Bender (12 page)

“Just remember to keep the ice on for twenty and off for twenty.”

He glanced at me over his shoulder, a weird look marring his hard features. “I work in the fitness industry, I know how to take care of a pulled muscle.”

He didn’t mean what he said in a snooty tone, but I sighed. “Are you going to be okay?” I asked moving toward the stairs.

He’d turned away to look at the television. “It’s fine, I’m fine. I just need to ice it and work it out.”

“K,” was all I responded with.

I climbed the stairs and started rummaging through my messy closet. Deciding on a light blue maxi dress that I coupled with some flat sandals, I figured it would be the perfect outfit for the park. I didn’t want it to overdressed, but I didn’t want to seem like I didn’t care either. Hopping in the shower, I cleaned every crevice of my body, shaved my legs, and pumiced my feet. I tended to walk around barefoot a lot so the soles of my feet were on the rougher side. When I stepped out, I wrapped my body in a towel and darted across the hall to my room. I hadn’t realized, until I was putting on my makeup and doing my hair, that I was really excited to see Luke. He gave me butterflies. He was also the first person since my high school boyfriend who made me feel pretty.

I styled my hair half up and half down, so it cascaded down my back in long blond waves. The makeup I applied had a natural glow to it. My cheeks were a soft pink, a little mascara was applied on my lashes, and a very light rose-colored lip gloss finished my lips. Looking in the mirror even
I
had to admit to myself that I looked good. I looked…happy, excited, fresh. Luke was doing this to me. It was nice.

As I walked down the stairs, I breezed past Camden who was in the fridge looking for something to eat. I took a quick peek at him and noticed his nostrils flare slightly. Did he just smell the air?

“There’s some sweet potato soup in the Tupperware on the bottom shelf that I made the other day if you’d like it. It’s healthy so I figured you might want some,” I offered, as I sat down on one of the stool and adjusted my sandals.

Camden was looking at me in such an odd way, but he eventually turned back to the fridge and dug out the bowl. When he lifted the lid, he grunted in what I could only assume was approval. “This doesn’t look half bad. Thanks for offering.”

I snickered. “That’s because it’s not. I can cook, you know. Just because you like to control everything doesn’t mean that others are incapable of making healthy foods for your royal mouth to taste. And…you’re welcome.”

That honestly all came out harsher than I’d intended, but whatever. He regarded me for a few short moments before he continued moving about the kitchen and heating up the leftover soup. While his back was turned to me he said, “You uh, look nice. You goin’ out?”

I gaped at him. Like full on, fish out of water, mouth hanging open, gaped. Did Camden Brooks just compliment me? Now that was a strange concept. And it was one that made me flush from head to toe. I wasn’t even sure if I should acknowledge it, or if we were supposed to pretend that it never happened. I was also a little curious about the tiny butterflies I’d had in my stomach over thoughts of Luke, and how they had now sprouted hummingbird wings and were fluttering so fast that I felt the need to check my pulse.
Pay attention Keegan
. There was a question associated with his compliment. What was it again? When I brought my head up after fidgeting with the straps of my shoes, I was greeted by that deep chocolate brown color that was becoming all too familiar. His brow rose, reminding me that I still hadn’t answered him.

“Are you going out?” he repeated but in a slower way, annunciating every word.

Snap out of it woman!
“Umm, yeah. Luke is coming by to pick me up.”

He was mulling over something. “You two seem to be seeing a lot of each other.”

It was a statement, not a question. I responded anyway. “Yes, we’ve been out a few times.”

The heat of his stare was making me uncomfortable and squirmy. “Hmph.”

What. On. Earth?
Just drop it Keegan.
Thankfully a knock sounded at the door and saved me from asking. I answered the door and was handed a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers. Luke was beaming. His dusty blue eyes went from my face, down my dress, and back up again. He smiled approvingly.

“You look stunning, as always.” Luke leaned in and kissed me on my cheek.

“Thank you so much. These are gorgeous. Why don’t you come in so I can put them in some water and then we can take off?” I stepped aside and let him in.

Luke stopped short just inside the door and was watching Camden inhale his soup.

“What is Brooks doing here?” Luke asked.

Hadn’t I told him that Camden and I lived together? I thought about it, but the more I jogged my memory, I’d come to realize I hadn’t said anything about it. Oops!

“He lives here. Camden is my roommate.” I pushed inside of the kitchen and started digging for a vase. The quicker I got the flowers in water, the quicker we could leave.

“Sup,” Camden said in greeting.

Luke gave a curt nod. “I didn’t know you two lived together.”

Camden’s cocky grin was plastered on his face. “Well, you do now.”

“Huh.” Luke’s voice sounded put off.

The two continued their staring contest, while I desperately searched for anything to use for the flowers. Why in the hell did it feel like a testosterone induced battlefield in my kitchen? And an even better question, why was I even bothering to look for a vase in a dude’s apartment? I couldn’t imagine that Camden kept them on hand for the many times he’d received flowers. Getting a tall glass out of the cupboard I filled it with water and started placing the flowers inside. I looked up at both boys when the room fell silent. Both were looking at each other as though they were sizing each other up. I briefly wondered if I should blurt out that they should just compare their penises so someone could come out a clear winner and I could pass out ribbons. I almost laughed at myself for even thinking it. As much as I didn’t understand this weird male ritual that I was witnessing, it still struck me as odd. Camden didn’t seem like the type to get intimidated, and yet there was something in his face that made it like Luke was competition. Competition for what, I wasn’t sure. We needed to get out of here, now.

Clearing my throat, Luke broke the eye contact and looked at me. “You ready to go?”

He nodded and moved the door. Both guys said their last names as a way to say bye, and we walked out the door.

When Luke and I got in the car, there was an awkward silence that had taken over. My hands were fidgeting in my lap, and I was trying not to lean forward to start fiddling with the dials of the radio or A/C. I’d been alone with Luke on more than one occasion and never was it tense when neither one of us were speaking, although the quiet moments were far and few between. Right now I’d sell a kidney to hear what was going through his head.

“Sooo…” I said but wasn’t sure where I was going with it.

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “So?”

MmmK, this wasn’t going to go anywhere unless I just explained this to him. “Listen, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my living situation. It wasn’t intentional. Camden and I hardly even see each other, because he’s always at the gym, or I’m on campus studying. Most of the time it feels like I live there alone. I guess the subject never came up or occurred to me. But, I need to know, is this going to be a problem?”

He sat for a few short beats before he reached over and grabbed my hand. My fingers laced with his and I glanced down, noticing a crinkly spot on my dress. Oh man, apparently I’d stopped wringing my hands together and had taken up fisting my dress. Wonderful, it was all wrinkled now, so when I stood up, it would look like I’d had a death grip on my crotch. I sighed.

“It’s fine. I think it took me by surprise more than anything. I just assumed you lived with Macie. But that’s what I get for assuming, I should have asked.” He spoke quietly, and I could tell he was still deep in thought over it.

“Well, I should have said something. It’s really not a big deal. In fact, we shouldn’t have even run into him tonight, but he came home early because he pulled a muscle while teaching a class. I really don’t see him that much.” I gave a sheepish shrug.

He squeezed my hand. “It’s okay, Keegan, you don’t need to explain yourself. You live with him, and there’s nothing else going on besides being his roommate, right?”

“No!” My answer came out more abrupt and high pitched than necessary. “Camden hasn’t been the nicest person to live with, but I’ve made do. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt he’s just my roommate, nothing else.”

We were just pulling up to the park, and Luke parked the car. When he got out, he came around to my side and opened the door for me, holding his hand out to help me out. I asked him if he needed any help carrying the blankets or food, but he declined, assuring me that he had it. We walked a short ways to a tree that was by a pond full of ducks. Luke started unfolding the blanket he’d brought and tossed it up in the air, letting the fabric fluff out and spread out on the ground. When I sat down, I sighed contentedly. This whole place was picturesque. The grass was a deep green and cut short. It smelled as though it had been mowed recently. That was one of my favorite smells. The tree we were under was also one of my favorites. It was a weeping willow. I had wanted one in my yard as a kid, because I thought they were magical, but I’d been told by my mother that they were messy, disgusting trees, and she’d never plant one. Sitting under it now, letting the drooping branches cloak us from the beating heat of the sun, it didn’t seem as bad as she made it out to be. I found it beautiful, and a perfect place to hide from the world. There were quacking ducks in the background, along with some chirping birds, and kids playing. I felt warm and peaceful, it was nice.

Luke opened a few of the paper sacks he brought. They contained deli sandwiches, chips, two cookies, and some sort of pasta salad. I smiled up at him, and he actually looked a little embarrassed.

“Sorry, I know this isn’t exactly diet food, but at least it will taste good.”

I giggled. “Just because I’m working out doesn’t mean I’m dieting. I still love food. In fact my hips and butt love food more than my mouth.”

He laughed. “I appreciate that your hips and butt enjoy the food.”

My face felt red, and I knew I was blushing. Luke reached over and tipped my chin up to look at him. “You’re beautiful Keegan. I like that you have curves, and you enjoy good food. Between your long blond hair, big bright blue eyes, and sweet as pie personality… you’re like the ultimate package. I couldn’t even believe that nobody had snagged you yet.”

I shied even more. “Nobody’s noticed until you.”

His eyes studied my face. “Well then, they are fools, and I get the prize. But I have a hard time believing nobody has noticed. Even your own roommate looks at you like I do. Hell, all of the guys at the gym practically trip over their own feet watching you.”

I turned away from him. “Okay, now I know your lying.” I couldn’t help but wonder if he was right about Camden. I’d never noticed any looks from him other than ones of annoyance. Could he possibly be attracted to me? No, I wasn’t even close to his type, and I refused to entertain the idea. Luke was just trying to be complimentary. Camden tolerated me because we lived together, that was it.

He casually shrugged. “Again, you’re seriously selling yourself short.”

We both unpacked the dinners. Luke and I sat for a long time enjoying each other’s company. We talked about our college classes, and the professors we’d shared over the past couple years. He was two years older than me since he was in a master’s program, which meant, despite having the same teacher, we’d never be in class together. We talked about how we grew up. He had an older sister who he saw pretty often, and his family still did Sunday dinners. I admired that and wished that I could have had a family who was so tight-knit. When I told him about my mom and Sarah, he listened intently. I saw what looked like sympathy flash across his face at one point, and it made me withdraw slightly from my story. I kept out some of the harder details, like my mom’s dating cycle and how I was more of a parent to Sarah than she was half the time. I didn’t want him to feel sorry for me. This was the hand I was dealt in life, and I was embracing it. Regardless of the topics we shared, I was feeling closer to Luke than I had over the past few dates. We laughed at his stupid jokes, and it was turning into an all-around great time. The whole time we talked, he was touching me in some way or another, whether it was a gentle brush of my hair behind my ear, laying his hand over mine, or leaning in and kissing my lips.

Luke was lying on his side with his body propped up on his elbow. He glanced up at me through his thick dark blond lashes. His eyes were flirty when he said, “So I brought a Frisbee out, do you want to toss it around a bit before it gets too dark?”

My tummy did flip flops at the way his eyes were smoldering. “Sure, that sounds like fun.”