DISCLAIMER: Characters of Veronica Mars, the canon events of their storylines, and recognizable dialogue belong to Rob Thomas.
A/N:
Chapter 2 continues a modified version of the summer months that were covered in #2.1 "Normal Is the Watchword."
Chapter 2
Before dinnertime that Thursday, Dad and Alicia left for their trip. I didn't get home until after he left for the airport. The note on the kitchen counter reminded me to enjoy my birthday, but not too much. There was a lighthearted warning about punishment if the apartment got trashed in his absence.
I hadn't even made it back to my bedroom to change clothes when there was a knock at the door. As I opened it, Wallace began drumming on the doorframe and the two of them sang: "You say it's your birthday …" Mac was holding a box from a bakery and there were gifts sitting at their feet.
"Wow! You certainly know how to make a girl feel appreciated when her dad deserts her on her birthday."
As Mac barged in and put the cake on the counter, Wallace picked up the gifts.
"We ordered pizza. It's on the way. We can do gifts while we're waiting, but cake happens after pizza." Mac had apparently taken the role of leader for the evening.
Excitedly clapping my hands in front of my chest, I said, "Oo! Presents!" Bounding over to the couch as Wallace carried the gifts to the small trunk that served as our coffee table, I landed in the middle of the couch. Pointing my finger back and forth between the gifts, I said, "Which one should I open first?"
Tapping my finger on my bottom lip while I considered my options, I picked up a medium sized cobalt blue gift bag that felt incredibly light for its size. Pulling out sparkly tissue paper, I found two envelopes inside. One held a gift certificate from Mac for 10 hours of computer work which was specified as "repairs and upgrades, not tech support that would fall under the heading of favors." The other envelope was a gift certificate for a nearby movie theater. There was a note that said I was required to use it for a night out with her.
After thanking her and giving her a hug, I added, "I love the idea of a girls' night – the first of many."
Then, I tore the wrapping paper off the box from Wallace. Opening the lid, I found several of my favorite comedies on VHS, including the South Park movie.
Wallace babbled enthusiastically about his gift. "Now that everyone is switching to DVD, VHS tapes are super cheap. So I opted for quantity. I've been collecting these for months. Now, you won't have to rent your favorites anymore when you want to see them."
"Very thoughtful. And practical." Looking through the titles had been lovingly collected, I said, "My BFF knows me so well."
A few minutes later, the pizza arrived. Wallace picked out one of the movies to put in while we ate. Trying to swallow food and soda doesn't work well when laughing. But we managed to get through it without choking or spitting.
While we were still watching the movie, I heard my phone ringing in my bag. When I pulled it out, I saw Weevil's name on the screen.
"Hey, there."
"Happy birthday, baby." Weevil said in a low, sexy voice.
"Well, not 'til after midnight."
Wallace and Mac laughing hysterically at the antics on the tv screen. They were loud enough that I got up to walk to my bedroom so I could hear him.
"Who's there? Felix said you had visitors."
"Is that why you're calling? To find out who I'm spending time with?" I was teasing him and he knew it.
"I'm going to assume Mac and Wallace. You don't have that many friends."
"Ouch. That's a mean thing to say to your girlfriend."
"Truth hurts, babe. Your social circle is small. But I don't mind. Means I don't have to compete for your attention."
"All you have to do is ask … and I'm all yours," I said flirtatiously.
We talked for a few more minutes. After ending the call, I immediately called Felix to invite him up for cake.
I walked back out to the living room to tell Mac and Wallace that we were going to have another guest. Then, I texted Dad to tell him that friends had dropped by with cake and presents. That way when the neighbors told him, it would not come as a surprise. I was trying to be as open with him as I could. I didn't want to give him any reason to not trust me, not when I was still mildly concerned about how he felt about Weevil and I dating. Although it might seem silly to tell him about stuff like this, it was preemptive transparency.
[
[
Mac and Wallace had left after midnight – they wanted to be the first ones to wish me happy birthday on the actual day and so they stuck around to sing to me. A couple minutes after they left, I got a text from Weevil. And an hour later, one from my dad – although I was asleep when it came through. I didn't see it until my alarm went off in the morning and I pried my eyes open to get to The Hut before opening.
I was working the early shift on my birthday for the same reason that I had off the next day – Weevil had asked me to request that schedule. But he was being secretive about the plans he was making. Curiosity kept pulling my focus throughout my workday.
Although I was intentional about making sure that Duncan understood how I felt about Weevil – and did not feel about him – he either didn't get the message or chose to disregard it. When he came in on this particular day, he left a gift for me, which I found when I cleared his table. It was a fortune cookie with the following message: True Love Stories Never Have Endings.
He had seen Weevil and I together the night of Aaron's arrest, but that was also the same night I told him that I was not his sister. His "blessing" of our relationship the following Monday may have been his mouth getting ahead of his brain's ability to process what was happening in his heart. Because it seemed like he was trying to let me know he was interested in getting back together.
Shortly after finding the gift from Duncan, Weevil walked in.
"Hey there, beautiful," he said before kissing me. "Just wanted to drop by and check that there weren't any last-minute changes to your work schedule."
"Nope. All good. But I am getting really curious." I gave him my best head tilt and pout – and nothing. "Really, no hints? Still?"
He shook his head and smiled. "Just meet me at your apartment and I'll tell you what I have planned for tomorrow." He kissed me again. "See you in about an hour."
[
When I arrived home around 5:30 pm, Weevil was waiting by my door. I hadn't seen his motorcycle in the parking lot, but I wasn't surprised to see him there. As I got closer, I could see a few bags sitting on the ground near him.
Once we were inside the apartment, he began unloading containers of food. Letty had made us dinner, which he would now reheat while I changed into comfy clothes.
While we ate, he gave me some – but not much – information about the plan for tomorrow. Cryptically, he told me just enough to help me decide what to wear and what to take with me.
Hearing even his brief explanation, it sounded wonderful, but it was too much. I put down my fork and said, "I thought we agreed that you needed to save your money … that we were staying in for date nights all summer."
"I have been. And I will. But I … made a little extra on the side."
"Nothing illegal, I hope."
"No. Extra hours and frugal saving."
That response satisfied my need for assurance, but also piqued my curiosity.
He must have seen that on my face, because he deftly steered the conversation where he wanted it. He explained that he planned to sleep on the couch and we would leave after breakfast. "Mac is going to come by tomorrow to be on puppy watching and walking duty. As a favor to me. She wants to get on my good side, wants to start a business with me."
"Huh?"
"The kid I did the repairs for wrecked his dad's car while his parents were out of town. Obviously, he didn't want his dad to know, so we had to make arrangements – you'll find out tomorrow. Part of the surprise. Anyway, Mac figures there are plenty of 09ers with chores they don't want to do, cars to fix, clean up after parties … things they'd rather their parents not know about. Or non-09ers may want to barter. She bought a domain name and wants me to be part of her grand plan."
"And the name of this plan for world domination?"
"NeptuneTradingPost..com"
"It's got a nice ring to it. She tried to get me to go into business with her last year. I turned her down."
"She mentioned that."
[
After we finished eating, he took Backup for a walk while I cleaned up the kitchen. Then, as I packed a few things for the next day, he leaned against the wall watching me. I pulled a few things from my messenger bag and put them on my desk. The box that Duncan had left for me was one of those things. I was having an internal debate about telling Weevil when I heard him clear his throat.
"Saw Duncan leaving The Hut as I was coming in earlier. Any particular reason he was there? Or just his normal daily visit?"
"Well, he is there most days." I hesitated before I continued, "But he remembered it was my birthday."
"He brought you a gift?" Weevil gestured at the small box on my desk.
"He left it on the table."
"Small box … usually means jewelry."
"No. Not jewelry. Custom fortune cookie." Seeing his confusion, I said, "He could have just written a note, but he chose to do it that way."
"And it said …"
I shook my head. "Doesn't matter."
"You sure about that?"
"I'm sure he would like it to matter to me. But it doesn't." I walked over to where he stood. Placing my hands on the sides of his head, I looked him in the eye. "I'm not her."
He sighed. "I know. I know." Pulling me into his arms, he added, "I also know there are things I can't give you. And that I don't deserve you."
"Let me be clear. I have no interest in Duncan. I chose to be with you and I don't regret that choice for one second. Got that?"
The smile that spread across his face made my heart soar.
Taking him by the hand, I led him to the couch and turned on the tv. I don't remember seeing much of the movie we were "watching" – partly because we made out for a while, partly because I fell asleep in his arms. He must have carried me to bed. I woke up briefly when he tucked me in and kissed me on the forehead.
Reaching for his hand, I asked him to climb into bed with me. When he said no, I asked why.
He replied, "Because when one of your neighbors tells your dad I was here and he asks about it, I can honestly say that I slept on the couch while you were snug in your bed."
[
[
Weevil woke me just after 7 a.m. and told me to hop in the shower while he made breakfast. When I came out in my robe, he had everything on the table. It took me longer to eat, because I kept asking questions about what we'd be doing. I was still eating when he went into the hall bathroom to take his shower.
Mac arrived and we chatted for a few minutes before she noticed his bag beside the chair. Mac looked at me with eyes, "He's here?"
As I nodded, her mouth went wide in exaggerated shock.
"What?" I asked. "He slept on the couch."
"Where did you sleep? And what happened before you both slept?" Her tone dripping with insinuation.
Avoiding the question, I shooed Mac and Backup out the door. "I need to finish getting ready." After all, I was still wearing my robe – only my robe.
"Have fun today, birthday girl!" Mac's words came from the other side of the door.
Turning my back to her voice, I walked down the hallway. Just before crossing the threshold to my bedroom, the bathroom door opened and a hand intercepted me.
Now in his arms, I intended to give him a brief kiss, but he had other things in mind – namely a deeper kiss followed by his lips drifting down my neck to my collarbone, as he slid the robe to the side to expose my shoulder. His index finger traced the edge of the fabric from my shoulder all the way down my sternum. Suddenly, his finger stopped and his eyes locked on mine.
He smelled too good, looked too good, and felt too good right now. In that moment, the struggle against temptation was real. The knot of the terry cloth belt had loosened and my robe threatened to slip open. I cleared my throat and began to close the front of my robe, wrapping it around myself.
As he reached down to tighten the belt around my waist, he said, "You should hurry up. We need to get going."
"You're the one that—"
"Guilty as charged. And sadly, we don't have time for thorough follow-through," his voice intimating his desire.
The way he said the word "thorough" put my nervous system on notice.
Just as I was about to close my bedroom door, he asked, "Out of curiosity … do you have anything on under there?"
I smiled and tilted my head. "No llevo ropa interior." As I slowly closed the door, I bit my lip and held his gaze.
"You're killing me here, V."
I laughed – at his comment, at the situation, at the joy I felt with him near, at so many things. It was not lost on me that I held a certain amount of control over someone who was used to being the one in control. I was also aware of the fact that I felt no need to lock my door as I got dressed.
He had said to dress up for our lunch. Judging by his shirt and dress slacks, he meant it. I chose a cute dress that fell just below the knee and strappy sandals with a kitten heel.
When I was finished applying my makeup, I decided what I thought I might need later and packed it in the bag I was taking. I grabbed a light jacket from my closet – something that looked good with my dress, but would work with jeans later in the day. Turning around to pick up my bag, I saw that Weevil already had it in his hand.
Mac and Backup got back from their walk just before we left. I gave her a spare key so she could come and go while we were gone. Weevil carried our bags down to my car and put them in the backseat. Then, he opened the passenger door for me.
We drove toward the coast, specifically to Dana Point Harbour. When we pulled up to the gate at the marina, I turned to Weevil, wanting to know what we were doing there.
He smiled and shook his head, as if to say he wouldn't answer whatever I was about to ask. The man at the gate asked for his name.
"Eli Navarro. I'm a guest of—"
"Yes, sir. He got here just ahead of you. Here's your guest pass and parking permit. The slip number is right there. Park anywhere marked 'guest.' Any questions?"
"No. Thank you."
"My pleasure. Have a nice day."
It didn't take long to find a parking spot. Then, we walked to the slip number on the guest pass. When we got there, I heard a familiar voice call out from the deck of the yacht.
"Looks like you didn't have any trouble finding your way."
Luke Haldeman? I shot a sideways glance at Weevil, who wordlessly shrugged.
Luke helped us with the bags and showed us around. There were four staterooms, kitchen, dining room, lounge, and deck with jacuzzi. He introduced us to the captain, Joe, and the chef, Tabitha.
While the four of them confirmed the plan for today, I wandered around. I had been on yachts before. Duncan had been sailing his entire life and most of the 09er crowd had access to a boat or two. I enjoyed being out on the water, but it wasn't something I would want to do very often.
I stood at the railing, looking out to where the blue sky met the blue water. I couldn't help but wonder if Weevil felt that I was expecting him to shell out money on dates like this. Surely, he knew that he didn't need to try to impress me.
As I felt the yacht begin to pull away from the dock, Weevil came up behind me – his arms around my waist, his chest against my back, his lips on my shoulder.
"I was just admiring the view," I said.
"So was I."
After a few minutes of him whispering sweet nothings in my ear, we were interrupted by Tabitha. She asked if we were ready to eat lunch. Weevil looked at me for a response. When I nodded, she showed us to the dining room.
The table was already set. There was a basket of bread near one corner. After Tabitha poured water into our glasses, she hurried to the kitchen, returning with our salads. She seemed prepared to hover, in the event that we wanted something.
I could see that it was making Weevil jumpy. Turning to Tabitha, I said, "Why don't you bring the rest of the food out now. We'll call up if we need anything, but I don't think we will."
She seemed hesitant as she replied, "Well, if you're sure. Let me know when you're finished and I'll come back to clean up."
Once we were alone, I asked, "How exactly did you swing this?"
He explained, "Right after school let out, Luke wrecked his car – street racing, I think. His parents were away. He didn't want to go to his dad's regular mechanic, because he'd find out. He came to me and asked if I could do a rush job. But he barely had enough to cover the repairs. I had been trying to figure out what I was going to do for your birthday. A couple conversations later, I get a day on this boat as a bonus for fixing his car before his parents got home."
Even though we talked on the phone most days, there were plenty of things to catch up on. With both of us so busy this summer, there were things we had missed in each other's everyday lives. He told me about the extra work he had been doing and how grateful his grandma was for his help. I told him about the people I met on the first couple stops of Dad's book tour and how much he seemed to enjoy having me with him.
When we finished eating, I called Tabitha on the intercom.
Not more than two minutes later, she walked in and said, "If there's anything you need, let me know. That's why we're here."
We left her to clear the table. Weevil took my hand and pulled me into the stateroom where he had left our bags.
"I know we didn't really need to dress up to eat lunch, but seeing you in this dress, I'm glad I suggested it."
"You look rather handsome, yourself." After we kissed, I asked, "What else did you have planned for today?"
He must have noticed me glancing at the bed, because he said, "Taking advantage of … the sunshine." He raised an eyebrow, implying that I may have expected him to say something else. "Time to change into your swimsuit. I'll take my stuff in another room and give you some privacy. Meet me outside?"
I nodded as he stepped through the door, pulling it closed.
As I changed out of my dress, I realized that Weevil had never seen me in a bikini before. I was suddenly self-conscious and glad that I had brought a coverup. Lot of good that would do me in the jacuzzi, though.
When I got to the glass door that opened out onto the deck, I stood for a moment looking at Weevil. He was wearing swim trunks and a sleeveless t-shirt. I realized that I hadn't seen all of his tattoos and that he had chosen to cover up as well. Rarely had I seen him with his shirt off and when I did, we were in dim lighting.
I slid the door open and stepped outside. He turned to face me and swallowed nervously. It seemed unbelievable to me that I could make him nervous.
Holding up a bottle of sunscreen, I asked if he could help put it on. What I meant was for him to help with the part of my back that I couldn't reach, but he misinterpreted my words. Although I had not intended to ask for a sensual massage, that's what I got. The air between us nearly crackled. It would have been so easy to continue down that road, but we both disengaged.
He quickly applied lotion to his own legs before I could suggest that I return the favor. When I did offer, he removed his shirt and laid himself back on the chaise lounge. I started with his head, moving down to his shoulders and arms, then his chest. As I went, I traced each word and design, taking them all in. When I asked him to turn over so I could do his back, he hesitated.
"I need to tell you something, Veronica." He inhaled slowly before saying, "You know about me and Lilly. You know about the letters and stuff. But …"
While he paused to find the words, I placed a hand on his knee and waited.
"A year after she … I …" He rubbed his hands over his face and head.
"Whatever it is, you can tell me."
"Can I? Can I tell you anything? There's nothing that would upset you or make you run?"
"That's what you're worried about? I can't promise I won't ever get upset, but I can't imagine it would make me run."
"I hope not." He glanced to the side and then back at me. "I had her name tattooed …"
Stroking the side of his face with my hand, I kissed him and said gently, "Show me."
He swung his legs off the opposite side of the lounge chair and sat with his back toward me. His elbows rested on his knees and he waited for my reaction. I scooted toward the left side of his back to get a good look at it. With my index finger, I gave the heart and lettering the same attention I had given his other body art.
After I had covered his back in SPF 60, I curled myself around to face him, sliding in front of his body, coming to rest in his lap. I held his face in my hands and searched for the words to say. Finding none, I tried to communicate with my eyes and through my touch the reassurance I could not verbally express.
He hesitated before asking, "We're okay?"
"We both had lives before we got together. There are gonna be reminders of our old lives – Lilly's name on your body, my ex hanging around."
"That's the thing. I don't like seeing him around so often."
"I'm not in love with Duncan. So you shouldn't waste any time worrying about him."
He studied me for a moment. Then, he took me by the hand and silently led me to the jacuzzi. At first, we were on opposite sides, just enjoying the relaxation. But soon, he moved toward me with a familiar look in his eyes. He pulled me toward him and spun around, bringing me into his lap.
Considering what had preceded this moment, I would have expected the kiss to be filled with urgency, but it wasn't. Our lips slowly danced with each other. The pauses between contact – when our lips would break apart – held more intensity than the contact itself.
When we climbed out of the jacuzzi, he picked up a towel from the pile. I reached for it, but he shook his head. With his eyes fixed on mine, he proceeded to towel dry every inch of my body. If he was trying to seduce me, this was some seriously hot foreplay.
After he dried himself off quickly, he took my hand and led me over to a double-wide chaise. I'm not sure how long we lay there holding one another. But it was one of those times you don't want to end, one of those moments that lives in your memory as perfection.
My head was resting on his chest, my arm draped across his abs. His lips kissed my forehead, causing me to look up at his face.
"Wanna get out of the sun for a while?" Weevil asked.
"I wouldn't mind taking a shower." Seeing his eyes go wide, I smacked him playfully. "To get the sunscreen and chemicals off my skin."
With that, he stood and extended a hand to me. We each went back into the rooms where we had changed. He took a shower, but was much faster than I was. After my shower, I came out into the bedroom to get something from my bag and found him resting on the bed.
He opened his eyes to find me staring at him. "Like what you see?"
Smiling and tilting my head, I responded, "I think you know the answer to that."
He took a moment to look at me before saying, "You looked beautiful in the dress. And delicious in the bikini. But this … just a t-shirt and jeans … still not gonna be able to keep my hands off you." He reached for one of my hips. When I moved quickly enough to avoid his grasp, he gave me a sultry look and said, "Be a good girl and come here."
"Or what?"
"Or this bad boy will come over there. Either way, these hands are going on that body."
Just as I took one step toward him, he stood and reached out to grab me. Pulling me onto the bed with him, we playfully fought for control. For a while, I let him have the advantage. Then, I rolled him onto his back as I straddled him. I must have moved my pelvis one too many times, because he brought both his hands to my hips to still them.
The past few minutes – plus everything else this afternoon – had me tingling in all the right places. And I was remembering how much sensation he had stirred in me the night at the club.
No doubt, I was playing with fire, but I flirted anyway. "Are you telling me you haven't thought about this? That you didn't bring a condom with you … just in case?"
He closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. "Of course, I've thought about … how could I not? And it's smart to be prepared. But sex is not on the agenda for today."
I had to admit that I was a bit disappointed. He must have sensed it. Rolling us over to our sides and putting a little space between us, he stroked the side of my face and tenderly kissed me.
"I meant it when I told you I'm not in a hurry." Lightening his tone, he continued, "Besides … if we had sex here today and left behind any evidence, I doubt that Luke would hesitate to spread fresh rumors about you. Not gonna let that happen."
"That's sweet. But you realize that people probably assume that we've already slept together?"
He shrugged. "I just hope that your father is not one of those people." He kissed me again before he stood up. "I'm gonna go see if I can find some snacks and drinks. Come find me when you're ready?"
While I reapplied my makeup and pulled my hair off my face, I had a little chat with myself in the mirror. The topic: sex and my desire for it. That night at Club Mojo, he awoke something in me, that's for sure. I couldn't help but ask myself: if he could do that with his fingers, then what would it feel like when we finally had sex? Oddly, the guy seemed to be the one with all the willpower right now. Although if I had to guess, it had a lot to do with "the understanding" he had with my dad.
When I was finished, I carried my bag out into the lounge area, setting it down next to Weevil's. I was about to go looking for him when he came from the kitchen with food and drinks.
There was a deck of cards on the coffee table. While we ate our snack, he taught me to play a game called Conquian, an early version of rummy. It's his grandma's favorite card game. He figured I should know how to play if I'm going to be hanging around their house. He also admitted he needed something to do with his hands – or he'd be tempted to attack me.
As I got more comfortable with the rules of the game, I started to make conversation. Specifically, I began to ask him questions about how his grandma was doing and what the doctors had been able to find out. He had not been telling me that much the past few weeks. Right now, he seemed relaxed enough to open up and answer my questions. The information came in dribs and drabs, but it came.
After her family doctor ran several tests, he was no closer to a diagnosis than her first appointment. Letty's blood pressure, which had been on the high end of normal for years, was now high enough for an official diagnosis of hypertension. However, even after modifying her diet and taking the medication her doctor prescribed, her BP was not lower. Other symptoms persisted as well – muscle and joint pain, headaches, and issues with short-term memory. Her primary care physician referred her to a couple specialists, hoping she would be able to get a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Tabitha came down to check on us and to tell us that we were about an hour from the marina. She seemed surprised to find us fully clothed, playing cards. Noticing the chips and fruit on the coffee table, she said, "I see you found something to eat. If you'd like something more substantial, I can fix you some sandwiches. I was about to make some for us."
Weevil looked at me before he said to her, "Well, if it's no trouble …"
"It's not," she replied.
"In that case, yeah. Thanks."
She came back holding a tray with four different sandwiches and let us take our pick. Then, she went up to eat with Joe.
The sun was setting as we entered the marina. We stood on the deck and watched the sky turn from one shade to another. It was the perfect end to a wonderful day. Or so I thought. Then, Weevil reminded me that the day wasn't over yet.
As we were preparing to leave, we thanked Joe and Tabitha, who in turn thanked us for such a lazy day of work. Apparently, we're not as demanding as their usual passengers.
Only after we had left the parking lot did he tell me about the next stop on the grand birthday tour. We drove to a nearby restaurant that had pool tables and games, including vintage pinball machines. We stayed there for a few hours, laughing and flirting as we played.
Neither of us wanted the day to end, but we knew that it had to. We both had to work the next day. Plus, he wanted to get home in case Letty needed anything. After delaying departure for "one more game" a couple of times, we finally got in the car to go home.
[
It was just after 11 p.m. when Weevil pulled into the parking lot of my apartment building. Although Dad should not be home until sometime the next day, we both knew we should say goodnight at the door.
When I put my hand on the doorknob, I had no desire to say goodbye. We stood there for a moment staring at one another. There was nothing that needed to be said; we had said plenty during the day.
He dropped my bag and reached for me. I took my hand off the knob and put my arms around him. We gently kissed at a slow, lazy pace – as if we had nowhere else to be, nothing more important to be doing. There was no reason to rush, but every reason to linger and enjoy.
As he almost always did when a kiss ended, he pressed his forehead to mine as he placed his hand on my jaw, fingers wrapping around into my hair and thumb resting just in front of my ear. I could have stayed there for days – leaning into him, breathing him in.
Just as he leaned back enough to place a kiss on my forehead, the door opened. We were greeted by a voice saying, "You're home."
Simultaneously, we jumped apart. Both of us had expected to hear Mac's voice. She had been watching Backup and she was Weevil's ride home. But it was not Mac who met us at the door.
"No need to stand out there. Come on inside," Dad said with a flourish, directing us into the living room.
Deciding that I would set the tone in order to put Weevil at ease, I greeted Dad with a smile and a hug. "You're home early. Did something happen?"
"Darrell fell off his bike and broke his collarbone. Alicia wanted to get back ASAP. A neighbor took him to the ER. By the time we got to the airport, Wallace called to tell her they were home and Darrell was doing great. But she wanted to get home to check on him, so we still left early." He rattled all that off while eyeing us both and glancing at our bags. "Enough about me. Mac said you had big plans. Tell me about your day. Or should I say two days. Mrs. Collins next door mentioned that someone spent the night." Pointing at Weevil's bag, Dad asked, "Overnight bag?"
"If you're asking if I spent the night here … yes, sir. We had dinner here last night when Veronica got off work and we needed to leave this morning for her birthday surprise. I was out here on the couch."
Dad gave Weevil his best Sheriff stare. "Is that so?"
Weevil held his gaze. "I think what you're really asking is: have I had sex with your daughter?" He paused and let the words hang in the air between them. "The answer is no."
My father relaxed noticeably, but did not respond.
I broke the silence. "Do you want to hear about my birthday outing? We had such a good time. Weevil did some work on a classmate's car and parlayed that into a special day for me. Gourmet lunch on a boat. Afternoon in the sun. This evening, we played pool and pinball at a restaurant in Dana Point."
Dad nodded at Weevil. "Sounds like you had a nice day."
"Well, I guess since you sent Mac home, I'll need to give Weevil a ride. Safe to leave the two of you alone while I use the bathroom?"
When I returned to the living room, I was concerned what I would find, but they were talking about baseball. Apparently, I had nothing to worry about.
As he drove my car to his house, he held my hand most of the time. I was not a bit sad that our evening got extended. But I was not looking forward to saying goodnight for a second time.
Pulling up in front of his house, he slowly put the car in park and turned it off. It seemed that he was no more eager for our day to end than I was. He walked around to open the passenger door for me. When he closed it, he leaned against the side of the car and pulled me toward him.
As he held me, he asked, "So … did you have a happy birthday?"
"Mm-hmm." I kissed him before saying, "Thank you for today. It was lovely, but the best part was just spending time alone with you." I looked him in the eye. "I hope you know you didn't have to. I don't need or expect that kind of thing."
"No, but you deserve it. You're gonna have to let me spoil you once in a while."
"Once in a while."
It came as no surprise that he got on his bike and shadowed me the entire drive home. He gave me a brief wave as I walked to the stairs. I don't think either of us could have handled a third goodnight kiss.
A/N:
Next chapter will wrap up the summer months ... and then the school year begins.
Thanks for reading! Until next time …
~Jen
11 August 2017
No llevo ropa interior. = I'm not wearing underwear