by Kris Jett
When they’d finished, she crumpled on top of him briefly and then rolled off and laid her head on his pillow.
“Fucking amazing,” she said.
He grinned, kind of surprised to hear her swear like that, but also really liking it. “Fucking amazing,” he agreed.
“You’re gorgeous as hell by the way,” Sara said. “I don’t think I had the chance to say that.”
Bryce felt a warmth in his chest. No one had told him he was gorgeous, or really anything complimentary, in so long. “You’re positively stunning,” he returned. “I could write sonnets about your breasts.”
Sara giggled and then rolled back on top of him, letting her nipples graze his chest. She kissed him long and hard. “I’ve got to get going,” she suddenly said. She jumped off the bed and he watched her walk out of his bedroom and down the hall.
He laid there stunned for a moment. “Right now?” he called out. “You have to leave right now?”
She popped her head back into his bedroom, her shirt and jeans back on and her bra and underwear in her hands. “I’m sorry, I really do. You were incredible though. Really.” She put her hand to her lips, blew him a kiss, and then she was gone and he heard his front door shut.
“Did that really just happen?” he said out loud to himself.
Chapter Six
Wynn quietly let herself back into the house. There was a soft glow from above the kitchen stove. The cuckoo clock ticking away in the living room was the only sound. She had calmed down considerably from the dinner earlier and decided she wasn’t going to let her sister, or her opinion, get to her. This was her life and she could handle it. Sure, it might not look like it from the casual observer but she was getting her act together. Didn’t she just enroll in college the day before? She had goals and a plan in place.
Wynn quickly changed into her PJs and then slipped into bed beside Melody, careful not to wake her up. She was so tired. She knew she’d sleep deeply tonight and then tomorrow start again, fresh and new.
Morning came too quickly and Melody was waking her up, demanding her cereal and Mickey Mouse as usual.
“Okay, okay darling. I’m coming.” She yawned and followed her toddler out into the kitchen.
“Good morning, ladies,” Luci sang out as she stirred her coffee.
“Morning, morning!” Melody returned.
“How are you always so cheery?” Wynn asked. She poured Melody a bowl of cereal and set her up in front of her cartoon.
“I just got a good night’s rest. What about you? Did you get much sleep? You were gone for a while last night.”
Wynn sat down at the table with her sister. “I did. I feel much better this morning. I was just so mad at Jessie last night and had to get out of here. Sometimes this house feels so small. But you know what? I realized it’s my life and I’m going to do whatever I want with it. So Jessie can just keep her opinions to herself.”
“I don’t think she meant to sound so harsh,” Luci said. “She just worries about you.”
“Well, she doesn’t have to.”
“So, where did you end up going last night?” Luci asked.
Wynn smiled. “You’ll laugh. First, I drove around town a couple of times, trying to figure out what I should do. And then I decided to just go park up on the old hill. You know that one that looks out over town and all the lights?”
Luci giggled. “Make-Out Hill you mean? You went to Make-Out Hill by yourself?”
“Who was I going to go with?” Wynn said, joining in with her sister laughing. “Besides, I didn’t see anyone making out there last night.”
“That’s because it’s a school night. All the teenagers have to be at home with their Daddy’s cars parked in the garage by ten.”
Wynn chuckled. “Well, it was nice to just sit by myself and unwind. Enjoy the view.”
“I keep telling you that you need to come to yoga with me. Yoga will unwind you and then you don’t have to be an old lady sitting up on Make-Out Hill by yourself.”
“Hey,” Wynn said, “who are you calling an old lady?”
Luci giggled and Wynn did too but then she suddenly felt an intense pang of loneliness. Her sister’s offer was sweet and the only offer she’d gotten in a while. She didn’t really have friends anymore, did she? She had run with a whole group of girls when she was in high school and back then there was always someone to go for a coffee with or have a good chat. She always had people she could call any time of the day. And they kept in touch for a while but then everyone moved away, went to college, got married, and had babies. Life happened to them all. Wynn had been so wrapped up in her own world, that she’d put no effort into maintaining friendships with any of them. Being back home in Snowy Ridge should have felt like a homecoming but instead, in a way, it made her feel like she was all alone in the world, just her and her daughter.
“Is something wrong?” Luci asked. “Your face sorta just fell.”
Wynn shook her head in an attempt to shake the thoughts out of her head and reset. She plastered a smile on her face. She wasn’t alone. She was with family. She had her mom and her sisters and she wouldn’t let those relationships fall away again either. She was going to work on maintaining them. “No, no, I’m fine. Promise. And I am going to take you up on that yoga class. Soon.”
“Yes! You’ll love it. And we can bring Melody with us. They have on-site daycare.”
“That sounds great,” Wynn said, starting to warm up to this whole yoga idea. Luci was always in a good mood. Maybe it would benefit her as well.
“You know I was teasing about you being an old lady, right?” Luci asked. “You actually look better than ever these days.”
Wynn’s cheeks spread in an authentic grin. “Thanks, Luci.”
Wynn poured herself a cup of coffee and sat back down at the kitchen table with her sister. She leaned over to peer into the living room and check on Melody. She was still happily bopping in her seat, singing along with Minnie and Daisy.
Luci stabbed at a piece of grapefruit she’d just sliced. “So, I checked the schedule and you and Jessie are opening Starlight today. Promise not to kill each other?”
“I’m fine, I swear. I’m not even mad anymore.” And she really wasn’t. She didn’t want to be fighting with her sister. She needed both of her sisters. “It was just her opinion and I have mine. We’ll be fine at work today I promise.”
“Good. If not, I’m going to get you two a couple of those furry hats and let you cage match it out at work. It could be, like, a new promotional thing we’re doing now,” Luci said.
Wynn grinned. “You’re nuts,” she told her sister. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. “I guess I should get Melody and me moving along. What are your plans for today?”
“Yoga and then off to the coffee shop to write. I’m really having fun with the book I’m writing. I’ll be in at Starlight tonight though.”
“Sounds good,” she said to her sister. To Melody she called out, “All right sweetie, let’s go get dressed and start this day.”
Wynn and Jessie had been working in silence at the pub for almost an hour, both pretending to be super busy even though they both knew this was their slow time. On any other given day they’d be side-by-side chatting as they prepared for the lunch crowd. Wynn couldn’t stand it anymore. She marched right up to her sister at the bar where she was refilling salt shakers.
“Are you busy?” she asked.
“Super,” Jessie replied without glancing up, even though it was clear she wasn’t.
“Come on, Jess, let’s talk. You can’t really stay mad at me because I’m going to let Eric see his daughter, right?”
Jessie stopped filling the shakers and her eyes met Wynn’s. She sighed loudly. “No, I guess I can’t. I suppose it’s really not any of my business anyway.”
“Don’t say that,” Wynn said. “We’re sisters, of course it’s your business, too. I’m just not sure what else I can do. I mean, he pays child support. If he has a
n interest I should let him see her. And it’s not like I’m going to let him take her anywhere. Just an hour for coffee and then he’ll be gone. He has a job he has to get back to. It’s not like he’ll stick around Snowy Ridge.”
Jessie nodded. “I know. You’re right. I just worry about you guys, is all.”
“And I appreciate it.” Wynn reached across the bar and hugged her sister. “I do.”
Jessie patted Wynn’s back. “So, when’s this meeting happening?”
Wynn pulled back and felt the nerves in her stomach start up. “Tomorrow night.”
“Do you need me to go with you?” she asked.
Wynn considered this. Part of her would love Jessie there. She was so strong and never let anyone walk all over her. But she knew this was something she’d have to do on her own. “No, no, we’ll be fine.”
“Well, if you change your mind, let me know. Cade and I have a date but we can always change plans.”
“Don’t you dare,” Wynn said. “And distract me. Tell me about your date.”
A big smile grew on Jessie’s face. “Well, we’re just going to dinner and a movie tomorrow night. But I am trying to come up with something great for Valentine’s Day. It’d been so long since I’d even had a Valentine. And Cade’s always doing romantic things for me. I feel like I should reciprocate with something amazing.”
“That is so sweet.” Wynn felt a twinge of jealousy but then reminded herself she’d sworn off relationships until further notice.
Chapter Seven
You home? Can I come up?
Bryce looked down at his phone. Ed must have been in the area and was inspired for an impromptu visit. Bryce had been working from bed, his favorite location, for the past three hours so a little distraction was welcomed. He’d have to throw on some clothes though.
Come on up, he texted back.
Bryce put on a pair of sweat pants and a sweat shirt and waited for Ed.
Bryce opened the door to a grinning Ed. “My man,” he said, offering his hand.
Bryce shook it and signaled for Ed to enter.
“I was so jazzed to see you the other night. Did you have a good time? I looked for you after our set but couldn’t find you.”
“Yeah, I…left. But you guys rocked. I was impressed.”
It’d been two days since the night Bryce saw Ed’s band and his encounter with Sara. He hadn’t heard from her since and didn’t expect to. He was sure it was just a fling to her like it was to him. Only, he didn’t have flings.
“We have another gig coming up in two weeks. You’re welcome to come out if you’d like.”
Bryce thought about this. Hanging out at bars, listening to bands, had never been his thing. But he didn’t know what his thing really was anymore. “Yeah, maybe.” he said.
“Don’t say maybe, say yes. You’ve poked your head out of your shell into the land of the living and you can’t just jam it back in,” Ed teased. He grabbed an open bag of potato chips off Bryce’s counter and fell back onto his loveseat and begun munching.
“Yeah, you’re right. It felt good to get out,” Bryce said, dropping into the recliner to the right of him.
“And the more you do it the easier it’ll get. Enough of the post-Julia monk crap.”
“Wow, you’re sensitivity is truly touching.”
Ed grinned and Bryce could see pieces of potato chips in his teeth.
“So, did you start teaching that Web Design class yet?” Ed asked.
“Not yet,” Bryce said. “Monday.”
“You psyched?”
Bryce nodded. “Yeah. Seems pretty easy. It’ll be nice to make some extra cash. Thanks again for hooking me up.”
“No problem. Hit me up if you need anything. I’m not there Mondays this term but I can be around if you need something.” Ed taught three lower level English courses at the college and also did some guitar lessons on the side.
“Thanks, man. So, what brings you all the way out here in the middle of a work day?” Bryce asked.
Ed grabbed a Kleenex from the coffee table and wiped his mouth. “The wife.”
“Yeah?”
Ed grinned again. “She wanted me to come talk to you ASAP. She set up a blind date for you with her girl, Tiffany. She says you’ll love her.”
A blind date? Bryce’s stomach fell. He hated blind dates. He’d been on two in his whole life and both were complete disasters. The first one was junior year in college. His roommate had set him up with some girl from his art class. She was short with really curly hair. Not exactly Bryce’s type but whatever. He was up for it. He met her at a pre-destined coffee shop on a Sunday afternoon. They were going to just do coffee to see how they got on and then maybe prolong it into dinner. Well, dinner never happened. The girl was so intense Bryce spent the entirety of the forty-five-minute date in stunned silence. She was an activist for every cause you could imagine. Starving children in third world countries, abused animals in shelters, whales being kept in confinement, rhino having their tusks mined, you name it. None of the causes were unreasonable or not serious and of need for passionate people’s attention. It was just she was so passionate about all of them, all at once, and at a decibel that had the entire coffee shop staring at them. Bryce wasn’t a real, scene-causing, everyone look at me, kind of guy so it was extremely uncomfortable. He practically ran out of the coffee shop.
And then there was The Crier. That one was the worst. He’d been at his new job straight out of college for only three months when a co-worker was hounding him to set him up with his friend. He swore she was hot as hell and had a great personality. Well, he’d never seen any of her personality. She spent the entire date crying. Like, actual distraught, inconsolable sobbing. It seemed she had just been dumped by her boyfriend of four years. Who knows why she or his co-worker thought a blind date was a good idea. He tried to be understanding at first. Even let her sob onto his shoulder, getting his shirt all wet. He stuck it out but it was the longest, most painful date of his life and there was no way he was going back again for a repeat.
Part of Bryce thought it could be him too. He didn’t think he was the blind date type. Like, he wasn’t the kind of guy who made a great first impression, but more the type who had to grow on you. If you liked him at all. It was such a relief to him when he’d married Julia. He remembered relishing the thought of never having to newly date another woman. Of not having to go through divulging your whole self to another person again. But, of course, that was all over; and, unless he truly intended on being alone for the rest of his life, he’d have to start putting himself out there.
“Um,” Bryce cleared his throat. “And when is this supposed to take place?”
“Tomorrow night,” Ed said.
“Tomorrow night,” Bryce repeated, unable to mask the alarm in his voice. That was really soon.
“Yeah, but chill. It’ll be like, a double date. Nikki and I will go with you. I was thinking bowling.”
Bryce thought this over. Maybe a double with Ed and Nikki wouldn’t be so bad. At least there would be other people there to keep the conversation going and the awkwardness at bay.
“Huh,” Bryce said, thinking.
“So, come on, what say you? Nikki is all worked up about making this happen. Let’s just do it. Let’s bowl tomorrow.”
Bryce slowly nodded. “All right. We’ll bowl.”
Chapter Eight
Wynn checked the time on her iPhone again. 5:53. She chose one of the two over-stuffed chairs in front of the stone fireplace in MoonBeans while she waited for her ex-husband, Eric to arrive. Melody was sitting on a soft maroon rug running her little fingers through a pile of puzzle pieces she pulled down from a shelf. Wynn glanced up at the rows of books on the shelves, available for patrons to read while they enjoyed their coffees and delicious desserts and wondered if she should pry the puzzle pieces out of Melody’s hand and give her a book. It would make her appear smarter. She instantly cursed herself for even thinking of trying to make Melody l
ook smarter for her ex. She wasn’t out to impress him and she didn’t need to prove that she’d been doing a good job raising Melody. She was the one who was there for Melody, all the time. He had no reason to pass any judgement on her.
“Hun,” April, the pretty barista and Jessie’s best friend, started as she leaned in close to Wynn, “you okay?” She lowered her glance and searched Wynn’s face.
April knew. Jessie must have told her about meeting Eric today and said to keep an eye out. “I’m fine, thanks April.”
“You know I’m just twenty feet away if you need anything at all. I’ll be back over here in a flash.”
Wynn smiled. April was tough just like her sister. “If I need any backup, I’ll let you know,” she told her.
Wynn watched April walk back behind the counter and then turned her attention toward Melody. She’d dressed her in a pretty sweater dress Luci had bought her from Gymboree and a pair of coordinating striped tights and Mary Janes. She even fastened a little bow in her hair to hold back her bangs. She looked positively adorable.
Wynn glanced over to a table near the door where Bets was sitting with a young couple, pouring over a pile of paperwork. New home buyers, she’d guessed. Bets must have felt Wynn’s gaze because she briefly turned her head and winked at her. Wynn waved back. Bets was a fixture in Snowy Ridge. She was somewhere in her fifties now and the sisters had known her forever. She handled the bulk of the real estate sales in Snowy Ridge. And she stood out with her looks too. Big hair, big makeup, and little bandage dresses made her look more like a real housewife than a resident of a cold Midwestern snowmobiling town. She had a sparkling personality and everyone adored her.
Wynn let out a deep breath and squirmed in her seat. She couldn’t believe she was sitting here in her home town waiting for her ex-husband to show up. He didn’t belong here. He’d actually never once visited her home or family throughout their entire marriage. They had eloped and then lived in St. Louis. It just seemed easier since her and her sisters hadn’t been on speaking terms for years prior. It would have hurt too much to have had a normal wedding without any of them there so Wynn and Eric just skipped it. And she compartmentalized her relationship with him as something completely different from her childhood and her relationship with her family. It made sense, at the time, but maybe keeping the two worlds separate was part of what doomed their marriage. And now he was going to be here in person, in her old life. The whole thing was so surreal. She wondered if she’d feel anything at all when she saw him. Ever since she’d moved back, she rarely thought of him at all. And if she did, it was usually just what a jerk he was.