Page 22 of Two Weeks in Tahoe

“Yeah, I don’t know. I’m kind of nervous, but excited. He’s such a confident little smooth talker. But not in an arrogant way, you know? At least, I don’t think so. He seemed very empowering with that whole gym situation.”

She nods. “He does seem like a good guy, but we really don’t know that much about who he is now. He seems kind of…mysterious? Besides, I thought you were only looking for a hookup? This is already starting to seem like more than that.”

“Yeah…I don’t know what I want anymore. I’m just going with it for now.”

“Well, at least he’s super hot, so you should have a good time either way.” She waggles her eyebrows.

I laugh and nod in agreement. Now that I’ve been spending all this time with Liam and his nephew, I feel conflicted about what I want. The practical part of me keeps telling myself that I’m only here temporarily, and that this might end up as merely a holiday fling. But that thought makes me a little bummed now.

Daniela fills me in on what’s going on in her life. She’s very flighty when it comes to men (her words, not mine) and has never had a huge desire to settle down. She has a new fling every other month, and this month it’s a boring attorney who she’s bringing to her family’s Thanksgiving. She jokes that she has plans to take him up to her childhood bedroom. We laugh and then say our goodbyes, with me promising to fill her in after the date. She says she’ll disown me if I update her from home that night instead of the next morning from Liam’s bed.

My mind feels more settled after talking to her, and I pick my book back up and get lost in a distant fantasy world for the rest of the evening. It’s something Mom and I used to love doing together. We never talked during those times, too immersed in our stories, but it still felt like we were bonding, sharing our love for reading together.

16

Layla

It’s the day of the date, and I’m sitting around starting to feel anxious. And excited. This morning I slept in, had several helpings of piping hot espresso, and lounged around until the afternoon, finishing my book. Mom would have loved this one; we always had similar taste in books, especially as I got older. Dad used to laugh at us when we’d discuss our stories in front of him. He didn’t get it.

Liam sent me a message earlier, saying he’d be by around three and to come hungry. It seemed like an odd time for a meal, but I responded with an “okay.” If he wants it to be a surprise, then I’ll go along with it.

I curl my long, dark hair that almost reaches my hips and apply some light makeup. I never like to wear too much. Then, I rifle through my wardrobe, trying to find the right outfit. After trying on five different combinations, I finally settle on a dark blue corduroy skirt, thick black leggings, a heavy black sweater, and knee-high boots with a low heel. There’s a bit of snow on the ground today, and I may be brave but I’m not reckless.

A knock sounds at the door five minutes before three. I had a feeling he’d be the punctual type. I grab my bag and coat, then go to meet him at the door.

“Hey,” I say, taking in all six feet and however many inches of him. I try to subtly peek around him, looking for any signs of Big J. Seeing none, I smile even bigger, and suddenly, my stomach flips, thinking of the possibilities of tonight.

“Hey,” he says, returning my grin. “You look…absolutely beautiful.” He slowly scans me up and down, and the look on his face makes my toes curl. Now that we’re finally alone, his gaze and words seem more charged. Or maybe that’s just me. Either way, I’m in trouble.

“Thank you.”

We step down a few porch stairs and he places a gentle hand on my lower back. The subtle gesture somehow feels incredibly intimate. After trudging through an inch of snow to get to his truck, he opens the door and helps me in.

As soon as he gets into the driver’s seat, he turns on the seat warmers and cranks up the heat in the cab. I look over at him, grateful. Those thirty seconds spent outside already had me shivering. We haven’t said a word since we left my porch, so I decide to break the silence.

“So, no Jackson today?”

He smiles, looking ahead as he pulls out onto the road. “Not tonight. Is that okay?” he asks, glancing at me for a moment.

“Of course. I was just getting used to the little guy.”

“He’s at his grandparents’ for the evening.”

“Ahh. I see…”

As if reading my mind, he comments, “Jackson’s parents aren’t in the picture anymore. I’m his legal guardian.”

“Oh. I thought…I thought maybe he was just staying for a visit or something. Wow.” A part of me had a feeling, but a bigger part assumed he was simply visiting his uncle. So, it’s Liam and Jackson. In his parents’ old house. I wonder about the rest of the story, but I think he’ll tell me when he’s ready.

“He’s a great kid,” Liam says with a small smile, though his eyes hold a touch of sadness.

“He seems like it,” I agree.

“You’re good with him,” Liam remarks.

“Well, I always liked kids. Maybe because I was an only child, and I never got to be around them much. I don’t have much family around…”

“Well, I can tell he really likes you. He doesn’t always take to people that well, you know…”

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