Drowning In Love

by Beth Rinyu

  “What?”

  “Asking me for coffee in front of your grandmother, so I couldn’t say ‘no.’”

  “You could have said ‘no.’ No one was holding a gun to your head.”

  We got into the elevator and continued with the conversation. “Look, Travis, I think it’s better if you and I just don’t have any type of relationship. It’s obvious that we can’t be just friends.”

  “No, Mia, you’re wrong. We can be friends. Look, I’m sorry for what happened last night. This whole friendship thing with women is new to me. But I really do like you and I have a lot of fun when I’m with you. And I’m not going to lie; I think you’re absolutely beautiful.”

  We stepped off the elevator and out of the apartment building into the warm muggy air. “Travis, why would you want to be friends with me?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “Because I’m just ordinary. I’m not those supermodels that you’re used to being around.”

  “No, Mia, you’re not. You are so much more. Not only are you beautiful, but you also have a great personality, you’re smart, and you’re funny. So sometimes ordinary is better.”

  He held the door open for me as we entered the coffee shop that was just up the street. I once again noticed some of the eyes that were fixated on him as we walked in, again making me feel a little uncomfortable. We ordered our coffee and sat down at a small table. “So, Travis, tell me; why did you want to have coffee with me today?”

  “Because you’re a friend and friends go out for coffee. Plus I wanted to apologize for taking advantage of our friendship with my forwardness in the limo last night.”

  “Really, you don’t have to keep taking me out to dinner or for coffee just to alleviate your own guilt.”

  He shook his head and smiled at me. “That’s not what I’m doing, Mia. I happen to really enjoy hanging out with you.”

  I shrugged my shoulders and took a sip of my coffee. “Okay, if you say so.”

  “So, friend, I was wondering what your plans are for next Saturday afternoon?”

  “I will be sitting on a beach, hopefully working on my tan, if the weather cooperates.”

  “Oh, you’re going on vacation?”

  “Well, not exactly. Unless you call shacking up with your pregnant sister, her husband, her three-year-old daughter, and my mom and stepdad in a three-bedroom house at the Jersey shore for a few days a vacation.”

  He smiled. “So you have a sister?”

  I nodded.

  “I just realized I really don’t know much about you. Do you have any other siblings?”

  “Nope, just Tressa. It’s been just her and my mom for most of my life.” I went on to tell him all about my childhood and how my dad had left when I was just a small child.

  “So it sounds like you guys are really close.”

  “Yeah, we are.” I smiled just thinking about the great relationship that I had with my mom and sister.

  “When will you be back?”

  “Sunday. I was hoping to be coming home on Friday, so I could have a few days to unwind before heading back to work, but I’m at the mercy of my mom and stepdad. That’s one of the disadvantages of living in the city and not having a car.”

  He was silent for a moment as if he were deep in thought. “Well, then, how about if I pick you up on Friday? That way, you have your few days to unwind.”

  “What? Are you crazy? I’m not going to have you drive all the way down there just to pick me up!”

  “Mia, my motive isn’t completely unselfish. If you’re home by Friday, then you will be able to come to the party with me on Saturday afternoon.”

  “What party?”

  “It’s for another company that I have an endorsement with. I don’t really want to go, but I have to. So, I figured if I took someone fun along, it might not be half bad.”

  “Hmm…well –” He looked absolutely adorable with a pleading look on his face that made it impossible for me to say ‘no.’ “Fine,” I finally answered.

  “Oh, one other thing, you don’t get seasick, do you?”

  “No, why?”

  “Because it’s on a boat. It’s a lot more casual than last night.”

  “Oh, well, it’s not like you haven’t seen me puke my guts up before, so if I do, I’ll feel a lot more comfortable this time,” I joked.

  He laughed as we got up from the table to exit. I waited as he was stopped by a man who had recognized him and began to strike up a conversation. He was finally able to break free and we headed out the door. We agreed that he would pick me up at noon and I would text him the address of my sister’s beach house once I found it out myself.

  “Are you sure, you want to do this?”

  “Absolutely.” His smile widened.

  “Okay, suit yourself.” He flagged down a cab for me and opened the door as I got in.

  “See ya Friday, Mia,” he said before closing the door.

  Travis Montgomery was going to drive three hours out of his way just so I could go to a party with him. I still didn’t get it, but I couldn’t help but smile anyway.

  Chapter 13

  Mia…

  “Oh my God, Mia. You couldn’t have waited until after I had the baby to bring him around. I look like a cow!” My sister scolded me as she nervously ran the brush through her hair.

  My mother and sister were acting like the president was coming to pick me up. By the time Friday had arrived, they were both a bundle of nerves.

  “Tressa, will you just relax? You look beautiful, and why are you so worried about impressing him? You’re married, girl!”

  “Mia, I may be married, but I’m not blind and he is hot!” She sat down on the bed and handed me the brush. I plugged in my curling iron, waiting for it to heat up. I ran the brush through her blonde hair, which was the same exact shade as mine. My sister and I looked a lot alike except for our eyes; hers were more grayish than blue. We resembled my mother. Her hair was a little darker than ours, but her eyes were bright blue. I threw some curls in Tressa’s hair and pulled the top back into a clip.

  “There, you look beautiful.”

  She rolled her eyes at me.

  “Aunt Mee-Mee. Mee Mom said that Trabis is here,” my adorable niece Paige said as she walked into the room, clutching to her baby doll.

  “Thank you, baby girl,” I said as I bent down and kissed her on the head. I walked into the living room where Travis was being ogled over by my mom, my stepdad, and my brother-in-law.

  “Hey,” I said as a smile stretched across my face at the sight of him. He smiled back and I got butterflies. “Well, I see you met everyone already.” My sister cleared her throat loudly. “Oh, I’m sorry, not everyone. Travis, this is my sister, Tressa.”

  He held out his hand to my sister and she looked like she was going to pass out. “It’s nice to meet you, Tressa.”

  “Yeah, you too,” she said shyly.

  I felt my niece tugging on my leg. I picked her up. “Oh, and how can I forget, this is my beautiful niece, Paige.” She gave Travis a shy little smile before burying her face in my shoulder.

  “Sweetie, I was just telling Travis that we’re planning on having a cookout tonight and would really love you guys to stay for dinner,” my mom said.

  “Oh no, Mom, it’s a long drive –”

  “It’s okay,” Travis interrupted. I raised my eyebrow at him. “Really, it’s fine,” he said.

  “Okay, then I guess we’ll stay,” I said.

  “Great!” My mother’s grin was a mile wide. “Come on, Gary, we have to go to the food store,” my mother said to my stepdad.

  I waited until everyone cleared the room. “Are you really sure that you don’t have anything better to do today than to spend the day with my family?”

  “No, I don’t.” He flashed me that gorgeous smile.

  “All righty then.”

  “Aunt Mee Mee, can we go see the horsies again?” Paige asked as she came walking into the living room. The hors
ies that she was referring to were on the merry-go-round. We had spent last night on the boardwalk and I had ridden the merry-go-round with her more times than I could remember.

  “Oh, cutie pie, not today.”

  She looked up at me sadly. “What does she want?” Travis asked.

  “She wants to go on the boardwalk.”

  “Well, do you want to go?”

  “Really?” I asked, a little shocked. Somehow, he didn’t strike me as the child friendly type.

  “Yeah, why not?” he said.

  I asked my sister if it was okay if we took Paige to the boardwalk. She all too willingly obliged. I was happy to be able to give her a little break. I couldn’t imagine that chasing around after a three-year-old when you were seven months pregnant was very fun at all.

  Paige jumped into her stroller and we began the short walk to the boardwalk. “So, do you like the beach?” Travis asked.

  “I do; I just don’t swim in the ocean. Let me rephrase that: I don’t swim anywhere.”

  He looked at me as if he were surprised. “Really? Why not?”

  I explained to him about my near drowning experience as a child and how I hadn’t been swimming ever since.

  “You just need to overcome that fear, Mia, and you will be swimming in no time.”

  “No thanks.” I smiled.

  We finally reached the boardwalk. The smell of cotton candy, sausage, peppers, and onions, suntan oil, and salt air immediately made me smile. My mother would scrape together money every year to make sure that my sister and I would get to visit this magical place at least once every summer growing up. So the memories of this place were strong and happy for me. I looked down at Paige, who was sound asleep in her stroller, grasping tightly to her baby doll. “Well, she’s passed out,” I said. Travis smiled as he looked down at Paige. We walked up and down the boardwalk. I took in all of the familiar sounds of voices coming over the loud speakers, trying to entice us to play their games. The screams of individuals who were brave enough to ride the roller coaster merged with those of the pesky sea gulls flying overhead.

  Travis stopped off to play a basketball game. “You know, the hoop is smaller than the ball, so it’s impossible to win,” I said.

  “Nothing’s impossible, Mia.”

  “Okay, smarty pants. Make it in the hoop then,” I joked.

  The man handed Travis three basketballs. He took the first shot and it rebounded out of the basket. The second shot followed suit. He carefully concentrated on the third shot, looking like he was deep under pressure. I looked on and laughed at him. He finally released the ball, took his best shot, and missed again.

  “Ah…nothing’s impossible, huh?” I teased.

  “No, I’m just out of practice.” He laughed.

  The man working behind the game looked at Travis. “Hey, are you Trav-”

  “Nope.” Travis cut him off mid-sentence.

  I began to smirk as we walked away. “Why did you lie to that guy?”

  “Because I have a reputation to protect. I can’t let everyone know that I suck at basketball.” We both began to laugh.

  I was having a great time with Travis as we walked up and down the boardwalk. I wasn’t even feeling uncomfortable with some of the awkward stares that he was receiving from a few people who must have recognized him. I learned a little more about him as well. He attended New York University and had a degree in Sports Management. His parents still lived in their Connecticut home, which he had grown up in. His mother was an elementary school principal and his dad was a cardiologist. His childhood seemed so different from mine. He attended private schools, lived in a big house in an affluent community, and had the best of everything. Not that I didn’t have the best of everything; just not material things. But I couldn’t have asked for any more love and support than my mother had given to my sister and me while we were growing up. I knew that was why I didn’t have a strong need for material things in adulthood, because my mother helped me realize that wasn’t what mattered in life.

  Paige was still sound asleep. We took a break and sat on a bench looking out onto the ocean. The warm breeze, the salt air, and the familiar sound of seagulls flying overhead put my mind at such ease. There was no place else on earth that I would have rather been at that particular moment. “How could you not like the ocean?” Travis asked as he stared off.

  “It’s not that I don’t like it. I just don’t like swimming in it.”

  “That’s because you haven’t been to the right ocean.”

  I giggled. “An ocean is an ocean.”

  “Have you ever been to an island?”

  I shook my head.

  “Well, if you had, then you would probably change your mind. Saint Lucia has some of the most beautiful beaches around.”

  “I have no doubt that it’s beautiful, Travis, but it still doesn’t change the fact that there are a million little creatures swimming around with you out there. Not to mention waves!”

  He shook his head. “Not in Saint Lucia; the water is so calm it’s like being in a pool.”

  “A pool with sharks, piranhas, barracudas, and God knows what else.”

  He laughed. “I’m going to make a swimmer out you yet, Mia.”

  “Try as you might, but it will never happen.” I smiled.

  His smile back took my breath away, making me think that maybe I could trust him enough to help me overcome my fears in more ways than one.

  Chapter 14

  Mia…

  We took the short walk back. Paige had finally woken up just in time to ride the merry-go-round - four times. She too was now a fan of Travis’. She took to him instantly and I was surprised with how good he was with her as well.

  My sister was sitting on the front porch, reading a book. Paige jumped out of her stroller and went running to her. “Mommy, I went on the horsies and Aunt Mee Mee and Trabis gave me cotton candy.”

  My sister raised her eyebrow at me. “I’m sorry, but she wanted it.” Paige ran inside to go find my mother. My sister got up to chase after her. “Let me go wash her hands before she makes a sticky mess out of everything, thanks to you.” She smacked me lightly on the head with her book.

  Travis and I sat on the swing on the front porch. It was a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze. “So are you bored to tears yet?” I asked.

  “No, not at all. Why would you think that?”

  “I don’t know; my family isn’t exactly exciting.”

  “I don’t know, from what I’ve seen so far, your family seems great.”

  “Oh, yeah they are, just not very exciting.” I laughed.

  He smiled that butterflies-in-my-stomach smile again and without even realizing what I was doing, my hand was on top of his. He looked down, smiled again, and wrapped his hand in mine. There was a comfortable silence between us as we glided back and forth, hand in hand.

  My mother poked her head out the front door. “Oh, there you are. Why don’t you guys come and join us in the backyard?” I didn’t want to get up; I felt so relaxed, but I didn’t want to seem unsociable, so Travis and I followed her back.

  It was a great night. Any time spent with my family was great, but tonight seemed to be more special. Travis fit right in with everyone and I noticed that the nervousness that my mother and sister had been feeling earlier in the day about meeting him had completely washed away. Travis just had a way of making people feel comfortable in his presence. I was shocked when my brother-in-law and stepfather started talking about Travis’ intense workout routine.

  “Get out! You swim ten miles a day?” I asked as my jaw dropped.

  “No, not every day. I have to change it up with weight training.”

  “But wait, you didn’t get my question. You actually swim ten miles at one time?”

  He laughed. “Yeah,” he answered as if it weren’t a big deal.

  “Wow!” I shook my head in amazement.

  “Mia, thank God you never aspired to be an Olympic hopeful,” my brother-i
n-law said as he laughed at my reaction.

  “Haha, very funny, Shane.” I playfully smacked him on the arm.

  “So, do you think you’re going to compete in the next Olympics?” my stepfather asked.

  “No, I think I’m done with that.”

  My sister came walking out with Paige in her arms. “Give Aunt Mee Mee a kiss goodnight.” She put Paige down and she climbed on my lap. “Night night, Aunt Mee Mee.” She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me on the cheek.

  “Good night, baby girl. I love you so much and I will see you again really soon.”

  She climbed off my lap, turned around, and looked at Travis. She smiled at him and said, “Bye, Trabis, thank you for taking me to the horsies.”

  My sister and I looked at one another and giggled. Travis’ smile was a mile wide. “You’re welcome, Paige, anytime.” She smiled again and ran off to my mother. I looked down at my watch to see that it was already nine o’clock. Even though I didn’t want this most perfect night to end, I knew that it had to. We had a long drive ahead and since Travis had mentioned earlier that he had been up since 5 a.m. doing his workout, I figured the sooner we left, the better.

  After a half-hour long goodbye on my mom’s and sister’s parts, we were finally headed home. The long drive home was filled with conversation, something that I never had a hard time keeping up with Travis. About a half hour to go in the drive, I began to feel myself becoming sleepy. I rested my elbow on the car door and placed my head in my hand. The next thing I knew, Travis was gently nudging me. I opened my eyes, trying to figure out where I was and was a little embarrassed once I had finally figured it out.

  “I’m sorry,” I said.

  Travis chuckled. “What are you sorry about?”

  “For falling asleep.”

  “That’s okay; you were tired.”

  He got out of the car, took my bags out of his trunk, and carried them up the stairs for me. I opened up the door and he took a step in, placing the bags down on the floor. “Thanks for driving all that way,” I said.

  “Thanks for agreeing to go with me tomorrow,” he answered.

  “I had a really good –” we both began to say at the same time, causing us both to laugh.