In Between the Earth and Sky

by Heidi Hutchinson

  Merrick huffed and rubbed his chin and jaw with a palm as he studied the top of his desk.

  “Is that why you didn’t want me hanging out with her?” Remington asked.

  Merrick rolled his eyes again. “I was concerned you two were dating, and no. My romantic history with Lydia is mine alone. I don’t project that onto others.”

  Remington snorted in disbelief.

  “As difficult as it seems for you.” Merrick sighed and nodded slowly. “I was…taken off guard by the idea of you dating her—”

  “We’re not dating,” Remington corrected him.

  “No, of course not,” Merrick agreed, surprising him. “Which is why I haven’t said anything to either one of you in regard to it. I’m glad you’re… her friend. And she’s yours.” His eyes connected with Remington’s. “She’s a good one to have.”

  ***

  Remington

  “You just let yourself in now?” Lydia accused with narrowed eyes and a full mouth.

  Remington grinned, sliding easily into their special vibe that only existed when they were alone together. Uncomplicated, silly, innocent.

  “What are you eating?” he asked, closing the door behind him.

  “Cereal,” she slurped, lifting her chin to catch a dribble of milk.

  “Fancy.”

  “I live the high life. What are you doing here?”

  “You don’t have a telescope. Someone who looks at the sky as often as you, should have a telescope.”

  He produced the used item from behind his back and presented it to her.

  “You bought me a telescope?” she asked.

  “I bought us a telescope,” he clarified. “At a flea market. Who knows if it even works all that well,” he added with a shrug.

  “Hm.” She perked up, her eyebrows lifting into her hairline. “If it’s broken, I can fix it.”

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

  He set it aside and came fully into the apartment. He stopped a foot away and eyed her appearance more critically.

  “What’s wrong with you?”

  “Rude.” Lydia glared at him before turning her back and taking her cereal bowl to her bed.

  “No, I mean…something’s different…?” Remington noticed the slight limp in her gait and the slow way she lowered herself onto the mattress. “Are you hurt?”

  Lydia puffed up her cheeks and blew the air out. “Only literally.”

  His pulse jumped and he glanced around the apartment. As if expecting to have to fight someone or something. “What happened?”

  “I am going to be just fine,” she reassured him. “It’s nothing some Advil and a full body massage won’t fix. Do you feel like this all the time?” she asked, shifting with a grimace as she tried to prop her pillow behind her back.

  “What do you mean?” he asked, crossing to her and assisting with the pillow.

  “You work out every day, right?”

  Remington felt a smile spread slowly across his face. “You went to the gym?”

  She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yeah. I thought I was in pretty good shape too, but muscles I didn’t even know I had are using horribly foul language on me.”

  “I’m hurt, Larkin. If you were going to sign up with a trainer, why didn’t you ask me first?”

  The unamused expression she shot him made him laugh out loud.

  “I didn’t hire a trainer. My friend Brenda talked me into self-defense classes in the form of Krav Maga.” She slowly stretched her legs out in front of her and winced.

  “That’s awesome!” he declared. “I do Jui Jitsu!”

  “Good for you.”

  “If you keep up with it, you won’t have soreness like this,” he told her, shuffling her over so he could join her on the bed. “Finish your cereal, you big kid, and I’ll give you an athletic massage.”

  She took a bite of her cereal and eyed him with obvious suspicion. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

  “Why? Because I’ll be touching your body and you’re so uncontrollably attracted to me?” he teased. “Keep it in your pants, Larkin.”

  “I changed my mind,” she said, swallowing her mouthful. He tilted his head in question. “I thought I was done hating you, but no.”

  Remington barked a laugh that had him tipping his head back to rest on the wall behind him.

  “One of these days I’m gonna be a Krav Maga expert and I’m going to kick your ass. Who’ll be laughing then?”

  He rolled his head to the side to grin at her. “Honestly, that sounds amazing. We can spar with each other.”

  Lydia caught his gaze and she grew quiet. “We already spar.”

  “I know.” His smile softened. “I love it.”

  She held his eyes for another few seconds and sucked in a deep breath. “Yes. Well, that’s not surprising.”

  “Where are your glasses?” he asked, finally realizing what was different about her face.

  “I got contacts,” she replied, looking as upset as if she’d just declared someone had replaced her dryer sheets with dog turds.

  “This is disappointing…?” he asked.

  She shrugged one shoulder, it’s movement bumping into him.

  “No, it’s fine. They make my eyes tired. But I needed something to wear to self-defense class.” She handed her empty bowl to him and he took it without question.

  “All right, Larkin,” he said, heaving to his feet. “Which body part hurts the most?”

  He placed the bowl in the kitchen sink and retrieved the coconut oil he’d spotted in her cupboard the night he’d made them dinner.

  Had that really only been a couple of weeks ago?

  It felt like longer.

  He stopped at the foot of the bed and smirked at his friend.

  One of his best friends.

  So. Very. Fast.

  Too fast?

  Time would tell.

  “The front of my shoulders. Is that weird?” she asked, crossing her arms and cradling both of her delts in her hands. “And my ass is on fire. But you’re not allowed to touch me there.”

  He didn’t argue as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside her. “When is your next class?”

  “In a couple days. Our instructor told us we’d be sore, but he was not messing around.”

  Remington had her scooch forward and he sat directly behind her, his legs extended on either side of hers, her bottom fitting in the opening of his legs.

  Taking some oil in his hand and warming it slightly, he rubbed it on her shoulders exposed by her thin tank top.

  “Did you ask her out yet?” Lydia asked after a minute.

  “Tomorrow,” Remington declared with conviction.

  “Yeah?” she turned her head toward him.

  “Yeah. I guess I’ve been feeling brave these days. Probably your fault.”

  She nodded in understanding. “I do that. Fill people with the power of invincibility. It’s a heavy burden.”

  “And it hasn’t impacted your humility at all.”

  She snorted and leaned back slightly as he worked his way down her arms. “What’s her name?”

  “Cherie. She’s a teacher, I think.” He moved back up her arms to her neck, Lydia dropped her head forward. “You have a swollen tendon back here.” He muttered, using his thumb to press into it and work it loose.

  “That’s left over from our bike crash.” She sighed as her neck finally loosened. “I haven’t had a telescope in a really long time.”

  He didn’t say anything as he moved his hands to her back and under her shirt.

  “I think my first love was actually the sky,” she confessed quietly.

  “What happened to make you choose something else?”

  She made the motion to shrug but since she was too relaxed to use any of the muscles, it wasn’t really anything.

  “I think… I think I was just too scared I wouldn’t have what it takes, you know? The earth, the dirt, plants, I get those things. They make sense to
me. I watch them and sing to them, and they… just grow. But the sky deserves more than I have.”

  “You talk about these things—botany, astronomy—like they’re not scientific endeavors. You speak of them the way other people talk about relationships.”

  “Aren’t they though? Isn’t how we live our lives and how we choose to conduct our business a reflection of what we’d do to the loves in our life?” She took a shuddering breath that he felt through his palms. “Have you ever loved someone but it didn’t matter, because you knew yourself. You know you wouldn’t be good for them?”

  Remington’s hands stilled on her back and he took a stabilizing breath. Because yes, he knew exactly what that felt like.

  “Her name was Cressida Buchanan.”

  Why he decided to tell Lydia that, he really couldn’t say. He hadn’t talked about Cressida in years. Hadn’t seen her since that last misguided and yet amazing night at the cabin.

  But a day hadn’t gone by without him thinking of her.

  “I loved her. But I knew I would hurt her. So, I ended it before I could.” Saying the words out loud tore ragged edges through his inside. “She’s—I don’t even know where she’s at now. I stopped asking because…”

  “I know,” Lydia said, taking a deep breath. “I figure I’ll start chasing the sky when I feel like I’m ready for all it has to offer.”

  And he felt like she did know. For a moment, Remington felt understood. And maybe he understood a little more about Lydia.

  ***

  Lydia

  Lydia stopped herself from greeting the person who answered the door with, “Hello nameless roommate.” That just wouldn’t be very nice.

  Though, to be fair, nameless roommate’s own greeting was a slight derpy expression and leaving the door open as he went back to the couch and his video game. That must mean Remington was home.

  She closed the door behind her with her empty hand. Her other arm was occupied with a nearly falling apart paperback copy of The Starry Messenger by Galileo Galilei.

  The door to Remington’s room was closed and she paused, her knuckle held at the ready to knock. It was eight in the morning.

  Eh, oh well.

  She knocked and waited, listening to the rustling of covers and then heavy footsteps.

  “Larkin,” he said, a slow smile replacing his sleepy frown. “What’s going on?”

  He supported his tall, lean (shirtless) frame against the doorframe. One arm reaching up to hook a hand over the top of the open door.

  Lydia’s eyes skated over his torso and muscles, briefly enjoying the work of art her friend was. And, of course, the few days’ worth of beard growth. Man or myth? Wild animal or human being? The world may never know.

  She lifted the book as if that would explain the details of her next statement.

  “I did it! I fixed the telescope! And since it’s Friday, I’m going up to the greenhouse for the weekend. Do you wanna come?” She wiggled her body in a truly awkward dance. But she was excited so she didn’t care.

  He chuckled, his eyes lighting up at her antics. “I would normally be all about that. But I actually have plans tonight.”

  “Who is it?” A feminine voice asked from somewhere behind him.

  Lydia felt her eyes go big and her mouth fall open. “Oh man,” she whispered. “I am such a dick.”

  Of course he was with someone! Duh! She felt like a total moron. And a shitty friend. And a shitty woman! Because what girl wanted to wake up in the bed of the guy she was seeing with another girl showing up at his door?

  No one. No one wanted that ever.

  “It’s okay,” Remington replied with a placating smile. “You can come in.” He turned back into his room and let the door fall open.

  Lydia chewed on the inside of her cheek, weighing her options. If she bolted, it could make the girl he was seeing suspicious. Which she didn’t need to be. If she accepted the invite inside, she risked making this person on whom Remington was taking a chance, uncomfortable.

  There was no winning here.

  Taking a deep breath, she stepped through the doorway, apologetic downturn of lips firmly in place.

  Lydia hadn’t met Cherie yet. She’d heard a lot about her but this was their first face-to-face.

  She had short-ish, tousled, vibrant blonde hair, round blue eyes framed by long black eyelashes, and by the tan legs that extended out the bottom of what was clearly Remington’s t-shirt, she was athletic as well.

  Lydia couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face.

  Of course Remington’s girlfriend would look like a Hollywood starlet with white gold hair. In a word, lovely.

  Then she smiled.

  Lydia’s breath caught as she was dazzled by the brilliant straight white teeth gleaming back at her. Before she even realized it, she was heading straight toward Cherie with her free hand outstretched.

  “I’m Lydia, so happy to meet you.”

  “Um, hi.” Cherie gripped Lydia’s hand lightly and let go. “I thought…” Her blue eyes blinked to look at Remington who had crawled back into the covers. “I didn’t know you were so young.”

  “Oh.” Lydia’s head jerked back a little and her gaze darted to Remington, who had now hooked Cherie around the waist with one arm and was pulling her back into the bed with him.

  “Yes, well…” Lydia tipped her head to the side and hummed lightly as she thought about what to say to that. Whilst at the same time trying to ignore Remington being very handsy with his guest. “Remington’s a little bit of a dumbass,” she finally said, scratching the side of her neck with a shrug.

  What? It was true.

  Remington barked a laugh and continued nuzzling the neck of the near naked beauty in his arms.

  Huh.

  “I can go…” Lydia said obviously.

  Remington cleared his throat and sat up in the bed, his back to the headboard, sheet covering him to his waist. Cherie settled in beside him and he pulled her close with an arm around her waist.

  “No, tell us about what you’re up to.”

  Hm. Lydia took a breath and held the paperback in her hands for a second before holding it up. “I thought you might find this interesting.” She set it on the desk, her eyes glancing over the chaos of papers and messages decorating his work space.

  The rolling chair tucked under the edge of the desk groaned as she slid it free. It groaned again when she sat in it.

  “So you guys have something cool happening tonight?” she asked brightly.

  “Dinner with my mom,” Remington confirmed, distracted by Cherie’s fingers tangled in his own.

  Lydia repressed the urge to roll her eyes at his obnoxious adorableness. And dinner with mom already?

  Rocket ready for launch, anyone?

  “Cherie,” Lydia said, getting the blonde’s attention. “Remington told me you’re a teacher?”

  Cherie took a breath and smiled, easy, happy, sweet. “Yeah, kindergarten.”

  It was almost disappointing how unshocked Lydia was to hear that.

  Gorgeous? Check.

  Sweet? Check.

  Heart of gold? Check.

  Cherie was the oldest of three, parents still happily married, no kids, no flaws.

  They talked for a while, laughing and teasing Remington. Lydia discussed briefly her plans for that night before realizing it was time to get on the road.

  “I’ll walk you out,” Remington offered. He kissed Cherie on the shoulder. “Go ahead and take a shower first, hun.”

  Cherie blushed, smiling blissfully at his gesture.

  Remington pulled a t-shirt on and followed Lydia out of the apartment and to her car.

  “So, what do you think?” he asked, crossing his arms and looking smug.

  As usual.

  Lydia cocked a smile as she set her laptop on the passenger seat. She blocked the sun with a raised hand as she turned to face him.

  “She’s great,” she answered honestly.

  He nodde
d, his grin spreading across his face.

  “Smart, sweet, gorgeous,” Lydia continued. “And meeting your mom already.” She nodded, wondering if he could see what was so obvious.

  “Well,” Remington shrugged, “Mom called when we were together. I thought inviting Cherie along would only be polite.”

  Lydia nodded slowly, carefully keeping her face blank. “Yeah.”

  “I really like her. She’s way out of my league—”

  “Oh, good,” Lydia interrupted. “You already figured that out.”

  He narrowed his eyes in mock outrage. “But she likes me.”

  “You’re likable,” Lydia reminded him.

  A shadow passed through his eyes and his smile wavered. “Yeah, I wanna see where it goes.”

  Lydia smiled, knowing the feeling he was talking about. The hope that maybe this one might be the one. The one to fit.

  All people came with jagged edges. Maybe there was one out there whose jagged edges matched up with her own—creating harmony where there had only ever been sharp ends.

  Chapter 10

  Change

  Lydia

  “He has a girlfriend?”

  “Yeah,” Lydia puffed as she ducked from another blow. “She’s great. We all went out for sushi the other night.”

  “Wait.” Brenda held up a hand to her sparring partner as she came to a full stop. “Who’s we?”

  “Me, Rem, Cherie, Merrick.”

  “You went on a double date with your ex-slash-boss?”

  “When you say it like that, it sounds creepy.” She called a halt with her partner and crossed to the end of the ring where she stripped out of her helmet and gloves. Brenda followed.

  “What would you call it?”

  “Dinner with friends?” Lydia disliked how that came out as a question. “It’s not a big deal.”

  “Lydia,” Brenda said, her bossy voice coming out. “Remington Rohan doesn’t date. He hooks up, he has escapades, he doesn’t have serious relationships.”

  Lydia bristled at her friend’s words. While a few weeks ago, she would have agreed, she knew Remington now. What she was saying wasn’t fair to him.