Big City Little Rebel

ChapterNineteen

Beau

For the next three days, he listened to her movements above him. He ordered pizza and visited Joy at the noodle house. He even ordered the spicy eggplant and regretted it all night as he chewed on Tums. He went back to the Da Vinci Museum and prayed for rain so something would seem familiar. He checked in on his mom and was surprised to learn that she had secured a receptionist job at an art gallery in Tampa. She was getting her life back on track even though his was in disarray.

When he made the bed, he’d found Bobbie’s pair of shoes but refused to return them. They were the only things he had left of hers in his apartment besides his aching heart.

By Wednesday, he was crawling the walls from frustration. He sat on the couch with Bobbie’s left-behind heels next to him. They were poor company.

He’d applied to several companies, but most contractors were downsizing and preparing for winter. He walked by the site. It depressed him to see the banner that hung above the doors. It read, Under New Management.

Would the new company behave honorably? He envied the project manager because this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When he looked at the building permit in the window, it said BC Construction. Lucky bastards.

After spending as much time as he could wandering around town, he returned home. In front of his door was a small white box and a note from Bobbie. His heart took off like he’d raced up all three flights of stairs.

Hey, Big City,

I miss you. If you still want to talk to me, call me. Don’t open the box yet.

Love,

Bobbie

He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed.

“Hey,” she said in her soft, seductive, sexy voice.

“Hey, you.” He wanted to punch himself in the face for not coming up with something witty, charming, or original, but he was mesmerized by her voice. It had been almost a week since he’d talked to her—seen her.

“I bought dinner. Lasagna, if you’re interested.” Her voice sounded hopeful.

He couldn’t see her, but he’d bet she was chewing her lip.

“I don’t know ... the last time I had lasagna with you, my world skyrocketed and plummeted into a fiery crash.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry. Should I call you tomorrow then?”

“Wait. I tried to bring some levity to our situation, but I failed. I’d love lasagna. Your place or mine?” He held his breath, waiting for her to answer.

“Yours.”

Although her voice was a whisper, it rang loud and clear in his ears. This is your do-over. Don’t screw it up. “I have wine. Can you give me ten minutes?”

“Okay, and don’t open the box until I get there. I’ve missed you, Beau. I really missed you.”

“Sweetheart, I’ve missed you too.” He didn’t want to hang up, but he wouldn’t get to see her any sooner if he kept her on the phone. Looking down at his ragtag self, he knew he needed to jump in the shower before seeing her again. “See you in ten.”

In less than five minutes, he was out of the shower and quickly ran the razor over his grizzly bear’s face, nicking himself twice.

At exactly the ten-minute mark, he answered the knocking at the door, which was tame compared to the thumping in his chest. He found the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. Bobbie was at his front door wearing cut-offs and a T-shirt. She was barefooted, and her hair was perfectly messy.

He stood aside and let her enter. Her hands were full of to-go containers, and he pulled the brown bags from the top and set them on the table. Everything had a déjà vu quality to it.

He wanted to rip the foil pan from her grip and drag her into his arms, but he didn’t. He wasn’t sure how to proceed from this point forward. He’d never been in love before and wasn’t sure of the rules after a timeout. His future would lie in what transpired that night, and he didn’t want to screw it up.

“You look beautiful.” He took her in from the top of her head to the tip of her navy-blue toenail polish. “My heart is beating so fast. I can hardly breathe.” He took the pan from her hands and placed it on the table. This wasn’t like the night when they moved around each other like they’d done it a thousand times. Tonight, he was walking on eggshells.

She broke the ice by moving to him and leaning her forehead against his chest. She breathed in his scent like it was a cure for a disease she’d been battling. He wrapped his arms around her and held on tightly. Her citrus perfume floated around him like a hug. They stood still for minutes.