"Yeah, that was weird."
"He was really shy, even with relatives. Luckily, he grew out of it. He even talks to girls now," Brad says with a laugh.
"He didn't talk to girls before now?"
"I'm joking. He's had plenty of girls. Been with the current one for two years now." He opens a cupboard and grabs a bowl.
"Think he'll get married?"
"Not sure. He doesn't like talking about that stuff. He's like you that way." He takes the box of cereal my mom set out and pours it in the bowl.
"I talk about stuff," I insist.
"Not girls." He gets the milk from the fridge and drowns his cereal in it. "Got any almonds? Walnuts? I like nuts on my cereal."
"I don't think so." I watch as Brad looks through the pantry. "We've talked about girls before. I haven't told you about all of them because some of them I only went out with once or twice."
"Hey, man, I'm not judging you. Not everyone likes sharing that stuff. I was surprised as hell when Paul told us about Lydia. My mom was too. It made me think maybe he is going to marry her. He's so into his job I didn't think he wanted to get married, but maybe she changed his mind."
"How about you?" I ask, taking another cracker from the sleeve. "Are you still anti-marriage?"
"I'm not anti-marriage." He brings his bowl around the counter to sit with me. "I'm just not ready to settle down anytime soon."
"I thought you told me you didn't want to settle down. Something about how being a doctor will take up all your time."
"I was talking about med school, not being a doctor. Once I'm done with all the school shit, I'll get a job, find a girl, and settle down." He chomps on his cereal and we sit without talking for a few moments. "What about you? Are you planning to find a girl and get married once you move to wherever you end up?"
I smile to myself, staring at the fridge door as my mind wanders to Riley. "I don't think I'll wait that long."
"What do you mean? Are you seeing someone?"
"Not yet, but I hope to be soon."
"Who is she?"
"I'd rather not say. Not yet."
"Is this someone from college?"
"No. It's someone here."
"Here? You just moved back this week. How'd you meet someone already?"
"I've known her forever. We went to school together."
"Does she know you want to date her?"
"I'm not sure. I've been giving her signs to let her know, but I'm not sure she's picking up on them."
"You don't have much time. You only have a few months before you get a job and move. Could be even less than that. If you want this girl, you need to tell her now. Don't wait."
"I will. I'm just not sure how to say it."
He gets up and takes his bowl to the sink. "Just ask her to dinner. She'll know what that means. If she doesn't feel the same way about you, she'll turn you down and you'll avoid any awkward conversation telling her how you feel."
"That won't work. She won't see dinner as a date. We've had dinner before. As friends."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." He puts his bowl in the dishwasher. "I'm gonna go get ready. Orientation is at noon, right?"
"Yeah. We'll leave around 11:45."
He walks past me.
"Hey," I say, stopping him. "How was last night?"
"With Riley? It was great! We had a good time."
"You just went to the brewery? Nowhere else?"
"We thought about going to a movie, but it was getting too late. She had to work this morning."
"What'd you think of her?" I ask, wanting his opinion. I'm too blinded by love to see any of her faults, so I'm curious if Brad can find any.
"I thought she was really nice. Easy to talk to. Fun to hang out with. She said she'd be working with us at the pool."
"Yeah, I told you that."
"I don't think you did, or maybe I don't remember you saying it."
"Riley and I have worked there for years. This will be the last summer."
"Yeah, she told me that. She seemed sad about it."
"I am too. I'm really going to miss our summers there."
"You were right about that trailer. The place needs some serious work."
"Yeah, I know. It's so bad I don't even think it's worth fixing up. But she won't be living there much longer."
"Oh, yeah? She's moving?"
"Um, not yet, but hopefully soon."
"Huh. I'm surprised she didn't mention that last night."
"She's not sure yet so don't ask her about it, okay?"
He looks at me funny. "Yeah, sure, man. I'm gonna go shower."
He walks off and my mom appears. She was in the basement doing laundry.
"Your sheets are almost done," she says. "I'll make up your bed while you're at work."
"Mom, you don't have to do that. I can make my own bed."
"I know, honey, but you're sick." She pours herself some coffee. "I don't mind doing it."
"Just let me do it. I'm feeling a lot better today." I get up and toss my banana peel out before she does it for me. I love my mom, but when I'm living at home, she treats me like a kid and wants to do everything for me.
She looks around. "Where's Brad? I thought I heard his voice."
"You just missed him. He went to take a shower."
"Did he get some breakfast?"
"Yeah. He wanted eggs, but we didn't have any."
"Oh! I'll add them to the list." She grabs a pen from the counter, along with her list.
"He said he'll get them himself. He doesn't want you buying his food."
She sighs, adding the eggs to the list. "You boys just need to let me be a mom. And an aunt. It's my last summer to spoil you both before you go off and find jobs and get married."
"You'll still be my mom. And if I get married and have kids, you'll have some grandkids to spoil, so that's something to look forward to."
"That'll be years from now," she says, walking to the table to get her purse. "If it even happens."
"You don't think I'll have kids?"
She searches through her purse. "Honey, don't take this the wrong way, but you never stay with a girl long enough to get to know her. That makes it hard to find a wife."
"I get to know her. But if I don't feel a connection with her, I break it off. I don't stay in relationships that aren't going anywhere."
My mom shakes her head, still digging through her purse. "I think you're expecting too much. Real life romance isn't all stars and fireworks. You just need to find a nice girl you get along with and be happy with that." She holds up an earring. "Ha! Found it! I've been looking for this for days."
"I need to get ready," I say, walking away. "And don't make my bed while I'm gone!"
She laughs.
I'm laughing too, at her advice to just pick a nice girl to marry, even if we don't have chemistry. That's a horrible idea. Why would she even say that? Did my dad destroy love for her? Make her think it doesn't exist?
As for me, I still believe in love. The real kind, with the stars and fireworks my mom described. Not actual stars and fireworks, but that spark you feel when you know you're with the right person. The person that makes you feel something so strong it knocks you off your feet and makes you wonder how you ever went through life without her.
That's how I feel about Riley. I can't imagine my life without her, and hope that never happens. Riley is my forever girl. The one I want to marry someday. I know in my heart we're meant to be together. I just need her to see that for herself, if she hasn't already.
On our way to the pool, I call Riley. "Hey, it's me. You want us to swing by and pick you up?"
"No, I'll just meet you there. I have to finish sweeping before I go."
"I thought you got off at 11:30."
"I'm supposed to, but we're really busy and Angela hasn't shown up yet."
"Is that the new girl?"
"Yeah, but I don't think she's going to work out. Tell TJ I'm running late."
"I wil
l. Bye."
"What's going on?" Brad asks as he adjusts the air conditioning. We took his SUV because it's bigger and nicer than my car. It's less than a year old and fully loaded with every possible option. It was his dad's SUV, but he got a new one and gave this one to Brad as a graduation gift.
"Riley's going to be late. She's stuck at work because the new girl didn't show up. Remind me to tell TJ."
"Who's TJ?"
"Our boss. He couldn't get a job after college, so he works odd jobs during the year and manages the pool in the summers. He's been doing it for five years now."
"Who are the other lifeguards? Anyone you know?"
"I'm not sure. I think Tara's coming back. She went to high school with Riley and me. She just finished college so she might have a job already. Other than that, I don't know. We usually have a few new people every year."
"How many are on a shift?"
"Usually five, unless there's a reason we need more." I point to the street that's coming up. "Turn right. It's down there."
Brad turns, and we continue along the side road that goes to the pool.
"You might like Tara," I say.
"What do you mean?" He glances at me. "Like to date?"
"Yeah. She kind of reminds me of you."
"How so?"
"Really driven. Focused on her career. She majored in business and wants to run her own company. She told me all about it last year."
"What kind of company?"
"Something to do with software. You'd have to ask her. I don't remember. She was hoping to get a job at a software company after college so she could meet up with some developers and convince them to join whatever company she starts."
He pulls into the pool parking lot. "She sounds ambitious."
"Just like you. I think you two would be perfect for each other."
"For the summer," he reminds me.
"Well, yeah, but she's the same way. She doesn't want anything serious. That's why you guys would be a good match."
He parks and grabs his backpack from the floor behind me. "I'm okay being single this summer."
We get out of the SUV and walk up to the building that's next to the pool. It isn't much—just a check-in desk and lockers on both sides. It's made of concrete blocks that have been painted blue.
"When I was a kid coming here," I say, "I ran out of the locker room and slipped on the wet floor, hitting the concrete wall and breaking my head open. Got forty stitches."
"I don't remember that. How old were you?"
"Four. You were too young to remember."
"I remember being four. That's when we lived in the apartment and ate peanut butter sandwiches for every meal." Brad shakes his head as we go to the locker room. "Not a good time."
"Sorry, man. I didn't mean to bring you back there."
"Don't worry about it. It was a long time ago. And given what's happening now, those times don't seem so bad." He sets his backpack down on the bench. "Do I just pick a locker?"
"No, over here." I motion him to follow me to the back. "These are the staff lockers. Just put your lock on one and it's yours."
He opens the first locker and backs away. "What the hell's that smell?"
"Probably mildew. They're really old," I say, laughing. "This place isn't as fancy as the pool you're used to. Not even close."
The pool he used to work at was in a ritzy neighborhood in Scottsdale. It was a public pool but looked like something you'd see at a five star resort.
"It'll be fine," he says. "Just needs to dry out. I'll get one of those gel things that sucks up moisture. You want one for yours?"
"Yeah, and get one for Riley too. I'll pay you for it. Oh, and let me pay you for last night." I get my wallet out.
"Put it away. I'm not taking it. I was happy to take her out. We had a good time."
"You sure? Can I at least give you a twenty?" I hold one out to him.
"Keep it. When you're feeling better, we'll go back to the brewery. First round's on you."
"Okay, well, thanks. And thanks for taking her out."
"No problem." He unzips his backpack. "So mostly little kids come here or what?"
"We get all ages. Little kids, teens, adults. Depends on the day. Kids come out in any kind of weather. People our age only show up when it's hot and sunny. Girls come to tan and guys come to look at the girls."
He laughs. "Some things never change."
"I know, right? That was the whole reason I wanted to be a lifeguard back in high school. To look at girls. Get dates."
"And did it work?"
"Yeah, actually it did."
"Maybe you'll meet someone this summer. Or this week. It's supposed to be hot and sunny. You said that brings the girls out, right?"
"Yeah, but I'm not looking. I already have someone."
"That's right. I forgot about this mystery girl." He smiles. "When are you gonna make your move?"
"I haven't decided. But it's not going to be today, or this week. I need more time."
He turns to me. "Dude, you gotta say something to this girl. You can't wait. I knew this guy in college who was totally in love with a girl but kept putting off telling her. They'd been friends for two years and that whole time, he couldn't tell her how he really felt. Then right before he did, she started seeing someone else. Last I heard, she was engaged to the guy."
"And what happened to your friend?"
"Still single, and kicking himself for not telling her how he felt."
When I was away at college, I worried Riley would find someone, but she never did. She went on dates and had a few boyfriends, but it never lasted more than a month or two.
"I'll tell her," I say. "Just not today."
"Why not today? What are you waiting for?"
"It's not the right time. And I look like shit today after being sick all night."
"Why does that matter? Once you're in a relationship, she's gonna see you at your worst eventually."
She already has. Riley and I have seen each other at our worst, which is one of the reasons I love her. Since we met, we've been at each other's side for bad days and good, sad times and happy times. Even when I was at college, she was still there for me. If I called her, she answered, even if it was the middle of the night, and I did the same for her. We may not be a couple yet, but we've shared more with each other than a lot of couples have or ever will.
"Nate, is that you?" I hear TJ say.
Turning around, I see him walking over to me.
"TJ, good to see you, man." I give him a guy hug with a shoulder pat.
"Been a while." He looks over at Brad. "You Johnny?"
"No. Brad."
"Who's Johnny?" I ask.
"New guy. Ms. Lander's grandson."
"Ms. Lander, the English teacher?"
"Yeah. I ran into her last spring and she asked if we had some openings. Her grandson's not getting along with his new stepdad, so his mom sent him to grandma's house for the summer."
"Where's he from?"
"Houston. He's 19 or 20. I can't remember. He's been a lifeguard for a few summers now." He looks at Brad. "So you're Nate's cousin?"
"Yeah. From the Phoenix area, but I've been going to school in California. Just graduated."
"Med school, right?"
"Pre-med. Med school is next. I start in the fall."
He nods. "Now I remember. Maybe you can help me out when we go over first aid. I always forget something."
"Sure. I can do that."
"If you ever have an emergency, don't go to TJ," I kid.
TJ laughs. "He's not lying. I'm not the guy you want if someone's bleeding."
"Who else is working this summer?" I ask. "Is Tara coming back?"
"Yeah, but she's going to miss today. Her flight was delayed. But it's not like she hasn't already heard this orientation stuff before."
"I was thinking Tara would be a good match for Brad." I smile at him. "What do you think?"
"I don't know, man. I can't figu
re out my own love life, so I'm not the person to ask. Speaking of that, how's your sister?"
I sigh. "For the last time, she's married."
"Maybe she got a divorce."
"She didn't. She's married with a kid."
"Any chance she might get a divorce?" His brows rise. "Are they having troubles?"
"No! And stop asking. Even if she was single, I wouldn't want her going out with you."
TJ shakes his head. "I should've went after her when she was single. I was too damn shy back then."
"See?" Brad says, nudging me. "He didn't tell her and she ended up with someone else. The same thing's going to happen to you if you don't hurry up and talk to this girl."
"What girl?" TJ asks.
"No one," I say, not wanting him to know. "Just forget it."
"Hey, have you heard from Riley today? She's usually the first one here."
"She's running late. The salon made her stay past her shift because the new girl didn't show up. She'll be here soon."
"I heard the salon might go out of business," TJ says, leaning against the locker. He doesn't like standing up straight. He's always finding something to lean on.
"It's not going out of business," I say. "Who told you that?"
He shrugs. "I don't remember. Maybe it was Cassandra. She's the girl I've been seeing. We've only been out a few times."
"And she said the salon's closing?"
"Maybe it wasn't her. I can't remember where I heard it. Someone just said the owner doesn't like running the place and wants to get rid of it."
"Renee's the owner, but she's never talked about selling it. She just hired me to design her brochure. She wouldn't do that if she was selling the place."
TJ checks his phone. "Looks like Johnny's lost. He went to the wrong pool." He swipes through his phone. "Giada just got here. I should go show her around."
"Giada's a lifeguard?" Brad asks TJ.
"Yeah. Another college kid. Staying with her friend for the summer. She's from Italy."
I smile at Brad. "An Italian girl. That could be fun."
"Would you stop trying to set me up? And what about this Tara girl? You said she was my perfect match. Now she's out and you want me with the Italian girl?"
"I'm just suggesting you keep your options open."
"I'm not looking for a girlfriend. I'm here to work and hang out with my cousin all summer."
Better If He Goes (Always You Book 1) Page 6
