Apples & Oranges (The This & That Series)

by Moss, Brooke

  The lie fell out of my mouth and bounced on the pavement at Demo’s feet. His mouth dropped open, and he gaped at me. “You’re going on a date?”

  The wheels on Stacia’s car squealed as she peeled away from the curb, and I laughed bitterly. “Yeah.” I shrugged, pretending to be nonchalant even though I wanted to lie down in the backseat of my car to weep and suck my thumb for a while. “After the Rosewood Bridge Club tea party tomorrow I’m going out with a business associate. He’s an ad exec in town for the week. We’re old friends, if you know what I’m saying.” I paused dramatically. “You’re not upset, are you?”

  Silence stretched out between us, the only sound filling the space was the air compressor in the garage, which I was pretty sure Trey was doing on purpose. Finally, after about a minute-long stare down, Demo straightened his shoulders and wiped sweat off of his tanned brow.

  “Nope,” he said finally. “Have a good time, Marisol.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  I popped a flower shaped cucumber sandwich into my mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Thanks to Yiayia’s baklava a while back—and the tacos from Miguel/Mike’s truck—I’d spent more time on the treadmill at the gym than in my own bed at night. The white bread lathered in cream cheese I was chewing on wasn’t going to help the situation, but I didn’t care. I’d been dumped. Again. And I wasn’t taking it well.

  Every time I saw my friends with their husbands, I mourned the absence of such a relationship in my own life. Take Candace and Brian, for instance. They’d been mad for each other for since they were nineteen, and from what Candace told me, the passion was as hot as it had been when they’d lost their virginity to each other. Their life together—the house, the kids, the matching ugly Christmas sweater holiday photo cards they sent out every year—was like the gold ring on the carousel I was trying desperately to grab. But kept falling short.

  I really thought I’d found it in Demo.

  He was different. He occupied all my thoughts, and I felt his presence around me even when we were apart. It didn’t matter to me how much of an A hole he acted like, because I knew there was this caring, family oriented man deep down inside, underneath his crusty mechanic exterior. The idea of merely kissing him made my skin warm and sweat prick at my hairline. He made me fantasize—not about being tied up with silk scarves or having sex in an elevator, like I used to wonder about—but about waking up to the sound of Saturday cartoons playing downstairs, or the chaos that an Antonopolous family Christmas dinner would bring into my otherwise empty home.

  The truth was… I was starting to think I—gulp—loved him.

  Shoving another cucumber sandwich into my mouth, I tried to bury my unrequited feelings beneath a blanket of cream cheese.

  After all these years, and all those men, I’d finally fallen. At the feet of a mechanic. Who has a giant Greek family. And a girlfriend named Stacia.

  THUD. I bent at the waist, and my head hit the wooden tabletop. I whimpered.

  “Oh, dear,” Lexie said as she and Candace came into the kitchen to find me bent at the waist and hunched over the table. “It’s taken a turn for the worse.”

  They’d spend the bulk of the tea party correcting my mistakes. When I’d placed the petit fours down on the tables before serving the scones, Candace had swooped in to replace the silver platter. When I’d served rose bush tea instead of earl grey, Lexie had apologized for my faux pas and won over the room of old ladies with a story about baby Ian. After over a decade of friendship that (mostly) involved me acting superior and confident, I’d been reduced to a weepy, red-nosed, lovesick sap.

  If this was love, I was done. This crap was for the birds.

  Candace put her arms around me, and lifted me back into a standing position. “Mar? Come on. Pull it together. We need you.”

  “I want to go home.” I sniffled and wiped my nose on a crumpled napkin. “You two can handle the tea party. It’s practically over now. We can all split. They won’t even miss us. Pack up the trays.”

  “They haven’t even paid us yet.” Lexie pointed out. “You need to find Mrs. Harrison and ask for final payment. She still owes a hundred and sixty-four dollars.”

  “You can get it,” I whined. I was usually the one who collected final payment from our clients. But my no-nonsense attitude had been replaced by Eeyore’s pitiful “poor me” gig. And it hurt even more that I actually knew—thanks to Candace’s kids—who Eeyore was.

  Candace rubbed my arms. “Come on. Perk up for me.”

  “I can’t…” I wiped my eyes. “I don’t want to.”

  “Well, you have to,” she said, smiling gently. “There’s someone—”

  “It’s so easy for the two of you.” I wriggled away from my friends and went to grab a couple more cucumber sandwiches. “You’re both happily married to doctors, for hell’s sake. You’ve got kids and carpools, and I’ve got an empty house and an annoying, pissed off cat—”

  “I told you not to get that thing,” Lexie interrupted.

  “I love Cocinero!” I bellowed, before dissolving into tears again. Lexie put their fingers to her lips, and Candace put an arm around my shoulders as I dropped my voice down lower. “But honestly. Look at you two. It’s so easy for you to tell me to perk up. You’ve both got the perfect lives. Your husbands are best friends, and your families barbeque together every weekend. Aren’t they golfing together tomorrow?”

  They nodded in unison. “What does that have to do with anything?” Lexie asked.

  Candace elbowed her. “Marisol wants what we have.”

  Part of me wanted to argue with her. Point out the fact that fifty percent of all marriages wind up going through a divorce, and that they’ll spend the rest of their lives screwing the same man. But I knew it was a moot point. Because now all I wanted was to spent the rest of my own life screwing the same man.

  Didn’t see that one coming.

  Too bad I’d lied to him and told him I had a hot date with an imaginary businessman.

  Lexie took one of my hands in hers. “Listen, Mar. I know you’re feeling awful right now, but all is not lost. What you’re feeling… it’s called love. And I know you’re scared, because it’s such a big feeling, and everything. But it’s normal. And if you tell Demo how you’re feeling, I’m almost certain he’ll say he’s feeling it, too. That’s how it works, you see.”

  “Stop talking to me like I’m eight years old,” I snapped, blowing my nose. “I know what love is.”

  “But you admit you’ve never felt it before,” Candace said gently.

  “Well, not for a man. Hell, I don’t even know if I love my own parents.” I looked up at my friends, the only people in the world I’d ever cared about more than myself. “I’ve only ever loved you guys. And that stupid cat.”

  Candace and Lexie froze, their eyes wide.

  After about five seconds, Lexie blinked. “I’m sorry. Um… what?”

  I gestured at the two of them. “You guys. I love you guys. You’re like the only family I’ve ever known. Don’t you know that?”

  Candace pressed a hand to her chest. “I feel like we’re having a major breakthrough here.”

  “Me too, right?” Lexie wiped the corner of her eyes. “I mean, I always knew you cared about us. I mean, why on earth would you choose Spokane of all places to settle down?”

  “It’s because you guys, and your husbands and kids, are everything.” Another fresh crop of tears filled my eyes. “Wherever you guys are, that’s home.”

  Lexie sniffled and put her arm around Candace. “We love you, too, Marisol.”

  Candace reached out and wiped a tear off the end of my chin. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up, okay?”

  “What for?” I reluctantly let her tug me towards a nearby sink. “I just had an emotional breakthrough. Shouldn’t that make me exempt from work for the rest of the night?”

  “Under normal circumstances, yes.” Lexie turned on the cold water, dunked her hands, and started patting my puffy face. “
But tonight you have something to do.”

  “What?” I grumbled. “I’ve already lost love and professed love in one night.”

  “True.” Candace tugged my hair out of its ponytail and ran her hands through it. “But there’s someone here to see you.”

  My insides froze. “Excuse me?”

  Lexie beamed like a proud mother. “Your face isn’t red anymore. Except your nose. That’ll go away in a while.”

  I grabbed her shoulders. “Who’s here?”

  “Well, go outside and see for yourself,” she giggled.

  Sure enough, outside the back kitchen door stood Demo, with a bouquet of purple and white lilacs in his arms. Once again, he’d recently showered and shaved, as his face was soft and devoid of all whiskers, and his hair had been combed and gelled into submission. He was wearing wrinkled cargo khakis—I would have bet money that those were his nicest pair of pants—and a light grey tee shirt.

  “Um, hi?” he said as I approached.

  I prayed he couldn’t see my red nose in the dwindling sunlight. “What are you doing here?”

  “Stopping you from going on a date with another guy.” Demo handed me the bouquet. “These are from my yard. I’ve got more than I can stand, so when they die, I’ll bring you some more.”

  I smelled them. They were so fragrant and sweet, I sighed blissfully. “They’re great. Thank you.”

  Demo’s gaze intensified. “I’ll bring you fresh ones every single day, if I have to. I’m sorry, Marisol.”

  I looked up at him and bit the insides of my cheeks to keep from tearing up. Again. “I’m sorry, too.”

  “I should have called after our date, and I know it.” He shook his head. “It’s just that I didn’t want to scare you away. You keep telling me that you’ve never stayed in a relationship, so I didn’t want to come across to strong.”

  I winced. Lexie was right. I hated it when that happened. “I know. And I could have called, too.”

  “What I think is happening here,” he said with a smile. “Is a case of two people who have no idea how to be in a relationship want to be in a relationship.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re probably right.”

  “Listen, Stacia and me… we’re not dating.” Demo shook his head, frowning. “We went out a few times a couple of months ago. We met at a bar, and fooled around. I…” He pressed his lips together, and his face reddened. “I slept with her a few times. That’s why she’s having a hard time letting go. I never promised her anything. I was always honest with her and told her I didn’t want a relationship. But I think she thought I’d come around.”

  This story was all too familiar for me. I’d lost count of how many times I’d slithered out of someone’s bed, knowing he wanted a commitment from me I would never deliver on. “And you didn’t?” I sighed.

  “No.” He shook his head. “She keeps coming to my place and to Triple D’s. She shows up and talks to Yiayia, who can’t stand her. Yesterday she just lunged at me. I was pushing her away when you saw us. I wasn’t kissing her back, Marisol. I swear it.”

  I smiled. “I knew I liked Yiayia for a good reason.”

  Demo sighed. “That’s why I’ve been moving slow with you. I don’t want to go too far, too fast. I’m trying to make this last, because…” His words petered out, and he shrugged. “I don’t know. I just feel more for you.”

  “I know.” I reached out and laced my fingers with his. “I feel more, too.”

  Tell him you love him.

  No. Too fast. Don’t scare him away.

  Tell him!

  I opened my mouth at the same time he spoke again.

  “Can I take you somewhere?” Demo asked softly. “Somewhere important?”

  “Sure.” I beamed, tugging him towards his tow truck parked on the street. “Whisk me away, Mr. Apple.”

  “Apple?” He looked at me quizzically, but I just laughed.

  ***

  “Holy crap,” I breathed as soon as we pulled onto Lincoln Lane. We were a few blocks north of the park where we’d watched the play, only it had been transformed into a gorgeous block party that had taken over the whole street. There were twinkling lights and paper lanterns hanging between the telephone poles; multicolored flags strung along rectangular tables that bore every kind of food imaginable (mostly Greek, of course); and a deejay was playing fiftie’s’ music while couples, old and young, danced. It was magical.

  My mouth dropped open. “What is this? What’s going on?”

  “Block party.” Demo smiled proudly, and waved to someone on the sidewalk. “Which ultimately means an Antonopolous family reunion, with a couple of other families thrown in for good measure.”

  “You all live here?” I craned my neck to search the crowd. Sure enough, most of the people had Demo’s dark, wavy hair and deep chocolate eyes.

  “Lots of us do, yeah.” He winked at me. “I told you my family was pretty tight. We tend to see each other every day, and touch bases with each other all the time. We all know what’s going on in everyone else’s life, and eat at each other’s houses every night.” Demo chuckled to himself. “Oh wait, that’s me. I make the rounds and eat at everyone else’s house, and if play my cards right, I only have to cook for myself like once a week.”

  I stared at him. “I eat meals with my parents once every two years.”

  “Well, that’s got to change,” Demo said with a nod.

  After parking at the barricades at end of the street, Demo opened my door and took my hand. “This is my mother’s house,” he said, pointing to a grey house with white shutters on the corner. “And the brick house right next to it is my Aunt Vesna and Uncle Stavros’ home.”

  A group of kids zipped by on bikes, waving. “Hi, Uncle Bobo!” one of the kids called.

  “Hey guys.” Demo waved. “Two of those kids are my nephews. Nick and Steven. They belong to my sister, Cressida.”

  “Is that Eleni’s mom?”

  He shook his head. “No, that’s my other sister, Athena. She lives in the other brick house with the red door.”

  I peered down the street. “Which one is yours?”

  “The blue and white one.” He pointed to a house in the middle of the block, where a man was grilling steaks in the front yard on the biggest iron grill I’ve ever seen. “I’m sandwiched in between my Uncle Miles and Mr. Polbert, who is not a relative, but a former postman who has made each of us nifty handcrafted welcome signs to hang above our doors.”

  “I see.” I noticed a woman holding a baby watching us with a grin, and nudged Demo. “Who’s that?”

  “That’s Eleni’s mother, and the baby she’s holding is her youngest, Christopher.” He took me by the elbow and led me over. “Hey, sis. This is my new friend, Marisol. Marisol, this is my sister, Athena.”

  She reached out a hand for me to shake, and the baby released a scream. “Ugh. Sorry. He’s sort of a clingy baby. It’s nice to meet you, Marisol. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Glancing at Demo, I shook the three free fingers on her left hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too. I didn’t realize Demo had told anybody in his family about me.”

  “Oh, he hasn’t. He’s been trying to keep you a secret.” She winked at her brother, who just rolled his eyes. “It’s my grandmother I’ve been hearing all about you from.”

  “Oh, really?” I chuckled. “I have to say, I really dig your yiayia.”

  “We all do. What’s not to like?” Athena started to bounce the baby on her shoulder. “She seems to think you and my brother are dating. Is that true?”

  “I think so,” I said. “But it’s new, so don’t go picking out China patterns yet.”

  Athena laughed. “You got it. I like you. Demo, why haven’t you brought her around before now? She’s got sass. I like sass.”

  “Did you hear that?” I looked up at Demo. “She likes my sass.”

  Demo rubbed his eyes. “Don’t encourage her.”

  “Who?” Athena and I said in un
ison, making Christopher wail again.

  “This one cries all the time,” Athena explained, holding the wriggling baby out to me. “I’ve got to go get a bottle. Would you mind?”

  “What? Me?” I blurted, looking around for someone—anyone—else more capable of holding the drooling baby. “Oh, I don’t think—”

  “He should be fine for a minute.” Ahtena gave me an encouraging nod. “He’s not nearly as whiney as Demo was when he was a kid. Is he, Demo?”

  “Athena…” he warned.

  “Whoa. Okay.” I grasped Christopher as Athena dropped him in my arms and grinned. “I, uh, don’t have that much experience with babies. My friends have kids, and—” I shut up as soon as the baby started to wail again.

  “Always crying about something.” She rolled her eyes as her brother turned red as a beet next to me. “I can’t find my GI Joe doll. Mom said I could have two sodas today. Where’s my Superman cape? Day in, day out with the incessant whining. Makes Christopher here seem like a monk with a vow of silence.”

  I felt Demo’s hand on my shoulder. “Thanks for the trip down memory lane, sis. That was great.”

  She grinned, looking just like Demo and Yiayia all at once. “Shall I tell her about how you wet the bed until you were thirteen?”

  Demo’s mouth pulled into a defiant line. “I was twelve.”

  “Touchy.” Athena patted my other shoulder. “I’ll be right back with the bottle. Take my brother over to the food and make him eat something. He gets a little cranky when he’s hungry.”

  Snorting, I turned towards the smoking grill in front of Demo’s house. “You fast often, I presume.”

  “Har, har. Come on, I smell goat.” Demo made a beeline for his front yard.