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Andrew sits up behind me and gently brushes my hair out of the way while he kisses my shoulder. Electricity runs down my spine.
“Tyler?” Avery says with ragged breath. She sounds like she’s crying. “Can I come over?”
“Of course.” I say, straightening up my body. I turn towards Andrew with a frown. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I just can’t be alone right now.”
“See you in a few.”
* * *
I wake up Monday morning with a dull headache pounding behind my eyes. Undoubtedly it’s from the half pitcher of margaritas Andrew and I shared last night before our make-out session in his backyard. The second half of the pitcher that Avery and I downed after she got here didn’t help matters, either.
I climb out of my bed and pad to the kitchen to start the coffeepot and down a couple of aspirin. While I wait for the magic bean juice to be ready, I reminisce about last night before we were interrupted. A shiver runs down my spine when I think of what might have happened had Avery not called.
Honestly, it’s probably a good thing. The last thing I need to do is have drunk sex with my neighbor in his yard and then not be able to look into his eyes again until he leaves. But boy, did I want to.
Regardless, I’m glad I could be available to Avery when she needed me. Single mom life is wearing on her and the constant fighting with Cory isn’t helping either. I hate this for her and wish I knew how to make it any better. Hell, I wish I could relate at all. I don’t even have a houseplant relying on me right now since I haven’t yet replaced the dead cactus. The idea of supporting a baby feels like something from another planet, yet something I’m yearning for so much.
Juliet was with her dad last night. Well, her dad and grandma. Dad lives with his mom right now, and that means Juliet basically stays with Grandma while Cory visits. He’s only involved with her when he feels like it, and that’s not very often. This is the only way Avery feels even a little safe about Juliet seeing her dad, not that she has much of an option.
When she dropped Juliet off last night, Cory started yelling at her about the concert again. His mom broke up the argument before the police had to be called, but Avery’s feelings were already hurt. He left pissed off, and she was afraid he would show up at her house for round two. I’m just thankful that she was calling to tell me she needed to come over and talk, instead of calling me to visit her in the ER again. We’ve been there before, so when Avery calls me crying, I assume the worst. I don’t know if that feeling is ever going to go away.
I take a seat in the recliner and slowly sip my coffee, willing my body to wake up, just a few moments before shuffling into the room from the guest bedroom.
“Good morning, princess.” I say with a yawn.
“What was in that pitcher of margaritas?” She asks, covering her eyes with her hand, trying to shield them from the light.
“A lot of tequila.” I moan, taking another sip of my coffee.
“I can still taste it.” She says, making a show of smacking her lips with a disgusted look on her face before disappearing to get a cup of coffee.
The sound of metal hitting metal outside rings through the living room, and I move the curtain to look outside. Andrew is throwing things into the bed of this truck, onto the pile of carpet and padding we already filled it up. Suddenly, he looks up and once again catches me watching him. I wave at him sleepily before I let the curtain fall closed.
“Sorry I ruined your date last night.” Avery says, reappearing into the room, catching me in the act.
“It wasn’t a date.” I tell her with an eye roll, moving my way back to the spot on my couch. Although, it definitely was. I’m just not quite ready to talk about it yet.
“Yeah, the dead grass in your hair looked like your ‘not a date’ was going rather well.” She says, making her way down the hall, coffee cup in her hand. I hear the bathroom door click shut.
I open my mouth to shout an argument, but I’m interrupted by a knock on the door. I open the door to find Andrew standing on my porch. He’s wearing faded jeans, a black t-shirt and a blue unbuttoned flannel shirt. “Hey.” He smiles at me.
“Hi.” Suddenly aware of my messy hair, morning breath and lack of pants while I stand there in my oversized sleep shirt. “I bet I’m a sight to see.” I say, embarrassed. Truthfully, I don’t like anyone to see me without makeup on, especially the hot guy next door. It was years before Elliott saw me not completely put together and that would have never happened if it were up to me.
“You’re beautiful.” He smiles and reaches out to squeeze my hand, and I blush in response. He pulls me in for a kiss when we’re interrupted.
As if on cue, Avery walks out of the bathroom and sees that I have company. “Oh, hello everyone. Don’t mind me.” She’s dressed and looks like she didn’t wake up five minutes ago with a hangover. “I have to go to work.” She looks at us. “And you two can get back to whatever I ruined last night.”
I roll my eyes at my friend as she steps past us and onto the porch.
Andrew turns to me. “Do you have some free time this morning?”
I glance at the clock on the wall. “I have a couple of hours. I just need to get clocked in by nine.”
“Want to go for a ride?” He asks with a grin.
“Um… sure.” I look down at my naked legs again. “Just let me get dressed real quick?”
