7. Chapter 7
It’s been almost two months since the funeral fiasco, and everything swiftly returned to normal. My three ex-boyfriends disappeared back to their lives, and I went back to mine. Work has kept me busy with Valentine’s Day.
Thanks to word of mouth from the funeral, I’d even landed a few photography gigs doing family portraits. The money hasn’t been enough to save us financially. Sitting at our dining room table, I stare at the notice we’ve just received. Mom is out with Mrs. Thorne, and I’ve taken the time alone to review our financials. The mortgage payment is behind. I knew I couldn’t pay a time or two, but I hadn’t realized we were a full two months past due. I sent everything Tiffany Ward had paid me, but it wasn’t enough. My credit cards are maxed out, and many other bills are behind. No one makes it easy to dig yourself out of the hole of late payments once you’re in there.
In the first years after the accident, car insurance covered a lot of the medical bills and damages, and my dad’s life insurance helped, too. Unfortunately, that has trickled off in the last few years. Mom gets disability, but she wasn’t the breadwinner. Without Dad’s income and skyrocketing costs on everything, we’re spiraling toward financial disaster.
It’s time to decide whether to sell the house or wait for it to go into foreclosure. The housing market has slowed, so it’s a gamble either way. I can’t believe we’ll lose my childhood home and have nowhere to go. If we can’t afford a mortgage, we definitely can’t afford rent. Maybe filing for bankruptcy is our best option.
I know I’ve been financially irresponsible, but can you blame me? I was thrown into this mess at just eighteen while heavily grieving. It’s been an uphill battle to get back on track. Spreading all of the late notices on the table, I see that I have been failing miserably.
Someone knocks at the door, and I drag myself away from the bleak situation laid out in front of me. I open the door and am shocked by who I find standing on my front porch.
“How did you know where to find me?” I ask.
Talon rocks back on his heels, hands in his pockets. He looks more like himself in tight, ripped jeans, a black T-shirt, and a leather jacket. “Took a guess that you’d still live here. I guess it paid off.”
“Why are you here?”
He looks behind him to the sleek, black sports car in my driveway and points to it. “I was hoping you’d want to go for a ride with me. I wanted to show you something.”
I groan, “That is the worst pickup line.”
He chuckles and holds up his hands, “It’s not my dick, I promise. Though if you want to—”
I quickly cut him off,” Don’t finish that thought. I never want to see that again.”
He leans in, green eyes gleaming with mischief, “Never knew you to be a liar, Kitten.”
I can’t help but laugh. The incorrigible menace he was hasn’t changed a bit. “Fine. Let me clean this up and grab my coat. Come on in.”
I open the door, and he steps into my living room. Looking around my home makes me cringe. The house is clean, but everything is worn. I know he’s seen much more luxurious places all over the world. I shake off the embarrassment. It’s not like I’m asking him to move in.
I sweep all the bills into a pile on the table and grab my gray puffer coat from the back of the chair. I walk back into the living room and slide on my shoes.
“Ready?” I ask him.
“Im just waiting on you.” He looks around. “I bet this place hasn’t changed since you were a teenager.”
He would drop me off in front of my house a few times over the summer that we dated but never came inside. My parents were completely unaware we were ever together.
I look around sadly, “Renovations haven’t been a top priority over the last few years. Let’s go.”
I move out the door, but Talon stops me with a hand on my arm, holding me back. “Is something wrong?”
“Not really. Let’s go.”
“More lies. You can talk about it in the car while I drive.”
Not if I can help it.
I slide into the butter-soft bucket seat of Talons fancy car and sigh. They were like clouds cupping my butt.
What kind of car is this? I ask Talon when he gets behind the wheel. The dash is dominated by a huge screen with a ton of features. I was lucky that my beat-up Camry had power seats and a remote start.
“A brand-new Corvette. I picked it up a couple of days ago.
I should have known that. I’m sure this thing is worth more than my house.”
He smirks at me, Maybe.
I poke my finger at him, “Don’t be a smug asshole.”
He pulls the purring sports car out of my driveway and heads out of the subdivision. Within minutes, were winding through the neighborhoods until we leave the city.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Talon breaks it. “Out with it. What had you upset at your house.”
I shake my head, I dont want to talk about it. I have some things to work out with my mom.”
What kind of things? Money things?
I sigh. Hes never going to give up. Were in a bit of a financial mess. My mom cant work and needs specialized care. Her disability and my pay from the flower shop aren’t enough to cover everything. Its been difficult, and I have no idea how to handle money.
“I have a financial adviser who handles all that for me, but I can help you if you need it.
Ill keep that in mind, I say, even though we both know I wont.
After driving about fifteen minutes along a curving road around a large lake, we park in front of a vast parcel of empty land. Without a word, Talon opens his door and exits the car. I follow him, and we walk out onto the dirt and grass and look at the rocky shoreline beyond.
“What’s this? I ask him.
Mine, he answers.
You own all of this?
Its two waterfront lots. The houses have already been demolished and I’ve got an architect working on the plans for my own. I close on the properties next week,”
So youre moving back?
He looks down at me and nods. Ive known for a while that LA isnt where I belong. I’ve been looking for a place to settle down. Coming back here feels right. I’ll be renting a place while my home gets built. If you need a place to stay, let me know.
I ignore his offer because I can’t accept it. Wouldnt being so far from your work be hard?
There’s these things called airplanes. They work pretty well at getting you to and from faraway places.
I smack him on the arm, and he chuckles. The travel will be fine. And I will have a recording studio built with all the best equipment. I’d like to have it finished within a year.
We both go quiet, watching a family of geese swim out on the lake.
Youre getting cold. Lets go sit inside the car. Talon leads me back to his car and opens the door for me. He left it running, so its nice and warm inside.
We both settle into our seats, but he makes no move to pull out. Instead, he turns my way. He studies every inch of my face, and I do the same, cataloging every little difference. His face has sharpened and gotten more beautiful over the years. He’s grown into a man.
He reaches out, cupping my jaw in his hand. His thumb strokes my cheek. “I didn’t think you could get more beautiful, but you have.”
I scoff, “Now, who’s lying? I’ve seen you in pictures with actresses and models.”
His eyes narrow at me, “You’re not any less than them.”
“Mia seems wonderful,” I say, sharply changing the topic to something I’ve been wondering about since I met her at the funeral.
His hand falls from my face, and he sits back in his seat. She’s a good person—a better person than I deserved.
I cant stop myself from asking. Why arent you guys together anymore?
I love her, but not in the ways she needs. I was too dependent on her when I was at my lowest. Once I was finally healthy, I could see that I was using her as a crutch, and that wasn’t fair. Our divorce was final last week.
He turns to me again, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. The gentle contact sparks up my arm, just like he always did. “I’m sorry for being an asshole. I got to California and lost myself in every excess I could find. Alcohol, drugs, and women fueled me. I couldn’t drag you down with me. The other two were always better for you anyway.”
“I didn’t stay with either of them either,” I tell him.
“I know. We talk.”
“Really? You have an ex-boyfriend group chat?”
He laughs, “Something like that. I reached out to Foster after I got out of rehab. I knew he was into a healthy lifestyle and wanted his help. I don’t talk with Cole much, but me and Foster have a good friendship.”
“So happy I could bring you two together,” I grumble.
He laughs as he pulls away from the site of his future home. The smile I wore all the way home falls when I walk back into my house and see the stack of bills waiting for me. Time to sit down and figure this out.