Once Jon and Tayler reached the dock, Joe greeted them with the happy news. "I watched the shrieking banshees walk away. That doesn't mean we won't run into them again on the way out, but they aren't right here anymore." Galina had her arms wrapped around his waist.
"Hey, at least you guys weren't hiding under a canvas tarp." Colby grumbled, wiping at the dust on his shoulders.
"Sorry dude, I didn't see a better place to hide." Colton apologized, apparently not for the first time.
"It isn't your fault. It's theirs. The ones who don't know when we are off and need to relax. Boundaries, people!" Colby grumbled. He slapped Colton on the back. "You, my man, you were terrific. I knew you had my back and you weren't going to sell me out. That was great. Thanks. Couldn't have done it without you."
Joe nodded. "If they found one of us, we were all done for." He squeezed Galina tightly. "We thought that coming here would be okay. We were early." He shook his head. "Too much to ask." Tayler's heart broke at the sadness in his face.
"It's not too much to ask to be able to have time with your family and your friends. You give time to your fans, they should respect your private time as well. That's fair. That's right. You shouldn't feel selfish or wrong for feeling that way."
Colby gave her a half-hearted smile. "Thanks." Jon squeezed her shoulder. Galina mouthed "Thank you."
Joe nodded. Then he said, "Well, we still have to manage to get out of here. Who's going first?" They looked at each other.
Galina said, "I say send Jon and Tayler first. They sold their story well. If they are spotted they can cause another distraction or give us warning so we don't get seen."
Colby raised an eyebrow. "Another distraction? What happened the first time?"
Colton looked at his blushing mother. "Mom?"
Jon pulled her away. "Not important. All that matters is that it worked. We'll meet you at the rental." He talked as he walked, not breaking his stride.
"Which one?" Colby called. Not getting an answer, Colby turned to Joe. "Do you think he meant the rental car or the rental house?"
Joe quickly glanced at Tayler's kids. "Rental car. We'll meet up in the parking lot with them, of course." Turning his face into his wife's hair he muttered, "My God, I hope." Galina squeezed him in an attempt to help reassure him that his friend would make the right decision, but with Jon she wasn't so sure.
"Who's going next?" she asked brightly.
Colby volunteered. "I say my buddy and I go next. If we get a warning, we are experts at hide-n-seek now. We've got it covered." Joe nodded in silent agreement.
The duo took off down the path. Once out of earshot Colby spoke. "You okay, bud?" Colton shrugged. "Sup?"
"You and Dean… Jon, You and Jon are friends, right?" He kicked the path as he walked.
"We are. Fighting is for the storyline. We've stayed friends." Colby agreed quietly. "So…" Colton kicked the path but didn't say anything else. "Did it bother you that he had his arm around your Mom?" Colton still didn't answer. He kicked the path harder. "If a strange man had his arm around my mother…"
"My parents are divorced. I get that. It's not like they are getting back together. That's a good thing, trust me. But my mother doesn't date. And this guy just grabs a hold of her and she's okay with it. I don't get it. Okay?" Colton rushed out as he kicked a twig off the path and into the woods.
Colby caught him by the shoulders. "Hey, dude. It's okay. When we are out of your hair, talk to your mom about this. She is the person who needs to know what you are feeling." He looked directly into the young man's eyes as he spoke. "I got no problems talking to you or listening to you, but I am only here until the end of this path. Your mom, she is going to be around for the rest of your life. Cherish that, man. Don't let this fester and become an issue." He patted Colton on the head and headed down the path.
"I love my mom." The youngster caught up quickly. "It just made me feel weird. That's Dean Ambrose, ya know? And he's got his hands on…"
"Watch it, boy." Colby chuckled. "Remember who you are talking to." He gave the younger man a light shove which was quickly returned. This began a friendly jogging and pushing match that lasted until the two reached the parking lot.
Once out of sight of the others, Jon slowed his pace. He dropped his arm from Tayler's shoulders back down to her waist and kept her molded to his side. "You never told me where you are from."
"Nope. You never asked." she said. "And you never told me how long you are in the area." She looped her arm around his waist, hooking her thumb through a belt loop. "Too bad I don't know the basics about my husband."
"I'm a freakin' open book. Don't feed me any gruel because that just sounds disgusting. And what was the other? Cottage? Pottage? Whatever. Don't feed me that, either." He screwed his face into a grimace and stuck out his tongue.
Tayler's laugh rung out through the woods. "Oh, my. You are funny. Gruel is lumpy oatmeal that usually has something in it like raisins and pottage is a type of stew. See, you learned something today. Isn't learning fun?!"
Jon grabbed her chin and dropped a quick kiss on her mouth. "Not at all. Hate learning. But today has been great." Tayler blinked her eyes rapidly. "You are something else, lady. Something else."
"Um… Um…" She couldn't think of anything to say. Thankfully, they had reached the parking lot.
"Are you and the boys on vacation?" Jon asked, not letting her go.
She nodded as something caught her attention over his shoulder. "What in the world?" Jon glanced over his shoulder and saw the two goof-balls shoving each other heading directly for them. "Hey, you two!" Tayler hollered as Jon spun her out of the way. Colby and Colton careened off the car and tumbled onto the grass behind it. As they flopped on their backs laughing, Tayler stood over them with her arms crossed.
Colby smacked his hand on Colton's stomach. "Dude, I think we're in trouble."
"Yup." Colton laughed.
A tiny voice interrupted. "What's going on, Uncle Colby?"
Catching JoJo's ankle, Colby hauled her onto his chest and began to tickle the little girl. "We's just playing around, hon. Just playing before we leave."
Joe held out his hand to help Colton off the ground. "Well, we all reached the parking lot. That's good."
Galina reached out to take hold of Tayler. "Thank you. I really don't know what else to say."
Tayler nodded in understanding. "Family time is precious."
"And we actually got to have some today." A smile teased at her lips. "As well as build a few interesting memories."
"Very true." Joe agreed.
Tayler shook both of their hands. "I know we won't forget our trip to the Jamestown Settlement." Devin and Colton shook Joe and Galina's hands and gave JoJo a warm hug. Devin shook Colby's as well, but Colton gave him a manly hug. Both boys bumped Jon's shoulder with their fists as they headed for their car.
Tayler shook Colby's hand. "Oh! Here's your hat back. Thanks for the loan." He dropped the colonial hat into the bag that Jon was still holding. Joe handed his hat over to be added but Tayler handed it to JoJo whose smile widened as she skipped around the car wearing it.
While the others were distracted by the happy little girl, Jon pulled Tayler off to the side. "I meant it when I said I won't forget today. It was the most fun I have had in a long time."
"Same here." she whispered.
"Take care of yourself." He kissed her forehead.
"Be safe in that ring." she replied, patting his chest. Backing away from him, she lifted her chin with a quick jerk, smiled, and then turned and walked to her car without looking back over her shoulder.
Just a minute later, as Galina finished belting JoJo in her car seat and the guys were getting into their car, Tayler drove past them. Colton and Devin waved. Jon paused with one foot in the passenger side as he watched the car disappear from view. Then he sat down and shut the door. Colby pulled out of the parking space. "Do you want me to follow her?" he asked, keeping his voice low.
Jon answered just as quietly. "Nah." He rubbed his finger across his chin as he turned to stare out the side window.