“I was just thinking. Don’t worry about it. We’re about to have a lot of fun,” I said.
They looked a little odd about how angry I had just looked, but I wasn’t about to explain what I was thinking. I ultimately decided not to worry. There was nothing I could do about Olivia’s relationship with Richard right now. I was here, and she was going to be back in Wisconsin soon. As for Emmitt’s little bet, I had faith in my girl. Olivia was different, and any insecurities I had were just that.
When we got to the boat, I introduced Olivia to William. After they had talked for a moment, she asked him a question that wasn’t easy to answer.
“So how do you know Eric?”
“I knew Emmitt first. I’m a booster for Miami, so I take special interest in the football players, especially ones like him who lead us to the Sugar Bowl,” William said.
“I see,” Olivia said with noticeable doubt.
I found that strange. It was almost like she had figured out exactly how this man knew us. She didn’t seem to like him from the start. Olivia did a good job of hiding that fact, but I knew her. She was definitely onto something. I didn’t understand, though. If she knew who this guy was, then why would she have agreed to meet him? He wasn’t a very good person, and he had made Emmitt and me into crooks. Although, it wasn’t like he forced us to do anything. In hindsight, I suppose we were more at fault than anyone.
Once we had set off, we broke away from each other and mingled for a few minutes. William had the best parties. Expensive champagne and wine were served freely. Then there were the beautiful girls in bikinis. The first time I came out on the boat with them, I didn’t feel like I belonged. I had gotten used to good drinks and beautiful people, though. Although Olivia was gorgeous, I could tell that this wasn’t her scene. She looked uncomfortable. The thing about beautiful people with too much money to spend is that they don’t tend to have much inside. Love, friendship, and humor tend to be replaced with vanity and greed. I started to pull her away and find a private place to talk, but Emmitt beat me to it. I saw him grab her hand and motion for them to talk below deck. It felt like hours before Olivia came back. In truth, it was only about five minutes. Still, my imagination ran wild while she was gone. What was Emmitt trying to do, and for that matter, why would he want to do this to me? We were friends, weren’t we? That was a question I didn’t really want answered. The truth was that Emmitt used me as a way to get money and broker deals, and I used him as a way to have more than I ever could on my own. That’s all we really were to each other.
When Olivia came back, she looked angry. I didn’t know what was wrong, but I knew we needed to talk.
“Hey, what’s going on with you?” I asked.
“What are you doing here, Eric?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re on this boat with these people, and you’re funneling money for that moron,” she said.
“How do you know about that?”
“I’ve known from the start. Your uncle called me right after you told him. He was concerned, and he knew the only person you might listen to was me. I wasn’t supposed to tell you that I knew, but you never volunteered the information, so I don’t have a choice now. Half of this visit was just about finding out if you were okay here. I don’t know who you are anymore.”
“Slow down. What have I done that’s so wrong?”
“First of all, you’re doing something that’s illegal with William and Emmitt. Secondly, have you talked to these people?”
“There’s nothing real here except cash. I get that, but I’m using my share for something good.”
“And what is that?”
“I want to save up enough money to buy that place on the lake and build you your dream home. Is that so bad?”
“I don’t want it that way. Besides that, you’ve got some friend in Emmitt.”
“What do you mean?”
“He asked me to talk privately with him about you, and when I got below deck, all he did was flirt with me. Then he tried to kiss me. When I rejected him, he got really angry. It was as if he just assumed I would want to be with him. He’s arrogant, and he hit on me when I’m sure you’ve told him our history. What kind of friend does that?”
“You’re right, but it’s only temporary. In a few years, he’ll turn pro, and I can negotiate his rookie contract. After that, I can distance myself from him.”
“I’m sure your parents said it was only temporary when they broke the law, too.”
“I’m not my mom or dad, Olivia.”
“You’re making choices like them.”
“Stay here. I’ve got to do something to make part of this right. After that, I’ll ask William to take us back to shore. We need to get out of here.”
“Do you think?” Olivia asked sarcastically.
I walked below deck to find Emmitt. He still looked a little angry. I had seen this happen before. He was used to getting whatever he wanted, and when someone didn’t treat him like he was God’s gift to women, he didn’t know how to deal with it. This was Olivia that he hit on, though, and it was time to bring him down a notch.
“We need to talk,” I said.
“I assume this is about that bitch you invited.”
“First off, she’s not a bitch. She’s my best friend. Don’t talk about her like that. Secondly, don’t ever hit on her again. I know we made a bet, and this is my fault for agreeing to it, but don’t do it anymore. I’m not serious about much, but I’m always serious about her. Finally, get over yourself. You’ve got no reason to be angry. There are plenty of brainless girls out there who will be glad to treat you like you’re the greatest thing since sliced bread. Have at it,” I said and walked out.
I went straight to William and asked if he would take us to shore. He agreed to, and within a few minutes, we were back at the car. Before I cranked it, I noticed that Olivia was looking at me in a whole new way. She didn’t see me as the same boy she met. She saw me as a man who had thrown away everything he used to be. I was determined to show her that the person she used to love was still in there. I started driving to a place outside of town that I had found a few weeks before.
“Where are we going?” Olivia asked.
“I want to show you something.”
“I just want to go back to your apartment and get some rest. This whole day has been a disaster. I’m beginning to wonder if I should even be here.”
“Why would you say something like that?”
“Look at the facts. You’re not my best friend. You’re someone else now. Talking to your friends on that boat showed me that. Half of the women there were as brainless as they come.”
“Is that what this is really about? Are you actually jealous that I’ve got a life here, and yes, some beautiful women are a part of it? It’s Miami. There are going to be at least a few beautiful people around.”
“Jealous? You’ve got to be joking! I just thought you were better than this.”
“Apparently, I’m not. I’m sorry. Can I be honest with you about something, though?”
“What is it?”
“No matter what you think of me or who we’re changing into, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve missed you more than you could imagine. I hope you know that I’ve never stopped thinking about you. That’s why I’m not with anyone right now. Anyone I meet is nothing compared to you. You’re the smartest and most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. It doesn’t hurt that I think of you as my best friend either. I know you don’t approve of what I’m doing, and honestly, I don’t approve of you dating Richard. I know he had a bad break in life when he got hurt, but that’s no reason to be with someone. You love me, and I love you. I wish we were together at college, and the last thing I want is for us to argue the whole time you’re here. Can I just show you a spot I found outside of town that I think is really pretty?”
“Yeah, I would love to see it,” Olivia said and looked over at me in a familiar way.
She wanted things t
o go back to normal for us, too. I could tell that much. Things were complicated, though. I didn’t know how to fix my actions. Should I just leave Miami and follow her? If I did, would she even leave Richard? When I pulled up to the secluded beach that I had found before, all of my thoughts were swept away. It was a gorgeous place where I had been able to find peace over the last few weeks.
“This is great. Do other people know about this place?” she asked as we got out.
“Not that I know of. I think a lot about how I messed up with you and what I’m doing now. When it gets to be too much, I come out here and listen to the waves. It’s my quiet place where nothing matters. I wanted to show it to you because you need to know that I’m not an uncaring person who’s that different from the man you once knew. I feel bad about the things I’ve done. I’m just doing them to get to the places I want to be. Sometimes we have to do the wrong thing to get the right result.”
“I don’t know if that’s true. Wrong is always wrong.”
“I’ll show you what I mean,” I said and moved closer to her.
I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my lips against hers. She pulled away for a moment, but I moved in for another kiss. She didn’t fight it anymore. As I held her close once again, old feelings came flowing back. It felt like nothing had changed. This was what I had been missing.
“See? The wrong thing can be so right if it’s for the right person,” I said as I pulled away.
“It’s not right. I’m willing to be wrong for you, though,” she said and kissed me once again.
That was a night I would never forget. With the sounds of waves crashing behind us, I made love to her in the only place where I had felt like myself that year. Was it right? No, not in a single way, but would I change it? Am I sorry it happened? The answer to that isn’t complicated. No. If there’s one thing I would never change about my story, it’s every moment I got to feel her close to me.
Chapter 18
The Last Time?
After our time at the beach, we went back to the apartment and got some sleep. I awoke the next morning to feel her in my arms. I had woken up so many mornings craving this. So many dreams involved her lying beside me, and here she was. Life was perfect. As Olivia stirred, I kissed the back of her neck.
“Good morning,” I said and pulled her close.
“You know that what happened last night can’t happen again, right?” she asked.
“Why not? This is the way it should have been all along.”
“That might be so, but it’s not that way. I’m going back to Wisconsin in a little less than two weeks, and you’ll be staying here. All this is going to do is make me miss you more when I do have to leave.”
“Then stay.”
“I’m in school, and so are you. We can’t leave our lives right now.”
“Okay, I see what you’re saying. You once told me not to overthink things. You didn’t want labels on what we were doing, so take your own advice. Enjoy the time we have together, and don’t think about what comes after. Just let us be whatever it is that we are right now. Can you do that?”
“I taught you well . . . maybe a little too well.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you were just this innocent guy when I first met you. I was your first kiss. Now that I think about it, I guess I was your first everything. I never thought I would live to see the day that you were this person. You’re into a lot of bad things, and somehow you’re convincing me to go with the flow, no matter how wrong it might be. I don’t like it, but then again, I do. I wish we were still innocent. Fourteen was the best age. I didn’t know it then, but things were going to get so complicated after that. I think I can live with complicated, though, if it’s for you.”
“I’m glad, and I’m still that same fourteen-year-old inside. Things are just more complicated now. It’ll be simple again one day. I promise.”
“Okay. We can do whatever this is, but promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“Richard can never find out about this. The last time he did, it caused a lot of problems, and he’s got enough of them right now.”
“He won’t find out. Why do you care, though? When this is all over, I’m coming back home, and we’re going to be together.”
“That’s a long way off, Eric. Anything could happen between now and then. Besides, I thought we weren’t overthinking what we’re doing here.”
“You’re right. Our time here should just be about fun. In the spirit of good fun, I say we have a little right now,” I said with one eyebrow raised.
“I don’t think so. I keep hearing your roommate banging around in the kitchen. We’re not going to do that when someone’s a few feet away.”
“Oh, you’re overreacting. Emmitt’s a big boy. He’ll be okay. It’s not like he’s never had a girl in his room while I was trying to go about my daily life.”
“Well, I’m not just some girl. I don’t think I would be okay with it.”
“Fine, but I’ve got to tell you, I don’t think it’s very fair to have to wake up next to such a beautiful woman only to part ways without any passion. It almost seems like a crime not to be able to love such a beautiful creature.”
“Oh, so he has a few tricks up his sleeve now. Lines like that might work on some of the girls here, but I know you. If you really wanted to show me you loved me, what would you do right now?”
“You’re actually going to make me go out and get it, aren’t you?” I asked.
“It might get you a little closer to that passion you keep talking about.”
“All right, I’m going. The same as always?”
“Of course.”
I knew everything about Olivia. I learned very quickly that she loved caramel coffee and donuts in the mornings. It wasn’t something that she ate all the time because she worried about her figure, but when she was a little girl, her dad used to bring donuts home for them on Saturday mornings. The caramel coffee was something that her mom always drank, and she had developed a taste for it after we met. As I was walking out the door, Emmitt stopped me.
“Hey, I just wanted to say I’m sorry about yesterday. You were right,” he said.
“Wait a minute. Did I hear that right? Did the great Emmitt Brown just admit to being wrong about something?” I joked.
“Every dog has his day, and you were right about Olivia. I shouldn’t have gone after her when I knew your history. I still say you need to open up to the idea of being with other women, though. She’s not going to be here for much longer.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that there’s still some humility left in there. I’m going out for donuts. Do you want anything?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks, though.”
As I walked out the door, I was oblivious to what was about to happen. Olivia had some things to say to Emmitt, and they weren’t going to be nice. I wouldn’t know about this conversation for a few months, and honestly, that was probably a good thing. Back then, I would have thought that it was going to start some serious trouble between Emmitt and me. In actuality, it was the best thing for us.
After Olivia had gotten dressed, she walked out into the living area and asked Emmitt to sit down.
“Before you say anything, I just want you to know that I’m really sorry about yesterday. I was way out of line. I hope you can forgive me,” Emmitt said.
“I’m not mad about that. Thanks for apologizing, though. What I really want to talk about is what you and Eric are doing.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The money you’re taking, and the world you’ve pulled him into.”
“How do you know about that?”
“I know everything about Eric. He makes his own choices, and he willingly got involved in this with you, so I’m not blaming you completely. What I’m asking is that you don’t get him hurt. He’s a good guy. In fact, he’s the best man I’ve ever known. If you let him represent you in the future, don’t make h
im do anything worse than he’s already done.”
“You’re not going to tell anyone about this, are you?”
“No. That would get him into trouble, and that’s the last thing I want. I love him. Things have been complicated between us for a while now, though. I’m not sure if it’s in the cards for us to be together, but I’ll never love anyone else like him. If you get him hurt in any way, you’ll have me to answer to.”
“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I care about Eric’s well-being, too. We’re just doing this until we can do things the legal way. Soon I’ll be playing in the pros, and we can make money from contracts and endorsements. I would give you the same warning, though.”
“Warning about what?”
“Don’t hurt him.”
“How could I hurt Eric?”
“He can’t get over you. He’s never going to love anyone like he loves you. I can’t even get the guy to sleep with someone without him feeling guilty about it later on. He’s in college, and we’re supposed to be having the time of our lives. Either be what he needs, or step back. He deserves to find his happiness, and if you’re not going to be it, then stop popping back up.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m telling you to have fun with Eric this week, and then decide what you really want. Stay here, and live your life with him, or go home, and don’t periodically pop back up. It’s not fair to him.”
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“Maybe not, but if you want what’s best for him, then you won’t ruin his life by stringing him along forever.”
About that time, I walked back in with the donuts and coffee. I noticed that Olivia and Emmitt looked like they were having an intense conversation, but I didn’t make much of it. I figured he was just apologizing to her.
“Well, I’ve got to jet. I’ve got practice,” Emmitt said and walked out.
“Are you all right?” I asked Olivia as I gave her the donuts and coffee.
“Yeah, your roommate isn’t as bad as I thought.”
“I told you. He’s rough around the edges, but I can live with it until we get that first contract.”
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