Chapter Four ~ Zoey
1039 Words
Chapter Four ~ Zoey
“So, you guys are all cousins, huh?” I asked Jasmine when we were alone in the car. Being naturally curious, I wasn’t shy about asking questions or getting to know people. It helped me a lot in my work.
“Yup,” she answered with a smile. “Our fathers are brothers. We were all born in a small town called Cherry Springs, and for the most part, grew up together.”
“That must have been nice,” I replied, thinking that it really did. I had my sister, Chloe, but we hadn’t really gotten along much as kids. She’d been a girly girl, loving to dress up and be social, whereas I tended to keep my head in a book and stay more to myself. We hadn’t had any family nearby, so the idea of being close to my cousins was a foreign one.
“It was. Serena moved away when she was in middle school, but every summer we all went camping together.”
“And you still do,” I muttered, thinking it more to myself than meaning to say it out loud. “That’s really wonderful.”
“Yeah, it is. There were many years where we were all so caught up in our own lives that we were lucky to see each other every year at Christmas, but a few years ago, Gabe had the idea for us to meet here every summer, to reconnect, and we’ve been making it a priority ever since.”
“Wow, that’s really cool. I envy you that closeness with your family,” I admitted, without really meaning too. Jasmine was just such an open and receptive person, that it was almost impossible not to share with her.
“Aren’t you close with your family?” she asked, swerving to miss a fallen branch.
“I’m pretty close with my sister now, but we weren’t growing up, and I love my nephew to pieces. Other than that, I don’t really have anyone.” My lips turned down at the realization. Had I gotten so used to being alone with my words that I’d lost the friendships I’d formed over the years?
Jasmine didn’t say anything, but I could feel her pity. Okay, maybe pity was a strong word, but I could definitely feel her sadness at the thought of not having a tight-knit family. I’m sure it was hard for her to comprehend, what with her being part of the Swiss Family Robinson and all, but I didn’t want her to feel sorry for me.
I had a great life.
“As a writer, I guess I tend to keep to myself,” I explained, for some reason needing her to understand. “Not that I’m a hermit or anything … I love people. Watching them, talking to them, studying their characteristics … but I spend most of my time alone, writing, so I guess I haven’t made the effort to be close to anyone other than my sister and her son.”
“That makes sense,” Jasmine replied, her tone gentle. “Dillon and I work in the family business, retail, so I’m surrounded by people constantly. I feel like I’m always on display, and have to present a positive and enthusiastic image at all times. It can get exhausting. Working in solitude sounds nice.”
I smiled at her attempt to make me feel better. She was obviously a very sweet person, and I was beginning to feel happy about getting the dates of camp wrong. Maybe I’d have the opportunity to have meaningful conversations and make friends with these people. Maybe it would be good for me to get out of my cave and interact with real live people…
“Well, working in a family business sounds nice too. Do all of you work there?”
Jasmine shook her head as she pulled up next to my car and parked, then turned to me.
“No, just Dillon and I. Gabe was always more interested in sports, and Serena was more creative. She’s an artist and creates the most beautiful pieces … Ass followed his father’s footsteps and studied law. He’s the only one, along with Dillon and I, who are still in Cherry Springs full time.”
Curious, I asked her the question that had been on my mind since she first burst onto the scene, “Why do you call Reardon, ass? Is he a real jerk or something?”
Jasmine’s laugh was soft and sweet.
“No, Reardon’s the nicest guy I know, certainly more so than Gabe, or even Dillon. It started when we were kids … We gave him the nickname, Rear. Once we got a little older, it morphed into Ass. I’m sure one of the guys started it, but it caught on, and we’ve been teasing him with it ever since.”
I laughed as she told the story, picturing them all as kids, running around and teasing each other affectionately. It made a nice picture.
“Well,” I said hesitantly, for some reason not wanting to get into the solitude of my own car. “I guess I’ll follow you back.”
As I did just that, I thought about the dynamic of the group I was about to be a part of for the next few days. They would be interesting to be around, to study, as they’d all probably make fascinating characters. Not that I’d be so bold as to model one of my characters out of the people who were so kind as to let me stay, but I was sure to find some unique characteristics to explore.
There was also that flash of s****l awareness that I felt around Gabe. It would be interesting to see if it was still there throughout the week, or if it was just a flash in the pan, so to speak.
He had no idea who I was, none of them did, which was a nice change. Not that as an author I was usually recognized on site, but I’d be surprised if they hadn’t at least heard my name before. It would be nice to have a little anonymity.
Being famous made it hard to judge whether people were interested in me for me, or if they were more interested in my name and paycheck.
I liked the thought of just being a woman for a little while … seeing where things could go naturally.
Of course, I had no idea if he was single, or even remotely interested, but I was curious enough to find out…
- Writer
