by J. L. Wyer
Another memory breaks through. One of Ryder and me dancing. He’s wearing a tuxedo and I'm looking up at him, my hand resting high on his chest where I can feel the beat of his heart.
“As first dates go, you really nailed it,” I tell him, my heart so full of love, it feels like it’s about to burst.
Ryder tips my chin up with a finger and lays a soft kiss on my mouth. “Beautiful Elizabeth.”
I choke up, no longer capable of speaking. Ryder doesn’t say anything either and we just hold each other until the song ends.
Chapter 21
Want to Have a Sleepover?
Elizabeth
I’m slowly woken up by the tiny chirrups of two phones dinging, one after another. I stretch my arms above my head as Ryder’s muffled, deep voice groans next to my ear.
My eyes pop open.
Holy crap! We must have fallen asleep on the sofa last night. After our date, we weren't ready to say goodnight when Ryder brought me home, so I invited him in. We watched a movie, but I don't recall how the movie ended; I must have dozed off before then.
We're lying on the sofa in what I think people call the spooning position. My back is cuddled to his front, and I have to admit, it feels really, really nice. Ryder's left arm is draped over my waist and my head is using his right arm as a pillow. My body, from my toes to my head, is nice and toasty warm from the heat he’s giving off. Instead of getting up, I snuggle back into him, using him as my own personal electric blanket.
Ryder stirs and nuzzles his nose in the crook of my shoulder. “Good morning, baby,” he mumbles. Every time he calls me baby, I melt into goo.
The sound of a throat clearing has us looking up. Oh. My. God. Daniel is standing in front of the couch, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Good morning, you two. Once you are both up, I think we need to have a talk.”
“Okay,” I squeak out, completely mortified.
“I'll get breakfast started,” Daniel says, and he walks into the kitchen.
Ryder laughs quietly into my shoulder, his body shaking with mirth. “Did that just happen?”
“It's not funny!” I chastise him, but I can't stop the giggles that come out. My laughter stops abruptly. “Ryder, are you going to get into trouble with your parents?”
“No. I called them last night after you fell asleep and told them I would be crashing here for the night.”
Wow. His parents are totally cool for allowing him to do that. Not so sure right now whether Daniel will feel the same way.
Ryder encircles my waist with both arms and pulls me closer.
“I have morning breath,” I say, recoiling back when he leans in like he's about to kiss me.
“I don't care,” he replies and kisses me anyway to the sounds of our phones dinging again. “Who keeps texting?”
“I don't know. It's what woke me up. You can’t complain. This is what you guys do to me every freaking day with your non-stop texting. It drives me crazy.”
“You love it when I text you.”
“Yeah, but it’s you, plus two others,” I remind him.
Our conversation stops when he kisses me again.
Best wake-up ever.
“Breakfast is almost ready,” Daniel calls from the kitchen.
“I guess we need to get up,” I tell Ryder. We both stand and stretch out the kinks in our muscles. The sofa is not the most comfortable place to sleep. Short naps? Absolutely.
I pick my phone up off the floor.
ScaryGuy: Good morning, princess.
I roll my eyes.
Doppelganger: I miss my morning running buddy!
Meredith: Dying to hear about your first date with HotRyd. Get it, like hot rod?
I snicker.
“What’re you giggling at?” Ryder asks, looking over my shoulder.
“Meredith thinks you are very hunky. That’s the G-rated version by the way.”
ScaryGuy: Call me when u get up.
Deciding to put Meredith out her misery, I send her a reply.
Me: First date success! So good. That’s all u r getting. My lips are sealed.
I respond to Jayson's next.
Me: Good morning.
I check my phone. Yep. Nine o’clock on the dot. For a bunch of high schoolers, we all wake up early during the weekend instead of sleeping in late.
ScaryGuy: Wanted to see if you were up for a day at the beach today. BTW have u heard from Ry? He's not answering his phone.
Ryder takes my phone and starts typing out a message to Jayson.
Me: He texted last night. Said he's crashing at Fallon’s.
“That’s pretty good,” I tell him when he hands my phone back to me. I hit send.
“Beach?” I ask Ryder. It is Sunday after all, and from the sunshine streaming in through the windows, it looks to be a gorgeous day.
“Sounds good to me. You wearing a bikini?”
“It’s September, not summer, but I think I can be persuaded.” I grin and he kisses the tip of my nose.
Me: Yes to beach. Daniel just fixed breakfast. Give me an hour.
ScaryGuy: Sounds good. I’ll text the guys.
Me: Pick me up here?
ScaryGuy:
“Alright, Mr. Cutton. Let's divide and conquer. Breakfast first, then you can use my shower if you want.”
Ryder lifts my chin with his finger. “I had a great time last night.”
Sigh. “Me too.”
He sifts his fingers through my tangled hair. “I’m still can’t believe that I’m really here, with you, like this. I’ve wanted this for so long. Part of me thinks I’ll wake up tomorrow and it will all have been a dream.”
“It’s already tomorrow,” I remind him, running my fingers back and forth across his morning stubble, loving how it feels against my fingertips. My stomach takes that moment to make a very loud gurgling sound.
“Come on. Let’s get some food in that belly and have that talk with Daniel before the guys get here. I'll need to make a stop home to grab some clean clothes and my swimming trunks.”
Ryder lifts my arm and gives me a giant raspberry in the bend of my elbow. The vibrations make me yelp and dissolve into a fit of giggles. In one smooth move, he hefts me up and over his shoulder, smacking my butt while carrying me into the kitchen.
Out of the blue, I’m besieged with images as a memory pushes its way forward.
“Wait. Isn’t that the new bikini top you bought the other day?”
“How do you know?”
“Oh, princess, I think I need to show you what happens to girlfriends who send pics of themselves on their phone.”
Giggling, I ask, “What happens?”
I’m suddenly hoisted up and over Jayson's shoulder. “What are you doing? Let me down right this second!” I exclaim, laughing and wriggling.
He marches us inside my house to kiss me breathless.
...
∞∞∞
Daniel has plates filled with scrambled eggs, sausage links, and toast waiting for us when Ryder and I walk into the kitchen. We both take a seat at the table in the breakfast nook. Daniel sits across from us while sipping from his mug of coffee. The silence is uncomfortable. I think he may be doing it on purpose.
“What did you want to talk to us about?” Like I don't already know, but I'm willing to play dumb for now.
He places his mug down and rests his elbows on the table. “Are you two dating?”
I look at Ryder. “Yes?” I say as a question.
The corner of Daniel's mouth quirks up. “Lizzie, honey, I'm not upset at you and you are not in trouble. I know I'm not your father, but you are my responsibility and I care about you. With that being said, I'm just trying to figure out how I need to handle this,” he explains, his eyes bouncing back and forth between me and Ryder.
“Yes sir. Elizabeth and I are dating,” Ryder says.
“Okay then.” Daniel grabs his coffee and chugs it down. “Okay then,” he repeats. “Are
you…uh, I mean to say, are the two of you being careful?”
Ryder and I look at him, not understanding what he's asking us.
He taps his knuckles on the table a few times. “Are you using protection?”
I start choking on my eggs and Ryder comes to my aid by pounding on my back until my eyes water. This whole situation just went from awkward to mortifying. Ryder starts laughing, and I smack his arm.
Daniel falls back into his chair. “I'm sorry. This is so very much outside my parenting skills. I don't know whether co-ed sleepovers are considered appropriate nowadays. You're almost eighteen anyway and I know you are capable of making your own decisions.” He buries his head in his hands.
“Sir, I have known Elizabeth since the third grade. I care very deeply about her and would never do anything that would hurt her. I can give you my promise that I will always treat her with respect.”
Wow, is all I can think at Ryder's proclamation.
“I appreciate that, Ryder. Thank you. Just, please be careful. I'll end this by saying, I know how I was at your age. Don't make rash decisions in the heat of the moment.”
My cheeks are beet red, but I nod my understanding. Feeling braver, and because I want to know how flexible Daniel is going to be about all of this, I ask, “Does this mean it's okay for Ryder to sleep over every once in a while?”
Daniel exhales roughly and rubs the bridge of his nose. “I hope I'm not going to regret this, but yes, it's okay with me. However, an open bedroom door policy will be in effect, and no over-the-top PDA while I'm in the same room. Or anywhere else in the house.”
I grin at Ryder who has covered my hand with his under the table.
Taking a bite of toast, I tell my uncle, “Daniel, I think you are doing a great job at being a parent!”
He thunks his head on the table in reply.
Chapter 22
Never Leave Me
Julien
“What’s been going on with you lately?” my twin asks me. We’re sitting on towels watching Elijah, Ryder, and Liz pass a frisbee between one another as they run through the small breakers of the shoreline.
Liz seems more relaxed today. She’s smiling a lot and has been more talkative, even to Jay. She’s acting more like the old Liz, and part of me is so happy to see it. Then there’s the other part of me that really likes the new version of Liz. The bolder, stronger, sassier version she calls New Liz. The old Liz belonged to my brother. The new one, however…
“Been busy with soccer practice, as you well know. The team looks good this year,” I answer.
“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it,” Jayson replies.
The sun is lowering toward sunset in the west. Shades of red and deep orange glow across the horizon where the ocean meets the sky to the southeast. We’ve been out here for several hours. Liz had all of us building sand animals on the beach and searching along the low-tide line for sharks’ teeth. We had just finished swimming and jumping the waves when Elijah brought out the frisbee. Jay and I were hungry, so we sat down to eat a couple of the sub sandwiches we bought before we picked Liz and Ryder up. He was waiting with her at her house after spending the night at Fallon’s.
I hear Liz’s bold laughter as Elijah jumps up to try and catch the frisbee she sailed his way. It flies over his head and lands in the waves. My eyes track between the both of them, and I sigh hard.
“You’ll need to be more specific then,” I finally answer.
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you keep blowing off Elijah to spend time with Liz.”
“And you wouldn’t?” Jay would drop me in a heartbeat for Liz.
He ignores my comment and plows on. “Or the way you’re always touching her now. Holding her hand. Kissing the side of her head,” he emphasizes.
“Is that what this is about? You’re jealous that Liz spends more time with me than you?”
“Screw you, Jules.”
“No, screw you, Jayson,” I fling back. “You’re not the only one who missed her. She gets to decide who she wants to hang with now. It’s not up to you anymore. You don’t have control over her like you used to.”
I shut my mouth tight, regretting my words, but I can’t help how I feel. Jay looks like he wants to punch me, but his hurt comes through loud and clear.
“That’s what you think I did? Controlled her? Monopolized her time?”
It’s time to bring the tough love, I tell myself. “In a way, yes, you did. You were so afraid of not being the one she chose that you pushed me and Ry out and basically erected a barbed-wire fence around her that said ‘Keep Away.’ She was my best friend too, Jay, and I hardly got to spend time with her because you always planted yourself in the middle. She couldn’t go anywhere without you tied to her side.”
“She’s my girlfriend. I love her. Of course I would want to spend all my time with her.”
“Liz was your girlfriend. And you just proved my point.”
“Are you trying to be hurtful here, Jules? Have I ever complained about how much time you spend with Elijah?”
“Elijah has nothing to do with me spending time with Liz, who happens to be my best friend.”
“Was your best friend,” he throws back at me trying to use my words against me. I ignore the barb.
“We’re talking about you and Liz, Jay. It has nothing to do with me and Elijah,” I reiterate.
Jay throws his half-eaten sandwich back into the cooler. “Elijah does have something to do with this. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed the hurt look he gets when you ignore him to spend time with Liz.”
The guilt I feel when he says that, coupled with the added guilt of that kiss with Liz weeks ago, has my words flying out carelessly, taking aim at my brother.
“Don’t you dare place that on me. You’ve been practically spitting nails at me and Ry because Liz wants to be around us more than she wants to be around you. You ever wonder why she has memories of Ry and not you? Something to think about,” I finish, standing up.
I expect Jay to fight back, hurl curse words at me, but he doesn’t.
I take several steps away from him, then I stop and turn around. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Jay’s face is red and blotchy as he bores his steely eyes into me. “One day, she’s going to remember.”
It’s his turn to stand up and walk away. He shoulder-bumps me hard when he passes by, and then runs over to catch the frisbee Ryder just flung towards Liz. He joins her and tosses the frisbee to Elijah.
Well, that could have gone better.
“Babe! Join us!” Elijah shouts over at me, waving his hand. Liz breaks from the group and jogs over to me.
“Hey you. What are you doing all by yourself over here?”
“Thinking.”
Her smiling face turns earnest when she notices the seriousness in mine. “Are you okay, Julien?”
“Yeah. Possibly.”
“Well, that’s a lot of vague nothing. Hold on,” she says and jogs back over to Ry, whispering something in his ear. He nods and tosses the frisbee to Jay who almost misses it because he’s scowling at me.
Liz returns to me and grabs my hand. “Come with me,” she says, and I follow like she is the shepherd, and I am one of her sheep. She leads me away from the guys.
“Okay, we’re far enough away now. Talk,” she says, her long flaxen braid blowing sideways in the wind.
“Just stuff with Jay. He said some things, I said some things back. We’ll get over it.”
“Can I help?”
This girl is like sunshine. I’ll never understand how someone’s heart can be so big and so full of love, but hers is.
“Jay can be difficult. Today is just one of his days to be difficult with me.”
Liz nods her head in agreement, and I laugh.
“What?” she asks, but her grin gives her away.
“He hasn’t made things easy for you, has he?”
She purses her lips. “He’s actu
ally been doing much better lately.”
We continue ambling along, our matching footprints leaving a trail in the sand behind us. Every once in a while, Liz stops to bend over and pick up a shell.
“Liz, if I ask you a question, can you promise me not to freak out?”
She pockets the broken half of a sand dollar. “I think I can do that,” she replies honestly. I grip her hand tighter in mine.
“What if I told you that I wanted more?”
Liz slows down and turns to look at me. “I’m going to stop you right there, Julien.”
“Why?”
“Elijah and Ryder.”
I figured she would mention Elijah, but Ryder? “What about them?”
“You’re with Elijah.” She pauses to pull her braid off her shoulder but also to slow her words. “And I’m with Ryder.”
It takes me a moment to filter and process what she just said. The first thing I think is, not again. Is this going to be the second time she’s taken away from me by my brother? Because for all intents and purposes, Ry is my brother just as much as Jay is.
“You and Ryder?”
“Yes,” she answers, her face painted with worry.
“When?”
“Recently.”
I mull that over.
Liz tugs on my hand. “Julien, I need you to keep this a secret. Including from Elijah and Jayson.”
“But you kissed me.”
“Yes, I did. And I don’t regret it for a second.”
“Have you kissed Ry?” Her face turns the color scarlet and I have my answer.
“I trust you, Julien.”
“What if I told you I wanted a chance, Liz? You said you felt something for me — a pull. I want the same chance you’re giving Ry.”
“I don’t think I can do that, Julien.”
“How do you know what you really want if you’re never given the opportunity to make a choice? We can continue spending time with each other and see what happens. We can test the pull.”
“I did make a choice, Julien. I chose Ryder. I’m falling in love with Ryder,” she says calmly yet bluntly.