Honest Love (7 page)

Claire:

Forgiven.  You could have just asked me, though.

Derek:

True.  But I thought maybe you would call or text me today and I’d have it.  But, sadly, no.  So how did you know this was me?  Add my name and number to your phone?

Busted.

Claire:

Yeah, so what?

Derek:

So, nothing.  Makes me smile.  Now, back to your weekend.  Doing okay?

I was glad he’d dropped it.  I’d added his name and number to my phone just minutes after he handed it to me.  I told myself it was for professional purposes only.  Yeah, we’ll go with that. 

Claire:

I guess.  Got a strange call that has me feeling a little weird…melancholy, maybe.  It was unexpected is all.

Derek:

WHO, CLAIRE?

Claire:

Whoa…caps?  Really?  Why do you want to know?

Derek:

YES, CAPS!  And an exclamation point!  Tell me, please.  I need to know. 

Claire:

Why?

I waited for him to tell me.  But his text wasn’t immediate like the others.  Maybe he’d realized it wasn’t his business.  I shouldn’t have brought it up in the first place, but I wanted to.  I wanted to talk to someone about it and he’d said I could. 

Feeling anxious, I took a big drink of wine, grabbed my phone and went back to my room.  The Civil Wars were softly playing on my speaker as I climbed up on my bed, wine in one hand, my phone in the other and settled against the giant pillows at my headboard.  Right as I looked at screen on my phone for the fifteenth time, Derek’s name flashed.

Derek:

Because I have a feeling it’s someone toying with you, Claire.  And I feel protective of you.

My heart felt like a stone dropping to my stomach. 
He
was protective of me?  Really?  I thought I was the one preparing to protect
him
.  I mean, I’d been preparing my tough love speech and everything.  I shook my head in confusion and read his next text.

Derek:

Claire, talk to me.  If it was something that made you feel weird and melancholy, that’s not good.  Is it who I think it is?

Claire:

No, it was Rob, the other jilted party…

Derek:

Hmm…not what I was expecting.  What did he want?

Claire:

Same as you.  He was just checking on me.

Derek:

But why?  Isn’t he the ex-husband of the other woman?

Derek was starting to piss me off with his inquiry…interrogation was more like it.

Claire:

YES, and I don’t know, Derek.  Maybe because he knew I was here all alone, away from everything and everyone.  He’s in the same position.  We both had to start over. 

I didn’t mean for my text to be so snarky, but my emotions were all over the place.  Yes, I was a bit creeped out by Rob’s call and I didn’t really know what to think. 

Derek:

Makes me uneasy. 

Claire:

Well, I guess it’s a good thing you don’t need to worry about it.

I was pissy and in the middle of digging a nice hole for my pity party.  I didn’t need any reminders of Rob, Jake or Kaye.  My weekend was tough enough as it was without my past adding more pain.

Derek:

I’m sorry.  Let me care.  It’s all I’m asking.  You’re my friend, my new friend and I’d like to keep you around and away from creepers. 

Sigh…he’s trying to be nice to me. 

I wanted to be mean, push him away, but I couldn’t.  I didn’t want to push Derek away, so, I tried to lighten things up.

Claire:

By ‘creepers’ do you mean guys who snoop around in offices for other people’s phone numbers?

Derek:

Yep!  Like those weirdos.  Gotta watch out for them. 

Claire:

HAHAHA.  That made me laugh.  Thank you.

Derek:

I care about you, so you really don’t have a choice.  Okay?

Claire:

Of course.  You’re one of the only friends I have here and I might like having you around too.  I’m just not used to this.

Derek:

Used to what?  People caring about you?  Wanting to help you?

Claire:

Yes.

Derek:

Well, get used to it friend, cause I plan on creeping around you as long as you’ll let me.  Besides, I need my therapist.  I hear she’s the best. 

Claire:

Ahh…the motive is revealed.

Derek:

You know I’m teasing, right?  I hate texting.

Claire:

Yes.  And I agree.  I’m fabulous AND texting is stupid. 

Derek:

Can I stop by?

Where did that come from?

Claire:

Stop by? 

Derek:

Yes, I’m not far away.  I thought I’d bring some entertainment so you didn’t have to spend the night alone…since you’re kids are gone.  That okay?  Or do you have plans?

Claire:

No plans.  Need my address?  Let me guess…

Derek:

Admitted creeper…remember.

Claire:

Hahaha 

I wanted him to stop by. 

Claire:

Come on over.

Derek:

I’ll be there in about five minutes.

Claire:

You really are close by!  Are you in your car?

Derek:

No, I live in your neighborhood.  I’m only a few streets over.

Claire:

Hmm…that might be a problem once the restraining order takes effect.

Derek:

Right! 

Derek:

See you in a few.

Claire:

Okay.

It was easy, this new friendship I had with Derek.  He made me smile and laugh like I hadn’t in years.  It was addictive. 
He
was addictive and I’d only known him a short time.  Reality hit me that I was still wearing just my tiny black robe with nothing underneath.  I’d washed all my makeup off in the tub and my blonde hair was in a messy bun.  I jumped off the bed and quickly put on a pair of black yoga pants and a t-shirt before I went into the living room and turned on a few lights.  I’d barely finished straightening the couch pillows when the doorbell rang.  With my wine glass in my hand, I walked to the front door, looked out to see Derek’s face then opened the door.  There was a long moment we both looked at each other.  He was dressed in lose fitting, long black workout pants that hung low on his waist, a white tight t-shirt and what looked like house shoes.  My smile widened when I realized he was giving me a long look, too. 

“Hey, come on in.”

I stood back so he could walk past me.  He had two bags in one hand and his wallet and keys in the other.  I peeked out to see he’d parked a motorcycle in the drive.  I closed the door and walked around Derek so he could follow me to the kitchen.  “You have a motorcycle?  How in the hell are you driving that with your knee brace?  And how’d you carry those bags?”  I didn’t mean to reprimand him, but damn.

“I haven’t been riding it and I don’t have my brace on right now.  I only did it because I was so close.  But it wasn’t very comfortable.  Bad choice, maybe.”  He winced as he took a few steps.  “As for the bags, I have a small leather case that sits on the side on my bike.”

“Well, I can take you home later if you don’t want to ride back.”

“I’ll be fine.  It’s only two streets.”  He sat the bags on the counter and removed the contents.  He’d brought two movies, microwave popcorn, a box of Milk Duds, bag of peanut M&Ms and two Dr. Peppers.

I laughed.  “I don’t know how you did it, but you just brought every kind of junk food I love.  Of course, I probably haven’t had any of these since high school, but still.  Who are you?”

“You’re kidding.  I totally guessed.  I actually grabbed this from my house.  Even the movies are mine.”  He smiled and nodded his head as he mentally patted himself on the back.  “Man, I’m good, huh?”

I shook my head and rolled my eyes.  “So what movies are these?”  I held up the first one.  “
Animal House
.  Good.  And
Goodfellas. 
Excellent.”

“Really?  I just tried to find something you might not mind watching.  I have no idea what women like to watch.”  Derek ran his hand down his face like something…a memory maybe, struck him.  “Well, I take that back.  I do know.  It’s that sappy shit that guys hate because they can never live up to the male characters.” 

I laughed and stuck a few of the M&Ms in my mouth. “Right!  I’m not one to watch those sorts of movies.  They are way over the top.  There’s not a real man alive that is
that
romantic and sappy.”

“Agreed.”  Derek took the sack of M&Ms out of my hand, poured a few out then stuck them in his mouth, the whole time watching
me
watch him.  “So, which one should we watch first?”

“Well, how about
Animal House
.  I haven’t seen that in forever.  I could use a good laugh.”

“I thought so.”  I barely heard his remark as he turned and grabbed the popcorn before facing me again.  “You know, I hadn’t planned on going anywhere tonight, but couldn’t resist asking to see you, especially after I waited all day to text you.  Took monumental restraint.”

“Is that right?”  I raised my eyebrow. 

“Yes, I wondered what you were doing today while I was at the station.  I just knew you would call me, but you didn’t.”  Derek tried to fake a sad face, but failed. 

“You are so full of shit, Derek London!”  I smacked his arm making him laugh.

“I’ll make some popcorn.  Why don’t you go set up the movie since it’s your system.  I don’t want to screw anything up.  Want me to make you something to drink?” 

Derek eyed my nearly empty wine glass.  “Yeah, how about a little more of that wine over there?  Would you like some?”  I pointed to the bottle on the opposite counter.

“No, I’m not much of a wine drinker.  A beer every now and then tastes pretty great, though.  Tonight, it’s about junk food.”  I laughed.  “Can I get a glass with ice?”

“Of course.  Help yourself.  Glasses are to the right of the fridge.”  I grabbed the movie and strolled into the living room.  I could hear him rustling around in the kitchen.  It was a nice sound, having another grown up around, even if it was just a friend. 

I was setting up the Surround Sound when Derek slowly limped into the living room with a tray filled with a large bowl of popcorn, his soda, my glass of wine and both packs of candy.  “Here, let me help.  You need to prop your knee up.”  I gave him a smirk.  “You know you shouldn’t be walking around without that brace and your crutches.”

“Man, you sound like my therapist.  She’s a real nag…total ball-buster.”  I couldn’t stop the full on belly laugh that escaped.  And neither could he.

“Well, she sounds like my kind of girl,” I managed to finally say. 

“Hope you don’t mind.  I just dug around until I found what I needed.”

“Not at all.”

We sat on opposite ends of the couch with all the goodies between us and turned on our movie.  It was very comfortable…
he
was comfortable and I enjoyed his company.  We laughed throughout the movie, even traded off quoting some of it.  Who wouldn’t?  It was a cult classic.  It was almost eleven by the time
Animal House
was over.  “Up for Round 2 or should I go?”

I was struggling with how to answer.  It was late, but I didn’t want him to leave.  I guess I hadn’t realized just how much I missed adult company.  “Are you tired?  Need to get home?”

“No, Claire, I don’t.”  His face was soft but his words were almost stern.

“Are you sure because you sound a bit—tense.” 

“No, I’m sure, but, if you want me to go, then just say it.  Okay?”  I nodded, but didn’t say anything.  Derek touched my hand.  “What is it?”

“I like having you here.  Coming home to an empty house was hard, that’s all.”  I didn’t have the capacity to pretend to be anything other than what I was.  I was sure it was written on my face on Friday.  That’s why he’d asked to come over. 

Derek squeezed my hand.  “I can stay as long as you want me to stay.  I get it, you know.  Abbi left a long time ago, so I’ve gotten used to the quiet, but I had a feeling you might need a little company this weekend.  I’ll stay.  We can watch the movie then, I’ll go home.  Does that sound okay?”

“Yes, thank you.”

He let go of my hand and stood.  “Want anything?  I need a restroom then a big glass of water to wash away all the junk that I just stuffed in my face.” 

“No, I’m good.  There’s bottled water in my fridge and the bathroom is down the hall.  First door on your right.”

“Okay.”  As Derek walked away, I picked up all our trash and empty containers to take them to the kitchen.  I cleaned up quickly, then turned to go back to the living room to set up
Goodfellas,
and ran right into Derek’s chest.

He circled his arms around me to stop me from falling and I looked up at his handsome face.  “Oops, sorry!  I didn’t hear you walk up behind me.” 

“I was standing here watching you.”

“Why?”  He was still holding me tight against him.

“I guess I’ve missed having someone around, too.  I was watching you do the dishes.  Odd huh, the things we miss are not what someone would think.”  His face was really close to mine and he was staring at my mouth.