I think we're pretty good together, don't you? I teased, kissing his neck.

He smiled a genuine smile this time and nodded back, kissing me on my lips.

We stayed this way for a few minutes, just kissing lightly and holding each other, me nuzzling his delicious-smelling neck. I could have stayed there all day.

I lifted my head when I remembered the conversation I'd had with Travis. Hey, I saw Travis in town today and he asked me about coming out here to see you. Archer furrowed his brows but didn't say anything. I didn't mention the fact that I'd gone on one date with Travis. It hadn't meant anything anyway, and I'd never had feelings for him so why bring it up now?

Anyway, I went on, he said he felt badly that he didn't have more of a relationship with you. Archer raised one eyebrow, but continued to listen. He said he was gonna come out here this week to visit.

Archer looked dubious. What? I asked. You don't like him?

I moved off his lap, next to him on the couch so that we could use our hands to talk more easily. In the short time that I'd known him, we had gotten really good at speaking sign language together, using a type of short hand for words that we both understood, only spelling out portions of words, things like that. It now took us about half the time to make a statement as it would have a couple weeks earlier.

Archer was significantly better on his own than he had been when I had first signed with him, picking up things from me as we went along. After all, I had spoken it all my life. It was my second language. He had only learned it from a book and this was the first time he was putting it to actual use. Just a couple weeks before, he had spelled out things that he didn't have the sign for–now that wasn't the case anymore.

No, not really, he said. He messes with people, Bree. His jaw tensed with some memory or another as he stared off into space. I haven't even seen him in a couple years–except driving around town in his police car.

I studied him. Well, I think he's changed. He's a really nice guy, actually. Maybe you could give him a chance when he comes here? Wouldn't it be nice to have some family in town that you actually have a relationship with? I thought how I'd do anything to have even one person to call family–and how I'd do whatever I could to foster a relationship if I had the opportunity. And I wanted that for Archer. I hated the thought of him out here all alone all the time, except for me. I wanted friends for him, family… I wanted him to be happy, to be a part of the community.

Archer still looked dubious, but he took in what I'm sure was a hopeful expression on my face and asked, You want me to give him a chance?

I nodded slowly, yes.

He kept looking at me for a minute. Okay, then, I will, he said simply.

I cupped my hand on his cheek, leaning in and kissing his soft lips. "I know that isn't easy for you. Thank you," I said, speaking with my voice right against his lips.

He nodded his head, pulling me into him again and holding me against him tightly.

Archer

I'd never been happier in my life. Every day, I worked around the property as the puppies chased at my heels, getting into trouble wherever they could, knocking stuff over and causing general, puppy mayhem.

And every afternoon, my heart lurched happily when I heard the squeak of my gate telling me Bree had arrived.

We would talk, her telling me about her day. Her eyes shined as she told me about all the new recipes she was coming up with at the diner now that Norm and Maggie had given her the job of re-vamping some parts of the menu. She looked so proud and happy when she laughed and told me how even Norm had begrudgingly, albeit grumpily, admitted that her side-dish recipes were better than his. She said she had plans to move on to some of the main dishes next, and then winked after she said it, making my chest squeeze tightly at how beautiful she was.

Sometimes I felt like I stared at her too much and tried to look away when she caught me. I wanted to stare at her all day long though–to me, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

I loved the way her brown hair had little streaks of gold in it when the sun hit it. I loved how her eyes slanted up ever so slightly and how her lips were full and pink, like a rosebud. I loved kissing them. I could kiss them forever. They tasted like peaches.

I loved the shape of her face–like a heart. And I loved her smile, the way her whole face lit up and her happiness shined right out of her eyes. It was beautiful and genuine, and it made my heart skip a beat each time she turned it in my direction.

I loved her slim body and the way her skin was white where her bathing suit covered it. I adjusted myself in my pants and moved the thought of Bree's body out of my mind. I was working right now and I needed to focus.

I smeared a little more mortar between the stones I was positioning on the sides of the back, cement steps. They were just stones I had gathered down by the lake, but I thought they made the plain stairs blend in more nicely with the new stone patio.

I was just finishing up when I heard my gate open and then close. I frowned. Who in the hell could that be? Bree was working at the diner until two today. It was only noon.

I stood up and walked around my house to look up the driveway and saw Travis, in his uniform, walking down slowly, looking around as if he'd never been here before. Although, the last time he'd seen the place, I was a kid and it had looked a lot different.

Travis spotted me and looked surprised. We walked the couple feet between us to meet each other in front of the house.

"Hey, Archer."

I wiped my hands on the rag I was holding and regarded him, waiting for him to tell me why he was there.

"The place looks nice."

I nodded, acknowledging his compliment. I knew it looked good.

"You've been working hard."

I nodded again.

He sighed. "Listen, man, Bree told me how you two have been spending time together, and I," he ran his hand through his hair, seeming to consider, "well, I guess I wanted to come out here and say hi. And that I'm sorry I haven't been out before this."

I kept studying him. Travis had never been easy for me to read. I had fallen into his traps before when he tried to pretend he was my friend, and then metaphorically shot me in the back. Even when we were both kids, even before my accident. I didn't necessarily trust him now, but I supposed maybe people could change–it'd been a long time. I was going to give it a try. For Bree. Only for Bree. Because I thought that would make her happy. And I'd do anything to make Bree happy.

I nodded at him, giving him a very small curve of my lips and gestured to the house, asking if he'd like to come inside.

"Yeah, yeah, sure," he said.

We walked to the front door and I let him in before me, walking behind him and pointing to the kitchen. I went straight to a cabinet and got a glass and filled it with water from the tap and took a long drink.

When I was done, I pointed to the glass and to him and raised my eyebrows.

"No, thanks," he said. "I'm actually on my lunch hour right now, so I can't stay long. What I actually wanted to know was whether you'd like to go out with me and some of the guys tonight? Nothing big–just a simple guys' night out, a few beers, some laughs."

My brows furrowed and I stared at him. I pointed to my scar and made a fake laughing movement.

Travis breathed out. "You can't laugh?" And he actually looked embarrassed. I'd never seen that look on Travis's face. Maybe he had changed a little. "Wait," he seemed to reconsider, "you can laugh. A soundless laugh is still a laugh. Come on, the point is, wouldn't you like to have some fun? Get away from this little house for a night? Be a normal guy?"