by Krystle Rose
She wasn't sure how long she was out there, but at some point, Nomi realized that her glass was empty, so she returned to the bar and got another. This time, opting for a bottle of Sierra Nevada, her favorite. Then Nomi slipped her hand into Owen's and begged him to join her out on the floor. He hee-ed and haw-ed, but eventually gave in and she dragged him behind her into the middle of the saloon.
A slow country song played from a jukebox in the corner of the room and Nomi rested her head on Owen's chest as she began to slow dance with him.
"This is nice," she cooed, snuggling closer to him.
Owen concurred with a grunt and she could feel his quickening breath in the hair atop her head. His heartbeat raced in his chest, she could hear it beneath his flannel shirt. If he could feel her's, he'd know Nomi was just as anxious.
They continued doing circles around the pool table until her beer was warm and her feet were sore.
It was enthralling just doing that with him, without repercussions. Nomi wasn't thinking about her messy life or her lists or her lack of money or the fight she'd had with her brother. She wasn't concerned with 'what-ifs' of the future or the cruel things that had happened in her past. At that moment, all Nomi could think about was being there with Owen, swaying to the music, and nothing else mattered but that.
She sipped from her bottle listlessly and sat onto the edge of the unused billiards table behind her. Owen sailed a calloused hand through his thick locks and glanced around the room. God, he was cute, looking like a little kid with a crush who was too afraid to make a move. Well, she supposed she was, too, so she shouldn't bawk at his behavior.
"You need a refill?" He offered, assessing the state of her beer.
"No, I'm good, thanks."
After an awkward moment, Owen swayed on his feet and tried again.
"Nomi, are you sure you want to do this?"
"Drink and dance and have fun? Yes," she answered, knowing that's not what he meant.
Nomi wasn't ready to answer the real question being posed to her, so it seemed better to ignore it. Owen swallowed and bobbed his head slightly.
"I don't want to cause you any grief."
"Owen," she purred, moving in close to him again. "Can you stop worrying and start enjoying yourself?"
Nomi traced the line of buttons down his shirt. Owen covered her hand and chewed his lip.
"I am enjoying myself. Probably too much."
She couldn't help it. Once again, Nomi's eyes fell to his mouth. Whatever was driving these new feelings for Owen were strong and she was tired of resisting them. Although, as much as she wanted to act on them, Nomi didn't want to do it like this.
"I'll be right back," Nomi told him with preamble.
Jetting away, she escaped the uncomfortable situation. Taking her beer with her, she finished it on her way to the bathroom, then dropped the empty bottle into a bin before she went inside the restroom.
Once she had used the facilities, Nomi assessed herself in the mirror above the sink. Despite a hard night's work, she looked relatively good. Traces of makeup could still be seen on her face and only a few stray wisps of hair had come down from the tight bun on top of her head. Nomi wished she would have been able to go home and change her clothes before going out, but she had removed her work apron and name tag, at least.
Undoing the first three buttons of her white linen blouse, she allowed some fresh air to her flushed chest. Then Nomi released her chestnut-colored locks from the elastic tie that bound it and let her hair fall around her shoulders. Untucking her shirt from the waistband of her black slacks, Nomi attempted to look more casual before going back out into the main area.
When she returned, Owen was back in his seat, sipping on an ice-cold soda while he waited. Upon seeing her, he froze. Nomi blushed and approached him.
"I feel better now," she informed him.
"That's… good," Owen acknowledged. Then, changing the subject to avoid more awkwardness, he asked, "So, how are things?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"I mean in general. How have you been doing?"
Nomi couldn't remember a single time he had ever asked her that. It was obvious what you meant by it, but once again, she wasn't prepared to answer that particular question just yet. Instead, she dodged it and replied with a simple, "Fine."
"That doesn't sound very believable," Owen quarrelled.
"Well, take it or leave it," Nomi told him disconcertedly.
"Alright," he relented. "I'll take it and hope it's the truth."
"And if it's not?"
Owen gave her a worried expression, yet didn't respond.
"You gonna eradicate every person that makes my life miserable? Like with Summer and Thomas?"
"That's not fair. I was just trying to help."
She knew that. And she appreciated it, too, but Nomi didn't want him to try and rid the world of every bully and abuser. She didn't expect him to be Superman, she just wanted him to be there. Him being there made her happy and that's all she really wanted.
"I think I'll have one more and then we can go," she deflected.
Nomi had planned on drinking so much that she forgot about everything, but tonight… well, she wanted to remember this night. Her wonderful, amazing evening with Owen. Nomi had already had quite a bit and was starting to feel it, so if she wanted to keep this memory close, she figured she’d better quit while she was ahead.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No," she assured him. "Not at all."
"But we've hardly been here a few hours. I thought you wanted to party?"
"I changed my mind. I'm buzzing pretty good and I don't want to be sick in the morning."
It was a viable excuse.
"You're the boss," Owen relented.
Nomi opted for another shot, this time of tequila, and tossed it back with ease. Then she cringed and asked, "Ready?"
"Sure," he agreed, pushing away his half-finished cola.
The bartender charged Owen's card, then handed it back to him. He shoved it into his wallet and replaced the billfold in his rear pocket. Escorting her out of the bar, Owen protectively helped Nomi to his car. Heat spread through her chest at the feel of his hand on her ribs, thanks to the assistance of Jack Daniels and her stemming attraction to Owen.
"You think you're sober enough to sneak back home?"
"I thought you said I could stay with you."
"You can."
"Then that's what I'm doing," Nomi announced.
He didn't say another word, just pulled back on to the main street and started down the road. Owen still lived with his parents, but the basement apartment was his, so they wouldn't be disturbing anyone when the two of them came in. Plus, the two of them would be solitary down there, so Nomi could get away with being drunk and not having anyone report back to her parents about it.
The idea of being down there with Owen, alone, equally excited and frightened Nomi. Every mile they rode, she could feel the anticipation building, and the alcohol beginning to set in only escalated those emotions. By the time they reached his house, her vision was blurry, her head was swimming, and her heart was racing.
Owen assisted her out and half-carried her to his door. Then he helped Nomi down the stairs into his home.
It was a true bachelor pad, with neon signs on the walls and a beer pong table in the kitchen instead of a dining table. However, it was much cleaner than Nomi had expected. Or perhaps she just couldn't tell how messy it was, through her beer goggles and the darkness of the room.
Owen deposited her onto a soft surface and pulled a blanket over her shivering body. Nomi cuddled into the coverlet and nestled her nose into Owen's bicep. He smelled amazing. She inhaled him slowly and relaxed against the pillows under her head.
"How you doing there, birthday girl?"
"Drunk."
"I see that."
He snuffled and tucked her in. She hummed with delight, which brought another chuckle from her host. When he stood and tur
ned to walk away, Nomi grabbed his hand and he stopped suddenly. Opening her mouth to speak, she gaped into the darkness to find his eyes, but instead found only the hazy shadow of his form. Then Nomi mumbled something she couldn’t recall and fell asleep.
∞∞∞
The next morning, she was only slightly hungover. Nomi had a splitting headache and soupy stomach, but that was about all. She remembered most of the night, save for when they were driving to Owen’s house. Her memory became a little cloudy about halfway through the ride and she couldn’t recall arriving at his place or falling asleep in his bed.
Apparently, Owen had opted for the couch so that Nomi could sleep comfortably, which she appreciated, but also felt guilty for. When she woke up, she complained about him going to those lengths, but he ignored her and brought Nomi two ibuprofen and a bottle of water. Then he loaded her into his car and drove her back to her house.
When she walked through the door at nine a.m. Canaan came flying down the stairs to confront her.
"Where were you? Why didn't you come home last night?"
"You took my keys, remember?" Nomi reminded him bluntly.
"I was worried," he told her.
"You weren't when you left me deserted at the restaurant last night."
"I hoped you'd call me back to come get you!"
"Well, imagine that. I'm not a kid anymore and I don't need you to save me. Huh. Who'd have thunk?"
With that, Nomi ascended the stairs and hid inside her room for the remainder of the day and Canaan was smart enough to leave her alone.
Her mom drove her to work and Nomi was able to bring her Jeep back home that night. She didn’t speak to her brother after that.
A week later, she was getting ready to head over to Margo's when her father announced that Nomi had a package. That struck her as odd, but she went downstairs to see what it was, anyway.
Her dad was standing at the door, awkwardly waiting with a stranger at the helm. Nomi's face scrunched with confusion as she approached. A man was waiting patiently with a bouquet of brightly colored flowers in his hand. Upon seeing her, he offered it to Nomi and smiled. Then he gave her a card that went with it and bid her good day.
"What's this about now?" Her father asked curiously, peeking over her shoulder at the card as she opened it.
Nomi shifted to avoid his meddlesome gaze and read it to herself.
Have a great day ❤
Your Valentine
Blush filled her cheeks. Tucking the card back into its envelope, she smelled a freshly bloomed daisy and buried her nose in the petals to hide her pleased expression.
"Well? Who's it from?"
"I'm not sure," she said.
"Ohh, that’s exciting."
"What is?" Canaan queried as he came to join them.
"Your sister has a secret admirer."
Canaan looked at the flowers, then at Nomi, then back at their dad. He harrumphed, then shoved past them and out the door.
Things between the two of them had been strained since her birthday. They didn’t talk and tried not to even pass each other in the house. Nomi was aware that there was another argument brewing between them and she simply wasn’t ready to have it, so she avoided it at all costs.
Nomi was five months into her one year plan and had almost nothing to show for it. That’s what she needed to focus on right now, not the drama between herself and her older sibling.
Her dad was next to leave, lumbering into the kitchen, leaving Nomi to enjoy her anonymous gift. She took it with her as she put on her jacket and shoes. Next, she headed over to Margo's.
Things in the area were beginning to thaw out as spring drew near. It was still cold, but the snow was falling less often and the trees were regaining some foliage. Nomi didn’t have to wear her thick hooded jacket anymore, she could get away with just layering up her clothing. Today, she chose a pink cable knit sweater and maroon insulated leggings with her new dress boots and a pretty floral scarf to show her affection for the holiday.
When she got to Margo’s, the woman immediately complimented her on her outfit and then gazed, wide-eyed at the array of colorful flowers in her assistant’s hand. Nomi offered them to her, explaining that they wouldn’t be much appreciated at her place, but here they would get the love and attention they deserved.
“Who’s the lucky lad?” she questioned, waving for Nomi to follow her into the kitchen.
“Don’t know,” Nomi shrugged.
“A secret?” Margo gasped excitedly.
“To me, at least,” she chuckled and sat down in an empty seat at the kitchen table.
Margo retrieved an ornate glass vase and filled the bottom with water, then took the flowers out of their plastic wrap and put them into the holder. Next, she set the bouquet in the center of the dining table and beamed with jubilation. Sitting down across from Nomi, she leaned across the divider.
“I used to have all sorts of boys chasing after me when I was your age.”
“I’ll bet you did.”
“It’s been a long, long time since a man gifted me flowers like this. They’re just beautiful, Nomi.”
“They are, aren’t they? Sadly I haven’t a clue who would go to such lengths for a fuddy-duddy like me,” she joked.
“Oh, stop it, you’re no fuddy-duddy. You’re lovely and any chap would be lucky to have you. Still, it would be nice to put a name to your Valentine,” Margo commented, sighing in a dreamy type way.
Nomi snickered, but she had to agree. Knowing who sent her such a wonderful gift would be a gift, in itself. Part of her speculated that it could be her brother’s way of playing nice with her since their fight. Heaven knows her father wouldn’t go to such lengths, he rarely even bought her mother anything. If it was Thomas, so help her, she’d sick Canaan on him again. And if there were a guy in town who had taken a liking to Nomi, she certainly wasn’t aware of it
“You know, my Owen has a secret Valentine, too.”
“Hmm?” Nomi mumbled, having been lost in her thoughts.
“Owen,” Margo repeated. “He has an anonymous Valentine, as well.”
That’s when it all came flooding back to her.
Owen?
Yeah?
Will you be my Valentine?
Of course, Nomi.
She looked at the flowers, her heart pounding in her chest. Then she looked at the card. Was it his handwriting? She had no idea. She looked at Margo, who was looking at her with worry. Nomi’s blood drained from her face.
No. It wasn’t. It couldn’t be. But it could. And was it?
Excusing herself, Nomi rushed out of the kitchen and into the hallway bathroom. She wet her face, took a few deep breaths, and assessed herself in the mirror above the sink. Staring back at her reflection, Nomi let it all sink in.
There was really only one real, likely suspect for her mystery Valentine and obviously, it was Owen Blankfield.
Month 6
Nomi chose to keep her realization her little secret. If Owen was her Valentine, he didn’t say so and no one else had stepped forward to lay claim to the gift-giving, so it seemed better to just leave the whole thing alone.
Now that she was feeling a little better and her confidence was back, she had begun to once again tend to her list. That’s where her attention needed to be right now, not on boys and bouquets. So, with that, Nomi got out her laptop and cell phone.
Maybe she couldn’t make her food truck dreams happen right now, but there was something else she could work on and that was finding her own place. The first step in becoming an actual grown-up was to live on her own and be responsible for her own bills. It sounded terrifying as much as it did exciting.
First things first, she had to figure out a budget. Nomi had gotten her most recent pay stubs ready for this specific duty. Adding the month’s net worth before taxes and dividing it by three would give her a price that she would qualify for when it came to apartment hunting. Then Nomi would also have to make an educated guess as to what h
er other expenses would be and see if moving out was even feasible. Seeing as she was currently working two jobs, there shouldn’t be any reason why that wasn’t possible, but she did live in one of the most expensive states in the nation, so Nomi wasn’t holding her breath.
After crunching some numbers, she got online to look up some places and started making some calls. When all leads had been exhausted, Nomi narrowed down her list of available units and decided which to apply for. It cost money to turn in an application, so she wanted to be sure that where she was spending her hard-earned money was worth it. There weren't many she'd found to be affordable, so Nomi only applied to two.
Then, all she could do was wait. The managers would have to review all the candidates and run the required credit checks, background checks, etc. If she passed their review, they would call her and she could move in almost immediately. Although, that process could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and Nomi wasn't expecting much, quite honestly.
In the meantime, she continued to work relentlessly to build up the pile of money in her pickle jar. She hadn’t been keeping track of how much was in there, but it was more than a quarter of the way full, so that was saying something. With the extra job and selling off all the crap she had cleaned out of her bedroom, Nomi was able to put some cash away. It made her heart swell knowing that one day it would be enough to buy her that truck. It may not happen this year, as she had hoped, but it would happen eventually and that was motivation enough to keep her going.
She was just adding the previous day’s pay into the glass jar when Tess called. They hadn’t gotten to spend much time together on New Year’s Eve, given the incident with Thomas, so her friend was gearing up to pay Nomi another visit during spring break, at the end of the month. Nomi was very much looking forward to that.
“Maybe you’ll have a new place by then and I can stay with you,” Tess joked with her after Nomi answered the phone and updated her on her progress.
“If you don’t stay with your parents, they’ll raise Hell and you know it.”
“Actually, I was thinking of booking a hotel,” she told her pal with reservation. “I’ll visit them, but I really want my own space.”