“Can you get any prettier than you are right now?”
I turn up the bottle, almost choking on the water. “Come on, Mr. Smooth, let’s dance.”
*
About midnight, someone shouts, “Skinny dipping!”
Susan grabs my arm pulling me along with the others.
“Wait, what?”
“Time to show what’s hidden beneath.”
“I can’t! What if Dad comes looking for us?”
“I haven’t seen him since we started. He’s probably asleep in front of the TV.”
Susan yanks me down the hill to the pond as kids are jumping in from every direction. She peels off her clothing in no time, yanking at mine as I catch the front to keep it from falling down.
Someone laughs next to me. I cut my eyes at Jeffrey. “Don’t encourage her bad behavior.”
He looks at me. “Want to join in?”
“Maybe. You?”
“Hey, I’m in if you are.”
“It looks like fun.”
“Then do it.”
Peeling off my clothing, I sprint to the water. Out of nowhere, Jeffrey runs past me completely naked, and dives in. After a while, we see flashlights like they are searching for us. Everyone runs out, grabbing clothes, and scattering in different directions.
Jeffrey grabs my arm. “Let’s go this way.”
We end up at the horse barn, ducking into separate stalls, and pulling on our clothes. I come out wringing my hair as our eyes meet. He walks straight towards me with a look I’ve not seen before.
“Jamie no more waiting.” He kisses me, holding me close to him. My heart is beating faster than normal.
“Jeffrey.”
“I like the way you say my name. I always have.” We stand still, not wanting to break the moment when he goes to kiss me again but stops. “Please go out on a date with me.”
I can’t resist anymore. “Okay.”
He lifts me up, spinning me around.
“Finally.”
Elise, our party planner comes through the door of the barn. “Jamie, thank God I found you. There’s an emergency at the house. You need to come quick; it’s your dad.”
Chapter 4
Summer’s ended and I’m walking in the rain trying to find Apartment 21 at Hopson University— my home for the next four years. I’m glad to be away from Covington, Texas and the farm that will no longer be the same with dad gone. His heart attack, the vigil beside his bed in the hospital and stopping the respirator was the hardest decision of my life. I’m hoping the University will help me to disappear into the mass population of college students. I know what I’ve lost and the sadness that I feel every minute of every day, but I hope to not show it to anyone while I’m here. The downpour didn’t make driving easy and my flip-flops are no match for all the puddles. I look up to see a number 21 on the door in front of me, which I didn’t see on my first trip around the complex. After three courageous knocks, the door opens and my eyes fall to a shirtless, sweaty, ripped guy in blue shorts. My guess from the looks of his body, is that he must be an athlete.
“Hi, I’m looking for Michaela.”
He leans up against the door, crossing his arms over his chest, displaying the muscles in his arms with no effort at all.
“No Michaela, but I’m Michael.”
I take a moment to think. “By any chance is your last name Tucker?”
“It is.”
I reach into my back pocket, grabbing the email. “You’re not a girl.”
A smile crosses his face. “No, I’m not.”
I hand the email to him. “Did you advertise a room through the bookstore?” He takes the printed email from me looking at it. “I’m Jamie Morgan.”
He looks up from the paper. “You’re not a guy.”
“No. Clearly there’s been an error. Sorry I interrupted you but I’m going to leave.”
“Wait, come inside. We can talk it over and you can at least see the place.”
Looking back at my truck, my choices at the moment were bleak, so why not? “Sure. I hope your girlfriend won’t mind me considering your apartment.”
I guess he read through my question, because he answers, “My ex-girlfriend has no say in my decisions and she’s out of the country until next semester.” He shuts the door. “Let me show you around, but first let me pick up a few things. Covington, Texas, did you drive straight through?”
“Yes, stopping only for fuel. It took me about twelve hours.”
“That’s a long drive. As you can see, this is the living room/weight room/gaming room. Over here is the kitchen and you’re probably wondering about the can and pizza box tower.”
“A little.”
“We drink and eat tons of pizza, so we thought why not recycle? The money we get back is donated to the no-kill animal shelter in town.”
“That’s nice and a little unusual.”
He smiles. “I guess but I like dogs. Over here is the bedroom for rent which has its own private bathroom. You’re soaked let me get you a towel.” He leaves then comes back handing me a blue towel.
“Thank you.” I hand him an envelope. “This is the deposit, plus first month’s rent. If you’re fine with renting to a girl, I’ll take it.”
“I’m good with it.” How do I tell her I wanted her to say yes? “Welcome home. Are you hungry?”
“Sure.”
“How about pizza? Cheese or everything?”
“Everything.”
“I’ll order it while you get settled.”
He leaves and I fall across the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Tears start to form but I wipe them away quickly. No breakdowns to give him a reason to regret his decision. He pops his head back inside as I sit up.”
“Do you need help unloading your vehicle?”
“No, all good for tonight.”
“I placed the order. You have time to shower because they are always late.”
So he thinks I’m a mess? I look down at my clothes. I am a mess.
“Did you tour campus before arriving today?”
“Um no. Sight unseen.”
“How does one make that choice?”
“Unusual circumstances.”
“Want to share?”
“My dad died of a heart attack about three months ago. His lawyer informed me an account was set up here a couple of years back for my four-year attendance. I wanted art school, but he wanted me here for some reason.”
“Do you know why?”
“No, and never will. The lawyer gave me no explanation.”
“What about your mother?”
“I was five when she passed.”
“Wow. Sorry about your parents. I’m sure it’s not easy telling a complete stranger about your life but we’re roommates, so now it’s my turn. I’m into sports from the various bags you see, eating tons of food, working late at night and I don’t clean much. My friends are loud frat boys but cool. I have a business driven father, a saint of a mother, and no siblings.”
“What’s your major?”
“Law.”
“I am impressed.”
“Don’t be. My father wants me to be a contract lawyer for our family business. I’m undecided.”
“I saw some funny looking shoes on the floor earlier.”
“Rowing. Captain actually. Picture, if you will, a long boat, filled with guys sitting with paddles, rowing to the finish line against other schools. Hopson is serious about their rowing.”
“Sounds interesting. Back home it was baseball.” I get a sudden chill probably from being soaked from all the rain. “I’m going to take your suggestion and shower.”
“No problem. I’ll let you know when the pizza arrives.”
“Thanks.” After twenty minutes of a long hot shower I make my way out to the living room wearing black yoga pants and a yellow t-shirt shaking out my wet hair. I look up as he places the huge pizza box on the table. He also has three choices of canned drinks with bottles of water. As he
flips open the top without thinking I step up pulling out a slice and taking a huge bite. I look over at him smiling realizing my inappropriate action.
He smiles. “Pizza’s here.”
I smile wiping sauce off my chin embarrassed. “Sorry I guess I am hungry. It’s really good. How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing. It’s a ‘Welcome to Hopson’ pizza.”
“Thank you. Here, let me fix you a plate.” I pile two large slices on his plate handing it to him then we sit on the sofa.
“What about the job market on campus?”
“Most are taken by this time, but they’ll post tomorrow in McGuire. How old are you?”
“Nineteen. The only experience I have is farm-related, along with helping rehabilitate people recovering from injuries with animals for therapy, and serving spaghetti at the firehouse suppers.”
“I play guitar at a bar called ’42.’ The manager’s name is Pete, I’ll give you his number.”
“That’s awesome.” I let out a big yawn. “I promise to be more awake tomorrow.” I stand, picking up our plates as he follows me to the kitchen.
“I laid sheets over there if you want them.”
“Thank you for those and for the pizza, but mostly for letting me stay.”
“It’s going to be fine. See you in the morning.”
*
My alarm is chirping and I wake up to my light on, no sheets on the bed, and boy, did I sleep hard. I begin a mental list of items to buy today while brushing my teeth. I hear the faint sound of music coming from the living room as I throw on my clothes. Picking up my backpack, I open the door to see Michael on the sofa playing the guitar and singing a song when he notices me. He’s just as hot in the daylight.
“You’re up. How did you sleep?”
“Don’t remember falling asleep, so I’d say real well. I have to run some errands before my first class.”
He lays down the instrument, jumping over the sofa. “May I walk you out?”
“Sure, if it’s no trouble.” He disappears down the hall returning in no time.
*
During our walk he points out places to eat outside of the cafeteria, popular student hang outs and a little history of Hopson, then we stop.
“The sidewalk splits into three directions. Go right and you’ll find most of your psychology, art, and music classes, plus the gym. To the left are the math, science, business, and law classes. Down the middle are the library, bookstore/cafeteria, and business offices. Can I help you find your first stop?”
“No, I think I got it.”
“Here’s my phone number and your key. Call me about anything. Have a great first day!” Then he jogs away.
Why do I want to call him back? I feel at ease around him. But doing things on my own is what I wanted, what I argued to everyone about the day before I left. Ruby’s heart was broken when I pulled away, but we both knew I needed time and space away from Texas. So here goes the first steps to my new life.
*
At the end of my very first day as a college student, I go back to the apartment, dropping bags on the floor to answer my phone. “Hey, Susan.”
“Oh my God Jamie, are you okay? Ruby said she heard nothing from you last night, what happened?”
“I’m fine. Last night was interesting and then mix that with exhaustion—I just forgot.”
“So tell me about your new roommate. What does she look like?”
“Well ‘she’ is a guy—6’1, muscular, a third-year student by the name of Michael. He’s very nice.”
“What? You’re sharing an apartment off-campus with a guy?”
“Yes, because of a mix up in the email. But we’re giving it a try. He treated me to pizza last night.”
“This is fantastic and I’m so jealous. I hope you get to know him real well. Send me a pic as soon as you can.”
“He is real cute.”
“That’s my girl. Oh, I’m so envious of what may become of this newfound relationship.”
“Nothing is going to happen—I can’t get involved with him. I need to deal with myself, which is one of the reasons why I’m so far away from everyone I know.”
“That reminds me. Jeffrey was about to hop a plane to check on you. He’s really worried.”
“I know he is, but we discussed why I’m doing this.”
“I support your decision fully, but he might need time to accept your new need for independence and space. Look I got to go. Love you girl!”
“Love you too, bye.”
I drop my head and scroll through my phone to find a pic of Jeffrey. I hear what Susan’s saying, but he’s better without me. My heart feels empty right now and he deserves a girl who’s not emotionally broken. I pick up one of the bags and head to the kitchen to put away the food I bought just as the front door shuts. Michael is holding a new hamper full of items.
“I figured I needed a place to put dirty clothes instead of leaving them all over the apartment. I also picked up two pots, a kitchen utensil set, and these green kitchen towels the lady at the store thought I needed.”
“They’re pretty.”
“Domestication, here I come. How was your first day?”
“All good, except my kickboxing class seems hard.”
He raises an eyebrow my direction. “That’s really physically demanding. Running, weight lifting, and lots of kicking.”
I giggle. “Yes, kicking. Even though the discipline of the program will be a challenge for a nonphysical girl like myself, I feel the need to step outside my comfort zone.”
He leans up against the cabinet. “I respect that. My friends will be here at 7:00 and you’re welcome to stay and yell at the TV with us.”
“Thanks for the invite, but I have a self-guided tour of Hopson tonight. But I bought chips and queso dip to buy their acceptance.”
“That will do it.”
I grin. “How come you don’t live in a fraternity?”
“Do you have time for a story?”
“I do.”
“Like any child whose parents give them everything, I was spoiled to the core. ‘Reckless’ was my middle name and I always seemed to be in trouble. I took many risks and spared no one in my path. My mom found Hopson ranked in the top three for law and it’s just far enough away to not fight with my father, but an airplane ride away for her to visit. When I arrived here, I partied hard, putting my grades in jeopardy. That landed me on probation, which angered my father, of course. He in turn donated money to the library but I had to do a few things to keep my tuition. Leave dorm life, stop drinking, and get a job. One day while out running I found the ‘42’ for sale. I negotiated a deal with my father and it was bought six days later, pending some legalities.”
“So you own a bar?”
“Yes, a family business. But my bad habits didn’t disappear immediately, so I eventually recognized that I was in over my head and needed help. Pete came along looking for a job and something clicked with us. He’s an ex-marine who taught me discipline and how to respect a business, which forced me to grow up.”
“How was your dad with all of the changes?”
“He never knew I fell several times during the process but I enjoy the business now, even working long hours. And I made a wonderful friend in Pete. Accepting help was never for me but when I did, it opened many possibilities. Now I’m out of a terrible relationship, cleaned up my grades, and drink for fun or when my father is in town. Next time, you have to tell me a story about your life. I’m going to shower before they arrive—do you need help with all this?”
“No almost done.”
Did he just suggest I accept help from others?
Chapter 5
Tonight, I explore my new university, but I’m meeting Michael’s friends first. I enter the living room, where I hear voices yelling at the TV. I step up to the sofa and they stop, look at me, and the room goes silent.
“Hi.”
They motion different greetings as Michael comes to stand
next to me.
“Jamie, these are my shy friends: Ronan, Stan, Kirk, and Jeff.”
That’s when the fumbling towards me begins as one climbs over the sofa and two run into each other coming around the sofa. One approaches slowly from the left. They all say hi, reaching for my hand at once. After the initial greetings and a few words of welcome, I excuse myself as Michael follows me to the door. I glance back at them still standing looking at us walk away.
“Do you think they’ll be okay with me being here?”
“Trust me they like you already. Have a nice tour of campus and I apologize for their weird behavior.”
Michael
Shutting the door I head to the kitchen for another beer where I’m attacked by my male friend’s about my female roommate.
“Dude, this is not fair! Our frat house is full of smelly guys, but you run an ad in the bookstore and a sweet smelling pretty girl accepts. Can she cook? Does she always look that cute? Come on, tell us about her.”
“Alright. She’s a freshman, first time away from her home in Texas, not bossy or bitchy, and she loves food.”
Jeff moves forward. “Is she interested in dating—say one of us?”
“No. Jamie is dealing with the passing of her dad recently, leaving home for the first time and being a freshman. She just needs friends.”
Stan slaps my shoulder. “We’re just messing with you. She seems nice.”
They all go back into the living room, leaving me wondering if I sounded overly protective, like I want her for myself. She’s definitely in my head, but I know she just needs time to heal and figure out what she wants for herself. So even I will keep my distance.
*
Jamie
I enter Hopson Cafeteria and I see a tiger dressed in a yellow and blue t-shirt in front of the checkout line. Back home, it was the Racing Cougars, and now I’m a Tiger. In my university guidebook, Hopson University was ranked number three among college cafeterias for good food. I pick fried chicken with a biscuit and green beans, along with a very large slice of chocolate cake. I take a big bite of chicken when I feel someone next to me.
My Heart Page 2