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Stacey laid her head on his shoulder. “This view is amazing.” They sat in silence. She watched as a boat sailed slowly across the calm water with soft sounds of music floating up from it.
As she sat, she thought back to her week—the sadness she felt re-living her parents death and the effects of her soon to be layoff at work—it seemed such a long time ago that she sat in that meeting and was given the news of her job and had to deal with both issues on the same day.
Tristan reached over and brushed a tear from her cheek. She sat up, shocked. She didn’t even realize she had started crying. Embarrassed, she wiped her face with her hands.
“I told you I’m a good listener.”
Stacey took in a small, shuddering breath. “I know. It’s just that this past Monday was the fifth anniversary of something that changed my and my brother’s world.”
She turned to him. There was a man full of compassion and understanding right there in front of her and seeing him gave her courage. “Do you really want to know?”
He didn’t waver. “If you want to share, I want to listen.”
He can’t be this perfect. Where’s the flaw?
Her heart skipped a beat. She could tell he was serious, and she felt a peace flow over her, and found herself starting to open up to him. “It’s the anniversary of my parent’s death.”
Tristan’s eyes grew wide, but he didn’t say any of the usual things she’d grown tired of hearing, like:
“Oh, honey. How sad.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“Oh, how awful.”
He just sat there and let her continue.
“They were killed coming home from their thirtieth anniversary weekend. Jacob and I had talked to them just that morning and were expecting them home. We rushed around cleaning, making sure everything looked perfect. We even baked a cake so we could celebrate with them.”
Stacey’s voice caught in her throat, and she cleared it.
“Our grandmother, Mom’s mom, stayed with us that weekend. We were both in college, but she insisted, and we didn’t mind. We loved having her around and being spoiled by her was always a plus.” She glanced at him. “It was a good thing she was there. I don’t know what I would have done if she wasn’t. When I answered the door, two cops stood on our porch. They told us about the accident. I was in shock. Jacob became angry. He jumped at them.” She brushed away tears which fell as she laughed at the memory of Jacob jumping at the cops, only saved by their grandmother holding him back.
She took a big breath. “Anyway, that was five years ago. Then, to make Monday worse, I found out that I have to find another job by the end of the month. So, yeah. That’s been my week so far.” She shrugged and took a deep breath, standing up to stretch her legs.
Tristan stood and leaned next to her. “Wow. I can’t say much about losing a job, as I work for the family business, but I know what it’s like losing your parents.”
Stacey’s head flicked quickly toward him. There’s no way. “You do?”
He nodded. “I never knew my dad. He died when I was just a baby. My mom and I moved into the guest house on my aunt and uncle’s property soon after. Adler, the guy I was with when we met in the mountains and again at the mall, isn’t just my best friend. He’s my cousin and like a brother. We grew up together. Anyway, my mom ended up with cancer and passed away when I was in middle school, sixth grade, to be exact. My aunt and uncle took me in. They raised me like their own and gave me everything I needed.” He shrugged. “So, yeah, I understand what it’s like losing your parents and it sucks. It worse than sucks, but honestly, I haven’t found the right word yet that quite fits it. To lose your job on the anniversary of your parents’ death would double suck.”
Just the way he said, “double suck” and the look on his face, his lips puckered, and his brow raised, was adorable, childlike, and just plain funny. She couldn’t help the laugh that escaped. It was like all the pent-up frustration had to come out and finally did.
“What’s so funny?” He turned to her. She howled with laughter.
He arched his brow and cracked a smile. Then his smile turned to a chuckle until he, too, was laughing.
Stacey heard him laugh and laughed harder until her side hurt, and she had a hard time catching her breath. She bent over and wrapped her arm around her middle, focusing on trying to breathe.
Finally, she calmed enough to talk. “Tristan, what the heck…” She had to take in a big breath. “…It isn’t funny.” She wiped at the tears falling down her cheeks.
“I… know… it’s…. not…. sorry.” He spoke between breaths.
Their eyes made contact. They both paused, able to take in a big breath before they lost it again.
Stacey held up a hand and closed her eyes. She breathed in through her nose deep and blew it out her mouth. “Okay.” Once she regained her composure, she opened her eyes.
Tristan’s were closed tight. He had his arms on the wall in front of him and was focusing on his breathing. The moon shone off his features, and amusement creased the skin around his eyes.
