“More like we’ve just met again. I feel like I know you. What is Tim? Who is he? Does he know you like this? Would he banter in terrible Shakespearean knock off?”
“No, he’s a bit more…sporty than literary.”
“Jocks,” Seth sniffed. “They smell. I should know. I’m one of them. You’re lucky I showered, or you might be dead.”
“What sport have you deigned to play?”
“Lacrosse. State sport, unofficially.”
“I did not know that. Thank you. Another factoid to add to the Trivial Pursuit Cabinet of Knowledge.”
“Happy to oblige, as always.”
I smiled at him. I also felt like an ass. Why was I sticking up for Tim, who at this moment was attempting to cheat on me with someone I knew from school? I wouldn’t discover this for several more months, long after I threw out Seth’s number. Luckily for me, I knew Seth was not easily dissuaded.
“And with that idea, I must warn you. I plan to woo you from this Tim. He shall be dust at my feet.”
“I’ll give you an in if you’ll talk normally.”
“Done. What’s your major?”
“History. Maybe a minor in German.”
“I like smart girls.”
“Me too,” I said. “What’s yours?”
“Pilot,” he said. “I want to go into the Corps. Getting to flight school is the challenge.”
“Ok, what is the Corps? And what year are you?”
“To you, I’m a junior. The Corps is the Marine Corps. As for flight school, by the beginning of next year, I should know if that’s going to happen.”
“That’s exciting. You’ll get to travel a lot.”
“Not at first. Training is in Pensacola, and then you go from there. I’d like to go overseas.”
“I don’t blame you. Where?”
“England, Germany. Wherever I could get a spot.”
“I have a good feeling. I think you’re going to make it.”
He looked down at his beer and took a drink. “I hope so. I think so too, but you never can tell. It’s all I ever wanted to be.”
“I envy that, the knowing precisely what you want to do. I’m not sure what I want to do. As far as I’ve gotten is that I love history, and I need to find a way to translate that into a career.”
“That sounds sort of desperate. Why?”
“Oh, my dad likes history, appreciates it, loves reading it, but he’s not so thrilled with the idea that I am going to have to work to find a job. He keeps pushing me to change it. So far, I’m winning, but he has two more years to wear me down.” This was all technically true. I didn’t want to spill all my family crap before I had to.
“Had you gone to an academy of some kind, your parents would have been so thrilled that you made it, they wouldn’t have cared what your major was.”
“I don’t think I am cut out for the military. Too mouthy, as much as I admire the service.”
“Makes me glad to hear that you could admire me.”
“Who wouldn’t? You seem fairly admirable.”
“Admirable enough to cast off your Tim and see what else the world has to offer?”
“Would you respect me if I did that?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” He looked genuinely puzzled.
“That I could break off a relationship over a chance meeting?”
“Well, normally no. But this is fate, or kismet, or something. There are always exceptions.”
“You really think so?” As much as moving to the second wish had hurt, I was enjoying seeing things from a more mature point of view. It didn’t change my mind about the essentials that I remembered; if anything, it solidified it. As with Rick, I was realizing why I passed this up. I couldn’t truly appreciate Seth at twenty, just as I wouldn’t have been able to deal with Rick at seventeen.
That said, to me anyway, that my internal meter of how I picked men was not wrong. It was just…not calibrated properly. I had good instincts, they were just beyond me when the opportunity was there, and then I ran round like a chicken trying to get something like what I passed up back into my life. It hadn’t worked.
He leaned in a little closer to me. “I really think so. I think we met at this place for a reason. I haven’t met anyone I’ve instantly liked the way I like you in a long time.”
“Hmmm. You know, I didn’t ask. Are you currently attached?”
“Had I met you three weeks ago, I would have to say yes. Now, thanks to my ex feeling there were more attractive fish in the sea, I can safely say no. You’re getting interested, aren’t you?” He smiled at me.
“You are fairly appealing, I will admit.”
“I’m moving up the ladder.”
“I hate to encourage you, but yes, you are. I just hesitate. I’m not so much of a love at first sight, or flash there’s the one kind of girl.”
“I could show you how to be,” Seth said, looking right at me. “It would absolutely be my pleasure.”
We were interrupted by the others who were dealing with the bills. Part of me felt relief at the interruption. Seth looking at me the way he did made me feel tingly. It wasn’t just the physical with him. There was something about him that made me shiver. Once the bills were settled, Will looked over at Seth and said, “Man, we have to get back.”
Seth looked at his watch. “Yeah we do. We’re going to have to haul ass.” He got up, and offered his hand to me.
Everyone gathered coats and purses, and moved outside. Danni and Will stood talking, while the rest chatted in a group. Seth stood next to me.
“You really should take the risk. It could be worth it.”
“I don’t like the feeling of disloyalty.”
“Seth, come on, man we gotta go.” One of the other guys had broken off from the group, worry evident on his face.
Seth looked at me, and I sort of smiled. He walked over to the car where the other four were piling in. I watched him go, and then walked towards Danni’s car. I got into the front, and sat, not joining in the happy talk of the others. Danni and Will had exchanged numbers. I was so glad for her.
Here it was. I could feel myself turning red before anything even happened. And then, there was a knock on the window. It was Seth.
I opened the door. Why I had done that all those years ago, rather than roll down the window, I don’t know. But I did. When I did, and had turned to face him, he leaned down, took my hand, and put his cover on my head.
“You know what this means, don’t you? “ He had a broad smile on his face.
I nodded. It was one of the many things Danni had told me in one of her mids are wonderful tirades. If they put their hats, their covers, on your head, you had to kiss them. I thought it was kind of cheesy, although it didn’t feel all that cheesy now.
He leaned in closer to me, and lifted up my chin. He kissed me, softly at first, and then I kissed him back. The kiss went on. I didn’t want it to end. Finally someone in the back seat cleared their throat. Seth stood up, brushed his hand across my face, and took back his cover. He put his hand out toward me, and I reached up for it. He handed me a piece of paper.
“If you change your mind,” he said. He gave me one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen, then and now, and ran off. I closed the door, and just sat in the seat. I was astounded how amazing that felt. I won’t lie, I’ve kissed a lot of boys, and had recently been kissing my love, but this thrilled me to the bone.
“Oh my god. That was amazing. Tib, what are you going to tell Tim?” Danni looked at me wide eyed.
“I’m not. I’m going to call him tomorrow and tell him it’s over, that I think it’s just not working out.”
“Are you serious? Tim is a great guy!”
“He is, but I feel like he’s cheating. It’s been kind of bugging me. If I’m wrong, then I am, and he’s a great guy. If I’m not, then I dodged a bullet.” This was easy. Why had it been too hard to do this back then? I wanted to kick the former me.
“You can’t just dump your b
oyfriend because some guy kissed you!”
“But Danni! He was a mid, and he took part in a time honored tradition!” I did my best to look affected.
“Shut up. He knew you have a boyfriend. Why did you let him kiss you like that?”
“Seriously, Danni? You really want to know why?”
“I really do.” Boy, she was really bothered about this.
“Because I knew if I passed it up I’d be pissed at myself. And since I took the chance, I have to say it is the best kiss I have ever had in my life.”
“Are you kidding me?” She looked surprised.
“Not at all. I’ve had some good kisses, too.” Oh, Rick, I thought. “This one blew them away.” What did that mean for me? I’d remembered that kiss as the best one ever, but I hadn’t expected it to be the same after a year with Rick. To find that kissing Seth like this was still the best kiss ever…this was getting confusing really fast.
“I still think you should have told him no. But if you really like him, you need to do what you think is the best.”
“Hey, if I am wrong about Tim, you’re welcome to him. Have at it.”
“Wow. You really are going to break up with him, aren’t you?”
“First thing tomorrow.”
Conversation moved to the happenings of the others as the two girls in the back decided to join the conversation. I sat silently, adding in only where I felt I had to. I knew Danni wasn’t happy with me, and I didn’t want to fan the flames and end up in a big fight.
I went to bed thinking about Seth. I woke up thinking about him. I felt as excited as I had the night before. Since I needed to move this along, and show my friend I wasn’t a horrible person, I got up, not wanting to waste any time. Danni had been short with me after we’d gotten home last night. I didn’t like it, and didn’t want it to go on any longer than necessary.
So I went to the phone and called Tim. He lived in the dorms with a roommate, so I was prepared for the roommate to possibly answer.
“Hello?” Said a sleepy voice.
“Hi, is Tim there?” I raised my eyebrows, even though the girl on the other end couldn’t see me. She’d stayed over apparently. I didn’t remember that from before. It wasn’t a co-ed dorm. Busted, I thought.
“Um, he’s not…he’s not able to come to the phone right now. Can I take a message?”
Just as I suspected. I knew he’d cheated on me that weekend. I hadn’t called him in the morning the last time, because I was too busy beating myself up for kissing Seth.
“Sure. Tell him his girlfriend, Tibby, called. As I am now his ex, you are free to spend the night when I’m on campus, not just when I’m gone.” I heard her intake of breath, but before she could say anything, I hung up. I was certainly getting a chance to huff and puff on the phone and hang up on others in indignation in these wishes. That was kind of fun, I had to admit. She was in one of my classes, and I’d learned who she was at the end of the semester. I’d gone the whole time not knowing who she was. Not this time.
I pulled the piece of paper I had slept with out of my pajama pants. On it, Seth had written: This is the room number. You’ll get me or one of my roommates. Just ask for me. Take the risk.
I smiled. I was going to take it. I dialed the number, and a garbled male voice answered. “H’loo?”
“May I speak to Seth, please?”
“Hng’n.” I heard some mumbling and moving around, and then Seth was on the phone.
“Tibby?”
“How did you know?”
“Not even my mom calls this early.”
“Seth?”
“Yes?”
“I changed my mind.”
I heard him say “yes!” very quietly. Then he said, “Can you meet me downtown today? Let’s have lunch. I can’t get away until then, but after that, I’m all yours.”
“I don’t leave for school until tomorrow, and we don’t have anything planned. Lunch sounds good. Where?”
“Middleton Tavern. I’ll get a seat outside if it’s warm.”
“Okay. What time?”
“High noon. What else?”
I laughed. “You really are funny. I’ll be there. I can’t wait to see you.” I smiled into the phone. It was true. I could barely sit still.
“I can’t wait to see you either. Tibby?”
“Hmmm?”
“I am really glad you called me.”
“Me too, Seth.” I could hear his smile through the phone.
“I’ll see you at lunch.”
“Okay. Bye.” I smiled again, and then slowly put down the phone. Since I didn’t slam it down, I could hear Seth talking to his roommates. He sounded really cheerful. I hung up then. If my friends were sitting here wanting to laugh and be happy for me, I wouldn’t want him to hear it.
Then I went upstairs to look through my bag and see what I was going to wear. Nothing looked right for the just-took-a-crazy-chance-first-date kind of way.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
In the end, Danni loaned me some clothes as I couldn’t declare anything date worthy. When I told her that some girl answered Tim’s phone and gave me the whole ‘he’s indisposed’ nonsense, she was outraged for me.
“That jerk. I can’t believe he would do that.”
“It really doesn’t surprise me, Dan. I sort of had a feeling that something was going on. Now I can move on and not feel one bit of guilt for kissing Seth last night. It was not nearly what Tim was doing!” I laughed, I couldn’t help it. I wish I had been able to see the girl’s face or Tim’s face when she told him. Even better, if she didn’t know yet that he had a girlfriend.
Why did things never work out like this when you were young? I remembered the break up with Tim before. It was a couple of months after this, full of much drama and tears and many slammed doors. A lot of anguish for something that really was not the be-all and end-all of relationships. It did hurt me, though. Tim didn’t help by telling me this was my fault, like him falling into bed with naked women was because I pushed him or something. Regardless, I was always really watchful with the guys I dated after that. Probably why they all became exes.
Danni was laughing with me, evidently thinking along the same lines I had been. “Can you imagine his face when she told him? I bet he didn’t tell her about you, either!” She pealed with laughter.
“I was just thinking the same thing, Dan. His day is going to really be unpleasant today,” I said. And we were both off and laughing again.
Danni inspected me before I left. “You look great. You really do. You don’t look like someone who just caught her boyfriend cheating.”
“That’s because he doesn’t really mean all that much in the big picture.”
“Obviously,” she said. “Jerk.”
“Do I look okay? I’m nervous all of a sudden.”
“You look great, I told you that. Now go, so you have time to find parking. Just walk down Main Street towards the water and you’ll see Middleton’s.”
“Thanks for helping me get ready,” I said. I gave her a hug.
“Of course! You have to promise to come back and give me all the details. I’m excited for you! Remember, ALL the details!”
“Yes, Ma’am,” I said.
I drove kind of slowly, because I didn’t really know my way around. Danni had given me pretty good directions, so I made it downtown and found some reasonable parking with no major incidents. I walked down towards the water as instructed and saw the tavern off to the left.
When I finally made my way past the thousands of crosswalks, I was right in front of Middleton’s. Seth was waiting for me outside on the porch. When he saw me, he gave me a big grin, like the one he gave me after we kissed last night.
I have to be honest, I cried over Rick last night, quietly, so that no one heard me, and asked questions I wasn’t able to answer, and part of me felt immensely guilty about this. I believed Dhameer though. He said Rick went back to his regularly scheduled life as well, so I really hadn’t disrupt
ed anything for anyone but me. However, the last time I had seen him, he was proposing.
Watching Seth look happy to see me, I resolved again to not let Rick be a part of this. Again. It was harder than it sounded. This all sounded fairly easy when I had been talking it over with Dhameer, but it was really hard while I was in the thick of it. My feelings were not so cut and dried.
I had a sudden major insight. Since the only person who was really and truly affected by this in the long run was me, if I didn’t give each do-over the chance it deserved, I was cheating myself. I wouldn’t have the full scope of what could have happened if I didn’t give this my all. I love you, Rick, but you need to take a time out for a while. It was hard, but I envisioned myself shutting a door. I would leave the first do-over there until it was time to open the door and take a look again.
“You made it,” Seth said.
“Did you think I was going to bail on you?”
“You never know. Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.” He was completely serious as he said that, and took my hand.
I love Monty Python. “Our chief weapon is surprise, surprise and fear, fear and surprise.” I didn’t skip a beat.
“Not to mention ruthless efficiency and a near fanatical devotion to the Pope!” He came back quickly.
We both laughed, and I felt my nervousness ease a little. You had to love a fellow Monty Python fan.
“How can you scoff at fate and kismet?” He turned to speak briefly to the hostess. “Do you want to sit outside? We can, if it’s not too cold for you.”
“Outside would be good.”
“Outside,” he said to the hostess.
She led us to a small table in the corner next to the street. While you were practically in the street, it also allowed for great people watching. We sat down, and he immediately reached for my hands.
For a moment, we just looked at one another.
“So.” I said.
“So, what’s new with you?” He asked.
“Like you, I’m now single,” I said.
“The dreaded Tim was vanquished on the strength of one kiss,” he said, laughing a little. “Not so dreaded after all!”
Three Wishes: Time Traveler Romance (Heart Of The Djinn Book 1) Page 7
