A Life Less Ordinary

by Bernadine, Victoria

  Any additional words of protest died on her lips as her eyes closed, her head fell back and she groaned in a mixture of pleasure and pain.

  “You’re right – your feet are stinky and sweaty,” he teased.

  “I’d kick you, but that would mean I’d have to take my foot away.” She didn’t even open her eyes as she spoke.

  “And ruin any chances for the other foot to be rubbed, too?” he asked drily.

  “That, too,” she nodded as she flung one arm across her eyes. Her shirt rode up slightly to expose a thin band of pale skin above the waistband of her low-slung jeans.

  Zeke, to his immense relief, had no reaction at all to her almost wanton posture. Leah was right, he mused as he moved his hands to Manny’s other foot. He’d been simply over-reacting to the fact that he really liked her. He’d confused it with falling in love because – as Leah had so accurately noted – he didn’t have many female friends. He simply hadn’t known how to define what he was feeling especially since, until Manny, he could count his female friends on one finger. He simply hadn’t recognized his purely platonic affection as, well, purely platonic affection.

  He considered her from under lowered brows and half-lowered eyelids. The more he looked at her, the more he realized Leah was right: when it came to sex and romance, Manny was definitely not his type.

  Besides the age difference, she wasn’t exactly beautiful. Not the beautiful he preferred, anyway. She’d lost a little bit of weight on this trip but she was still plump. He’d just been thrown for a loop by her makeover, such as it was, and then the news about TJ had really knocked him off-balance. That was all. He’d just confused his natural liking for her as something...more.

  Yeah.

  Leah was right. To his relief.

  “You look very focused.”

  Zeke glanced at Manny, startled.

  “And pissed,” Manny added.

  “I’m not pissed at all,” he assured her.

  “Good to know,” she yawned and stretched, then winced. “Shit, I’m sore. You seemed to be a man on a mission on that hike. Were you hoping I’d fall off a cliff somewhere? Just so you know – you’re not in my will.”

  He pressed tighter against her foot and she yelped, jerking her foot out of his hands and off his lap. She glowered as she heaved herself into a sitting position.

  “Did I hit a nerve so you had to return the favour?” she snapped as she stripped off her socks and dug her toes into the carpet, sighing with pleasure.

  “No,” Zeke said shortly.

  “No? That’s it? You just felt the urge to walk my feet down to the bone?” She looked at him steadily. “You seemed pretty focused. Are you worried about TJ?”

  “I’m a little worried, yeah – he’s come down with a cold now.”

  “A cold?”

  “Yeah, the guy can’t seem to catch a break. But that’s not what I was thinking about.”

  “Oh? Then what’s on your mind?”

  Zeke sighed, leaning back and stretching his long legs out in front of him.

  “You’re on my mind,” he admitted.

  “Me? What? Our fight yesterday?” Surprise and confusion was vivid in her voice. “I thought we settled all that this morning.”

  “We did – although I didn’t appreciate you snapping that picture of me right as you told me no sex for me if you don’t get any!”

  Manny laughed. “I had to; I’d promised Daisy.”

  “Thank you so much. Anyway, I wasn’t thinking about any of that. I was thinking about your...um...unusual behaviour with Brett.”

  Manny’s eyes dropped from his and she shifted uncomfortably.

  “I made a mistake,” she muttered.

  “You took a chance,” he corrected gently, “but what I don’t understand is why. What was it about Brett that drew you so far away from your normal behaviour?”

  Manny flexed her toes in the carpet, her eyes riveted on her bare digits.

  “You haven’t had sex in six years,” Zeke reminded her quietly. “Why Brett? He’s so – so -”

  “Smarmy?” she asked with a slight smirk.

  “Yes! And completely phony. You know you would have been just another anonymous notch on his bed post.”

  “Like you and Babe?”

  Zeke opened his mouth, then slowly closed it.

  “You’re not me. Or Babe,” he said.

  “I know. And I wasn’t trying to be like you. Brett is smarmy, yes, but – it was flattering, to be pursued so – well, not ardently, but – oh, hell,” she groaned and buried her face in her hands. “It was flattering to be pursued, no matter how fake it was.”

  She lifted her head and leaned her chin on her hand with a rueful grimace.

  “I would have preferred someone a little less fake, but you know, it’s been a long time since sex was even a remote possibility. I thought I’d take a chance.”

  “And yet you couldn’t go through with it. Why not?”

  Manny shrugged. “I don’t really know. Maybe because I’ve never liked sex without emotion. Maybe because he was so fake.” She frowned, staring off into space before she firmly shook her head and rose to her feet with a groan. “Anyway, it’s not important. I’m going to go soak in the bathtub. Hopefully I won’t seize up and drown, thanks to you.”

  Zeke also got to his feet.

  “Okay,” he said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Not too early, though,” she said hobbling to the bathroom door, “I need some time to recover. And plan my revenge.”

  Zeke laughed as he let himself out of Manny’s cabin and headed towards his own.

  He was grateful to Leah for setting him straight about his feelings. His next blog would now be a clear re-telling of this tale, not one clouded by misunderstood feelings.

  He strode off, feeling at peace with himself for the first time since L.A.

  * * * * *

  Day 113

  Manny heard the door open behind her as she smiled, thanked the girl behind the counter and accepted the receipts for the cabin rentals. She was folding them to put in her purse as she turned, and met Brett’s uncomfortable gaze. She froze and flushed guiltily.

  He hesitated, then smiled tentatively at her.

  She shifted uncomfortably, then bit her lip, lifted her head, and smiled back.

  He hesitated again, then made his way to her.

  “Hi,” he said sheepishly.

  “Hi.”

  They stood in awkward silence, Manny acutely aware of the girl’s avid interest behind her.

  “Listen -” they both started, then stopped and laughed.

  In silent accord they went outside, where they fidgeted before Manny finally said with a grimace, “I wanted to say I’m sorry for – for -”

  Brett shook his head. “You changed your mind. That’s allowed. You have no need to apologize for that.”

  Manny smiled ruefully. “I know, but I feel better now.”

  He shrugged. “I was disappointed, but hey. Shit happens.

  “No hard feelings?” she asked.

  “Of course not. And – uh – I know you saw me working those new girls.” Brett looked down, scratching at his ear, and he had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. “This is what I do,” he muttered, shrugging. “I win some; I lose some.”

  “They shot you down, huh?” Manny said sympathetically.

  “Pretty brutally,” he sighed.

  She bit her lip then laughed.

  “You at least were nice enough about it,” he told her.

  Manny shrugged. “I try to be nice,” she agreed.

  “So – no hard feelings?”

  “No hard feelings.”

  He smiled, a genuine smile and not the smarmily fake one he’d previously plied her with.

  “Let me walk you to your van,” he offered.

  She smiled and nodded. “I’d like that.”

  They ambled from the office to the parking lot in companionable silence interspersed with the
occasional comment about the weather, the scenery and the next stop for Manny and Zeke.

  Manny glanced up and bit her lip when she saw Zeke leaning against the driver’s door of the van, his arms crossed, sending them a fulminating glare from beneath dark brows lowered over thunderous eyes.

  “You know, that man glowers all the time,” Brett murmured to Manny, his blue eyes wide and cautious.

  That surprised a laugh out of her. “I’m used to it by now.”

  “Tell me – is he any fun at all?”

  “Lots, actually – when he decides to just relax and enjoy himself.”

  Brett shook his head in wonder. “Hard to believe, but if you say so.” He looked at Zeke again and slowed his steps.

  “You know, on second thought, I should say good-bye to you here.”

  Manny frowned. “Are you scared of him?” she asked with interest.

  “Well, he did threaten to break both my legs if I came near you again.”

  Her jaw dropped and she flushed. “He did?” she squeaked.

  Brett nodded vigorously. “I’m almost positive he was serious.”

  Manny glanced at Zeke from the corner of her eye. “Judging from the way he’s glaring at you right now, I’m thinking you might be right.” She bit her lip and tried to hide her amusement. “Nice to know he looks out for his poor old Auntie Em,” she muttered.

  Brett looked quizzically at her but she shook her head.

  “A long story,” she said, “and we don’t have the time.”

  Brett nodded and they stared at each other for a long, suspended moment before Brett slowly smiled at her. It was, once again, a genuine smile, and Manny smiled back.

  “I’m sorry to see you go,” he said, “and I sincerely mean that.”

  “Thank you,” Manny said. “I’ve enjoyed my time here.”

  Now Brett’s grin turned devilish as he said, “You could have enjoyed it a lot more...”

  Manny laughed and shook her head. “I’ll just take your word for it.”

  Brett shrugged in rueful defeat, and opened his arms. Manny hesitated, then stepped forward and hugged him warmly.

  Manny murmured against his shoulder, “I did appreciate the pursuit.” They moved apart, as she added, “and that spaghetti sauce really was sinful.”

  Brett shrugged. “I get it from an old Italian guy in town.”

  She gaped, then threw back her head and laughed, shaking her head. “You are such a bastard,” she said.

  He laughed and nodded. “This is what I do.”

  “I know.”

  They grinned at each other then both looked over as Zeke called out an irritated, “Okay, okay – break it up – we’ve got a long way to go today!”

  Brett and Manny exchanged ruefully amused looks.

  “Take care of yourself,” Manny said.

  “You, too.”

  Manny noticed that Brett stood in the parking lot and watched as they drove away. She thought it was a good thing he couldn’t see Zeke’s dark glare, his gritted teeth, or the death grip he had on the steering wheel.

  That night, Zeke pounded furiously on his laptop’s keyboard as he wrote his latest blog. He scowled and swore softly as he sent it off to Leah.

  * * * * *

  Day 114

  “Women of a Certain Age should be smart enough not to fall for the smooth line of the first Lothario who shows up,” Leah read aloud.

  TJ’s eyebrows rose even higher than they’d already been raised as she continued, “God save us all from cougars who are still only kittens at heart and in experience. They’ll fall prey to any prowling wolf, wily coyote or pouncing fox they stumble upon. Even cougars need to be protected when they’re still just clueless babes in the woods.”

  TJ sat in thoughtful silence once Leah finished and carefully refolded the paper in her hands.

  “You may have been too hasty in dismissing his feelings,” he rasped slowly.

  Leah tapped the folded paper against her lips as she stared into space.

  “You may be right,” she agreed. She gave him a slow grin. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next.”

  Episode 10

  Day 117

  “You’re where?”

  “Some pissant little town in Florida,” Zeke sighed. “Manny thought it looked pretty, so we’re here for a few days. Personally, I think it’s only because she can probably meet the whole damn town in two days.”

  TJ laughed a raspy laugh that turned into a dry, wracking cough.

  “Jesus, buddy – you okay?” Zeke asked when TJ came back on the line.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I just can’t seem to shake the last of this cold. And the more I cough, the more I pull my incision, so I’m still really tender, too.”

  “What does the nurse say?”

  “Not much, except to say it’s not that bad, and to get out of bed.”

  “Sorry?”

  “Yeah, Leah’s beyond pissed. But she’s been so swamped at work – your blog, man, shows no sign of slowing down! - she hasn’t had a chance to phone the agency and ask for a new nurse, or a second opinion, or whatever.”

  “Do you want me to do it?”

  TJ paused. “Wow – Manny’s rubbing off on you. That’s really nice, Zeke – but really not necessary. I like this nurse; she’s a bit brusque, but tough love may be exactly what I need. To a point, anyway.”

  “Well, what does the doctor say?”

  “Nothing. I haven’t seen him.”

  “TJ!”

  “Hey – I have three weeks to go before my six week check-up. That’s soon enough.”

  Zeke growled in frustration. TJ laughed, then coughed again.

  “I’m okay, Zeke. Really. Go have fun in Florida.”

  “It’s a tough life,” Zeke sighed dramatically.

  “Fuck off,” TJ said. “Wait until I’m all healed up; I’ll take Leah on a long holiday to a tropical island during the depths of winter, and leave you here, freezing your ass off.”

  “What’s new about that?” Zeke asked drily, and they both laughed as they ended the call.

  * * * * *

  Day 118

  Manny smiled at her hostess’ sixteen-year-old son as she walked into the dining room. He ducked his head and mumbled hello, hiding his face behind a shock of stringy brown hair. Manny mentally shrugged.

  Ted had been pretty shy with her and Zeke the last two days, and she suspected he’d gladly hide in his room if his mother, Cora, didn’t insist on his presence. Manny thought he seemed like a typically awkward teenager, going through that stage where they simply didn’t know how to act in certain situations. The few times she and Zeke or another guest had coaxed actual conversation out of him, he’d been bright, well-spoken, and remarkably well-informed. Of course, as Cora noted drily, he was almost constantly online.

  Manny saw he was focused on his phone as she sat down at the table with her plate of food. She glanced up as Zeke walked in and greeted everyone.

  “More coffee?” Zeke asked as he filled up his plate from the small buffet table.

  Manny nodded. “Please.”

  Cora bustled in. “I’ll do that, Zeke. Go sit down.”

  Zeke thanked her, then said as he made his way to the table, “So, how many Misfit Toys have you gathered this time around?”

  There was a loud clatter as Cora knocked a cup off the buffet table and it shattered on the floor.

  “Oh!” Manny exclaimed, rising to her feet.

  “No, no, no,” Cora said, her face bright red with embarrassment, “I was clumsy – it’s okay. Teddy,” Manny glanced at Ted, who was staring wide-eyed at his mother, “come with me to the kitchen – there’s a new pot of coffee that’s just finished brewing.”

  “But that pot’s half-full,” Manny protested mildly, “I can -”

  “No, no, no – come on, Teddy.”

  Ted nodded and hastily stood. They picked up the shards of the broken coffee cup, and hurried into the kitchen as
Manny returned to her seat and Zeke finally sat at the table.

  She glanced ruefully at him. “Anyway, I met two Misfit Toys yesterday.”

  “Only two?” he asked drily as Cora and Ted returned to the dining room.

  “Well, while you were holed up working, I was busy looking for a beach that wasn’t wall-to-wall people.”

  “You didn’t want to meet people?” Zeke asked in mock disbelief.

  “Well, not while I’m wearing a bikini,” Manny replied, then stared in horror at Ted. “Sorry, Ted – didn’t mean to put that image in your head.”

  Ted blushed and ducked his head, peeking out from behind his hair.

  Manny made a mental note to ask Daisy if Jakob had ever gone through this shy, awkward stage.

  Cora, on the other hand, seemed rattled and excited as she filled Manny’s coffee cup, then sat chatting too-brightly with them, her eyes darting from Manny to Zeke and back again.

  Manny mentally raised her eyebrows.

  “Are you guys okay?” she finally asked.

  Cora started. “Oh – oh! Yes. Just...some exciting news. On a personal level. That’s all.”

  She beamed at them both.

  Manny and Zeke stared blankly back.

  “Good to hear,” Zeke finally said slowly, and carefully neutral. He glanced at Manny from the corner of his eye. “So, what’s the agenda for today?”

  “Exploring the town,” Manny said promptly. “Meeting the locals.”

  Zeke heaved an exaggerated sigh and ruefully shook his head.

  * * * * *

  Day 119

  Zeke trudged over the slight hill and saw the expanse of water and the soft, sandy beach come into view. He glanced to his left and saw the back of Manny’s head peeking over the edge of her lounge chair. Zeke headed in her direction.

  “Hey,” he called, “there you are! Ted told me -”

  He stopped in his tracks as Manny shrieked, sat up and grabbed the towel she’d been sitting on to cover her chest, toppling off the lounger as she did so. Zeke caught a flash of pale breasts, yelled, “Holy – you’re naked!” and abruptly turned his back.

  “Just topless!” Manny cried, and Zeke could hear her struggling to her feet behind him. “I didn’t expect you to find me!”