IGNITE

by Paradis, Lily

  “Excuse me,” I whispered harshly. “I don’t know what you mean by ‘be with him’, but to set the record straight, nothing ever happened.”

  Callie crossed her arms.

  “Uh huh.”

  What on earth did she think was going on?

  “Seriously, Callie,” I said more softly. “I never did so much as kiss him.”

  I was surprised at myself for telling her something like that, but it felt like a very sisterly gesture.

  Her expression softened and her eyes narrowed.

  “You definitely don’t have to kiss him to be with him.”

  I sighed.

  “I’m serious, it’s not like that at all.”

  “Oh my god,” she said, pulling her phone out of her bag. “You’re serious. This is so much worse than I thought.”

  I was chasing Callie up the stairs to find out what she was talking about when Jenny answered.

  “Jenny?” Callie said into her phone. “Code Red.”

  I couldn’t hear what Jenny was saying, but she was clearly freaking out.

  “I’m serious. You have to get back here.” She paused. “I don’t know, tell him you forgot your straightener in my bag or something!”

  Within two minutes, Jenny was standing in the foyer and Callie was begging me to repeat what I had just told her.

  “He didn’t even kiss her!” Callie was screeching.

  Jenny covered her mouth and looked between us.

  “Well,” she said. “Is this a joke or not?”

  I shook my head, still confused.

  The same look of realization dawned on her and she started jumping up and down with Callie.

  “Wait,” she said. “This could work.”

  Callie grinned. I had literally never seen her so happy in all of the time that I had known her.

  “Can someone please explain what I’m clearly missing here?”

  Jenny grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

  “Can we sit down?”

  “Lead the way,” I said to Callie, as we sat down in the living room. Emma was playing with a coloring book, and Chase was watching TV.

  “Okay,” Jenny said as she sat down. “Dean has issues.”

  I nodded.

  “And that involves me because…why?”

  “Because I’ve never seen him like this. When we found you guys this morning, we kind of assumed the worst,” Jenny explained.

  “I got that by your judging looks, don’t worry.”

  “Sorry about that,” Callie cut in.

  Did Callie just apologize? What was this, the Twilight Zone?

  “Anyway, he just sucks at relationships. He’s never really had one before. He just whores his way around.”

  “Still not on your wavelength,” I told them. I didn’t really want to talk about his whoring.

  “The fact that he is the way he is around you and he’s never even tried anything with you is monumental. Like, I don’t even know how to try and explain it to you monumental. So please, please don’t break his heart. I really like you, and I want you to stay,” Jenny said.

  Callie nodded.

  “I’m sorry I’ve been a bitch. I didn’t really think this could work. But I’m all for happy endings, if that’s what this is going to be.”

  I shook my head.

  “Woah, you guys have been stuck at Disneyland too long. I barely even know him. We’re getting way too far ahead of ourselves here.”

  The front door opened and shut.

  “Jenny!” Dean called. “I thought you were just grabbing your straightener.”

  Jenny jumped up from the couch.

  “Oh yeah, I must have just left it at the hotel, I don’t know where it is. I’ll have to go buy a new one,” Jenny lied.

  I couldn’t help but laugh.

  These two were ridiculous, but if this is what it was going to take for Callie’s ice queen act to melt, I was willing to play.

  “We’ll talk later,” I said as Jenny waved goodbye, and Dean left without so much as a word.

  Callie smiled.

  This had to be a trap.

  “Why are you being so nice to me?”

  “Because. I thought you were just another dumb slut who was going to screw Dean and ditch us when he dumped you,” she said gleefully.

  “Oh,” I said softly. “That’s comforting.”

  THE NEXT NIGHT, Callie and Jenny insisted on having a “fort night” where we all made s’mores in the oven and watched movies in a blanket fort. Emma was in heaven, and even Chase seemed to be enjoying himself.

  I was surprised when Dean followed Jenny inside, and she and Callie exchanged looks.

  They really needed to work on being less obvious.

  He greeted me with nothing more than a “hey” and hadn’t said a word to me all night aside from asking me to pass some graham crackers so he could make another s’more for Emma.

  I was beginning to wonder if Callie and Jenny had a point since he was acting so strangely, just maybe not the same point of which they were trying to convince me.

  Three movies later, Jenny and Dean were putting on their coats to leave.

  “Hey,” Jenny said, looking out the window. “I think it’s going to snow soon.” She wagged her eyebrows at Dean as if she was talking in some kind of code.

  He gave her a look back, and Jenny rushed to hug Callie goodnight.

  “Bye Lauren,” he said cordially as he stepped out. No hug, no smile, no anything.

  “Bye Dean,” I said as flatly as I could.

  This was a complete bust.

  The second the door was shut, Callie rushed over.

  “So, go after him!” She practically shoved me out the door.

  “Earth to Callie,” I said, waving my hand in front of her face. “Have you seen him lately? He doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

  She crossed her arms.

  “That’s not true. You didn’t see you guys on New Year’s morning.”

  “I was there,” I told her. “I know what happened.”

  “No,” she said. “Not really. You were asleep the entire time he woke up screaming, which scared the shit out of the rest of us. Emma cried for like, an hour after, but you guys were completely oblivious. Jenny says it happens all the time, and he just leaves. As in peaces out for the night and goes god knows where.”

  I didn’t really want to think about where.

  “My point is,” she continued, “we saw what happened when he woke up and saw you were right there. He got this look on his face, and I swear to god, Lauren, I’ve never seen anything like it. You have to figure this out.”

  I studied her face, still trying to understand her sudden change in behavior towards me.

  “Please,” she said softly. “I want to see this work.”

  “Why?” I asked, genuinely wondering.

  “Because,” she said, choking up. “I’ve never seen it work. I’ve only seen it in movies, or books, or whatever. Never in real life.”

  “But our parents−”

  “No, not our parents,” she cut me off. “You weren’t here with them. It wasn’t the same as you and Dean.”

  That shocked me. Linda and my dad had been together for a long time before he met my mom. I really thought they were happy together. I couldn’t say no to her, not when she was opening up like this. I was also beyond curious as to why he’d suddenly turned so icy.

  I put on my coat.

  “Make sure Emma and Chase are in bed soon,” I told her. “I’ll be back soon.”

  She smiled through her tears and I stepped back inside to hug her before I walked down the street to the Powell house.

  Halfway down the block, it dawned on me that I had no idea which house was theirs.

  I stood in the middle of the street, studying the houses for any kind of distinguishing feature. The problem was that they all looked the same. He must park the Range Rover inside the garage, because it wasn’t anywhere to be seen outside. I was about to give
up and go back when I heard my name.

  “Pssst! Lauren!”

  I looked up and saw Jenny leaning out of a window. I gave her a thumbs up sign and walked up to the door.

  I took a deep breath. I could do this.

  I knocked twice, almost hoping he wouldn’t answer. I could tell Callie that I had tried, but in reality I had no idea what I wanted to say to him.

  “Open it!” I heard Jenny hiss from inside. That wasn’t reassuring, considering he probably knew I was out here and didn’t want to talk to me.

  The door opened, and I couldn’t decipher the look on his face.

  “Hey,” he said cooly. “Did you want to come in?”

  I froze up.

  Jenny was on the stairs behind him mouthing “yes”.

  “Uh, yes,” I nodded. “If you’re not busy.”

  He shook his head and opened the door further.

  I stepped into their house, feeling even more awkward than I had expected. It was decorated similarly to Dad and Linda’s, complete with green garland and red bows lining the stairway. I knew they lived on their own, and I was shocked at how warm it was. I half expected bare walls and random pieces of furniture skewed about. Clearly, Dean had hired an interior decorator. Of course, he had seemingly unlimited funds, so it probably wasn’t a big deal for him.

  He led me into the living room and asked if I wanted anything to drink.

  I shook my head uncomfortably.

  We sat down on opposite ends of the couch, and he looked at me expectantly. I knew Jenny could probably hear everything I said, but I didn’t want to ask him to go somewhere more private in case that came off wrong.

  I took a deep breath and started talking. I had never been good with confrontation, but I wanted this fixed or over if he wouldn’t reciprocate.

  “What happened, Dean?”

  He didn’t play coy. I could see in his eyes that he knew exactly what I was talking about. He rubbed his face with his hands and met my eyes again.

  “I can’t do this Lauren. I tried, and I can’t.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “You tried what?”

  “Whatever this was,” he said. “Whatever this is.”

  “Is,” I said. “Present tense. What do you mean by that?”

  I could tell I was going to have to drag this out of him.

  “I’m not good at people,” he said. “I’m better off not letting anyone in, or getting too involved. It’s better that way. People are not my thing.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t.”

  I knew this act. I was this act.

  “Yes,” I said. “You can. I don’t let people in. I don’t let anyone in. Hell, I wouldn’t even be here if Jed hadn’t taken my car away on that first night. I would have run home and we never would have met each other except at the DMV. I never would have known it was anything, and we probably would’ve forgotten each other.”

  He sighed and looked down. “I would never be able to forget you.”

  “What?”

  “Stop, Lauren,” he said a little louder now. “We can’t do this.”

  “We can’t what?” I said incredulously. “We can’t be friends?”

  “Friends?”

  “Yeah. You know, people who hang out with each other, tell each other things?”

  “I know what friends are,” he said, rubbing his face again. Then, “I’m sorry I was so forward on the plane.”

  I laughed. “On the plane? How about when we were tangled up in bed when we both got sick?”

  His cheeks changed color, which was surprising for the known womanizer Dean Powell.

  “I’m sorry about that too,” he said.

  “I’m not,” I said a little more quickly than I should have.

  “Oh.” He sighed. “See Lauren? That’s why we can’t—”

  I cut him off.

  “Can’t be friends? That’s just stupid. I’m thinking about staying, and I’d really like a friend. It’s kind of weird that you told me you felt differently on the plane, but I’m willing to live with that.”

  “I told you, I can’t let anyone in. I have Jenny to think about.”

  “I’m not asking for you to swear your undying love to me, I’m not asking for a week in Oahu, I’m just asking for a change to be friends.” I said.

  He sighed. “I don’t think I can be just your friend. Not after last weekend.”

  Finally, the truth.

  “I get it,” I said, unable to come up with a better response.

  He leaned closer but still looked guarded.

  “I don’t want to be the reason you don’t stay here for these kids if it goes badly.”

  “You won’t be,” I whispered. “I don’t know if I can leave now anyway.”

  I hadn’t said it out loud yet, but it was the truth. Not with Emma, and how Callie was finally opening up to me. Even Chase pulled at my heartstrings and I barely knew him.

  “But if things went badly,” he said, “we would still have to see each other. Callie and Jenny are inseparable.”

  I couldn’t take this act anymore.

  “Seriously? That’s what you’re worried about? It being weird between us?”

  He nodded, and I scoffed. I slid closer to him on the couch and grabbed his hand. I put it on my chest and began tearing up.

  “Do you feel that, Dean? That’s not something that happens often. I don’t just get butterflies around guys all the time. My heart has only raced for one guy before you. Ever.”

  I let his hand drop and continued.

  “I know you’re being coy on purpose, and I know you hate to admit it. I’m not asking for anything except that you just let it go and try. Whatever this is,” I said. “I don’t want to put pressure or a label or anything on it. I’m just asking that you try for something. I’m willing to try, which is huge for me.”

  He sat there and stared at me for what felt like an eternity. I had to leave. This wasn’t going to happen. I tried, but he wasn’t going to let me in.

  I felt the tears coming, but I couldn’t let him see that. I grabbed my coat and headed out the door. I pulled it tighter around me as the cold air hit my face. I didn’t even bother shutting the door.

  I made it midway down his driveway before he grabbed my wrist.

  I turned, completely shocked. His expression had changed and his eyes showed a vulnerability that I wasn’t expecting.

  “Okay,” he said softly.

  I sighed in relief as he pulled me against his chest.

  THE NEXT MORNING, I woke to knocking on my door.

  “Come in,” I said groggily, frustrated at whoever had disturbed my slumber.

  Callie edged her way in.

  “You might want to get dressed,” she said, pulling up the blind on the window.

  “Why?” I shut my eyes to keep out the light.

  “Because Dean’s here. Get up, Sleeping Beauty!”

  I groaned both because I was tired and because she was making fun of me. Although we had made progress, she still wasn’t my favorite person in the world.

  I obviously didn’t have time to shower. Callie left promptly, and I shoved on a pair of jeans and a sweater. I brushed my hair with my fingers and didn’t bother with makeup. He’d seen me look worse.

  I ran quickly into the bathroom and brushed my teeth, and then took a deep breath and walked out of the room. I found him sitting at the kitchen table with Callie and Emma.

  “Where’s Chase?” I asked.

  “Still sleeping,” Callie said, taking a bite of toast.

  Dean turned around.

  “What’s up?” I asked.

  “Well,” he said, standing up. “I wanted to show you something. Do you have time?”

  He was concerned with whether I was busy or not?

  I looked down at my wrist where my watch usually sat, but I’d forgotten it in my haste.

  “Well, I’m not sure. I’ll have to check my schedule,” I joked.
/>   “Oh,” he said, obviously too nervous to catch my sarcasm. Either that, or I wasn’t clear enough.

  “No,” I corrected him. “I’m kidding. I’m free. In fact, all I’ve got is time right now.”

  He smiled, looking relieved.

  “Let’s go then.”

  I grabbed my boots and shoved them on, leaning on the wall for support. My jacket hung on the peg by the door next to Callie’s.

  “Be back in a little bit!” I shouted to her, even though I wasn’t sure exactly when we’d be back.

  Dean held my door open as we got into the Range Rover.

  We sat in silence for a few minutes until I finally got up the nerve to ask where we were going.

  “It’s a surprise,” he said. “Ask me something else.”

  “Fine. Why do you have so much money?”

  He laughed. “You’re about to find out.”

  I was surprisingly satisfied with that answer, but my frown turned upside down when he turned on the road that led up to Palmer Lake.

  “Dean, if this is some creepy seduction thing, I’m not buying it. Isn’t Palmer Lake haunted?”

  He laughed but kept his eyes on the road.

  “Haunted? No. That’s just an old wives tale to keep people away.”

  “To keep them away from what?”

  “You’ll see.”

  I narrowed my eyes.

  “You’re kind of creeping me out.”

  He turned to look at me.

  “Do you trust me?” he asked earnestly, and I could tell he wasn’t hiding anything in his expression.

  “Yes,” I said slowly, wondering what was about to happen.

  He didn’t say anything else, but drove up to the big house that sat on the edge of the lake. As he was driving up the rocky path, I almost felt déjà vu, but I wasn’t sure why. I couldn’t remember ever being here before.

  He parked the car and walked down to the boat that was anchored at the dock.

  I stood next to the car, biting my lip.

  “Come on,” he said, holding out his hand.

  “Do you promise you’re not going to drown me?”

  He walked back toward me and extended his hand again.

  “I promise.”

  I gingerly took his hand and followed him over to the boat.

  “We shouldn’t be here,” I told him. “What if they get mad that we’re trespassing?”

  “We aren’t trespassing,” he said calmly.