Summer Secret by J.T. Harding

Author:J.T. Harding [Harding, J.T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781466381759
Amazon: 1466381752
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: 2011-10-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Early next Saturday we grabbed breakfast as soon as the refectory opened and managed to beg extra rolls, some cheese and apples. I called into the darkroom and stocked up on fresh film, adding one of my own spools of high quality transparency. As I packed everything into the pockets of my fishing vest I discovered my hands trembling and finally admitted to myself I was turned on at the idea of what we were going to do. I’d been trying to ignore all thoughts of the coming photo shoot but now the day had arrived I was ready. When I walked out Cherri waited outside grinning.

I think she’d dressed specially for the trip: the same short filmy skirt she’d worn on the day we met, a dusky red tank top showing the edges and straps of a pale blue bra, and walking sandals I’d never seen before. So Cherri could be practical when she chose.

“Any idea where we’re going?” Cherri asked.

“I’ve got somewhere might be good.” I had been to the old barn a few times by myself, though never quite repeating the madness of my first visit. I was ready to show my secret place to Cherri. I led the way up the hill, the route familiar now, following the main trail for three hundred yards, turned left downslope and after another hundred yards we came out on the old rutted trail.

“Where are you taking me, Dan?”

“Somewhere special.”

Cherri laughed and bumped against me as we moved through the shadows cast by trees overhanging the track, the rich scent of pine needles and loam surrounding us. Rain had fallen overnight but the ground beneath the thick tree cover lay dry. I was interested in Cherri’s reaction as we turned the corner and she caught her first sight of the barn.

It stood as drunken as ever, dilapidated but for me always magical. I experienced a sudden nervousness. The barn was my place. My special place. The barn called to me in some way I didn’t fully understand. I’m a ‘burbs girl, northern LA, our large house set on Camarosa Drive in Santa Monica, but this dilapidated old place touched a part of my heart that had been waiting all this time to be touched, completing me. Stupid, but that’s how I felt.

Cherri stopped and my heart beat fast.

“Is this the place?”

I nodded, then realized she wasn’t looking my way.

“What d’you think?”

“It’s old... Is it safe?”

“Sure.”

“Yeah?”

“Sure. I checked it out. It’s safe.” I giggled. “Not quite as safe as houses, but...”

Cherri glanced at me. “Leave the jokes to me, Dan. Okay, let’s go.”

She went on ahead and I held back, watching, I seemed to be always watching Cherri. Shafts of sunlight caught her as she moved through them, illuminating the air around her, making her thin skirt transparent, making her hair glow. My hands trembled and I gripped the Nikon hard trying to still them. I needed to be calm.

“Come on Dan.” Cherri turned and called back.

I ran and caught her up, ran past so I could be first to the barn.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.