by Marta Brown
“So, what’s on tap?” Katie asks, her cheeks back to a normal shade of soft pink as she grabs the bowl of buttered popcorn from off the coffee table and dumps in a bag of M&Ms. Our famous mix. She tosses a handful in her mouth. “Let me guess… something scary I’ll barely make it through?”
“I wish.” I roll my eyes. “Try something that I’ll barely make it through,” I say, holding up the DVD and wiggling it back and forth.
Taking in the cover of her favorite movie, Katie’s eyes twinkle. “You remembered.”
Of course I remembered.
I remember a lot as a flash of what happened the last time we were on this couch together sends a jolt of electricity up my back. The question is does she?
My guess? She knows more than she’s letting on after her little ‘don’t expect me to thank you in the morning’ quip at the Griddle earlier. But she’s not saying and I’m not asking. I’d rather remember her asking me to kiss her than having to hear the stone-cold sober truth that she regrets what happened.
“What?” I say, trying to shake off both thoughts and return my focus to the task at hand. Movie night. “You didn’t think I’d remember that The Notebook is your favorite movie? Or that it was next on our list to watch from last summer’s book-to-movie adaptations?” I set the case down on the coffee table and grab the remote.
“Both.” She smiles.
“Yeah, well, I also haven’t forgotten that Frankenstein is after this one, so I’ll get mine soon enough.” I laugh as I click play on the DVD and the familiar opening scene to a movie Katie has made me watch at least a half a dozen times over the years starts. The golden orange sunrise reflecting off the calm, early morning water reminds me of our last dawn patrol session, and the way the sun kissed every inch of her in the early morning light.
“That’s fair,” Katie whispers, snuggling deeper into the couch, already so absorbed into the love story that when I reach for a handful of popcorn, our hands collide in the large, glass bowl.
As I pull mine back, she stops me. “Ollie, do you think love like that really exists?”
With the feel of her tiny hand wrapped in mine, I do.
“You know, like in the movies? Or books? Jessica says it doesn’t.” Katie turns towards me on the sofa and tucks her feet under her, letting go of my hand in the process. “She says life isn’t like the books and I should probably lower my expectations.”
I flinch at the memory of her telling me almost the exact same thing when she was drunk and realize maybe she really doesn’t remember what happened. “I don’t know what kind of guys your sister dates.” Well, I kind of do. Guys like Brad. “But, I think there are plenty of real life love stories that could rival any book out there.”
Katie’s eyes search my face, for what I’m not sure, before she lets out a long sigh. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. For girls like my sister.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask as she grabs a fist full of popcorn and chocolate.
“Just that—”
“Oh, hey there, kiddos,” Mom interrupts, pushing open the door with a handful of shopping bags looped over each arm. “I’m so glad you two are here. Now I won’t have to chase you down.”
“Hey, Mom. What’s up?” I ask, dragging my hand through my hair as I fall back against the couch, annoyed by her interruption since I wanted to hear what Katie had to say. Why only girls like Jess? Why not her?
Why not us?
“We’re going to dinner. Megan?” she calls out, dropping the bags on the dining room table and rifling through them until she pulls out a short, white dress that looks more like a tennis outfit than dinner wear. “Honey?”
Megan comes out of her room in a pair of PJs, the green goop still on her face. “Yeah?”
Mom lets out a small laugh as she rips off the price tags. “We’re going to dinner with Thomas and the boys.” She looks at Katie and me, waving her hand in our direction. “All of us. So hurry and get dressed. And we’ll leave in ten. Kay?”
I furrow my brows. Dinner with Thomas and company? I’ll pass.
Glancing at Katie, expecting to see nothing but excitement at the potential of seeing Brad, I’m surprised to find her looking about as happy at the prospect as I do.
“Uh, actually we’re good,” I offer for the both of us, unable to stop the small smile that flashes on my face when Katie seems to let out a breath she’s been holding for way too long. “But thanks anyway.”
“Nonsense. Thomas is taking us all out for seafood on the pier. I specifically told him, and Bradley, that I would make sure you and Katie come. He said he had something very important to ask me and wanted the whole family there.”
I shoot a look at Katie, and then back at the white dress Mom is holding. A dress that now looks a whole hell of a lot less like an outfit to play tennis in and a whole lot more like an outfit someone would wear at a beach wedding—or an engagement—and now I’m the one who’s holding his breath.
This. Is. Not. Happening.
Chapter 25
Katie
Thomas has something important to ask Susan? And he wants the whole family to be there, including me?
While I know I’ve probably read way too many romance novels in my life, it doesn’t take a hopeless romantic like me to figure out how this story’s going to end. Thomas is going to propose. And as I whip my head between Oliver and his mom, trying to figure out if I’m the only one thinking it, I find my answer. I’m not.
Oliver looks like a hurricane just blew through the living room. And by the way his mom is beaming, I’d say he’s right. His world is about to become a whirlwind.
“What do you mean—he has something important to ask you?” Oliver growls, his fists balled tighter than his pulsing jaw.
Susan eyes her son with a cautious smile. “Oh, honey, who knows?” She gestures nonchalantly, looking like she’s trying to wave away the tension mounting in his shoulders. “We haven’t been dating all that long, so relax. It’s probably nothing.”
“So what’s up with the lacy, white dress then? And why does he want us all there?”
“Well, it certainly can’t hurt to remind him how good I look in white, now can it?” Susan quips as Megan disappears into the bathroom, chuckling under her breath. “Maybe he just wants to take out all the people I love for a nice seafood dinner.”
Oliver shakes his head while clenching his teeth tight. “But. You. Hate. Seafood.”
“Really, Oliver,” Susan says, snatching up the shopping bags and heading for her bedroom with a sigh. “People can change. That is allowed, you know. And I happen to love seafood now. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get dressed and we’ll leave in a few minutes. Got it?”
“Fine,” Oliver grinds out, already pacing the living room floor before his mom’s door even clicks shut.
“Wow. You’re more wound up now than you were before,” Megan says, coming out of the bathroom, her face mask replaced with smoky eyes and coral cheeks. “I didn’t think that was even possible.” She laughs.
More wound up? Why was he wound up before? I furrow my brows before a small dose of worry shoots down my spine with an answer I hope isn’t correct. Was Ollie wound up because I was coming over?
Wanting to bury my face under a pillow, mortified that my best friend might be freaked out at the prospect of hanging out with me alone after I threw myself at him, I try to keep my face from flushing red hot, but no such luck. I can feel the heat radiating off my skin like a sunburn.
“Hey, you okay?” Oliver asks after shooting Megan a sharp look.
Sure, as long as I can’t die from embarrassment. “Uh… yeah, I’m fine. But I should really go. This sounds like a family thing, and I’m not exactly dressed for some fancy dinner anyway. So, how about we just meet at the beach in the morning? Say, six?” I scramble off the couch and head for the door, but Oliver’s warm hand wraps around mine and stops me.
“No, Katie, please come.” His voice is almost a whisper, but
his eyes are shouting. “Please.”
With a quick glance at my outfit, I take a deep breath. Last summer, I wouldn’t have thought twice about going out to dinner dressed like this—especially if Oliver needed me—and Oliver needs me now.
I push my glasses up the bridge of my nose and smile at my best friend. “Of course, I’ll come with you. Where else would I rather be?”
…
Walking into Del Mar, the nicest seafood restaurant in all the Keys, I’m seriously rethinking my stance on my outfit. Even one of Jessica’s dresses could be considered on the casual side. My Capri jeans and old T-shirt? Let’s just say I look like I belong in the back shucking oysters rather than being seated at the rooftop table overlooking the ocean as a canopy of soft white lights twinkle above.
“Ah, there she is,” Thomas coos, pulling Susan’s chair out and kissing her on the cheek when we reach the table. Brad, Trevor, and Lacy are already seated. And by the empty bread basket and annoyed huff from Lacy, they’re more than ready to get this dinner underway. Oliver’s scowl makes it clear that he just wants it over with.
Brad glances around the quaint rooftop patio like he hopes no one else he knows is around before standing and pulling my chair out for me as well.
“Hey.” He smiles, giving me an awkward hug. Or maybe it’s me that gives him the awkward hug. Either way, it’s awkward. Especially considering I haven’t seen him since my little Coyote Ugly dance routine on the tabletop at Sloppy Joe’s that Megan so kindly rehashed for me on the way to the restaurant to my utter embarrassment. “I barely recognized you,” he says, raking his eyes over my attire as he straightens his dinner coat. “I… um… didn’t know you wore glasses.”
Ollie barks out a laugh, but there is zero humor behind it. “Yeah, well, there’s a lot about her you don’t know.”
I shoot him a look, wondering exactly what he means by that, when Brad clears his throat, takes my hand, and lifts it to his lips. He kisses the back softly with what appears to be a silent challenge directed at Oliver. “That’s exactly why we’re dating,” he says with a grin before helping me into my seat and leaving me a little awestruck because apparently we’re… dating? I mean, we’ve been out on a few dates—or hangs—but I wouldn’t have called it dating. The idea makes my stomach flip. Brad Garrison and I are dating. Whoa.
The small clang of Thomas’s fork against his crystal glass pulls me from my thoughts and straightens Oliver’s back like a ramrod. “I’d like to thank you all for joining Susan and me tonight,” Thomas says, standing. His demeanor is carefree and light, which surprises me considering what I think he’s about to do. “I wanted you all here because I have something very important I’d like to ask, and while I wanted to wait until after dessert, this box is frankly jabbing into my leg. So…” he draws out, pulling a black velvet box out of his front pant pocket and popping open the top. “Susan Hayes, I know it hasn’t been long, but in the few short weeks we’ve been seeing each other, I believe we’ve been able to do more together than apart. So, tonight, in front of our family and friends, I would like to ask you if you will join me in what can only be called an advantageous partnership and become my wife?”
An advantageous partnership? Huh? Not exactly what I would call a storybook proposal, but like Jess said, this is real life.
“Of course,” Susan says from behind cupped hands, her surprise evident, despite all of our assumptions this was coming. “I would love to marry you.”
With a scrape of his chair, Oliver stands and the whole table freezes. Expecting him to throw down his napkin and walk out, he surprises even me by unclenching his fist—but not his jaw—before reaching across the table and shaking Thomas’s hand. “Congratulations. You too, Mom. I’m really happy for you both.”
“Oh, thank you so much, honey,” she says, giving Oliver a huge hug as happy tears well in her eyes. When they finally let go, she holds up her left hand and wiggles her ring finger in the air, no less than two carats glistening in the dim light. “Can you believe it?” she squeals.
“Not. At. All.” Oliver’s voice is so quiet, no one but me hears it over the excitement and congratulations happening all around us.
“Hey, you want to get out of here for a few minutes? Get a breath of fresh air?” I ask quietly as Oliver glances up at the expansive night sky with arched brows like I’m totally losing it. I nudge him in the side with my elbow and laugh under my breath. “You know what I mean.”
Capturing my arm in his hand before I can dig in too deep, Ollie pulls me towards him with a smile that assures me he knows exactly what I mean. “I think I’m good. But thank you,” he whispers in my ear, sending a shiver down my back the same way kissing him did, before the loud pop of a champagne cork snaps me back to the party at hand.
“Whoa there,” Megan says, snagging my now-bubbling glass from the table and pouring the golden liquid into her own. “I don’t think Katie needs any since she already looks punch-drunk—”
“In love,” Susan finishes, lifting her glass in the air and setting my cheeks on fire as the entire table glances my direction.
“Well, she is dating a Garrison, after all,” Thomas says with a wink at Brad, causing everyone except Oliver—and surprisingly, Megan—to erupt in laughter as they begin to clink their delicate stemware together in cheers. “To love.”
“To love,” Ollie says, lifting his glass in my direction before slamming back the whole thing in one giant gulp.
I let out a tight laugh, the tension once in his shoulders now in his eyes. “Hey, I thought we were taking it easy tonight? Remember? You have to teach me to get up on the board in the morning.”
Next to me, Brad chokes on his sip of bubbly. “Wait. You don’t know how to get up on the board yet? But the contest is in two days.”
“I… uh…”
“She’ll be ready,” Oliver spits out at Brad’s incredulous look. “She’s a natural. But we do need to call it a night since we have a long day ahead of us.”
A long day? At the thought, my nerves start to spike considering Brad is right. We only have two more days until the contest. And what if I’m not ready?
Draping an arm over my shoulder, Brad leans his body into mine like he’s about to whisper, but instead, he talks loud enough I’m pretty sure the rest of the diners can hear him clearly. “You know, I’d be happy to teach you how to ride tomorrow. And it won’t take me all day to get you up to speed. What’da say?”
“Oh, that’s… really nice of you…” I ramble as I whip my head around to Oliver and silently beg him to help me out of this. The last thing I want is to flail around like a literal fish out of water while Brad tries to teach me how to kite surf. No thank you. This is Ollie’s thing. And I trust him. “But—”
“But nothing,” Thomas says, interrupting me. “Bradley is Garrison and Sons best instructor, and with his help, you and Oliver there,” Thomas gestures in Oliver’s direction, “might actually have a shot. Well, at least at placing since Lacy and Brad have this thing in the bag, but there’s nothing wrong with second place.” He laughs, popping a buttery snail in his mouth, like what he just said was nothing but the truth and not the least bit insulting.
Susan’s eyes go wide and Megan’s jaw drops open, but it’s Oliver’s smile that surprises me the most. It’s unnerving in its easiness. Like he really doesn’t care.
I let out an uncomfortable chuckle as everyone’s eyes fall on me except Oliver’s. His are squarely on Brad. “Um…” I start, trying to figure out what to do, but Oliver stops me by clearing his throat. I take a deep breath. Thank goodness. It’s about time he helps me out of this.
“Well, then,” Ollie pushes back his chair and stands, his smile still firmly in place, like he couldn’t care less about Thomas’s jab or Brad’s invitation. “Sounds like it’s settled then. I, however, still need to call it an early one, so thanks for dinner and congratulations again.”
Now it’s my jaw that feels like it’s hitting the deck. That’s it?
He really doesn’t care? Or… maybe he’s just pacifying his soon-to-be stepdad and brother. Only one way to find out. “But, Ollie, you were going to show me that thing tomorrow,” I say, trying to throw him a life preserver. “Remember?”
Oliver shakes his head, either not getting I’m trying to save us both—me from embarrassing myself with Brad and him from being railroaded by his future family—or he really doesn’t care. “You heard the man.” Oliver acknowledges Thomas with the tilt of his chin. “Brad’s the best. I’m sure he’ll be able to show you a whole lot more than I ever could.”
“Oliver,” Susan says as Ollie tosses his napkin on the table, his fake smile finally faltering. “That’s not what Thomas meant.”
“No, it’s fine.” He waves off his mother’s concern, his face flushed like he might be sick. “I promised Gerald I would help him set up the new computer system at the Griddle anyway. So this works out better. I promise.”
Jumping up from my chair, I rush to Ollie’s side as he starts to make his way out of the open-aired dining room to the stairs, a light sheen of sweat covering his forehead. “Hey, wait.”
“What, Katie?” he says, his jaw tense and his voice clipped.
I step back. “I just… I wanted to make sure you’re okay? You know, with everything? Because you don’t look so good.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine. I swear,” Ollie says, blowing out pent-up breath. “Seriously, I just want to get outta here and clear my head. Go back and enjoy the rest of your night.” He gives me a tight smile that I know is genuine, despite the sadness in his eyes. “And make sure Brad shows you how to slide turn tomorrow. We’re gonna need it to beat him and Lacy on Friday. Okay?”
“Deal.” I nod, smiling back—even though he’s the one I want showing me how to do whatever a sliding turn is—but I also understand he obviously needs some space. “As long as you promise we get a movie night do over as soon as this whole contest thing is over. Okay?”