Too Complicated

by Bethany Lopez

  “I can give you mine, if you don’t still have it,” I said gently.

  “Sure.”

  Chloe pulled out her phone and I rattled off the number. When she started to pull her wallet out of her purse I said, “No, please, let me get it.”

  She nodded, then stood, saying, “Well, I’d better get home. Thanks for the cake, and for the movie.”

  “I’ll let you know about dinner,” I said, my tone too eager, when she simply tilted her head, then walked off.

  “Shit,” I muttered. I’d really fucked that up quickly.

  I turned to see her walking down the sidewalk through the window, hoping she’d still come by the house. I needed to talk to her, tell her that I’d been an ass and why, and explain that I hoped we could leave the past in the past and at least be friends.

  I finished my coffee, thinking back on the last few hours and how natural it had felt to be with Chloe.

  She was beautiful, smart, a great mom and sister, and she liked Star Wars. The more I learned about Chloe, the more I liked.

  I’m in trouble…

  Chapter Six ~ Chloe

  “Holy buckets of poo,” my sister said from beside me.

  I was so used to her weird expressions and often zany personality that I rarely reacted to the words that came out of her mouth anymore. I did notice, however, that the woman behind the counter was looking at Zoey with a strange expression.

  Stifling a giggle, I asked, “What?”

  “I just thought of the perfect scene for Zombie Girl; I need to go,” she said, turning to bolt out the door before I stopped her.

  “Oh, no you don’t, Zo. I know you feel the need to write when inspiration hits, but we are closing in on your wedding, and we need to pick out the cake.” I smiled at the lady who was still watching us as she set the cake samples out on the counter for Zoey and me to taste.

  “Can’t you just do it?” my little sister pleaded, her eyes widening as she pouted, using the face she always did when she wanted me to do her bidding.

  “No!” I exclaimed. “Zoey, this is your wedding. The only one you’re ever going to have. Here,” I said, grabbing a napkin off the counter and fishing a pen out of my bag. “Jot down your notes so you don’t forget, then sit your butt down and start tasting cake.”

  Zoey pouted a second longer, then looked at the row of delicious cakes in front of us and rubbed her baby bump.

  “Okay,” she agreed as she started writing furiously.

  I gave the baker a polite smile as I waited for my sister to get out what she needed to get out. She could be a little focused at times, especially when she was in the middle of a book, but I was really proud of everything she’d accomplished.

  After a few minutes, Zoey shoved the napkin in her back pocket and said, “Ready.”

  “Yay,” I replied with a smile. I couldn’t deny that I’d been excited about this day since Zoey told me we had to pick the flavor of her cake.

  She and Gabe were having a simple ceremony in his backyard, with the reception being held in the barn. Since moving to Cherry Springs, Zoey was crazy about the idea of barn dances. She’d held her first one on Halloween, and had loved it so much that she’d begged Gabe to let her have another one as her reception. This one would be much more elegant, of course, but would be just the type of reception that would suit my sister.

  “Oh my god,” I moaned when the soft buttercream hit my lips.

  “Try the red velvet,” Zoey said, her eyes rolling back with pleasure as she slowly pulled the fork out of her mouth.

  “No, this one, I think it’s lemon,” I argued as the sweet tangy cake burst with flavor in my mouth.

  “You’re amazing,” Zoey told the baker, who was now basking in our praise.

  “Seriously,” I agreed. “I want to take you home with me.”

  The baker was smiling outright now, but Zoey and I were too busy practically licking the crumbs off plates to notice.

  “How am I ever going to decide?”

  “I don’t know, but at least you can guarantee that no matter which flavor you go with, it’s going to be awesome.”

  “Mmmm hmmm.”

  “Wow,” I said once we’d polished them all off. “That was the most action I’ve gotten in years.”

  Zoey laughed, then her face turned sly and I started shaking my head at her.

  “Oh, no, Zoey Zahn, don’t even think about it.”

  “But, I can think of two guys right off the top of my head who would be perfect.”

  “Perfect for what?”

  “Whatever you want.”

  I stared at my sister, wondering if she was trying to set me up on a date or get me laid, and really having a hard time denying that either one would be welcome right about now.

  But, thinking better of it, I shook my head again.

  “Things are too complicated right now,” I argued. “I just moved here. I’m still trying to find a place, get both Chris and I settled in school, find a job … I just don’t have time to date right now.”

  “So, don’t date ‘em,” Zoey said with a wicked grin. “Let me set up a meet and then do … whatever you can fit into your schedule.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh when she winked saucily.

  “You have problems.”

  “Nah, I just want to see you happy.”

  “I am happy, Zo.”

  Her face fell and her eyes began to fill, and I knew her pregnancy hormones were under attack.

  “I’m so grateful that you moved here, Chlo,” Zoey sniffled. “It means so much to me, and to Gabe, that you’ve uprooted your life to move here with Chris.”

  “Hey,” I said softly, pulling my sister in for a hug. “You did the same thing for me, remember? I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come to stay with me when I had Christopher.”

  “I know, but…”

  “No buts,” I told her, my hand stroking her back as she hiccupped a sob. “Plus, there’s no way I’d miss a second of this,” I added, pulling back and placing my hand lovingly on her belly. “I cannot wait to be an auntie.”

  “I know,” Zoey replied as she wiped at her cheeks. “I just want to make sure you know how much I appreciate it, how much we both appreciate how wonderful you’ve been. I know our situation is beyond crazy, but it’s so much easier to deal with knowing I have you to go through it all with.”

  “Of course you have me,” I assured her. “Always.”

  I squeezed her one last time, before pulling away and turning back toward the counter.

  “Now, which one will it be?”

  Chapter Seven ~ Reardon

  “Whatchya been up to, Ass?” Jasmine called out as she bounded over to my booth at our aunt and uncle’s bar and grill.

  “Not much, Jazzy, how are you?” I asked as I stood to give my cousin a kiss on the cheek.

  She ran her hands through her long, red hair, then pulled it over her shoulder and gave me a grin as she sat down across from me.

  “Soooo good! What with Gabe and Zoey’s wedding coming up, and Laurel moving back to town, I feel like there’s so much to look forward to.”

  “It’ll be nice for you to have Laurel back,” I said, thinking how the two of them used to be thick as thieves. They did everything together, including driving Jasmine’s twin, Dillon, up the wall. “How’s Dillon taking it?”

  Jasmine laughed and said, “As much as I keep trying to tell him that Laurel’s a grown woman in her thirties, and not an annoying teenage girl hell bent on making his life miserable, he doesn’t believe me.”

  I chuckled as I remembered how much trouble the girls used to get in, then blame it on my well-mannered cousin.

  “I’ll have to call and give him shit,” I replied, then thought about my conversation with Chloe. “Hey, didn’t you say Laurel was looking for a business partner or something?”

  Jasmine waved at Aunt Annabeth, nodded when she asked if Jazzy wanted her usual, then turned back to me and replied, “Yup
. Laurel is taking over the flower shop for her folks, and she was thinking of expanding it to make it more of a party slash wedding planning business. She hasn’t worked it all out yet, but she’s looking for someone with experience in that kind of thing, why?”

  “I was talking with Chloe,” I began, then said, “Shut up,” when Jasmine shot me a grin and wiggled her eyebrows. Let’s just say Jasmine, our cousin Serena, and Zoey had made it their mission to hook me and Chloe up after they figured out I liked her, but after much begging on my part, they’d agreed to let it go. Looked like Jazzy hadn’t quite given up.

  “Sorry,” Jasmine said in a sing-song voice, not sounding the least bit sorry. “Go on…”

  “Anyway, I was talking to Chloe, and she mentioned that she was looking for work. She was the business manager and partner in a catering business back in North Carolina, and I thought maybe we could set up a meet between her and Laurel.”

  “Look at you, all helpful and sensitive all of a sudden,” Jasmine teased. “Looks like a certain gorgeous brunette really brings out the gentleman in you.”

  I sighed.

  “I thought you were going to let it go, Jaz.”

  Jasmine leaned forward and whisper shouted, “I don’t see why you don’t just go for it. You like her, she’s single, you’re already practically family. What’s the big deal?”

  “You’re an ass,” I managed, right as our aunt approached the table.

  “Do I need to wash that mouth out with soap?”

  Jasmine snickered and I stuck my tongue out at her.

  “Really, Reardon?” Aunt Annabeth drawled as she set burgers and fries in front of both of us. “You’re a grown man, town lawyer, and upstanding citizen, yet you can’t stop fighting with your cousin like you’re ten years old.”

  “Sorry, ma’am,” I muttered, chastised.

  I caught Jasmine’s smirk, and I knew she’d seen our aunt coming and had set me up. Jasmine had always been the most cunning of our group.

  “And you,” our aunt said, turning her attention to Jasmine. “When are you going to settle down and get serious with a man? You aren’t getting any younger.”

  Jasmine was still sputtering when our aunt walked away.

  I dipped my fry in ketchup and smirked back at her.

  “Yeah, Jazzy, how come you’re not married with a pack of kids?”

  “Suck it, Ass,” Jasmine replied with a frown. “How come the whole family isn’t up in your business, asking why you’re still single? Dillon either … And with Rena out of town, it’s like the whole family has decided to gang up on me. It’s been worse since Gabe got engaged.”

  “That’s funny, it’s been better for me,” I replied, rubbing it in. “It’s like he’s taken the fall for me and Dillon, and we’re totally off the hook. At least for a while.”

  “It’s not fair,” Jasmine grumbled as she cut her burger in half, then in fourths. “Dillon and I run the company together, we both work all the time, yet I’m still getting hounded about settling down with some random guy.”

  I watched my cousin sigh deeply, then square her shoulders, bite into her juicy burger, and smile as the flavors hit her tongue. Just like that, she was over it. That was the thing about Jazzy; she was quick to anger, and just as quick to let whatever had upset her go. She was a naturally happy person, and I always knew if I just let her rant, she’d be fine in a few minutes.

  “So, back to you and Chloe talking,” she began, and I knew I needed to give her the story or she’d just keep bothering me, or make up her own tale about what happened, then spread that around.

  “We both ended up going to see Star Wars alone, and when I saw her in the theater, it seemed weird to ignore her, so I went over and sat with her. We had cake and coffee after to talk about the movie and then talked about her moving here and getting settled in. That’s all that happened.”

  For some reason, Jasmine looked really happy about Chloe and my random meet-up, but I tried to dissuade her from thinking it was something it wasn’t by saying, “She still seems mad at me about the dealings I had with her as Gabe’s lawyer, and I think she has the idea that I harbor some sort of resentment against her or something. There’s nothing between us, Jasmine, so stop reading in to things.”

  “Do you harbor resentment toward her?” Jasmine asked softly, the playfulness gone from her tone.

  I looked at my cousin, lifted one shoulder, and admitted, “I don’t know, maybe a little bit.”

  We finished up our lunch and called goodbye to our aunt, then Jasmine walked me to my office before continuing on toward the Lewis Sporting Goods main office.

  Thinking about Chloe after my conversation with Jasmine, I decided it was time for me to have a serious conversation with her and clear the air, hopefully while enjoying a nice dinner with her in my home.

  Hey, it’s Reardon. I was wondering if you’d like to come by tonight to see the subdivision and have some dinner.

  Chapter Eight ~ Chloe

  I’d gone back in forth in my mind, ignoring Reardon’s text for most of the afternoon. I wasn’t sure what to make of him, and although I wanted to see the subdivision and his house first hand, I could always just set something up with a realtor.

  Still, the last couple of times I’d been with him, things had been easy and comfortable, until I was inevitably reminded of how we came to be in each other’s lives, and the way he’d reacted toward me at camp.

  When I’d driven to the school to pick up Chris, he’d come running out and stopped at my window, rather than going to the passenger side, so I knew something was up.

  “Hey, Mom,” my handsome, slightly awkward since he was going through puberty, son said when I rolled down the window.

  “What’s going on?” I’d asked warily, wondering why he hadn’t called me if he wasn’t ready to be picked up.

  “Some of the guys from the football team are heading to the diner, can I go with them?” he asked, his brown eyes pleading.

  “How are you going to get there?”

  “We’re going to walk.”

  Chris must have been able to tell I was about to argue, because he butt in with, “C’mon, Mom, there are like six guys from the team going and it’s just a few blocks away. We’ll be fine.”

  “How are you going to get home?” I asked, already starting to cave since I knew how important it was for him to make friends.

  “I was thinking I’d call Dad,” he replied, causing my heart to stutter. He’d only recently begun calling Gabe Dad, and it always did something to my heart. It wasn’t a bad feeling, just new. “I’m supposed to go by tonight anyway to get that info for my family tree project, and it will give the guys a thrill to get a chance to meet him.”

  I looked at my son’s eager face, and knew, just as he did, that there was no way I was going to deny him.

  “Okay,” I began, but stopped him when he would have turned and run away. “Hey, next time give me a head’s up, okay?”

  “Sure, Mom,” he agreed, then he added, “You’re the best,” before jogging up to where a group of teenage boys were waiting.

  My heart was heavy as I thought about another night alone, then I remembered Reardon’s text and pulled my phone out of my purse.

  What time, and what should I bring?

  I heard my phone beep his reply, but didn’t pick it up until I pulled into the grocery store parking lot and stopped my car.

  Dessert? Does 6:30 work for you?

  Yes, and yes. See you then.

  May the force be with you.

  I chuckled as I walked down the aisle, wondering what I should make for dessert. I had no idea what we were having, probably pizza or something, so it I figured something simple and not too heavy would be best.

  My phone dinged again and I looked down.

  Sorry… I’ll see you later.

  I laughed again when I realized he must have felt awkward because I didn’t reply to his Star Wars reference, but rather than saying anything back, I decid
ed to let him sweat.

  Once I had the makings for bananas foster, I went back to my hotel and tried to stay busy until it was time to leave. I straightened up the already neat space, checked my hair and makeup, then pulled out my laptop and began looking at houses on different websites. I kept checking the clock, wanting to make sure I showed up on time, but not so early that it looked like I was eager to get there.

  Which, I could admit to myself, I was…

  There was something about Reardon that I liked. Whether it was the easygoing manner he’d shown me since I’d moved to town, his geeky side, or the fact that he seemed to be a genuinely nice guy, I wasn’t sure … Then, there was also the way he made me feel, like I was simmering at a low boil.

  Even though I knew nothing would happen between us romantically, I really enjoyed that feeling. It’d been way too long since anyone had made my body heat in any way.

  Once I deemed the time was right, I grabbed my things and rushed back to the car. No one was around, so I smiled hugely in anticipation of seeing Reardon again, even as I batted back those feelings and told myself we were just going to be friends.

  He’d left my name at the gate, so the guard let me right in, even pointing me toward Reardon’s street.

  I’m not sure if he was as anxious as I was, or he’d happened to hear my car pull up, but his front door was opened before I’d even taken my key out of the ignition.

  “Hey,” Reardon called, his face alight with a handsome smile. He stood up on his covered porch, holding the screen door open and standing in the doorway with his feet bare. He still had on his suit pants and button-up shirt, but his jacket and tie had been removed.

  He looked freaking amazing.

  “Hi, how are you?” I replied as I sauntered up the steps, quelling the need to bound toward him like an excited puppy.

  “It was a busy day, but I got done what I needed to and still had time to stop by the market and get fresh veggies,” he said as I walked past him into the house. “I was worried there for a bit that you were going to turn me down. I’m happy you didn’t.”