Cold Outside

10 - Bugs

Oliver wondered if Beth liked her burger, but he was too busy to dwell on it. Saturday nights were the true test of his kitchen staff with all hands on deck. Often it reminded him of a well-choreographed dance and thankfully they were all in sync. They seated parties until ten and the reservations were full until then. It was practically one when he arrived home. Tired, but too wired to sleep he poured himself a glass of Merlot and sat down in front of the television. Every day he was reminded of the summer he lived in this house. So much of it hadn't changed. He even slept in the same room, the room that was once her grandmother's. It had been cleaned out. He remembered sharing the closet with the older women's clothing.

The difference was that he came home alone after the night in the hot kitchen. Beth was not waiting to hear his stories. Instead, she was tucked in bed with Lucas. Would he someday be used to that thought? Did Beth ever get used to me with Hayley? The parallels were hard to miss.

Glancing at his phone, he had a text. Opening it he smiled when he read.

Thank you for the burger. It was the best.

He replied: you're welcome. I knew you'd like it. Was it really better than the first one I made you?

She didn't respond and nor did he expect her to. He was sure she was sound asleep. All he seemed to do was remember the past.

Oliver took a deep breath because he'd been feeling guilty ever since he kissed Bethany. Not guilty enough to stop him from making her dinner, but guilty enough that he hadn't called Hayley since. He needed to, and it surprised him she hadn't called him. His ringer was off because he knew her call would probably come while he was with Beth. In hindsight, he should have called her to avoid any awkward moments. Now she had asked him about Hayley.

"I told you we had grown up together. We went to Yale together, but she stayed when I left. So we've been doing the long distance thing for three years. She graduated and is planning to continue with law school. I suggested that she apply to schools in Providence, but she wanted to stay at Yale. I get it." He didn't, really.

"How is it different from you going away this summer?"

"It's not. The chef I'm working under is a graduate. My favorite instructor helped me get this position. I'm getting a ton of experience. I couldn't say no. Success is all in who you know as much as how good you are."

"Based on this, you are good. Fantastic!" He felt a jolt that he impressed her. "So getting back to your story, you have one more year of the long distance thing? Then what, you get a job near Yale and live happily ever after."

"I suppose that would be the plan, except I really want to study or work in France. It has always been my dream. Even when I was at Yale, I took French."

"What does she think about that?"

"I haven't told her. I have only told you."

"Why not?"

"Because it's a pipe dream and will probably never happen."

He didn't know why he kept this dream a secret but leaving Hayley wouldn't go over well. She had been whining about this summer and he was only four hours away. She could drive up. He knew that she wouldn't be impressed with the beach or his room. She would have to stay in a hotel. For a second he thought maybe she could stay there, but he didn't think he wanted the two girls to meet.

She told him about hurting her knee in high school playing soccer and how she absolutely loved her physical therapist. "She was so cool. I wanted to grow up and be just like her."