45. I can explain this
Forty-Five
I CAN EXPLAIN THIS
Luke
“Ladies and gents, here’s to your last sunset cruise! We hope you’ve enjoyed your stay at the Huffman House and that you’ll visit us again in the future!” Josh snaps a picture of Chloe’s family, and the few other guests who joined the cruise tonight.
The boat moves through the water toward the dock. My mind drifts from the present to the beautiful blonde in room four.
She leaves on Sunday morning, and I don’t know what to do. Right under my nose, she snaked her way inside and opened up a space in my heart I had closed off years ago. I wish she didn’t have to leave, but I can’t ask her to stay—no matter how much I might want her to.
I tried that once.
Josh and I move through our docking routine as we’ve done countless times before. With the boat safely in place, Josh ties it to the cleats fastened to the dock. I check around for any items to be stowed away or cleaned up when a hand grazes my back. Startled, I spin coming face-to-face with Chloe.
“Hey, handsome,” she says. She steps into my space and runs her nails along my bicep. I shift uncomfortably, trying to move away from her, but she matches my movement and brings herself closer to me.
“Hey, Chloe. Enjoy your last boat ride?” I ask, clearing my throat and looking for a way around her to buy myself some space. She has me cornered between the captain’s chair and the bench.
“I did.” She makes a show of sticking her tongue out to lick her lips, then drags her teeth along her bottom lip. “I’m so sad to leave tomorrow. We didn’t get to spend any time together.”
I extract my arm from her grasp, pushing my hand through my hair, but she is undeterred. She grips the sides of my waist and presses her bikini-clad chest against me.
“Maybe we can meet later and find a quiet spot to look at the stars?” Her hands slide up and over my chest.
“Ah—oh, I don’t know. I’m sorry. I’m sure you have a lot of packing to do and I… I…”
She pouts.
I barely suppress the eye roll.
“Look, you’re a guest. It wouldn’t be appropriate.” A sour feeling churns in my stomach. Liv is a guest too. But that’s different, right?
“I won’t be a guest for much longer. What’s the harm?”
A quick glance around the boat tells me everyone else is occupied, mingling about, finishing their drinks or deep in conversation about how there is only one golf course within twenty minutes and next year they’d like to pick a place with a few more options.
Chloe’s friend is standing on the dock snapping selfies, while her brother has his nose in his phone.
Josh is picking up trash and trying to get around the guests taking up space on the boat.
Fuck, I’m on my own here.
“I really think—”
“Please, Luke. You know we have a connection. Let’s explore it.”
Her hands trail along my chest, and I place my hands on her waist to gently guide her backward and out of my space. Except, it seems she takes that as an invitation. In a blur of movement, she pushes up on her toes and wraps her arms around my neck, planting her lips against mine.
I reach up and tug her arms away. She pulls her face back and eases back down to the floor while I place my hands on her hips, moving her away from me.
I need to be so careful how I do this—any wrong move could be the difference between a happy guest and an enraged one.
If her parents see me being forceful, that’s a problem.
If Chloe feels me being forceful, that’s a problem.
At the same time, I can not give her the wrong impression.
Dad would say, “You’re between a rock and a hard place, son. What are you gonna do?”
“Chloe—” I drop my hands from her waist when she’s far enough away for me to feel safe.
“Chloe, dear, let’s go. We have reservations,” her mother calls over her shoulder, never quite looking to where Chloe is.
“I’ll see you tonight then.” She smiles up at me. “Let’s meet on the dock at ten.” She reaches up and touches the base of my neck, dragging her pointer finger down the center of my chest. She bites her lip and doesn’t wait for my response before taking off after her parents.
“Bro.” Josh climbs back into the boat having set the garbage bag and towels on the dock. He looks back to see that Chloe’s family and any other guests are out of earshot.
“Did you see that?” I ask, running my hand through my hair. “That girl is relentless. She thinks we’re meeting here at ten to look at the stars!”
“Yeah, I saw.” He rubs the back of his neck.
“Nice. Thanks for the help,” I say, rolling my eyes. “You couldn’t have tried to help me out?”
It’s not Josh’s fault that Chloe can’t see that there is nothing happening between us, but I’m frustrated all the same.
Josh’s eyebrows are furrowed. His eyes dart to the house, to me, and back again.
“Luke—”
I follow his line of sight to the house.
My heart begins pounding so loudly in my ears I almost can’t hear Josh when he says, “Liv saw it all too.”
Shit, shit, shit.
“Josh…”
“It didn’t look good from where I was standing. I know, I get it, but what if…” He doesn’t finish his sentence. I know what he wants to say. What if Liv doesn’t?
My skin prickles and my breathing comes out in shallow pants. I hop over the side of the boat and jog up to where Liv and Viv stand on the patio—Liv with her arms crossed and looking at Chloe who is giggling with her friend as they enter the house.
I have to make this right.
“Liv!”
She holds up a hand. “I’m going to bed.” She runs her hand down Viv’s shoulder and retreats inside.
I move to follow, but Viv stops me with a hand firmly planted on my chest.
“You fucked up,” Viv says, frowning. With her arms crossed and a scowl marring her face, the warm, carefree Viv I’ve gotten to know this week is gone.
“I can explain what happened.”
Beside me, Josh chimes in, “Seriously, that girl is a lunatic.”
“I sure hope you do have an explanation because right now, my best friend is feeling used and confused. I’m not sure she’s even willing to listen to whatever you have to say right now to be honest. So, I stand by what I said. You fucked up.”
“I was trying to—ugh!” I tug at my hair. “I need to talk to Liv. I can explain this.”
Viv stares at me for a long moment. She sighs, shoulders relaxing, drops her arms, and shakes her head. “Look, I don’t think you’re that kind of guy, at least I’d like to believe that. But this brings up old wounds for Liv, you gotta know that.”
The conversation about her ex comes flooding back to me, sending ice through my blood.
“I’m going to talk to her.” Turning toward the patio doors, Josh stops me with a hand on my shoulder.
“If you go that way, everyone—and God forbid, Chloe—will watch you knock on her door and walk into her room. Then, whatever secret you’ve been trying to keep from the public eye goes to shit.”
He’s right.
With a grunt, I storm off down the path through the lawn that leads to the side of the house where I can access Liv’s patio.
The light is on in her room, but her curtains are closed.
Steeling myself with a deep breath, I tap on her door, then try the handle, but it’s locked.
A round, orange face pushes through the curtains. With a muffled meow, Sunny brushes his body along the window, the curtain draped over his back. Liv appears a moment later, scooping Sunny into her arms and cradling him closely.
“Can we talk?”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Luke. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” She moves to close the curtain.
“Whatever you think you saw, I promise it’s not—”
“It’s fine, really. You are free to do whatever you want. This was just fun, remember?” She’s dismissive.
“No, it’s not like that, I promise. Please let me explain.” I can’t keep the desperation out of my voice. She’s so closed off. I don’t like it.
“I’m tired, and I’d like to go to bed.” Liv drops a squirming Sunny and angles her body away like that’s it—conversation done.
“How about in the morning?” I’m begging now. I can’t let her leave in less than two days thinking that this week meant nothing to me. Thinking that she was just one of many. She’s the only one there will ever be. There isn’t anyone else I want. My heart seizes at the realization.
She shakes her head. It’s a minimal movement that suffocates me.
“Please, Trip.” My hands are shaking, my voice is shaking. I just need a chance to explain.
She crosses her arms and stares at me for a long moment. “I’ll think about it.”
The tension in my muscles eases all at once, the relief giving way to hope.
“Goodnight, Luke.” The curtain falls closed, a finality in her movements.
Now I wait.