by Holly Hood
He got out of the car looking toward the house, hoping she was as excited about this date as he was. He knew he was a good guy. He’d held the same job for eight years, wasn’t married, and he didn’t have children. He came from a wealthy family where both parents worked in the professional world and they’d sent all their children to college. Life had gone well for Adrian so far in his thirty years.
“You’re the guy from the restaurant, right?” Ethan asked, watching him nervously approach the porch steps. He had been watching him from the driveway.
Adrian reached to shake Ethan’s hand. Ethan tossed his cigarette, accepting the handshake.
“She’s inside waiting--where you guys heading?” Ethan asked.
“That’s the thing--I wasn’t sure if I should do dinner and a movie, or if there was something she liked more. I’m sorry, I’m really nervous,” Adrian said, ready to kick himself. He pleaded with his mind to calm down. He never was uptight; he was known for being the calm and collected one.
“Charley loves art, music, anything classy and refined. Don’t be nervous. She’s a good person, and she’ll be happy with whatever you two do,” Ethan offered. Poor guy looked like he was about to run away.
“Thanks, I’ll make a note of it. Anything I should know about your sister?” Adrian asked, hoping for some secret to dazzle her.
Ethan thought carefully; he didn’t want to give away too much on Charley. He felt this was something a guy should be able to figure out on his own. Ethan knew he was trying, though, so he must really be interested in Charley.
“She just lost her mother, so just be you. I’ve got a feeling you’ll be fine,” Ethan said, heading up the stairs with Adrian.
Everly peered out the window and was delighted to see Adrian had arrived to pick up her sister. She felt like she was living vicariously through Charley. Vinnie was nothing but a played out record anymore. There was nothing new about him. She wasn’t excited to go out on a date with Vinnie, she knew that for sure.
“He’s here,” she called out, running into the living room. Charley rolled her eyes at her sister, tensing up at the thought of seeing him in a few moments.
Vinnie gave her a smile, enjoying every moment of it. He stared at Everly, completely blown away at her level of giddiness for someone else’s date. He took her out all the time. She was never this excited about their time together.
“Should I stand up?” Charley whispered to Everly. Everly nodded, slapping at Vinnie as he tried to put his arm around her.
Ethan and Adrian came into the living room. Adrian gasped when he saw Charley. She looked stunning, even more so when she smiled at him.
“You look…amazing,” he said, coming to her. He took her hand and pulled her in for a hug. She didn’t falter, wrapping her arms around him.
“Thank you,” she said tugging at his jacket. “You look nice, too.”
“When I find the words, I’ll tell you exactly how beautiful you look,” he said, thinking about how good she smelled.
Everly happily watched from the sofa, lost in a dream-like gaze at the two of them.
“Have a good time,” Ethan said, breaking up the stare down. He liked this Adrian guy. He seemed to be genuinely into Charley, and he was happy about that.
“Shall we?” he asked, as he presented the crook of his arm to her. She happily accepted his arm as he opened the door for her. He tried his best to not check out her rear as she headed out the door, but it was no use. She looked even more amazing now.
“Nice car,” Charley said getting into his mustang. It was an older model Mustang that had obviously been well cared for.
“Thanks, it was my granddad’s. I restored it last summer,” he said buckling up.
Charley sniffed the air, sending him into a panic.
“Roses,” she said, eyeing him. She thought he’d think she was crazy. Having grown up around a flower-loving mom, Charley definitely had a nose for roses.
Adrian let out a sigh as she pulled them from under her seat, petals falling on her lap. She tried saving the crushed mass that had been a beautiful bouquet.
“I thought it was too much, so I tried to dump them,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
“They’re beautiful. It would have been a good gesture. In fact, now it’s even more than that,” she said, smiling at him.
“How so?” he asked.
“Shows you over thought all this. Now I know I’m not the only one who was nervous,” she said, feeling a bit at ease.
“You, nervous? No way,” he replied, with an overly dramatic look of shock. Charley’s laughter was music to his ears.
“Hold on a second,” he said, snagging one of the roses out of the bouquet. He jumped out of the car, ran around to her side of the car, opened the door and got down on one knee, holding the rose out to her. .
“I forgot to tell you how honored I am to be able to take you out tonight. Please accept this rose,” he said, laughing, hoping he didn’t appear foolish.
“Of course. I wish I had something to give you,” she said. Charley had never felt so lighthearted and happy in such a short amount of time.
Adrian pointed to his cheek with his finger. She took hold of both sides of his face with her hands and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, enjoying the added benefit of that great smelling cologne he wore.
“So that’s what those lips feel like,” he said, standing up. He placed his hand over his cheek where she’d kissed him, obviously very pleased with the act.
“Get your butt in the car, Rico Suave, and tell me about the night of fun you have in store for me,” she said, letting him close her door.
Adrian smiled all the way back to the driver’s side of the car.
“You said you never have any fun, so I thought of the perfect thing…just a few seconds ago, actually. I know we aren’t dressed for it, but, what the hell, right?” he asked, as he drove down the street.
Charley debated on grilling him on his idea, but she decided to just go along with it.
Everly and Vinnie
Vinnie buttoned his shirt, studying himself in the mirror. He had talked Everly into letting him take her out. They were going to hit the bar and let loose. Things needed to change between him and Everly, he told himself.
He was trying to look past the fact Quinn and Jordan would be joining them. One minute they acted like they hated each other; the next, they wanted to party.
Quinn traipsed past him in a short miniskirt. He tried his best to forget about the night he’d pinned her up against the laundry room wall and what a dirty girl she could be—even dirtier than her sister. She ignored him as if he didn’t even exist. He wondered about her purpose. Most girls never left him alone after he slept with them. He shook his head, puzzled. Something needed to change soon or he was going to lose it.
“Hey, can I use the mirror?” Quinn asked, sliding in front of him, her ass brushing against his groin. He was wise to her antics and tried his best to keep calm.
“Go for it, babe,” he said, heading into the living room to wait on Everly, watching her apply her lip gloss. She stood at just right angle so he could see her backside.
Quinn smiled as she watched Vinnie nearly lose it, knowing full well he was getting a good show. She enjoyed every minute of the torture.
“Hey babe,” Jordan said, kissing Quinn as he came into the living room. Vinnie jumped at Jordan’s sudden entrance into the room.
“You okay, man?” Jordan asked.
“Just great. How’s the game?” Vinnie blurted out.
“Dude, football is over with,” Jordan said, raising his eyebrows in confusion. He hoped it was just his weird sense of humor. Looking at Quinn, he knew it had to be more than that. Vinnie had been checking her out, and Quinn had been making it easy for him to do so.
He thought back to the night he’d gotten here. Quinn had smelled like men’s cologne. The next morning when he’d passed Vinnie in the kitchen, he realized it was the same cologne he’
d smelled on Quinn. He didn’t have the heart to bring it up. It wouldn’t only crush his relationship, but Everly’s as well. He did his best to not break the man’s nose. He wanted nothing more than to kick the shit out of him. But he loved Quinn, and he was trying to remain cool. She didn’t admit it often, but he tried to convince himself that she loved him just as much.
Charley
“What is this place?” Charley asked, as they headed toward the large white structure ahead.
Adrian hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed with his idea. He thought this might serve as a good icebreaker. He could tell she loved to laugh and could use it now more than ever
“Batting cages,” Charley said, observing her surroundings. It was busy and loud and not exactly the place for a girl in a white dress and heels.
Adrian felt her reluctance to be there. He could see her discomfort as she tightly clutched her purse. He took her purse in one hand and took her hand in his other. He made his way to the bats, grabbing one so they could get the show on the road.
“I promise you, this will be fun,” he said, leading her through the crowd, her grip tight on his hand.
“And if it’s not?” she called out, flinching as balls rattled the fence, one after another.
“If it’s not, you can pick the next activity,” he said, smiling. She gave a forced smile, letting him plunk a helmet on her head. He put his hand on her shoulder, guiding her through the how to’s of swinging the bat. She stared into his brown eyes listening carefully, his face totally serious.
“Ok, I’ll give it a shot,” she said, opening up the gate, she looked back to catch him looking right at her. “If I look like a fool, promise me we will leave?”
Adrian smirked, shoving some coins in the machine. He jabbed the button, giving her a thumbs up.
“Stand up straighter, elbows up,” he instructed.
Clutching the bat with her finely polished fingernails, Charley closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to tell him that she hated sports, and the fear of being hit by the ball was making her nauseous. She exhaled, blowing air out her mouth as the ball shot towards her, swinging and missing, spinning in a circle. She looked at Adrian, as he beamed with gratification—the pleased kind of gratification, not the amused gratification that someone had just been made to look foolish.
Charley straightened up once more, taking another strong swing. She wobbled back on her high heels being stubborn.
“If you raise your arms just a little…” he called out from behind the fence.
“Wait a second,” she said, taking her shoes off. Adrian was impressed she’d do such a thing. She chucked them at the fence, getting ready for the ball again, determination flooding her face. He smiled, watching her feminine stance. Swinging once again, she missed the ball. He held back laughter, as she yelled, blaming the machine for her missed hit.
“Practice makes perfect, beautiful,” he said, cheering her on.
“Come on. Show me how to do this. I take it you’re a fan of baseball?” she inquired.
Adrian didn’t waste any time coming inside the cage. He lifted the bat, taking her by the elbow.
“I played baseball all the way through college,” he explained. Charley nodded, letting him guide her body, He felt a little uneasy at having to hold her body so close to his. He didn’t want to cheapen the situation so she’d regret it later.
“I hold my hands here?” she asked, turning her head, her hair brushing against his face. His heart quickened as he placed his hand over hers. Her skin felt so smooth as his fingers interlocked with hers. He nodded his head, and she let him guide her swing at the ball as it came their way.
“Yay, we did it!” she exclaimed, jubilant at her success. She bounced up and down with glee, bringing a huge smile to Adrian’s face. He was pleased that she seemed to be enjoying herself.
“You did amazing,” he insisted, watching her try a few more times. He couldn’t believe she was now standing in front of him.
“Thank you, this is fun,” she said, beaming.
“I’m glad you think so,” he said, leaning against the fence.
“So, show me what you’ve got, Mr. Big Shot,” Charley said, handing him the bat.
“This was for you. Besides, I don’t want to destroy the fences. Oh yeah, I’m that good,” he said, grinning at her. She pushed him, laughing at his silliness.
Charley held onto the fence, amazed at the fun she was having. She watched Adrian hit every ball that came his way, his body intense with so much passion for something so simple she thought. He grunted at each swing. She was truly enjoying his company.
“Ok, so now that you’ve seen my skills here, let’s go somewhere else. Whatever you want, I’ll make it happen--anything at all,” he said, walking alongside her. Charley really contemplated his words. What did she want?
“When I was younger, my mom and I used to walk down to the old pond by my house. We would drink hot chocolate and walk and talk for hours,” she explained.
“That’s what you want to do?” he asked, making sure he was on the same page.
“I’d like that very much,” she said with a nod.
“Then let’s go. Sounds like a good time,” Adrian said, taking her hand in his. He squeezed her hand lightly and was thrilled when she squeezed back.
Everly
“What is that? Like…your fourth shot?” Everly asked Vinnie. She was perturbed with his sloppy drinking. It only took a few shots and he was smashed.
“We came out to have fun, so let’s do that. Quit acting so stuffy,” he complained. He sat and watched Quinn and Jordan’s heavy petting session. The way he observed them and had seen other women all over their men only proved to him what he’d thought for some time--Everly wasn’t happy with him anymore. Disgusted with that thought, he threw back another shot.
“Tell me what I did that was so awful,” he said loudly. Everly was surprised he brought up the issue at all. He was forever ignoring any ‘issues’ they had.
“Today, or in general?” she asked, being a smartass.
“I’m serious,” he said, waiting.
“Hey, we came out to have a good time, Vinnie. Let’s do that.” She was a master at changing the subject.
“A good time to me is that right there,” he said, pointing to Jordan and Quinn as they continued their disgusting public display of affection. They looked like they were about to rip off each other’s clothes. Vinnie missed those times with Everly.
“You want me to suck your face in front of everyone at the bar?” she asked, raising her eyebrow.
“I want you to want to do anything with me, act like you want to be near me. You don’t do that anymore. I’m a hot guy and I could have anyone I want, Everly,” he said in her face.
“Then go for it,” she said, as always. He put his hand over her mouth, preventing her from many excuses. He was tired of her excuses. She used to crave him.
“But I want you,” he pressed.
Everly stared into his eyes, wishing she saw anything other than the conceited man who looked back at her.
She accepted his kiss, bringing her hand to his chest, trying to connect with him physically–whatever it took to satisfy him and stop the questions. Because she didn’t want to talk about her feelings. She didn’t want to talk about anything serious anymore.
“Everly Harper?” a voice called out from behind them, quickly ending their lip-lock.
It took Everly all of two seconds to figure out who had called her name—Ryan, her old boyfriend.
“Wow. Hi! What the hell are you doing here?” she asked, ignoring Vinnie. Vinnie sat there sizing up the mystery man while he waited to be introduced.
“I moved back home a couple months back--my father is ill,” he said, shaking his head.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Everly said, lying through her teeth. This guy had ripped her heart out and stomped it into the ground. He’d told her his feelings for her were strong, but in the matter of a day, right out of the blue
, he’d ended everything. She’d never understood and she’d never gotten over the hurt.
“What are you doing home?” he asked, giving her a good look-over. Vinnie could read any man’s eyes. He was a professional at checking woman out. This guy was checking her out, and Everly was acting as if he wasn’t even sitting next to her. He cleared his throat, throwing an arm over Everly’s shoulder.
“Hi, Vincent,” he said, giving him a pesky head nod.
“Ryan,” he said back, pulling her closer. He knew a little about this Ryan character and it wasn’t good. This was her first heartache. And he knew a lot about those; he was the first heartache for plenty of girls.
“Is this your husband?” Ryan asked, looking down at her hand.
“Fiancée,” Vinnie answered for her.
Everly gave him a side glance. She was a big girl and she could answer for herself, she thought.
“Well congrats,” he said, with a nod. Everly wondered why the questions. He’d been with Elizabeth ever since they had split.
“Thanks, how is Beth?” she spit out. She didn’t care about Beth. For all she cared, Beth could have fallen off the planet. She was the woman that had taken Ryan away from her.
“I wouldn’t know. She and I split a year ago,” he said, shrugging.
Everly was stunned and not sure what to say next.
“That’s awful, sucks for you. Well, we got to get going,” Vinnie said, standing up. He thought Everly would follow but she stayed where she was.
“Why don’t you go get Quinn and Jordan?” she asked, in an effort to get rid of him momentarily. He thought about telling her off, but he knew it’d just lead to a big fight once they got back to the house.
“All right and then we are gone,” he said, giving Ryan the evil glare that all but said, ‘keep the hell away from my woman.’
