The Do Over

by A. L. Zaun

  I quickly changed into the last outfit and came out, parading in front of the mirror. Candace studied my expression. I just smiled and shrugged my shoulders.

  "What do you think about this look?"

  "It's a good look. And I think it's a good thing that you hate Rick less. In fact, I think you shouldn't hate him at all. He doesn't deserve your passionate emotions. More importantly, tell me you're growing indifferent and not soft."

  I shrugged my shoulders again and returned behind the curtain to get dressed. "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. I suppose it just feels good to not hate him." And that was the truth, at least as much of it as I could share.

  I'd spent close to two years with an open wound. Because of him, I was scared to love again. I didn't want to be held prisoner to that fear. I wanted to love Liam with reckless abandon. Maybe if I was at peace with Rick, I would be able to do that.

  I took the Candace approved clothes up to the register and revitalized my wardrobe. With bags in my hands and a new perspective, I felt empowered and more confident. My mind went to thoughts of Liam, and my eyes danced with anticipation, knowing I would see him soon. My heart fluttered as a smile broke across my face. I was in love with him.

  "Oh, and she thinks of him." Candace nudged me, giggling. "Yes, Dani, that's the look you've been getting on your face since you met Liam. It suits you perfectly." She laced her arm through mine as we walked. "Now, tell me about this key."

  "You're amazing. I'm going to miss you so damn much. You've let me make this entire time about me. I love you for it. I really do. I can't talk to Macy about this stuff yet. I love her, but that mouth has gotten her into more trouble than she likes to admit."

  We both laughed.

  "Focus, Dani, the key. Was there a grand gesture? Is he expecting a key from you? I mean, come on, details. I need to analyze the evidence before I render a verdict."

  "No, there was no grand gesture. After we made love, well that time, we just fucked, he got out of bed. When he came back, he gave me the key and told me to put it on my key ring. That was about it."

  She simply concluded, "It's a key, Dani. Talk to the man, and tell him what you're feeling. You might be surprised by what you learn."

  I got in my car and felt like I had fucking scored the winning touchdown. Daniela was putty in my hands. I was confident that by Christmas, maybe New Year's, she would be back where she belonged—by my side and in my bed. There was no way that she'd be able to resist. She could deny her feelings all she wanted, but I saw the look in her eye. They were still there, and I was going to take what was mine.

  I sat in my car and sent Madison a text.

  Rick: You're a genius. Let's celebrate.

  Maddy: No shit. I'm busy.

  Rick: Tonight.

  Maddy: Busy.

  Rick: Cancel.

  Maddy: Fuck you. No.

  Rick: Fucking cancel and stop being a royal pain in the ass.

  Maddy: Bite me, asshole.

  Rick: You'd love it if I did. I'll pick you up at 7.

  Maddy: Go to hell.

  Rick: See you at 7.

  Madison and her bullshit. I'd never met a more complicated and difficult woman. We were going to celebrate and debrief tonight. I wasn't putting it off just because she had a fuck date. Hell no. She was probably getting fucked when I texted her. She could put off her next orgasm for a few hours.

  She always gave me such a fucking hard time. Motherfucking pain in my ass. But I went back for more. Mainly, I dealt with it because she was brilliant, and I was seeing results with Daniela. I had to admit that she was growing on me. Underneath that cold, heartless bitch exterior, she was actually pretty cool. I liked hanging out with her. I guessed I could even say that we were becoming friends.

  After tossing my keys on the counter, I made my way to my bedroom with merchandise bags in hand. Candace and I had spent the better part of the afternoon shopping. Who knew shopping could be so exhausting?

  Our conversation naturally shifted from my monopolization to a shared interest in each other's lives. I was proud of her. I knew her long hours and dedication would pay off. Again, selfishly, I wished she wasn't going so far away. She'd be back in a month, and then hopefully, the trial would wrap up by mid-January. Until then, I was urged to stop being so hard on Macy. I was told I needed to lighten up. As always, Candace was right, but I figured I would make Macy sweat it out for a little bit.

  I started unpacking the bags, laying the various outfits on my bed. I stepped back, and with my hand under my chin, I inspected them to see which one would make the cut for tonight's date with Liam. He had been elusive about our plans. He'd said casual and comfortable. Since I wasn't going to wear yoga pants and an oversized T-shirt, I decided on one of my new dresses, the emerald strapless that landed mid-thigh, with a beaded belt and a light jacket. The beauty of the dress was that I could dress it up or down. I had learned a great deal from watching Candace and several seasons of What Not to Wear.

  I was excited about seeing Liam tonight. I hadn't seen him since Thursday night. My heart fluttered, and a smile graced my face as I thought back to that evening.

  He arrived just after his basketball game. I was playing dirty, wearing a tank top and a pair of panties, as I opened the door. He wore a sheepish grin. Its sole purpose was to mask the desire in his eyes.

  It didn't take long before we weren't wearing anything else but each other.

  I put off talking about the key because being with him, in that moment, was so much more important than whatever anxiety I had. Liam's arms wrapped around me, enveloping me with his warmth. His hold had a magical power that eased away all my cares and became my safe place.

  I sighed as I thought about what I wasn't looking forward to. I had to find a way to tell him about my visit with Rick. The timing had to be just perfect. Candace had been right. Liam was paying for Rick's mistakes, and that was wrong. I needed to fix things, but I couldn't explain how a visit with the guy Liam wanted to beat up for breaking my heart actually made me feel better about everything. I had to figure this out because I knew I wouldn't like it if the tables were turned. There would be few words, if any, that would make me be okay with it. What if Rick was right? What if we never saw each other again? Do I really want to stress Liam out over this? But Liam wanted honesty, so I would tell him when the time was right.

  I put everything else away. I'd spent too much time pondering these things and not enough time getting ready. Liam would be here soon, and I wanted to look irresistible. As if on cue, I heard my phone chirping on my dresser.

  Liam: Ready or not, here I come.

  Dani: Hurry up.

  Liam: On my way.

  Dani: Can't stay away?

  Liam: Impossible.

  Dani: Where are you taking me?

  Liam: Surprise.

  Dani: I hate surprises.

  Liam: No you don't.

  Dani: True. Give me a hint.

  Liam: Nope.

  Dani: I'm not talking to you anymore. Grrr.

  Liam: I love you.

  Dani: With all my heart.

  Sure enough, Liam arrived as I was stepping into my dress.

  "I refuse to speak to you until you tell me where you're taking me," I said playfully as I opened the door.

  He came inside and wrapped his arms around me. "Let's start with hello, come in." He lowered his mouth and placed his lips over mine. "It's called a surprise."

  My lips spread into a smile as I coyly said, "It's called kidnapping."

  "Does this mean I can tie you up?" He said as he ran his hands up my back and into my hair.

  "Babe, you can do whatever you want to me," I purred as I tilted my head back. "Are you going to tell me about my surprise?"

  "I'm not going to tell you," he said before his mouth grazed my chin. "I'm going to show you, but we better go before it gets too late."

  I pulled back from the tender embrace and grabbed my purse. Locking up, we made our way out
to destination unknown.

  While we were driving, Liam reached over and laced his fingers with mine.

  He looked over at me. "You really do look beautiful." He winked and kissed the back of my hand.

  "You're spoiling me. I'm going to expect you to shower me with compliments all the time." I shifted my eyes over to him and then resumed looking forward. My lips curled as I worked at stifling the smile that was begging to explode.

  "Hmmm, I can be creative and find ways to keep you on your toes, but you can definitely count on me telling you just how gorgeous you are."

  "Creative? As in my surprise?"

  "A little mystery is always good, baby." He paused. "So, how was your day? Did you make up with Macy?"

  "Great. Did Chris call you to tell you how I staged a confrontation? I was a royal bitch to Macy. I even made her cry."

  "Uh, no. I didn't talk to Chris today. A confrontation that led to tears?"

  "We're good now, but she's on probation for sensitive issues. Yeah, I was harsh." I frowned.

  I didn't like being so mean to Macy. The more I thought about it, the more I regretted how I'd lashed out at her. She was my best friend, and I'd overreacted. Without including juicy secrets, I would find a way to make it up to her.

  "Oh, I have good news that totally sucks. Candace is leaving for a month to work on a high-profile case. You know what this means, right?"

  I looked over to see that he was clueless. Typical man. He had no idea how his life was about to change.

  "This means," I said, "that you're now my new BFF."

  "I thought I was already your best friend?"

  He was so naïve to the ways of women. It wasn't like I was going to take him shopping or anything remotely similar to that, but I was going to come to him with my problems, unfiltered, and work them out with him.

  As if he read my mind, he said, "You know I'm here for you. You can talk to me about anything. I want to be the person you always come to. I mean it." He looked over at me, waiting for my acknowledgment.

  "I know you are. Now, I get to exercise that right and have the privilege of being a pain in your ass. Anyway, tell me where you're taking me."

  He shook his head and said nothing. He was enjoying this little game. I had to admit that the anticipation was part of the thrill.

  "You just love to torture me, don't you?"

  "I live for it," he said with a smirk.

  I gave him an insulted glare.

  "And don't think for a second that you don't love making me suffer," he added.

  "Me? Well, I never!" I huffed with righteous indignation, but I knew exactly what he was talking about. I choked back a giggle.

  "Oh, really? Says the woman who texted me about using my hose on her."

  Neither of us could hold back the laughter with that one.

  "And, baby, I fully intend on putting out that fire."

  "I'm counting on it because I'm burning up for you," I said playfully.

  He turned down a road and pulled into a marina. It would be another hour before the sun set. The blue sky served as a canvas for the aquamarine water and boats bobbing in their slips. What on earth does he have planned?

  He got out of the car, came around, and opened my door. Quietly, he walked me down to the dock. My anticipation was building even more. The breeze softly blew through my hair as the scent of salt filled the air. I held his hand and nestled into his body.

  When he stopped in front of Blazing Fire, I bit my lower lip to contain my smile and excitement. This was his boat.

  He looked over at me with a boyish grin. "So, how about we take a three-hour tour?" He jumped on board and extended his arm to me.

  I beamed. "This is great!"

  I boarded and wrapped my arms around his waist. As I looked up, he kissed my forehead before lovingly gazing into my eyes. Moments like these were overwhelming. He was taking me out on his boat, making it special and memorable. I got it. He was sharing everything that mattered most to him with me.

  "I love you so much," I said.

  Somehow, those words weren't enough to express what I felt for him. Tightening his hold on me, he placed a chaste kiss on my lips.

  "You're everything to me." He winked and then smacked me on the ass. "Come on, Gilligan, I want to take you somewhere."

  Grabbing a hair tie from my purse, I pulled my hair back. As I looked around his Wellcraft Open Fisherman boat, I spotted a basket and a large duffel bag. I moved to stand behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist, as we pulled out of the marina.

  He piloted us through the bay. "Hold on, baby," he said, grinning.

  When he pushed down the throttle, we flew out into the Atlantic, and I squealed in delight.

  After twenty minutes, we approached a small island and he slowed down. We pulled into a dock. He tied up the boat and unloaded the basket and bag.

  "Where are we?" I asked, looking around. We were on a tiny island mostly inhabited by mangroves. I could see a sandy beach a short distance from the dock.

  "It's an unnamed island off the beaten path. It's not special enough, I suppose, to be worthy of name, or maybe it's too unique to be labeled. Only die-hard boaters know about her."

  "You seem to like these off-the-beaten-path places."

  We walked along the dock toward the beach.

  "Yeah, I do, especially when it comes to places that matter to me."

  I took off my sandals as we walked on the sand. Nature was playing her symphony as the waves lapped softly against the beach with the crickets chirping in the background. The soft breeze cooled down what would've been an otherwise hot evening.

  "And what is it about here? It's beautiful. I can see why you love it, but what makes this island more special than any other?"

  He unpacked the duffel bag, which had a small table, a couple of chairs, and a set of tiki torches. I was amazed at how compact those bags could be.

  He had a pensive look on his face before he smiled. "My job's intense. I've gone into burning homes and buildings. I've crawled through fallen construction debris. I've pulled out people from mangled metal that used to be a car. I've seen some rough shit. It's who I am, but I also need to balance out that intensity with the serenity of places like this. It's close enough to home that I can come whenever I need to, yet it's far enough that the tourist and crazy locals aren't interested."

  "So, this is where you come to escape?" I was hanging on his every word. I felt like I was getting a glimpse into his heart, learning about a part of him I had yet to discover.

  "Sure." He chuckled. "Plus the fishing's awesome, and this beach has the greatest waves. The best part is that I don't have to deal with dickwads. It's fucking paradise."

  "You were bullshitting me?" I stood there with my hands on hips as my lips pursed.

  "Not entirely. But, come on, when do I use words like balance and serenity in a sentence?"

  I sucker-girl-punched him, not that it made an impact, considering his abs were solid.

  "Baby, don't be mad at me. It's all true. I come here to decompress. The last thing I need to do when I have to get away is deal with assholes." He dragged me into him as he tucked my hair behind my ears. His eyes sparkled as they trained on mine. "And I brought you here because I want to share everything I love with you."

  My heart fluttered, and my body quivered at his words. His left hand came down and caressed my face as his thumb gently swept over my lower lip. I nipped at it softly. His eyes darkened with desire. When his hands cupped my face, I wrapped my arms around him as he pulled me into a deep kiss.

  "You know, I have a few ideas on how I could help you decompress," I said, teasing his lip with my tongue.

  He groaned into my mouth. His hands gingerly slid down my body. His thumbs swept softly over my breasts, pebbling my nipples. A shiver coursed through me, and desire pooled between my legs as a whimper escaped from my mouth.

  "I always knew you were a smart and resourceful woman," he said. While catching his breath, he
rested his forehead against mine.

  "You haven't seen anything yet." I couldn't get enough of him.

  At that moment, I was struggling to remember what it was that I needed to talk to him about because nothing else was important. He was all that mattered.

  He set up the table with a tablecloth and candles. I was impressed. Dinner was simple with a variety of cheeses, breads, some fruits, and wine. He did this all for me. And I would bet any amount of money that he'd eaten before he'd picked me up.

  He poured the wine, and then with his eyes focused on mine, we raised our glasses. "To us. I love you more than you'll ever know."

  We had an enchanted evening. The stars shone brightly against the backdrop of the black sky. The silvered moon cast its reflection against the darkened ocean. The tikis and candles glowed, radiating soft amber light.

  "You never cease to amaze me," I said before sipping my wine. "You're a romantic."

  He reached across the table for my hand. "If being romantic is wanting to make your dreams come true, then I suppose I am."

  My head was foggy and intoxicated from Liam, not from the glass of wine I was drinking. I tilted my head to the side and glanced away, trying to remember something I had to talk to him about. Whatever it was it didn't seem to matter anymore.

  While Liam started packing up the table and chairs, I stood, staring out over the vast ocean, as the warm water rippled over my feet. He had insisted on doing everything himself, so I'd indulged him. Each time I looked over my shoulder, I caught him stealing glances at me. I stepped farther into the water, feeling it lap against my ankles.