“Kai was … inspiration for the tattoo.” That sounded different coming out of my mouth than it did in my head.
“Lucky guy.” Oliver continues with the task at hand. If I knew him better I’d say he’s mad, but I haven’t seen Oliver’s mad side yet, so I’m not sure this is it.
“I think he would disagree.” I cringe at the thought of Kai hearing Oliver’s words of envy.
“Yeah, well no girl has ever permanently marked herself for me.”
Closing my eyes I shake my head. “It’s not for him, it’s because of him. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I’m sure he’d rather be in your shoes of not knowing than his.”
Oliver dumps the bucket of dirty water in the sink. “It’s no big deal. Some doors are better left unopened.”
O–kay.
This coming from the guy who has a mysterious locked, unopened, door upstairs. Secrets. That’s what we’re agreeing to without saying the actual words.
“Are we talking about my door or yours?”
He pauses with his back to me. “I need to take a shower before I go to my parents’ house for dinner. You want to grab some breakfast in the morning?”
I hop off the counter. “I’m leaving in the morning to stay with my parents in Hartford since Alex’s are coming to visit for the next week.”
He turns. “You’re leaving for a week? Don’t you have to work?”
“No, I’m leaving for two days, and no I don’t have to work. That’s the upside to Alex’s parents coming to visit. They think she works for Maggie so she actually has to when they’re here.” I flash a smile and a wink.
“So where will you stay for the rest of the time?”
“Kai’s.”
He folds his arms against his chest and widens his stance. “Kai’s? Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?”
“Yes, but she won’t be back for another week and they don’t live together anyway. She’s fine with me staying there. I do it all the time.”
“I see. Have the two of you ever been …”
I’m relieved he’s curious, maybe even jealous. “Yes, and no. We’ve been friends since kindergarten, but we were never more than that until our junior year in high school. But that only lasted a couple of years.”
“So you’ve been …” He looks at me with big questioning eyes.
“We’ve been … what?”
Oliver rolls his eyes. “Intimate.”
“You mean sex?” I laugh because the alternative hurts too much.
“I don’t need to know.” He turns and heads upstairs.
“Wait!”
He looks back at me.
“We haven’t had sex—”
Oliver holds up his hand. “I said I don’t—”
I walk partway up the stairs to meet him. “I know what you said.” Wrapping my hand around his neck, I pull him to me. Our lips connect for a slow kiss. “But I needed you to know. I haven’t been with Kai … in fact, I haven’t been with anyone.”
Yep, that did it. Frozen, eyes wide with slow exaggerated blinks, Oliver is in shock. I could wait to see if he finds his voice, but I’m not anticipating that happening anytime soon.
“So … enjoy dinner with your parents. I’ll call you when I get back in town.”
Nothing.
I smile and walk down the stairs with an occasional glance back at the stone statue that is Oliver.
Oliver
I like this amazing woman that’s eight years younger than I am. She’s an adult and old enough to drink. Age shouldn’t matter, until she flashes her V card! I’m not that old, but I’m too old to be taking anyone’s virginity.
My head yelled at her to stop because we needed to discuss the bomb she dropped on me, but my mouth could not move. Now she’s leaving for the next two days and I’m going to go crazy. Chance would think I hit the jackpot, not the case for me. That damn V card has too much fine print on it.
Expectations.
Words like love, cuddling, fairy tales, forever, marriage, babies, and minivans are stamped all over it like a passport to Hell. I can’t be Vivian’s Prince Charming, and even if that’s not what she wants, it’s what she deserves. It sounds so shallow, as if looks are all that matter, but twenty-one-year-olds that look like Vivian are not virgins. Was she abused? Is she religious? What is her story?
“Hi, Mom.” I give her a big hug as she greets me just inside their front door.
“I was hoping you’d bring your neighbor friend.” She rubs her hand up and down my arm as we walk out back to see Dad and Chance.
“Someone has a big mouth,” I say loud enough for Chance to hear as my mom hands me a beer.
Chance tips back his bottle taking a long pull while hiding his grin. “You’ve been blowing me off to spend every night with her, so I assumed this would be the week we’d get to meet her.”
“We’re just friends and that’s all it’s ever going to be. She’s too young for me and bringing her here could give her and everyone else the wrong impression.”
“Oliver, a few days ago you acted like the age difference didn’t matter. What’s all of a sudden changed?” Chance asks.
I take a swig of my beer. “She’s just young and has a lot to experience in life, that’s all. Can we talk about something else?”
“Your dad and I are thinking about flying out to Portland next week. Would you like me to get you a ticket too?” My mom is talking to me with the ease and confidence she would have while spewing off a grocery list to my dad over the phone.
“No.”
“You do realize it’s the—”
“Yes, Mom, I realize!” I drain the rest of my beer. “Find a new subject or I’m out of here.”
She sips her wine and looks at my dad. He gives her a slight head shake and takes the food off the grill.
“You boys both going to the game with me?” My dad knows how to change the subject and keep the peace.
“Yep,” Chance and I reply in unison, relaxing the tension that’s heavy in the air. This is what I need: no-brainer emotionless conversation.
Vivian: On my way to my parents’. Hope you had a nice time at yours. Call you when I get back :)
This is not how I want to start my day, but I need to make a clean break. A text seems like the coward’s way, but the last thing I need is Vivian building us up in her mind over the next two days.
Me: I think we should stick to being neighbors/friends. Okay?
Vivian: Did I do something wrong?
Me: No. The age difference is not going to work for me.
Vivian: WTF?
Me: Please don’t be mad.
Vivian: Am I not old enough or do I not have enough experience?
Me: I don’t have what you want.
Vivian: I don’t recall telling you what I want, but UR right, UR an ass and that’s not what I want!!!
Me: I’m sorry, don’t be this way.