Working It Out (A Romantic Comedy)

by Rachael Anderson

  Seth felt as though he’d entered a surreal universe where everything was the opposite of what it was supposed to be. He was selling his bike. Grace just bought one. Even the potential buyer of his bike was acting smarter, based on the fact that he was finally scribbling out a check for a bike worth much more than the asking price.

  Grace eyed the man. “Sorry, sir, but the bike’s no longer for sale.”

  “What?” He shot Grace a confused, blank stare—one that brought Seth back to reality.

  Without a second thought, Seth pulled the bike—his bike—toward him. “She’s right. It isn’t for sale anymore.”

  “But I drove all the way from North Gate,” the man protested. “And I have the check already made out.”

  Seth dug in his pocket and pulled out two twenty-dollar bills then slapped them into the guy’s hand. “That should more than cover your gas.”

  The man frowned and glared at Grace before shoving his checkbook back inside his pocket. With a huff, he turned and stalked to his car. Seth had never been more glad to see anyone go.

  Slowly, he lowered his bike to the ground and left it there. His heart hammered as his eyes met Grace’s. “Did you really just buy a bike?”

  “Were you really just about to sell yours?” She walked toward him, stopping right in front of him.

  “Yeah,” said Seth.

  “Why?” she asked again, her beautiful green eyes focused on him.

  “Because I’d rather have you.” Seth paused, wanting to pull her to him, but not daring to touch her just yet. “I actually listed it Saturday night, but no one came to look at it until today. I figured I couldn’t ask you back until I had proof that I’m willing to change.”

  Her lips drew into her mouth as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She blinked them away and smiled. “That’s ironic, because I bought a bike for the exact same reason.” She took a tentative step toward him and interlocked her fingers with his. “I came here with a compromise: I’ll learn to mountain bike the mild runs if you promise to stay away from x-game-ish stunts. I can’t stand the thought of anything bad happening to you.”

  Seth brought his hands to her shoulders and rubbed them up and down as he looked her in the eye. “Grace, what I said back in the hospital to the doctor—about making no promises to tone it down—that was only a pathetic attempt to lighten the mood. The truth is, I underestimated the angle on that jump and never meant to attempt a back roll. But it threw my front tire up, and I had to try to get it all the way around or I would have landed flat on my back. In those few seconds, I’d never been more scared in my life.” He paused. “At least not until you gave my ring back and walked out on me. That was worse than anything.” His fingers gripped her shoulders tighter, willing her to understand. “Please, believe me when I say that I will never do anything like that again. I don’t want anything bad happening to me either and would never want to hurt you in any way.”

  Grace continued to fight back her tears, then nodded. “You have no idea how good it is to hear you say that.”

  A smile played on Seth’s face as he finally brought his hand to her collarbone, just below her chin. She swallowed as his fingers trailed to the back of her neck. Tentatively, he pulled her closer. His mouth met hers slowly and carefully at first, then much more eagerly. Grace had never felt or tasted so good, and Seth couldn’t get enough. Four days had been way too long to be apart from her. She belonged here, with him.

  When her arms wrapped around his neck, Seth lifted her off the ground, pulling her tight against him as he deepened the kiss.

  A loud whistle sounded from a car passing by, and Grace broke away, laughing and blushing. “Maybe we should continue this in a less public place.”

  Seth reached for her hand to pull her inside his house, but she resisted, tugging him toward the garage instead.

  “After we pick up my bike,” she said. “The store closes at seven.”

  Seth groaned, feeling starved for more of her affection. “We can always get it tomorrow.”

  She shook her head. “I want to see what you think of it now. It’s green and gray and a little sparkly. I fell in love with it the second I saw it.”

  Seth stopped, pulling her to a stop as well. “Please tell me you didn’t buy a mountain bike based on looks.”

  Grace bit her lip briefly before glancing up at him. “What’s wrong with that? I mean, a mountain bike’s a mountain bike, right?”

  Seth groaned again, then laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he guided her toward his car. With a shake of his head, he said, “No, sweetie, it’s not. How much did you pay for it anyway?”

  “Way too much. The thing cost six hundred dollars.”

  Seth laughed again, harder this time. As he opened the door for her, Grace looked at him in confusion, probably the same way the wannabe mountain-bike buyer had looked at him earlier. Only on Grace, the expression was adorable rather than annoying.

  Seth would take her back to the store, get a refund, and show her how to pick out a real mountain bike. Then he’d bring her back here and continue the kiss where they’d left off.

  “What’s so funny?” Grace said.

  “You are.” Seth couldn’t resist giving her a quick kiss before closing the door. Then he jogged inside his house, grabbed a box off his dresser, and slid into the car next to her. With shaking hands, he held the ring out to her, feeling like he was proposing all over again. “I found this somewhere it didn’t belong. You wouldn’t happen to want it back, would you?”

  She grabbed the ring from him and slid it onto her finger. Then she leaned over and kissed his cheek, murmuring, “Only if I get you back with it.”

  OVER 8,000 ACRES of skiable terrain stretched out beneath Grace as she and Seth rode the Harmony Express lift to the top of the Whistler side of Whistler Blackcomb in British Colombia. The sun shone down from a clear blue sky, making the nippy thirty-degree temperature feel not quite as cold. Grace raised her face to the sun and smiled.

  It had been exactly eleven years to the day since the last time she’d been here and ridden this same lift to the top of the run. Only then, Alec had sat next to her with alpine skis strapped to his feet. Today, Seth sat next to her with Alec and Lanna on the chair behind them. After weeks of lessons so he could figure out his new sit-skis, Alec finally felt confident enough to face the slopes on his own—well, with Lanna, Seth, and Grace, anyway.

  Grace looked over her shoulder at her brother and Lanna. The two of them had officially gotten engaged a month earlier and were eagerly planning an early summer wedding. Grace couldn’t be happier. Only a year before, this day had seemed like an impossible dream. But then Seth and Lanna came along, and that dream was now a reality.

  Just as Seth had promised, he toned it down. There was no more sky-diving, no more extreme mountain biking, and no more dangerous stunts. As the weeks passed, Grace found herself worrying less and trusting more. She even started to enjoy mountain biking.

  In early January, Seth had surprised her, Lanna, and Alec with this trip to Whistler Blackcomb. He’d called Grace’s parents to make sure the date was right, booked hotel rooms, and purchased lift tickets for the four of them. Then he’d pointed to the bittersweet picture of Grace and Alec standing at the top of the Harmony Express lift.

  “We’re going to that exact same spot and snapping a picture,” he’d said. “It will be like a before and after shot, reminding you both of how far you’ve come.”

  Tears had prickled Grace’s eyes the same way they did every time she recalled Seth’s words and reflected on how wonderful her husband was. She scooted closer and laid her head against his shoulder, feeling the wind nip at her face and loving every second of it.

  “You ready for this?” Seth asked with a teasing tone. The statement had become an inside joke between them. Every time Seth took her on some new adventure—be it mountain biking, wakeboarding, or kayaking—he asked her that same question. The day of their wedding, she’d turned the tabl
es and had asked him.

  “Bring it on,” he’d answered, making Grace laugh.

  Ever since that memorable moment, any time the question was asked by either one of them, the response was the same.

  “Bring it on.” Grace smiled, snuggling closer.

  Seth’s arm tightened around her, and he rested his chin on the top of her head. “That’s my girl,” he said.

  At the top of the lift, neither Grace nor Alec could remember the exact place they’d stood all those years before. Seth pulled out the picture and studied it.

  Grace laughed. “I can’t believe you brought that with you. Isn’t it enough that we’re at the top of the same lift? We can stand anywhere.”

  Seth shot her a look. “Apparently you don’t understand the concept of before and after pictures. The background and camera angle have to be the same.”

  “But we could spend all day trying to find that exact same spot,” Grace argued, not wanting to stand in the cold for any longer than necessary. The wind was always more bitter at the top of the lifts.

  “Then we’re going to spend all day,” came his response. “And tomorrow, too, if we have to.”

  Grace looked to Alec and Lanna for help, but Lanna only offered a sympathetic smile while Alec shrugged, balancing himself with poles that looked like mini skis. “Don’t look at us,” Alec said. “You married him.”

  Seth lifted his camera to his face, glanced at the screen, then back at the picture. A few steps to the right and he did it again. He looked ridiculous dodging other skiers as he tromped through the snow with a camera in one hand and an old picture in the other.

  After a few minutes, Grace had enough. She walked over to him and lifted the camera strap over his head, taking it from him. Then she waved at a nearby skier. “Mind taking a picture for us?”

  “Sure,” the teenager said.

  “But I haven’t found the right spot yet,” Seth protested. “This is the whole reason we came here.”

  Grace handed the camera off and pulled Seth toward Lanna and Alec. “Over here,” she said to the kid. “There’s four of us.”

  “Fine,” Seth said. “We’ll take one of all of us, then I’ll take one of you and Alec in the right spot.”

  Grace stopped and placed her gloved fingers on his chest. She looked into his eyes at a face she’d come to trust and love more than she’d ever imagined possible. “This picture is all I want,” Grace said. “It’s like you said before. No moment can ever be repeated, and I’m more than okay with that. You and Lanna are now in our lives for good, and you’re both a part of what makes today so special.” Grace pointed to the picture from the past that Seth still gripped in one of his gloved hands. “That was my before.” She patted his chest. “You’re my after. Got it?”

  A smile spread across Seth’s face as he shoved the picture back into his pocket. “I like being your after,” he said. Then he dipped his head, gave her a quick kiss, and put his arm around her as they walked to where Alec sat and Lanna stood. Facing the camera, he pulled Grace tight against him.

  “Bring it on, Whistler Blackcomb!” he hollered, making everyone laugh as the snapshot was taken.

  Later, the picture was framed and placed on Seth and Grace’s mantle, right next to the one of her and Alec. Every time she paused to look at them and reflect on the befores and afters of her life, Grace came to realize that sometimes bad things happened, and there was nothing she could do about it. But like a seedling from a large oak tree, out of the bad could grow a good so big and beautiful that it overshadowed everything else.

  Seth had taught her that. Just like he taught her about life, about adventure, and about love. Although he would always tease and wreak chaos and try Grace’s patience, there was no one else she would rather live her afters with.

  Thank you so much for carving time out of your life to read one of my books. I hope it took you out of reality for awhile and into a world of escape and rejuvenation because everyone deserves that once in awhile.

  If you enjoyed this book, I'd love a review from you on Amazon or Goodreads or wherever else you’d be willing to post one. Word of mouth is the best kind of advertising there is, and I could really use your help to get the word out.

  Thanks again, and happy reading!

  Click here to visit Rachael Anderson's Amazon page.

  The theater was nearly empty. It might have been because of the late hour but I suspected it was because this movie was going to be a snoozefest.

  “Darn, they got the best seats,” Mom said, tilting her head toward a row of silver-haired women.

  “Mom, there are plenty of seats,” I said.

  “I know, I know. I just wanted to be right in the center.” Mom started up the dimly lit stairs. We lagged a few steps behind her.

  “What have we gotten ourselves into?” I whispered to Janessa.

  She gave me a stern, best-friend glare and an elbow jab. “Your mom’s excited. Don’t spoil it for her.” I rolled my eyes.

  Janessa and I were the only teenagers in the room. Everyone else was even older than Mom. The five silver-haired women were talking loudly and giggling. They probably didn’t get out much. One of the women held a handbag the size of carryon luggage in her lap and another had a scarf with a jeweled pin that sparkled even in the near darkness.

  There wasn’t a man in sight. No wonder Dad had refused to come.

  “How about here?” Mom said, indicating seats two rows in front of the senior citizen contingency. I looked at Janessa and she shrugged her shoulders. We followed Mom into the row and I planted myself with a sigh into the plush seat. At least the theater was nice—new enough that my seat still had spring and my feet didn’t stick to the floor.

  Mom linked her arm through mine. “Lizzie, you could at least pretend to be having fun. I’m letting you go to a late movie on a school night. Do you think you could muster up a teeny tiny smile?”

  I gave my mom a cheesy, fake smile. She shook her head and laughed and I caved and smiled a real smile. “I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to come,” Mom said. “You know you were named after the main character.”

  “I thought I was named after Dad’s aunt,” I said.

  Mom waved me off. “Her, too. I wanted to name you Elizabeth after Elizabeth Bennet because she’s strong and smart and confident. All the things I wanted you to become. Dad thought it was silly to name you after a character in a book, especially since our last name is Barrett. I finally got him to agree by reminding him he could tell everyone you were named after his aunt.”

  “Just because I’m named after her doesn’t mean this movie won’t be boring.”

  Janessa elbowed me again. “Come on, Lizzie. This is better than homework. Or being in bed. Thanks for convincing my mom to let me come, Mrs. Barrett.”

  “I’m glad you could join us,” Mom said.

  “You’ll have to tell us how closely it follows the book,” I said.

  Mom looked at me with suspicion. “Just remember, you girls are seeing this movie in addition to reading the book. Not instead of reading it.”

  “Of course, we’ll read it,” Janessa said.

  The truth was I had no intention of reading the book. I’d started it three times since Mr. Malloy gave us the reading list and I just didn’t get it. The words made no sense and by the third page, I was lost. I was depending on this movie and the Internet to give me all the information I’d need to ace this unit.

  “I’m serious. Lizzie? You girls promise me you’re going to read the book or we’ll leave right now. I won’t help you cheat.” I stared at a woman with an unusually large smile on the screen. I guess her oversized white teeth were supposed to entice us to visit Dr. Stonesmith’s office for free teeth whitening. “Are you going to read the book, Lizzie?” The screen changed to a lawyer with perfect helmet-hair who could defend my rights if I was hurt in an auto accident. “Lizzie?”

  “You know I always end up reading the books, Mom. I’m a good student. That’
s why I’m in Honors English.”

  “We’ll read it together, Mrs. Barrett,” Janessa said.

  Satisfied, Mom settled back into her seat. “You’re going to love it. I’ve read it every few years since I was your age. And I’ve seen the 6-hour mini-series at least three times,” Mom said. “This is going to be fun.”

  I enjoy a good romance and Mom assured me this was, but I preferred romances that took place in the twenty-first century. I’d seen a couple of movies made in the eighties and nineties that I liked, but only a couple. Mr. Malloy had told us Pride and Prejudice was a classic romance from the early nineteenth century.

  That was two-hundred years ago!

  Jane Austen may have been a talented writer, but what did anyone from two-hundred years ago know about romance? And Mom. Sitting here in her mom-jeans and a pale blue polo shirt, Mom didn’t exactly inspire romantic confidence. She couldn’t even convince Dad to come with her. If this was a romance for the ages, it shouldn’t have been difficult to persuade the love of her life to sit beside her in a dark theater for an hour and a half.

  When Dad had refused for the tenth time, Mom turned to me. Lucky for her, Pride and Prejudice was next on our reading list or it would have taken a hefty bribe to get me here, whether I was named after this Elizabeth or not. Thank goodness for Janessa. At least sitting through the movie would give us something we could laugh about later.

  The lights dimmed and the previews began. I nestled down in my seat and propped my feet up in front of me.

  I have a theory about previews. I think you can tell a lot about a movie by the previews they show before it and if my theory held up, we were in trouble. The first trailer was for a movie about a Scottish cyclist with bi-polar disorder. Fun! The star was cute but the movie looked dismal. The second starred Russell Crowe as a greedy businessman who learns the meaning of life when he travels to Europe to sell a vineyard. Ugh. Riveting stuff.