Page 16 of Everything I Desire

“Well. I want to offer you a first shot to buy the shop. I don’t think I have anyone else who would want to buy it which means it’s going to be an outsider. You know these people. You know how I run the business. I want it to be you.”

I look at Ronnie shocked. “You want me to buy the business still?”

“Course I do, boy. You’re the closest thing I got to a son, and you’re a damn good mechanic. I trust you to carry on my name in a good way.” Ronnie doesn’t give compliments so this means more than he’ll ever know.

“I’d love to, Ronnie, but I don’t have that much saved, not after everything with Kayla. I don’t know that I’d be able to get a loan in this town with the rumors and all about my family.” I don’t want to get excited but, damn, this would be amazing.

“Agh, you know I don’t trust those bank folk. You and I work out a price and you pay me monthly. No loan nonsense. You want the shop or not?” He is straight to the point.

“Yeah Ronnie, I’d love to buy the shop. Kayla wouldn’t have to leave the only place she’s ever known for her senior year. When are you looking to be done?” He crosses his hands and folds them on the desk in front of him.

“Yesterday. I wanted to be done yesterday. Let’s talk in a couple days. Make sure this is what you want still. Sound good?”

“Yeah. That sounds good.” I reach out my hand and shake his, when he surprises me and pulls me in for a hug.

Ronnie must be getting soft in his old age, I chuckle to myself.

For the first time in a long time, excitement and hope surge through me.

I just hope Ed is happy for me.

It’s been weeks since my confession to Addy. She’s softened toward me, more like her old self. Maybe we could even be considered friends. She’s there for Kayla, comes over for dinner, teaches us how to cook decent meals, and helps me when Kayla sends me to the store to buy tampons. I’m still confused by all the options, but Addy came to my rescue and helped me figure it out. She didn’t hold back her laughter though.

Which is how I find myself here at my old high school, helping Addy and her team build decorations for the spring fling dance. Again.

A dance that is the highlight for every high school student come April. Except Addy, because I could never afford a suit.

When Addy asked me to help volunteer I couldn’t turn her down. Not that I wanted to. Even though I’m fighting myself, and purposely not touching her, she continually finds small ways to touch me lately, testing the limits of my restraint daily andthis might just be my breaking point. I can’t figure out if she’s doing it to me on purpose, but the more likely option is that she’s just a touchy feely woman. Always has been.

“Hey, Porter!” A hand slaps on my back. “Great to see you, man.”

I turn around to see an old classmate, Craig, who I’ve learned is the Chemistry teacher. I learned this because I don’t like how close he is to Addy, and I finally broke my rule about involving Kayla when I asked who he was. What really pushed me over the edge was last week when she was carrying a box in from her car to the school, he placed his hand on the small of her back instead of taking the box for her.

Kayla had laughed at me and told me that I had nothing to worry about. Adelaide always politely turns down his obvious flirting. Then she told me I was socringe. Whatever that means in teenager terms today.

“Hey, Craig. How you been?” I return the greeting. Even though I just watched him stare at Addy’s ass for a solid five minutes instead of helping her nail in the flowers on top of the archway.

“Great, man. Great. Teaching Chemistry here.” Somehow I’ve managed to avoid him up until this point. I wish that luck had kept up. Now I’m stuck here making small talk.

Addy laughs at something one of the kids says and we both turn in her direction. “So, you and Adelaide starting your thing back up?” he asks. Inow know he didn’t want to say hi. He wanted to size up his competition.

“Naw, man. We’re friends. She’s helping a lot with Kayla. I’ve never had a kid, nor do I know anything about teenage girls.” Addy looks over at us and waves. We both stare and wave back, clearly under the same spell. But I don’t like where this is going.

“Cool. Cool. I was thinking of asking her to Spring Fling with me.” He smiles, too big.

Ouch, a not so subtle dig that Addy and I never attended, despite her being on the decorating committee, with Craig, as a student. Instead of admitting I could never afford the suit, I acted like it wasn’t a big deal. Another reminder of the selfishness I had when it came to her.

“Isn’t that for the students?” I ask, biting my tongue to hold back a comment that isn’t so nice.

He laughs, an irritating sound that is quickly grating on my nerves. “Guess it is. But gestures and all, right man?”

I bite my tongue instead of pointing out that he could use a lesson in how to treat women with basic manners and instead nod at him.

At that he walks back over to the group of students with Addy. All the students love him, he has an easy rapport with them, and her. He is exactly who she deserves. A quiet, stable guy. A guy without a cloud of bad shit following them.

I go back to building the photo booth and try to distract myself from watching them together withthe kids. He might be who she deserves, but I take quiet solace in the fact that I’m the one she finds ways to subtly touch, not him.

“This looks great, Porter!” Addy places her hand on my back announcing her arrival.

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