Not My Type : Golden Girls 1

by Veronica Adler

  “Where’s Mom?” I asked.

  “We’re out of OJ, so she went to the store,” Rosie said.

  I sat down at the table and picked up a strawberry from the bowl in the middle. Maddie regaled us with stories from her shoot, and how much she didn’t like any of her costars. The girls helped me pack and drove me to Los Angeles that night. The whole time, I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach that we were going the wrong way.

  Chapter 28 – Daniel

  I couldn’t let go of this feeling that something vitally important was missing. I was breathing, but I didn’t have lungs. Alive, but my heart had been ripped out of my chest. So, this was how it felt to lose the woman you loved. And I didn’t doubt that I had lost Eve.

  It was the completely shuttered look in her eyes when she gotten on that elevator that convinced me I was never going to see her again. If I did, she would be a stranger to me. I would never wake up next to her, never kiss her, never make love to her. I was going to die alone in this house and no one would know.

  The doorbell rang and I lifted my head up from the couch cushion. For the first time in my life, I was willingly lying on the couch watching mindless TV and regretting the day I answered the first text from Cecily. The odd thing was, I hadn’t spoken to her since Eve and I became official. Why she decided to show up here after a month and a half and ruin the best thing that has ever happened to me, I didn’t know. I sure as fuck wasn’t going to ask her.

  I got up from the couch to answer the door, feeling not even a little pathetic that I was still in sweats and it was the middle of the day. When I opened the door and saw Emily standing there, I wasn’t surprised to see her. I was surprised to see Ian getting out of her car.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked him.

  “She brought me,” he said, leveling an accusing finger on my sister.

  I glanced at her.

  “Let me guess, you heard about the break-up and you’re here to…gloat?” I asked, my tone flat.

  Emily scowled at me.

  “You have me confused with Sienna, and I am low-key offended. I have much better hair.”

  Emily slid through the gap between me and the doorframe and stalked into the house. I sighed dejectedly. Ian patted me on the shoulder on his way in.

  “Break-ups are hard, mate,” he said, conciliatorily. “They’re especially harder when you’re the one who fucked up.”

  “Thanks. I feel so much better now that you’re here,” I said.

  I closed the door.

  “Do you have anything to eat in this house other than junk food?” Emily called from the kitchen. “Ew, who eats kale chips? Why can’t you have good food, ever? I mean, is this a tactic so no one ever visits you?”

  She stopped talking and turned around, looking at Ian and I where we were standing at the entrance to the kitchen. She blinked once, slowly reached her hand into the pantry, grabbed the packet of kale chips and closed the door.

  “If you’ve got what you came here for, you can leave,” I said. I settled down on the couch and unmuted the TV, ignoring both Ian and Emily. They sat down on either side of me.

  “What are we watching?” Ian asked conversationally. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. Emily opened the bag of chips and thrust her arm across my body, offering them to Ian.

  “Do I have to physically remove you people from my house?” I asked, equally as conversationally.

  “Man, even offering to help someone is a crime. What kind of world do we live in?” Emily said, shaking her head.

  “You haven’t offered help, and I haven’t asked for it,” I said bitterly. I failed to see how they could help me. Eve wasn’t going to answer my calls either way, not that I had tried to call her. My fingers itched to pick up my phone and sent her dozens of messages explaining to her what happened. I didn’t, only because she had asked me for space and I wanted to respect her wishes.

  “We’re offering our services out of the goodness of our hearts,” Emily said self-righteously.

  “I’m only here because I didn’t have anything else planned. As far I’m concerned, Daniel deserves to be alone,” Ian said.

  “You’re my best friend. You should be on my side,” I said.

  “I would be a terrible best friend if I supported you in your bad decisions.”

  “Can you two put your lover’s quarrel at rest for a minute so we can talk about getting Daniel back together with Eve?” Em spoke up loudly and right into my ear. I wince and tilted my head out of her trajectory.

  I laid my head against the back of the couch.

  “Technically, Eve and I haven’t officially broken up. Maybe it will be for the better if we did. Eve deserves someone better than me, anyway.”

  I sighed dejectedly. Ian made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat and I looked at him to see him making an equally disgusted face.

  “What?”

  “Don’t make me smack you,” Emily said sharply.

  “What did I say?” I asked, turning to look at her in surprise. I thought I was being noble by letting Eve go and live her life.

  “I don’t know Eve all that well, so I can’t say what she deserves. But what makes you think you deserve any less? Have you ever thought that maybe she’s not good enough for you?” Ian explained.

  “Yes, absolutely. Thank you, Ian,” Emily agreed voraciously.

  I couldn’t continue whipping my head back and forth between the two of them. I stood up in frustration and walked to the kitchen. Mostly I just wanted to get away from them. I didn’t want them in here in the first place, least of all getting all philosophical and self-help on me. Ian was right, they didn’t know Eve. I did. I also knew myself very well and knew deep down, that I had fucked up and that this was just another relationship I had failed at. Funny how trying to do the right thing ended up so wrong.

  I heard Ian and Em following me into the kitchen and I ignored them as I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

  “If I’m like Mom, you’re like Dad,” Emily said accusingly.

  I stopped drinking and turned to look at her.

  “How am I like Dad?”

  “You don’t know how to take care of a good thing. You haven’t been around, but I know how close Dad and Lisa came to getting a divorce. Relationships don’t end with love; you have to work at them every day. And you don’t ever, ever, text your ex-girlfriend and make her think you want to get back together,” Emily said. She looked at Ian and rolled her eyes, frustrated at the fact that I needed to be told not to talk to my ex.

  I sat down on a breakfast stool and ran a hand through my hair. I hadn’t known about Dad and Lisa’s relationship struggle. And I felt angry at my father for messing with the best thing that had ever happened to him. Then I turned that anger inwards because I’d done the same fucking thing.

  “I thought I was doing the right thing,” I said softly.

  “Why would you think continuing any sort of relationship with Cecily was the right thing to do?” Ian asked. “How do you even come to that conclusion?”

  “I came to it by watching every relationship in my family fail. I found myself thinking that just because Cecily and I didn’t work out romantically that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. Apparently, that’s exactly what that means.”

  “Why did you even promise her you could get back together?” Em asked, again with the outraged tone. I felt as if they were my parents and I was the recalcitrant child who had gotten in trouble at school. Ian was the calm father and Emily the mother who couldn’t understand how she had raised such a nuisance child.

  “I don’t think I did. I can’t remember my exact words, but I am certain I didn’t tell her we could get back together. We’re not the kind of exes who break-up only to realize we belong together.”

  “Then why the fuck didn’t you say any of that to Eve?”

  “I tried to, she said she needed space.”

  “It’s been two days. At some point, you have to figure
out if you’re giving her space or if you’re giving up on her.”

  “What if she’s giving up on me?” I asked.

  “What does it matter who’s giving up on whom? The point is you’re giving up on love and that’s stupid. Fix it, Daniel, while you still can. You obviously love this woman and you’re miserable without her.”

  I was miserable without her. This morning when I had entered my bathroom and seen Eve’s toothbrush next to mine, I had almost felt like crying. If, in the end, Eve wanted to break-up, then at least we would know we had tried. I wanted her to know that I had not given up on our relationship.

  “One thing, though, what if she wants to break-up?” I asked.

  “Then we will go to Vegas and you will get over her,” Ian said, smacking me on the back.

  “Come on, you like adventure. How are you willing to risk your life, but not your heart?” Emily demanded.

  “Because hopefully death would be quick and painless whereas living without love would be the worst thing imaginable,” I said.

  “Then go get her. Be like Jake Ryan at the end of Sixteen Candles, or John Bender thrusting his fist in the air because he got the girl he definitely did not deserve. Do something,” Emily said, grabbing my shoulders and literally shaking me out of my misery.

  “Alright, alright.” I laughed. Emily stepped back and adjusted her hair.

  “Thank you for coming here,” I said, meaning every word. I actually appreciated her meddling this time around.

  Emily looked up at me in surprise, then her blue eyes softened.

  “Of course, that’s what family is for. This is what you were avoiding for thirteen years,” she said.

  “You guys are never going to let that go, are you?” I rolled my eyes.

  “No, that’s what family is for. Just remember when you’re writing your will that Sienna may be your favorite but I am the one who helped you get the girl. Also, if you decided to name your future daughter after me, I wouldn’t be opposed.”

  “But Ian can work for a boy or girl,” Ian said.

  I shook my head and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Emily and Ian to argue about who I will name my kids after. It was time to get my girl back.

  Chapter 29 – Eve

  “Don’t worry too much about the bakery,” Sheila said over the phone. “We’re doing fine without you.”

  “Oh, thanks, that makes me feel so special,” I said, rolling my eyes at the ceiling. I was lying on my hotel bed, over the blanket, still wearing the clothes I had worn to work. I was feeling nostalgic and had chosen my favorite blue dress, the one Daniel had spilled coffee on all those months ago. It had returned from the dry cleaners looking brand new.

  “You know what I mean. We’re perfectly capable of handling things ourselves without mom looking over our shoulders.”

  “I have no choice but to take your word for it,” I said. I had never been away from the bakery for so long. I knew we were a well-oiled machine and all, it was still good to hear that it was faring well without its captain.

  “Those new cupcakes you baked, the French pastry ones, were a hit. I’ve had people ask when we’re going to have them on the menu again.”

  I felt giddy with excitement. I still had it! I wasn’t a fraud or a one-hit-wonder. I wasn’t going to give up my title that easily.

  “That’s great. I’ve got another two days of shooting and then I’ll be back.”

  “Awesome. I’ll let you go now, I’ve got a few things to do before I close up.”

  “Wait—”

  “He hasn’t come by,” Sheila said, sighing. “And he hasn’t called the store.”

  I deflated like a balloon. Brilliant.

  “He still hasn’t answered your call or messaged you back?” Sheila asked.

  “Nope.”

  There was nothing more to say on that topic, so we hung up. I closed my eyes, exhausted from my day, the sleepless night, and the heartbreak I refused to admit I was suffering through. I had worked so hard to get where I was in my career and yet if Daniel called me, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back to him. Did that make me stupid, or had I experienced personal growth?

  I got up, reached behind me, and unzipped my dress. Slipping out of it, I laid it neatly on the bed and looked around the room. Aside from the fact that it was cleaned by room service, none of my things were laid about carelessly. My clothes were hanging in the closet instead of wrinkling in my suitcase. Every pair of heels I had bought was lined neatly. Such was the side effect of dating a control-freak.

  I grabbed my toiletries bag and went into the bathroom. Pulling out my make-up remover wipes, I cleaned my face, washed it, moisturized, and then donned the bathrobe hanging at the back of the door.

  Walking out of the bathroom, I looked around my hotel room forlornly. If I was with someone, we would have gone out for dinner or to enjoy the Los Angeles nightlife. Caroline’s assistant had invited me out and staring out at the empty room, I was regretting denying her.

  I fell into bed and picked up my phone, turning it on and clicking on the contacts app. Right under Sheila’s and my mom’s name was Daniel’s, from when I had called him this morning only to get his voicemail. I blinked rapidly, my throat clogging with unshed tears and I threw my phone on the bed. It fell on the edge of the bed, slipped off the blanket, and fell to the floor.

  I squeezed my eyes shut and a tear slipped out. I brushed it off angrily. I refused to cry for someone who… who probably chose another woman over me. But I was willing to fight for our relationship, why wasn’t he? And was it worth crying over this when I couldn’t do anything about it, at least for the next few days?

  I took a deep, fortifying breath and grabbed the TV remote for some background noise. I wasn’t going to think about Daniel, and I wasn’t going to cry. I had to be on camera for the next few days and the last thing I wanted was to look puffy. Just because my relationship wasn’t working out as planned, didn’t mean my career had to go down the same path.

  The next thing I knew I was being woken up by the sound of a fist pounding on a door. I woke up groggy and confused, looking around the room for the source of the sound. For a moment, I thought it must be from the TV, but whatever movie was playing was currently showing a car chase. When the sound came again, I sat up straight.

  The sound was coming from outside. Outside my door. The knock, because it was a gentle knock, not the pounding I had thought, came again. I scrambled out of bed, looking around for a weapon I could use to defend myself. A lot of people knew I was staying here, members of the film crew, Caroline’s team, the girls, my parents. It could be any one of them. Then again, it could not be. I padded softly to the entryway and stooped down to pick up a sandal with the spikiest heel that would do the most damage in case I was to battle with an intruder.

  It occurred to me that I was horrifically calm for a woman who was alone and practically defenseless in a strange hotel room in an unfamiliar city. Where was the panic? The fight or flight response? Why wasn’t I calling the concierge desk or the police? Clutching the sandal to my chest with the heel pointing out, I crept closer to the door and snuck a peek through the peephole.

  I froze, my body feeling hot and cold at the same time. My hand went to the lock, but I didn’t turn it. I couldn’t.

  “I know you’re there,” Daniel said. “I can feel you.”

  He wasn’t the only one. My body was responding to his proximity as well, slowly waking up from a long sleep.

  “What are you doing here?” I demanded. I had called him only that morning and he hadn’t answered. I wasn’t in the mood to let him into the room right now. Maybe if he had picked up one of my calls, I would have felt differently.

  “I came for you,” he said.

  “Why?”

  “Do we have to talk through the door? I don’t want the other guests to think I’m a stalker and call the police, on top of everything else.”

  I exhaled loudly and opened the door, leaving the safety chain in place.
I peeked through the gap, scowling at Daniel. He looked exhausted, his face covered in two days worth of beard, his hair messy, face drawn. His eyes met mine and there were so many emotions and unsaid words in them.

  “You can only stay for ten minutes,” I said.

  His eyes argued, but his mouth said, “okay.”

  I closed the door, unlatched the safety chain, and taking a deep breath, I pulled open the door again. I heard Daniel breathe a small sigh of relief before he stepped into the room. He looked down at me, then lowered his eyes to the sandal I was still holding.

  “Were you planning on using that on me?” He asked, sounding faintly amused.

  “Maybe. Depends on what you have to say.”

  “In that case, I hope you won’t need it.”

  I willed myself not to let any hope bloom in my chest. He could just as well be here to tell me how he loved Cecily and he simply did not realize it until she showed up at the hospital.

  I led him into the room and pointed at the chair by the window for him to sit in, while I sat down on the edge of the bed. The TV was still playing a movie. For two minutes, it was the only sound in the room while I refused to look at Daniel. I could feel my heart pounding inside my chest, so loud I was worried it could easily be heard.

  “You’re running out of time,” I said. I reached for the remote and turned it off. The silence was deafening.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t answer your calls,” Daniel said, sounding properly remorseful.

  “Why didn’t you?”

  Daniel rubbed a hand along his jaw, scraping at his beard. I watched him through narrowed eyes.

  “Because I thought this conversation should be face-to-face, not over the phone. I’m in love with you, whether you feel the same way or not. And you can’t decide we’re going to break up over something that does not have an impact on our relationship at all—”

  I looked at him sharply, spearing him with my gaze and forcing him to stop talking. I felt so angry I actually wanted to throw my sandal at him.