AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, I guess that’s to be expected.” Parker sighs and picks up his papers. “I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow.”
Now that he is gone, I am free to go home. I can probably get some work done before bed tonight or I could leave it for the morning. Yeah, I’ll probably leave it. It’s not like anything is due anyway and I need the rest. I’ve been so exhausted lately with the stress of the case. Making my way outside, it’s raining again so I put my briefcase over my head and make a run for it to the subway. Half a block later, my toes are killing me, but I’m mostly dry. I hate that wet feeling while sitting on the subway all the way home.
As I sit, I can’t help but think about Parker and our past. Before he started working here, I hadn’t seen him in almost three years, not since he left me in the JFK airport without looking back. We met in college, Parker introducing himself one day. He and I flirted right away, spending late nights in the library and early coffee dates before classes; we were inseparable. We dated until graduation and the summer before law school. He had applied to Columbia too and was waiting on his acceptance while I looked for apartments for us to share.
Then one day he dropped the bomb; he got into law school in England and he was going to go. I thought we’d do long distance, try to make it work until we finished law school. We could be a lawyer anywhere and I knew this was a great opportunity for him. I surprised him at the airport, buying a ticket to his flight so I could help him move in. It was then he told me it was over. I had asked him to marry me, telling him we could make it last, it was only a few years. But his mind was made up and he boarded the plane without a glance back.
My thoughts are interrupted with the binging of the closing subway doors. I shake my head, ignoring all the emotions I raised, and try to think about anything else. It doesn’t matter what our past is, that’s just it. He is mypast, and Cody is my future. It is doubly calming and terrifying.
I make my way to my apartment alone. Stopping for greasy Chinese food on the way home, I am in no mood to cook. Sometimes I think about how it would be nice to come home to someone, maybe a nice home cooked meal or a kiss when I walk in. But most of the time I enjoy my solitude. Cody had hinted at getting an apartment together at one point but I had quickly changed the subject. I knew I definitely wasn’t ready for that. Walking up the stairs to my apartment, I see a familiar face waiting by my door.
“Cody?” I ask, confused. What is he doing here?
“Hey, babe, I missed you.” He holds out a bouquet of roses and smiles. “Here, let me help you.” He takes the bag of Chinese food from me and carries it inside.
“What’s the occasion?” I nod to the flowers as he puts them in a vase.
“No occasion, just because I love you.” I still am not used to how well he treats me.
“I love you too,” I say softly, and he smiles. I head to my room to change into some comfy sweats and out of my business attire. I loved clothes as much as the next person, but at night I love coming home and throwing my heels across the room.
“Why don’t you tell me about your day?” He smiles.
“How about you tell me about yours instead?”
“That bad, huh? Okay, well I think the plans for the new bar are almost done. Sawyer and I need to finalize some things but then we can actually start the renovations.”
“That’s amazing! I can’t wait to see what it looks like. Does this mean you’ll be up there more?”
“Yeah, I mean Sawyer is going to do as much as she can, but a lot of it she needs my help with.”
“I get that.” I nod.
“Maybe we can make a trip of it? Spend some weekends up there.”
“At a hotel?” I ask, confused. That will be a lot of money to do that often.
“I was actually thinking about getting a little place up there. Maybe for the two of us?”
“Oh.”
“Luna, please don’t shut down. Just tell me what you’re thinking.” He takes his hand in mine and I sigh.
“I’m not ready for it to be ours, but I am ready to visit there,” I explain.
“Okay.” He pauses. “Thank you for being honest.”
We eat the rest of our food in silence until we find ourselves on the couch arguing about which contestant should’ve won onThe Bachelorette. He says he only watches it for me but I know if I tried watching it without him he’d be so upset. It had become one of ‘our’ shows to watch together.
“How can you say she picked the right one? That guy was a jerk!” he exclaims.
“But he loved her, and it was just a one time thing on a reality show. Who says it even happened?” I argue.
“I feel like I should know better than to argue with someone who argues for a living.” He smirks and pulls me in my the chin for a kiss.
Climbing onto his lap, I deepen the kiss. Savoring each moment his lips connect with mine. Thunder booms from outside and we both break apart. A strike of lightning hits nearby, and suddenly we are both filled with more desire. I stand up, pulling open the curtains. The windows are that special kind of glass where we can see out but no one can see in. Something my father insisted on when I bought a place so high up. Now I am thinking about how much it can come in handy.
“Fuck me against the window.” I look at Cody with bedroom eyes, and he all but jumps up.
