Love and Skate (22 page)

             
“You should’ve told him to ask her for gum and then wait for her to get knocked into him.”  I giggled.

             
“Hey, that was all part of my grand scheme.  And don’t make fun, it worked.  I see a ring on your finger, don’t I?”  He gave me a smug grin.

             
“Speaking of rings, your mom and I have been talking about the wedding.” I knew that he loved the fact that his mom and I were so close.

             
“And what did my two
favorite ladies decide?” He lifted my hand and kissed my fingertips and moved up my arm as I tried to answer him coherently.

             
“Um—we
didn’t decide anything.  We talked about getting married the last weekend in May.”  These words came out in more of a breath than a voice because now he had made his way to my shoulder and was approaching my neck.

             
“
Mmmm
” He was at the base of my ear now, “I didn’t know you two had gotten so serious.” He chuckled into that spot below my ear and a wave of heat moved down to my toes.

             
What was I talking about again?

             
“I’m being serious here.  Is that too soon for you?” I hoped it wasn’t but then again I would wait forever for him.

             
He ran his teeth
the length of my earlobe and then said “If everyone wouldn’t get so pissed I woul
d drag you to the nearest justice of the peace
t
onight and make you mine.  But since my mom would kill me, I will wait as long as you need me to but it will never ever be fast enough.”

             
I couldn’t take his breath in my ear any longer.  I put my arms around his neck and fisted that raven hair in my fingers and pulled him to me.  He chuckled into my mouth as if it was a game and he had just won.  A simple kiss turned fervent and before I knew it we were in a compromising position and though I always thought I would wait until my wedding night, I couldn’t remember why for the life of me.

             
“Owen.”  It was a plea and a beg and a question all at once.

             
He broke the kiss and pulled back looking me in the eyes. He could see what I wanted but whether he would give it to me, I had no idea.

             
“Nellie, don’t make me tell you ‘no’.  Tell me to stop.  Tell me to go home.  Tell
me to go to Hell.  Something,
please.” 

             
“I can’t.”

             
“Then I have to tell
you ‘no’. 
I don’t have your parents’ permission.  I didn’t get their blessing.  I asked you to marry me right here in this bed without a ring.  I will make sure that at least this part is right.  I will make sure you never forget the night you married me.”

             
“Well damn Owen, when you say it like that—I won’t tempt you anymore.  I promise.” 

             
“Just you walking around tempts me, angel.  But when you actually try to tempt me it’s downright painful.”  He smiled at me.

             
“Well that answers another question.” I said as I turned off the lamp on my side of the bed.

             
“What question would that be?” He whispered into my ear as we tangled together for the night.

             
“I will definitely need the white dress.”

             
When Mom told me that the whole family had decided to spend the weekend in Arkansas with us I groaned out loud even though Nellie had already told me.

             
“Come on Mom.  Really?” I threw myself down on the big chair in the living room.

             
“Yes Owen, really.  You two are getting close to the wedding and being alone in a cabin is way too tempting.  You know I talk to Nellie, right?”  She flipped the channels on the TV like she wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary.

             
“Yes, I know that.  Fine—I’ll share.”  I smiled while I said it but tried to sound like I was aggravated.  I could never be angry with my mom for loving Nellie.

             
I looked at the time and
knew that Nellie got off of work soon.  Tomor
row was Monday before our Arkansas weekend and we were both excited, even if it meant going with my parents and my brothers.  Plus Falcon asked Kate, his new girlfriend, to come along.  They weren’t much younger than us. 

             
I didn’t see Nellie much the next week at all.  She had a big project due the week after we returned from Arkansas and it required spending a lot of time with the flirty guy Ayden or Hayden or
Asshat
.  The latter is what I called him.  They met on Tuesday and Thursday in the mornings at the library and though it irked me because that was our time together I understood that she needed to get her work done so she could
enjoy our weekend.  The week passed slower than usual and by the time we got to Friday night I had allowed my frustration to manifest itself.
             

             
I went to Nellie’s and packed her stuff up in the Navigator, again Dad didn’t want me travelling with her in the Bronco. 
I got into the driver’s side and she was staring at me. 

             
“What?” I said. 

             
“Why are you acting like this?  Isn’t this what we’ve been waiting for?”  She said.

             
“Yeah, I’m just glad we’
re finally getting some time together.” I snapped back at her and immediately regretted it.

             
“Huh—yeah, you look like you’re really excited.”  She turned towards the window and opened a book.

             
“Yeah, and that book is really going to help us spend time together.” I answered and wished that someone would invent a muzzle for stupid boyfriends like me.

             
She slammed the book shut and threw it towards the back of the car
and I heard it ‘thump’ against the back window
, folded her arms and put her forehead on the window.

             
“Look, I’m…” I started to apologize but she put her hand up and stopped me.

             
“Just don’t Owen.” She whispered it and sounded on the verge of tears.

             
We drove for four hours straight before I pulled over on the side of the road to stretch and use the bathroom.  As soon as I turned off the ignition she bolted out of the car and straight for the bathroom.  She came out a few minutes later and headed into the convenience store.  She emerged minutes later with two bags and two drinks in her hands.  She got into the
SUV without even a glance in my direction.  I got in after using the restroom myself and she was back to her window facing posture. 

             
I reached over, no longer able to stand her despair and touched the back of her neck.  She slumped her shoulders and visibly let go of her hurt.

             
“I’m sorry.  I’m an ass.”  I said and she turned to me smiling.

             
“You are an ass today.  I just don’t understand why.”  She turned in her seat towards me.
             

             
“I’ve just been aggravated all week about not seeing you.  It was just frustrating.” 

             
“Ok but we’re here now and you’re ruining it.  What gives?” She took hold of my hand.

             
“I don’t know.  But it changes right now.  Ok?”  I kissed the tip of her nose and it seemed to satisfy her.

             
“Good. 
I just want to get up there and forget the world.” She
leaned her head against my shoulder
as we drove on.

             
But the sad thing was, I knew exactly what it was.  It had been eating at me since she told me that
Asshat
had gotten flirty with her in class and now she was spending a lot of time with him.  Moreover, I was still coming down on myself about not being good enough for her.  I had to put the flirt machine and the self depreciation b
ehind me before it ate me alive—and
took us down with it
.

             
We got to the cabin and
the rest of the family arrived earlier in the day.  The restaurant was being run by management while Mom was gone.  Before the front door opened
,
the smells of Mom’s cooking already wafted around us.  I turned to Nellie and she gave me a questioning look.

             
“What is that look for?” She said

             
“You better kiss me before we go in.  We might not get another chance.” I laughed and she fulfilled my request and kissed me until the door opened before we were finished. 

             
“
Ewwww
, get a room you two.”  It was Maddox who thought we were gross.

             
“We would’ve taken the whole cabin but ‘no’ everyone had to be here.” I plastered on a fake smile.

             
“Owen, be nice.” Nellie elbowed me in the ribs.

             
We went in and were greeted by the whole family.  It neared midnight and we were all dead on our feet. 

             
“Owen, you will be with your brothers right next to our room.” She cocked her eyebrow as she said it. “And Nellie will be on the
o
oooooooo
ther
rrrrr
side of the cabin in the loft with
Kate.” 

             
And of course Falcon had to chime in. “Dude, you just got blocked.”

             
“Shut up Falcon.” Everyone chanted at once.

             
We all dispersed to our respective sleeping areas and I couldn’t help but text Nellie before I went to sleep.

             
O: Meet me behind the cabin in 10 min.

             
N: Nope.

             
O: Y? U asleep?

             
N: Nope. Having hot chocolate w/
ur
Mom outside. Ur 2 slow.

             
O: I will find a way.

             
N: Your Mom’s a ninja.  She’ll find out.

             
O: Mark my words.

             
I went to the window and pulled back the curtains to see Mom and Nellie outside on the porch both bundled in blankets, holding hot chocolate and giggling.
  Amber hadn’t been around much for Nellie since she and Dylan practically lived together now.  Dylan didn’t even have any clothes or possessions in the dorm room anymore. 
I was glad she had my mom, I was
,
but damn it if I didn’t want to kiss her one last time before I went to sleep.

             
Saturday morning the boys wen
t fishing
and Sylvia, Kate and I
went shopping in the nearest town. 
             
 

              Kate was very sweet and told us all about Falcon and how they met. 

             
Sunday afternoon after a very long cell phone conversation Sylvia and Chase decided it was time for them to go home.  The
ir
restaurant’s
manager was sick and the wait
staff was having to run everything on their own. 
O
wen was so
over the top fake about his disappointment.  It made me giggle.

             
Everyone pitched in to help get their things to the car and we waved from the front porch as they drove away.  I walked into the front door and flopped onto the couch ready to relax and enjoy the rest of our trip.  The couch depressed next to me and I could feel Owen close to me. 

             
“Please tell me that you brought the green bikini.” He groaned the words out.

             
“Nope.”  I smiled with my eyes closed as my head rested on the back of the couch.

             
“Ok, well I guess I’m going to get in the hot tub by myself.”

             
“I guess so.  Have fun.” He sat there for a good five minutes waiting for me to
give in but eventually I heard the back door open and close.

             
I ran and put on a swimsuit that was guaranteed to make more than the water boil and made my way outside covered by a towel.  I opened the door and the chilling wind hit me, making me walk faster towards my destination.