Page 6 of Cold Snap
“Naughty girl.”
“Yeah, you want me to be real naughty? What are you wearing?”
“Me? I’m not wearing anything, baby. In fact, I just got out of the shower.”
“Oh, that’s a dreamy image. Did you dry off, or is there still water I can lick off you?”
“Oh, Teresa. Sweet, sweet little girl. You keep talking like this, and I might take you up on the offer.”
“I could be at your place in less than ten minutes.”
His soft laugh makes me wonder if it would even take me that long.
“Alright, naughty baby, get some rest. It’s late.”
Not too late for me to run through the streets to get to his apartment over the bar.
“I’m not tired.”
“But I am, and if your father knew you were talking to me like this, he would skin me alive.”
“He doesn’t need to know. I won’t tell.”
“Yeah, you’d keep it a secret.”
“I’d keep all your secrets.”
Silence greets me.
“Get some sleep, kid.” Not the response I was hoping for. Pain slices through me at the name he just had to tack on. “And don’t bring Oakley back in the bar to drink any more until she’s of age.”
What the hell happened? We were flirting so well. I was so close to him inviting me over.
“Goodnight, kid.”
“Goodnight, old man.”
I hang up, and the sadness sets in. Was he reminding me I was little more than a kid to him, or was he reminding himself? Is the reason we have no future because Land won’t get out of our way? I always thought it was because I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, I didn’t realize when to go for it, and when to stop flirting and get serious. Was I wrong?
I toss and turn for most of the night and am up early the next morning so I can make my way over to Waylon’s and check up on my bestie. But apparently not early enough.
Standing outside my brother’s door is my mom…and my grandmother, who we all call Nan.
“Hey, why is everybody standing outside?”
“Great news!” Nan gives me a big, toothy smile. “Your little friend, Oakley, is in there with Waylon. I’m pretty sure they had sex!”
My mouth drops open and my brows climb.
“Nan,” my mom’s voice cuts in, “we don’t know if that’s what happened just yet.”
She turns to me with a dreamy look in her eyes despite her words. “But wouldn’t it be wonderful if they were in love. You would have your best friend as a sister.”
“Mom, I already think of Oakley as a sister, and I’m sure it isn’t what Nan…where is Nan?”
We turn just in time to see her hop on the city bus. “Oh, no!”
“She’s going to the Senior Center, isn’t she?” And there she can cause all sorts of trouble.
