Beautifully Broken (6 page)

Chapter Seven

             
I stared at the drain for over five minutes, still smelling the strong alcoholic odor and wondering if this was the right thing. I knew it was but was I strong enough not to walk back down the road to the store, beg Mason and just buy four more bottles. As I stood pondering my front door opened and Cole came in with his arms loaded with paper bags. “What the hell?” I asked surprised as he struggled to peek over the bags. I rushed over and took a few from his arms, not even bothering to argue that he just walked in. I’ve come to learn by living here it is customary for people to just walk into your home and there is no sense in fighting over it. “I didn’t know what you wanted for dinner and earlier I noticed that you didn’t really have anything other than whiskey, vodka, tequila and jack so…” He noticed the four empty bottles and his eyes turned to me, “Oh that, yeah…I poured them down the drain.” I said quietly as I avoided his gaze and began rummaging through the bags. He had bought everything you could think of, fruits, vegetables, cheeses, breads, meats and other foods and juices. “I didn’t know what you liked so I just grabbed a little bit of everything.” I looked up and studied him. Just when you thought you had him figured out he does something like this and turns everything topsy turvey. “Thank you. I can pay you back.” Before I could reach for my wallet he stopped me. “No. I don’t want you too. Consider this an apology for this morning.” I looked down not able to meet his gaze as I nodded. “Look Marley, I know you are running from your past. I know you have your secrets. I have some too and I should have been more understanding. I don’t like when people push for mine and I pushed for yours. I’m sorry.” I tried to smile and nodded. “Okay, thank you.” He bumped his shoulder against mine and reached for a bag. “So why don’t you have any food in your house? Do you eat out every night?” I felt the blush on my cheeks as I bit my lip, “I can’t cook.” I whispered. His eyes just about bulged out of his head. “What?! Seriously?” I laughed and nodded as I pulled out some cheese and eggs and stuffed them in the fridge. “I can’t even boil water without burning it. My mother wasn’t exactly Susie homemaker. She would usually bring home food from the place she worked and if there was enough for me after her and my father ate then I would eat. I usually smuggled food out of the school cafeteria and hid it under my bed for the nights that there wasn’t enough.” I froze suddenly aware that I had just opened up. I tried to contain the fear but the shaking of my hands gave it away. I waited for a moment wondering how he would respond, I never told anyone this much. I couldn’t move as I stayed perfectly still with my head still in a paper grocery bag and my other hand firmly on the countertop. “Well then, I’m just going to have to teach you aren’t I?” The relief I felt was immediate and I turned, giving Cole a thankful smile. He just winked and shot me those dagum dimples again.

             
We finished putting away the groceries and were standing at the counter with a plate of raw chicken, a plate of an assortment of veggies and bottles of seasoning spread out before us. “Okay, you ready?” he asked with a teasing smile. I eyed him suspiciously but nodded. “Close your eyes.” He smiled, “What? How can I cook with my eyes closed?” This man had a thing with closing your eyes and whereas it was fun with the train I highly doubted that I could cook sightless. He laughed his beautiful laugh before taking my hands. “No not because of that, I got you a surprise.” I waited before closing my eyes, then squeezed them shut tight. I wouldn’t admit that I was a little excited. I felt something slip around my neck as he said open your eyes. I nearly choked as I noticed we were wearing Adam and eve aprons, complete with leaf covered junk. “Oh my god.” I laughed. Cole reached behind me and tied the sash. “Yeah they knew him well. But just so you know. I’d like my rib back after dinner, just because your ancestor took it doesn’t mean you get to keep it.” I shoved him to the side and laughed. “Okay, let’s go I’m starving.” The next few minutes he had me slice chicken, chop green onions, tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers and shred pepper jack cheese. He fried up the chicken sprinkled on the cheese and topped it with the array of veggies. A few more minutes and it was done.

             
I cleared off the table as he put the plates together, “Do you know this is the very first time I’ve used my dining table. I usually just eat at the counter or in the diner.” I smiled back at him as he brought our plates over and set them on the table. “Well I’m happy to pop your dining cherry then.” I laughed, I was starting to feel more and more relaxed with him as time went on. We sat down and I had to admit, the food smelled delicious and my mouth was already watering. “So do you have a boyfriend lurking around that I should know about?” Cole asked as I cut the chicken. I laughed, the thought of me with a boyfriend was downright hysterical. I wasn’t any virgin Mary but boyfriend were certainly not my thing. “Actually, I’ve never had one.” I said truthfully as I popped the chicken in my mouth. It was absolutely delicious, so much so I nearly groaned in pleasure. “I find that hard to believe, you’re gorgeous.” I smiled and swallowed my food before replying, “Thank you, but living the way I did, didn’t leave time for boys. I mean well….didn’t leave time for commitment. I have plenty of experience in the form of older men looking to cheat on their wives.” I wasn’t proud of myself but it had been a long time since I had done anything like that. The more recent, and when I say recent I mean within the last year and a half, I stuck with single men that I met at the bars. I hadn’t even been with anyone since arriving in Oliver.

             
Cole nodded and chewed his food. I waited for some sort of judgment but none came. “What about you? You’re observant, handsome, a good cook, why don’t you have someone?” I asked. I didn’t want to confess that I was curious to know if I had to share his time. He chuckled, almost like he knew exactly why I was asking it. “Truthfully, the last girlfriend I had was pretty serious. Her name was Emma Jo.” My eyes grew wider as I recognized the name as the Barbie girl I met that night. In a small town people tend to talk and I definitely heard the name Emma Jo a time or two. “Harry and Susan’s Emma Jo?” He nodded as he took another bite of chicken. “The one and the same.” I took a sip of my water only wishing it was something a little stronger. “She is a piece of work. Real…what’s the word I’m looking for?” I said rolling my eyes causing Cole to chuckle and nod, “Yes. Yes she definitely is an acquired taste that’s for sure. She wasn’t always so snobby. She used to be a sweet girl, which is what I loved about her.” He stared down at his plate as I nodded, “I’m sure she was, so what’s the story?” He licked his lips and took a sip of water, “She and I were together almost four years when I got my life changing news… She couldn’t handle it. She felt like I would hold her back. If you ever heard stories from her momma and daddy then you know she isn’t a small town girl. She wanted a big city life and I couldn’t give that to her. Didn’t want to. This is my home.” We ate in silence for a little bit. Both of us just mulling over our revelations. “You don’t have cancer do you?” I asked quietly, suddenly realizing that the very thought of it made me nervous. Cole laughed and looked at me, his blue eyes shining bright and playful. “No Marley I don’t have cancer.” I smiled and let out a soft sigh of relief. “Good, cause I would feel really bad about our ridiculous banter if you were a cancer patient. I’d feel obligated to be nice to you.” He shook his head and I swear his eyes twinkled, “Well I would never want you to be obligated to be nice to me, what fun would that be?” I may not have enjoyed his company at first but Cole Bradley was growing on me.

             
Once we were finished with dinner I gathered up the plates and headed to the sink. “Let me clean up.” Cole suggested as he came around beside me. I shook my head, “No way. You cooked. An amazing meal by the way, the least I can do is clean up.” He snatched a towel from the country and stared at me with his arms folded and not budging. “You wash. I dry.” He suggested instead. I rolled my eyes but began to fill the sink with warm soapy water, realizing again that this was the first time I actually used any dishes other than a shot glass, but I decided not to mention that part. We washed and dried in companionable silence until all the dishes were put away and the kitchen was cleaned up. “Come with me somewhere?” He asked and I had to tramp down the urge of déjà vu. Instead I smiled and took his outstretched hand and fought against the fluttering butterflies that swarmed in my belly. My skin tingled where he touched me.

             
He led me to my car and opened the driver’s side for me to climb in, before shutting the door and rounding the front of the car. I tried not to laugh when he bumped into the front fender. “Ready?” He asked as he smiled at me from the passenger side. I nodded and bit my lip eagerly. “Then head to the farm. I’ll tell you when to turn off.” I nodded and backed out onto the road, turning in the direction of his house.

             
This was the happiest I had ever been in my whole life. I wasn’t hiding or running or drinking. I wasn’t in my bedroom with my hands covering my ears as my father called me every name in the book. I wasn’t crying because I could never have birthday parties or even attend the ones that I would so rarely get invited to. I was truly happy and for the first time in a year I felt like I was living. It was a sweet taste of freedom that I didn’t want to end. Cole was giving me a gift that no one in my entire life had ever given to me. I felt my blood heat at the thought of his reasoning. Could there have been an ulterior motive or was he just that kind? In my experience kind people were never kind just because. I sighed and hoped that maybe, just maybe, I had been wrong about people. Especially Cole.

             
The Bradley farm slowly came into view as we crested the hilltop. “At the end of the hill take a left.” Cole’s deep voice startled me and I let out a gasp. He looked over, concern etched in his face, “Are you alright?” I nodded as I snorted out a laugh. I wasn’t sure why I found it so funny but I did. I turned left and onto a dirt road. “Your car won’t make it the whole way but we can get close.” He leaned forward and peered into the darkening sky. “I thought of this place the other day, after our trip to the tracks. I had forgotten all about it for a while, but I really think you are going to love it.” He smiled and took my hand in his, his thumb tracing soft circles along the soft area between my fingers. I shivered despite the warmth that was now flooding my body. It was as if each moment with him was more perfect than the one before it. “Park right up here.” He said as he pointed off to the right. I did as he said and looked around. To me it looked like we were in the middle of nowhere. “Where are we?” I asked nervously, suddenly wondering if I shouldn’t have been so trusting. Trust wasn’t something that came easily to me but dammit if I wasn’t trying.

             
Cole climbed eagerly out of the car and towards the trunk. “Pop the trunk.” I did what he said and looked back in surprise. “When did you put stuff in there?” I asked as I climbed out and watched him pull out two blankets and a picnic basket. “What’s in there? We just ate.” I reached forward and he snatched it back, smiling widely, “It’s a surprise. Now come one, we have to walk a little bit.” He walked into a line of trees and I had to struggle to keep up. “Cole…is this the part where you kill me? I mean I thought it was the garage but this…this is starting to feel very sadistic.” I heard him laugh but he said nothing more making me even more nervous.

             
The soft scent was what hit me first, it was floral and delicate. I gasped as we broke through into a wide meadow filled with daisies. A small pond was off to the side and a willow tree’s branches tickled against the surface of the water. “Oh my…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence, the beauty of everything was just so gorgeous. Cole laid out the blankets and sat down, still smiling up at me. “I knew you would like this. After I seen you with the daisies I just knew you would love it here.” I nodded, still unable to speak as I dropped slowly to the blanket. I stared at Cole, just wondering if this man was real. He smiled shyly as he pulled the basket in front of him. I watched as he opened the basket and pulled out a container of Miss Michelle’s apple sugar cookies. “Oh YAY!” I squealed snatching the container from his grasp as he laughed. I pulled out a cookie has he continued laying out containers filled with fruit, cream, and an assortment of other mouthwatering goodies. I couldn’t contain my excitement.

“So Hercules, tell me. What took you to Africa?” He looked down and studied the strawberry he was diligently dipping into the cream. “A plane.” He answered teasingly. I swatted at his arm and giggled. Giggled! Marley Masters doesn’t giggle. “I went because it was the last continent I had to see. I have seen everything else.” He said quietly with a shrug like it was no big deal. My eyes grew wide and I’m pretty sure my mouth dropped open.
“What do you mean you’ve seen everything else?” I picked up another cookie and took a big bite as I waited for his response. A soft breeze tickled my skin leaving raised bumps across my skin. Cole stood up and made his way to a bag I hadn’t noticed before. He opened it up and pulled out a jacket. He walked over and draped it over my shoulders. I smiled as he sat back down. “I went back packing around the world. I’ve been to every state in America, South America, Africa, every stop worth seeing in Europe, China, I’ve been to Greece, Australia, I’ve been everywhere….” Cole trailed off, looking at something I couldn’t see. “Cole? Cole are you okay?”  He stared off, ignoring me, gently I touched his arm and he blinked a couple times before looking at me. “Sorry…” He cleared his throat and bit into another strawberry. “I wanted to see every beautiful thing the world had to offer. I wanted it permanently imprinted in my memory…in case I never get to see it again.” I didn’t miss the sadness that laced in his voice or the brokenness that was undoubtedly in his eyes. Cole was holding something back from me. I couldn’t be upset….I had my own secrets. We sat in silence before Cole jumped up and began clearing the blanket, meticulously packing the basket. Once everything was cleaned up he spread out and lay next to me, his arms propped up under his head. It was then that I noticed the tattoo. A simple black and white sparrow with its wings spread on the underside of his right bicep. Before I could stop myself I reached out and touched it lightly, just a graze of my fingertips, almost as if I was afraid if I touched it too hard it would fly right off his skin.