Chapter 11
11
Oliver
I was right about the Wagyu steak dinner. Elise loved it. The girls were over the moon with the mini pumpkin pies, too. Roman picked out the perfect wine, but he also made sure that Tricia and Ainsley had a fruity, bubbly nonalcoholic drink to have with us. It was the perfect meal all around.
I wait for Elise outside the diner Monday afternoon, just as the sun sets over the mountainside. As soon as she comes out and sees me, I know I did the right thing. All the stress and exhaustion fade from her beautiful face, and a warm and sunny smile blooms across her plump, pink, glossy lips.
“Oliver,” she says, straightening her uniform, noticing the ketchup and mustard stains on her white apron. “Oh, shoot. Sorry, we had kids for lunch. Lots of kids.”
“I don’t know what you’re apologizing for,” I chuckle softly, leaning against my truck.
She smiles shyly.
“Well, look at you, all handsome and dapper while I’m fresh off the back burner.”
“You look beautiful as always,” I counter.
A slight blush crawls up her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“I’m taking you out for drinks,” I tell her. “You need to unwind.”
“What, like this?” she gasps, pointing at her uniform.
“Lose the apron and you’ll be fine.”
“Oh, Oliver. Are you sure? It’s still a diner uniform.”
“And this is still Rustic, Colorado. We’re not going to Balthazar in New York,” I say with a laugh.
She allows herself another smile, letting her hair loose. I marvel at how the sunset captures the subtle copper highlights in her blonde mane. I also marvel at how hard I get just from looking at her for a second too long.
“Ever been?” I ask as she hands me the apron. I toss it in the back seat, then lock the truck and offer her my arm.
“Ever been where?” she asks, staring at me with curiosity and slight confusion.
“Balthazar.”
“No, I rarely traveled outside Chicago,” she admits, and I capture the temperature drop of her voice. Roman was right. She’s quite guarded about her past. It’s not an easy subject. “Where are we going now?”
“I was thinking we’d go for a walk down the street. They’ve got a new fall menu over at Candy’s. You’ve mentioned you loved eating there more than once.”
“And you remembered.”
“I remember everything you tell me. So, shall we?”
Elise thinks about it for a moment, then hooks her arm through mine. She smells of strawberries and cream and a hint of coffee. She’s had a long day, but she’s keeping it together with impressive grace. Just one of the many things I’ve come to like about her.
Up ahead is Roker Street with its quaint and colorful shopfronts.
“Were there a lot of kids at the diner today because of a special occasion?” I ask as we walk slowly down the street, thinking I’d like this walk to last forever.
“A birthday party.”
“On a Monday?”
“Not to mention a school day,” Elise replies. “The mother pulled her kids and all of his friends out of class for it. The children were obviously thrilled to play hooky.”
“With adult supervision, how fun was that?”
“Meh, the lady was trying so hard to be the cool and easygoing mom. She almost succeeded until the kids got that first sugar rush. Then all hell broke loose.”
I laugh. “Have you seen Tricia and Ainsley on a sugar rush yet?”
“No. That bad?”
“Whatever you’re imagining, it’s ten times more terrifying.”
“Terrifying?” She gives me a wide-eyed stare.
“They seem like they can go forever, like they will never sleep again. And if you think they talk a lot on a normal day, wait until they’re riding the sugar wave.”
Elise exhales sharply. “Ah, so that’s why you’re all so cautious about their sweets intake.”
“Precisely.”
“Good to know. Tricia almost convinced me to give them both a packet of Oreos the other night,” she says. “Thank the stars I had the common sense to send them over to their daddy for permission first.”
A flower shop sits on the opposite side of the street. A familiar figure is outside, wiping the chalk off a blackboard. Shauna’s getting ready to close for the day. She’s already moved the outdoor displays inside. My stomach tightens with a sense of dread, though I have no reason to feel this way.
Not anymore.
“I booked us a table; we don’t want to be late,” I say, picking up the pace.
“Oh, okay,” Elise replies and keeps up with me. All I can do is pray that Shauna doesn’t spot us.
“Oliver!” she yells. Her slightly nasal voice still scratches at my brain.
Shit .
I give Elise an awkward smile. “Sorry. That’s someone I know.”
“Well then, let’s go over and say hi,” she suggests.
Shauna waves and gives a bright smile, the joy fading from her face when she sees the woman I’m with. I can see the critique function activated as she measures Elise from head to toe. Hell, I can almost hear the avalanche of poisonous thoughts tumbling through her mind. It ended poorly between us, and I don’t think she ever got over it, even though the fault was exclusively hers. “We don’t have to do that,” I mutter, but Elise is already tugging me across the street.
I brace myself for the impact as Elise greets her. “Hi, there. I’m Elise.”
“Hi, Elise. Shauna.” Her tone is flat.
“Hey,” I say, giving her a nod of acknowledgement. “How’ve you been?”
“Great,” Shauna replies, still scanning Elise. Try as she might, she doesn’t compare. I lost my interest in her the minute I realized the kind of game she was playing with us. Today, Shauna serves as a grim reminder of what happens when you let your dick make crucial decisions for you. “My shop is doing great; orders are increasing on a daily basis. Not as many walk-ins as I thought I’d get when I first opened the place, but we’re on the right track.” She pauses and gives Elise a curious look. “And how do you know Oliver?”
“Oh, I’m Oliver’s neighbor,” Elise replies. “Well, I guess we’re friends, too.”
I smile at Shauna. “Elise had some trouble with the mountain lions. She’s staying with us while her landlord renovates and secures the place properly.”
“Yeah, I heard something through the grapevine about some big cats strolling into some lady’s kitchen. You seem to be no worse for wear.”
“I’m good, thanks. James intervened quickly and got me out of there before anything happened.”
“He’s gallant like that,” Shauna mutters. I can hear the bitterness dripping from every word. “How is he?”
“He’s great,” I say. “We’re all great. Well, it was nice seeing you, Shauna, but we’ve got somewhere to be.”
“Hot date, huh?” Shauna giggles, then gives Elise a playful wink. “You better watch yourself, missy. They operate as a crew.”
“Excuse me?”
“Shauna,” I try to cut in, but she beats me to it.
“James, Oliver, and Roman. They operate as a crew. One of them gets into your pants, the other takes you out on fancy dates. Then the third swoops in, and next thing you know, you’re getting split three ways.” She laughs.
Elise, however, doesn’t seem amused. Her face burns red, her eyes wide as she glances back at me. All I can do is chuckle dryly and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to my side.
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“You will soon enough,” Shauna says.
“I think you really need to focus on your own life and your flower shop,” I interject.
“Oh, come on, Oliver, it’s not like I’m lying. The lady should know what she’s getting herself into.”
A few seconds later, I’m escorting an understandably befuddled Elise back across the street. The minutes that follow are even more awkward, and I’m worried about the fallout. Elise may be receptive to the three of us, but I’m not sure she’s ready to take that step. That’s what the dinner date was meant to assess.
“Serves me right going up to people I don’t know, trying to be friendly,” Elise finally says as Candy’s emerges ahead with its large windows and terrace decorated with autumn-themed garden lights.
“Let me apologize,” I tell her. “What Shauna said back there was meant to scare you away. It had nothing to do with you.”
“I figured that part out as soon as I noticed the way she was staring me down. I may be relatively new in town, but I know my way around people. I can read them better than most.”
“Even so, I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Your past is yours and yours alone. Not my business unless you wish to make it so.”
I give her a wry smile as we reach Candy’s terrace. “I’m guessing the same applies to you.”
“Of course.”
That’s probably why Elise is being so considerate and understanding, choosing to shrug off the whole Shauna incident. She figures we all have skeletons in our closets. It makes me wonder what kind of skeletons she’s hiding in hers, but I choose to remain grateful that our dinner date is still going to happen.
“Shall we go in?” I ask, motioning for her to go up the terrace steps first.
“Yes, sir.”
Once I start pouring the wine to accompany our appetizers, the mood begins to shift. The tension dissipates, leaving room for smiles and laughter, smooth conversation, and an easy camaraderie that brings us closer to each other.
“I’ve never had eggplant like this before,” Elise remarks as she takes another bite from a crispy bruschetta.
“It’s popular in the Balkans,” I say. “Candy puts it on their menu every fall, and she makes sure to keep enough baked eggplants in the freezer to last her through the winter. It’s a family tradition.”
“Well, it’s delicious,” she says, savoring another bite.
Elise seems content so I decide to test the waters. “So, why’d you leave Chicago?” I shoot straight for the three-pointer.
Elise stills for a moment before finishing her bruschetta and washing it down with a long sip of fruity, white wine. I patiently wait, admiring her self-composure.
“It’s a long story,” she says. “And not a pleasant one either.”
“I’d still like to know, but only if you’re willing to share,” I reply.
“I’d rather discuss that whole thing with Shauna. I’m curious. What was that about?”
Why did I think I’d get off easy with that one?
I chuckle and grab another bite from my plate. It’s Elise’s turn to watch me squirm in my seat while I try to find the right words. “Shauna and I were involved. It was a complicated and messy affair,” I say. “I’m not proud of how we ended things, but it was necessary.”
“That was such a politician’s answer,” Elise replies then laughs.
“I’m trying to explain it in a way that doesn’t scare you and make you want to run.”
She frowns slightly. “What could possibly be scary enough to make me want to run?”
“An unconventional love life.”
“You mean the whole thing about the three of you? I’m guessing she got intimate with Roman and James, too.”
“Yes.” I hold my breath for a hot second.
Elise shrugs softly. “Who am I to judge?”
“Consider me surprised.”
“Why?”
“I figured you’d have a stronger opinion about it.”
She allows herself a subtle but knowing smile. “You seem to forget that I’m from the big city. What might be considered taboo in these parts, I’ve more than likely stumbled across in Chicago. Not necessarily in my own personal experience, but I like to think of myself as being more open-minded.”
“You are,” I reply, then add more wine to her glass.
“Besides, I’ve often believed that wounded people tend to hurt others, so they won’t feel alone. I’m guessing it’s what Shauna tried to do earlier.”
“I promise you, Elise, we were honorable in our behavior.”
“I believe you. We’ve been living together for a couple of weeks now. I realize that I don’t know you guys as well as she did, but I know enough.”
I lean forward, my gaze glued to hers. I could drown in those eyes and never regret it. “Who hurt you, Elise?”
“What do you mean?”
There it is. The withdrawal. The fear lingering just beneath the surface.
“You’re wounded, somewhere deep down. I recognize the pain because I carry some of my own. Birds of a feather, one might say.”
“I lost my parents when I was really young yet old enough to understand that I’d never see them again. My brother was still too little to fully comprehend the breadth of the situation, so he processed it differently,” Elise replies with a heavy sigh. “I thought the people who raised us were good people but—”
“Turns out they weren’t,” I finish for her.
She shrugs softly. “I made some bad choices along the way because I didn’t know any better, but once I opened my eyes and understood what I was dealing with, I walked away. It left me with deep wounds, wounds I’m still learning how to heal from.”
“Is that why you came to Rustic?”
“It’s a small town, far away from what I called home. Everybody knows everybody. The air is fresh, the vibe is positive. And it’s quiet. I didn’t know how badly I needed the quiet until I came here.”
I nod slowly, admiring how careful Elise is being with her words. How much, and how little, she’s giving me. There’s a darkness behind her story, a depth to the wounds that she’s afraid of conveying. It makes me wonder, it keeps me alert, and it makes me want to know more.
“Would you ever go back?” I gently ask her.
Just then, a waiter comes over to clear our table and make room for the main course. Elise waits until we’re alone again, her gaze constantly scanning the restaurant with remarkable sharpness. A trauma response.
“To Chicago?” she eventually replies.
“Yes.”
“I don’t think so. Maybe just to visit. But there are other parts of this great country that I’d like to see first. And I’d love to go to Europe someday. There’s so much I want to explore there.”
“What about Asia?”
“Yes. And Africa. I would never say no to a safari through Kenya.”
“Sounds like you’re eager to see the world.”
“If I can ever afford it,” she laughs. “Until then, I’m fine with enjoying the gorgeous views and the delicious food around these parts.”
We’ve almost finished the bottle of wine. I’m guessing we’ll need a second before this dinner date is over. I’m also hoping that a second bottle might remove some of her inhibitions, just enough to get her to open up more.
“How old is your brother?” I ask.
“Eighteen.”
“A young man already.”
Elise chuckles softly. “In some ways, yes. In others, he’ll always be a kid.”
“Where is he now?”
“Still in Chicago.” She lowers her gaze, and I catch a hint of pain and regret in her voice. It’s subtle but I know it well enough. The guys and I have had to leave people we cared about behind, too. There’s no way of truly healing that. “But he’s fine. Going to college now.”
“Oh yeah? Where at?”
“University of Chicago. He’s pursuing a BA in Political Science.”
“Ah, a future politician. Please tell me he is as skilled at avoiding sensitive topics as you are.” I laugh. “I mean that in the best possible way, Elise. You’re good. You’re really good. You convey the specifics without going into detail. It’s a rare talent.”
Elise allows herself another smile, followed by a sip of wine. The way she licks her lips afterward makes my cock twitch. “Mike is more into seizing opportunities and building power. He’s ambitious, and, yeah, he has a way with words, in a sense. I let him down when I left, though, so we’re trying to work that out. He’s still getting used to my absence, and that causes him to lose focus once in a while. But I do believe he is going to be a leader of sorts someday.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It really depends on who gets behind him in the process. Michael is a good man, but a young man. Easily influenced and devoted— a little too much—to the wrong people.” She pauses and glances around. “I wonder what’s taking them so long with the main course.”
Not the smoothest subject change, but it leaves me with no choice but to respect her need for privacy. She’ll have to give me more eventually. Tonight, however, I aim to make her feel safe and comfortable, so I switch off the interrogator role and slide back into fun Oliver.
“I’m glad you agreed to have dinner with me,” I say.
“I’m glad you insisted.” Elise smiles and leans forward, shortening the distance between us. I notice how the overhead light casts soft shadows across her sweet, oval face. “I’ve been living here for a year, yet it’s only since I moved in with you guys that I’ve begun to actually explore the place.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“It’s a great thing. I’m actually a bit sad that I didn’t do this kind of stuff sooner. I mean, I’ve had a meal here and there before, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve been keeping my distance from people in general.”
“And look at you now.”
“Yeah, look at me now.”