20. Eleanora
eleanora
. . .
U nder the fading stars and rising sun, with waves lapping at our feet, Quinn James kissed me. I didn’t expect it, yet I had a feeling it was going to happen as soon as he gently put my hair behind my ear and his fingers trailed over my cheek before reaching for my chin and tipping my head back ever so slightly. Never in my life, had a kiss affected me in ways you only read about in romance novels or see play out on a movie screen.
Sure, only one other guy had kissed me, but this one was different. This was a toe-curling, spine-tingling, rise up on your tippy toes so you can get closer type kiss. But, it was the man behind the kiss that made the difference. Quinn James undoubtedly could have any woman he wants, and he was there, on the beach, with me.
All of this is nothing more than a fleeting memory though, as he hasn’t called or responded to any one of my dozen texts messages. I hate to admit it, but I think Kellie was right. He wanted a booty call, it didn’t happen, and now he’s moved on. I don’t know if he expected me to bare ass on the beach and give him the ride of his life or what. It didn’t happen, and he didn’t make any other moves. Not even when he dropped me off. No peck. No kiss on the cheek. No swat on the ass thanking me for a good time.
Nothing, zilch, nada and it’s been days.
I’m lust struck and refuse to leave the apartment unless my phone and back-up battery have a full charge because I’m afraid I’m going to miss his call. This is completely stupid. This is a guy. Who, mind you, in Los Angeles are a dime a dozen. And I’m just a girl, throwing myself at the hottie guitar-playing guy who’s in a band. If this doesn’t make me a cliché, I don’t know what else could.
“You home?” Kellie calls out. The front door slams and within seconds, my bedroom door is opening. “Are you sick?” she asks, standing against the doorjamb.
“Do I look sick?” I whine and feel my forehead. It’s cold and clammy, but no, I’m not sick unless you count being lust struck. It’s a real illness, many twenty-something women get it.
“You look heartbroken. What happened?”
“Ugh,” I groan and pat the spot on my bed next to me.
“Be right back.” She leaves me to my thoughts. She’s going to tell me I’m crazy for feeling this way. It wasn’t even a date and it was one kiss… a kiss that could’ve led to so many more things. Maybe I gave Quinn a vibe or something, which is why he stopped or hasn’t called.
“Here.” Kellie hands me a spoon, a pint of ice cream and motions for me to move over. “What’d Roy do now?”
“Oh, God, don’t even get me started,” I say before shoveling a spoonful of Tonight Dough into my mouth. “But he’s not why I’m sulking.”
“Sofia’s look-alike brother?”
I nod. “You were right though, he’s not her brother.”
Kellie sighs. “Do you not remember seeing her status?”
I groan. “Yes, but… I don’t know, something doesn’t add up. I for sure thought Quinn was Sofia’s brother. He looks just like the pictures she showed us and the guy she posted online doesn’t. Like I said, something’s fishy.”
“Let it go. You have a weird obsession with someone you never met.”
“I know. I’m a creeper.” I continue to eat, waiting for my best friends, Ben and Jerry, to ease my broken ego.
“So, what’s going on?”
“Quinn hasn’t called.”
“So,” she says. “Did you sleep with him or something? Carson said you looked pretty smitten when the two of you left the club.”
“He saw me?”
She nods. “I think he likes you.” Kellie shrugs.
“Oh and no, I didn’t sleep with Quinn. We kissed, and it was amazing.”
“And then you told him no?”
I shake my head. “Nope. He brought me home. Maybe I should’ve invited him in or something, then maybe he would’ve called.”
Kellie sets her pint down and turns to look at me. “Let me get this straight. You kissed, and you think he’s not calling because you didn’t give it up?”
I shrug. When she says it like that, it seems really stupid to think that way. “Why else isn’t he calling?”
She throws her hands up in the air. “Oh, I don’t know let’s see. Maybe the kiss wasn’t all that for him. He could be busy. Or here’s a wild guess, he’s a musician and they’re moody AF so he’s probably sitting in a room somewhere with his headphones on, writing a sappy love song.”
“You’re mean,” I tell her. “Just a giant meany.”
Kellie laughs and goes back to her ice cream. “I’m not going to sugarcoat anything for you. It was a kiss, Eleanora. In my book that doesn’t warrant a life-long commitment, let alone a phone call.”
“Not even a text?”
She shakes her head. “If I texted all the guys I kissed, I’d never get any work done.”
I shove her playfully. “Stop kissing all the men.”
“I can’t help it. Some are really, really cute. Besides, I have to kiss all the frogs to find my prince.”
“If you’re not talking to them afterward, how will you know?”
Kellie smiles softly. “I’ll know. Just like you will. If Quinn is the right one for you, it’ll work out.”
I really wish I had her confidence. I need to stop sweating about the things I can’t control. This is one of them. If Quinn wants to reach out, he can.
“Now, tell me what Roy did.”
It takes me an hour or so to fill her in on Roy and his shenanigans. It’s like a weight is lifted off me when she asks me how I feel. I simply don’t care. He wants his cake, pie and chocolate chip cookies, and that’s not going to fly with me. I don’t want to marry someone and wonder every day of my life if he’s being faithful, and I’m definitely not playing stepmama to his love child.
Kellie finally convinces me to leave the apartment. She’s right, the sun makes me feel better. For the first time since I arrived, I’m behind the wheel of my car. The top’s down, radio’s blaring and I’m cruising with no destination in sight.
The freedom I felt when I first arrived is back. I throw my hands up and scream, much to the delight of a few passersby who honk. At least, I hope they’re delighted. I could be wrong, and they could be mocking me.
Turning onto random roads, I end up at the park. It’s a perfect day to just sit and watch people, something I haven’t done since I arrived. After circling for a parking spot, I’m finally walking on the path, surrounded by well-manicured shrubs, beautiful blooming flowers, and people. So many people. Dog walkers’ breeze by me on roller blades, there’s a group of people doing yoga, a man painting, a woman playing her violin, and people reading.
I find a bench, which seems to be right in the middle of everything and just watch. I take in the sights, sounds, and smells of everything around me. I could easily see myself living here, but truthfully, I miss the massive oak trees lining the driveway to my house and the Spanish moss that hangs from them, creating shade and reprieve every few feet from the blistering sun.
The thoughts of home bring tears to my eyes. I never thought I’d actually miss it or become homesick, but maybe this thing or whatever it is with Quinn is the wake-up call I needed to finally get on the road and head home.
I pull out my phone and look at the date. If I leave now, I’ll be home well before the party and that gives me plenty of time to talk to my parents about Roy. There won’t be a wedding. I don’t care if the rumors about him are true or not. I’m not in love with him. I haven’t been for a long time and marrying someone I don’t love doesn’t make much sense to me.
Telling my parents will be hard. Most of this is my fault because I’ve never been truly honest with them about my feelings for Roy, and from the beginning, I was set to be his wife. He changed. I changed. It’s the natural part of life. I’m sure if I hadn’t gone away to school, I’d already be Roy’s wife with a kid on the way.
My phone rings, startling me. It drops to the ground despite my flailing hands trying to catch it. I groan as I pick it up and slowly turn it over. The screen’s shattered, making it impossible for me to see who’s calling.
I hesitate, unsure if I should answer it or not. For all I know, it’s Quinn, returning my gazillion messages or my parents, wondering where the heck I am. It could be Roy… and well, I can’t imagine what he wants to talk about.
“Hello.” My voice breaks. I’m on the verge of full tears. In one small moment, my life has flipped upside down and over what, a broken phone screen and the fact that I miss the oak trees.
“Hello, little sis. Are you ready to come home?”
“Yes,” I squeak out. “I am.”
“What’s wrong?” Rhett asks.
“Nothing and everything. I don’t know. It seems like the last few days I’ve been drowning, and I don’t know why. Up until today, I thought this place was perfect.”
“Did someone hurt you?”
I nod but tell him no. I don’t want Rhett storming into town over one little kiss that didn’t mean anything to anyone but me. Rhett’s that brother, willing to come to the rescue of his sisters, even if we have a hair out of place.
“Do you want me to fly there and drive back with you?”
“Yeah, I think that would be good. We’d get home faster if there are two of us driving.”
“All right. I’ll book a flight and head out. Give me a few days, okay?”
“Thank you, Rhett.”
He clears his throat. “Are you sure you’re okay? I can leave today if you need me.”
I smile, even though he can’t see me. “Thank you, but I’ll be fine. Plus, I have Kellie. Who likes you, by the way.”
There’s a small laugh on the other end. “You can tell Kellie…” Rhett pauses. “No, never mind. She’s your friend and I would never cross that line.”
“Thank you,” I tell him, although I happen to think he and Kellie would make a great couple, apart from the fact they both like to play the field, and neither of them plan to stop anytime soon.
Rhett and I hang up. I sit back and continue to watch the people going by. I can do this at home as easily as I can here. I came here for a change of pace, a different reality, but the truth of the matter is, I can’t change me. No matter how hard I try. I let one silly guy get into my head and play into that romantic fantasy of having a fling, and now look at me. I’m ready to go home and back to the life I put on hold for four years. The only difference is I won’t be Roy’s wife or have anything to do with him. My daddy is going to have to dig deep in his pocket to find me another suitable mate or allow me to go out on my own.
Just thinking that makes me laugh. My mama would have a heart attack if she met Quinn. Oh no, she would not approve of this California boy one single bit. I don’t think, anyway.
I sort of like that idea.