Page 31 of Damien
Me: Thanks. You, too. Sorry we couldn’t talk much today.
Damien: Maybe we can talk tonight?
My thoughts instantly go to last night, and I want much more than talking. When I nearly bump into the person who has stopped to pick up something they dropped, I force myself to pay better attention to my surroundings.
Me: Julia’s usually asleep by 8. Can I text you after she goes down?
Damien: You can text me anytime. I gotta run to my next meeting, but I’ll get any messages you send when I’m free. Have fun in class.
Before I can respond, another text comes through
Damien: I didn’t get the chance to tell you—you looked beautiful today.
Aww… he thinks I’m beautiful.
Yeah, there goes my concentration. I manage to make it to class on auto pilot. Thank goodness, I have time to spare; my mind is lost on him until my professor starts class, and I’m forced to pay attention.
11
Damien
KnowingVanessa isn’t available until this evening, I bust through my list of chores when I get home so I can talk when the time comes. She is never far from my thoughts today, but as I start installing the cabinets in my kitchen, I’m forced to concentrate on them rather than her. There’s no way I’m redoing any of these. Not only are they a bitch to install on my own, they’re too expensive to replace.
I stop earlier than normal to take a shower before Vanessa calls. I want to give her my undivided attention. When I have a half-finished project, I’ve been known to keep working while talking on the phone, just to get it done.
With my kitchen out of commission, I’d ordered a pizza earlier, and I’m finally able to sit and eat my meal. Settling into the couch to watch some TV, I grab a slice from the box using the paper plate they provided and wait.
When the phone rings, my heart races like it did in high school with my first crush. But I’m quickly disappointed when I see it’s my sister Dani. Swiping to accept the call, I greet her with, “Hey.”
“Hey to you, too, Dame. Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I sigh heavily. “I’m just watching TV.”
“Are we still on for this weekend?” Dani asks.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t miss it. Do you want to stay here? I have an extra room set up. Though at the moment, the kitchen’s out of commission.”
“Thanks for the offer, but Luke and I need to get back. I’m on a deadline, and Luke’s leaving to see his parents for a few days on Sunday.”
“Why aren’t you going?” Those two are usually connected at the hip, and I’m surprised she’d pass up the chance to travel with him.
“I have a book signing next weekend, and I’m traveling to Chicago. I can’t afford to travel so much if I have any hopes of meeting my deadline. Besides, Luke and his dad are going fishing, and I’d just be in the way.”
“Makes sense. What time do you think you’ll be free Saturday?”
“I’m meeting with Sam at ten, and we should be free after noon. She usually doesn’t work on the weekends, but she’s making the exception for me; it was the only time we could meet in person and catch up this month.”
“You do know there’s this thing called video conferencing, right?” I tease.
I can hear her eye roll when she sighs. “Yeah, but we’ve learned that when we’re both in the same room, we’re far more effective. Besides, this is also an excuse to visit my brothers. I’m dying to see this new place you’ve got.”
As I look around my home, I see all the work I’ve done—and all the work left to do. “It’s coming together, but it’s still a work in progress,” I admit.
“It’ll be great. Look, Luke just got home, and I gotta run. I’ll see you Saturday. Love you, Dame.”
“Love you, too, Dan.” I laugh as I hear the click of the line. That girl is always on the run. I’m glad Luke makes her so happy though. He’s definitely one of the few who gets my sister and her quirks.
Hell, I’ll never forget the day I met Luke. I’d been visiting my sister at my grandparents’ cabin on Anderson Island. I’d been watching something on TV when there was a knock on the door. I had no idea who was at the door, but obviously Dani knew. She launched herself into the stranger’s arms and kissed the hell out of him. It got to the point where it was uncomfortable to watch, so of course, I cleared my throat to remind her I was in fact in the room when they came up for air. I was about to leave them alone when I recognized the stranger. Who wouldn’t know the Rainier Renegades newest head coach? Given the fact that at the time, he was the youngest in the league, I think I said something along the lines of “Holy shit… Luke Leighton is kissing… you? When did you crawl out from the rock you live under and meet a guy like him?”
