Ivey Pierce is an explorer, and thanks to her career as a wildlife biologist, she does not stay stationary for long. But when her parents die in a terrible accident, and her childhood home is left vacant for two years, she returns to the tattered me...
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FOUR DAYS HAD PASSED since the coffee shop run-in. One of those days was spent at Nora's house with Zoe, Maram, and two other women on the fundraiser committee.
Surprisingly, Mrs. Lincoln was less overwhelming than she usually was. Maybe because she did not bother including Zoe, Maram, and me while micromanaging the other members.
I could have sworn Nora wanted my opinion on event details, but from the looks of it, I was simply a token guest to her, also known as pity entertainment that would generate donations. My presence was enough involvement to make her feel like she included me.
I did not care because Zoe, Maram, and I had finished a bottle of wine on Lincoln's back porch and chatted about high school for most of the evening and Zoe's engagement.
She was marrying a doctor she met during her rounds at the hospital, and her eyes lit up every time she talked about him. I could not help but wonder if Weston knew who he was?
Not once had they brought up Weston; honestly, I had yet to learn where he was or what he was up to these past couple of days because we had not talked since his place.
It was a pattern.
1.) Spend a friendly evening together 2.) Disappear for days 3.) Reconnect for another friendly evening. 4.) Disappear again until the cycle starts over.
Maybe his absence was him catching up with Zoe?
Sweat beaded from my forehead as I lay under the sweltering afternoon sun on my dock. I had written two sentences of my speech before setting the paper, wrinkled from the salt water, aside on the worn wood.
Today felt like the first day I had to myself, where I was not pretending, cleaning up the house, or doing work. I had time to pick up a book and read until I accidentally fell asleep.
"Do I need to call the ambulance?"
A voice cut through the silence, and I wondered if I was dreaming.
I peeled open my eyes and scanned the area.
Weston waved from a chair on his dock while I pushed onto my elbows and used my hand as a visor to see him clearer. What time was it? The sun was not nearly as harsh as when I fell asleep.
"Were you watching me, you freak?"
"No. Masie and I are enjoying our dock that happens to be across from yours."
Feeling exposed, I grabbed my sundress and yanked it over my bathing suit.
"Have you been doing stuff for the fundraiser?"
I held up the speech paper as if it was evident.
"Then we are overdue for another dinner."
Butterflies rippled through half of me while my other half remained ambivalent. Now he wanted to have another dinner? I was glad neither of us was too attached or spending much time together, but I also had whiplash from the random disappearances and then friendly banter.
