“Did you know that polar bears are dying? Some people are more worried about looking like a magazine cut out than protecting the earth and supporting polar bears.” Cara face slowly fell and her eyes narrowed. Paige smiled at her, “You know, silly people like that.
Ones with no life and no true happiness—know which ones I mean?”
“Sure,” Cara forced herself to smile, but her shoulders squared off defensively.
“It’s all silly, if you ask me,” Paige sighed and shrugged out of her backpack. She bent over and unzipped the top. As she rooted through her bag she continued talking to Cara.
“There’s that old saying—money can’t buy you happiness—I don’t think that’s true.
Money makes people very, very happy, and when you don’t have it you’re very, very sad.
I think it’s better to say that money buys you cheap, superficial whores in diamonds. And games of Beer Pong—whatever that is. I heard Clint telling his friends that he needed twenty bucks to play Beer Pong.”
Cara was taken aback, she looked at Colton and then at Jamie, who shared Cara’s shocked expression. Colton couldn’t help it—he smiled.
“Can we help you with something?” Cara asked her irritation showing by the second.
“No thanks, I don’t need your help,” Paige answered politely; she was still digging in her backpack. “I’ve come to realize that you shouldn’t really count on other people to help you with important things.”
Colton crossed his arms and frowned at no one in particular.
“I don’t know much about the importance of material things—I’m only twelve and I have about fifty bucks hidden in various locations in my bedroom so my mother doesn’t use it to go on a drinking binge. But I guess I know who to come to if I have any questions about fashionably trends. I really like your dress.” Paige straightened up and thrust a piece of paper at Colton. “Please sign this, Mr. Philips.” Colton took the paper reluctantly and stared down at it.
. . . . . . .
From the Desk of Paige Dryer
Dissolution of “A Starter Boyfriend” Contract
A broken agreement between Paige Dryer and Colton Philips I, Colton Philips , have decided to go back on my agreement to act as a Starter Boyfriend, for Ms. Zoe Rayne of Manhattan. I acknowledge that I did not meet the terms of the contract and agree sign my name with no legal penalty.
. . . . . . .
“I’m not signing this, Paige,” he stammered.
“Please sign it,” she pushed. “Then we can conclude business.”
“I’m not signing this,” he laughed. “I’m not finished or ready to conclude business.” To make his point, he tore the sheet of paper into shreds. Paige’s lips pressed together in that light, yet aggravated, way, but she showed no anger. She bent over her bag and pulled out another sheet.
“Please sign.”
Colton tore it up as well.
She pulled another contract out and handed it to him. As he was about to tear it up, she said, “I have fifty more. We can do this all day or you can sign now.”
“I’m not signing,” Colton said flatly. “I’m not done; I have about six weeks left. That’s a lot of time.”
“Why don’t you hold onto that copy?” Paige asked as she zipped her bag and hoisted it up with a grunt. “I’m sure you’ll want to sign it now that you’ve found all of your trophies.”
“Excuse me,” Cara snapped. Paige turned her calm blue eyes up and stared at Cara blankly.
“Yes?” She asked after a moment of tense silence.
“If you think I’m some dumb blond who…”
“You’re not?” Paige asked suddenly showing genuine shock. It was Paige’s first unveiled insult and it enraged Cara. Colton came around the counter and took Paige’s arm. He led her outside the shop. “I cannot believe you just did that—you took her side by kicking me out of the shop! You are the lowest of low! You’re not attractive to me anymore, Colton Philips.”
“Okay, chill out,” Colton hissed. “Come on… chill.”
“I’m chill,” Paige said, her eyes dancing with fire. “I think you should sign the contract—
you’re just gonna drag this out for six weeks! Zoe could have closure today and move on from loving you.”
Colton stepped back. “W-what?”
Paige crossed her arms and stared at the sidewalk. “She didn’t tell me that she loved you if that’s what you’re asking. I just… call it like I see it.” She looked at him and then pointed through the front window, “See… whore.”
“Stop,” Colton scolded. “Jesus, you’ve been hanging out with Minnie too much.” Paige rolled her eyes and turned to leave, but Colton caught her by the backpack and tugged her back. He bent so they were eye level. “I’m not going to explain things to you because you’re just twelve, but I am going to ask you to be respectful and to be patient with me.” Paige stared at him blankly and said nothing. “Are you going to see Zoe today?”
“Yes, I’m about to ditch school and take the subway to spend the day with her,” Paige answered. Colton straightened up. He knew he should tell her not to ditch school, but he wasn’t her father, and she probably wouldn’t listen to him. “She’s been curled up in bed with Minnie all morning!”
Colton stared down at Paige—or mini Minnie—and sighed.
“Can you take her something for me? I’d take it myself, but… I’m probably not the person she wants to see. Will you?”
“Yeah, whatever.” Colton was sure Paige would have flipped her hair sarcastically had she any. He patted her shoulder and stepped into the shop. Cara and Jamie’s heated conversation died the moment he came inside.
“Colton, who is that little brat?” Cara exclaimed.
Colton grabbed the bouquet of flowers and his gift to Zoe. “A friend,” he answered. “You two should go to lunch—I’ll see you later Cara.”
He was glad that Paige had waited for him. For some reason she had a content smirk on her face. She was staring into the shop, her thin little arms folded smugly.
“I’m glad you’re pleased with yourself,” he said as he thrust the flowers and present at her. She stared at the flowers with awe that vanished as she collected herself.
Dramatically she asked, “Do you think presents are going to stop the tears?”
“Get lost before I tell you to go back to school,” Colton said softly. “And no… I don’t think they will, but I’m feeling a little helpless at the moment.”
“These aren’t chocolates are they?” Paige asked as she shook the iPhone box.
“No,” he said. “Just tell Zoe that I… oh, never mind. I don’t know what to tell her.” Paige nodded and stared up at him for a moment. “I know that you’ll make the right choice, Colton. But I’ll understand if you have to sign the contract.” Colton sighed and watched her walk away. He didn’t want to sign the contract—he really didn’t. He hoped he wouldn’t have to in the end, but he wasn’t certain. He wasn’t certain of anything anymore.
--
Lesson Thirteen: “It hurts when you get knocked off the horse. It’s okay to avoid
riding again, but if you do decide to give it another go, don’t be afraid to try a different
saddle.”
Zoe was beginning to look like her imagination’s representation of Bloody Mary. Her nose and eyes were red from an evening and morning filled with endless sobbing, her skin was ashen and devoid of all life, her lips were slightly chapped, her expression seemed sunken and dead, and her hair lay limply against her cheeks. She had a hard time staring at herself in the mirror; she was a pathetic wreck. Pushing her hair back and twisting a band to pull it back into a pony tail, Zoe splashed cool water on her face. She had tried her hardest not to get too worked up over Cara’s return, but it was impossible not to think the worse when she’d seen the way he looked at her. Zoe knew that Colton was still in love with his ex by the way he looked at Cara last night. It was the look of a man in love, and she knew what on
e looked like because she gave him very similar looks.
Zoe was so positively in love with Colton. She felt like she did back in high school after learning her crush had slept with the bug-eyed, mousy-brown, greasy haired girl—
devastated. Feeling that way seemed ridiculous considering the fact that she wasn’t in high school anymore and should be more mature, and Colton hadn’t completely given her up for Cara yet. He had yet to tell her that he was going back to his ex—there was still hope.
It just seemed so inevitable! He had history with Cara, and according to Minnie, before Cara left him on the altar she and Colton had the perfect relationship. For four years, they rarely fought and were never on-again-off-again like some long-term couples Zoe knew; they were very much in love, Minnie said. She was also pretty sure that Colton would hear Cara out and then give her a second chance if she asked for it. Learning this from Minnie, Zoe had sobbed so hard she gave herself a migraine, which had only just dimmed to an annoying throb in the center of her brain.
Splashing more cold water to her cheeks, Zoe dried off with a damp hand towel and then brought her eyes back to the mirror. She didn’t look much better. In fact, it was becoming difficult to stare at her reflection. A throb in her temples was starting to grow, so she stepped out of the bathroom, fully intending on returning to her bed and her tear stained pillow. However, the sound of Paige’s voice brought her into the living room. It was one thirty in the afternoon, Paige should have been in her choir class, but she was sitting on the sofa with Minnie. Their heads pressed together as they whispered.
“Maybe we should throw them away?” Paige asked. “She doesn’t need to know that he sent her presents. These flowers are too beautiful, she’s just going to fall deeper in love and we can’t have that.”
“I know,” Minnie said sadly.
Curious, Zoe walked into the living room and came around the side of the couch. She noticed the flowers on the coffee table first, a beautiful bouquet of stargazer lilies and white tulips, and then she noticed the oddly wrapped box with a little white card on it.
Without asking questions she climbed over Minnie’s lap and then sat down between them on the sofa. Paige instantly wound her little arms around Zoe’s waist and hugged her tightly. The embrace was almost enough to start Zoe crying again, but she didn’t. She laid her cheek against the top of Paige’s spiky head and closed her eyes momentarily.
“I’m not going to ask why you’re not in school.” Zoe said as she picked up the flowers with trembling hands. “You saw Colton?”
“Yes,” Paige nodded. “I had to pass by there to get to the subway to come here.” Zoe stared at the beautiful blooms, “No you didn’t,” she murmured as she brought the flowers to her nose and inhaled the wonderful floral scent. They really were beautiful flowers—the prettiest yet. “You didn’t have to go there at all… you should be in school right now.”
“Not when one of my best friends in the whole world needs me,” Paige said as she rubbed her cheek against Zoe’s shoulder. Her arms, though slender and lacking muscle, managed to squeeze Zoe to the point where she felt pain.
“These are from him?” Zoe asked as she picked up the gift. She removed the small card first and opened it. Minnie and Paige leaned in to read over her shoulder.
Z, sorry about your phone—I bought you this one to replace it. I’m going to figure this out, I promise. Call you soon, -C.
Zoe handed the card to Paige, who held it close to her face for closer inspection, and then tore the wrapping paper off the box in her lap. Minnie was the first to gasp in shock.
Zoe’s own mouth fell open in amazement when she realized that Colton had bought her an expensive iphone from AT&T and Apple. She was dumbfounded that he’d actually bought her a four hundred dollar phone.
“Oh, wow,” Minnie whispered. “Colton bought you this?”
“I told him I wanted one,” Zoe answered as Minnie picked up the box for closer examination. “We were on the phone… it was late… I was just talking. I can’t keep this.”
“Why not?” Minnie cried. “You should milk him for everything he’s worth! The scum bag!”
“It’s too expensive,” Zoe answered as she lifted the flowers to her face. “He’s not a scum bag, Min, he’s just… he’s not. I’ll have to take it back to him—he wasn’t thinking when he bought it.”
“Or maybe he was thinking,” Paige said when she got her turn to look at the box. “It means he listens to you, even during sleepy late night chats. He cares about what you say.”
“The jerk,” Minnie grumbled. Zoe smiled sadly at her friend and then turned back to Paige.
“Can I open it?”
Zoe hesitated for a moment then nodded. “Sure,” Zoe stood clutching the flowers to her chest. “Play all you want, but I’m taking it back to him today. So try not to break it.” She climbed over Minnie’s legs and headed into the kitchen to put her flowers in water.
Brushing tears from her cheeks, Zoe stood on her tip toes and took a vase down from the cupboard. She rinsed it out and then left it under the tap to fill. The sound of the water drowned out the soft whimpers Zoe made involuntary. She was so tired of crying, but any little thing brought a new force of tears. It wasn’t long before Minnie joined her in the kitchen. Her friend stood silently at her side while Zoe collected herself. With a shaky sigh, Zoe unwrapped the flowers and placed them in the water. Zoe wiped her tears on her shoulder and took a breath deep enough to burn her lungs.
“They’re beautiful, huh?”
“Yes,” Minnie agreed. “I’m sorry he sent them.”
Zoe laughed and nodded. “He doesn’t get how every little thing only makes me love him more, and I hate that I love him. It makes me feel so weak, Min. I’ve never been the kinda girl who falls head-over-heels in love with a guy who’s not available in the first place! It’s like loving someone already married. I saw her standing there and I suddenly felt like I was the other woman. I don’t ever want to have an affair with a married man, Min!” Zoe was crying in earnest despite all of her best efforts not to shed any more tears for Colton; it was a hopeless pursuit.
“Colton’s not married,” Minnie said reassuringly. “And he doesn’t consider himself married to her either—he just needs closure.”
“Yeah,” Zoe sighed and used the bottom of her t-shirt to dry her tears. “And when he chooses her? What then, Minnie? Where’s my closure?”
“Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Minnie said. “So what if Cara’s back? It doesn’t matter. I’ve seen how my brother looks at you and…”
“And how did he look at her for four years, Min?” Zoe demanded. “Did he stare at her with the same desire and longing? With the same—intensity? Please, don’t get my hopes up, okay? I’m going to get the closure I need today when I take that phone back to him and tell him that we can’t be friends anymore.” She carried her flowers into the living room and set them on the coffee table. She then sat down beside Paige who was staring at the iphone in awe. The more she watched Paige explore the phone, the more Zoe realized that she wanted to keep it. She finally looked away and sighed. “I’m going to take it back, I have to—I have to do it this afternoon.”
“Are you sure?” Paige asked after a moment. “It’s pretty neat, Zoe. Look, you just have to touch the screen!”
Zoe glanced at the sleek and slender phone and nodded although she was unsure. If anything, taking the phone back would give her the chance to see Colton again, and that’s all she really wanted.
Zoe arrived at Colton’s shop just after six thirty, a half hour before closing. For ten minutes she stood on the sidewalk outside the large picture window and watched Jamie as she worked behind the counter. She felt foolish for not going inside, but Zoe couldn’t convince her feet to move. She stared at the flowers arranged prettily in the front window, framed just enticingly enough to draw someone inside. Zoe would have gone inside, but the large swooping “Cara” in the Cara’s Flowers and Design sign etched
on the glass window stopped her. It was a subtle, yet in-your-face reminder of what she was up against. Cara was beyond beautiful—the woman was all legs with amazing blond hair, slender, and had supermodel beauty. Zoe couldn’t compete with that. She had a hard time figuring out why Colton had been so physically drawn to her when his ex was the perfect woman.
She should have never agreed to date him. It was all so silly, all so stupid—a starter boyfriend! What was she thinking?
“Zoe?”
Jumping at the sound of her name, Zoe turned toward the open door where Jamie was leaning out. The women smiled at the awkward situation that they found themselves in.
Jamie held the door to the shop open a little wider, her smile pleasant, inviting, and perhaps a little uncomfortable. Zoe hesitantly stepped into the shop, uncertain of what she was really doing there in the first place.
“I saw you standing out there, we’re still open,” Jamie said as she returned to her spot behind the counter. She was working on a small flower arrangement and continued trimming flowers for it. Zoe walked around aimlessly for about five minutes before she approached Jamie’s counter.
“Is… Colton here?”
“Yes, he’s in the back,” Jamie said. There was an awkward pause between them both before Jamie pointed to the closed door. “Um… he’s alone.” Zoe felt a tension in her chest release, but she was still uncertain if she should go back there or have Jamie bring him up front. She wasn’t sure if putting herself in a space alone with Colton was wise or not, especially after what had almost happened last night. The memory of his hands all over her body, touching her in places she’d never—no… she wasn’t going to think about that now. That was over and wouldn’t happen again.
Hesitant and uncomfortable, Zoe smiled at Jamie before stepping through the door and into Colton’s storage room. He wasn’t there. As she walked slowly to the next door, which was cracked open only slightly, her chest tightened uncomfortably again. She stopped just before the door and craned her ear to listen. She could hear him working, the sound of tools hitting his work bench, the scrape of his chair and the shuffle of his feet as he moved around. She jumped back as his shadow passed by the opening of the door and pressed her palm to her chest. Her heart raced, her chest burned, and for a moment Zoe considered running away. She nearly did too, but managed to get a grip on her emotions and her mind.
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