Better

by Carey Heywood

  Once I’m dressed, I walk out to see Adam cooking breakfast. Abe is leaning on the counter while talking to him. I clear my throat, and they both look at me.

  “I’m going to skip dinner tonight.”

  “Why?” Adam asks, turning his head back to the eggs he’s scrambling.

  “I’m going to call Nigel and see if he wants to go out.”

  Adam drops the spatula. “What?”

  “I’m going to call—” I repeat slowly.

  “I heard you,” he snaps, picking the spatula back up. “Nope. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  I put my hand on my hip. “Are you trying to tell me I can’t go?”

  Abe is watching us like a spectator at a tennis match.

  “That’s exactly what I’m doing.” Adam passes the spatula to Abe, who looks at it like it’s a foreign object, before turning around to face me.

  I shake my head. “You don’t get to decide that. You are not the boss of me.”

  He crosses his arms over his still bare chest. “Why do you think I’m here, Aubrey? To watch out for you. Since I don’t think you going out with some strange dude is a good idea, you are not going.”

  I step back into the room and grab my purse, pulling out my cell and Nigel’s business card from it, and glare at Adam before I start dialing. “You don’t get to decide this.”

  He marches over to me and plucks my phone out of my hand. He turns it off before he sets it on a tall cabinet next to us. He had to stretch to put it up there. Short of pulling a chair over or grabbing a step stool, I can’t reach it.

  “Give me back my phone,” I huff.

  He looks back at Abe. “Stir the eggs, man.” Turning back to me, he leans down, so his face is in front of mine. “No.”

  I cross my arms over my chest. “I hope you know you are being ridiculous. I’m not a child. I don’t understand why you think you can treat me like one.”

  He glares at me before glancing back to see that Abe is not stirring the eggs. Adam turns and makes his way back to the stove, putting his hand out for the spatula. He pushes the eggs around a couple of times before turning the heat off and moving the pan to a cool burner.

  He turns back to me, using the spatula to gesture. A small bit of egg falls to the floor in front of him. Abe rolls his eyes and wipes it up with a takeaway napkin. Adam rubs his face with his other hand before tossing the spatula into the sink.

  “I’m fine with you calling him but not with you going out alone with him.”

  My mouth drops. “That’s not up to you.”

  He smirks. “I don’t see what the issue is.”

  I lean against the bookshelf. “Give me my phone. Now.”

  He walks back over to me, standing right in front of me, and reaches up to grab my phone. He pauses, raising one eyebrow, before handing it to me.

  I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m calling my father.”

  He seems to be holding back a grin. “You might want to check the time difference on your fancy watch first.”

  I glance down, tilting my wrist. I groan when I see it’s the middle of the night at home. I push past him and storm into our room, shutting the door behind me. As the door clicks into place, I faintly hear Adam ask if I want any eggs.

  This morning, I woke up in his arms, and yes, it’s only because I fell asleep on him, but right now, I’d like to choke him. This is not how this trip was supposed to go.

  I glance at the door as I lower myself onto the bed. I double-check the time, making sure it’s not too early, and I call Nigel. He answers on the second ring and sounds happy to hear from me. He agrees to pick me up and take me out to dinner. I tell him where Abe lives and what time we should be back from the match. I’ll just have to figure out a way to give Adam the slip.

  There’s a knock at the door, and I look up as Adam slowly opens it.

  “Are you hungry?”

  I nod, wishing I weren’t, and stand. He steps back, so I can move past him. There’s a plate that I think is for me on the countertop. I glance back at him to make sure, and he nods. I pick it up. I stay in the kitchen as he joins Abe in the living room.

  They talk while they eat, so I finish first. I wash my plate and place it in the drying rack before going back into our room. I lie down, my back toward the door and face the window. It’s more overcast today. I miss the light coming through the window.

  When the door opens, I hold my breath. I can tell it’s Adam. I don’t think Abe would come in here.

  “Are you going to pout all day?”

  I flinch. “Are you going to keep bossing me around?”

  He groans. “I’m not trying to boss you around. I’m trying to look out for you.”

  I turn over, facing him. “That’s not how it feels.”

  He jams his hands into his pockets and slumps his shoulders, his head down. “Look, Aubrey, I’m responsible for you.”

  “I don’t understand what the big deal is. Maybe if we were in a country where everyone didn’t speak English, I’d understand.”

  He doesn’t have a response to that.

  We leave for the match once Shelly comes over. I like her right off the bat even though she talks a mile a minute, and I can barely understand her. Abe is so laid-back that they balance each other out. She’s been visiting family in Ireland. Otherwise, we would have seen more of her.

  She’s the one who was able to get us the tickets to the match. Arsenal is playing Tottenham. I don’t follow sports, especially ones happening in other countries, so Abe and Shelly try to fill me in on their rivalry on the way.

  “Hopefully, Abe won’t be too dashed if they lose. They aren’t having the best year.” She whispers.

  Adam hears her and elbows Abe. “When did they win their last championship?”

  Abe looks away and grumbles something that sounds like eight years. He changes the subject by trying to teach me some of their cheers.

  Arsenal has some chants just for Tottenham. Nothing too clever, mainly, Fuck Tottenham. Abe looks embarrassed to cuss in front of me, and Shelly smacks him.

  “I cuss. I totally cuss. You can cuss in front of me.” I declare.

  When they all start laughing at me, I glower.

  “Whatever,” I say, walking in front of them.

  “No,” Adam calls after me. “We want to hear you cuss.”

  Shelly runs to catch up with me and slips her arm through mine. “Ignore those rotten boys. I think you’re lovely.”

  I smile at her and glance back at Adam to flip him off when we reach the car. Abe is driving, and Shelly sits in the front passenger seat. Since Abe has to have his seat all the way back to accommodate his Lurch-like limbs, I’m practically in Adam’s lap.

  Being physically close to someone I am consciously trying to ignore is impossible. I’m hyperaware of Adam’s every movement. If he moves, because of my perch, I feel it, and vice versa. Only, I don’t think he’s trying to ignore me. Or maybe he is because he isn’t talking to me either.

  We park blocks away from the stadium and walk. With their arms linked, Abe and Shelly walk in front of Adam and me. The sidewalk is tight, so while we walk, our arms brush.

  I know I’m overreacting, but I’m still so upset. I logically can appreciate the fact that he’s trying to look out for me, but I’m angry because he won’t at least give me the benefit of the doubt to know when I need help.

  Ally wanted me to find my independence on this trip. How am I supposed to do that if I need Adam’s permission to do anything?

  At the match, I sit next to Shelly, and Adam sits on the other side of Abe. I can feel him watching me as I chat with the couple next to me.

  Is it going to be like this the whole trip? I might kill him before we leave Europe.

  I stop thinking of him briefly when I get sucked into the excitement of the match. We’re nearing the ninety-minute mark, and the score is one to one. The tension is palpable with each team wanting to score before the ref can extend the time.

&n
bsp; There’s a Tottenham corner kick that’s particularly stressful. Abe holds his breath as Shelly clings to him. When the goalie clears it, half the stadium exhales. In the end, with an assist, an Arsenal striker is able to score, and the match ends. It’s hard not to get caught up in the excitement at the win. We’re hugging, laughing, and cheering.

  I’m less annoyed at Adam. I’ll have to wait and see how long that lasts.

  When we get back to Abe’s place, he and Adam run out to pick up some takeaway for us. As soon as they leave, I pounce on Shelly and tell her my plans to meet Nigel. She’s a sweetheart and says she’ll cover for me, but only after she programs her number into my phone and mine into hers. She makes me promise to call if I feel uncomfortable at any point.

  I grab my purse and hurry to wait at the pizza place a block over. When I get there, I call Nigel, and he tells me he’s on the way. Once I hang up, my phone starts ringing.

  “Hello?”

  “Where are you?” It’s Adam, and he sounds pissed.

  “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry.”

  “Aubrey, get your ass back here right now.”

  I laugh. “You’re crazy, you know that? I’m an adult. Please learn to accept it,” I say before hanging up on him.

  My phone starts ringing again. This time, it’s Shelly.

  “Hi, Shelly,” I answer.

  “Oh my God, Aubrey. Adam is pissed. Are you sure about this?”

  I look up when I see Nigel walk in. “I’m positive. He’s here. I have to go.”

  “Hey, Aubrey,” he says, walking over to me.

  “Hey, you.” I grin.

  “Ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  When we talked earlier, I asked a big favor from him.

  He puts his arm around me as we walk to his car. “I made you an appointment if you still want to do it.”

  I nod. “Let’s go.”

  My phone rings off and on the whole time we’re out. I finally answer it when we’re on the way back to Abe’s flat.

  “Hello?”

  “Where are you?” Adam thunders.

  I sigh. “I’m on the way back right now. Can you please relax?”

  “I called your parents. They want you to call them.”

  Shit. “Way to overreact. Fine. I’ll call them as soon as Nigel drops me off. Bye.” I drop my phone into my purse and pinch the bridge of my nose.

  “Everything okay?” Nigel asks sweetly.

  I tilt my head, resting it against the headrest, and I smile at him. “I’m awesome. I can’t thank you enough for taking me.”

  “It was a first for me too. Does it hurt?”

  “I don’t plan on touching it anytime soon.”

  He double-parks in front of Abe’s flat. I unhook my belt and turn to thank him once more. His face is right there, and his lips find mine. I feel a bit dazed when he pulls back.

  “Don’t forget this.” He passes me a paper bag from the pharmacy. “I have to say, this was enlightening.”

  He leans over to kiss me again. I jump at a sharp tap on my window. It’s a hulking, glaring Adam.

  “I better go. I’ll email you,” I say to Nigel.

  “You better,” he says. Only, his eyes are on Adam and not me.

  I step out and am greeted with Adam losing it.

  “You could have been killed.”

  I raise a brow at him and wave in the direction of Nigel’s retreating car.

  It’s then that Adam sees the bandage peeking out from the neck of my shirt. “What happened? You were hurt.”

  His fingers are featherlight as they brush my hair to the side and ghost the edge of the bandage. I shrug away from his grasp and head up the stairs.

  “Aubrey, wait. What happened to you?”

  I turn and look down at him. “I got a tattoo. Happy? You acted like a lunatic and called my parents for nothing.”

  I turn and keep walking, hearing his footsteps behind me.

  “You can’t just take off like that. I’m responsible for you,” he says from behind me.

  I turn quickly and lean back when I realize how close he is behind me. “That’s the whole issue. I’m calling my parents, so they can break it to you. I do not need a babysitter.”

  I pull my phone out of my purse and call them. After a few moments of assuring them that I am fine and I only went out with a new friend, I tell them to set Adam straight.

  I pass him the phone and cringe when he says, “Did she mention she got a tattoo?”

  My mouth drops as he hands the phone back to me.

  “Hi.”

  It’s my dad. “A tattoo?”

  “Mmhmm. Are you mad?”

  He laughs. “People don’t get mad.”

  I finish for him. “Animals do. But for real, are you?”

  There’s a pause. “You are a grown woman, and we trust your judgment.”

  “Thank you. Can you please tell that to Adam?”

  He agrees, and I pass the phone back to Adam. They talk for a minute, and he passes the phone back to me, so I can tell him I love them both and say good-bye.

  “Was there anything you wanted to say to my dad?” I ask, offering my phone.

  Our fingers brush as he takes it. He turns his face from my heated gaze.

  “I’m sorry for any misunderstanding Sir.” He offers quietly to my father.

  It’s not lost on me that he didn’t offer me an apology. Adam follows me quietly the rest of the way up the stairs. Shelly and Abe must have heard us coming because they’re waiting in the doorway.

  “Oi! Let me see it right now.” Shelly grins, pulling me into the flat.

  I’m wearing a tank top under my T-shirt. It has a built-in bra, and I wore it on purpose. I slip my T-shirt off and ease my arm through the right strap of my tank. Shelly stands behind me, pulling the back of my top down to uncover the bandage. She gently peels it off to expose my tattoo. She pulls me to the bathroom, so I can look at it in the mirror at the same time. It’s not big—maybe four inches across and six inches down.

  “Did you lose someone?”

  I didn’t know Adam had followed us. He’s leaning on the doorway. His gray eyes lock on mine. I nod and look at the pair of angel wings reflected in the mirror.

  He takes the bandage from Shelly and delicately smooths it back on my shoulder. “I could have taken you.”

  I shake my head. “I was angry at you.” I press the front of my tank top to my chest as I slip my arm back through the strap.

  Adam holds the strap away from my shoulder, so it doesn’t push against my bandage. Shelly looks back and forth between us before excusing herself. I turn around to face him. He picks up my hand and sets my phone in it.

  “What did my dad say?”

  He looks up at the ceiling. “It appears I have been a bit overly protective.”

  I touch his arm, and he looks down at me.

  “I just don’t want to feel smothered.”

  When he nods, I drop my hand.

  “I saw him kiss you.”

  I gulp and take a step back, bumping into the sink.

  “Do you like him?” He steps closer to me.

  I lick my lips and watch his gray eyes flick to them. “I don’t even know him.”

  “But you let him kiss you.”

  I can feel Adam’s breath on my cheek. I blink. “I did.”

  “Did you like it?” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

  I feel all the tiny hairs on my earlobe stand straight up as the pad of his fingertip grazes it. My whole body is buzzing.

  “I don’t know.”

  His mouth twitches. “Why don’t you know, Aubrey?”

  I break our gaze. “I can’t remember it.”

  He lifts his hand to my chin, tilting my face back to look at his. The pad of his thumb brushes across my lower lip. “Must not have been much of a kiss.”

  I’m frozen. I have no response.

  I watch the tip of his tongue grace the edge of his
bottom lip. My lips part when he drops his hand.

  “You should always be able to remember a kiss,” he says before walking out of the bathroom.

  I stand there, leaning against the sink, and pant. It felt like Adam was going to kiss me. I thought he was going to kiss me. I wanted him to kiss me.

  I still can’t even remember Nigel’s lips on mine. A pair of gray eyes erased them. I walk back into the living room, avoiding those eyes, as I pick up my T-shirt and put it back on.

  “I’m going to go to bed.”

  “Oh, don’t, love,” Shelly calls out. “Please don’t mind Adam. Come, and let’s have a chat.”

  I glance over at Adam and Abe and hesitate.

  She stands, grabbing my hand. She passes me a drink before grabbing one for herself. “We’re going up to the roof.” She holds her hand up when Abe moves to follow us. “No, my love. Girls only.”

  I’m relieved to be away from Adam, and I gratefully take a gulp from my beer once we’re on the roof. “What’s his problem?”

  “Adam?” she guesses.

  I nod before taking a healthy swig of my drink.

  “He’s a nice enough guy. I don’t remember him being so tense the last time he was in town.”

  “He needs to chill out,” I fume, still shaken by his intensity.

  “He’s usually the first to suggest a mad plan, YOLO and all that. I’m surprised he went mental over you going out.”

  I lean toward her. “What do you mean?”

  With the exception of Abe and some other random friends they tweet-meet with, she’s always considered Adam a loner. Sure, he’ll meet up with people for a day here and there, but she was shocked when Abe said Adam would be going around the world with a girl.

  “We totally assumed you guys were dating.”

  I shake my head too quickly and avoid her eyes after I see her brows rise. We end up staying on the roof for a couple of hours—gossiping about boys, school, parents, and not knowing what we want to be when we grow up.

  Adam and I are leaving in the morning for Belgium. We’ll spend a couple of nights there before we continue on to Paris. In three days, I will be in Paris.

  I lock the bedroom door and get changed. I hurry to pull my shirt over my head when Adam knocks. I unlock the door and quickly slip into bed. Adam doesn’t turn off the light, and he has his back to me when he pulls off his shirt. There, on his left shoulder, is his own tattoo—a cross wrapped in a pink ribbon.