by Vi Keeland
She interrupted. “Your minivan, you mean.”
“Yes. My old-lady minivan. That I belong driving. He, on the other hand, belongs behind the wheel of that little sports car he has.”
“What kind of a car is it?”
“I have no idea. Why does that even matter?”
“Because you deserve a boyfriend with a hot little car.”
“He’s not going to be my boyfriend.”
“Why not?”
“Eve, did you drink the first batch of these things on the way over here?”
“Let’s break this down. Stick to the details. What’s the real issue? Is it his age or the fact that he knows Ryan that bothers you?”
“Both.”
“So if he had never met Ryan you’d go out with him?”
“No. He’s too young.”
Eve grinned. I really thought she might be losing it. “I can’t wait to meet him.”
“What? You won’t be meeting him.”
“But I’m coming to spend the weekend with you in two weeks out in Montauk.”
“So? He hasn’t been there in years. I’m hoping that won’t be changing anytime soon. I just want to put the entire bizarre incident behind me.”
She smiled. “Well, that makes one of us.”
***
After our study session that evening, Allison started to clean up Mark’s dining room table. “I have to run. I didn’t realize it was so late. My husband’s car is in the shop, and he works the night shift so he needs to take mine.”
“Go. I’ll help Mark clean up,” I said.
“You sure?”
“Of course. My son is away at college. He was supposed to come home two weeks ago, but he got a last-minute summer internship. So he’s staying in North Carolina. Sadly, I sort of miss cleaning up after someone.”
Allison gave me a hug. “You’re the best.”
“Hey, what about me?” Mark said. “I cooked all this Italian food.”
Allison laughed. “The Salpino’s delivery guy held the door open for me when I came in.” She plucked a cookie out of the white bakery box on the dining room table and shut the top. She pointed to the gold sticker on top. “Did you make the cookies from scratch, too?”
Tonight it had been just the three of us, since Desiree couldn’t make it. So when Allison left, it was just me and Mark.
I picked up the plates and brought them to the sink. The kitchen and living room were an open floor plan with just a step down from one room to the other.
“How do you feel about the test?” I asked. “You ready?”
“Sta arrivando se sono pronto o no,” he said. It’s coming whether I’m ready or not.
I smiled. “Stai andando alla grande.” You’re going to do great.
Mark collected the rest of the dinner and dessert mess while I loaded the dishwasher. When he was done, he leaned a hip against the island.
“What?”
He was looking at me funny.
He shrugged. “Nothing. I was just thinking we should celebrate after we pass the exam.”
“That’s an excellent idea. And I like your confidence—after we pass not if we all pass.”
“Maybe we could go out to dinner. Italian, of course.”
“That sounds perfect. I think Desiree is going away the week after the exam, but maybe the week after that.”
Mark’s face told me I’d misunderstood before he said anything. “Oh. I meant just the two of us celebrating.”
I loaded the last dish into the dishwasher and dried off my hands. “Sorry. I thought you meant all four of us.”
A moment of awkward silence passed. Eventually, Mark said, “And here I thought I was being so smooth.”
“Oh, you were smooth. I’m just totally out of practice. Honestly, a date could smack me in the head, and I wouldn’t recognize it. It’s been a long time.”
He looked hopeful. “Well, then it sounds like you’re due for one.”
I didn’t want to lead him on. I liked him. I really did. He’d become a good friend. I just didn’t think I liked him in that way. Which was too bad, because if he were my boyfriend we could spend the entire summer out in Montauk. Yet he didn’t give me that flutter—the type of flutter the guy who was perfectly wrong for me caused. Damn you, Ford.
“Would you mind if I took a rain check on a date until after the test? I want to focus on that for now.” Plus, I wasn’t sure.
He forced a smile. “Sure.”
I left feeling kind of down. I wanted to want to go out with Mark. But it felt like the right decision putting it off. Maybe after a few weeks of not seeing him in class and our study group, I’d start to miss him and realize I’d been wrong.
My phone had been in my purse all night, and when I pulled it out at home to put it on the charger, I saw I had a few missed texts. I felt that familiar flutter low in my belly seeing they were from Donovan—or rather, Ford.
Donovan: I had drinks with a woman tonight.
The flutter suddenly died. As screwed up as it was, I felt a pang of jealousy. Ridiculous, I know. A guy I couldn’t go out with, wouldn’t go out with, and had no claim to. Yet it didn’t make what I felt any less real.
Donovan: I ended it early. Would have rather have had cocktails with you, even from the parking lot.
God, why did he have to be so sweet? And so damn young. I probably shouldn’t have responded, but…
Valentina: If it makes you feel any better, a man asked me out tonight, and I sort of blew him off, too.
The little dots jumped around as he started to type back immediately.
Donovan: Is it wrong that just hearing a man asked you out makes me jealous?
I smiled sadly. I feel your pain, buddy. Before I could respond again, another text came in.
Donovan: Why didn’t you say yes?
Valentina: Mark and I are good friends. I just don’t see him like that.
The texting stopped for a few minutes, and I grew anxious waiting for his response.
Donovan: Have coffee with me.
Coffee. It sounded so innocent.
Valentina: I can’t.
Donovan: Why not? It’s just coffee. There’s nothing devious about two adults sharing a cup of coffee. I wasn’t asking to make it for you in my apartment the morning after while you’re wearing my T-shirt.
An image flashed through my head of me standing in front of a coffee pot wearing just Ford’s T-shirt and a satisfied, goofy smile. My hair was a wild mess from the night before, and he wore nothing but a pair of gray, low-hanging sweats. He walked up behind me and slinked his arms around my waist, pulling me flush as he brushed my hair to the side and kissed my neck.
“Morning,” he growled against my skin.
I reached up and touched the area he’d kissed. Blinking a few times, I realized I’d been daydreaming. Oh my. Vivid. Think maybe I should take a quick shower and put down the phone. I plugged my cell into the charger on my nightstand and forced myself to walk away.
The shower proved to be more difficult. Without any mental stimulation except the neutral color of the tumbled stone tile, my mind tended to wander. And tonight my hand wanted to join in while my brain put on a show. My effort to clear my mind of all things Ford did just the opposite, and I had to cut the shower short.
After my bedtime ritual of moisturizing and primping, I got into bed and turned off the light. I had every intention of ignoring my phone and going to sleep, I really did, but a half hour later it was eating at me, and I realized I’d never get any rest without knowing if there were more texts waiting for me from Ford.
So I unhappily pulled my phone from the charger on my nightstand. Sure enough, a few new texts had arrived while I was attempting to clear him from my mind.
Donovan: Did I lose you?
Donovan: If you’re going to ignore me, there’s no reason to hold back. Nothing to lose….
Ten minutes later…
Donovan: Okay, so I lied. I want to have coffee with y
ou because I can’t stop picturing you wearing my T-shirt the morning after.
Donovan: You look really sexy in it, by the way.
Donovan: One cup of coffee.
Donovan: I’ll be on my best behavior.
Donovan: I swear.
That had been his last text, but the minute I finished catching up on them, a new one arrived.
Donovan: You’re reading my texts now. I can see they just changed to Read. So I know you’re not sleeping…
I smiled sadly and sighed.
Valentina: No, I’m not sleeping. Although, I should be. You know why? Because I’ll be up a five a.m. tomorrow morning, no matter what time I go to bed. I bet you can sleep until noon, like most young people.
Donovan: Actually, I’m at the gym by 5:30 and the office by 6:45 every morning. Nice try. How about coffee at 6 a.m., if you’re up anyway?
I chuckled to myself.
Valentina: You’re persistent. I’ll give you that. But I’m sorry, I just can’t, Ford.
I’d started to type: I just can’t—no matter how much I want to. But I erased it. I needed to put an end to this craziness, for both of our sakes.
Instead of responding, I went to my contacts and edited Donovan to Ford—a gentle reminder that Donovan wasn’t a man I could ever be attracted to; he was simply Ford, the boy next door.
Chapter 6
* * *
Valentina – Two weeks later
The air smelled better in Montauk. The salt seemed to open my lungs and wash away the stresses of life. It had long been dark by the time I arrived. After Memorial Day, Friday night East Hampton traffic became a war zone of designer-clad people. It was why I’d always preferred Montauk. For most men there, a fancy dinner outfit meant changing out of your fishing boots.
Standing on the back deck at almost midnight, I shut my eyes and listened to the waves crashing as I inhaled deeply. After a few more exhales, my shoulders began to relax.
Until a voice startled me.
“Mrs. Davis?”
I jumped and let out a very girly sounding scream.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s Bella—Annabella Donovan from next door.”
“Oh.” My hand held my chest. “Hi, Bella. I didn’t see you there.”
Our beachy neighborhood didn’t have fences, just a sand pathway between the elevated houses. Bella stood on the beach at the bottom of the stairs leading up to my deck.
“I didn’t know anyone else was out here,” she said. “I wasn’t even sure if you owned the house anymore. I haven’t been out here in years. But I’m glad you guys are still around. It’s so quiet at night out here.”
“Actually, it’s just me now. Ryan and I divorced, and my son Ryan is staying at college for the summer to do an internship.” I held my breath for a moment before asking the next question. “Are you…out here alone?”
“Yep. I drove my brother crazy enough that he let me come out for a long weekend. I wanted to stay the entire summer, but God forbid he trust me out here alone.”
A confusing mix of relief and disappointment hit me. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about Ford often over the last couple of weeks—he’d made sure of it with a text or two each day. But I hadn’t answered since the night I’d come home from study group.
“So it’s just us girls then,” Bella said.
“I guess so.” I smiled.
“Until my pain-in-the-ass brother shows up.”
My skin prickled, and it wasn’t because of any chill in the air. “Are you…expecting him?”
“He’s not supposed to come out, but he doesn’t trust me. He’s away on a business trip right now, although I get the feeling he might show up when he gets back. He called me five times today and had an alarm system installed at the house.”
“Well, I suppose that’s what big brothers are supposed to do, watch out for their sisters.”
She shrugged. “Hey. Would you want to do a sunrise yoga class on the beach with me? It’s only a few houses down. I’ve been getting up a half hour before and walking to warm up. I have a free pass for a friend if you want to try it tomorrow.”
I felt rather out of sorts from the surprise of Bella being next door, not to mention the prospect of her brother coming out to check on her. So I failed to think of a quick excuse why I couldn’t do sunrise yoga.
“Umm... Sure. I’d love that.”
“Awesome. I’ll meet you back here at six?”
“That sounds good.”
“Okay, then, I’m going to go shower. I have sand in places there shouldn’t be sand. ’Night, Mrs. Davis.”
She smiled and had begun to walk toward her house when I called after her. “Bella?”
She turned back.
“Call me Valentina or Val, please.”
“Okay, Val. See you in the morning.”
***
I walked out onto the deck with my morning coffee and found Bella stretching on the sand behind our houses.
“Am I late?” I called down, checking the time on my phone.
“Nope. I’m early.” She bent to the right and stretched her left arm over her head. “I woke up an hour ago hearing what I thought was the sound of rain hitting my window. But when I came out, it wasn’t raining.”
“Do you want some coffee?”
“I’d actually love some. I ran out and had to make decaf this morning, which is like taking a shower with a raincoat on. What’s the point?”
“I couldn’t agree more.” I nodded my head in the direction of the house. “Come on, let’s get you properly caffeinated.”
Inside, Bella looked at the small picture frames lined up on the kitchen windowsill while I poured her a steaming mug of coffee.
“So you and Mr. Davis are divorced now?”
She focused on an old picture of my ex-husband and our son. I’d eradicated the house of all other traces of Ryan Sr., but it didn’t seem right to get rid of that picture. My son wore his Little League baseball uniform and looked up at his father in admiration. A part of me hoped keeping that photo around might someday remind my son that he was missing out by pushing his father away since our divorce. The things that happened between Ryan and me shouldn’t have to ruin the relationship of father and son—but my son was protective of his mother.
“It’ll be two years this fall that our divorce was finalized.”
She crinkled up her nose. “He wasn’t very friendly, was he?”
I chuckled. Ryan had never been a fan of the Donovans next door. He’d complained that they played their music too loud and let their kids run wild. He’d rolled his eyes when Bella’s parents danced on the back deck together, while I often secretly wished I had that type of marriage.
“No. He wasn’t the most friendly neighbor, was he?”
We shared a smile as I handed Bella cream for her coffee.
“I mean, I haven’t seen him in years. But I remember he always looked like he just finished sucking a lemon.”
That was a perfect description of Ryan the last ten years. Bitter.
After Bella fixed her coffee with cream and enough sugar to induce a diabetic coma, we sat on the chaise lounges on my back deck. The morning dawn was magical out over the beach.
“So what are you studying in college?”
“I’m not sure. I’d love to go into something like acting. I was originally a business major, but my brother took all the brains when he was born and left me none.”
“I’m sure you’re plenty smart.”
“Business majors have to take Accounting 101 the first year of school. The professor told us before the first test that if we didn’t get at least a sixty, we might want to drop the class because it only got harder from there. I got a twenty-eight.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Out of a hundred?”
“And I studied.” She sipped her coffee. “I dropped the class the next day. I don’t even know why I picked business for a major. I think I just felt like I was supposed to hav
e a major, know what I want to be when I grow up. Like Ford.”
“Not everyone knows what they’re supposed to do right away. I was a CAT-scan technician for fifteen years. It was a good job because it allowed me to work part time around Ryan’s school schedule, although it was never something I was passionate about. I actually went back to school to become an Italian language teacher, and I’m taking the licensing test in a few weeks. My grandparents are from Italy, and I always loved the language. I’m really excited about it now. Took me almost twenty years to figure it out, though.”
“That’s really cool. I’d do that, but I sort of suck at foreign languages. It’s part of the reason I’m thinking acting might be for me. You really don’t have to be good at English or math. Plus…” She smirked. “My parents always said I was a drama queen.”
“You’ll figure it out. Just take your time.”
Since Bella had brought them up, I figured it was okay to talk about her parents. “By the way, I’m really sorry about your parents, Bella. I didn’t hear about it until a few weeks after it happened, or I would have come to the service. I didn’t even have your home address to send a card. I always liked your parents and admired their relationship.”
“Thank you.” She smiled sadly. “It’s weird being out here without them. Every time I open the back door or look out to the beach, I feel like I should see them making out. It used to gross me out, but now I think it’s kinda cool how much they were into each other. In a weird way, it was good they died together. One wouldn’t have made it without the other.”
Wow. What a beautiful, yet sad, thought. We sipped our coffee in comfortable silence for a while after that, enjoying the sunrise. When a crowd started to form down the beach, we figured it was time to get going.
Bella and I laid our mats on the sand next to each other and spent a few minutes stretching. I was bent over, dangling my fingers into the sand as I reached past my toes, when I felt a hand on my back. Startled, my immediate reaction was to pop up quickly—so quickly that I caught the instructor off guard and smashed my head right into his jaw.
