Page 5 of Love Letter Lost
“Thank goodness! Mom’s out running errands and Dad’s disappeared and I really need someone here to keep me company. My motivation is dying. Save me!” The whine in Livvy’s voice testified of her desperation.
“I’ll be there soon.”
I slipped my phone into my pocket, turned up my favorite country music station, and pulled out of the parking lot. Maybe if I hurried, Livvy and I would finish early, and I could spend the rest of the day painting. Maybe once I finished this first remodel, my family would finally take my dream seriously. And maybe the sky would turn purple and a young George Strait would walk into my life professing his undying devotion and serenading me while I renovated homes and became a millionaire. If I was going to dream, it might as well be big.
CHAPTERFOUR
I pulledup in front of Livvy’s parents’ house, wincing as my tires found the curb. At least this time I’d managed to only nudge it. I didn’t need to pay for another tire alignment for my older-than-dirt green Hyundai Sonata.
I climbed out of my car and started up the driveway, smiling at the house where I’d spent so much of my life. I took a deep breath, the scent of roses and fresh cut grass filling my lungs. A movement across the street caught my eye and I paused, turning to see a guy walking towards me with a wave.
My hand raised instinctively but froze when I registered who was crossing the street: Ridge. My heart stuttered as I took in his changed appearance after having not seen him for over ten years. His hair was long on top, his shoulders more filled out than the gangly teenager I remembered. Laugh lines hugged the corners of his eyes, eyes that were the same teasing blue I’d tried to forget.
“Ridge.”
“Hey, Mal. Long time no see.” He stopped in front of me with a grin and a shrug, though I could also see hesitation on his face and in the way he hung back from me, not offering a hug or a handshake.
“Funny what happens when you run away and ignore someone. You tend to lose contact.” The words tasted bitter on my tongue, but I couldn’t push them down. They’d waited too long for escape.
Ridge took a step back, surprised by my response. His hesitation only lasted a moment before a grimace stole across his face and he responded.
“You know, communication is a two-way street. But heaven forbid you should have any ownership in what happened.”
“In what happened? You mean the fact that—”
“Ridge, you ready?” A woman called out and we both looked over to see Ridge’s mom, her hair in the same chin-length bob I remembered from high school, waving toward the car in the driveway. “We don’t want to be late.”
“Be right there,” Ridge called before turning back to me. “It’s been…a surprise to see you, Mal.” He waved and walked away, leaving me gaping after him for a moment.
My awkward position standing in the driveway finally registered, and I shook my head, forcing myself up the steps to the front door. Between Livvy’s text yesterday and running into Ridge today, I felt off kilter as I grappled with the blast from the past. Hopefully, helping Livvy pack would provide a much-needed distraction.
Aunt Jenna and Uncle Ken’s house had been built nearly forty years earlier, and because of our constant moves, it was the closest thing I’d known to a forever home. I’d watched as they’d transformed their house into a quaint, welcoming cottage, complete with a wraparound porch and brightly painted shutters. The sight always brought a load of memories to the surface, most of which involved Ridge. I couldn’t believe I’d just seen him and that he’d been so hostile. What did he have to be angry about? I wasn’t sure I was ready to see him again at the wedding. Also, why was he here? Sure, he had been close to Livvy’s family, but the last I’d heard, Livvy hadn’t spoken to him in years. Not to mention he was living out of state, though his mom still lived across the street from Aunt Jenna and Uncle Ken. I had no idea what could have brought him back to Utah.
Tamping down thoughts of the past, I knocked on the teal door before pushing it open, not bothering to wait for someone to answer. Instead, I called out a greeting as I stepped inside.
“Downstairs!”
I followed Livvy’s voice into her room in the basement, passing piles of boxes and miscellaneous items as I went.
“You only have one room in this house, right?” I asked as I rounded the corner into her bedroom. She’d had the same room her entire life. The pink walls and tan carpet had witnessed many sleepovers, pedicures, and talk sessions. It was hard to believe we were now both fully functioning adults with Livvy’s wedding happening in a week.
I found Livvy stuffing books into a box, her dark hair escaping its ponytail and her glasses sliding down her nose.
“I have so much crap. There are all of the gifts from the shower and then Mom decided to clean out her stuff and give me everything she was getting rid of, not to mention nearly 30 years’ worth of stuff adds up.” She gestured around the room, indicating half-full boxes covering nearly every available surface.
“It looks like a demo zone. Are you sure I’m the one conducting major renovations?”
“Very funny. Trust me, it was worse earlier. I’ve gotten a lot done already.” Livvy pushed up from the floor and walked over, throwing her arms around me in a tight embrace. I fought back a sneeze as I breathed in dust along with the musty smell of sweat. “Thanks for coming. This is going to be a lot more fun with help.”
“Where do you want me to start?” I eyed the closet, still packed with random items, wondering what Livvy had already accomplished. At least the work ahead would provide a welcome distraction.
“If you want to tackle the drawers in the closet, that would be great. Just throw everything into a box and I’ll go through it later. Or I’ll throw the box away. At this point, either option works.”
I grabbed an empty box and moved to the built-in dresser. Opening the first drawer, I had to stifle a laugh at the brightly colored horses that greeted me. “Really, Livvy? You still have all your My Little Ponies? I thought you would have contributed these to the toy bin for your nieces to play with.” I held up one purple horse whose mane had seen better days.
“While I love my nieces, these toys are for my children. Besides, I’m pretty sure those are collector’s items by now. They’re probably worth a small fortune.” Livvy looked up from her spot next to the bed, surrounded by a handful of bins.
“More like youspenta small fortune buying them. Currently, the only thing they’re collecting is dust.” I loaded the toys into a box and started on the next drawer. This one contained an odd mix of old makeup and jewelry. I smiled when I saw a pink and green friendship bracelet I’d made for Livvy back in our preteen years. “Have you cleaned out your room ever?”
