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SPENCER
Spencer sat in his apartment with a replay of last night’s hockey game on the television. Usually he enjoyed watching, even replays, but today it was just background noise as he looked over some contracts that needed signed and sent out before he clocked out for the day.
He’d left the office at lunch and worked the rest of the day from home. He’d had enough face time with Isaac for this week. And he didn’t trust himself to be around Mr. Lame for too long.
Signing off on the contracts, he emailed them to the office.
That was enough work for the week. Closing his laptop, he made a beeline for the refrigerator for a cold beer. He popped it open and took a long, well-deserved drink. It had been one long week, and now he looked forward to a lazy weekend of as much sports as he could watch.
Looking around the apartment, he noticed Zane’s boxes were stacked and neatly labeled. He’d be moving them to Lily’s place this weekend.
Spencer had not been looking forward to this. He was prepared to help Zane load the boxes into the moving truck from their apartment. But as much as he wanted to help, moving boxes into Lily’s place might have him running into Harley, and that was something he was not ready for.
Once Zane was moved out, he would need to figure out what he was going to do. Continue with the plans they had made together or find a suitable backup plan?
He and Harley had their perfect apartment picked out and an appointment to sign the lease. Spencer would still need a place to live—regardless of what happened with him and Harley. He didn’t like the idea of staying here by himself, but he wasn’t ready to cancel the lease appointment just yet. Maybe a little part of him believed they’d still be going to sign the lease. Or maybe he was fooling himself.
Because she was back with Isaac.
His phone rang, and Harley’s face filled the screen. After how terribly he had treated her the other day, he was in no frame of mind to talk to her. He didn’t trust himself not to be harsh to her again. Not after confronting Isaac at her place. Isaac’s words were still fresh in his mind.
He’d given his heart to this girl, totally and completely, and look at what had happened. This was why he’d never become attached or had serious relationships. He wasn’t built for this kind of hurt. Watching Zane mourn the two people he loved most in this world, his parents, taught Spencer that love equaled pain. And that was something he had never wanted to experience.
What he hadn’t expected was Harley. She had found a way into his heart and had thrown all his misconceptions about love out the window.
Until now.
His heart ached when he hit the button to send her call to voicemail.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to her, but he didn’t know what to say. How did he bring up Isaac in conversation? Maybe he should take the hint and bow out gracefully. Isaac had won.
Maybe he should’ve asked her about the phone calls when he’d first noticed them.
Not that any of it mattered now. His thoughts went round and round, driving him crazy.
But he still loved Harley, and he didn’t know what to do with that. He needed advice, and there was only one person to turn to with something like this.
Spencer slowly dialed the phone.
“Spencer! Hello dear,” his mom’s voice rang with delight through the phone. “It’s so nice to hear your voice.”
“I text you all the time.” Spencer rolled his eyes, only because she couldn’t see him. He’d expected her to say that, because it was always her opening line. If it were up to his mom, she would talk to him every single day.
“I know, but it’s no substitute for hearing your voice.”
“Okay,” he conceded. “I guess you’re right. I’ll try to call more.”
“Good. Now that’s settled. How are you doing? And how’s that girlfriend of yours? When will she be ready for some more baking lessons? I think the next one we decided on was my famous pumpkin pies. She really enjoys creating in the kitchen. She is going to make a fine baker.”
“Well...” He didn’t know how to tell her. But that was the main reason for his call.
“Spencer Michael,” she demanded, using his middle name, which suggested she meant business. “How is Harley?”
“She’s busy with school and work.” This wasn’t going well at all. Why was he being so wishy washy? It was as though he couldn’t control what he was saying.
“And?”
“And,”—finally he just blurted it out—“I’m pretty sure we are broken up.”
“You’re pretty sure? What does that mean? I know I am old and out of the loop, but wouldn’t you know if you broke up? Or do you kids do things differently these days?” She was being sarcastic, and he knew that.
Spencer sighed. He had been dreading this conversation. His mom adored Harley and Lily, and they had been taking cooking lessons from her since last Christmas. His mom was enjoying being able to pass on her kitchen knowledge to willing recipients.
“No, Mom. Breaking up with someone is still the same. It’s just more complicated in this case.”
“Is that why you called? To tell me that you let that wonderful woman get away?” she asked.
His mom never let him down, always the straight shooter. “And I hoped for some magical Mom advice.”
His words made her chuckle. “Okay. So let’s talk. Start from the beginning. What happened?”
Spencer told her all about Isaac coming back around and his catching him at her apartment, the recent blow up, and how he’d been keeping his distance with no idea what to do next.
“You and that temper of yours. I told you it was going to get you in trouble one of these days.”
“My temper didn’t cause this.” Or had it? That remained to be seen.
Her frustrated sigh told him all he needed to know. “What did she have to say?”
“You mean about having Isaac at her house right after I decked him?” Taking a breath, he took a moment to settle down before continuing. “I haven’t talked to her about it.”
“At all?”
“No.”
“Oh, Spencer. Why not?” his mom’s voice full of question and disbelief.
“I haven’t talked to her too much at all.” He didn’t need to explain to his mom, she knew him better than anyone.
“Okay,” his mom said calmly. “My first bit of advice to you is talk to her.”
Spencer rolled his eyes. That was easier said than done.
“Stop rolling your eyes at me. I don’t have to see you to know that you are. You don’t know for sure whether she’s seeing Isaac again. The only way you’re going to get to the bottom of this is to talk to her.”
“What am I supposed to say? Hi Harley. Are you cheating on me, or are you back with Mr. Lame? And why?”
“You probably want to fine tune that, so you don’t sound so harsh. I mean, are you trying to make the poor girl cry?”
He never wanted to make Harley cry. Ever.
“Once you’re calm enough to talk to her like an adult, sit her down and talk it out. If she’s really back with him, then you need to deal with it. But even if she is, there’s nothing saying you can’t throw your hat back in the ring. You did it once.”
“True.” Spencer wasn’t known for giving up so easily, especially against someone like Mr. Lame.
Spencer wasn’t ready to give up that hope. That girl had found her way into his heart, and he was going to fight for her.
“If you truly love her, you have to have faith that you’re meant to be together. If you feel that in your heart, then don’t give up on her just yet. And most importantly, talk to her!”
After hanging up with his mom, he sat and thought about her words. She was right, which was nothing new. His mom was always right when it came to advice, and that’s why he never hesitated to go to her.
Having faith was something he could do, no doubt. But confronting her? He wasn’t ready. And it wasn’t because he was scared or chicken, and he really hated being called that. It was because he didn’t know how to ask her about it. If he said it wrong, or was too accusatory, he could push her away for good. More than his girlfriend, she was his friend, and he didn’t want to lose that.
“Did Aunt Alice come through with her magical advice?” Zane asked, emerging from his room carrying two boxes marked bedroom.
“You want some help with those?” Spencer asked from the couch.
“Nah.” Zane set them by the door. “Thanks anyway. I can’t believe I’m moving. It’s hard to remember a time we didn’t live here, huh?”
“Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing.”
The truth was they had lived together for most of their lives. First at home, then here in this apartment. That fact was hitting Spencer hard right now. This weekend would mark the end of an era.
