Page 13 of Versions Of Us

Liv notices the way my focus slips and eyes me with a devilish grin, squinting in suspicion. “Speaking of Henley…he’s been giving off a weird vibe lately.”

I raise an eyebrow in interest. “It’s not just me that’s noticed that, huh?”

“Nope,” Liv says with a shake of her head, then asks, “What do you think it means?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I mean, he’s always been that way with me, I guess. Just not so publicly.”

I think about the way I’ve caught him watching me lately, lost in his thoughts, and his reaction to Liv and EJ’s engagement news. For a guy so insistent on never getting married himself, he had seemed pretty optimistic about it.

“Well, I can tell you what it looks like.” Liv takes a long skull of her lemonade.

“What does it look like?” I ask, fighting the urge to eyeroll at what I know is going to be a ridiculous notion.

“Like he’s in love.” She sets her lemonade down on the counter with a clink as she makes a face. “Like, serious love.”

I shake my head and lose the battle with the eyeroll. “Maybe he’s just really happy for you guys.”

Henley has been a part of my life for so long. It was obvious from the moment we met that there was a connection between us, but I’d fought it. Maybe we both had. I’ve never been one to let people all the way in, but over time he’d somehow burrowed his way inside my heart. He’d made a home between my ribs, immersing himself into the air in my lungs.

I’ve carried him with me ever since, a part of me almost certain that despite the many twists and turns we’ve taken, that no matter where our lives lead us, at some point we’ll find our way back to each other. That even if we get lost somewhere along the way, we’re destined to be found.

I know that Henley does love me in his own way. I also know he isn’t the type to make serious commitments.

Liv shakes her head in disagreement. “There’s something else there, I’m telling you.”

“I guess we’ll see.” I shrug. It suddenly seems too overwhelming to think about. “I have to go. I’m going to drop by my mum’s house. Feels like I haven’t seen her in forever.”

“Oh, cool. Tell her I said hi.”

“Sure, will do.” I stand, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans. “Anyway, let me know which decorations you order, and we can come up with a plan. We’ll make sure this party is epic.”

Mum is only just stepping out of the bathroom when I arrive at her house, her hair carefully wrapped in a fluffy pink towel.

“Little early for a shower isn’t it, Mum?” I ask curiously, dropping my car keys down into the bowl on the hall table.

Ben snickers from where he’s seated at the table, hiding a smirk behind his coffee cup. Mum places her hands firmly on her hips and glares at him, a sign she’s clearly unimpressed.

“Um. What have I missed?” I question, not sure if I really want to get into the middle of whatever this is.

Ben hides a smirk behind his computer screen as my mum begins to scold him. “You be quiet over there. It’s not funny!”

“Oh, Pam!” Ben rises to his feet and makes his way over to my mother, encasing her in his arms. “You know I’ll always love you.”

Ben has been my mum’s long-term partner for three years now and I couldn’t think of anyone better equipped to make her happy. Ben owns the fresh produce store in town, aptly named Ben’s Harvest and he’s a total sweetheart. He’s the complete opposite of my father. After a long string of jerks, I’m thankful every day that Ben came along to sweep her off her feet.

“Will someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?” I say, my hands splayed out in front of me in frustration.

“Mrs. Wexler was baking bread at home and her dog somehow got into the dough before she’d put it in the oven. Clogged his stomach right up,” Ben explains.

“You mean Bruno?” I feel my eyes narrow. “I’m still confused.”

“Well, thankfully, Bruno also ate a half kilo of chocolate which caused him to regurgitate the whole thing,” Mum says, and then with a sigh she adds, “All over me.”

“Mrs. Wexler’s dog is a Neapolitan mastiff. That thing is giant!” I exclaim. “Last year she brought it to the Cliff Haven annual carnival and let toddlers ride it like a pony.”

My mum raises her eyebrows in annoyance and sarcastically quips, “You think?”

I curl my lips together, attempting to hold in a chuckle, but I can’t help the snort that escapes me. When Ben’s gaze meets mine, neither of us can contain our fits of laughter.

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