“See you around?” he says before he and Nick walk off.
“In chemistry on Monday for sure,” I say with an offer to hang out sooner on the tip of my tongue.
“All right, chemistry for sure,” he says, smiling and disappearing into the night.
“Okay, Tyler is so confusing me. I’m not sure what to make of him,” McKenzie says once they’re gone. “He’s kind of closed off.”
“You want to jump his bones too?” James says sarcastically.
“First Nick and now Tyler? You seriously think I’m some kind of slut or something?”
They go on like that for a few minutes, but it’s not really fighting, more like teasing. James and McKenzie are indeed somewhat of an odd couple, she with her edgier look and he the stereotypical jock, small town guy with short hair and absolutely no desire to be different.
But even though Tyler has that same look, could be the same sort of small town boy who wouldn’t go out of his way to look any different than his friends, I somehow know he’s not like that. There are layers to him, and I’m sure I’ve barely touched on the very top one.
We don’t stick around the main bonfire for long, but once McKenzie and James drop me off, Mom and Kate are already in bed. Grandma’s TV is playing, but she’s asleep too. It’s not even eleven, and for a Friday night, it feels pretty pathetically boring. Still a little wired, I head to my room, pull my laptop and books out, deciding I could get at least an hour of reading in. Ten minutes after beginning and not actually absorbing a thing I’d read, I decide the reason is Tyler—I can’t get my mind off of him, and that’s definitely not a good thing.
Hemming and hawing about what I should do, I finally take a chance in calling Paige. It’s the middle of the night in North Carolina, but I know she and Evan sometimes go out with friends, so it’s possible they’re still up.
She answers on the third ring. “Everything okay, Claire?”
I stutter a few things out before getting to the meat of why I’d called in the first place.
“There’s this boy…”
CHAPTER NINE
CLAIRE
Paige told me I should take a chance. In fact, she very implicitly told me I should actively pursue Tyler and stop trying to get him to remember whatever feelings he has for his ex.
“But if you get the feeling he’s still in deep with her, then bail, but you have to find out.”
“Like you did with Evan?”
“Yeah, like I did with Evan. But someone still got hurt in all of that, and I don’t want that to happen to you.”
“James mentioned Garrett tonight. He said he’s doing really well at WSU.”
There was a pause before Paige said, “I know. I check his stats, not because I want to be with him or feel like I made the wrong choice but because I want to make sure he’s happy, that he’s doing well. None of us have really talked since all that stuff happened.”
“Love triangles suck.”
“Yep… they sure do.”
A week after my conversation with Paige, a week where Kate has gotten slightly less moody and a week where I’ve made sure to talk to Tyler briefly during chemistry and always say hello to him during lunch, I feel like I’m ready to actually do something.
He’d paused when I’d asked him if he wanted to join McKenzie, James and I for a trip to Spokane to go see a movie and grab some food, wanting to know if Nick would be going too.
“James actually already asked… you know, since we’d all had a good time at the bonfire and all?”
“And?”
“And Nick said no.”
I figured that would completely abort my mission to spend some time with Tyler, but he came back with, “Yeah, that would be cool.”
And even knowing he was still hung up on his ex, that made me all kinds of happy.
Saturday morning brings with it some nerves as well as a dilemma about what to wear. At school, I go for studious, classic and conservative with dresses, skirts, blouses, heels or flats, depending on my mood. I figure I’ll be dressing like that once I’m a doctor, under the white doctor coat of course, so why not get a head start? When I work at the nursing home, I just wear scrubs, even though nobody else in the kitchen wears them. But it keeps my other clothes from getting stained like Tyler’s shirt did when my sister launched his tray of food into his chest—I hope he was able to get that mustard out.
On the weekends, I sometimes try to tone my school look down with jeans, shorts, Tshirts and tanks, if for no other reason than to just blend in with my friends and not get called out by Kate for getting dressed for church when we don’t even go to one.
But in front of my mirror with a pair of skinny jeans, flats and a striped blouse, I’m just not feeling it. Even though that’s probably exactly what McKenzie will be wearing, I make a last minute wardrobe change, slipping into a short cotton dress, cinched at the waist, some sling-back, open-toe heels and a light sweater.
“How ya doing, Claire?” Clark, Mom’s pharmacist boyfriend, asks as I head outside to wait for Tyler. He offered to drive us all in his Jeep, a better fit than James’ truck or McKenzie’s hatchback.
“Pretty good. You guys planting shrubs?”
The bed of Clark’s truck is full of them, dark green arborvitaes I think. He’s started digging a trench in front of the house, the ground still soft on a sunny, warm day like today.
“Trying to beautify the place,” Mom says, bumping a shrub out of its container as a cool breeze brings us a momentary chill. “They say fall is the best time to plant.”
“I would have helped if I’d known,” I say, though I’ve been looking forward to this bit of relaxation in Spokane ever since Tyler had said yes. I’d stayed up late all week to get ahead on my assignments and worked two extra after-school shifts at the nursing home so I’d have today free to enjoy without an ounce of guilt.
“You deserve some fun,” Mom says. “Besides, Clark apparently loves this stuff.” She looks over at her boyfriend, and I can see that shared look of love between them.
I know that Clark will never replace my dad. For one, he’s not nearly as handsome, even if he is pretty decent looking for an older guy. But other than another teacher who ended up moving to Salt Lake City, this is the first person Mom has really been with long term since Dad’s death, and Clark totally gets it. His wife died of breast cancer five years ago, so he’s been through the same kind of ringer Mom has. He’s always been nice to us, has a great job at the clinic and helps Mom around the house, fixing things and now helping with some landscaping that is long overdue. With all of us growing up and heading off to college, I’m grateful he’ll be here for her.
“I really do,” Clark says, continuing to dig. “If I wasn’t in a rental, I’d be doing the same at my house.”
I’ve had the feeling for a while now that Mom would really like to live with him, but I also know she wouldn’t put us through that, bring a guy into the house we’ve all shared for the last ten years when we’re all so close to leaving. Grandma would probably like it though. She loves Clark and gets this childlike smile on her face when he comes for dinner, which is pretty often. I half suspect she has a crush on him.
When Tyler drives up in his dark-colored Jeep, both Mom and Clark study it, like they’re trying to figure out who the occupant is. I hadn’t exactly mentioned he would be the one picking me up, afraid Mom would put him through the third degree.
“Did McKenzie or James get a new vehicle?” Mom asks, brushing some dirt off her gloved hands.
“It’s actually this guy, Tyler… umm… Tyler Duncan? His dad is the new fire chief.”
“Oh, yeah? How did I not know this?” Mom asks, and I’m not sure if she’s referring to Tyler or his dad being the fire chief.
“I’ve met him. Name’s Brian Duncan,” Clark says. “Seems like a nice guy from the few conversations I’ve had with him.”
“And Tyler is his son? Tyler Duncan?”
I nod.
“You kn
ow, he’s actually in one of my classes. And you know him?” Mom looks a little confused and a little upset, like she should already know that I’ve been hanging out with her new student. Her worry for Kate, who is thankfully out of the house and spending the day with friends, has kept her out of my loop.
“He’s a nice guy. Him and his parents are from Denver,” I tell her, wanting to ease any worries or concerns she might have, knowing how protective she’d been of me when I’d broken up with Austin.
Mom watches as Tyler comes to a full stop. I’m already on the way to the Jeep when he gets out and walks toward me.
“Hey.” I offer a casual wave. “You know my Mom over there, right?” Quick introductions are usually the best kind.
“Of course.” Tyler doesn’t hold back and boldly makes his way over to Mom and Clark. “Hi, Mrs. Kessel.”
“I had no idea you and my daughter were hanging out,” Mom says with a pleasantly confused grin on her face.
“Well… we aren’t… I mean… not so much really.” He loses that cool, unafraid quality he’d had just a few seconds ago, now stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans and turning a light shade of pink.
“I see,” Mom says.
My heart deflates a notch at Tyler’s words, though I remind myself it isn’t an awful, horrible thing just to be friends with a guy or not to have the pressure of a relationship on you when college should be forefront in your mind.
“Hey there,” Clark says, extending his hand. “I’ve met your dad a few times. Hope you’re settling into town okay?”
“Yeah, as good as could be expected,” he says, taking his hands back out of his pockets and firmly shaking Clark’s hand. “You ready, Claire?”
“Yep. I’ll be back by nine, okay?” I tell Mom before following Tyler to the Jeep where he opens the door for me.
I wave once more at Mom when Tyler backs the Jeep up, and then it’s just he and I for a few quiet minutes where we don’t say much of anything.
TYLER
I’m beginning to like McKenzie and James. They argue, but it’s that kind of stuff couples do when they’re bored, not really fighting, just picking at each other for the fun of it. That kind of thing can usually get annoying, but for whatever reason it doesn’t bother me with them.
And then there’s Claire. She’s sitting next to me in the theater in downtown Spokane, a decent size city but dead compared to Denver, and I like her close, like being paired off like she’s my girlfriend even if she isn’t. I’d barely gotten started doing all the couple things with Laney when she cheated on me, and then I’d just wanted to be alone, pretty much hating anyone that was actually in a relationship and happy.
The drive over had taken about an hour, during which I’d been grilled about what my hobbies and plans for college were.
“So, you really think you’ll go back to Denver after you graduate?” Claire whispers to me during one of the many previews before the actual movie begins.
“I might,” I say, Denver having been one of my answers about where I was going after high school. “Honestly, I’m still pretty noncommittal about my plans.”
“The stuff you said about Denver—you made it sound pretty cool.” She leans closer to me. “I’m not very traveled—I’ve never even been out to see my sister in North Carolina yet.”
I want to tell her I haven’t been anywhere either, but that’s not true. During the two solid weeks Dad got off from his job each year, we’d gone camping in far off places, in Alaska and Northern Michigan and even the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Those were the times I’d felt closest to my dad, when he’d relax and unwind and throw a football with me after an afternoon of fishing—that was what I called vacation Dad. Once we pulled the trailer back into the driveway at home, Dad would go back to being the way he was before, working all the time and spending less of it with me—that was Denver Dad.
Before I got attacked by Pepper, he was always vacation Dad, at least when it came to spending time with me and cheering me on at little league or in pee wee football. But he changed after that, encouraged me to stay under the radar and keep to the sidelines instead of playing the games I’d always loved.
“You could hurt yourself again,” he’d tell me gruffly. “The doctors say you need to heal.”
I could have rebelled I suppose, could have lobbied somebody to let me join the football team or track or something, but I did what Dad said. Part of it was out of respect, the other part because I figured someday I could use it against him if I needed to, tell him how much he fucked up my childhood.
But Claire didn’t ask anything about my Dad, so my answer doesn’t include him. “It’s a big world,” I tell her, “but you’ll get your chance to see more of it, maybe after med school and everything.”
“Yeah, sure,” she says, almost amused. “That’s the one thing that scares me about becoming a doctor, that I won’t have time for anything fun, nothing at all.”
“So, you’re sure about it then?” I’m holding off on eating any of the popcorn from the tub we got to share. Movie popcorn is pretty damn tempting, but I’d rather just focus on her.
“Oh, I’m sure,” she says, almost sounding resigned. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t do it. I’m determined to help people.”
“That makes you pretty special then. I mean it.” And I do. I also consider that Claire might be the kind of girl who could look past my physical imperfections.
“Yeah, well, it’s me and thousands of other seniors applying for the same spots. If I actually get in, then I might believe you about me being special.”
I want to tell her she’s wrong, that I can tell she’s already special, but that might be laying it on too thick. Instead, I half laugh with her as the lights dim and the movie begins.
We bump hands a few times grabbing for popcorn, but it’s not awkward or weird. Either she lets me get a handful first, or I do the same for her. And while the sound of someone eating popcorn can be one of the most annoying things in the world, Claire’s chewing doesn’t bother me one bit, and I hope she could say the same for mine. About halfway through, I put the tub on the floor, both of us seeming to have had our fill, and just as I’m raising my head, Claire grabs for my arm and pulls her body closer to me.
For a second, I think it’s because I put the popcorn out of reach, but when I look to the screen, one of the main guys has just had his face eaten off by some rabid bats.
“Shit… sorry,” she whispers, loosening her grip on me.
“No worries.” I put my hand over hers before she pulls it completely away, and she smiles.
I don’t think about much else except for Claire for the second half of the movie.
“Did you see that end coming?” McKenzie is sitting next to James, across from Claire and I, at the pizza place right outside the theater. “I have a feeling there’s gonna be a sequel.”
James laughs. “You seriously liked it? The worst fucking movie of the year.”
“It was not!” McKenzie looks affronted because I think the movie was her pick. “Tell him, Claire.”
Claire smiles and shrugs. “I liked it… sort of.”
Then she laughs, and McKenzie looks to me for backup.
“Come on Tyler, I need one vote of confidence here.”
If I’d actually been paying attention to the movie, I could give McKenzie an honest assessment on it, but I’d been way too focused on Claire. If asked, I could probably offer a pretty decent evaluation of my thoughts on her. I’d tell her that I get that Claire dresses up, in skirts and dresses and heels, because she wants to be more adult, but it’s also one hell of a turn on. You mix that with her intelligence and the fact that she isn’t a dick to people, that there’s a genuine niceness under all that beauty, and you’ve got a girl that any guy would go a little crazy for.
Considering Claire is single, by choice, I should be chomping at the bit just to get closer to her, as close as I possibly can. But then there are the roadblocks
, my feelings for Laney and the damage to my body. Claire could be the kind of girl who could accept that, my damage—not my feelings for my ex—but I’d still have to be willing to tell her, to show her, and I’m not sure I’m ready for that. And then there’s yet another roadblock, which is the fact that Claire Kessel will more than likely be going to Seattle next fall to become a doctor. And where will I be? I applied to CU and CSU at the end of the summer, but that doesn’t mean I’ll get in, and the more time I spend away from Colorado, the more unsure I am that I even want to go back.
Again, all of my thoughts have nothing to do with a very simple question posed to me by McKenzie, so I say a simple, “I loved it,” of the movie.
James chokes out a laugh. “For real, man?”
I shrug. “Sure. It was cheesy and all, but it gave Claire a good scare.”
“And your arm is still intact?” Claire touches me at the hem of my shirtsleeve, appearing to investigate.
It’s innocent, but the subtle touch is enough to tighten up my crotch.
“No… no bruising. I guess you’re good,” she says with a smile.
“I didn’t realize there was touching going on in there.” McKenzie lifts her brows.
“You guys like going out now?” James asks with what I decide is honest curiosity.
“I don’t think…” Claire begins, quieting and then silencing herself.
She’s basically left me to answer, and even though I’ve thought my feelings out on Claire, I have no idea what I should actually say. Should I say yes, that it would be cool if we were, then expect Claire is actually interested in me like that and feel like an idiot when she shakes her head? Or do I say an emphatic no and risk hurting whatever true feelings she might have for me? To top it all off, I could add, “Hey, I’m also still in love with my ex-girlfriend!”
“Oh, please, James,” McKenzie cuts in, softly punching him on the shoulder. “Way to put on the pressure.”
Between the Girls (The Basin Lake Series Book 3) Page 9
