by Bria Starr
After the noodles are cooked and combined with the veggies, I add the olive oil and parmesan cheese. “Perfect. You’ve done very well. You have a knife and haven’t stabbed me once. I’m so proud.” He puts his arm around me and rubs my arm. I feel happy with the work I’ve done, and I have a new level of appreciation for Dom and his hard work. The last thing I want to do now is clean up.
“Now we’ll wait for that to heat up a bit and go on to make dessert. Then that can bake while we eat.”
“I’m hungry. This looks so good and the frittata smells amazing!”
“Just wait until you smell the peach cobbler when it’s done. That was Mom’s favorite.”
We finish preparing the cobbler and replace it with the frittata that was in the oven, then set the table while the frittata cools. I do the honors of serving us each a colorful plate of yummy goodness.
“So how was your first lesson?”
“I think it went pretty well. I didn’t mind it as much as I thought I would, I don’t think I made any mistakes either. It’s kind of exhausting, honestly. All that hard work, then having to clean up, and don’t even get me started on what I would do if someone didn’t like it or refused to eat it. I’d want to shove it down their throat and make them love it. You know?”
“Well … I can’t say those would be my exact choice of words, but I get where you’re coming from.” He laughs.
“Now I’m going to make these nasty vegetables be my bitch. Here goes nothing.” I take a bite and chew it slowly, waiting to taste the unwelcoming flavor of onions or tomatoes, but it doesn’t come. Neither does the texture of the mushrooms I was dreading the most.
“Well?”
“It’s perfect. Everything is blended together so well that nothing stands out. It’s so good. I’d eat this again any day.”
The timer goes off and Eli gets up to take out the cobbler and let it cool. I’m so full, but I scarf down a piece with a giant scoop of ice cream. I eat until I feel like my belly is going to explode.
Eli starts washing dishes. I love that there’s a window right here above the sink that overlooks his driveway and front lawn. It’s beautiful here. He really did well for himself. There’s still plenty of daylight left and the sun is finally out from behind the clouds. They said it would rain, but the weatherman can never fully be trusted.
“How would you feel about going for a walk?” I ask him.
“I’d love to. It’s a nice day.”
We finish up and I go put my shoes on before going outside. He takes my hand and leads me down the driveway. “I sure wish we were closer to the river.” The river always brings back good memories.
“I still go there all the time.”
“You do? I haven’t been there since my parents moved to a new house several years ago. I would stop if I were in the area, I suppose.”
“I like to go there when I need to think.”
“I love that you have a house surrounded by woods. I grew up having no neighbors, and now live in a tiny apartment with nothing but houses and busy roads around me.”
“I do have a nice plot of land.”
“And a gorgeous house. I’ve never seen anything like it. Hey, you said your dad helped you build it? Have you two mended your relationship?”
He clears his throat. Touchy subject, I know, but I’m curious. “Well, after I moved out, we didn’t talk again for at least four years. Sarah and I kept in touch, we don’t talk very often but I guess you could say we’re both busy living our own lives. When I eventually moved back, I stopped to see him. He’s been sober for about a year now. Almost five years too late but at least it’s something. I mostly wanted to go there to feel my mom’s presence. I thought maybe it was still there, waiting for me.
“And was it?”
“Yeah. I broke down which made my dad break down a little too. It’s rare to see him cry.”
“So you guys are good or still working on it?”
“I’d say we’re still working on it. I told him about the piece of land I had bought and mentioned my plans for the house I wanted. He offered to help. I thought he was bullshitting me until I called him to let him know we were starting and he showed up. We didn’t talk much, but it meant the world to me to have him there.”
“I think you’ve always wanted his approval.”
“I guess I did.”
We walk in silence a little longer. “This doesn’t feel like a first date, does it?”
“Not at all. It’s like I’ve known you my whole life.”
“Well, you have. Half of it anyway. Your accent isn’t as strong as it once was,” I point out.
He laughs. “I probably sound more Oklahoman now.”
“Is that where you went?”
“Yeah. You didn’t know?”
I stop walking. “How would I know that, Eli?” “I figured you would have heard it from someone.” “From who? Besides Laura, who else do I know?
” I decide to brush it away before I get even more upset. No sense in getting worked up about something from the past that I can’t change. “Last I knew you were going to the University of Minnesota with all of us, then you were just gone.”
“I decided I didn’t want to go there anymore.”
“You didn’t? I talked to you the day after our last day of school, then a week later, you disappeared. What happened?”
“It was all set, just like Dad wanted, I was being shipped off to get a Bachelor of Science degree before I was sent off to flight school. That’s not even counting the medical certificate I’d have to get as well as the rest of the advanced requirements I’d have to fulfill. He thought I’d make a great pilot, but I had no interest. I felt sick to my stomach about it. I didn’t want to sit in a classroom for the next four to five years. I wanted to go do something with my life. For me.”
“So what did you end up doing?”
“Patrick and I moved to Oklahoma. He had family down there and his uncle ran a construction business. We were hired to frame some houses and that led to plumbing, electric, whatever we needed to know. We did that for about four or five years until we decided to go our own way and start something completely new.”
“I’m assuming your dad didn’t help you with the funds for that.”
“He was so pissed when I didn’t go to school that he cut me off. But I’d saved my allowance and I’d gotten quite a bit of money after Mom died. I think she would have encouraged me to do what made me happy, so I went for it. I started my own company. We were kicking ass at it and came up with the idea of bringing it back home. There aren’t as many jobs around here as there are down south, but it’s not too bad. A few of our employees wanted to come with us.”
“So both you and Patrick own it?”
“Not really. We’re both the bosses, and I trust him obviously, but I’m the one who put the money down. And let’s face it, Stone is way more badass than Carrington.”
“I have to agree.” I think for a minute. “So, when exactly did you move back?”
“Last August.”
“You’ve been back for a full year?”
“I have.”
“And I saw you for the first time five months after that? How is that possible?”
“I didn’t really go anywhere. Just to get lumber and supplies. I wanted my house finished before winter hit. We did pretty well with only the few of us.”
“I’ll say.”
“So there you have it. Anything else you want to know?”
“I think I have a million questions. But they can all wait for another day.”
He stops and wraps his arms around me. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now, you know that?”
“I know.” I smile to myself. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be either.
Chapter 16
My therapist says I’m doing a “miraculous job”. It’s good to hear I’ve improved. I feel different. Better. His only concern is that my recovery is mostly because of Eli, and if somethin
g happened where Eli was removed from my life once again, he worries that I’d stop doing as well.
I would be devastated if he left again. I just got him back and it’s so different this time. We’re so much closer on a completely different level. I don’t know how I’d feel, and I don’t even want to think about it. He lives here now.
He has a house, a business.
He wouldn’t leave again, would he?
I mean more to him this time, don’t I?
***
After I complete an early morning run, I get ready and head to work. I enter Belle’s Pepper and start getting the boxes of supplies packed into my car. I’ve enlisted DeAnn and Larissa to help me set up for our pirate themed company picnic.
When we get to the park, the catering company is already there getting the food ready. “It’s too windy,” Larissa complains.
“It’s fine. Just pretend we’re on a ship and a storm is coming.”
She giggles as she starts hanging decorations up around the pavilion and DeAnn laughs while she sets up the tables.
“Are you going to Derrick and Jessica’s wedding?” Larissa asks.
“Derrick and Jessica from high school?”
“Yeah. It’s this weekend.”
“I don’t know. I remember Laura saying something about a wedding invitation, but I never looked at it.”
“You should come. Don’t worry if you can’t find a date, you can sit with me and Jason.”
“I appreciate that, but I don’t even know if I’m going. Probably not.”
“You should have RSVP’d already, so you might want to figure it out.”
“I guess I’ll talk to Laura.” I wonder if Eli was invited.
What am I thinking, of course he was.
As everyone arrives, we’re introduced to family members and the adults stand around talking while the little ones snack on cookies, before we decide to go ahead and sit down to eat. “Are Mr. and Mrs. Belle coming?” DeAnn asks with a mouthful of food.
“No, they say hi and hope we all have fun today though.”
Larissa chimes in, “It’s nice we all get to be here together and relax.
I bring up the topic of end-of-summer plans. As I’m in the middle of talking about how I’ve wanted to take a mini-vacation with Laura for quite some time, I hear Larissa gasp. I turn around and nearly choke on my shredded pork sandwich when I spot Eli walking towards us.
I quickly get up and scamper over to him. “What are you doing here?”
“I went to your work to get some lunch and they said you weren’t in today. You weren’t answering my texts, so I went to your place to see if you were there. Laura said you were at the park reading. Alone.”
I laugh. That bitch. She’ll hear about this later. “No, it’s an employee work party. And my phone is in my purse. I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet.”
He glances over my shoulder at all the eyes staring at us.
“I can see that.” He waves towards them and I hurriedly grab his hand and pull it down in embarrassment.
“Stop.” I laugh.
“I can be your date.” He raises his eyebrows up and down a few times.
I sigh. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
“Fine. Come on.” I turn around and lead him to my curious employees. “I suppose I can feed you for a change.”
“Hey everyone!” Eli happily greets the crowd. “What are you eating? Mmm, that looks good!” Eli scoops himself up a plate and comes to sit down next to me.
I can see Larissa dying to ask what’s going on. She’s probably mentally confirming her suspicions of us going home together that night. I just shrug.
“So who’s your friend?” Dom asks.
“This is … this is my friend Eli. We’ve been friends since we were twelve.” It’s not like we’ve established a relationship, and we’ve always been friends, we just kiss a little more now. That’s really the only difference.
Larissa squints at me suspiciously.
“He looks familiar,” Dom states. He probably recognizes him from the newspaper when our images were splattered across the front page.
“He’s been in the restaurant a few times.”
“Hmm. Maybe that’s what it is.”
“Do I get to play too?” Eli asks when I announce it’s time for games.
“You’re my date, aren’t you?”
“Damn right I am.” He gives me a sexy grin and slaps my ass. Shocked, I quickly look around to see if anyone noticed, but it seems like the coast is clear.
We end up playing ring toss, ladder ball, sack races, and good old fashioned bingo. It’s a solid two hours before I’m all out of prizes. Eli dominated the sack races and it just so happened I had a gift certificate for the Anderson Country Store, so I gave him that prize, knowing it would be put to good use. Besides, I might benefit from that one as well.
“So what do you have planned for the rest of the evening?” Eli asks as he helps me clean up after the festivities.
“Not much. You?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to do something?
Maybe watch a movie at your place?”
“Mine?” My place looks like a shack compared to his.
“Sure. Is that okay with you?”
I usually need at least a twenty minute warning before someone is allowed to come inside. I’m having a mini panic attack thinking about what all could be out of place. Are there dishes in the sink? I frown.
“You don’t look happy. Sorry, I didn’t know you’d feel uncomf—”
“No, it’s not that. I’m just sure Laura’s made a mess.”
“So?”
“So I need to make sure it’s clean before you come over.”
“I can wait outside if you’d like a few minutes first.”
“Yes! Yes, that would be good.” I pack up the rest of the decorations and shove them into my trunk.
“Since when do you have OCD about cleaning?”
“Since always. I think.”
“Bye kids. Have a nice night …” Larissa sing-songs towards our direction.
“Bye!” we call out in unison.
“I’ll follow you?” he asks.
“Yup. See you soon.”
I climb into my car and take off towards home. I park and run inside, Eli isn’t even pulling into the parking lot before I’m opening the door to my apartment building. I unlock my door and storm inside, searching for anything that needs to be cleaned. The kitchen is a bit of a mess, but I race passed it and enter my room. It could use a little dusting, but I make sure my bed is made and run into the bathroom. I quickly grab an anti-bacterial wipe and clean the counter. I take another one and clean the toilet off quick too. After I wash my hands, I look around and everything seems tidy enough so I go back into the kitchen.
“What are you running around for?”
“Eli’s here! He’ll be coming inside any minute and it’s a mess!”
“It looks just fine, Paige. Calm down.”
I head to the living room and stack her magazines into a neat pile, fold the throw blanket, and fluff the pillows. In the kitchen, I grab a dishcloth and clean off the table. No time to sweep and mop the floor or vacuum the living room carpet. There are a few dishes in the sink that I start to reach for when I hear a knock. Laura gives me a look and retreats back to her room, closing the door behind her.
I straighten my shirt and wipe the sweat from my forehead before I open the door and welcome him inside. “Welcome to my humble abode.” I’m breathing a little heavy and try to slow it down a notch so he doesn’t notice. “Oh wow, you were right. It’s pretty messy in here!”
I immediately look down at the floor and over to the sink and grimace. “You didn’t give me enough time!”
“I drove extra slow. Besides, I was only kidding. It’s spotless in here.”
“It’s not though,” I whine.
“Come here.” He takes me into his arms. “I promise
&
nbsp; I’d tell you if it wasn’t acceptable, okay?”
“Are you making fun of me?”
“Not at all. I think it’s adorable the way you’re such a freak about cleaning. You can come clean my house any day.”
“Your house is fine though.” He has a place for everything. Nothing is piled on a random table or thrown into a corner. He has exactly what he needs and nothing more, besides all the random vehicles he keeps in his shed.
And I like that about him. It’s very Eli.“Is Laura home?”
“She is. She’s in her room.”
“That sucks. Guess we’ll have to be really quiet.”
My mouth drops open and I give him a swat on the arm. I’ve never actually imagined myself having sex with Eli. A kiss, sure. Although, I have thought about him naked plenty of times. Then there was that fantasy about him fanning me …
I guess that’s close enough.
“Living room or my room? I have movies and Netflix options for both.”
“I’m definitely thinking your bedroom.”
“Follow me.” I lead him into my room and quietly shut the door. I turn around and watch him scan over everything.
“It’s nice. I think your whole place is nice. And you have your own bathroom? That’s pretty cool for an apartment.”
“Well, we can’t all have big houses like yours.”
“I know, I’m not putting it down. You should have seen what Patrick and I were living in when we first moved to Oklahoma.”
“What did it look like?” I sit down on my bed and he follows.
“It was disgusting. Cockroaches, snakes, spiders… fucking scorpions.”
“Seriously? I can’t imagine having to deal with those things. I’m freaked out by garter snakes and they’re practically harmless compared to the ones they have down there. All poisonous and shit.”
“Yeah, it was pretty bad. It makes me even more grateful to have what I have.”
“As you should be.” I turn on the flat screen that sits on top of my dresser for some background noise. “I still can’t get over how close you live to me.”
“I’ve always lived close to you. Well, since I moved here the first time anyway.”
“Yeah, and that was before you left. I didn’t think you were ever coming back.”