J is for Joel

 (Okay this isn’t a flash; it’s a scene from my book, The Newstead Project. You didn’t think I could let J pass by and not do Joel, did you?)

Neither of us said anything, at least not at first. When I was done eating, I took the box off my lap and put it next to me and leaned back on the railing to look at the stars. They were almost as bright there as they were at the trailer. I sighed contentedly, not realizing he was watching me until his quiet voice broke through the silence.

     “Rachel?” 

     I turned to look at the face that was staring intently at me. His cheeks were reddened, either from the cold, or from me looking at him. I should’ve taken the hint and looked away, but I couldn’t. It was the closest I’d been to that face since I’d met him. His eyes were fixed on me as mine dropped to the sudden movement in his neck as he swallowed. Slowly my eyes lifted to his lips that were parted just enough to see his breath freeze as it hit the air. Even still, he looked warm. Warm and soft and-   

     “Rachel?” 

     My eyes darted back up to his.

     “What were you thinking about just then?”   

     I flushed and looked away. “Nothing,” I said, shaking my head, trying to clear it.