Nemesis

by Skye McDonald

  I gazed at him, glowing all over. This is worth so much more. This is… incredible.

  The next day and a half passed in a haze of adventures, sex, and laughter—a lot of all three. The plans he’d mentioned were a reservation to blow glass in Franklin, a small town about half an hour outside of Nashville. This had been on the top of my “cool stuff to do” wish list for ages. His smile when I shrieked with excitement made it even cooler.

  What literally wasn’t cool was the furnace at the shop. “Hotter than the belly of hell” was how the instructor described it, but that didn’t stop us from having a blast. Two hours later, I’d created a paperweight and a beer glass, Will had a slightly wobbly looking vase to his credit, and both of us had sweated off half our body weight.

  It was a perfect excuse to go have a stealthy skinny-dip in my parents’ pool since they were away.

  Back at his place, we had sex in the shower, slept, then woke up and did it again before dinner and a movie on his couch that night. On Sunday, we spent the morning in bed before exploring shops in the Gulch all afternoon.

  It was like a dream, so simple and happy, so everything we wanted it to be and not a damn thing that we didn’t. I’d almost have wondered if it was a dream if not for the body-quaking orgasms he gave me at regular intervals.

  Sunday evening, I checked my phone while we decided what we wanted to do with the night.

  “What’s up?” he asked when I began to spin the device on the countertop.

  I debated another moment, then went to hug him. “Let’s go out.”

  “Where?”

  He’s gonna hate this. “Bar Forty, one of my favorite places. Um, my friends are a musical duo called You and I. They’re doing a final show tonight before they take off on tour. A lot of people are going to give them support.”

  Doubt flashed over his features, so I hurried to add, “Swear it’ll be fun.”

  An hour later, I stepped out of the Audi in a little black halter dress. Will gave his keys to the valet and came to rest his fingers on my back. We traded a look, then strode straight to the bouncer. The line out front followed us with their eyes and gave me a tiny thrill of celebrity, especially when my name was all it took to get us inside. David and Kira always put their closest friends on the list. They’d been growing in popularity around town over the past year. At least some of our friend group tried to be at all their major gigs. I was almost always game to scream my head off for my dear friends, so none of this was new.

  Will beside me sure made it feel different, though. In the best kind of way.

  We wove through the crowded venue. Every time someone shouted, “Hey, Liv!” Will’s hand flexed against my spine. I just waved and kept us moving. I thought we might find a seat without actually stopping to talk to anyone, but a wolf whistle brought me up short.

  “Hot damn, you two know how to make an entrance,” Megan shouted. Will hesitated, but I led us to join her and Adam.

  “Don’t I know you from CrossFit?” she asked with her hand stuck toward Will.

  “I think so.”

  She laughed. “You know so, Will. This is Adam; Adam, meet Will. He and Liv go way back.”

  I half expected him to bolt, but Will just shook Adam’s hand and cocked his jaw. “Megan Riley, it’s good to finally meet you. Tell me, how exactly do you know Olivia?”

  He smirked when Meg’s eyes went wide. She shoved my shoulder. “You told him our story?”

  In bed this morning, we’d talked about CrossFit, and he’d asked about my friend. Out of nowhere, I’d spun him the yarn of a date who had double booked himself and run late for dinner. My nails had been ready to come out when the hostess showed a smirking blonde to my reserved table, but Megs had just laughed and ordered a drink. By the time the guy showed up bumbling excuses, we were too busy becoming best friends to do more than shoo him away.

  “It’s epic,” I said with a shrug.

  “Very true. Fate for sure,” Megan said.

  Will laughed and motioned for the waitress so he could buy a round for the table.

  Megs eyed him while he draped an arm across the back of my chair. “You’re alright. I approve.”

  “I’m honored.” He laid his hand on his heart.

  The show began, so I scooted my chair a little closer to his and simmered with music and good vibes. When the set ended, Megan and I made a trip to the ladies’ room. On the way back, both our gazes snagged on a table near the stage.

  “Well, well, look who’s returned from the dead,” Megan muttered as our strides slowed.

  “I’ll see you at the table.” Before she could question, I squared my shoulders and headed straight for the party of three.

  “Hey, guys,” I said when they looked up. “Hello, Nick.”

  Ben and Celeste nodded, but Nick’s hazel eyes darkened behind his glasses. Abruptly, he shoved his chair back and muttered something about a drink. I sighed and wrinkled my nose at the couple.

  “He’s pissed at you for being such a jerk to Mel,” Celeste said flatly.

  “Yeah, I caught that, thanks,” I snipped right back, then looked toward the bar. “I just thought maybe we should talk.”

  “You should,” Ben said. “He’s going through a lot. Clear the air.”

  “Just be careful. He doesn’t need your attitude.” Celeste toyed with her necklace.

  I pinned a stare on her. “And I need yours?”

  She returned the glare with equal frost. Her eyes narrowed as she opened her mouth to reply, but I looked back at Nick.

  “Excuse the interruption. See y’all later.”

  Nick was staring into a whiskey when I approached the bar. “Jesus, leave me alone,” he growled.

  I leaned beside him. “No can do, sorry. Came to grovel. Not on my knees, though.”

  He quirked a brow but refused to smile.

  “I’m sorry I was mean to your girl. That was shitty of me, but it threw me how you dicked me over without even bothering to call.” I couldn’t keep the edge from my voice.

  His shoulders tensed. A grunt was his response.

  I took a breath and softened my tone. “Still, I shouldn’t have taken it out on her. She didn’t deserve that any more than I deserved what you did. If it helps, she handled my bitchery like a champion.”

  “I’m sure she did.” Nick covered his face with both hands. He looked like the saddest person in the world. I had never seen playful, funny Nick so completely broken.

  When he didn’t move, I laid a hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”

  “No. Not at all.” He rubbed his eyes under his glasses before he turned to me. “I am a total bastard,” he said in a hollow voice. “And I’m sorry I dicked you over. You deserve so much better than that, and I never meant to—aww, fuck it. Excuses are bullshit. Just rest assured that karma took her revenge.”

  I shook my head hard. “I never wanted that. Never, Nick.”

  “Even so.”

  “Can we go back and be friends again? I don’t want to lose you.”

  He caught my fingers and nodded. “I can’t lose anyone else. Certainly not someone like you. We are absolutely still friends.” He looked up from my hand and crooked his lips. “That was a mutual grovel. As it should’ve been.”

  “I’m satisfied.” I held out my arms, and Nick collapsed in a heavy hug. There was no hint of the flirt that sparked all those months ago. There was only my friend, in so much obvious pain that I squeezed him extra tight.

  “Good luck with everything, Nicky,” I whispered in his ear before I stepped back. He winked, downed the bourbon, and tossed me a wave as the lights began to dim.

  Will’s curious gaze was on me from the moment I turned from the bar. When I slid into my seat, he tilted his head in a silent question. Applause swelled, but I could only look at him and smile. Impulsively, I pulled on his collar for a kiss and held his hand extra tight through the second set. I’m so damn glad I’m with you right now, Will Langer.

  The napkins on
the table danced from the unending applause when David and Kira took their final bow. They gripped hands and bowed again and again while we screamed like maniacs to show them love. Will looked over after I emitted a particularly powerful shriek. His grin made me duck my head.

  At last the duo left the stage, and we all sat down again. “Well, kids, I think we better take off. I’ve got an early appointment tomorrow,” Megs said as she shouldered her purse.

  “Do you want to leave?” I asked Will once the other couple had gone.

  “Soon. This was fun, but I get one more night of you in my bed, and I want to use it.”

  “Why are we sitting here then? Let’s go.” I jumped to my feet. Will laughed and followed me to the exit.

  In the Audi, I tucked my knees toward him. “You really had fun?”

  He swallowed. “I feel like I’m living someone else’s life this weekend.”

  “Will?” I blurted. “Why are you so alone? Where are you from?”

  The radio filled the silence between us until finally, “A cattle ranch outside of Dallas. Adoptive parents, a rotation of foster siblings, homeschooling, farm work, ascetic discipline, and religion. That’s where I’m from. I never knew my mother. Or, if I did, in the church community or whatever, I didn’t know she was. Langer was my adoptive parents’ last name. I don’t even know my background.

  “Knoxville was where my life began. My parents gave me two hundred dollars and wished me well, but that was it. I invented myself once I got off that bus.”

  My eyes burned from lack of blinking. I cleared my throat when he went silent again. “Excuse me while I go find that line I crossed. It’s just a couple miles back; I’ll let you know when I get there.”

  He chuckled. “You’ve been trying to get my biography all weekend.”

  My fingers knotted. “I just want to know you better.”

  We pulled into his parking spot. “You do know me, Liv. You just don’t think you do. You,” he chuckled again, but this was raspy and sexy as hell, “you know how to piss me off and turn me on like no one else. You know how to make me smile and think.”

  “And you know I’m crazy about you. That’s the most important thing to remember.” He stroked my cheek and then stepped out of the car. I followed.

  We weren’t off the elevator before my legs were around his back.

  The next morning meant work for both of us, so we got up together and made our way through morning preparations. I stepped out of the bathroom dressed in trousers and a button-down top. Will was pouring coffee at the bar, impeccably dressed in a light gray suit. He grabbed the mug I’d been using and set it beside his own.

  “Looking very professional today Mr. Langer,” I said in greeting as I slid onto the barstool.

  “Not bad yourself, Ms. Milani.”

  “They call me Miss Olivia. It’s a little different than your world. Thanks for the coffee.” I plucked a banana from the bowl and began to peel. “I’m sad this is over, Will.”

  “Me too. It’ll be weirdly quiet when I come home tonight.”

  “I still hate that you’re alone.”

  Will gave me a sly look. “Then maybe you should move in.”

  I laughed, but after the high of the weekend, it didn’t sound so bad. “Yeah, that’s sure to work out well. We wouldn’t be ready to kill each other within a week. Not to mention how surprised my family would be.”

  Although my tone had been light, those words instantly became the elephant in the room. We eyed each other.

  I sipped my coffee. “So, about that. We’ve both been pretty clear that this is a secret from them so far.”

  Will shook his head. “I don’t like secrets. But.”

  “But—but we’ve been so mixed up, not sure what this was, and we’ve only now figured it out. But it’s new. And sometimes when things are new, you need a little private time to acclimate before announcing it to the world.” I swallowed hard. “Right?”

  Please, please go with me on this. I wasn’t ready to tell the family. I couldn’t face the shock, the questions, the very likely dismay and doubt. On the first weekend after the daycare, I’d kept that news to myself for the same reason, and it had turned out so well. Will wasn’t a “friend” or a fling, and I needed to protect this impossibly beautiful connection until I knew for sure that it wasn’t a flash in the pan.

  Will gazed at me, eyes dark, jaw set. At last, he nodded. “I couldn’t agree more.”

  I slithered off the chair and put my head on his shoulder. “Finally, you admit I’m right.”

  I smiled when he laughed. With that settled, I pressed a kiss to his cheek and went to get my bag while he put on his jacket. We kissed goodbye at my car, promised to see each other Wednesday at CrossFit and do another weekend soon, and then he was gone.

  The whole drive to work, all I could do was fantasize. My mailroom job would’ve let me daydream for hours, but now I only had the commute to mull things over before my day was packed with training.

  I didn’t fantasize about his kiss or the screaming orgasms or the shower sex. No, my sappy brain just kept inventing scenes of what it’d be like to go home to him tonight, to fix dinner and eat it on the terrace, to watch TV until we dozed on the couch.

  To have a life together.

  How totally corny.

  26

  Liv

  The rest of August flashed by. Work was a whirlwind as I completed training just in time to take over a classroom on the first day of September.

  I almost passed out with nerves the first time I stood in that doorway. My assistant, Emma, was fantastic, and my colleagues were incredibly supportive. After the first week, I no longer thought about vomiting every morning. The kids were cool, and even the rowdy ones seemed to like me pretty well. Parents wanted to know all about me, so I hosted a meet-and-greet, which I think got me huge points with Mrs. Harris. All the parents were smiling by the end of the night.

  Labor Day weekend fell at the end of my second full week. I’d just settled at the kitchen table with a beer when my phone lit up with a FaceTime call.

  Will appeared on the screen, seated at his desk. He grinned and leaned back, feet propped on the corner. “Hello gorgeous.”

  “Well, hey you. How’s—what’s that?” I interrupted myself when he began rolling something between his hands.

  He stopped and grinned, holding out the paperweight I’d made at our glass blowing adventure. “You left it at my place. Figured it made more sense here.”

  The image of his undecorated desk flashed in my mind, and my chest throbbed with affection. “You put my paperweight in your office?”

  “Mm-hm.”

  “Heavy gusts of wind often a threat, huh?”

  Will laughed and leaned closer to the screen. “Constantly, but that’s not why I called. What are you doing this weekend?”

  “Starting with a beer. After that, I’m not sure. Why? What are you doing?”

  “You.”

  My bare toes curled around the rung of the chair. “Oh, really?”

  “Well, it’s a tentative plan.”

  “It sounds like an excellent plan.” In the past weeks, Wednesday CrossFit and dinner after had been the only time we’d gotten alone together. “Are you suggesting I come over?”

  “I had other ideas, actually. How would you feel about a weekend away?”

  I almost dropped the phone. “Away? You mean a trip?”

  He chuckled. “I’m not sure what else that might mean. Yes, a trip. Be at the airport in an hour and a half.”

  I did drop the phone. When I scooped it back up, Will was laughing. “See you soon,” he said, then hung up.

  Megan was on the line in five seconds. “The airport?” she shrieked. “Girl, you better haul ass to Victoria’s Secret and be on time!”

  I tripped over my own feet as I ran to find Tom in the yard with Maddie, shouted that I was leaving on an impromptu trip, then ran upstairs and blindly threw every type of outfit I might need into a suitca
se. When all that was done, I had an hour to get to the airport. That meant half an hour commute and half an hour to, yes, go to Victoria’s Secret on the way.

  I’m a cami and shorts girl when it comes to PJs, but I picked the laciest, silkiest getup I could find. It came complete with a thong and little bows that tied at the hips. Figuring I could wear my heels if the mood struck, I went with black over red. I was almost embarrassed to buy something that was so obviously for sex, but with a shrug I slapped down my credit card and flew back to the car.

  By the time I got to the airport, I was a frazzled mess. My hair flowed wild and loose around my too-warm face. I parked and took the shuttle to the terminal. As soon as the bus doors hissed open, I hauled my suitcase off and jogged through the automatic doors—

  To find Will standing off to my right, in conversation with a woman. Her smile was wide as her hand fluttered to his arm every few seconds. Since he hadn’t seen me yet, I sucked in a deep breath before striding their way. As soon as I moved, Will found me with his eyes. His face creased in a smile that only slightly retracted my claws.

  “Thanks again for the ride.” The chick giggled just when I got to them.

  “Not a problem. June, meet my girlfriend, Olivia. Liv, June works with me. She’s in logistics.”

  Oh, did her face fall. June’s hand was on Will’s arm again. He subtly shifted away. She floated toward again him before she seemed to realize it this time.

  My lips curved, brows raised. “Hi, June.” I’m going to take out my earrings and throw down if you touch him again. Hope you catch the message.

  Will’s attention stayed solely on me. “Are you ready to—”

  His ringtone interrupted. “Dammit,” he sighed when he glanced at the screen. “Five minutes, tops. June, safe travels.”

  He strode to a quiet corner by the window. June didn’t move. I fixed my stare on her while she looked me over a couple times, her lemon face deepening with each perusal. Cue catty remark in three…two…

  “You’re Will’s girlfriend?”