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“Liv, isn’t that the guy who’s staying next door to us?” she says nonchalantly while placing the groceries in the cabinet. Damn it. Leave it to Bren to be observant without being obvious.
“Um, I think so. Why?” I try to play stupid.
“He’s hot. Really hot.”
Crap. I know where this is going.
“Don’t even think about it. I’m not ready. And even if I was,” I drift off. I can’t be thinking about Chase now. I’m too confused about how I should be feeling about Evan rather than what I am feeling. I sync my iPod up with the Bose system so I can drown her out with some music. I need a distraction. A little Florence and the Machine should do the trick. I scroll down until I find the right song, hit play, and turn it up loud.
Brenda peers around the corner of the kitchen. “Really?”
I smile back singing to the beat about the dog days being over. She comes into the living room and joins me. We can’t sing but we don’t care. Just being silly and jumping up and down with the beat puts a bona fide smile on my face, one that hasn’t been real for a few weeks. Her smile is infectious and soon we’re a giggling mess.
Brenda makes lunch and it’s delicious; grilled chicken with fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, farm raised tomatoes and a basil pesto mayo on brioche bread. She’s always been a great cook. I can cook too, but she has more passion about it. Add an excellent bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from Pindar Vineyards and the meal is extraordinary. Long Island has good vineyards, but Pindar is one of my favorites. We sit out on the deck and enjoy the view of the ocean. “Wow, I forgot what real food was like. Thanks,” I say with sincerity.
Appreciative, she smiles, but I think it’s more that she’s happy I’m eating again.
“Bren, could you call my mom for me? She keeps leav
ing messages, and I haven’t told her about Evan yet.”
“You haven’t?”
“No. I’ll tell her in person when I get home.”
“Um, sure. What do you want me to say?”
“Just tell her I’m fine, and I don’t feel like talking to anyone. And tell her not to jump on a ferry.” That would be the last thing I need. “And whatever you do, don’t put me on the phone.”
“She’s going to know something’s up.” I nod, but I can’t talk to my mother now. “Okay, give me your phone.”
Bren goes inside to make the call. I don’t want to hear it or even be in the vicinity of the conversation.
After I caught Evan and Brandi having sex, I had nowhere to go so I ran home to my mommy. I knew driving over there it was a bad idea, but I went anyway. I needed comfort, and I was hoping she could give it to me. Ever since my dad died, she’d been latching on to my relationship with Evan. I guess it helped her to see us together.
I pulled up to the house to find her car missing. She wasn’t home. Every once in a while, she has a meltdown. It’s been over six years, but she still hasn’t come to terms with his death. She runs over to her sister’s, my Aunt Rosemarie’s house. Aunt Ro is the only person who can talk her down when she gets into a funk.
So, when I needed her the most, she wasn’t there. Typical. It was probably better that way. I know we would have wound up arguing anyway, and I don’t know if I could have endured any more heartache.
For a little over a week, I avoided her. I’m glad I decided not to attend my graduation ceremony last Sunday, or she would have known something was up when Evan wasn’t there. I walked for my Bachelors; there was no need to do it for my Masters.
The following Thursday morning, I had packed all of my clothes for Davis and headed downstairs. My mom had gone over to Aunt Ro’s for the day. I left a note on the counter telling her I’d gone, locked the door, and drove to the ferry. I had planned on talking to her when I calmed down, but someone got to her first.
Preoccupied with the waves in the distance, I hear my name.
“Olivia, is that you?” I turn around to see Chase standing on his deck, naked from the waist up. He has the most perfect inverted triangle. Broad shoulders, every muscle in his solid body is toned. My eyes are drawn to the indentation of his hips that lead down to the deep V. What I wouldn’t do to get a glimpse of where that leads. “I didn’t know you were right next door.” His voice is low and raspy. Crap. Double crap. He has impeccable abs with a body to die for, and the way his shorts hang from his hips . . . How did I miss that? I turn away, my face flushed.
“I guess I am,” I reply, trying for nonchalance but failing miserably. I continue to stare out at the water, pretending he’s not there.
“Well, that makes my week significantly better.”
I look up, and there is a trace of a smile on his lips. My insides feel like they are on fire. How to respond to that? Maybe Brenda is right, and he does like me. No, I am not ready.
“I think I hear Brenda calling me, see ya.” I run towards the sliding glass door.
“Wait,” I hear him call out, but I am already in the house. Holy fuck. My heart is pounding. He is so breathtakingly beautiful. I lean against the wall breathing like I just ran a marathon. What the hell was that? I take a deep breath and walk in to where Brenda is finishing her conversation with my mother.
“Yes, I promise I will tell her to call you . . . Yes, she’s fine . . . Okay . . . Okay, bye.” She hangs up the phone and gives me that I-so-own-you look.
