I got the idea for this one-shot last night, and I was up until the wee hours of the morning writing this. It's based on the song "Good Directions" by Billy Currington (adorable song ... check it out if you've never heard it). I do not take credit for the song, or any lyrics in it. I'm not 100% satisfied with the story, but oh well. I just wanted to get it posted.
Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think! :]
GOOD DIRECTIONS
The hot, Georgia sun beat down on Shanna’s face and she squinted through her sunglasses at the customer in front of her.
“That’ll be three dollars even, Norman.”
The elderly man handed over a five-dollar bill and picked up the small plastic bag of turnips off the small table.
“Keep the change,” Norman said, smiling at Shanna.
“Thanks, Norman,” Shanna replied. “Say hello to Beatrice for me. And tell her that I’ll be by soon to see her garden.” The old man nodded, then walked to his beat up, old pickup truck. Shanna sat down in the metal chair next to the table and picked up the novel she’d been reading before Norman had arrived. She flipped her sun-bleached blonde hair over her shoulder, opened the book to a dog-eared page, and immersed herself in the story.
The highway in front of the roadside turnip stand was nearly deserted, with only a few cars having gone by in the past half hour. That was far from uncommon; only three hundred people lived in Shanna’s tiny town.
For the majority of her nineteen years, Shanna had enjoyed living in such a quiet place. The town itself was beautiful; it bordered a large lake, and on days that Shanna didn’t have to run her family’s turnip stand, she could be found out on the water.
But lately, Shanna had come to realize how boring the town really was. Everywhere she went, she always saw the same people that she’d known for her entire life. Everyone knew everyone, and that wasn’t always a good thing. Shanna craved to travel somewhere that people didn’t know her. She prayed that someday soon, she would find her ticket out of Hillbilly Hell.
Shanna heard the crunch of gravel under tires and she tore her eyes away from her novel. A shiny, black Jeep had pulled into the small parking lot next to the stand. Shanna set her book down and stood up, intrigued. She knew right away that the driver was not from around the area; the only vehicles you ever saw in this town were rusty old Ford trucks, similar to her own. And tractors. Lots of tractors.
The driver’s door of the Jeep opened, and a boot-clad foot stepped to the ground. An expensive, leather boot. Whoever this was, he was definitely a city boy. People around here didn’t wear fine Italian leather. Shanna couldn’t help but stare as the man exited the SUV and started to walk toward her.
He appeared to be around her age, maybe a year or two older. Shanna couldn’t believe the outfit he was wearing. It was a scorching summer afternoon, and the man was wearing a fitted long sleeve shirt, unbelievably tight black jeans, and a scarf. Who wore scarves in the South in July?
“You lost?” Shanna asked the stranger as he walked up to the stand. He flashed a pearly white grin at her, and Shanna’s stomach flip-flopped.
“How could you tell?”
“Well,” Shanna said, a smile playing on her lips, “You’re not wearing Wranglers with a Skoal ring in the back pocket. You don’t give out the redneck vibe like every other person in this town. So I’m guessing you’re from somewhere far away.”
The man laughed. It was a pleasant, wonderful laugh. Despite his strange wardrobe, Shanna couldn’t help but find him attractive. His dark brown curls bounced softly as he walked and perfect sideburns framed his face. He removed his sunglasses, and Shanna found herself staring back into the most gorgeous pair of hazel eyes imaginable.
“Well, you guessed right,” he said, his eyes dancing. “I am from far away. California, to be exact. And I am most definitely lost. I’m hoping you can point me in the direction of the freeway.” He held out his hand to Shanna. “I’m Kevin, by the way.”
“Kevin,” Shanna stated, pondering the name as she shook his outstretched hand. “Nice name. But I think I’ll call you ‘Hollywood’. It’s much more fitting.”
He laughed again. “Sounds good. And I think I’ll call you…” He paused for a moment, thinking it over. ‘“Georgia’.” Shanna nodded, smiling.
“Fair enough,” she said.
“So, Georgia, can you please tell me how to get to the interstate?”
“Sure thing,” Shanna said, pointing to her right. “Way up the highway past the caution light there’s a little country store with an old Coke sign. You’ve got to stop in and ask Mrs. Davidson for some of her sweet tea. Then a left will take you to the interstate.” Shanna stopped, then playfully added, “But a right will bring you right back here to me.”
Kevin laughed. “Thanks, Georgia.” They talked for a few more minutes before Kevin told Shanna goodbye and thanked her once more for the directions.
“Anytime,” she replied. “Take it easy, Hollywood.”
As Kevin pulled his Jeep out onto the highway, Shanna suddenly frowned and was overcome with regret. Why didn’t I give him my phone number? she thought. She was half tempted to get into her old truck and go after him, but then he would probably think that she was borderline insane. Plus, she couldn’t leave the stand without someone to run it. Not that business was particularly booming.
Shanna sat down on the hot metal chair, put her elbows on the table, and rested her chin in her hands. Kevin had been the first decent-looking guy she’d seen in a long time. Conversation had come easy between them, and the fact that he was unlike another other boy in this town was a breath of fresh air.
And those eyes. Shanna could have gazed into those eyes for hours. There was something hypnotizing about them, and when talking to him, it had been difficult for Shanna to focus on anything else.
Who am I kidding? Shanna thought sadly. He probably didn’t like me anyway. Guys like that don’t like plain-Jane girls like me. She picked up her novel, and tried her best to concentrate on the page in front of her. Easier said than done.
One hour and zero customers later, Shanna decided to close up shop for the rest of the evening. She stood up and walked to the front of the booth to flip the large wooden door down, but stopped abruptly when she spotted a familiar black SUV pulling into the parking lot.
Am I hallucinating? Shanna asked herself as she watched the Jeep roll to a stop. Her heart accelerated as she watched the familiar city slicker walk over to the turnip stand.
Kevin raised the glass he was holding in his hand. “Good job on the sweet tea recommendation. This is to die for.”
“Decide to bag the interstate idea?” Shanna asked, smiling.
“This may sound crazy,” he said, “but after I pulled onto the highway, I realized that something just felt right between you and I. I was talking with Mrs. Davidson about it when I stopped at the store to buy some of her sweet tea, and she sent me straight back here.”
Shanna grinned. “Mama certainly knows best.”
Almost exactly one year later, Shanna again was working at her family’s turnip stand off Highway 122. She was still stuck in Hillbilly Hell, but things were different this time around. Kevin had changed that.
After her mother had sent Kevin back to Shanna, the two of them had sat at the turnip stand for what seemed like hours. Their conversation had continued over dinner that night. She told him about her life in a small town and he told her about his family, and how he was in a band with his brothers. Their dinner date had ended all too soon, and Kevin had to hit the road.
Kevin had called Shanna almost every day as he toured with his brothers, and their relationship slowly progressed. Kevin knew there was something special about the girl from the turnip stand. She was unlike any other girl he’d ever met. He was drawn to her, and he had fallen fast.
Visits were few and far between, but Kevin returned to the small town whenever his schedule allowed. Each time gazed into Shanna’s sky blue eyes, his heart melted, and he eventually came to realize that he had fallen in love with her.
Shanna gazed up into the hot sun, tearing herself away from the new novel in her hands. Her long blonde hair was sticking to her neck, and the backs of her bare thighs, uncovered by her denim shorts, were glued to the cheap vinyl seat of the metal chair. She heard a car pull into the gravel parking lot, and she tore her gaze away from the blue sky. A grin formed on her face as she watched the familiar black Jeep roll to a stop.
Shanna inhaled sharply as she watched Kevin step out of the car. He was more beautiful than the last time she had seen him, if even possible. His curly hair was a bit longer, and a year of maturity was evident on his face. He had ditched the scarf, and had traded the long-sleeved shirt for a more practical short-sleeved one, but he still donned the tight pants that Shanna had come to love. Shanna peeled herself off the chair and stood.
“Looking for the interstate?” Shanna asked with a smile as Kevin walked closer to the turnip stand. He shook his head, his soft curls bouncing.
“I already found what I was looking for.”
With that, Kevin walked behind the table and pulled her into his arms, squeezing her tightly in a hug. Shanna buried her face in his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of Old Spice. Kevin pulled away from Shanna a little bit, and dipped his face down to hers, their lips meeting in a passionate, tender kiss. Kevin’s hands pulled Shanna’s waist even closer to his body, and Shanna’s hands weaved their way through his curly locks. She didn’t know how long he would be in town this time, and she didn’t want to know. All she cared about at this moment was that he was here with her now. Kevin’s lips pulled away from Shanna’s, and he again pulled her into a hug.
“I love you, Georgia,” he whispered into Shanna’s ear, his breath warm on her skin despite the searing sun beating down on them from the sky. Shanna’s skin tingled where Kevin’s hot breath contacted it, and her heart began to beat wildly, as if trying to escape from her chest.
“I love you too, Hollywood.” Kevin’s lips again found their way to Shanna’s, and Shanna smiled into the kiss.
Thank God for good directions and turnip greens.
