10. Evvy
CHAPTER TEN
evvy
I trail behind Zack, following him out of the living room and down a long hallway. I didn’t get a tour of his house yesterday since I escaped straight into the spare bedroom. Seeing it today reminds me that we’ve led two very different lives.
His gorgeous post and beam style home is massive.
The living room and kitchen are open-concept, featuring a vaulted ceiling that’s accentuated by beautiful woodwork and an incredible stone fireplace.
The hallway we’re in now leads to another wing of the house.
One wall is made up entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows, providing a view of his backyard.
It almost looks like it could be part of the state park.
Tall pines dot the property. My favorite type of tree is currently on my shit list. A beautiful lake sits at the edge of his property, sparkling in the morning sun.
“This way.” Zack motions for me to follow him through the door up ahead.
He flicks the light switch, illuminating the room.
A huge sectional sofa sits in the middle of the room.
It could probably seat ten people comfortably.
Opposite the sofa, a giant flat screen television hangs on the wall.
Zack sees me eyeing the TV. “It’s not a projector, but it will work. ”
I should have guessed this is what he was planning.
Zack knows I watch horror movies when I’m feeling anxious.
It sounds weird, and I know it’s not for everyone, but there’s something about being super immersed in a scary movie that I find comforting.
Getting lost in a movie helps my own troubles seem a little further away.
It’s the same reason I love haunted houses.
“Sit anywhere you want.” He turns on the TV before passing me the remote. “You pick the movie, and I’ll grab the snacks.” It's still early in the day for snacks, but he sprints out the door before I’m able to protest.
Flopping back into the corner chaise section of the sofa, the cushions puff up around me, making me feel like I’m floating on a cloud.
I don’t even want to know where he ordered this from, or how much it would cost to replace if I spill something on it.
Flipping through the horror category on his streaming app, I choose an old slasher movie—one with a lot of jump scares.
Zack was always a good sport about watching these with me, but he spooked easily.
Laughing at him every time he shrieked became my favorite part of the experience.
There was nothing funnier than watching a tough hockey player squirm during a movie, except for the time we actually went to a haunted house. Nothing tops that.
Zack returns with a huge bowl of popcorn and the glass jar of candy corn. He manages to place them down on the coffee table without spilling anything and pulls two cans of lime seltzer out of his pockets.
“Like old times.” His voice is like whiskey, warming my soul as I drink it in but also burning a little as it goes down. Spending time with Zack makes the memories unavoidable, and it’s mind-boggling how the sweetness can be laced with so much heartache.
Back in college, my best friend Bailey dragged me to a hockey party at Zack’s house.
He was the captain, and arguably the most eligible bachelor on campus.
We had been working as lab partners for a couple of weeks, which I was not thrilled about.
I assumed he was a pompous asshole and knew he had a reputation for being a playboy.
Being there on scholarship, the only thing I cared about were my grades, and I was afraid Zack wasn’t going to take our work seriously.
But on the night of the party, I was feeling pretty anxious in the crowded house.
He noticed and ditched his own party to watch horror movies with me on the projector screen in his backyard.
That night was the start of him working his way into my heart.
The candy corn he brought to class also helped.
Zack stands next to the coffee table, biting his bottom lip as his eyes sweep over me and the sofa. He pulls on the back of his neck as he takes a step forward. He turns slightly, looking like he might take a seat before pausing and staring at the sofa again.
“Did you forget how to sit? It’s pretty easy, just bend your knees and fall backwards. Don’t worry, the couch will catch you.” I roll my eyes and he flashes me a goofy grin.
“Wow, is that how you do it?” He laughs. “I just want to choose the perfect spot.” He points at the sofa. “There are lots of things to consider here, Evvy.” Now he’s beaming and it’s contagious. My own lips pull into a smile.
“Like?”
“Like over there it might be too cool.” He motions to the far end of the sofa. “But right there it might be too hot.” He points at the spot next to me.
“Are you saying I throw off too much heat?”
“Your words, not mine.” He holds up his palms in surrender. “But if I sit facing this way, I won’t be able to lounge at an angle, and someone could sneak up behind me.”
“Yeah, because that sounds like a perfectly reasonable thing to be concerned about.”
“You’re the horror movie expert, Evvy. You should know to expect the unexpected. Plus, I want a good view of the screen.”
“Right, because some of these seats won’t have a good view of that giant screen.” I gesture between the sofa and TV.
“Exactly! See, you get it.” He grins at me as he sinks down onto the sofa a couple spots over from me.
“You good now? Or do you need to analyze your choice again before I hit play?” I fight back a grin.
“Don’t question the seat selection process. It’s a science. You should know all about it.” He slaps his hand over his forehead, feigning exasperation. “Come on, Evvy. I expected more from you.”
“How could I forget the Scientific Method of Seat Selection? I think they covered that on my first day of grad school.” I smack my own forehead with a small laugh.
I hate to admit it, but Zack does have a way of getting me out of my own head.
We haven’t even started the movie, but I’m already feeling a little better.
Zack’s expression softens, hesitating before he speaks. “You went to grad school?” Another reminder of how life moved on in his absence.
“Yeah, in California. I got my PhD in geology and interned for the National Park Service. Then I spent years bouncing between different job sites.” It was those experiences that eventually helped me discover my love of the state parks.
Landing a position in Maine after all those years was a dream come true.
“That’s amazing,” he says softly, with a small smile. “I always wondered…” Zack swallows then tugs his bottom lip between his fingers. “I always wondered where you went after college.”
“Yup,” I say, popping the p. “I guess we both got what we wanted.” I watch the smile fall from his face. “Umm…you know, me with science and you with your hockey career. We’re all grown up.”
“Right, just like we wanted.” Zack cracks open his can of seltzer and takes a swig before focusing his eyes on the TV. “Better start this movie soon. This is a marathon and we’re gonna run out of time to watch your freaky films.”
“My freaky films? You make it sound like we’re about to watch something dirty.”
“Now who’s making it weird?” Zack places his hands behind his head, leaning back with a smug grin. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Evvy.”
“Your words, not mine,” I mock in a sing-song voice, tossing a pillow at him and he chuckles. Hitting play, I sink further into the couch and hope to get lost in the movie.
Like old times.