The Weekend

Chapter Four

The room had cooled down significantly throughout the night and as the sun peaked through the curtains and landed on her pale skin, Reba couldn't help but smile at the warmth. It was the perfect contrast to the coolness of the air that surrounded her.

"Mm, good morning, sweetie."

"Good morning." Reba smiled as she moved into the warm body that rested underneath her head. She hadn't felt this relaxed in quite some time.

Wait, what?

Reba opened her eyes to come face-to-face to Brock, who smiled contently as he held her close, his eyes closed all the while. A look of horror passed through Reba's eyes at the realization she was wrapped up in her ex-husbands arms.

Brock felt Reba shift beside him and opened his eyes. The look of panic that played on her face was enough for him to realize what had happened. The two quickly pushed away from each other, the sheets flying as they did so. Reba pulled the covers to her chest and sat back against her pillow, the horrified look never leaving her face.

"Uh… What just happened?" Brock said in an attempt to break the uncomfortable silence that had fallen between them. They had been together for one night and had already fallen back into the routine they were once so very familiar with. He couldn't help but crave the warmth her body had supplied before moving away so quickly.

"Nothing worth discussing." Reba laughed nervously, all the while feeling butterflies in her stomach at the familiar-ness of what had just occurred. He had held her close, so close.

"Okay." As much as Brock wanted to analyze it, he knew better than to push Reba into doing something she didn't want to do. She was a stubborn red-head, after all…

The room filled with silence once again, quickly becoming unbearable for the two of them as they sat their awkwardly. Reba kicked herself for forgetting to put a pillow in between them. She should've known better. When they were married, they always woke up in each other's arms. It's like they were magnets; they were just drawn to each other no matter what. No matter what. Reba played over those three words in her mind. What did that mean?

"Did you sleep good?" Brock finally asked, his words cutting through the silence.

"Yep. You?"

"Yep."

"Good!" Reba nodded, wishing she was anywhere but here.

"Yeah."

Silence, once again. Reba rolled her eyes, this was so silly.

"Listen, why don't I go and get us some coffee? I noticed a coffee shop across the road last night when I was bringing the luggage in."

"That is a great idea!" She jumped up from her seat on the bed and pointed a finger at Brock. "Bet I haven't said that before." She cracked, trying her best to hide the nerves that filled her body.

Brock ignored her comment and stood from the bed, walking into the bathroom. He came out a moment later, fully dressed, and quickly slipped his shoes on.

"Why don't you get ready while I'm gone so we can leave in the next hour or so."

Reba nodded her head and as Brock stared at her, she was suddenly very aware of the lack of clothing she had on.

In the morning light, Brock couldn't help but notice how stunning she looked in her silky blue night gown. Her skin was so creamy and he had forgotten the constellations of freckles he had once adored. He had the urge to reach out and touch her, to see if she was really real, but stopped himself as her words brought him out of his trance.

"Okay, sounds good."

Brock left the room and let out the breath he had been holding in once he was out of her sight. These thoughts, these feelings, whatever they were, had to stop.

Reba stood in the shower and let the water rush over her face. They needed to get on the road and to their family and forget any of this ever happened. It was beginning to feel all too familiar and Reba didn't like it. And the thing that troubled her the most: she had liked the way it felt to be in his arms again.

She smacked her cheeks in an effort to rid herself of these thoughts, but instead she found herself remembering how his hands used to feel against her skin and how her body melted under the weight of his lips.

Reba turned off the water abruptly and ripped open the shower curtain, stepping onto the cold tile. Not today, Satan, not today.

After putting product in her hair and throwing on some light makeup, she looked around for her bag which was nowhere in sight. Craaaaaaap. She had left it in the other room.

Reba adjusted the towel that was wrapped around her body to ensure there was no risk of it falling from her. She opened the door a crack to see if Brock had come back. He was nowhere in sight, thank goodness.

Brock held two cups of coffee stacked on top of each other in one hand, resting them under his chin to make sure he wouldn't drop them, and unlocked the door to their room with his free hand. He walked into the room with his head down and pushed the door closed with his foot. He dropped the keys on the table and moved the coffees so there was one in each of his hands. However, he quickly froze when he saw what was standing in front of him or should he say, who. Reba was frozen in place wearing nothing but a towel. Oh, sweet Jesus, was this a dream?

She waved awkwardly at him and smiled before quickly grabbing her bag from the chair and running back into the washroom. Brock just stood there, staring at where she had stood just moments before, a dopey look covering his face. Someone was playing a cruel joke on him and before he knew it, he was bombarded with thoughts of the skin that lies underneath that towel, that short, easily removable, towel…

Before Brock's thoughts could wander further, Reba walked out of the bathroom in a black tee-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

"Here." Brock said and handed her a coffee, his cheeks were still flushed from their run-in only moments ago.

"Thanks." The first sip hit the back of her throat and she felt her whole body sigh as the caffeine coursed through her veins.

"You know... You're legs look as good as they always did." Brock said slyly before taking a sip of his coffee.

His comment cause her jaw to drop, but she quickly closed it before he could benifit from her reaction. This was going to be a long day.

"We have a problem." Brock said abruptly as he walked back into the motel room. They were just getting ready to head out and Reba didn't like the sound in his voice.

"What?"

"Someone slashed our tires."

"Excuse me?"

"I said – "

"I heard what you said, Brock, I just mean… what the heck!" Someone slashed their tires? Why would someone do that? Who would do that?

"And not just one, all of them which means I'll have to take it to a mechanic."

"Just when you think nothin' worse can happen." Reba mumbled to herself.

Reba sat in the waiting area at the auto shop where the tow truck had taken the car. She drummed her nails against the arm of the chair as she waited impatiently. They should've already been on the road by now. At this rate, they'll never make it there.

"What'd he say?" She jumped out of her chair and eagerly asked Brock as he walked into the room. She knew it wasn't good news when he ran his fingers through his disheveled, blond hair.

"They'll fix it, but they don't have the tires here so they'll have to bring them in, but because tomorrow's Saturday, they won't be here until Monday. Which means – "

"Which means we're stuck here all weekend." Reba finished his thought before he could, realizing what a crap storm this whole trip was turning out to be.

"Yeah." He let out an exasperated sigh. It was as if the universe was forcing them to spend this weekend together. Alone.

"So, do you wanna break the news to the kids or should I?" Reba stared intently at him, waiting for his answer.