It was nine o’clock in the morning and a perfect day. Gennie was struggling in her front yard, trying to get the lawn mower to run. She wished it had an automatic ignition, like a car. She didn’t have quite enough arm strength to pull the starter. Though outside work didn’t intimidate her, she usually left most of it, especially this task, to Rory.
“Goddamn it,” she cursed under her breath, “can’t they make these things easier to operate?”
Gathering up all her strength, she pulled the starter as hard as she could, using both hands. She rejoiced when she heard the engine roar, but then, just as quickly, it sputtered out. Gennie felt her whole body fill with rage.
“You son of a bitch!” she yelled at it. “Why can’t you just run? My yard is starting to look like the friggin’ Serengeti! People are going to think this house is abandoned and have it boarded up!”
“Is this machine bothering you?” A familiar voice behind her said.
She turned around and was mortified to see Peter standing in her driveway. He looked gorgeous, while she, covered in sweat and wearing a ratty t-shirt and jeans, looked like her own mower ran over her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Just doing,” he replied sheepishly. “How about you?”
“I’m having a very crappy day,” Gennie said.
“That’s too bad,” Peter remarked. “Want me to help you with that?”
Though Gennie didn’t want to be assisted, she felt like she was at the end of her rope. “All right.”
Peter didn’t look strong enough to get the mower running either, but to Gennie’s surprise, with one quick flick of his arm, the motor was humming.
“Oh thank you,” Gennie said. “I never thought I’d get this thing going.”
Gennie grabbed the handlebar and was about to push it when Peter stopped her.
“I’ll do it for you,” he said.
“Huh?”
“I’m going to mow your lawn for you.”
“You don’t have to do that. It’s not your job.”
“But I’m going to.” Without waiting for Gennie’s response, he pushed the mower forward and proceeded to cut down the foot high grass.
Gennie watched him for the whole fifteen minutes it took him to mow the yard. As stupid as she felt about it, she had to admit to herself that she thought he was really cute.
When he was done, she felt like she owed him something.
“I can give you some money,” she said. “My purse is in the house.”
“No, don’t do that!” he replied.
“Well, how about…something to drink then?”
“Sure! That’s more like it.”
They entered the sliding patio door on the side of the house and stepped into her kitchen.
“What do you want? I’ve got iced tea, beer-“
“A beer would be great!”
He sat at the breakfast bar and she handed him a bottle of Corona Extra and a glass tumbler. He ignored the glass and guzzled the beer straight out of the bottle.
She wasn’t sure what to say to him.
“So…what brings you to this part of town?”
He looked a little taken aback by the question.
“Uhh…well…I was visiting a friend.”
“Oh,” Gennie replied, not convinced at all.
“Really I am,” he said. “Is it against the law for me to visit my friend?”
“I didn’t say it was.”
“Well, you gave me this look that my mom gives me when I come home from a date with a hickey on my neck and I tell her it’s an insect bite.”
Gennie smiled wryly at that comment. “Smart woman, your mom.”
“I’m not stalking you, honest.”
“Uh-huh…and pigs can fly, right?”
“I just want to get to know you better, that’s all. You seem like a really cool person. Maybe we can be friends or something.”
“All right, but that’s as far as it goes.”
Peter took another swig of his beer. “I know what you’re thinking and you’re wrong. I have tons of friends who are girls and I haven’t slept with them. Like Tanja…who I’ve known since I was a kid and we never…okay, maybe once. Or maybe Tiffany…she was the daughter of the lady that my family got Harley, our dog, from and we…oh yeah, we did do it. Oh wait, there was Maria…she worked for us as a maid. We didn’t do it, technically, but…”
“Okay, I’ve heard enough. You’ve had sex with every girl you’ve met. Well, it stops here. I’m not a girl and you’re not going to get any action from me.”
“Sure you’re a girl!”
“Not in that way.”
“Yeah and what’s your point?”
“You’re too young for me.”
“I don’t care how old you are.”
“If I was dating, which I’m not, I would only go out with people my own age.”
“What if I was your age?”
“Erik told me you were eighteen years old.”
“What if he’s lying?”
“He isn’t.”
“He likes you, you know.”
“I know. We’ve become really good friends lately. He’s helped me out a lot.”
“No, not like that. He likes you. He doesn’t want me to come around and take you away, so he told you I was too young. But that might not be true.”
“If it’s not true, let me see your drivers’ license then.”
“I don’t have it on me.”
Gennie scoffed. “Every man in the entire universe carries his license on him all the time!”
“All right!” Peter burst out in exasperation. “You got me. I am eighteen, but so what? Age is only a number, they say.”
“You need to grow up first. I already have a child. I don’t need another one.
Gennie thought that would turn him off to her right away. Instead, it piqued his interest.
“No way! I love kids! I always wanted a little brother or sister, but you know…it’s complicated. How old is she?”
“She’s going to be ten in June.”
“Well, my baby, Harley, is going to be seven months old tomorrow. How about I bring him over next week and she can play with him? Kids always go gaga over him.”
“Yeah, I guess that would be okay,” Gennie replied.
“So, what about your family? You got any brothers or sisters?”
“Well, I have a twin brother. He owns a restaurant in San Francisco. It’s called Michele’s.”
“Is he older or younger than you?”
“Older, but not by much, of course.”
“Is he a good cook?”
“Yeah, very.”
They said nothing for a while.
“Are you pissed that I came over here?” he asked.
“No, of course not,” she replied, “but I was surprised. I thought you were busy with that other girl.”
“What other girl? You mean Fallon? She’s nice but she has nothing on you.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope, and guess what…I know you have the hots for me too.”
“Um, I don’t.”
“Then why are you always staring at me then? You were staring at me at the restaurant and then you stared at me while I was mowing your lawn. I know why you’re acting all huffy around me. I didn’t pay much attention in school when I was there, but I know girls. I can tell when they really like me. They act exactly the way you do.”
“I like you,” Gennie said calmly, “but I don’t have a crush on you.”
“Oh yeah…and birds can fly.”
“They do fly.”
“You know what I mean!”
“Yeah, unfortunately, I do.” She couldn’t help but laugh.
“So just admit it already!”
“Okay…you’re cute. And I think you have star quality. Honestly, I don’t know why you’re not an actor. You’ve been very useful to me so far in building the p
rops, which honestly I wasn’t expecting at all. If I was ten years younger, I might let myself have a crush on you.”
“So you do want me. Closed case.”
“It’s case closed.”
“Same thing.”
Peter looked at his watch. “Oh damn…I gotta get moving.”
“Okay,” Gennie said. “You got a hot date or something?”
“Uh…sort of. No disrespect to you, of course, but I’m in high demand right now, you know. I have to take advantage of it.”
“I don’t care,” Gennie replied, trying to sound casual. She did feel a pang of jealousy, though.
“Sure you do,” Peter said, chuckling. Without prompting, he hugged her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “See you later.”
He was gone as fast as he appeared. As much as she tried to deny it, she knew she was blushing like some airhead teenybopper.
Get over it Gennie, she reprimanded herself silently. You’re too old for this kind of crap.
But he made her so happy and she couldn’t help herself. She thought he was the most beautiful man ever.
Chapter 62: April 15
What They Left Behind Page 61
