by Colee Firman
Without much coaxing, I snuggled into him as his arms snaked around my body. I closed my eyes and couldn’t help smiling. It was the first time I’d been in bed with a guy.
Myles was so quiet and motionless that I thought he’d fallen asleep. I was startled out of a lucid haze when he spoke.
“I should’ve gone after you when you left the cabin,” he whispered, tightening his hold on me. “I pissed away an entire week I could’ve had with you…”
“It was only seven days—that’s all...” I ran my fingers up the smooth skin of his chest and let my hand rest over his heart. “Maybe before the end of the summer we can go to Moore Lake for a couple of days and make up for it.”
Myles let out a deep breath. “Get some sleep. We’ll talk about it tomorrow…”
Seventeen
Brantley
The day before when Livvy opened her paycheck, she’d told me that the Pucketts had added an extra thousand dollars to it. As I stood staring down at the dollar figure on mine, I was speechless. There wasn’t an extra thousand on it, there was five thousand more.
Puck and Maybell had given me five thousand dollars. There was even a little note attached saying it wasn’t a mistake and not to try to give it back. I was in a daze as I signed the check and took it to the bank teller.
The smile on my face only got wider when I walked out of the bank and saw Myles standing next to his truck waiting for me. When I’d told him I was going into town he’d insisted on coming with me, saying he wanted to take me somewhere.
It was two in the afternoon on a Tuesday and the sidewalk was bustling with the residents of Baylor Grove. I slipped my fingers through his and we started walking down the main street through town where all the shops were located.
Everyone we passed seemed to take an extra long look at us while smiling or saying hello. It quickly became apparent that simply walking down the street holding hands was a big deal. Being the focus of people’s attention was something I strived to avoid and I was quickly becoming uncomfortable.
When my dad was indicted, my family and I were gawked at and talked about relentlessly. Reporters were even camped outside our house. The last thing I wanted was people in Baylor Grove paying any more attention to me than necessary.
When someone on the opposite side of the street had the audacity to point at us, I pulled my fingers free from his and crossed my arms.
Myles had his hand on my lower back instantly. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I said, looking down at the sidewalk. “So where are we going?”
“In there.” He stopped walking and pointed at the store next to us.
“The furniture store?” What he was up to clicked two seconds later and I started shaking my head. “I’m not going shopping for a bed with you.”
“Yes you are,” he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the door.
“People are already staring at us just for being together,” I said, pulling away from him. “Mattress shopping will probably make the front page of the news herald.”
“You’re being paranoid.” He casually slung his arms around my body and pulled me tightly against him. “No one gives a shit what we do.”
“Myles, this is Baylor Grove,” I said, tipping my head back to look up at him. “We’ll forever be referred to as ‘the ones who needed a new bed the day after they started dating’ in casual conversations.”
“You guys already broke his bed?”
I raised my brow before I turned around. “See what I mean?” I shook my head as soon as my eyes settled on Livvy with Tom by her side. “That’s exactly how rumors get started.”
“As far as rumors go,” she said, laughing, “that’s a pretty awesome one.”
“Hi, Tom,” I said, ignoring Livvy’s comment.
“Hey, Brant.” Tom nodded at Myles without saying anything.
Livvy glanced at Myles and then gave me a little smile. “What are you guys up to?”
“I’ve been abducted to go furniture shopping against my will. You?”
“We’re just going to the diner to have lunch,” Livvy said. “Why don’t you guys go do your shopping and meet us afterward?”
“Can’t,” Myles said, looping his arm around me and pulling me back against his chest. “We’ll have a bed to haul upstairs.”
“Perfect,” Livvy said, pointing at Tom. “We’ll all go back to your place and he can help you.”
I shook my head. “Livvy, Tom doesn’t have to—”
“I’m in,” Tom said, shifting his eyes to Myles. “I need to talk to you about something anyway.”
I glanced at Livvy who just shrugged. After making plans to meet up with Livvy and Tom at our house after we were done shopping, I reluctantly let Myles take me inside.
The place was like a maze with displays of furniture creating a path through the store. Myles greeted the sales lady before she even had a chance to open her mouth and told her he’d come get her once we found what we wanted.
When we reached the back wall of the store, Myles let go of my hand and pointed to the row of beds. “Well?”
“Well what?” I slowly walked up and pressed my hand down on the nearest one. “They all look the same…”
“You have to lay on it…” Myles walked up and wrapped his arms around me, dragging me down onto the bed with him.
I giggled and rolled onto my back. “It’s too hard,” I said, wiggling around. “There’s not much difference between this and the floor.”
“Can’t have that…” He scooped me up and hauled me over to the next one, tossing me in the middle.
“Hey…” I pushed up onto my elbows and laughed. “Are we testing durability too?”
“I’m in if you are,” he said, digging into his pocket. “That’d probably get us tossed out on our asses though.” He pulled his phone out and held it up in my direction. “Maybe even get the sheriff called.”
“That would definitely make the front of the news herald.” I laid back and tucked my arm under my head. “Did you really just take a picture of me sprawled out on a display bed in a furniture store?”
His lips curled in to a smile as he stared at the phone. “You look...yeah.”
“Oh god…” I held my hand up in his direction. “Let me see it…”
“No deleting,” he said, holding it out to me.
I grabbed the phone with one hand and wrapped my fingers around his wrist with the other, pulling him down onto the bed next to me. I looked at the picture and then wrinkled my nose at him. “It’d be better if you were in it.”
“Here…” Myles took the phone back and then scooted in close to me, holding it up above us and snapping a picture. He turned his head and caught my lips and took another one.
Instead of pulling away, he turned on his side as he slipped the phone in to his pocket and kept kissing me. I put my hands on his chest and made a halfhearted attempt at pushing him away. When I felt his tongue flick across my lips my fingers balled up his shirt and I pulled him closer.
My reality had never included having someone of my own. I wasn’t sure what to do with the tidal wave of feelings Myles brought on. I was falling in love with him. Even if I spent every minute of every day with him for the rest of my life I doubted it’d be enough.
Until the sound of voices caught my attention, I’d had completely pushed the fact we were in public from my mind. I felt Myles smile against my lips as he slowly pulled away.
“Kissing you is my new favorite thing to do,” I whispered.
“We’ll have to do a lot more of it then.” Myles scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up. He looked all out of sorts as he smiled at me and ran his fingers through his hair. “So what about this one?”
I thought for a minute and then shook my head. “It’s a little too squishy.”
“Ok, Goldilocks…” He grabbed my ankles and dragged me to the edge so my legs were hanging over the side and then picked me up and dropped me on the next bed. “Is it too h
ard or too soft?”
“Hmm…” I squirmed around a little bit and then smiled. “I think this one is just right…”
Myles flopped onto the bed next to me and bounced around a little. “Yeah, it’s not bad...”
I flipped onto my stomach and let my chin rest on his chest. “This one then.”
“There’s still more you haven’t tried yet.”
“I don’t need to look anymore,” I whispered, trailing my fingers through his hair just above his ear. “I found the one I want…”
Myles slowly let his eyes close and grabbed my hand, pulling it to him lips and kissing my fingertips. “What if you can’t have this one?”
“Then I guess—” His words and the way his heart was pounding as he spoke them put a knot in my stomach. I sat up and studied his face. “We’re still talking about the—”
“How’s it going back here?”
We both looked over to see the sales lady strolling up with a smile on her face. Myles stood up and started telling her what we wanted. He’d already handed the lady his credit card by the time I snapped out of my fog and realized what was happening.
I jumped to my feet to pay for the bed myself, but Myles shushed me before I even opened my mouth. I wasn’t going to argue with him in the store about who was paying. I figured I’d just make him let me pay him back later. Worst case we’d have more money on the floor in the foyer.
Myles
Brantley hardly spoke on the ride back to our house. I knew she was probably pissed at me for buying the bed. She’d just have to get over it. Leaving her was going to be hard enough. Having her sleeping on the floor while I was seven thousand miles away wasn’t happening.
I’d already given Lou a check to pay up my rent through the next year. Since I was keeping my apartment, at least Brantley wouldn’t have to deal with someone new moving in. That meant she’d be alone in the house every night until I came home. I fucking hoped she’d be alone.
Once we were backed into the driveway, I turned off the truck and opened my door. “How long are you gonna be pissed at me over the bed?”
“I don’t care about that,” she said, taking off her seatbelt. “One way or another I’ll make you let me pay you back.”
“We’ll see…” I climbed out and walked around to the passenger’s side, pulling the door open for her. “If it’s not the bed, then what’s the matter?”
Brantley got out and leaned against the side of my truck. Her eyes looked sad and she avoided looking directly at me. “It’s not too late to just be friends.”
“It’s way too fucking late to just be friends!” I slammed the door a little harder than I’d intended, causing Brantley to jump. I put my hand on her shoulder and kneaded my fingers into her tense muscles. “Why would you say some shit like that?”
“It seemed like something was off earlier at the store,” she said, keeping her eyes on the ground. “Like maybe you were having buyer’s remorse—about me…”
I couldn’t believe what was coming out of her mouth. For a few seconds all I could do was look at her. The confident way she always carried herself was replaced with uncertainty as she stared at the pavement. I hated that I’d done that to her.
I’d spent hours laying awake the night before rehashing the conversation I’d had with Pete about Brantley while she slept in my arms. I decided he was right. There was no way I could just walk away from her. I had to tell her I was leaving on Saturday and pray she’d be willing to try to make things work while I was gone. If I focused on what I had to do over there, I could be home in eight or nine months. I just needed her to wait that long.
“Hey…” I put my fingers on her hips and moved closer. What she’d said the night before about the way I talked to her came to mind. I lowered my head and spoke softly. “What I want with you goes way beyond friendship.”
After a few moments the smile gradually came back to her face and she locked her fingers together behind my neck. “You had me a little freaked out.”
“Don’t be…” I moved forward until she was pinned between me and the truck. “And don’t ever offer to just be my friend again. There’s no way I can do that.”
Brantley pulled me down and crashed her lips into mine. Her tongue found its way into my mouth before I even had a chance to slip my arms around her. The girl was an all-star—just kissing her was better than any sex I’d ever had. It killed me knowing I had to leave her in Baylor Grove alone with vultures like Kyle circling overhead.
Eighteen
Myles
The girls went up to the corner store to get some more beer while Tom and I took a walk out to the garage. He’d been eyeing me since he and Livvy got to the house and hardly said a word while we were carrying the bed upstairs. Even afterwards when we’d all been sitting on the porch bullshitting and having a few beers he’d avoided talking directly to me.
I’d known Tom Dempsey since preschool. His mother’s side of the family owned the only hardware and auto parts stores in town. We’d hung out off and on when we were in school, mostly during football season. He was a good guy and we’d never had a problem. The indignant expression on his face as we stood talking in the garage said maybe we were about to have one.
I pulled off the drop cloth I had covering the motorcycle in the garage and pointed. “I just finished rebuilding the engine.”
“1970 Harley XLH Sportster…” Tom crouched down and took a closer look. “I wondered what you were doing with all the shit you were ordering from the store.”
“It was my dad’s before he met my mom. He traded it to Donnie Jenks for a car so her dad—my grandpa, would let him take her out on a date.”
“Good thing it worked out…” He stood and crossed his arms. “How’d you end up with it?”
“I’ve been hearing about this fucking bike my whole life,” I said. “When I found out Donnie’s widow still had it in their garage I asked to buy it. I’m giving it to my dad for his birthday in the spring.”
Tom stared at the bike for a few seconds and then turned to me. “You haven’t changed as much as everyone thinks,” he said, looking at the tats on my arms. “Popular opinion is you turned into a total dickbag while you were gone at school.”
“I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks about me,” I said, tossing the cloth onto the bike seat.
“I hear you…” Tom glanced at the driveway and then moved further in to the garage. “But what about Brantley?”
I glanced back as he had before walking up next to him. “What about her?”
Tom kept his arms crossed and his eyes on the driveway. “Liv says she’s never seen Brantley so happy.”
I wasn’t sure what he was trying to get at. If he had any ideas about starting shit with me because his buddy Kyle had a thing for my girl, we were going to have a problem I was gonna solve with my fist against his jaw.
“Your parents were talking to mine last night at Puck’s, man. They told them you’re leaving town on Saturday.”
“Fuck…” My heart nearly stopped in my chest before adrenaline rushed through my system and had it hammering against my ribs. “Does Livvy know? Is she telling her?”
Before he could answer I pulled my phone out to call Brantley. She was going to hate me. There was no way I’d be able to convince her to wait for me now. She was going to think I was planning on taking off without even telling her.
Tom put his hand on my shoulder to stop me. “Hold up…”
My hands went into tight fists and I whipped around. “She’s telling Brantley, isn’t she…”
“Liv doesn’t know,” he said, holding his hands up and taking a step back, “…yet.”
The muscles in my shoulders relaxed slightly but it was still hard to breathe. I slipped my phone back in my pocket. Earlier when we were walking down Main Street and Brantley felt like people were looking at us, she’d been right.
With my parents telling anyone who’d listen I was going to Japan, people were probably gossiping about
it when they saw me. The same thing happened when Pete left. It was a big deal in a small town. It could easily get back to Brantley. She could be finding out right then—she could already know.
Tom kept his eyes on me as I started pacing around like a caged animal. I felt like one. I needed her home. I had to get her alone so I could be the one to tell her I was leaving. If it went down any other way she’d never forgive me.
“If most of Baylor Grove knows,” Tom said, “why doesn’t Brant?”
I wanted to tell him to mind his own fucking business. I couldn’t though. Not if I didn’t want Brantley to find out I was leaving by catching me fighting about it with Tom. “We just got everything between us sorted out last night. I haven’t had a chance. I’m gonna tell her tonight.”
“Franco—” Tom’s jaw looked so tense I was surprised that he was able to get any words out. “If you smash that girl’s heart—”
“I won’t.” I looked him directly in the eye and silently prayed I was telling the truth. “I won’t hurt her.”
Brantley
“I feel like they sent us on a beer run to get rid of us,” I said, holding the cooler door open as Livvy grabbed a case.
“I swear,” she said, rolling her eyes at me, “you won’t die if you’re not with Myles every second.”
“Ha! That’s funny coming from the girl who managed to move-in with Tom over at the Dempsey place without him actually realizing it until all your shit was in his room.”
“I was sleeping there every night anyway.”
I watched Livvy grab a box of condoms off the shelf on our way up to the counter. “I thought you were on the pill?”
“I am.” She smiled and looked back at me. “You’re not.”
“We’re not—” I lowered my voice and looked around. “—doing that.”
Livvy laughed out loud. “He bought you a new bed for God’s sake! He expects sex.”
The lady at the register glanced up at me as she rang up our beer like she was trying to decide if I was sex worthy or not. I turned my back and sighed. Livvy was wrong—I knew she was. Myles didn’t expect anything like that yet—I hoped he didn’t.