Connor frowned. “Yeah, he can have quite a chip on his shoulder at times.”
“A chip? Please. He has a whole party-sized bag of Lay’s potato chips sitting on his shoulders. He’s the outcome of Scrooge and Cruella de Vil having a love child.”
Aaliyah smiled. “I mean, he has their grimaces locked down. But, I swear, he’s truly a gentle soul. He’s like hardened hummus.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“You know at a party when you leave hummus out too long? And the top layer hardens over? But if you puncture it, there’s nice soft hummus beneath it? That’s Damian. He’s hardened hummus that you just have to poke a bit to get to the gooey insides.”
“That’s the oddest comparison ever,” I told her.
“Yeah, sweetheart. It’s really odd,” Connor agreed.
“I’m sorry.” Aaliyah’s eyes watered over. “I was just thinking about the hummus I had a few days ago, that I left out, and then I woke up and couldn’t eat it because it went bad, but I still shoved my pita chip into the hardened surface of it and cried when I got to the gooey middle. And ever since then, I’ve been craving hummus.”
Connor’s eyes filled with emotions. “Don’t cry. You know I’ll cry if you cry.”
“I’m sorry, but it was so good!” Aaliyah said, wiping at her tears.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the pregnant woman’s emotions that hit her husband’s emotions just as deeply. I swore it was as if they were one heart that was placed between two souls.
“It blows my mind how in touch with your emotions you both are, and somehow Damian is your best friend.”
Connor looked in the direction of the bathroom and then back to me. He rolled up his sleeves, then clapped his hands together. “Okay, well, while he’s gone, we can give you a crash course on how to deal with Damian.”
“Oh, I like this idea! Like How To Damian 101!” Aaliyah exclaimed excitedly as if she wasn’t just having a mental breakdown over hummus. “Like number one: never back down when he growls or huffs or grimaces. He uses these forms of aggression to push people away. Stand tall and huff right back if you have to.”
“That’s a solid one. And two: don’t let him disrespect you. Make it known when he actually hurts your feelings. Sometimes he’s so blunt that he doesn’t even realize it. But if you notify him that you were hurt by his words or actions, you’ll see the flash of realization in his eyes. Then his following actions will showcase his apology. Sometimes, he’ll even say it, but he often apologizes through his actions. He’s very much a show-not-tell kind of guy.”
“Number three: he has past trauma that he won’t talk about, but he does fear abandonment. So, he keeps people at a distance,” Aaliyah whispered as she noticed Damian exit the bathroom.
“And number four!” Connor said, leaning in toward me. “Tell the fucker to fuck off sometimes. Ninety-nine percent of the time, he doesn’t deserve to be told that. But there is that one percent when he needs to be put in his place. He respects people who stand up for themselves and stand up to him.”
“Yeah, and don’t forget that he’s hummus,” Aaliyah said, tapping the side of her noggin. “Just break him down a bit, and you’ll get to the good stuff.”
8
Damian
* * *
After dinner, Stella and I stood outside, waiting for the valet to pull Connor’s rental car around the corner. Aaliyah and Connor both ran off to the restrooms, leaving the two of us standing beside one another.
And, of course, good ole Stella couldn’t stand in silence for too long before she struck up a conversation.
“Your friends are so nice.” Stella tilted her head toward me and narrowed her eyes. “So I’m trying to figure out why you’re such a jerk.”
And here we go again.
“Different upbringings,” I muttered.
“Yes. Maybe. Aaliyah mentioned she grew up in situations like yours, too, though and—”
“Don’t be ignorant.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“If you were comparing Aaliyah and me growing up in the foster system and the idea that you think all foster individuals grew up alike, then you’re ignorant.”
“I didn’t even know Aaliyah grew up in foster care. Maybe if you actually let me finish my thought, you would’ve seen what I was getting at.”
“What were you going to say?”
“Forget it. It doesn’t matter.”
I grumbled and didn’t push the subject.
We stood on the curbside, waiting for Aaliyah and Connor to join us. The silence was loud, but I didn’t have the nerve to speak up and offer Stella an apology for assuming what her thoughts had been.
“Do you always have this up?” she asked, staring down the street but speaking to me.
“Have what up?”
“Your shield.”
“Shield?”
“To keep people out.”
I shifted in my shoes and crossed my arms, not answering her.
Even though the answer was a solid yes.
She released a weighted sigh and turned to me. “Listen, I know you aren’t happy with this whole arrangement, and trust me, I’m not either. But if we are going to make this work over these next few months, we have to be able to communicate with one another.”
“I disagree. What we need to do is stay out of one another’s way. I don’t do the whole people thing.”
“Well, it turns out that we are complete opposites. I’m a people person.”
“That’s fine. Just don’t people with this person,” I coldly replied. “Besides, you’re not a people person, you’re a people pleaser, and that’s not the same thing.”
She laughed. “You don’t even know me, yet you’re already trying to define who I am.”
“It doesn’t take much to notice that fact about you. You bend over backward simply to get people’s approval. That’s why you care so much that I don’t like you.”
“I don’t care at all that you don’t like me,” she replied. Shifting in her shoes, she rolled her shoulders back. “Why don’t you like me, though?” she questioned, proving my exact point.
I snickered.
She frowned.
I wasn’t used to her frown. It seemed sadder than most. Maybe because she didn’t do it very often.
“Screw you, Beast.”
“With or without the lights on, Cinderstella?”
She grew flush and stuttered a bit before shifting around uncomfortably. “Listen, neither one of us wants to be here, so let’s stay out of one another’s way, okay? Six months will be over before you know it, and we can both move on with our lives. Soon enough, we’ll be nothing more than a distant memory to each other.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“Good.”
“Great.”
“Fan-freaking-tastic!”
I rolled my eyes. “Do you always have to get the last word in?”
“No!”
“Good.”
“I’m just saying—”
“Jeez, woman! Can you stop saying anything? You talk too much.”
“You speak too little.”
I went quiet.
She kept talking.
I huffed.
She huffed back dramatically. “Huff!” she shouted.
“What the fuck was that?”
She puffed out her chest. “I huffed at your huffing.”
I considered if this woman was truly unwell, but I didn’t speak back because I didn’t want to give her the opportunity to keep the conversation going.
We were the odd couple, and a part of me doubted she’d be able to go without talking to me over the next six months. I never realized how much of a privilege silence had been in my life until that very moment.
“Be nicer to her,” Connor said.
“What?”
“You heard me. Stop being a dick. You have to break down your barriers a bit, Damian,” Connor commented as we sat in the thea
ter room of the home after dinner. Aaliyah was in bed for the night, and Stella was doing whatever it was that Stella did. Probably dancing under the moon and talking to the ocean or some weird shit.
Connor suggested we watch a movie on the big screen, and I agreed. Though, for the past twenty minutes or so, we’d been trying to figure out how to get the movie to play. He finally gave up and plopped down in one of the ridiculously comfortable chairs and was giving me a scolding.
“My barriers are fine,” I disagreed. “Boundaries are good.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “But coldness is not. Stella’s a nice person.”
“What’s your point?”
“You’re rude to her.”
“I’m not rude. I’m straightforward.”
He laughed. “Your straightforwardness can come off as being rude to most of the world.”
“Why is it my job to control how most of the world feels?”
He pointed a finger at me. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Being defensive. I’m not here to get you wound up, buddy. I’m here as your best friend. You asked me if I had tips on how you could make this situation work with Stella, so you end up with what you want—the money to help your charity.”
“Yes.”
“So, this is me being a helpful friend. You gotta be nicer to her.”
“I’m not a nice person.”
“Bullshit. You’re the nicest person I know. You just don’t show the world it as often. Last year, when you were there for Aaliyah during our hardships, you were beyond nice. You were kind. And patient. And the best friend in the whole damn world. You are the most genuine person on this planet, Damian. I’m not saying you must be Superman to Stella, but… just ease up a little. It’s clear she’s sensitive.”
“She cries over everything.”
“And you cry over nothing. Complete opposites. Just meet her halfway at least. You aren’t alone in this crazy situation. Stella is living it out day by day, too. She’s not the villain in this story, Damian. She’s the leading lady. She’s a good one.”
“What if she isn’t? What if she’s awful and just hides it well?”
He shrugged. “You’re a master at reading people from the moment you spend more than five minutes with them. From the time you’ve spent with Stella, has she shown any signs of being cruel?”
No.
None.
The complete opposite.
Was she wacky as fuck? Yes. But cruel? Not an ounce.
“I’m not telling you to fall in love with her even though I’d be down for that, too. All I’m really saying is to give her a break. She’s going through this shitstorm right beside you. It’s you two against the world, really.”
I huffed and puffed, annoyed that he was spot-on.
“Are you guys having trouble?” Stella interrupted the conversation as she walked into the theater space. She was drenched, drying her curly hair with a towel. I was almost certain she’d taken a dive into the ocean like she’d done the night before.
“We couldn’t get it to work,” Connor said, holding up five different remotes.
“I can help you with that.” She walked over and grabbed the remotes. Within seconds, the screen powered on. She asked what we wanted to watch, Connor told her, and she set it all up.
“You can hit this button to shut it all off when done. And if you want, there’s a beverage fridge in the back corner right there. I can also make you some popcorn if you’d like,” she offered.
“It’s all right,” I said.
“I’d love popcorn!” Connor exclaimed as if he didn’t just eat two baskets of bread at dinner.
Without a second of hesitation, Stella went over and started popping fresh popcorn for my hungry friend. There wasn’t an ounce of annoyance or complaining from her. She just did the act and handed us two bowls of popcorn.
“If you need anything else, at any point, let me know. I grew up in this house, so I know all the ins and outs of it. Otherwise, I’ll see you tomorrow for the big deal,” she nervously joked about the ceremony. Was she as nervous as I’d been?
As she left the room, I sighed, looking down at the delicious-smelling popped kernels in front of me.
“What is it?” Connor asked, noticing my sigh.
“She’s just like you and Aaliyah, isn’t she?”
“What do you mean?”
Rolling my eyes, I shoved a handful of popcorn into my mouth and chewed aggressively. “A good person.” He laughed. I groaned. “It’s not funny.”
“I know. I hate when good people show up. It’s a pain in my ass.”
I hated it, too. Because they hardly ever stayed.
9
Stella
* * *
I woke up the following morning after a night of unrest. The idea of the upcoming day kept me twisting and turning throughout the early morning. Even worse, I was hoping I could’ve spent the night with Jeff to make it clearer to him, and maybe myself, that this wedding arrangement was nothing more than a contract I was abiding by at the end of the day. Merely a piece of paper to make Kevin’s odd final wish come true.
Sadly, Jeff had a DJ gig that evening, and he turned down the request to attend the ceremony. I couldn’t blame him. I would hate to see him off marrying another woman. Still, I had hoped that by having him there, it would be even clearer how much of an absurd arrangement this was—especially since he was the one who pushed me to go through with it all.
I’m doing this for us. For our future. For our happily ever after.
I kept telling myself that repeatedly to keep me from having a full-blown meltdown.
There was a knock on my door, forcing me to pull myself from my bed. When I opened the door, I saw a friendly face holding a tray with goodies on it. Most importantly—champagne.
“Good morning!” Aaliyah exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear. “I figured the bride-to-be deserved a cocktail to start the day. I know it’s not a real wedding ceremony, but you deserve royal treatment nonetheless.”
“Where have you been my whole life?” I joked. “Come on in.” As she walked in, I noticed another tray on the accent table in the hallway across from my room. “Is that from you, too?” I asked.
“Oh, no. That was there before I arrived.”
I walked over to it and felt my heart skipping a few beats as I looked down to find a plate with blueberry scones sitting on it and a cup of black coffee. Kevin’s exact order. Next to the plate was a folded note. I picked it up and read the words as the strongest organ in my body pounded against my rib cage.
Your something blue for the day.
– The Beast
Oh, Damian.
You hardened hummus, you.
“Is it from Damian?” Aaliyah asked.
“Yes. It’s…” I sighed, feeling tears fill my eyes as I stared down at the scones. “My father and I used to eat blueberry scones together. It’s a long story.”
She smiled and began to make me a mimosa. “I’m listening.”
I told her the story behind the scones and the story of how Damian and I first met. She laughed at the exchange even though I still felt foolish for being so insane that morning.”
“I was wondering why I saw him leaving the house at four in the morning. I’m guessing he was the first in line,” Aaliyah said.
“You were up at four in the morning?”
“Yeah. Couldn’t sleep with the two-hour time change.”
I looked down at the scones, a bit in amazement. “It blows my mind how someone who’s such a jerk can be so sweet.”
“That’s Damian for you.”
“Just seeing those scones makes me want to cry. I know it’s silly, but it does.”
“You lost one of the most important people in your life last week. Feeling emotional isn’t silly at all. Feel whatever comes up. It’s all allowed.”
“Thanks, Aaliyah.”
“Of course.”
“Can you tell m
e something about him?” I asked when she walked over with my drink. I was almost certain she knew I needed a drink based on the fear on my face.
“About Damian?”
“Yes. I know it’s silly, but I, well, I’m…”
“Overwhelmed.”
I nodded.
She gave me a kind smile and handed me my glass. “I get it. Well, I don’t exactly. Honestly, I’ve only read about these situations in storybooks.”
“Tell me about it.” I nervously laughed.
“It’s like a twisted fairy tale. What if the Beast married Cinderella?”
“He told you about our nicknames?”
She raised a curious brow. “No. Nicknames? Damian hates nicknames.”
I laughed. “Not when it comes to me. He calls me Cinderstella—in a mockery tone, at least.”
“Wow. You must pull something from him to get that kind of reaction. What I will tell you is he’s loyal. When he stands by a person’s side, he won’t ever falter. A little over a year ago, I was in a dire situation. Connor and I weren’t on speaking terms, but Damian showed up when I needed someone the most. He stayed with me and comforted me—in his Damian way of comfort of course—and held my hand through the hardest times. All because of his love for Connor. He’d do anything for his best friend.”
“How did they meet?”
“That’s a longer story than I have time to share, seeing how you need to get showered and dressed. Maple told me to make sure you’re in her guesthouse to put on your gown in about two hours. So, take some time for yourself. And know that no matter what happens, everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”
“How can you know for certain?”
“Don’t know.” She shrugged. “Call it a gut instinct. Enjoy your scones and mimosas.”
“Thanks again, Aaliyah.”
“Welcome.” She paused as if something was on her mind.
“What is it?”
“I just want to say… I don’t know what’s going to happen between you and Damian. I don’t know what’s to come at the end of this bizarre scenario, or if you two will even make it to the full six months’ time, but I do know fairy tales. And they always end up with a happily ever after.”
Western Waves Page 8
