The woman with the thick curly brown hair and the nicest light brown eyes I’d ever seen smiled at me warmly.
“I do, although you’ve grown up a lot,” she replied and I smiled.
“Hi. It has been a while.”
“I think it was the Year Eight play, maybe?”
I nodded. “Probably, yeah.” I huffed a laugh, “Wow, I’d almost forgotten about that.”
“You were wonderful.”
I shook my head. “Not so much.”
“You were very enthusiastic. That counts for a lot.”
I laughed. “That’s a good word for it.”
“Carmen! Good to see you!” Dad cried as he came out to the hallway, wiping his hands on a tea towel.
“Matt, you too. Bree wasn’t sure you were going to be home in time.”
“I got out of my meeting. Come through. Come through. It’s good to have you over. Bree just mentioned the setback. But, no Roman?”
Mum gave him an exasperated look and an apology crossed his face. Mum led us through to the living room.
“Oh, no. It’s fine,” Carmen brushed it off. “He’ll be in bed by sun up.”
“Wine, Carmen?” Dad asked and we were obviously skipping over any more talk of Roman.
“Thanks, yes.”
“We have one of those whites?” Mum offered and Carmen smiled.
“Perfect.”
Dad headed over into the kitchen while Mum and Carmen talked about things I had no idea about and they were obviously used to talking about together. I wondered if that was what Hadley and I looked like when we sat on that very couch and giggled.
Once Dad came back with a bottle and glasses – and a Coke for me – we both sat and watched them talking. I lay my head on Dad’s shoulder and answered every now and then if conversation was directed to me.
Just as Dad got up to check the dinner, the doorbell rang again.
“I’ve got it,” I said as I hopped up.
“You’ve got her well-trained,” Carmen teased.
“Only in front of company,” I replied with a laugh as I pulled the door open.
My laugh died as I took in the scene in front of me.
Roman Lombardi was standing on our doorstep, his arms behind his back, with two police officers flanking him. There was a cut on his lip that hadn’t been there earlier and a bruise forming on his left cheekbone. His face was set, that muscle in his jaw twitching. He stared me down, full of anger.
“We’re looking for Mrs Lombardi?” one of the police officers said and I pulled my eyes off Roman to look at her.
“Uh, sure. I’ll just… Carmen?” I called, my eyes drifting to Roman again.
The laughter from the living room stopped and Mum followed Carmen to the hallway. Carmen’s easy smile dropped as she took in the sight, then she sighed like she thought she was an idiot for expecting any better.
“I’m so sorry, Officer Daniels,” she said as she stepped forward. “What was it this time?”
“Fighting. Mr Lombardi dealt with it.”
“Couldn’t possibly embarrass the old man again,” Roman snarled.
Carmen shot Roman a look that quite clearly told him to shut up.
“What? He’ll pay my bail but not for the house? It’s not fucking–”
“Thank you for bringing him home,” Carmen said loudly, cutting him off.
Officer Daniels nodded and took some keys off her belt. As she reached behind Roman, I realised she was undoing handcuffs.
As he stretched his arms out and rubbed his wrists, he flicked his hair out of his eyes. “Just in time for dinner.”
Carmen huffed, said thank you to the police officers again before they left and turned to Mum with an apologetic smile. “I should get him home.”
“Oh, are you sure? There’s plenty.”
Carmen shook her head. “Thanks, Bree. But, I think it’s best if we…”
Mum nodded, her eyes full of sympathy. “Of course. No problems.”
“Thank you for the wine. We should finish this sometime.”
“When you’re all settled.” Mum smiled.
Carmen nodded.
“It was good to see you Roman,” Mum said, but he only glared at her and gave her a slight nod.
“Night,” Carmen said as she took hold of Roman’s arm, barely coming up to his shoulder.
When I looked up to his face, I found him staring at me. Those deep black holes of eyes raked down my body and back up. His face remained stony as he sucked his teeth and let his mum pull him home.
Chapter Two
Perfection and the Douche.
It had been almost three weeks since Roman and his mum had moved in next door.
I’d spent the first week trying to get Hadley over the fact Roman had moved next door to me. I’d spent the next week trying to get her over the fact that we caught the same bus to and from school on the days he bothered to show up. I’d spent the third telling her there was no way I was going to be taking advantage of his proximity. I’d spent the whole time reminding her that it was not swoon-worthy that he’d shown up at my door beaten and bruised and brooding bloody murder.
And, I was starting to think she’d finally accepted it as fact and we could move on with our lives.
Hadley popped a bubble. “Remind me again why I’m wasting my Free here?” she asked, her caramel skin and the highlights in her dark brown curls shining in the sun.
“Because,” I answered, “Mason suggested he wanted me to come to his lesson and you wanted to perve on the other boys.”
I smiled as Mason waved and bowed to me from the field.
Mason was – in the eyes of every girl at school – pure perfection. He had light brown hair that he would flick out of his deep blue eyes like Prince Charming. With his almost six-foot height and definite six pack, kids either wanted to be him or be with him. But, none of that went to his head; he was nothing but nice and kind to everyone.
Hadley snorted. “Well, that does sound like me. But…” I could tell that something else had caught her eye. I watched her dip her sunglasses and bite her lip. “I’ve seen something far more to my taste…”
Unable to supress a grin, I followed her gaze and saw Roman and a couple of his stoner friends wandering past the bleachers. Roman had his trademark skateboard in one hand and a cigarette in his other. He was everything Mason wasn’t; right down to his almost black hair and those eyes like two black holes. And, of course he was probably something ridiculous like at least six-foot-five. He was conceited, obnoxious, annoying, rude, and all that detracted massively from the unequivocal fact that he was gorgeous.
Or he would have been, if he wasn’t such a douchebag.
Mason Carter was not a douchebag. As if anyone even needed a reminder, Mason Carter was just at that moment busy checking one of his classmates was okay after he’d been knocked over.
Hadley sighed dramatically. “Shame he only has eyes for someone else.”
“Who does what now?” I asked, chewing on my finger as I watched Mason run around the field.
“That is not helping,” Hadley commented and I looked over at her.
“What’s not?”
Hadley sighed again and looked at me like I was a poor, unfortunate albeit lovable idiot. “Piper, you cannot suck your finger while a guy is already undressing you with his eyes.”
My eyes darted to Roman – not that they had any reason to. The corner of his mouth twitched as he looked at me and my finger popped out of my mouth. I pulled my eyes away from Roman and back to Mason.
“I wasn’t sucking on anything,” I muttered, feeling my cheeks go red.
Hadley snorted. “Well, while you’re busy denying the fact that you remain Roman Lombardi’s Everest–”
“I am not his anything.”
“He’s been eyeing you for years.”
“He’s done nothing of the sort.” Much.
“And, it’s on
ly got worse since he moved next door.”
“There is nothing to get worse.” Really.
“Regardless. While you’re living comfortably in denial, do you want to maybe send him my way?”
“Sure Hads,” I scoffed. “I’ll get right on that. Next time Roman asks me out on a proper date like a normal guy, I’ll let him down easy with the knowledge that your legs are just waiting to part for him.”
She smacked me on the leg with a chuckle. “Again, sounds like me. But, maybe not lead with the ‘my best friend’s an epic slut just waiting to bang the hottest guy in school’ thing.”
“You really think he’s the hottest guy in school?” I asked, not for the first time and I knew it wouldn’t be the last.
“Objectively, hell yes. Are you going to tell me you don’t? I mean, those eyes, Pipe. Come on! That man makes you wet just looking at someone else!”
Laughing, my eyes fell on Roman again, who was still standing at the bottom of the bleachers with his friends. He looked up at me expectantly as though my express purpose for looking at him had been to exchange a ‘hello’. But, I couldn’t look at him for long. I never could. There was something in his eyes when he looked at me. I didn’t know what it was and I didn’t have to be close enough to see it to know it was there, but it sent a shiver up my spine and made me antsy. It had been there before he moved house and it had only intensified since.
“No,” I said, my laugh dying a little as I wriggled on the cold seat. “You’ve been reading too many trashy romance novels again. The only effect he has on me is repulsion. That boy is heinous. It’s like he’s the guy version of you, but just so much worse!”
Hadley snorted. “Wow, thanks. Stellar compliment.” She smacked my leg again. “Finger out of mouth.” I did as I was told. “I swear I can see Roman’s boner from here.”
I choked on an inconveniently placed glob of spit. “Stop already!” I spluttered. “Roman doesn’t want me. He just likes the rumours that he sneaks into my house at night for wild sex.”
“If only you weren’t a virgin,” she huffed. “Trust you to live in one of the two houses in the boondocks with Roman Lombardi…” She sighed.
“Firstly,” I pointed at her, “I don’t live with him. Secondly, it’s hardly my fault his family moved into the house near mine.”
“Next to yours. Next. To. Yours. And, you can be sure – if it was me – I’d be banging that on the regular.”
“You’d get sick of no strings at some point, Hads. You talk a good game, but you’ll want commitment one day and we all know Roman isn’t that guy. He’s not your John Cusack.”
Hadley slid me a look. “Oh, but Mason is your John Cusack!” she cooed.
Now, I smacked her. “Shut up. Mason’s very nice, but there’s nothing there.”
“Piper, he’s all over you. Just give him some time to work up the courage, why not?”
“Boys like Mason don’t need courage. They’ve got girls just begging to go out with them.”
“No, men like Roman and Tucker don’t need courage. Men like Mason are nice and genuine and sweet and don’t want their hearts stomped all over.”
“You keep insisting on calling them men. They’re not men.”
“If you tell me you’re waiting for a real man, honey, I feel it’s my duty as your best friend to tell you that not all of us have a John Cusack waiting for us. Some of us might need to settle for the Mason Carters of the world.”
I smiled. “Like that would be such a hardship.”
“See, you like him!” Hadley nudged me with her shoulder.
I laughed, very aware of keeping my finger out of my mouth. “He’s fine, I guess.”
“He’s fine?” She pointed at him on the field below us. “He’s nearly six-foot of lean muscle, who can’t take his eyes off you. And, I’ll bet he fucks like a pro. Not as good as Roman, I’ll wager… But, beggars can’t be choosers, I suppose,” she sighed sarcastically and I ignored what I knew was little more than vulgar bluster.
But, ugh, why did my eyes slide back to Roman again?
He was busy pulling tricks on his board like a complete idiot. Mason may have been pure, lean muscle from years of sports training, but Roman’s body was no less amazing. Objectively speaking, of course. He had a mastery over his body and the way he did those stupid tricks–
No!
What the hell was wrong with me?
“Okay. Purely objectively, Roman is…beautiful,” I muttered, annoyed with myself.
Hadley laughed out loud and Roman turned to us, which made me quickly look back to Mason.
“Admitting it doesn’t make you anything less than a woman with eyes, Piper. Don’t be ashamed because you’ve got eyes. Go on, say it a little louder. You might like it.”
I smiled and felt my cheeks flush again. “No. Thanks. You have at it.”
She cleared her throat, smoothed her hair and stood up. I grabbed at her school skirt, but she resisted my pull. “Roman Lombardi is beautiful!” she yelled, her arms spreading wide. Then, she blew him a kiss!
I saw Roman was looking up at us with that intense stare just before I buried my face in my lap to hide my incredible embarrassment for the girl I loved so dearly. She laughed loudly as I felt her fall back down next to me and we dissolved into giggles. Between the ensuing mayhem, I saw Roman kept a watchful eye on us and Mason likewise didn’t stop swinging glances my way.
h
The thing I hated about living in what Hadley considered the boondocks was that the bus didn’t travel all the way to said boondocks. It stopped at the end of the long road that ran down to the boondocks and then it was a fifteen to twenty minute walk home.
This, on its own, wasn’t terrible. The walk was good for me but it was a time when I lived in my head for a bit too long. So, I usually put my headphones on and listened to my music as tried not to think too much. It wasn’t ideal when it was raining, but that was life.
The thing that made it terrible was Roman’s insistence on catching the bus as well – even though he had a car! – and the annoying way he either skated around or walked with me.
For the last three weeks, I’d ignored him quite successfully. But that day, he wore this infuriatingly knowing smirk and I could tell he wanted to say something. I pulled my headphones off and glared at him, blinking against the slight drizzle.
“What?”
“So… Hadley thinks I’m gorgeous?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes,” is of course what I said because I had an inability to come up with decent lies or excuses on the fly and it was easier to just placate him.
He chuckled roughly. “Sweet. She need my number?”
I opened my mouth to say something that I expected would be quite scathing. But instead of saying it, I snapped my mouth shut and kept walking. That only served to make him laugh harder.
“See Barlow, the great thing about you is that you don’t have a spine,” he teased as he rode literal lazy circles around me.
I bristled. But, that lack of a spine showed itself far more obviously by my lack of response. I pulled my blazer around myself and crossed my arms.
“Why don’t you drive to school? You have a car.”
“Incredible powers of observation there, Barlow.”
“Shut up, Lombardi,” I muttered.
“Was that almost an insult?”
I sighed as it started raining more heavily. “At least one of us could be warm and dry…” I said to myself.
“While I appreciate you caring for my health, Barlow, I couldn’t possibly let you walk home alone by yourself. I’m far too much of a gentleman.”
I gave him a look that told him exactly what I thought of that without having to put it into words.
“You seem particularly sour today. Has Carter still not asked you out?”
What did Roman know about Mason asking me out or not?
I glared at him some more. If that flash of lightning
I caught from the corner of my eye had hit him, I don’t think I would have minded all that much.
“Seriously, the guy either has no balls or he’s playing you. If it was me, I’d have asked you out weeks ago.”
“If you actually ever did do that, I’m supposed to let you down gently by telling you Hadley’s waiting.”
He paused. “Huh. I’ll keep that in mind. But,” he hurried to catch up with me, “that doesn’t explain this funk you seem to be in.”
“Who says I’m in a funk?” I asked, shifting my bag on my shoulder.
The most annoying thing was, he wasn’t wrong; I was in a funk. It had nothing to do with the fact Mason hadn’t actually asked me out yet despite the rumours swirling; like I’d told Hadley, I wasn’t sure there was actually anything there. But, I didn’t know what the funk was about. Sometimes, I was just in a funk and that was all there was to it. Not that I was going to tell Roman that, though.
“I say you’re in a funk,” he answered simply.
“And you’re an authority now?”
He only chuckled aggravatingly.
“I’m not in a funk,” I said, but my expression was as sour as he was claiming I was.
“Prove it. Give me one of those infamous Piper Barlow smiles.”
I glared at him.
“Hmm…close, but no.”
“You could be home by now.” Which would be totally preferable to me.
“Come on, Barlow. Give me a smile.”
“I’m fine. Thanks,” I answered with as close to sarcasm as I got with anyone but Hadley.
He pulled ahead of me and I actually thought that he’d given up and was just going home. Then he pulled a trick, didn’t land it, and ended up on his arse in a puddle, looking up at me expectantly.
I bit my lip to suppress a laugh but the answering humour in his eyes made me smile despite myself.
“There it is!” He pointed at me, totally victorious.
“You fell off your board. Of course I was going to laugh at you,” I huffed, trying hard not to smile and failing spectacularly.
I instinctively held my hands out to help him up and he took them with one hand as he picked his board up with the other.
Accidentally Perfect Page 2