“Mother!” I hissed. “We are not doing this here. Not now. In fact, if I had my way. Not ever.”
She studied me for a long moment. “Elle, this is…”
“Mom, if you say another word. I’m leaving. I will walk home if I have to. Not here.”
She stopped for a second and looked at me. Really looked, then nodded. Okay, she was saying. Not here. But soon.
I sighed internally and tried not to roll my eyes. She really hated that. Instead, I accepted the momentary truce and accepted the fact that I was only delaying the inevitable.
We ended up delaying it all the way until we reached the car after shopping. A good forty-five minutes. I guess I should be grateful she held off that long.
I’d barely gotten my seat belt done when she turned to me and said. “This is important Elle. I need to know you are taking your birth control.”
I did roll my eyes, I couldn’t stop myself. “Yes Mom,” I said. “But it’s not like that. Nate and I barely know each other.”
She gave me a look like she thought I was crazy, then smiled sadly. “It’s just that you are so young.”
I scoffed loudly. “Nana was a year younger than me when she ran off to join a hippie commune in the woods.”
Mom’s eye got a quick cloudy look as she thought about what I said. “Your Nana had a hard childhood. What she did cannot be compared to today. This is all so new for you. You’ve been protected. I worry that you might make a mistake.”
“Nate is not a mistake,” I said with a little more force than I probably should have.
She continued to study me for a long minute until, finally, she shook her head and started the car. “Promise me,” she said. “You will take your birth control.”
I sighed, “Yes mom,” I said. “I promise. But I’m telling you. It’s not like that. This isn’t an issue for you to worry about.”
Mom smiled at me and said, “Oh honey, when I see the way you look at him and the way he looks at you. Believe me. It is an issue.”
I swallowed hard as I thought about the ‘issue’ and deep down, I thought maybe Mom had been right. For the first time in my life, I was thinking maybe, someday soon, yes, most definitely, it was going to become an issue.
Chapter Seventeen
Nate
I opened a second pack of pop-tarts and leaned up against the counter.
“What you so happy about?” Uncle Jake asked as he poured himself a coffee while shooting me a curious frown.
“A guy can’t be happy?” I responded.
“Not you, not in the morning, especially not on Monday.”
How could I answer his question? I mean, it was like - I was just happy. The world seemed right. Things were working. It was like the first time in a long time, a hole inside of me had been filled in. Like I was finally a complete person or something. I mean the ache of my parents and Aunt Mary would always be there. But, for some reason, it didn’t hurt as bad.
I was happy. So sue me. I shrugged my shoulders at him and took a bite of pop-tart.
He laughed and shook his head at me like I was a little kid pretending to be an astronaut. Reaching beyond my dreams.
“I might be late this afternoon,” I said. No reason really. But who knew. The day could be filled with surprises.
Uncle Jake nodded. “Okay, but don’t make any plans for the last weekend at the end of the month. You’ve got the gym both days. Charlie and I are going up to Salinas to check out this new fighter. I’ll be back late Sunday.”
Finishing the pop-tart, I nodded. It wasn’t unusual, he spent a lot of time on the road. I’d hold down the fort until he returned.
“Okay, see you later,” I said as I pushed off the counter and headed out the door.
“Tell Elle, I said hi,” he said with a smirk. “And remember son. It’s your job to make sure she’s as happy as you are right now. It took me years to realize that.”
I looked at him and saw the hidden hurt behind his eyes. That had been the mantra he lived by, I realized. The goal he’d set for himself in life. To make my Aunt Mary happy. That was all he had ever wanted. And now, it was like he didn’t have a purpose anymore. The gym, me, nothing would ever be as important, or as rewarding, as making my Aunt Mary happy.
“I will try,” I said as I swallowed hard and got out of there before either of us made an emotional fool of ourselves.
But on the drive to school, I couldn’t stop thinking about what my uncle had said. I mean, come on. What would a girl like Elle ever see in someone like me? She was destined to be something in this world. A lawyer, a doctor, something important. In college, she’d be surrounded by guys, all of them on the road to the big time. While I was stationed somewhere in the world, crawling through the mud and making chump change for a salary.
No way would I ever match up to what she wanted. Not in the long term. Right now, I was something new. Something different. But, would she ever really respect me? Would she ever really be amazed by anything I ever did? How could I ever make her happy in the long run? I couldn’t see it, not really.
Suddenly, my happy, carefree feeling washed away to be replaced by a mountain of doubt. What was I getting myself into? I mean, it was only a matter of time until she realized that she could do a lot better. Oh sure, I could probably take any guy in the school. And maybe even a couple of them together. But so what?
At some point, that wasn’t going to be enough. I wasn’t going to ever be enough for a girl like Elle.
Sighing, I pulled into the school’s parking lot and tried to regain that happy feeling.
“Get it together,” I mumble to myself. Enjoy it while it lasted. A short time with Elle was better than just about anything else in the world. So, go with the flow. Enjoy it, and sock away sweet memories. Because when it ends. It’s going to hurt.
I’d gotten myself together and shaken off the cloud of doom when I saw her waiting on the steps outside the front door of the school. Long legs and soft curves. Her hair pulled back and a fresh, pure innocence that tore my heart in two.
She saw me, and a hesitant smile made the world a better place.
She looks nervous, I thought. Why? Was everything okay?
“Where’s Jimmy,” I asked.
She frowned. “I sent him ahead, I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”
My stomach tightened up into a compact ball that felt like it weighed a ton.
Seeing my questioning frown, she glanced down at her feet for a second then looked up at me and said, “I didn’t know if you were coming today. I mean, I sort of was wondering if you changed your mind. You know, about the whole not pretending part.”
I smiled to myself. She was babbling, she did that when she got nervous. Maybe she was as worried as I was. The thought relaxed me for some reason. Reaching out, I took her hand and pulled her into a quick kiss.
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” I said. “And, you look great, by the way,” I added.
She smiled up at me and I could see her relax. Probably for the first time since Saturday night.
“You never called me, I didn’t know. What are the rules of this new arrangement.”
I laughed, so like Elle, she needed a plan. Needed the boundaries clearly marked, goals set and a path forward. For her, the real thing was going to be harder than pretending ever was.
Shrugging my shoulders, I led her into the school, still holding her hand. “I don’t know,” I said, saying the one thing that probably bothered her the most. “You tell me how you want this to go.”
She suddenly got very big eyes as if the prospect of her being in charge scared her. “You’re the one with experience in things like this, remember?”
I laughed. “Okay, then,” I said, “it’s simple, remember three basic things.”
“Yes,” she said and I knew deep down she wished she could pull her book out and take notes.
“One, you can not get me expelled by flirting with other guys.”
She frown
ed. “Why would that get you expelled?”
“Because, I’d end up beating them into the ground and no way is Mr. Bean excusing that.”
She laughed and shook her head, “Okay, no flirting, what else?”
“Two, I get to pick you up in the morning and drive you home after school. That is not negotiable by the way. I am putting my foot down and insisting. I know you think it’s male chauvinistic of me. But deal with it.”
She laughed. “Okay, if you’re going to be all insistent and stuff. But I get to come up with some rules of my own.”
“We’ll see,” I said. She gave me a look that let me know it was not up for discussion.
“What is the third rule?” she asked as she let go of my hand to slip her arm into mine and pull herself closer to me.
I thought for a moment as I drank in the wonderfulness that is Elle. Finally, I made myself think and came up with something.
“Third,” I said, “is that, at least once a day, you have to give me a look of adoration. Like I am the most important thing in the world. I know it will be hard for you, but you will get better with practice.”
She laughed and slapped my arm. I could tell she knew I was joking.
“No, not like that,” I said with a smile. “And go easy on the physical violence, remember, I am tender and bruise easily.”
Throwing her head back, she barked out a laugh so loud that half the kids in the hall turned to look. She blushed and buried her head in my arm.
“Okay,” she mumbled as she continued to lean into me. “I agree to your rules. But I will let you know mine at lunch,” she added as we stopped outside her room.
“What? You haven’t come up with a list already? What have you been doing all weekend?”
“I’m new to this,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “But, I’m a quick learner, so you better be ready.”
God, she was special, I thought as the bell rang. Leaning down, I quickly kissed her.
“And Elle,” I said as I pulled away to get to class. “Have a great, beautiful day. That is a rule also. Elle must always have a great, beautiful day.”
She smiled back at me and I saw true happiness in her eyes and I knew what my Uncle Jake had known for years. There is nothing more wonderful than making the woman you love smile like that.
.o0o.
Elle
The morning dragged by at a crippled snail’s pace. Every tick of the clock seemed to hang there in mid-air. People talked and joked around like they didn’t have a care in the world. Didn’t they understand? I had better things to be doing.
At lunch, Jeanna and I got there first and were sitting at our table. I couldn’t stop myself from constantly glancing at the door. What was taking him so long?
Jeanna shook her head after the twenty-third time I had looked that way.
“You know, you’re acting like a thirteen-year-old girl waiting for your favorite boy band to come swoop you up and take you to their castle.”
“That makes absolutely no sense,” I said as I forced myself not to look. “You’re mixing metaphors again.”
“It makes sense from over here,” she said with a frown. “And you’re mixing gasoline with electricity.”
Shaking her head, she leaned forward. “So from pretend to the real thing. You know, that doesn’t happen in real life. It only happens in fairy tales. And you’re not exactly the Cinderella type.”
All I could do was shrug my shoulders. She’d never understand.
Jeanna gave me a long look and slowly shook her head again. I’m sure to her, I was a lost cause and couldn’t be saved until I came out the other end.
Then I knew. Somehow I could just tell. Nate had stepped into the dining area.
Looking up I saw him, carrying a tray of food. He looked his usual awesomeness. Tight T-shirt. jeans that highlighted the important parts. Broad shoulders and wide chest. The boy was a walking advertisement for pure male strength. The kind that turned my insides into silly putty.
“Hey, guys,” he said as he slid in next to me. “Jimmy is at the lab again. I made sure he got something from the vending machine, but I couldn’t get him to come for lunch. Something about a calculation he was running.”
I smiled at him as I leaned my head on his shoulder and relaxed. Jeanna rolled her eyes at me. Making sure I saw.
Nate continued on, “Jimmy did tell me that you spent Sunday smiling all day and that it bugged the heck out of him. And yes, he did use the word heck. He hasn’t picked up all of my bad habits yet.”
I blushed, but really, I didn’t care. How could I blame Jimmy? It was because of him that I was sitting here next to Nate. Taking in his leather and sandalwood scent. Resting my head on his shoulder like it was my favorite pillow.
“This is just too sickening,” Jeanna said as she pushed herself back from the table and got up. “You guys are worse than a Hallmark commercial.”
She gave me a look like she seriously doubted my sanity. All I could do was raise an eyebrow. What did she want from me?
Shaking her head, she turned and stomped off.
“What’d I do?” Nate asked with a frown.
“Nothing,” I said as I touched his arm. “She’s not mad. Envious maybe, but not mad. Not really.”
Nate nodded as he slipped an arm around my shoulders and asked. “So, you come up with your rules yet?”
He gave me a strange look and for the first time, I realized he was a little nervous.
Smiling to myself I said, “Sure, and they are not up for negotiation. If you don’t like them. Then I’m afraid this will just not work.”
“Oooookay,” he said with a hesitant stare.
“Rule one,” I began. “You are not allowed to talk to Cindy Havers. In fact, you are limited in who of the female persuasion you do talk to. Preferably under twelve and over thirty.”
He nodded slowly. “That’s cool. There are plenty of hot chicks over thirty.”
I slapped him on the shoulder. If this kept up I was going to have to get myself some boxing gloves.
“Two,” I continued. “You have to kiss me at least once a day with that famous Nate Clark kiss of yours. The one that sends me into another world.”
He smiled and nodded. “I can do that if I have to. I’m willing to make that sacrifice.”
I hit him again. He laughed and rubbed his shoulder. “We really are going to have to work on this violent nature of yours.”
“Three,” I said, ignoring his comment and fighting not to rub my aching hand on my jeans. “Is that you must promise to stay out of trouble. If you get expelled. It will ruin my entire day. Well, at least part of it anyway.”
He pursed his lips as he considered my demand.
“Remember, non-negotiable.”
He laughed and nodded. “Okay, I can live with those.”
“And number four …”
“Hey, I only had three rules.” He interrupted.
“No, you had four,” I said. “The Elle must have a great and beautiful day rule, remember.”
He looked at me for a long second. “Yeah but that is a standing rule. It applies whether we are a couple or not.”
“Wow, that was cheesy,” I said as I shook my head. “Even for you.” Deep down though, my heart jumped and my feet curled up.
He laughed. “What, you want to rescind the rule?”
“Not on your life,” I said quickly.
“Okay then,” he said with that gorgeous smirk of his. “What is this rule four?”
I paused for a moment, this might actually be too much for him.
“Once a day, you have to tell me something about yourself. Something I don’t know.”
His fork halted in mid-air as he pondered my rule. I could see the gears grinding away in that head of his. Sharing intimate details, that had not been on his radar.
I held my breath and waited.
“Maybe we could change it so that we both have to share something,” he said like it was some great sacrifice
or something.
I laughed. Like I had anything secret to worry about. Not.
“Okay,” I agreed. “And we start now. What is your middle name.”
Nate’s shoulders relaxed when he learned I wasn’t going to press him on his deep and darkest secret. What he didn’t know was this was but the first day.
“Henry,” he said. “Nathan after my grandfather, Henry after my dad.”
The sadness in his voice when he mentioned his dad pulled at my heart.
He smiled as if nothing was wrong and said, “My turn. What is Elle short for,” he asked. Elsbeth? Elisandra? Elvira?
“Eleanor,” I said as my cheeks grew a little warm.
“What, your mom was a Beatles fan, she named you after Eleanor Rigby?
“No, Eleanor Roosevelt,” I said as I quickly looked down at my food.
He laughed. “Why am I not surprised. And let me guess, Jimmy is named after Jimmy Carter.”
All I could do was nod my head.
He paused for a moment then said. “If we ever have kids we’ll have to name our son Ronald. After Reagan.”
I laughed hard, “My mom would disown me,” I said. Then his words actually sank in. It was like someone had dropped a ton of mashed awkwardness over the both of us. We both realized it that the same moment.
He got a scared look. Like someone was threatening to tell the world he was a nice guy. I pulled away from him, unable to look him in the eye. Suddenly, the room felt hot and my world couldn’t settle back to normal.
“Hey Eleanor,” he said. “It was only a joke. Remember, no talking about kids until the fifth date.”
I laughed and nodded. “Okay, we can do it on our fifth date,” I said then realized what that sounded like and what I might be committing myself to. “To talk about it,” I added quickly.
He laughed. That was the thing about Nate, he laughed easily. Nothing was ever so important or so dumb that it couldn’t be laughed at.
“And another rule,” I said. He raised an eyebrow as he finished chewing his sandwich.
My Brother's Bodyguard (Hometown Heros #1) Page 13
