Both men were sitting on their beds facing each other as had become routine. They avoided the shared living space on their floor as much as possible due to a high number of their floor-mates getting on their nerves. The last few weeks had been tough, mentally and physically, but they were in the downward slide into Christmas vacation and Jeremy couldn’t wait. He was sure he’d managed to half-ass his assignments enough to scrape the C he needed to continue to play hockey. The team weren’t at the top of the league table, but they also weren’t at the bottom and to top it all off, he’d finished his Christmas shopping. He was exhausted, but feeling good.
“Don’t change the subject. What are you getting your family for Christmas, dude?”
“I have no freakin’ clue. You wanna do my shopping for me?”
“Nope. I’m done.”
“Of course you are. You get those tickets?”
“Yup. Not Godspell tickets, they were sold out, but still at the theater. Their favorite Beatles tribute band are playing there, so I got them tickets, a meal voucher for their dinner and I sorted their hotel for the night, too. That oughta take care of ‘holiday-palooza’. And FYI, I’m looking for an apartment for us to move into.” Jeremy paused and looked up from his laptop to gauge AJ’s reaction.
“You are?”
“Yup.”
“I was actually going to suggest that… before you and that dude across the hall come to blows and you get our asses thrown out of here.”
“He’s a jerk and he keeps stealing our food! Ugh! It’s time. My folks are on board with helping us get out of the contract and covering a down-payment on a lease somewhere until we get our shit together.”
AJ laughed and threw a Skittle into the air catching it in his mouth.
“What’s so funny?”
“My parents said almost that exact same thing.”
“No shit?”
“Yup.”
“Match made in heaven, you and me, Age. I’m so glad you don’t make me homicidal. Well, at least not too often anyway.”
AJ tossed another Skittle into the air and missed his mouth. Swearing he picked it up and tried again, more successfully.
“Ditto, man. I’ve been looking online and I found this place not too far from here. The rent looks reasonable, walking distance to campus, three bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, spacious living area, it seems to be at least partially furnished so we wouldn’t need to drop a ton of cash on furniture. It would have to be quieter than where we are right now… I mean, we could even throw some gym gear in this little space since I’m not sure what its intended purpose is…”
It was Jeremy’s turn to laugh.
“What?”
“That’s the exact house I’ve been looking at.”
“Bull.”
“Blue door?” Jeremy challenged, meeting his friends disbelieving gaze over the top of his laptop.
“Yup.” AJ still sounded unsure.
Jeremy spun the laptop around to show AJ the picture that was open on his screen.
“You’re shittin’ me. That’s crazy!”
Jeremy glanced around the sparsely decorated room and shrugged.
“Am I setting up a viewing?”
“Absolutely. Mom’s already in town for the weekend so she can come with us, just to make sure it’s not falling down or anything.”
“Good idea, we should totally have adult supervision when we’re shopping for something big like a house. How very responsible of you, Pim.”
“You sure you want to take on a contract together?”
“Are you?”
At that moment what sounded like a herd of bison charged down the hall outside their door. Boisterous laughter and obnoxiously loud shouting and jeering ensued, Jeremy closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
AJ chuckled and shrugged. “I’d rather that than end up doing time for you, man. We’re gonna end up in jail if we don’t get you the hell out of here.”
“Ding!” Jeremy imitated the noise of an elevator arriving at a floor. “Next stop: soft furnishings.”
***
The following morning, they met Cindy on the steps to the apartment they were scheduled to view and by lunchtime they had done a thorough walk-through, signed the contract and moved what little stuff they owned across town from the dorms into their new place. They had toyed with the idea of taking the three and a half hour each way road-trip across state lines into Georgia to their closest Ikea in Atlanta. Cindy reminded them that considering it was only days before Christmas, it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, so they opted to shop in Target and Walmart and to order whatever else they couldn’t get in store, from Amazon.
Cindy went with them to Target and helped them pick out a few things they needed. They had asked their landlord to take away the bed in the extra bedroom so they could turn it into an office-come-study space for them, so they needed work desks, office chairs and lamps. They needed some storage solutions that would require that road-trip to Ikea in the new year but for now they’d make do with what they had considering they were already on winter break.
The beds in the apartment were bigger than in their dorm room so they needed new bedding, they also needed some groceries to stock the pantry and fridge. Cindy insisted on paying, and when AJ tried to protest, she reminded him that she paid for his credit card bill, anyway so it made no real difference. He reluctantly backed down and Jeremy made a point of asking if he’d heard anything back from the two job interviews he’d been to the week before. He’d been on the receiving end of that conversation before and felt sorry for him. It was something they’d talked about before, how their parents didn’t seem to mind putting them through college, but at the same time making occasional barbed comments reminding them whose money it was. Both men had resolved to start hunting for work to make their own parent-independent cash. Jeremy had picked up some hours behind the bar at a local restaurant starting when he got back from Canada after the winter break and AJ had applied for part-time work at the local music store. He’d taken on some pee-wee hockey coaching, too, which left his free time restricted, but he was trying to crowbar everything to fit into his schedule – Jeremy was both impressed and concerned about his friend. From the moment AJ had told him he suffered from Bipolar, Jeremy had been aware of his friend’s behavior, constantly on the lookout for warning signs.
“What jobs?” Cindy asked, as she swiped her card at the checkout.
“Oh, just at the bookstore and the music store.” AJ answered.
Jeremy could tell he was trying to brush it off as no big deal, but he also knew that AJ really wanted to start bringing in his own income and show his parents he could function as an adult, independently of their credit card. Jeremy knew the feeling. Having wealthy parents often felt like a blessing and a curse. Jeremy wanted the same thing as AJ, but trying to keep all the necessary balls in the air to make that happen was going to be hard as there were only so many hours in the day.
“Oh,” Cindy answered, sounding impressed. “That’s great news. Will you have time with the coaching you’re doing?”
She slipped the card back into her wallet and AJ pushed the overflowing cart towards the exit. As they made their way out into the winter sunshine Jeremy slipped his shades on.
“It’s a good question, Pim.” Jeremy stated, somewhat reluctantly. “You don’t want to be taking too much on or anything.”
AJ shot Jeremy a withering look as though he were taking Cindy’s side and Jeremy cringed.
“I mean, if anyone can do it, it’s you,” he added quickly. “I didn’t mean anything by it. Just worried about when you’ll get time to sleep with everything you’re doing.”
“I know my limits,” AJ mumbled gruffly.
But do you? Jeremy wondered, as Cindy popped open the trunk and the boys loaded the contents of the cart into it.
“Well, I hope you find your balance, AJ,” she cautioned. “I feel like it’d be good for you to gain a little independence, not to mention it
’d be good for you socially to get out of that locker room and make some non-jock friends.”
“Ouch! Mrs. W! You wound me!” Jeremy clutched his chest and leaned against the side of the SUV feigning injury.
“I feel like you’re plenty jock-friend for him to handle, Jeremy Lewis.”
“Actually, that’s a true statement. Maybe I’m needy though, maybe I don’t want to share him.” He wrapped his arms around AJ in a mock-possessive action and AJ immediately started to struggle against his arms. “Dude, you need to go to the gym. Or at least learn how to break a bear hug. C for effort, Pim.”
“Would you two quit acting like children and get in the car!”
“Yes ma’am,” they answered together.
Chapter 16
His flight home wasn’t until the following morning. AJ had already left to stay with his parents for the holidays so Blake and Chris had managed to convince Jeremy to go out to the bar for a few drinks.
A few drinks, they say. It’ll just be a couple, they say. I don’t believe what they say… but I’ll never pass up a chance to hook up. I’ll deal with the hangover on the plane tomorrow, but for tonight, I’m carpe-ing the beer!
Jeremy pulled open the door to the bar and stepped inside. He knew the others were already there and had almost finished their first drink, he knew he’d have to throw a couple back to catch up, but Jeremy had had to finish his laundry and pack a few small Christmas gifts for his parents. Apparently tossing your clothes in a pile and hoping they’d wash themselves didn’t result in them actually washing themselves and he didn’t want to land at his parents’ house with a bag of dirty laundry. They had enough to grouse at him over without adding ‘not being adulty enough’ to the list. Despite having triple checked the tickets, and the hotel confirmation that he’d printed on-campus for his parents’ gift tucked safely away in his case, he was still somehow convinced he’d forget them. Standing at the bar he caught the attention of the barman with a jerk of his chin and got the universal sign for ‘one minute’ in return. As he waited, he glanced around the busy room until he spotted Blake, sitting at a table. His gaze then landed on a beautiful woman leaning across the bar, trying to get the barman’s attention. Her auburn waves reached her elbows, and for a moment, Jeremy wondered how it would feel to have his hands buried in it.
“What can I get you?” the barman asked over the background noise of the busy bar.
“She was first.” He cocked his head towards the woman a few feet away.
“Sure. What’ll it be?” he asked her, stopping halfway between them.
Jeremy watched as she placed her order and before he knew what was happening, she’d turned to face him and the profile he’d been studying was staring straight at him.
“It’s rude to stare,” she stated, ice-blue eyes dazzling even in the dimly lit bar.
Do all women have weirdly sparkly eyes? He tried to recall what Chelsea’s eyes looked like, but in that moment, he was instantly mesmerized and entirely consumed by the beautiful redhead standing in front of him. It was as though no one else in the world existed.
“I mean, sure, that’s definitely a true statement... But it’s kind of hard not to stare when you’re just so damn beautiful.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head, but Jeremy noticed that she was blushing as she paid for her drink. He also noticed that she didn’t move away as he ordered his beer, in fact, she closed the distance between them and stood within arm’s-reach of Jeremy but still faced forward, watching the barman grabbing and opening Jeremy’s bottle of beer. Her scent was as mesmerizing as her eyes, she smelled of limes and the sea, and her skin was so pale it made Jeremy wonder how she could possibly live in Alabama and yet still be so… translucent.
Maybe she’s visiting from Iceland or something… maybe she’s a vampire and stays inside during the day… I could be down with some biting… hmm… maybe she’s a mermaid? He glanced down at her feet, just to make sure, and as he dragged his gaze back up to her face, he paused on her backside for just a moment too long.
“Eyes up here, playboy!” she admonished with a wicked grin.
“Oh, I’m well aware of where your eyes are thanks. I was just, eh… checking—”
“… out my ass. It’s polite to at least finish your sentence while ogling another person quite so brazenly!”
Jeremy chuckled and took a drink of his beer. “No, no, I meant checking.”
“Ok then, I’ll bite. Checking for what, exactly?” she tilted her head and regarded him with curiosity.
Biting, eh? Definitely leaning towards vampire.
He saw playfulness in her eyes, and as she smiled at him, he noted that even the tiny, almost imperceptible laugh lines at the edges of her eyes were beautiful.
“A tail,” he answered without thinking.
“Excuse me?”
Aw shit.
“I mean… no, wait, that’s not what I… shit. Okay. Let me backup for a second.” He held his hands up in surrender.
“Well,” she drawled, folding her arms across her chest. “This is going to be good.”
“I didn’t mean, like, an animal tail, I meant a mermaid tail.”
She raised her eyebrow and waved a hand to indicate he should continue.
Jeremy sighed. “You’re beautiful, and weirdly… pale, but mostly beautiful. I can’t tear my eyes away from—” he gestured at her body. “Yep, totally aware this is inappropriate to say, but I can’t seem to stop my mouth from saying the words.”
“So, you think I’m some magical siren who’s going to use her mystical allure to… what… exactly?”
“I have no idea. But whatever it is I’ll do it, willfully. And you forgot singing. She’s… you’re… going to use your allure, singing and—” he gestured to her body again.
She laughed.
“… to make me do what? I dunno. Nor do I care, where do I sign up?”
“You’re funny—” She took a sip of her cocktail and gazed at him, expectantly, through her long eyelashes.
“Jeremy. Jeremy Lewis.”
“You’re funny, Jeremy Lewis,” she repeated, as Jeremy took a long pull from his bottle, keeping his eye on her at all times. “I mean, you’re utterly inappropriate, and shameless, but you’re funny.” She eyed him critically as though evaluating him.
Is this what women feel like when they’re being blatantly stared at by men? ʼCause while it’s kinda hot, it’s also ever so slightly uncomfortable.
He held his hands open by his side and spun around slowly, pausing with his back to her, and shaking his butt a little before continuing to turn back around to face her, grinning as he did. “And you’re definitely attractive,” she practically purred with an approving nod.
“Thanks. I’ll take that,” Jeremy replied, picking up his bottle and tilting the mouth towards her in salute. “Attractive,” he repeated. “So, what’s a mermaid like you, doing in a place like this, eh—” he asked casually, pausing for her to tell him her name. He didn’t know what her magical power was, but he didn’t want to stop talking to her. He had all but forgotten he was supposed to be meeting his friends.
Witchcraft, maybe?
She laughed again and shoved him playfully, taking another step forward, closing the gap between them even further.
“Jessica,” she answered, breathily.
Everything about this woman seemed mysterious and mystical, from her glittering ice-colored eyes, to her long, flowing curls, and from the way she talked to the lightness of her laugh. If she’d started to fly right there in front of him Jeremy wouldn’t have been at all surprised.
“And I’m not a mermaid.”
“Can I buy you another drink, Jessica?” he offered, hopefully.
“No, thank you. I’m good.” she answered, running the tip of her index finger around the rim of her empty cocktail glass. As she leaned towards him, he could smell the caramel apple cocktail on her breath and the smell of lime from her skin, or hair, he wasn’t quite
sure.
“Can I kiss you?” he asked, boldly, and still hopeful. His body buzzed with excitement and anticipation. He knew precisely what he wanted to do to this woman and all other plans for the evening seemed to evaporate against the potential of auburn hair and caramel apple kisses.
“I thought you’d never ask,” she mumbled, reaching her long fingers out and grabbing the collar of his shirt, gently tugging him towards her.
Damnit, I am a complete sucker for a strong woman who knows what she wants. Caramel apple kisses indeed, he thought as their lips collided. It was a gentle but telling kiss, he could feel her desire for more between them and hoped she’d feel how much he wanted her, too, as he slid his hand around her waist and pulled her towards him. She linked her arms behind his head and played with his hair as their kiss intensified.
“I came to see where you got to, but I can see you got waylaid by someone waaay prettier than us.” The unmistakable twang of Blake’s amused voice broke the beautiful, siren’s spell.
“Oh, I’m certainly hoping to get laid,” she answered Blake without missing a beat, as she pulled back from Jeremy’s mouth and turned to answer the intrusion head-on.
And I’m the shameless one?
Jeremy chuckled. “What can I say, man? When a beautiful woman wants you to take her to bed…” He shrugged and spread his hands in a ‘what’s a guy to do?’ kind of motion.
“Actually I’m taking you to bed,” she interjected.
“So much for dicks before chicks, man,” Blake joked. “Safe flight tomorrow, and I’ll catch you in the new year, yeah?” He hugged Jeremy. “Actually, stay safe tonight, too.” He winked suggestively and left as quickly as he’d appeared, leaving Jeremy grinning sheepishly, shaking his head and running his hand through his hair.
“Sorry about that.”
“No strings,” she answered, arching her eyebrow.
“Excuse me?”
“I said, no strings,” she repeated, clearly amused at his confusion.
Are you shitting me right now? This beautiful woman wants me to take her to bed with no expectation of being wooed? He glanced behind him, half expecting that he was being punked.
Four Letter Feelings (The Jeremy Lewis Series Book 1) Page 10
