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“Please keep your voice down, Clare. Can the two of you please get along for an hour, maybe two?”
“We get along,” Wes stated, giving me a wink.
Forcing a smile, I nodded. “We totally get along. Wes was just in awe of my ability to give-”
Rory held up her hand. “I heard. I don’t need you to repeat it, whatever it was you were talking about. What I would like is for the two of you not to bicker and argue and just please remember this is for Presley and there are little ears everywhere.”
“Of course, we know this is for Presley, and I promise we’ll be on our best behavior.”
“Wes?” Rory demanded.
While Rory was reprimanding us, I picked up a banana and started to peel it. With Rory facing Wes and me standing behind her, I placed the banana into my mouth and took it in as far as I could. Wes started to choke, and Rory placed her hands on her hips.
“Wes, this isn’t funny,” Rory said, pointing her finger at him just like a mom would do. “Stop acting like a five-year-old.
“Me?” Wes said, pointing in my direction. But I was too quick, and the banana was gone before Rory even looked my way.
She sighed. “You two are hopeless.”
When she walked away, I faced Wes. He slowly shook his head.
“That was a dirty play.”
It was my turn to wink at him. “Oh, you haven’t even seen me play dirty yet.”
He smiled, and I ignored the way it made my heart flutter in my chest.
“You won that round, Clare.”
Pushing off the wall, he started to walk past me but stopped. Leaning down he placed his mouth close to my ear and whispered, “I’m much bigger than that banana, sweetheart.”
My breath caught in my throat and for a moment my mind went wild. Turning to look up into those blueish green eyes, I did the only thing I could think of doing.
I laughed.
Weston (Wes)
Airbags and Anniversary Shopping
I stood on the balcony of my brand-new condo in downtown Boston and stared out at the Boston Harbor. I’d done it. I’d sold everything in New York City, left my job, and moved to Boston. I’d given up my dream, but it was too late.
Mandy was getting married.
Mandy Rhodes had been the one woman I thought I would end up marrying. We dated in high school and college. When I had gotten a job in New York City working for one of the largest banks in the country, I assumed Mandy would have been happy. She’d never talked about her future. In my mind I thought she’d always be there. But when I told her I was moving to New York City, she had told me it was over between us.
Turns out, Mandy had her own dreams that she never bothered to share with me. She wanted to run her family’s restaurant. A pizza place in downtown Boston that her grandfather had started when he moved to Boston from Italy. Mandy’s mother had taken over the running of the restaurant when her father wanted to retire. He was still part of the picture, but Tina ran it now and had been training Mandy to take it over someday.
I closed my eyes and sighed. “What are you doing, Wes?”
My mind drifted back to a year or so ago when I had come into town and had run into Mandy. We ended up going to a hotel, fucked all night long, and when I woke up the next morning she was gone. The only thing she had left behind was a note on the pillow next to me.
Pulling the note out of my pocket, I opened it for what felt like the hundredth time.
Dear Wes,
Thank you for the amazing evening. I needed it! I couldn’t stand to look at you this morning though because I knew I had to tell you the truth. I’ve been dating someone for over a year. His name is Ron, and he is a great guy. He loves me and wants nothing more than to take care of me. Last night was a terrible mistake. When I saw you, all these old feelings came running back, and all I could think about was what it would feel like to be with you one more time. I guess I just needed to remember what being with you was like and why I need to stay with Ron. I love him and I’ll never be able to forgive myself for cheating on him. I hope you understand.
I wish you the best of luck.
