“My ex boyfriend has been showing up at my apartment and broke in. You had to change the locks on my door to keep him out, Steve. I’d say that’s pretty messy.”
“You’re in a...complicated ... okay,” he laughed when she raised her eyebrows showing him her skepticism at his word choice. “It is a little messy, but that doesn’t mean you’re messy.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean sometimes people are in a messy situation but that doesn’t make them a mess. And you, sweetheart, are not a mess. Trust me, I could write a book on the subject.”
She shook her head at him. “You’re not a mess.”
“Not now,” he admitted, turning them so he was leaning back against the counter and reached out cupping her cheek. “But it hasn’t always been like this. Life’s like that.”
“I feel like I haven’t been living mine. Not until I met you. I know that sounds cheesy but you make me feel different.” She looked at him with such hope in her beautiful eyes, those big brown eyes that made him feel like he could do anything.What was this woman doing to him?
“You’re different. I mean, I’m different when I’m with you but I know it’s you. I’m not stupid.” He paused and shook his head. “I know that girls like you don’t fall into the lap of guys like me. Not normally,” he said, giving voice to the doubt that had been pulling at him. Making itself at home in his brain in a way he didn’t like.
“Maybe they should,” she mumbled, looking down at her feet.
He smiled. This girl was getting under his skin, and he didn’t mind it. Not one bit. Another week with her and who knew what he’d be willing to do.
“Well, now that one has, I plan on being around for as long as she’ll let me,” he said reaching out and running his hands through her hair. He caught the end of her braid and tugged on it gently. “I do have to go home tonight, but I’ve got a few hours before I have to go…but I have a request.”
Jordyn looked at him curiously. “What?”
“This whole staying around after…it’s new for me. Brand new. Never done it before.”
“And?” she prompted with a smile. She was pleased to know that this was something special between them.
“I want to draw you...if you’re comfortable with me doing that.”
Her mouth dropped open. “What?” A blush colored her cheeks, the pretty pink of it making her look sweeter than he already knew she was.
Steve ran a finger down the side of her face. “Will you pose for me?”
“I—yeah, of course. I’d love to!” She looked down at her clothes and gestured at herself with a sweep of her hand. “How, though? Should I change?”
“No. Stay like this. I want to draw you looking exactly like this.” Their morning together was nothing short of perfect, even with their uninvited visitor asshole ex-boyfriend. He wanted to remember all of it.
“Where?” she asked, smoothing her hands through her hair. “My hair is wild, should I go—”
Steve pushed her hands away and stilled her efforts to tame it. “At the table. Just as you are.”
“The table?” She looked over at the dining table with a raised eyebrow. “Really?”
He nodded. “We had a good morning together. We made a good memory, and I want to keep it with me. Drawing,” Steve cleared his throat and looked away from her, “drawing it makes it real when I try and remember it.” He moved away then and towards the front door. “My stuff is in my bike. I’ll be back in a sec. Just take a seat for me when I get back, okay?”
She nodded and he could tell she wanted to ask why he wanted to draw her but she didn’t. He was grateful for that. He hadn’t been lying that he wanted to keep it with him, the memory of their morning, but if he did tell her why he wanted to keep this memory, she might not understand. He’d have to go deeper, and Steve wasn’t ready for that, not now, that was...big. Too big. Right now, he wanted to keep what they had and enjoy it, not bring in the ugly that made him the way he was, because for all the ugly, he got toenjoy this bright spot, and he got to do it with her.
* * *
“This the friend?”Jamie asked, coming to stand behind Steve, his eyes on the drawing on the table. The scene was domestic: a girl in shorts and a loose-fitting sweater with one knee drawn up to her chin while she sat at a table. Her other leg dangled free. The smile on her face was framed by long dark hair that spilled down her back, nearly to her waist.
“Jordyn. Her name is Jordyn,” Steve said without looking up. After he’d finished drawing her on Sunday, he’d let it sit for a day, wanting to get some perspective before he went back to finish it. Now it was Tuesday and he was working intently on sharpening the lines of the portrait.
“Mmm.” Jamie leaned against the table. “She’s cute.” He was relieved to see the open and kind look in the woman’s eyes. If anyone needed more of those things in their life, it was Steve. She looked like someone you spent time with and it counted.
Steve snorted. “Cute? She’s beautiful,” he corrected, rubbing a hand over his face and pushing his glasses up onto his head before sitting back in his chair.
Jamie laughed, clapping him on the back. “Yes, she’s beautiful,” he agreed, watching the way Steve’s eyes lingered on the drawing. “When are you bringing her around?”
