The store is actually pink?"
Making a hum of acknowledgment Daelyn repacked her purse, popping a Tic-Tac and sucking on it. "A dull pink, but pink none the less."
"Ew," Kelly said, and she could imagine him shuddering at the thought. "Well I'm on Brookston, about two blocks over if you need reinforcements. I just finished helping Ian with his engine," he explained, mentioning the oldest of his three siblings. He was the second youngest she'd learned, Ian being the oldest followed by Jesse and the youngest, Charlotte aka Charlee.
Mulling it over, she felt bad about the possibility of ditching Rowan. "Give me five minutes to find a way out, and I'll text you." Thought to her it sounded more like a question, she relaxed when Kelly uttered his approval and a departure, hanging up with a double chirping sound. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, Daelyn crawled out from her little corner of silence, stopping short when she came face to foot with the red pumps Rowan had decided to wear that morning. Eyes clenching she glanced up slowly, finding her smirking sister.
"Um, hi?" she flinched, waiting to be admonished, feeling like a child visiting the principles office.
A neat eyebrow raised, Rowan extended a hand to help her little sister to her feet, waiting until Daelyn was steady before she said anything. "Who was that on the phone?"
"A friend?"
Rowan leaned into Daelyn's side and looped an arm around her shoulders. "A certain firefighter friend?"
Flushing from the roots of her hair south, Daelyn shrugged. "Maybe. I know you planned an afternoon of shopping and searching for the perfect Maid of Honor dress, but is it alright if I take off? I just…I just don't feel good." It wasn't a complete lie but it still made her feel crumby.
Sympathetically, Rowan squeezed her forearm. "Daelyn, can you look at me for a sec?" Waiting until dark green met hazel, Rowan smiled softly. "I know this day has been hell for you so thanks, and I think that from now on, you should be able to search for your dress by yourself. You know the color and as long as your happy with it, then it's fine."
Amazed at the power being granted to her Daelyn blinked twice, clearing her mind. "Thanks, and don't worry, I'll send a picture for approval before I purchase," she teased, getting a relieved exhale from Rowan.
"That's all I ask. Now go ahead and get out of here, you're knight in shining armor awaits."
By the time she'd stepped out of the boutique and waved goodbye to her sister, Kelly was already there waiting for her, parked along the curb and leaning against the passenger's side of his car with his arms crossed over his chest. Breath catching at the bad boy aura he gave off, Daelyn grinned, adjusting her grip on her oversized purse as she squinted against the high afternoon sun, her TOMS making a soft shuffle against concrete. Ponytail loosening and bouncing with every step she could not help but sidle up and hug Kelly around the middle, stealthily inhaling the mixture of subtle cologne, musk and all male scent that was specifically him.
"You, my friend, are a life saver," she sighed, stepping away and thanking him as he held open the passenger's door for her. Watching silently as he crossed before the hood she relaxed against the leather seats, stretching her legs in the available space beneath the dash. "And I do mean that literally and figuratively."
Easing behind the wheel and keying up the ignition Kelly grinned over at her, noticing the closed eyes and serene look she wore. "It's just how I roll," he said in faux modesty, drawing a smirk across her face. "What do you want to do?"
Nibbling on her bottom lip, tongue poking free between her lips at the corner Daelyn shrugged. "Right now, I don't care; I just want to be away from stores and stuff for the while. Just take me away," she said softly, shocking herself at how she was acting. She hadn't been this trustful in a long, long time. Her spine tingled just thinking about it, and not in the good way.
If what she'd said shocked him as well, Kelly didn't say a word, merely flicking his directional light to signal a left turn onto a one way. Instinctually he knew where to drive, taking the streets he'd grown up on absentmindedly, knowing them like the back of his hand. Shifting in his seat as cityscape gave way to trees and fields, he used the handle on his door to lower his window, allowing the fresh, clean scent of air to filter through. Easing to a stop about forty minutes after they'd left Garibaldi's, Kelly put the car into park, turning off the radio and releasing the catch on his seat belt. Pocketing his keys and releasing Daelyn's seatbelt he rolled his neck, stiff muscles and joints calming.
"We here?" Daelyn yawned, eyes opening now that the subtle, comforting rock of the moving vehicle had ended. Sweeping a look around she sat up straighter. "Oh, wow."
Shades of green spread left and right, flecked with brightly colored flowers around the border and divided by a rock speckled dirt path. The field looked as if it hadn't been visited in a while, the absence of human life making it clear. Dazedly climbing out of the car she abandoned her purse in the floor boards as Kelly locked it behind them, nudging his head in the direction of the path. Carefully picking her way after him she stopped short, nearly bumping into him from behind as he stopped to point at something.
"Away enough for you?" he asked softly and as she followed the length of his arm and beyond she nodded, jaw slacked.
The lake in front of them was small in size, the water lapping at the sandy shores in gentle waves, a dock extending from the beach to about twenty feet out. A copse of cedars and a weeping willow lined the grassy knoll to the right, which held a direct, rocky path to the crystalline waters. Fisting the hand that still rested on his lower back in his tee shirt she gave a breathy chuckle. "It's perfect. How'd you…"
"My dad, when he had a day off, would bring us out here to visit in the summer. Our grandparents lived about twenty minutes away and this was the perfect place for us all to meet and fish, maybe grill up some burgers. What do you think?"
"It's beautiful. All I can think about is how maybe I'll have to come back one day to go swimming."
Kelly smirked mischievously, grasping her wrist in his left hand. With a quick jerk, he pulled her close, hauling her over his left shoulder into a fireman's carry with ease. Taking off at a steady jog, maneuvering the path easily he roared in laughter as she shrieked in protest. " You have a choice D," he laughed, pausing on the beach. "To take your shoes, electronics and anything else you don't want to get wet off here, or for me to throw you in with it all on."
Glaring Daelyn wiggled her way free, keeping her gaze pinned to Kelly's blue eyes as she toed off her shoes, laid her phone inside and stripped off the loose button up she wore over her tank top. "Do you know how difficult it is to swim in denim?" she questioned, averting her gaze as Kelly began to remove his own clothing.
"Then take the jeans off. If you're uncomfortable, you can wear my tee shirt." Wading into the water, he dunked beneath the surface, kicking off and appearing a few feet away. Huffing, Daelyn waited until he turned around, removing the rest of her close and shrugging into his shirt which barely hit midthigh.
Padded across the paneled top of the dock she stood on the end, staring into the water. "You know, I thought by calling you I'd be saving my sanity but right about know, I'm thinking I was wrong."
Right before she dove in she caught Kelly's words, smiling as she opened her eyes beneath the water.
"But at least your loosing your sanity the fun way," he smirked.