Chapter 7 #2
Ren laughed lightly. “Well, Vicky and I have seen each other every morning and evening since I arrived. Then we’re all doing game night together. Something tells me Miles would be just fine with having her all to himself for a few hours.”
My smile couldn’t get any bigger. Her kindness continued to shine through. Thinking of others seemed to be a part of her personality.
“Great. So, we navigate the madness that’s sure to come our way tomorrow with our crazy friends first, then Grammy won’t seem so daunting.”
“Nah, it’ll be fine. I overheard Vicky telling Miles it would be teams this time, and I’m claiming you. Got to see how good you really are up close and personal,” she said in a teasing tone.
If my erratic heartbeat at a simple phrase was what was in store for me, I had no idea what spending most of the weekend with her was going to do.
Everything in me wanted to prepare to be the best and funniest partner she’d ever had.
And yet, something inside me wanted more than anything to show her the real me, not just what everyone expected.
My grandfather’s words came back to me as we hung up.
Your heart will know it’s home, Mikey. It will just know.
I rubbed my chest and shook my head. I think Grandpa was right.
When I walked into Luke and Sofia’s house the next night, I greeted them with a hug.
I knew Ren wasn’t there yet because Miles’ car wasn’t parked out front.
That gave me a few more minutes to rein in my excitement at seeing her again.
I waved my hands in the air and said to my friends, “Go on, get it out of your system before she gets here.”
Luke was suppressing his laughter behind his water bottle. “You do you, boo.”
I shook my head at my ridiculous friend. “Sof, anything you want to say?”
“Nope,” she answered, accentuating the “p”.
“I’m just glad to be here for the entertainment.
Besides, it could go one of two ways. Grammy could figure it out and hammer you with her huge purse, or you and Ren could fall in love.
” She shrugged. “Eh, I’m good with either one, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Grammy knock you out for tricking her. ”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, friends,” I sneered, walking into the kitchen where Niko and Leyla were setting out trays of snacks.
When I hugged him, he pulled back quickly. “What’s that smell?” he asked, sniffing around me.
I checked my pits, a worried look on my face. “What do you mean? Do I stink? I showered.”
“No, but you’re strong. How much cologne did you put on?” His face was screwed up like I’d been nailed by a skunk.
“Not that much,” I hissed, pulling my shirt away from my chest and smelling it.
“Whoa, who hit the mall perfume counter?” Vicky asked when she came around the island to greet me.
My palms started to sweat. “Is it really that strong? I swear I didn’t put much on. Well, I didn’t mean to, but the bottle tipped over.”
“Go stand outside quick before she comes,” Vicky said, pushing me toward the back patio.
“Why? Then I’m going to smell like Max does when he comes in from outside,” I answered. She was stronger than I thought because before I knew what was happening, I was out the patio doors.
“Just stand out there for a few minutes. Promise, it will help.”
I looked at Niko through the window with a pitiful face like a beggar asking for more porridge in a Dickens novel.
He shrugged and gave me a thumbs-up. Walking around, I tried to calm myself before the rest of the group arrived. It was still warm, the sun having just gone down. I sniffed my shirt again, checking whether the smell had diminished.
Just as I expected, I smelled musky, but not in a good way. Defeated, my shoulders sagged. “Great, now I smell like Max with expensive cologne on.”
“Who’s Max?” Ren’s voice made me jump and spin around. “And why are you in time up?” She was holding back a huge smile, and I feared what my friends had told her.
“Oh, hey,” I said with a laugh that sounded like I was a maniac. Clearing my throat, I added, “Max is my husky. And I think the term you’re thinking of is timeout. And I’m just out here checking the…weather.”
Her head tilted, causing her thick curls to move, exposing her neck. “You’re a scientist and a weatherman?”
My knees buckled at the sight. This was getting out of hand. It was like a regency novel I heard Leyla and Vicky talking about recently, where grown men fainted at the sight of a woman’s ankles.
Don’t look at her ankles. Don’t do it!
“You’re a funny girl,” I choked out.
She shrugged and walked around, looking at the red and orange sky. “So I’ve been told.”
I enjoyed banter, and she seemed to be a worthy opponent. I fisted my hands to keep them from reaching out and seeing if her curls would bounce back if I pulled one down.
Get it together, man.
Ren was wearing worn-in jeans and a floral off-the-shoulder shirt. She was beautiful in all her understated form. Luckily, no sign of her ankles.
“Were you coming to check the weather, too?”
Her head tilted the other way, and she smiled. “Nah, I’m out here for you.”
I choked on air, and she walked up to me, slapping me on the back.
“You alright?” Her grin was wide, her hand warm.
But neither of those was the reason I was trying to inhale enough air.
It was her floral fragrance that filled my senses.
I wanted to ask if it was perfume or her shampoo. And where she got it from.
That wasn’t weird, was it? Better keep it to myself.
“I’m fine. I might’ve swallowed a mosquito,” I blurted out, making her laugh loudly.
“You’re a funny guy. Need some water to wash down your appetizer?” she asked, her eyebrows high in amusement.
“Nah, no need. I don’t like to get too full before I destroy the rest of those losers at Catan. Looks like you and I are on the same team, but don’t worry. I’ll make sure we win.”
She stepped back, and I wanted to follow her to keep her close. “Don’t get too cocky, Data Boy. My American friend taught me everything I need to know to win.”
“Data Boy?” I asked, laughing loudly.
“Yeah, Vicky said you deal with data all day. Seemed appropriate.” She was still smiling; not flirting, but definitely enjoying this back and forth. I was so here for it. Wow, she was gorgeous.
“Hmm, asking about me then?” I said with a smirk, leaning toward her, my voice deepening.
“I need to know what I’m getting myself into with you.” We stared at each other in some sort of standoff before we both gave in and started laughing.
“Ask me anything you need to know. I’m an open book. I guess we should’ve done this last night when we talked,” I said, still holding eye contact.
She nodded and looked away, making me desperate to regain her full attention.
“Just need to know the basics. We can lean on ‘it’s new’ if we get in a bind with your Grammy and any questions about us.”
“Good thinking. Okay, I’m thirty-five, a medical researcher scientist, just became a Senior Product Researcher for a company that makes holistic products, and I love to surf.
Oh, and I do woodworking as a hobby. My parents are full-time missionaries in Africa, I think I mentioned, and Grammy is the most important person in my life.
Hmm, what else? And my closest friends are in that room.
” When I pointed toward the house, my eyebrows pinched together.
Following my gaze, Ren turned to see all six of my friends, noses pressed to the glass door, watching us.
The women waved like lunatics, like they were on a game show and had just won an appliance.
Well, except for Vicky, who pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at me.
Miles, Niko, and Luke pulled their wives away when they realized they’d been caught.
“I have no excuse for those maniacs. None,” I growled.
Ren was snickering into her hand when I looked at her. “I think they’re wonderful. My life is all about work. I have a few work acquaintances, but nothing like the friendship I have with Vicky. I miss her so much.”
She sighed and turned to face me. “Anyway, I’m twenty-nine, an interior designer, although I specialize in renovations, which is a little different from what Vicky does.
No hobbies. But if I had a life, I’d love going to the beach, museums, and galleries.
Love nights like tonight with a group of friends that you can be yourself with.
I don’t have that either, so this is nice.
” Her voice got quieter as she finished, and my heart ached to wrap her up in a hug.
“I’m sorry you don’t get to do those things.
” I bent my head to look her in the eyes.
“If you’re as good at Catan as you say you are, I’ll share my nutty friends with you.
” She smiled and held out her hand. When I looked down, I noticed her long fingers adorned with a few simple rings.
Taking her hand in mine, it felt like an electrical current flowed from her hand to mine.
I could hear Grandpa whispering from heaven.
I shook her hand a few times, wishing we could stay like that all night.
When she leaned closer and whispered in my ear, I thought for sure I’d faint. “You’ve got a deal, Data Boy. Prepare to be impressed.”
She regrettably pulled back and slid her hand from mine. I gazed into her eyes to see if she felt the same thing I did, but saw no change in her demeanor.
But as I waved her in front of me to head inside, the hand that touched mine flexed for just a moment, and I wondered what that meant.
“Are you kidding me?” Vicky yelled. “I can’t believe I’m stuck again.”
“At least you got wheat. I’m never that lucky,” Sofia answered with a deep frown, concentrating on the board.
We had been playing for hours, getting rowdier as the night went on. To everyone else’s horror, Ren and I were winning. Again.
She elbowed me lightly and leaned toward me. “Told ya we’d wipe the floor with them.”