HOLLIS
“Happy birthday,” I say, looking over Paisley’s shoulder and handing her a present absentmindedly. It’s an awful thing to say, but I couldn’t care less about the birthday girl right now. I have one person on my mind right and I need to know if she is here or not.
“Thanks. Can’t you even make eye contact with me when you say that?”
Annoyed, I grip her shoulders, look her dead in the eye and say, “Happy Birthday. There, does that work?”
“Not really. Your eyes are all bugged out and crazy. It’s startling actually.”
“You’ll get over it.” I look around her some more. Ever since Paisley moved into Reese’s place, some slight decorative changes have been made. It’s not as masculine in here anymore. There are throw pillows on the couch, pictures of them everywhere, and a potted flower on the dining table. “Place looks good, Paisley. Nice flower.”
“You talking about my girl’s vagina?” Reese asks, walking up behind her, blocking my view of their house.
“Yup, that’s what I like to do, walk into your condo and start discussing your girlfriend’s vagina with you. Nailed it on the head, buddy.”
“Cut it the fuck out. You’re not allowed to talk about it.”
“Christ,” I rub my eyebrows, willing away the headache that wasn’t to appear. “I wasn’t talking about her vagina.”
“It would be a great topic of conversation if you were,” Paisley adds. “I’m very proud of my vagina.”
Losing my temper, I say, “That’s great and all, but I couldn’t care less about your vagina. What I want to know is if Melony is here.”
Smiling at each other in a conspiratorial way, Reese says, “She is. She’s floating in the pool as we speak.”
“In a bathing suit?” I ask, my cock already starting to get happy over the thought of seeing her scantily clad body.
“Nope,” Reese says. “Strangest thing, she showed up in her grandma’s wedding dress and is floating in that. Something about how she doesn’t want skin cancer.”
I look Reese up and down. “You’re a dick.”
“Don’t ask idiotic questions.”
“Can I just come in already? Jesus.”
“You know, we had this party for you,” Reese points out. “If it was my way, I would be spending the day naked, worshipping Paisley’s body.”
“And getting a new tattoo,” she adds.
“Yes, what great things you could have done,” I reply with sarcasm. “But you did this instead, for me, so why don’t you both step aside so I can make things happen? Maybe the sooner I’m able to make up with the girl, the sooner we can leave, and the sooner you two can start to fuck like bunnies.”
“He has a good point,” Reese says.
“He really does,” she agrees but still not moving.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” I blow past them as they laugh at their little game. I head straight to the kitchen where I put the card I brought for Paisley. It has a certificate to a day spa I’m sure she will enjoy. From the window, I look out into the backyard where I see Melony floating in the pool on a giant soft pretzel.
Shit, she looks so damn good.
“What’s your plan?” Reese asks, coming up from behind me.
“Not sure yet. I was kind of hoping she would call or send me a text about the notes I’ve left her, but I haven’t heard a fucking thing. I have no idea what she might be thinking right now. Did she say anything to you guys?”
“Nothing,” Paisley answers.
All three of us look out the window, taking her in. We look like some episode from I Love Lucy.
“Any suggestions?” Now that I see her, I’m freezing up. Noah Calhoun would be disappointed in me.
Reese shrugs and then says, “I would do what you do best and make a scene.”
I am good at making scenes.
“Fuck, why is love so hard?”
“Because it wouldn’t be worth it if it was easy,” Paisley responds before going to answer the door. Someone else is here.
I follow Reese out into the pool area, helping him carry the food he plans on grilling, making sure to keep my eyes straight ahead. I don’t want to look like a drooling lovesick puppy, even though I am one.
Bodi and his girl Ruby walk into the backyard, hand in hand. They look good together and for the first time, ever since I’ve known the man, he looks truly happy, not so haunted or scared. She must be good for him.
Turning to Reese, I say, “I think I’m just going to do it.”
“I would,” Reese replies, without turning to talk to me directly, his focus on the grill in front of him. “It will be fucking awkward if you don’t. You know, with you staring at her the whole time.”
“But what if she turns me down?”
“Then she turns you down and you keep trying. This isn’t your last chance, so stop treating it like it is.”
He’s right. “I love her, man.”
“I know the feeling, bro. It fucking kills you when your relationship is in limbo, so instead of talking to me like some lovesick jackass, go talk to her.”
He’s right. I need to talk to her.
Taking a chance, I pull my shirt off over my head, adjust my swim trunks, and then canonball it into the pool, right next to her, causing her peaceful float to be flipped over.
Like I said, I’m good at making scenes.
We pop out of the water at the same time. Her hair is now wet, her sunglasses floating next to her, and the most beautiful look is in her eyes as she shouts, “You fucker.”
Well, not the warm welcoming I was hoping for, but then again, I did dunk her.
Playing the innocent card, I say, “Oops, were you trying to stay dry, Hot Sex?”
Mirth dances in her eyes, giving me so much hope I might combust. “Don’t fucking call me that.”
“Make me.” I pull on her arm, forcing her closer, only for her to palm my face keeping me at arm’s length. Talking through her hand, my voice muffled, I say, “I love it when you fight dirty, Hot Sex.”
“I’m going to kill you.”
“Right about now, I would take any kind of attention from you. Kill away, baby.”
Her face softens and right then and there, I know I have her.
Not letting her get the upper hand, I push her toward the end of the pool that curves around the hot tub, giving us a little privacy. I pin her against the side and straddle her body with my arms.
“I’ve missed you.”
“Yeah?” she asks, swallowing hard.
“Yeah.”
“Then why didn’t you come to visit if you missed me so much?”
“I was afraid you were going to throat punch me if I did.”
“Throat punch? Never. Knife hand, possibility.”
Fuck if I don’t want to kiss her right now. This is the Melony I’ve missed. The teasing Melony, full of light in her eyes. This is the Melony I fell in love with so easily.
“I was smart then, avoiding the knife hand.”
“If you’re so smart, what are you doing now?”
I push in closer and say, “Winning you back.” She smiles sheepishly at me. Fuck, she’s adorable. “How am I doing?”
“I still think Noah has the edge on you.”
I shake my head. “That romantic bastard. What do I have to do to top him?”
She shrugs. “Something extreme.”
“I might have something extreme up my sleeve, but first, I have to know, do you love me?”
“What?” she asks, off guard.
“It’s a simple question, Melony. Do you love me?” Growing serious, I add, “Because I sure as fuck love you. I think I’ve loved you from the moment you told me to get lost. And when you told me about your dad, that just made me love you even more, because it showed me who you really are.”
“And who is that?” she asks, her eyes cast down at the water.
I lift her chin so she’s forced to look at me. I speak with all my heart. “You’re a beautifully scarred and imperfect woman. Imperfect in the way that you don’t see yourself as everyone else does, and it’s your biggest flaw. You refuse to notice how you light up the room when you walk in it, how you can easily make someone smile with just your sassy words, how you hold so much love inside of you but are scared to let people see it. You’re scarred in the best way possible, which means you have a hole in your heart.”
“How is that a good thing?” she asks, tears starting to form in her eyes.
“Because, I don’t like sharing. If you had a perfectly filled heart, then I would have to share you with another man. But you are special, and your heart is reserved for me and me alone. I get to fill it, a challenge I’ve come to love. I knew growing up, I want what my parents have, a loving relationship, a committed relationship, one that exists only in fairy tales, and I won’t settle for anything less. You are my fairy tale, baby, nobody else. So tell me, do you love me?”
Tears fall from her eyes as she nods her head, my heart swelling to maximum capacity in my chest.
“Let me hear those words, baby.”
Gazing into my eyes, she says, “I love you, Hollis.”
As much as I want to grab her and kiss the fuck out of her, I need to know if she wants us.
“Melony, are you in? Will you put faith in us? In me?”
The slow smile that takes over her face is mesmerizing. She is so beautiful. I have missed her so much. “Yes, Hollis. I’m in. I want us, too.”
I don’t give it a second thought, my hand grips the back of her neck, and I pull her in for a kiss, our mouths melding together, our love being sealed. This moment. Right here. This will forever be branded in me, the day my girl first tells me she loves me. Just like the day Noah Calhoun kisses Allie on the dock, the rain pouring down on them, this is my fucking moment, in my best friend’s pool with peering eyes watching over us.
When I pull away, I keep my eyes on Melony and shout, “She loves me!” Everyone around us cheers; even Bodi, the grumpy bastard.
“Thank fuck,” Reese shouts. “We can stop bringing him ice cream every other day.”
“Ice cream?” Melony raises an eyebrow at me.
I pat my stomach. “I eat like a woman, you should know this by now.”
“How could I forget?” She laughs and pulls on my bottom lip. “So I told you I love you, what’s your edge on Noah Calhoun?”
Oh yeah, how could I forget?
“I don’t know if you can handle it, baby.”
“I can handle it,” she counters.
“I don’t know . . .”
She pokes my stomach, “Just tell me.”
“All right, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Clearing my throat, I say, “Melony, Boo and Bear, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Melony stares at me for a second, complete and utter shock on her face. I wait patiently for her answer.
I stare into her eyes, willing her to say yes when she slaps water right in my face and says, “You’re ridiculous.” She then floats away.
I pinch my nose, trying to get the chlorine out. “So I’m going to take that as a maybe?”
Floating in place, she turns to look at me and winks, “You can take that as a maybe.”
Well, fuck me, I better start ring shopping.