CHAPTER 3 johnnie THEN
johnnie
THEN
The past week I’ve discovered something unexpected.
I really enjoy living with Nan. And it has absolutely nothing to do with my new obsession of staring out my bedroom window trying to catch a glimpse of the neighbors.
Well, one neighbor in particular. Why can’t I get those dang toffee-brown eyes out of my head?
And that smirk? The slightly gapped front teeth?
Okay, it has everything to do with him.
Bea, my lifeline, is leaving tomorrow for the rest of the summer. Every summer she goes to stay with her dad in Florida. So, tonight we’re going to soak up every last minute together.
It’s the first weekend in June, and that means Laken Fest. Small town sidewalk sales, craft stands, food vendors, rides, boat races, fishing derbies, a parade through town, fireworks. The town goes all out.
I’m supposed to meet her down at the lake shortly. It won’t take me long to walk there, I can see the water from the end of Nan’s street. Another thing I’ve come to love about being here, the lake is my safe haven. It gives me peace; I find myself down there writing in my journal most days.
After a quick shower, I let my light brown hair air dry before gathering it in a messy bun and tying a white ribbon into a perfect bow around the loose strands trying to escape in every direction.
Sitting on the rug in front of my full length mirror, I lay out all my makeup and jewelry then reach back and press play on my Dierks CD.
My already good mood instantly escalates.
Several swipes of mascara and some bronzer later, I clasp my three-layered gold necklace around my neck and spritz some Cotton Candy Calgon.
Ripping off my oversized T-shirt to reveal my naked body, my eyes catch in the mirror. My chest is filling out, curves are forming. The girl I used to be, replaced with the woman I’m growing into.
My thoughts immediately drift back to Collins.
Ring!
I jump at the sound of my cordless translucent blue VTech phone on the nightstand, quickly picking it up to answer.
“Johnnie! You ready?” Bea’s voice is dancing with enthusiasm as we agree to meet by the lake.
I hang up and try to regain the normal rhythm of my heart. Geez.
I lean down and grab my pink thong, quickly stepping inside, followed by my extra destroyed jean shorts, matching fuchsia bra, and my favorite white Weezer tee.
Sliding my black and white checkered Vans on, I grab the brown leather fringe crossbody off my doorknob and throw it over my head, fling the door open, and practically run down the hall.
Nan is in her usual spot in the mauve recliner in the corner. Feet propped up, book covering her face, and a cigarette that’s turned to mostly ash lying in its tray on the end table beside her.
“I’m heading to the fest at the lake. Bea is waiting for me. Want me to bring you back some fried cheese? Elephant ear?”
Nan smiles and peers up at me over her readers, lowering her current romance novel with some sort of Fabio and heroine on the cover. “No, that’s okay, sweet pea. You girls have fun. Just be careful and don’t come back too late.”
“Will do.”
I lean down and give her a kiss on the cheek and make my way out. I hear commotion from inside the Combs trailer as I pass by. Loud music and laughter from multiple females. I roll my eyes and pick up the pace.
Three single, abnormally good-looking guys live there, Johnnie, of course they get a lot of female attention. Irritated at my own annoyance, I reach into my purse and swipe on some lip gloss, probably more aggressively than necessary.
An hour later, Bea and I have our feet kicked up on the large rocks lining the water in front of us, while we lean back on a bench, making more room in our stomachs for the smorgasbord of fried food sitting between us.
“Bea, do you really have to leave? You’re my best—my only friend—and every summer I’m stuck here alone.” The thought of her being gone brings an instant sting to my eyes and heaviness settles over me.
Straightening up and rubbing a hand on her belly, she winces slightly.
“With any luck, I’ll start barfing up all this junk and convince Mom I’m not well enough to travel.
Honestly, I would much rather spend the summer with you than listening to my dad and stepmom moaning through the floorboards every night like last summer.
Their room is right below mine and it’s disgusting.
Thank god I have roof access out my window.
I made a bed out there multiple times when I couldn’t fall asleep. ”
I know Bea doesn’t exactly love her life at home with her mom either, so it’s a lose-lose situation.
I don’t ask a lot of questions. I know it makes her uneasy, but I’ve always gotten the impression some not so nice things go down at the Miller household.
Looking at her, you’d never guess, though.
Bea is the kind of beautiful every girl wishes she could be.
The quintessential Barbie with her blonde hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, and utterly perfect figure.
I’ve always been jealous of her, although things are slowly starting to shift for me now.
With a sigh, I shove an entire breaded baton of cheesy goodness in my mouth.
Just as I’m surely resembling a chipmunk mid nut heist, I notice a group of people approaching us out of the corner of my eye. My eyeballs bounce quickly back to Bea, whose sapphire irises have already caught the group of guys and they go from nickels to fifty cent pieces in a blink.
“What’s up, ladies?”
I turn and see all three Combs boys and a stranger by their side, Campbell not so discreetly staring at Bea.
Collins steps up between his brothers, arms crossed over one another on his broad chest, and my vision immediately locks in on the corded muscles of his arms that slither up and under a tight white tee.
Clearing my throat and wiping the back of my hand across my mouth—certain I have crumbs or grease lining my lips—I notice Collins eyes following my movement, a look on his face I can’t quite put my finger on.
“Hey, guys,” I manage to say, gesturing their way and looking at my best friend with a panicked expression.
“Bea, these are my neighbors—the twins, Campbell and Crandall—and their brother, Collins. Sorry, I don’t know you, but I’m Johnnie.
” I force a smile and peer over at the strange man lingering behind the brothers.
He doesn’t say a word, but he, and his inky dark hair falling into his eyes, looks annoyed. He’s very attractive, but something unnerves me, and I shiver slightly. Noticing goose bumps, I run my hands over my arms.
I’m suddenly aware of the heat rising from the pavement below, and I look out across the water, the pink sky fading into an orange glow seeping beneath the horizon. The promise of cooler air in its wake.
Dark-haired new guy makes his way toward Bea and me with an extended hand.
“Nice to meet you, ladies. I’m Lee. We all grew up together. The Combs boys, my sister, and I. Figured I’d come to town and visit, it’s been a minute.”
I shake his hand, catching a whiff of stale cigarettes. When I look up and notice Collins’ eyes glued to where I’m shaking Lee’s hand, I can see his jaw tick, and I quickly recoil.
“We were just heading back to our place, ladies…care to join us?” Campbell turns his hat from forward to backward as he awaits a response.
“No.”
“Yes.”
Simultaneous answers from Bea and I leave me rolling my eyes, noticing the heart eyes she’s beaming his way.
Good lord, obvious much?
On the walk back to the trailer park, Bea and Campbell are off in their own world, Crandall and the extra tag-along seem to be in a heated conversation, and Collins and I are walking in silence.
I’ve always been shy, but around him I feel all twisted more than normal.
Like anything I say will come out sounding dumb, so I figure the less words, the better.
“So, what exactly brings you to Laken, Johnnie? I figured you were just visiting, but you haven’t left.”
He looks over at me with hesitation, like he’s worried about prying. He comes off very secure and confident but I notice the small details, reading him like we’ve known each other forever. The weird thing is, he seems to be the same with me. Like he knows what I’m thinking, it’s kind of alluring.
He’s alluring.
I clear my throat and shake away the million thoughts running rampant in my head.
“Actually, I’ve always lived in Laken. I grew up here. Across town. My parents and I lived over in Golden Acres, it’s a subdivision on the golf course.”
“Okay, so where are they and why are you staying with Nan?” Once again, he talks with conviction but his eyes tell a different story.
“My dad got a job offer in Texas, but I didn’t want to leave before my senior year. That means I get to be roommates with Nan. My parents sold our house and left for San Antonio. So, here I am.
“You’re still in high school? How old are you?”
“Umm. Yeah, I’ll be eighteen in a few weeks, my birthday is June twenty-seventh. So, not too long. How old did you think I was? How old are you?” I give him a shy smile; not sure I want the answer to either of those questions.
Just then my foot slips off the sidewalk curb and Collins’ hand jolts out, grabbing my hip with his forearm pressed across my lower back.
The heat from his skin darts directly to my cheeks and proceeds to radiate all the way down toward my Vans at the speed of light.
My heart jumps and when I stop and stiffen, he promptly moves away, easing me toward the inside of the sidewalk, taking the side closest to the road.
It’s like an instinct for him to protect me.
“Whoa, turbo. Don’t go breaking an ankle on my watch. Nan will have my ass. Not gonna lie, I’m kind of scared of her.” I look over as his gaze stays straight ahead and his lips tilt up.
A giggle escapes me, turning his smirk into something resembling laughter, a puff of air escaping his nose.
God, he’s cute.
“Anyway, Grace…” He smirks. “I’m nineteen. I graduated last year. And I had no idea how old you were, but I guess I just assumed you were around the same age as me.”
We’re sitting in the small living room of the Combs boys’ trailer a while later.
I’m thoroughly enjoying the banter between Collins and me.
It feels like the longer I sit here and talk to him, the less awkward I feel, moving into a place of comfort with him.
He’s funny, always making me laugh. Changing his voice constantly to add dramatics to everything he says, making up words that don’t exist like they’ve been in the dictionary since the beginning of time.
And making foolish facial expressions to really sell a story.
I’ve never met anyone like him. The thing that surprises me most, is that he seems to actually enjoy talking to me.
Usually, if I’m in the same room as my best friend, it’s a given she’ll receive all the attention.
I’m always left feeling invisible. But the way Collins is looking at me right now, it’s like I’m the most fascinating thing he’s ever seen.
He sees me.
And the feeling is certainly mutual.