I took two long sips of wine. I needed to get to that not thinking thing faster. Wow, it was weird without Bree here with me. It hadn’t felt strange when I was housesitting, alone in that mansion. Maybe that was because I knew Bree didn’t belong there. My daughter belonged at home with me.
The buzz was back, and I gave a shrug but turned it into a little shimmy of my shoulders to settle more comfortably into the couch. I giggled, feeling silly for shrugging when no one else was here to see me. Strange as it felt, I couldn’t remember the last time my house had been this quiet. Then, suddenly, I realized a golden opportunity had presented itself. I could write a few lines of poetry, now, without interruptions or distractions.
I turned on some soft, instrumental music and fetched my notebook – not the one I always had handy in case I was suddenly inspired. It was my more…official one. This notebook held all my finished poems. So, when I wrote in here, I thought long and hard before writing down anything, because I always used my pen. I had much of a new poem composed in my head already. All that was left to do was surf my brain waves, pull the words together, and carefully write them down.I wanted to finish it tonight, but the wine had an effect beyond helping me focus those wandering thoughts. I yawned widely and almost giggled at the high-pitched squeak that escaped my throat partway through.
I went through my evening ritual of getting ready for bed in a flash, then turned off the lights and lay down. Normally, I loved my queen-sized bed, but it felt too big tonight, somehow. Like it was missing something. Or someone.
Blankets tangled in my legs as I sprawled out, taking up as much space on the bed as possible. There. Now it was a perfect size, nothing was missing, and I could sleep.
I got up, feeling fully sober and a little guilty about omitting the truth when asking Payton to watch Bree, so I found my phone and gave her a call. “Hey,” I said, taking another sip of my orange juice while leaning back in my lawn chair, watching the early morning sun glisten on the waves. “If you bring Bree home before noon, I’ll make you and Michael lunch. And I’ll tell you about my date.”
Payton was more than willing to go along with the idea, so I took my time finishing the juice before I went inside to make that lunch I had promised.
“Hm,” was Payton’s close-lipped reaction when she saw the large bowl of Greek yogurt chicken salad, loaves of bread for sandwiches and drinks set out on the table in a magnificent array.
“What? You eat everything and anything,” I pointed out, hoping I hadn’t managed to find the one dish Payton didn’t like.
“Oh no, this all looks great. Too great. Like you’re trying too hard for some reason?”
I grabbed a couple of small plates to make lunches for Bree and Michael. “You caught me… Have some of the salad before I tell you, and you start judging me.”
Payton made a sandwich and munched it while I started to tell her all about my date…with Riker.
“That rich guy who-” She started.
“Yes, that rich guy who. But hold on, let me finish.” The Greek salad captivated Payton’s usually very active mouth long enough for me to divulge the details, then I started on my sandwich while she processed what I had told her.
“I’m definitely surprised,” she said, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. “I mean…he was horrible to you. And…well,” she added hastily before continuing, “but Oscar was horrible to you too, and still is.”
“Riker’s not like that,” I insisted. “He happened to be jogging by the house when Oscar was…bothering me, and he chased him off. Then he offered me private security at no charge. I mean, I don’t know him all that well yet, but I think there was something more going on with him when he snapped at me about Chauncey. You know, stressed out or something.”
“Huh. That is kind of nice. The private security, I mean. I’m guessing that’s when he asked you out? Did he at least take you on a nice date?”
“It was an amazing evening, and he can actually use his words to talk intelligently, and…well, I kind of wish I’d invited him inside last night,” I admitted, my heart racing at the memory of bulging arms under my hands, strong, confident lips and feeling something suspicious against my thigh when he kissed me at the door.
“Earth to Elena.” Startled, I glanced at Payton, who was covering her mouth with one hand like she was operating a radio. “Calling my horny best friend.”
“Oh, hush.” Since it was true, I didn’t bother denying it, instead choosing to take a long draft of ice water. “I should’ve invited him inside.”
“I would have.” Payton hopped up, took a magazine from Michael and put it on a high shelf he couldn’t reach before joining me on the couch again. “But that doesn’t mean you should have. Remember all those times you told me you thought that you took things too fast with Oscar?” I nodded. “And you never stepped back to think about who he was as a person?”
“That’s exactly why I didn’t have sex with Riker,” I agreed, surprised by my own words. “I wanted to make sure he deserved to be in our lives before I slept with him.” I glanced over at Bree, showing Michael her toy pots and pans.
“Then, you made the right choice. If he’s really into you and not just a rich son of a-”
“Not in front of the kids, Payton.”
“Sorry. A rich, stuck-up snob. If he isn’t one of those, he’s willing to wait until you’re comfortable.”
“It’s kind of funny, actually. Like funny in the coincidence way,” I amended. “I could, uh…tell he wanted me, but he didn’t try to make a move when he walked me to my door. We were on the same wavelength, I guess.”
“Or he’s playing you,” Payton said bluntly. “I told you all along that Oscar wasn’t a good guy and you kind of just ignored me. I get why,” she said, holding up her hand, forestalling my interruption, “but he wouldn’t have made a good father for Bree by any stretch of the imagination. I’m just saying that your choice in men hasn’t been much better than mine. Please be careful with Riker, okay? That’s all I’m asking.”
“I am,” I promised. “If not for myself, I’m being careful for Bree’s sake. Whoever I let into my life affects her too. I know that.”
“Good.” Payton gave me a hug. “And you’ve always got me, you know? Although if you feel I’m having a negative impact on Bree’s life with my swearing, I can leave.”
“No, of course not,” I giggled. “But you do need to watch your mouth.”
