Writing Our Love
Page 8
Eli pivots on his heel so that we’re facing each other. With him turning toward me, I have to back up a bit to be able to gage his reactions to my questioning. I didn’t realize I was standing so close. “Coop, you do realize I’m a grown man, right? Why are you acting like I’m sixteen, and this is my first date?”
To avoid the question, I snort at him. “Yeah, okay. Like you were sixteen before you had your first date. Remember, I know how old you were when you had sex for the first time.”
“Not the point. Man, if you aren’t gonna help me figure out what to wear, then go away. What’s gotten into you today?” He’s starting to look tense and his voice is testy, so I back down, even if I don’t want to.
“Sorry, nothing. Okay, let me into your closet so I can see what you’ve got.” I shove upside him into his space as he turns, and we both look into his closet. “Where are you even going?”
“Yeah, that’s why I called you in. She wants to go to the really nice place up on seventh. She’d already called and made us a reservation before texting me this morning to see if I wanted to do today instead. She said she couldn’t wait to see me again. Cool, right?”
Grrr… he doesn’t want to know what I really think, so I bite my tongue. The place she made reservations for is expensive as fuck, and I’m sure she doesn’t intend to pay, even if she’s the one who’s been pursing Eli relentlessly for the last twelve hours. I mean, come on, for fuck’s sake, it’s only been less than twelve hours. What’s with this girl?
Trying to determine how to voice my concerns, I’m glad I’ve said nothing yet when I look to the side at Eli’s face. Even though he sounds excited, I can see he’s apprehensive, way more nervous than he’s letting on. The last thing he needs with his insecurities is for me to make him feel like this woman might not actually want him. Besides, it seems to have pushed away any awkwardness that might have come up about last night, or this morning really. Sure, Eli and I have been there before, but I wasn’t sure if having seen Shayna and me was gonna be weird since I’m actually dating her.
“Well, that’s a pretty classy place, so you’re gonna have to go all out. What time are you picking her up?”
“Not until six. Why?”
“You’re gonna hate this, but we’re gonna have to go shopping. I don’t see anything in here that’s nice enough. And where are all your nice clothes? Being near your parents, you had to have needed some nicer clothes,” I say while I’m pushing though his hangers looking at what he has. I know he doesn’t like to dress up, but damn, this is ridiculous. It’s basically almost all t-shirts, and I know for a fact that all his drawers house is workout clothes.
“Yeah, I figured I didn’t need all that high-end shit if I wasn’t gonna be attending dinners and stuff with my family. I left all my nice crap back in my storage near my parents.”
Nudging him with my elbow in his side, I complain, “Hey, you know I like to go out to dinner and to nice places. Why didn’t you bring at least a couple of outfits to be able to go out with me?”
Eli tilts his face toward me while rolling his eyes. “I did bring one, but I wore it out last night.”
With a growl, I leave his closest to walk out of his room. “Come on, then. Put on your shoes and grab your wallet. We’re going shopping. There’s no way you can even wear what you wore last night to this place, Eli. It’s fancy as fuck.”
I hear him grumbling as he gets himself together and comes to meet me by the front door, as we walk out, I ask, “What’s her name anyway? You keep calling her the girl from last night. I’m assuming you got her name.” Because it truly wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t. We were all a little drunk last night, and it’s not like she put her actual name in his phone. My love? Internally, I’m now cringing, but externally, I smile and act interested.
“Oh yeah, her name is Jeannie. I knew I’d forget, so I added it as a note as soon we got in the uber to come home.” He’s proud of himself for how clever he is, it shows all over his face, and just like that I’m deflated. He’s got a date tonight. He’s nervous, yet excited. He’s my best friend. I need to quit being an ass and support him, although, even her name gives me a bad vibe.
Elijah’s legs start bouncing while I’m driving us to the mall, so I distract him by asking him about his job and how it’s going. For the whole shopping spree, I ask him question after question about the actual project, the projected dates, his co-workers, and how he feels about it. How nervous he really is about this date becomes apparent by the calm that falls on him discussing his job, usually his least favorite subject given his fears about being foreman.
Wanting him to have a good time tonight, and not get so nervous that he botches it right out of the gate, I keep a running commentary going all the way home, while he’s getting dressed, and right up until he leaves. Sensing that driving to her house will be enough to give him anxiety, I even wait two minutes for him to pull out of the driveway before I call his cell knowing that he can talk to me though his car’s blue tooth. My excuse? When’s the last time we fed Bear. If he knew why I really called, he didn’t acknowledge it, and I talked to him right until he said he was pulling up to her house. God, I hope this doesn’t go as bad as I expect.
Eli
I knew what Coop was doing talking my ear off all day and asking me endless questions about my job. As I’m walking up to Jeannie’s condo to knock on the door, I chuckle thinking about his lame excuse to call me in the car about when Bear last ate. As obvious as it all was, I appreciate that he spent the day by my side keeping me from overthinking this and not coming out at all.
After knocking on Jeannie’s door and waiting for several minutes, my anxiety starts to build wondering if I put the right address in my GPS. Should I pull my phone out and see if I have the right house number? But if I pull my phone out to look, and she answers the door, will it look like I’m one of those rude guys who sits on his phone instead of paying attention to his companion?
Right before, and I do mean right before, my anxiety can spike to a level that will make this date impossible, Jeannie answers the door. Swinging it open, she strikes a pose that shows off every curve of her slim body. Her cleavage is the focal point with the huge gem she has hanging down to draw the eye down her long elegant neck. She’s a knockout, no doubt about it.
“Sorry, but I’m sure you didn’t mind waiting for this,” she smirks. “Let me grab my purse and we can leave.” She leans forward quickly— but firmly enough to press those high round breasts against me— to give me a kiss on the cheek, and then turns to go back into her apartment.
I didn’t even get a chance to say hi, but she doesn’t seem to have noticed. Shrugging, I just wait for her to come back out. Walking back to my truck, I place my hand in the small of her back and wonder how in the hell she walks on what have to be six-inch heels. I mean, she’s still shorter than me, but damn, those things are high. I barely contain a snort as I think that her shoes are as high as her little mini-dress is short. No question she looks good, and I can tell that everything on her is quality, but whew, this girl comes with it all out. Her packaging leaves nothing to the imagination.
Our drive to the restaurant isn’t the silent awkward encounter I was worried about. Jeannie prattles on and on about her family, the charities they’re involved in, her job for her father, and even how her parents bought her the condo she’s in for graduation from college. In a twenty-minute ride, I may know more about her than I’ve ever known about anyone. The random thought that she’s the exact type of girl my family would want me to be with wanders through my mind.
After we walk into the restaurant, my hand once again finds the small of her back. I’m glad Cooper made me go buy clothes, initially I was worried that my black slacks and grey button-down with a black jacket were overkill, but when Jeannie came out, I knew I at least wouldn’t be overdressed next to her. But coming into this place, I would have definitely been underdressed in anything less. I have to remember to thank him later.
Jeannie, however, again shoots me the same smirk she had when she first opened the door. I smile down at her indulgently, and now the thought takes solid shape that this is exactly the type of girl my parents would be thrilled for me to bring home. If Jeannie and I date and it works out, she may well be my redemption with my family. The thought puts a bounce in my step, and my face relaxes. My smile for the maître-d and Jeannie when we arrive at our table is my most genuine one so far tonight. She may be exactly what I need, and for the first time in a long time, I have hope.
If throughout the course of dinner, I notice how pretentious her smile is with everyone she interacts, how her posture isn’t just straight, but actually angled to push out her boobs, that when she goes to the bathroom, she sways her ass so hard it looks ridiculous, that her conversation is superfluous and frivolous—if I notice those things, I don’t comment or think about them.
No more than I allow myself to dwell on how genuinely sweet Shay is to everyone she meets, how natural and beautiful her body looked as she straddled Coop, how she’s graceful in a comfortable with herself kinda way, how eloquent yet witty she is. No, if I do notice those things about my best friend’s lady, I don’t comment or think about them, either.
Diary Excerpt
Since Eli started dating Jeannie, we’re missing him. It’s only been a couple weeks, but he hasn’t been around at all. On the other hand, I’m getting to know Cooper better every day. He’s finally begun to open up about what his life growing up with his dad was like, and I’m sorry the man died before I had a chance to meet him. Their life might have been a struggle financially, but Coop’s dad was there for him in every way that mattered.
* * *
It’s amazing how impoverished they lived since Coop’s dad made a decent wage, but he really did spend most of his money investing and saving for Cooper’s future. But the warmth in his voice when he speaks of his dad, and the stories he tells, it’s obvious they had a close and special relationship. It was them against the world. Apparently, Sean also got very close to Cooper’s dad. Their house became a bit of a refuge for Sean. Coop still won’t give me too many details about Sean’s story, but there was obviously a bond between them all.
Shayna
Eight
Shayna
“Mom, I’m so happy for you. Coop sounds like exactly what you needed,” my kid says into the phone.
“Thanks, honey. I can’t wait for you to be home and meet him. I think you’ll like each other.”
“I’m more interested in meeting Elijah. You said he’s, what? Thirty-four?”
Oh! Daughter wants to meet Elijah. She has that goofy, flirty sound to her voice, so I know exactly what she’s implying, and I love Eli, but, I don’t love the idea of them together. Not one bit. “No, honey. I don’t think that’ll work. Reign it in. I’m your mother. Why do I always have to remind you of this?”
She’s giggling her head off and barely manages to stutter out, “Mom, come on, he’s your boyfriend’s best friend. We could keep it all in the family.” And she’s off cackling like a hyena.
Sighing into the phone, I wait to give her a minute to regain her control or her sense, either fits. “Are you done now?” I ask when she grows silent on the other end, and I can hear her taking deep breaths.
“Yep, sorry. But that was funny! And why can’t I be into Elijah anyway? Mom, are you being an age snob? Are you discriminating against my youth?” She says the last part with this high-pitch voice of outrage. Good grief.
“No, I’m not. Stop.”
“Oh, so you’re discriminating against his maturity? Is that your deal, Mom? And how much older are you than Coop, exactly?”
Before I can answer her, my doorbell rings. “Sorry honey. Coop’s here, gotta go. Love ya.” Hitting end, I tuck away the disquiet our conversation stirred inside me and make my way from my bedroom to let in my man.
Opening the door to Coop is becoming one of my favorite things to do. As usual when I answer, he gives me a huge grin and sweeps me off my feet to carry me back into the house, kicking the door closed behind him. “Hey, precious lady. I missed you today,” he says right before sealing his lips over mine.
I’ve learned in the last several weeks that if Elijah’s not with him, I have to break away or we end up in my room— or on the couch, or on the counter, or right there in the front hall— for dessert before dinner. I’ve ruined one too many meals and had to call for take-out, so I pull my lips from his. “Hey sweets, don’t get too crazy now. Dinner’ll be done in like, five minutes, and I’d like to eat it while it’s hot out of the oven.”
“Spoilsport.” He gives one more hard press of his lips to mine before gently setting me down.
The pout on his face would make a three-year-old having a temper tantrum proud. Twinning our fingers together, I pull him into the kitchen and walk straight to the fridge to grab him a beer. While handing it to him, I say, “Stop pouting, now go sit at the table. I’ll be right in.”
As usual, I’ve set the table already. I went this morning and purchased fresh flowers to match the room. I woke up feeling like it was time for a new look in the house and switched out my throw pillows and blankets to a vibrant orange. Taking it a step further, I even ran into a candle place and bought some pillars in shades of browns and greens that complement the orange and strategically placed them through the living room and into the dining room. The house feels festive again, and it has my creativity flowing. I’m such a dork; I wonder if Coop will even notice. When I hear him yell, “The house looks great, I love all the foliage running through,” I smile. This man pays attention to every little detail that has to do with me. It makes me feel, well, like I’m precious to him.
“Thank you, sweets,” I say when I bring in the casserole I’ve prepared us for dinner. Coop is so easy to feed. He’ll eat anything I put in front of him, and he raves about every meal like it’s the best one I’ve made him. It doesn’t matter if I’ve thrown steaks on the grill, or I make the man a meatloaf, he’s always appreciative.
“Smells good. What’re we having? I figured it was tacos with the lettuce, onion, tomato, and salsa set out on the table, but that’s a casserole.”
“Yep, I made a taco casserole. Oh, and let me grab the guacamole out of the fridge. I made some homemade earlier and put it in there to chill.”
I run to grab it, when I come back and set it down, I feel Coop’s large hands wrap around my waist. He scoots his chair back and pulls me into his lap.
“Shayna?”
“Yes?” I’m a little flustered. He’s wearing a little grin, but his eyes are intense in a way usually reserved for once we’re both naked.
“Why did you make homemade guacamole?”
“Oh, because you said the other night how much you enjoy it fresh and homemade. I thought it would be a nice to make for you, so I made the taco casserole for a Mexican food night.”
Coop’s large hands frame my face as he bends my head down to put us nose to nose. “You’re amazing, you know that?” he whispers.
I can feel my face heat up. “Coop, it’s just taco casserole.”
And before pressing his lips into mine, he whispers one last thing, “No, it’s you being attentive and listening. It’s you being precious.”
Coop
“Come on babe, I want to eat,” Shayna grumbles as she’s slipping on her robe from behind her bedroom door. I’d be worried she’s mad that I once again waylaid dinner, but the soft smile she’s sending me tells a different story.
Since my own stomach is actually growling, I climb out of bed and slip my boxers back on to follow Shayna to our now col
d dinner. While she slides the casserole back into the oven for a few minutes to heat up, she asks me, “Are we ever gonna get the pleasure of Eli’s company for dinner again, or what? I miss him.”
“I imagine once Jeannie’s done draining his bank account from all the expensive dates she plans he’ll make an excuse to come to dinner with us. Who knows when that’ll be though. I’ve barely seen him myself. I noticed he went shopping again, though, and bought a ton of nicer clothes.”
“Coop?”
“Yeah?” I lift my eyes from the spot on the floor I’m staring at to meet her concerned gaze. Her face softens even further when our eyes connect.
“Oh baby, come here. He’ll be okay.” She moves across the kitchen and plasters her body to mine; I gratefully relax into her soft touch.
After a few minutes of standing in the kitchen holding each other, she once again shoo’s me into the dining room while she grabs the casserole out of the oven.
We’re both silent while we eat, except for my groans every time I get a taste of the guac, until I finally ask her, “You said you miss Eli, but isn’t he texting you every day? He told me he was.”
“Yes, he is. He texts me as soon as he wakes up every morning and once he’s back home. I don’t sleep until I get that one.”
I’ve noticed her checking her phone at night before we go to sleep. I thought maybe it was her daughter checking in with her, but I’m not surprised to learn it’s Eli she’s waiting on. “You don’t know how happy it makes me that you two hit it off so well. He’s important to me, you know?”
When I hear her chuckling, I look up from my plate questioningly. “What?”