Jo [COMPLETED]

O

Their arms brushed each other as they carried the sack of fertilizer across the vast front yard of the Dawkins residence. The chilled air sent shivers up Alec's spine as it dried the already cold sweat on the back of his neck. Though not cold enough to form a cloud of breath, the Texas weather was quite surprising to Alec. He thought Texas was supposed to be warm the entire year--like California, but more humid. A slight gust of wind slithered across his arms, raising the hairs and causing bumps to protrude on his skin.

Ali, on the other hand, seemed content with the weather. She was wearing a thick sweater and gardening gloves. Alec was wearing a thin tee and matching gloves.

"You could have told me the weather wasn't going to be hot."

"You could have searched it up."

Alec opened his mouth to disagree, but relented. "Fair," he settled on saying. "But it's damn cold."

They reached the very outside of the property, where Randy was tending to the wilting flowers and other plants that lined the property. Alec set the bag down gently, not trusting Ali to do the job. The last bag of fertilizer she helped set down ended up getting in Alec's shoes. He cringed as he felt the pieces of dirt move around in between his sock and sneaker. His feet were going to smell like manure and sweat.

"How many more bags?" Ali asked. "You're killing Alec."

Alec glared at a smirking Ali, who winked before turning back to her father.

"Alec's a man, honey. He's strong--or he will be."

By the end of the day, Alec wouldn't be surprised if he developed a six pack and biceps the size of his head.

"Four more," was the answer they had gotten next.

Groaning internally, Alec hauled ass back to the other side of the property. The bags of manure were inside the garage with a bunch of other tools and wood for the fireplace. He rubbed his arms up and down to return a little warmth back into them before he went outside again. Ali giggled at his arched back and shivering body.

"Wait here," she said vaguely.

Alec wanted to call after her but he had no excuse. How did he tell her he just wanted her presence without it being obvious that he was developing a crush? Was he even developing a crush? Sometimes, when she touched him, Alec felt heat spread around his entire body. But sometimes, like just before, they touched or brushed against each other and he felt nothing. Or almost nothing. He had no idea what he was feeling and he had no idea how to control it.

She came back a minute later with a large coat. "It's Max's," she explained. "He doesn't mind, I asked."

A little skeptical, Alec gratefully shrugged the coat on. It was immediately warming. He sighed happily, smiling when Ali giggled and sarcastically replied.

Four sacks and eight pools of sweat later, Alec and Ali finished. They stretched and turned to walk back into the house and shower--something they desperately needed. When she sweats, Alec noticed, Ali's hair becomes frizzy. She tried to flatten it and control her frizzy baby hairs unsuccessfully. Alec turned back around and had his heart sink to his stomach. If Ali didn't look good all red-faced and sweaty, what did he look like? Did he smell?

He wanted to discreetly sniff his armpits for an odor, but there was no way to do so. While distracted with thoughts of hygiene, Ali grabbed Alec's arm and stopped his movement.

"Couldn't we have used that?" she wondered.

Alec turned to see what she was talking about, and was dumbfounded to see a wheelbarrow on the edge of the property. He groaned and slapped his hand against his forehead. They had wasted over two hours going back and forth to get packs of fertilizer that weighed more than he and Ali combined when it could have been cut short by something quite literally forty feet next to the garage door.