I stare at her coldly while her laughter bounces off the walls.
揃rat. I抦 calling Sarah抯 mother later to make sure you抮e really over there. And I have wrinkles??I glower at her.
Ridiculous.
The women in my life梐ll of them梐re forces of nature and all dead set on turning me into a walking joke. Maybe I should rethink this dating BS after all.
Dess bursts into a new fit of laughter.
揘ow what??
She runs forward and hugs me. 揂t least we both know the ground rules now…？
I wrap my arms around her. 揑抦 pretty sure this is the part where I auction you off online.?
揥hatever you want, but no one will bid.?She pulls away with a red-faced smile.
A flash of gold around her neck catches my attention, a small golden turtle dangling on a long chain.
揇id you buy that in Hawaii??I flick my thumb at it.
揥hat??
揟he necklace.?
揙h.?Her smile vanishes. 揘o, I…I took it from Mom抯 room and brought it home with me. Haven抰 worn it for a couple weeks since we came back, but I remembered it today. You bought it for her, right??
I stare at the necklace, feeling a turtle-shaped hole in my brain. I keep it to myself because I don抰 want to sound like a jerk, but hell.
I don抰 remember buying that thing.
揧eah. I must have a long time ago,?I mutter.
揥ell, it抯 beautiful. I抳e got to get going, so ciao, Dad.?She walks out.
When I leave my room, I find Destiny waiting by the stairs. 揇o you need a ride to Sarah抯？ I抳e got Tom on his way and I can drop you off first.?
揑f you insist…？
When we get to her friend抯 house, I walk Destiny to the door, still hoping for her sake that this nineteen-year-old punk boyfriend is a bad joke.
揇ad, we抮e here, I can go through a door on my own.?I don抰 move away. 揢m, what are you doing??
揗eeting the adult in charge of you tonight.?
揥hat? Why??
揃ecause I抦 that annoying helicopter asshole of a dad.?
She rolls her eyes. 揧ou said it. Not me.?
After a few minutes of small talk with Sarah抯 mother to convince me the kids are properly chaperoned, I climb back in the car.
Twenty minutes later, Tom pulls up to Eliza抯 apartment building. I get out and walk to the door, but she抯 already outside waiting for me.
揑 expected to walk you to the car,?I say, offering her my hand.
She takes it. 揟he buzzer isn抰 working. I figured this was easier.?
I scan the short, snug black dress that hugs her body in all the right places梕specially that peach of an ass梐nd meet her eyes again.
揧ou抮e triple stunning tonight,?I whisper.
She smiles. 揟hank you.?
I hold the car door open and help her in, then slide into the back seat. 揑t抯 been weird not seeing you for two days.?
揑 know. I felt like I was missing a limb.?
I put up the soundproof privacy guard. 揟hen why have you stayed away from me??
She laughs. 揂ren抰 you the one who抯 been busy??
揧eah. Sorry I postponed this. Too many annoying meetings I couldn抰 push back.?I slip my arm around her, trying not to gasp at the softness of her skin. 揇idn抰 mean to piss you off.?
She lays her head on my shoulder.
揑 wasn抰 angry, Cole. I haven抰 had much sleep since Hawaii. I was tired.?
揑抦 aware.?I kiss her.
揂nd you didn抰 invite me over last night…？
揃ecause you blew me off the night before.?
揑 was tired.?
揧ou never invite me over,?I point out.
揗y apartment is basically a shack compared to your house. Plus, you have a kid.?
揝o??
揑抦 not having you leave her alone overnight just because I like waking up next to you…？
I can抰 hide the smile that cuts across my face. 揧ou, Eliza, are goddamned amazing.?
揧eah??She quirks an eyebrow.
揑 like how often you consider Destiny,?I say. Part of the reason I never dated was because I wasn抰 sure how Destiny would take to someone new梠r how well they抎 manage with her.
But Eliza already feels like a mama bear with my girl, and it plays my heart like a drum.
揥here are we going??
揝ushi Zushi. Fairly new place on Alki Beach. You抣l love it.?
揇o they have good coffee??
I chuckle, shaking my head.
揥hat??she asks like she doesn抰 know.
揗aybe a Tokyo lungo? I抳e never ordered coffee there. Do you really need it with every meal? Try the sake with me.?
揘o, but I always have coffee with breakfast and after dinner.?
揥hy am I not surprised??
揑t抯 good for digestion,?she insists with a smirk.
揥hat??I demand.
揑 can抰 tell you,?she says softly.
揥hy not??
揑 just can抰。？