While Jesse towed River's car back to the garage, River took up temporary residence in the town's only motel, a crooked little place run by a sweet old man named Burt and his relentlessly chipper wife, Jen.
With nothing to do and Jesse waiting on parts to arrive, River found himself roped into helping the locals.
It started on the second day, when Miss Edith at the diner asked him to help move a few crates in exchange for lunch. Then the general store's bell broke, and he offered to fix it.
River was suddenly delivering pies, stacking feed bags, and repainting the fence around the community park.
And everywhere he went, Jesse was there too. Helping Miss Edith fix the old icebox.
Rewiring lights at an old shop. Adjusting porch steps at the library.
"Do you do everything around town?" River asked one day as they worked in the back of the diner.
Jesse shrugged at that, tightening a bolt.
"I like being useful. And folks here don't have much. Feels good to help ya know?"
That got River feeling bad for adding even more work on his hands with his stupid car.
"You're like the town golden retriever." he said sounding rather charmed.
"I prefer sexy handyman," Jesse teased with a wink.
River scoffed but turned away quickly, hiding his blush.
"I would prefer my car fixed and ready to go..." he said quietly.
"Guess our preferences don't match then city-boy." Jesse countered with a soft chuckle.
River felt his face burn even more.
Their banter grew easier. River found himself looking forward to each encounter with the other man.
And when Jesse offered him a ride out to the old lake, to stop thinking for a bit, he agreed.
They drove in Jesse's old pickup, windows down, a cool wind around them.
Jesse's left arm hung out the window, the veins in his forearms catching River's eye way too often.
When they arrived, it was quiet. The water calm and the air humid.
Sitting side by side, Jesse pulled out two sodas and tossed one to River.
"You always bring strangers to this magical reservoir?" River asked.
"Nah. Just the ones who walk around town lookin' all sad n'lost." Jesse answered with a teasing pout.
River rolled his eyes.
"I'm not lost."
"You are," Jesse said gently. "Maybe not geographically. But there's something in ya pretty eyes."
That shut River up. The remark hitting more then he wanted to let on.
"I like it here," Jesse added, shifting the tone. "Makes me feel small in a good way. Like metaphorically, not physically of course."
River could not help but smile at that, watching the water.
"I used to go to a lake with my dad. Before he left."
"Yeah?" Jesse asked softly.
River nodded. "Yeah, I was younger, didn't really know him anyway, it was just me and my older brother after that. Feels like a lifetime ago." He explained nostalgic.
Jesse's knee brushed his. It lingered.
"You don't talk about yourself much I guess?" Jesse teased.
"Neither do you." River answered playfully.
"I'm an open book!" Jesse shot back, throwing his arms wide open.
"You're a worn-out paperback with half the pages missing."
Jesse laughed. "And you're trouble with pretty eyes."
They sat closer now, knees touching as they enjoyed the sweet and intimate moment.
"You always flirt this much?" River asked, his voice low.
"Nah. Only with one special passerby."
River looked at him, mesmerized by the annoyingly cute freckles around his nose and cheeks.
Jesse looked right back.
Something in the air shifted. A pause full of electricity falling between them.
And for the first time, River didn't want to leave.
To be continued...