Chapter 15
Gabriella
After the initial conversation, we split up.
Emma and I went to the kitchen to have a glass of wine so she could explain the first step of this, let’s call it Operation Reconnect.
Ty took Vic out to the garage to, I guess, explain his part.
Emma told me that the first step is communication.
When I told her that Vic and I suck at communication, she rolled her eyes and basically said Duh, that’s the point.
So, for the next three weeks, I’m supposed to communicate damn near everything I’m thinking.
Emma gave me some examples, and my stomach flipped.
The idea of telling Vic the things I was thinking is outrageous, but I don’t do anything half-ass, so for the foreseeable future, I’m all in. This’ll be interesting.
Vic and I talked a bit last night after we got back from Ty and Emma’s.
He told me that Ty basically gave him the same ‘assignment’.
We also discovered that both Ty and Emma told us no sex for the next three weeks.
Neither of us really flinched at that since it’s not like we were jumping each other’s bones anytime soon.
Ty had made the statement, taking sex off the table takes expectations out of the equation.
He also added the cliché of when someone tells you not to think about an elephant, what’s the first thing you think of…
So, here Vic and I are, sitting across the kitchen island from each other, in silence, sipping our coffee, staring like it’s the final showdown at the O.K. Corral.
So, one could say this communication thing is going well.
Here goes nothing, “Vic?” He puts his mug down, giving me his full attention.
“What are you thinking right now?” The silence stretches so long it becomes deafening.
My face flushes with embarrassment. This is never going to work.
“Never mind.” I go to stand up and am startled when he reaches across the marble countertop and grabs my hand.
“72 hours.” That’s all he says. My brow furrows in response to that vague comment. 72 hours?
“What is 72 hours?” Irritation drips from my voice, and Vic proceeds to just stare.
What the hell is he….Oh. My. God. 72 Hours.
He must see the recognition in my face because the right corner of his mouth starts to curve up, and his eyes grow a shade darker.
“Oh.” It comes out as a breath instead of a full-on word.
“That’s really what you’re thinking about? ”
“Yes.” He pauses and takes a sip of coffee.
“I came downstairs, and you were sitting there with your hair in a mess on top of your head, wearing the sweatshirt I love that exposes your shoulder. It reminded me of the first morning of the 72 hours, sitting on my parents’ back porch drinking coffee with you.
So yes, 72 hours is what I was thinking.
” He takes another sip of his coffee. “What are you thinking?”
I struggle to clear my throat, “I…”
“Mooooom?!?” Kerri startles us out of our staring contest.
“What, Kerri?” That sounded annoyed. Vic covers his smirk with his coffee cup and I roll my eyes at his smugness.
Entering the kitchen, Kerri looks disheveled. “Have you seen my keys? I’m supposed to pick up Samantha and Grace to go shopping today. I’m so fucking late.”
“Hey! Language!” Vic barks.
“Sorry, Dad,” Kerri’s eyes roll halfway before she thinks better of it, “I’m running really late.” Vic nods at her once.
“They’re in the bowl by the door. If you’re going to the mall, please stop by the Harris’ to see if Trip wants to go with you. You remember Trip, right?” He hadn’t been at the house last week when we helped move them in, and Kerri hasn’t seen him in over 4 years, but they used to be inseparable.
“Mom, please. Of course, I remember him, but I’m not taking him with us. He’s an asshole.”
“You all used to be thick as thieves. What happened?” This is the first I have heard about these feelings.
“Mom, that was elementary school. Puberty is what happened. Trip got hair on his balls and became a total douche!”
Vic coughs, his coffee spraying all over the counter, some landing on my cheek.
“Jesus, Kerri!” Vic retorts while trying to hold back a laugh.
With a smirk on his face, he drops the bass in his voice and orders, “Kerrianne, grab your keys and go ask the kid if he wants to go to the mall. He’ll probably say no anyway.
If he does go, be nice. He doesn’t have any friends here, and I know you know what it’s like to move to a place and not know anyone. I love you. Go!”
Kerri huffs, gives Vic and me a kiss on our cheeks, grabs her keys, and walks out the door without another word. I turn to Vic to continue our conversation, but a wave of sadness comes over me as I see him stand and rinse his cup. “Going somewhere?”
Vic grabs his cell from the counter and walks over to me.
Placing his hand on top of my hand resting on the counter, he gives it a gentle squeeze while a lazy smile stretches over his face.
His other hand slowly rises to my cheek and lightly brushes away a droplet of coffee.
“Ty is taking me over to his buddy’s shop to see about getting a job.
I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Thank you for having coffee with me this morning.
Maybe we can eat dinner on the patio tonight.
” His voice is hopeful, and my heart flutters a bit.
I give him a small smile and a nod before he grabs his keys and walks out the door. Leaving me to my thoughts. 72 hours.