10. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Eliza
Bzz. Bzz.
My vibrating phone lights up with the name Vanessa Morrow on the screen, and I smile, answering it.
“Hey, nice to hear from you,” I say to my new friend from photography class. Well, she was the only other person in the class, so naturally, we made friends with each other.
“Yeah, I was wondering if you wanted to meet for dinner tonight? Daniel is helping with the float for his 4-H group tonight and his mom offered to watch the twins, so I was thinking maybe we could do something? Is that weird?” She ends with a laugh.
“Not weird at all.” I giggle. “I’ve been editing photos for hours and would actually love a reason to get out of the house.”
“Aw yay! Do you want to meet at Parker’s Pizza around six? It’s just right off Main Street.”
“That sounds perfect,” I say to her. “I’ll meet you there.”
By the time I walk into Parker’s Pizza, I’m feeling giddy about dinner. I was hoping to make friends while here, and Vanessa and I immediately clicked.
I’m not sure how into photography she is, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just happy to have a new girlfriend—or at least the beginnings of one.
“Hey!” She waves me down from one of the booths in the back. Her long dark hair falls in waves, and I can’t deny the fact that she’s model-gorgeous.
My mind flashes to Nick.
Apparently, West Falls is full of model-gorgeous people . It must be the water or something.
“Thanks for inviting me to dinner,” I say as I slide into the booth.
“Of course.” Vanessa beams, her chestnut-colored eyes alight in the glow of the lamp hanging between us. “I think you’re pretty cool.”
“Oh, thanks.” I laugh, tilting my head and placing my hand under my chin.
She grins. “It’s just so nice to have a woman my age around here.”
“I take it you’re not from here?” I smile.
“Nope. I moved here after Daniel and I got married. We met in college.”
“That’s sweet,” I say, ignoring the pang of jealousy that she’s married.
“Oh, hardly,” Vanessa waves me off. “I had gone to economics class one day, even though I wasn’t feeling well, and on my way out, I literally puked all over some poor guy’s shoes. As it turns out, that poor guy was Daniel, and the rest is history.”
I burst into laughter. “Love at first vomit.”
“Exactly.” Vanessa laughs. “Disgusting.”
“And funny,” I point out, just as the waitress sets down two glasses of water on the table. We decide to order a cheese pizza to split between the two of us.
I take in the small pizza place, surprisingly impressed. “This is really nice.”
“Yeah, it’s been here forever, apparently,” Vanessa says with a shrug, taking a sip of water. “Most of the businesses have been. Occasionally, something new will move in and usually, everyone supports it.”
“But occasionally they don’t?” I offer up, curiosity getting the best of me.
“Only if it’s a competitor or some kind of chain.” She pauses for a moment, before looking up at me. “So … Nick Walters has been doing some work at your granny’s place? ”
My stomach does a weird flip flop. “Yeah, he’s building a new ramp. The old one was in bad shape.” Never mind the fact I fell through it.
“He’s always doing stuff like that,” she comments, pushing some of her dark hair out of her face. “Nick is seriously one of the most giving people I’ve ever met—even more so than Daniel.”
“Yeah, he seems like a really good guy,” I say awkwardly, shifting in the booth. “I don’t really know him all that well, though.”
Vanessa gives me a sly smile. “I saw the pictures you posted of him on Instagram. Girl, those were fire. I was super impressed.”
“Thanks.” I feel the heat rush to my face. “I don’t think Nick was super thrilled with the idea of being my model, but I really need some content for my portfolio. Maybe I could take your pictures, too?”
She nods. “Absolutely. I’m more than happy to model for you. Besides, after that class, I don’t think photography is my calling.”
I giggle. “That’s okay, less competition for me.”
“Exactly,” she says, shooting me a dramatic wink. “Take this town by storm, Eliza Willis.”
I burst into a full-blown fit of laughter. “No promises. But I’ll do my best.”
“So what brought you to West Falls?” she asks.
“Well, it’s kind of a long story,” I start, unsure of how much to share. Although, something about Vanessa’s warm smile and genuine interest puts me at ease. “But long story short, about six weeks ago, I got laid off from my job and broken up with by my boyfriend of eight years … on the same day.”
“No! On the same day?! Ouch . That must’ve been rough ,” Vanessa sympathizes.
“It really was. It felt like my entire life fell apart in a matter of hours,” I explain, taking a sip of water before continuing. “So, after wallowing in self-pity for a few weeks, I decided to take my Granny up on her offer to come stay with her in West Falls. I figured a change of scenery and some extra time to figure out what I’m gonna do next would do me some good. Plus, Granny has arthritis, and could really use some help around the house, so it was a win-win for the both of us.”
“Wow, that’s quite the rollercoaster of events. And honestly, if I were in your shoes, I probably would’ve done the exact same thing. Heck, I probably would’ve keyed my ex’s car first though.” She smirks.
“I definitely thought about it,” I admit with a grin. “But then I remembered he’s a lawyer and I didn’t want to end up in jail.”
Vanessa bursts into laughter, the sound echoing through the cozy pizza place. “Yeah, probably a good call,” she agrees, wiping tears from her eyes. “Well, I, for one, am glad you ended up here. It’s a small town, but it’s filled with good people.”
“I’m starting to see that,” I reply with a smile, feeling grateful for Vanessa’s kindness and understanding.
Our conversation continues to flow effortlessly as our pizza arrives. And to my surprise, it’s just as good as Chicago pizza .
Vanessa shares more about her life in West Falls, and I find myself opening up about my own past, something I hadn’t expected to do so soon after moving here. As we delve into deeper topics, I realize how rare it is to connect with someone on such a level. Vanessa’s easygoing nature and genuine interest make me feel at ease.
For the first time since arriving in West Falls, I don’t feel like an outsider.