Love Bites

by Rachel K. Burke

  Our waitress stopped by the table to check on us, and I decided to switch from wine to cocktails, since they had a great drink menu. I ordered the “Berry Fusion”, which consisted of muddled strawberries and blueberries with flavored vodka and a splash of soda water. When the waitress walked away, I noticed Walter looking at me funny.

  “What?” I asked, hoping I didn’t have any food on my face. That would really top off the night.

  “You do remember you have to drive tonight, right?” There was a slight condescending tone in his voice. “You might want to ease up on the drinks.”

  Shit. I felt like a heel. I’d completely forgotten I had left my car back at his office.

  Great. Now in addition to being a klutz, I was also an alcoholic.

  I lowered my gaze to the floor. “I’ll be fine,” I mumbled.

  Walter’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry,” he said, hanging his head. “I didn’t mean to sound like an asshole. I just… want to make sure you get home okay.”

  “It’s fine,” I said in a defensive voice. “It’s just been a bad couple of months, and tonight all I wanted was to go out and try to have a good time.”

  The waitress came over and dropped off my drink, which I proceeded to finish in three sips. Walter looked at me with an amused expression.

  “Listen,” he began. “I really am sorry. But in all seriousness, you’re welcome to come to my place after this. You can stay as long as you’d like, until you’re ready to drive home.”

  “Okay,” I agreed, forcing a smile. “Why don’t we grab some coffee and dessert, and then I’ll see how I feel.”

  Walter grinned, passing me a dessert menu. “You’re in luck,” he said. “Because their spicy chocolate churros are to die for.”

  Chapter 27

  I awoke the next morning to the smell of bacon. The clanging of pots and pans echoed from the kitchen, along with the faint hum of music. I sat up straight in a bed that was most certainly not mine, looking around the room. On the bedside table next to me was a photo of two guys. I picked it up and recognized Walter as one of them.

  Oh, no.

  I looked down and breathed a sigh of relief that I was still wearing my clothes.

  Okay, I hadn’t slept with him. Phew. I sat still for a moment, listening to the sound of Walter cooking, trying to remember what had transpired after dinner. I hadn’t drank that much…

  Oh. Now I remembered. After we’d arrived at his place, Walter cracked open a bottle of wine and offered me his bed for the night so I didn’t have to drive home. That explained my lack of memory. I cringed as bits and pieces of the night came back to me – Walter divulging details about his breakup, me reciprocating by telling him about David and his fiancé.

  The last thing I remembered was Walter tucking me into his bed and going to sleep on the couch.

  I climbed out of bed and tiptoed to the kitchen, sneaking a peek before he noticed me. There he was, bent over the stove in navy gym shorts and a fitted, gray t-shirt that clung to his biceps.

  Walter noticed me out of the corner of his eye, spinning around to face me.

  “There she is,” he said, flipping a stack of bacon onto a plate. I could tell instantly that he was much more at ease than he’d been last night. His eyes seemed like they were smiling at me.

  “Hi,” I said, stepping shyly into the kitchen. I stood there awkwardly for a second, unsure of where to go. Should I sit down? Stand? Offer to help?

  “I know you’re not a big a meat-eater,” he said, gesturing to the bacon. “But since you indulged last night, I figured…”

  “It’s fine,” I assured him.

  “Plus,” he said, pointing to another pan that contained a row of French toast. “This was all I had.” He shrugged apologetically. “You want some coffee?”

  My eyes lit up. There was nothing I loved more than a cup of coffee immediately upon awakening. Apparently my face gave it away because Walter grinned and poured me a cup.

  “Cream and sugar are over there.” He gestured to the kitchen table. “Help yourself.”

  I took the mug and sat down at the table, stirring the condiments into my coffee. Walter joined me with two plates of food, placing the butter and syrup in the center of the table.

  “You sleep okay?” he asked.

  I nodded, slicing my toast into squares. “I did. Thanks for letting me stay here.”

  “No problem. I had fun.” He smiled at me warmly. “Except for the fact that my shirt didn’t survive.”

  I almost choked on my food, which made us both break into laughter.

  After we finished, Walter cleared our plates, and I snuck into the bathroom to freshen up. I combed my hair and applied a layer of foundation, mascara, and lip gloss, then grabbed my purse and headed into the living room.

  “You ready to go?” Walter asked.

  I nodded. “Thanks again for letting me crash here,” I said. “And for breakfast.”

  He leaned in and hugged me, then pulled back slightly, holding me far enough away to stare at my face.

  “Listen, I think you’re a really cool girl.” He stepped back a little more, studying me as he spoke. “And I think we’re both in a similar situation and could probably use each other right now. So… what do you say? Friends?”

  I smiled, nodding in agreement.

  “I’d like that,” I said.

  I spent the next two weeks enjoying my final days as a free woman. According to Rebecca, that was how much time they needed before I could start, as their background checks typically took over a week to clear. So I filled up my days reading, shopping, and more often than not, on the phone with Walter.

  Somehow, over the past two weeks, the two of us had actually become pretty good friends. It started with his phone calls and emails about my new apartment, which turned into visits to his office to fill out paperwork. Which turned into late lunches. Which turned into early happy hours. Next thing I knew, our business calls had transformed into personal calls, and I had one hell of a good-looking new friend.

  When I wasn’t spending my days talking to Walter, I was either out buying new clothes for work (now that I had a future paycheck lined up and wasn’t afraid to splurge), or finishing the final pages of My Kick-Ass Life. The last chapter focused on forgiveness and why it was important to forgive people who had wronged you. That one really resonated with me. I think it was because I’d held on to resentment towards David for so long, which was ultimately the reason it had been difficult to move forward.

  But David wasn’t the only person I’d held animosity towards. And if I was going to give myself a fresh start, I had to cover all bases.

  I picked up my phone and dialed Renee’s number.

  “Hey,” I said. “I’m going to be up your way tomorrow and I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch.”

  “Sure,” she agreed. “Tomorrow’s perfect actually because Dylan has the day off, so he can watch Sierra. What are you doing up here?”

  “I have to swing by Walter’s office and drop off some paperwork for the apartment application.”

  “Oh. How’s that going?”

  “They’re running a credit check now. I just have to drop off a copy of Z-Candy’s offer letter since I don’t have a paystub that shows my salary yet, and sign a couple of other things. I should know this week if I’m approved.”

  “I hope so. If would be awesome if you lived so close.”

  “I know. I can show you where the apartment is tomorrow. Want me to head to your place around noon?”

  “Sure.”

  I paused, reflecting back on everything I’d learned. My lessons. My fresh start. New beginnings.

  “And one other thing,” I continued. “I was thinking… maybe you could invite Beth to come with us.”

  “He likes you,” Renee said on the drive back from Walter’s office. “He totally likes you.”

  On the way to lunch, I had picked Renee up and brought her with me to the Keller Realty office, which she had not
stopped talked about throughout the entire ride to the restaurant.

  “I already told you,” I said, rolling my eyes. “We’re just friends.”

  “Friends my ass.” She looked at me skeptically. “Did you see the way he looked at you when you walked in? It was like the world had stopped.”

  “You’re really not helping.” I pulled into the parking lot of the Italian restaurant where we had agreed to meet Beth and slid into a space.

  “Helping what?”

  I grabbed my purse from the backseat and stepped out of the car, feeling hopelessly frustrated. It was impossible to explain, but I was really enjoying my friendship with Walter. He made me feel good, and it had been a long time since someone had made me feel that way. The last thing I wanted was to ruin it with expectations.

  Beth was already waiting in a booth when we walked in, snacking on a plate of rolls and olive oil. As soon as we sat down, Renee wasted no time filling Beth in on our afternoon.

  “You should’ve seen him,” Renee said, grabbing a piece of bread from the basket. “I think it took him a good five minutes before he even noticed I was there.”

  Beth squinted at me, her little observant eyes analyzing my sour expression. I reminded myself to be nice. It was my idea to invite her, after all.

  “So if he’s such a catch, then what’s the problem?” she asked.

  I sighed, resting my chin in my hands. “The problem, as I’ve explained to Renee, is that I don’t want to date him. We both just got out of a relationship, and frankly, I like being friends with him.” I looked at each of them defensively. “It’s nice to talk to a guy on the phone without worrying about saying something stupid, or to go to lunch with him and not wonder if I’m wearing too much lipstick or the wrong-color shirt.” I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms. “I’m sick of going from guy to guy, trying to impress them. I want to concentrate on myself for a while. Learn how to be alone.”

  Beth raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Renee, I hate to say it,” she said. “But she’s right. I don’t care how gorgeous this guy is, there’s nothing sexier than an independent woman.”

  I looked at Renee triumphantly.

  “You don’t need a guy to make you happy,” Beth continued. “Especially right now. Give yourself time to get over David. Focus on you.”

  Before I could reply, my cell phone rang. I glanced down at the caller ID.

  “Speak of the devil,” I said, lifting the phone to my ear.

  “Talking about me, huh?” Walter said on the other end.

  “Only bad things.”

  “Naturally,” he joked. “Although, that might change after this conversation is over.”

  “Oh really? And why is that?”

  Renee shot Beth a look that said, I told you so.

  “Well, let’s just say… I may have expedited your apartment approval.”

  “Really?” My jaw dropped. “That was so fast!”

  “Yeah, I forwarded your salary info as soon as you left, and your credit check’s already cleared. So you just have to come in and sign the lease and the keys are all yours.”

  My eyes met Renee’s, who was almost as excited as I was. “You got the apartment?” she mouthed.

  I nodded, still wide-eyed with surprise.

  “Walter, thank you so much,” I said. “I’m actually out to lunch right now, so let me call you when I leave.”

  “You got it. Have fun.”

  I hung up the phone and clapped my hands in excitement.

  “We’re going to be neighbors!” Renee yelled. “I’m so excited!”

  I couldn’t stop beaming, thinking of what was to come. New job, new apartment, new life.

  It was all happening.

  Chapter 28

  I met up with Walter the next day. His office was closed on Sundays, so he agreed to meet me at the apartment and bring the lease agreement and my set of keys. I was so elated I could barely stand it. My own apartment, in the city. I had never lived with anyone except Renee and David, but now I was considering the possibilities. I could decorate the walls any way I wanted, hang my favorite photography pieces, buy bohemian artwork, splurge on expensive furniture. With no one’s input to consider but my own.

  Walter arrived wearing his Sunday best – worn jeans, a maroon hoodie, and black converse sneakers. He walked to the back entrance of the building, where I was anxiously waiting. When he got close enough, he raised his right hand, dangling a set of keys in front of me.

  “I believe these are for you,” he said, handing them to me. “The gold one is for the apartment, the silver one is for the laundry room, and the little one is for the mailbox. I’ll show you where they are.”

  Walter led me to a basement full of washers and dryers, briefly showing me how to work the machines, then back up the stairs to the mailroom. Once I had learned my way around the building, we took the elevator up to my new place.

  As soon as I opened the door, I immediately noticed a bottle of sparkling cider and two flutes propped on the kitchen counter. I burst out laughing.

  “Wow,” I said, taking the bottle into my hands. “Do you spoil all your clients with gifts?”

  “Only the pretty ones.”

  “Thank you.”

  “For the bottle or the compliment?”

  I considered. “Both.”

  “I was going to get you the real thing, but unfortunately, I have to drive tonight,” he said.

  I popped the bottle open and poured each of us a glass, then handed his glass to him. “So where are you going tonight?”

  “I have to head to New York.”

  “What for?”

  He glanced down at his hands. “My ex is moving into a smaller place, so I have to go pick up the rest of my things. I still have a bunch of stuff there.”

  For a split second, I felt a pang in the pit of my stomach. I reminded myself that we were just friends, and that I had absolutely no reason to be jealous that he was going to see his ex.

  “Oh.” I nodded nonchalantly, as though I couldn’t care less. “Do you guys talk on a regular basis?”

  “No,” he said in a firm tone. “I think she’s a great girl and I’m sure we’ll be friends someday, but not right now.”

  “Too soon,” I added.

  “Yeah. I think most couples that split need time apart before they can be friends. You need space to let the feelings fade so you can move on. It’s hard to do that if they’re still in your life.” He pointed his index finger at me. “Remember what I told you about breakups. They’re painful as hell, but then one day, you wake up, and the sun shines again.” He smiled knowingly. “That’s when you’re ready to be friends.”

  I was silent for a minute, trying to picture David and me as friends. It was a tough thing to imagine.

  Reading my mind, Walter said, “Unless you had a really bad breakup. Then that may not be the best idea.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” I said. “Are you nervous? To see her?”

  Walter tapped his thumb against his chin. “To be honest, I’m not looking forward to it. I have no idea how I’m going to feel. But I’m going to see some friends of mine when I’m there too, so that’ll be fun. I’ll be back tomorrow night.” He slid closer to me, his hand resting on the counter. “So, since we’re going to be working in the same neighborhood now, maybe we can grab lunch next week.”

  “Sure. You’ll have to show me the area.”

  “You got it.” His light eyes gazed down at me. “I’ll call you when I get back in town.”

  By Friday, I still hadn’t heard from Walter. I’d like to say that I was so busy with my new job and moving into my apartment that I hadn’t noticed, but that would be a giant lie.

  Because, truth be told, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

  I was dying to know what had happened in New York. And the more silent my phone was, the more questions arose. Did he see his ex and realize he wasn’t over her? Did they decide to get back together? Was that why I hadn’t h
eard from him?

  Or maybe, now that everything was finalized with my apartment, he had no reason to call me anymore. Our conversations and get-togethers had always stemmed from something to do with my application. Maybe I was just another real-estate deal. Maybe he was just smooth- talking me to get more business.

  No, no. Walter was one of the good ones, I reminded myself. He wouldn’t have asked me to lunch if he hadn’t meant it.

  Then again, he’d also said he’d call me this week. And he hadn’t.

  Aside from watching my non-ringing phone, my week had mainly consisted of new-hire orientations, training sessions, and furniture-shopping. Each day after work, I headed over to move boxes into my new place, then hit all the local shops. So far, I had ordered a custom-made dark-purple sofa set that would be delivered in two weeks, printed my favorite photography pieces and bought a set of matching frames, and scored a cute kitchen table set from the classified ads.

  All in all, it had been a pretty productive week.

  By Friday afternoon, my first week of training was complete, so I spent the last few hours in the studio taking test shoots for Z-Candy’s new spring line, then decided to head out around five. I was surprised at their schedule flexibility. Most companies had at a strict start/stop time, but Z-Candy’s environment was as anti-micromanagement as it got. You could come in and leave whenever you wanted, as long as you got your work done. Between the fashionable crew and the laid-back vibe, I loved it already. I couldn’t wait until I was completely trained and could dive headfirst into the work.

  On the way home, I stopped at the apartment to drop off a few more boxes. My bed was being delivered tomorrow afternoon, so I could officially move the rest of my things in by the end of the weekend. I’d just have to live without a couch for two more weeks.

  I decided to spend the next few hours unpacking and head home once traffic had died down. I began removing the items from each box, starting with the bathroom necessities. I filed my lotions and hair-product bottles in the bathroom cabinet, folded and stacked the towels in the closet, then moved on to the kitchen.