Parting Chances (Fighting Chance #1) (3 page)

“How’s your mom doing?” he whispered in my ear. Of course he’d ask that. He’d been there through it all too. I called Kyler and him right after I found out the devastating news, and they drove the two hours just to be with me.

“She is still having more good days than bad. So…” I couldn’t finish my sentence without wanting to burst into tears. Hanging out with Kyler had taken my mind off it for a while, but now the guilt of not being at home with her came rushing back. “I just need some…excuse me.” I fumbled my words as I pulled out of his hug, turned, and headed through the living room and out onto the front porch.

I needed air. Or I just needed to be alone. I didn’t know. It was getting harder and harder to talk about my mom without bursting into tears. Sure, she was having more good days right now. But when she had a bad day…it was beyond the worst.

I sat down on the wooden porch swing and pushed my feet out. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, I closed my eyes and leaned my head back.

Part of the reason my parents were so adamant for me to move here was so I wouldn’t have to see the bad days more frequently. She had already lived past what her doctors projected, so it was just a matter of time now. And honestly, I didn’t really want to see it either. I wanted to remember my mom as the healthy, vibrant, athletic woman she was. Not the woman this disease was making her.

I swung back and forth for a while, letting the breeze settle my nerves. I don’t know how long I was out there for, but eventually, I heard a car pull up. The door shut and footsteps thumped up the stairs.

“Hello,” a masculine voice drifted towards me.

I opened my eyes and was greeted with crystal blue eyes, messy brown hair, a lopsided smirk and six feet of tall, lean man.

“Er…um…hi,” I croaked out. Okay…the man was gorgeous. Pretty sure I was blushing.

“Haley?” gorgeous mystery man asked.

I nodded. I didn’t know who this guy was, but he seemed to know me. And if I opened my mouth to ask him, I’m sure I would sound like an idiot again.

He gave me that adorable lopsided grin again. “Eli.” He pointed at himself, like I should know who he was. Eli was leaning against the porch railing, staring at me with amusement in his eyes. Maybe if he wasn’t so damn attractive I could get my brain to start working again. But for now, I could only stare.

“You don’t remember me, do you?” he asked. “The four of us hung out together when I roomed with Noah in the dorms.”

Holy shit.
This man in front of me couldn’t be Noah’s roommate. There was no possible way he was the same guy. I hung out with the kid all the time, and this guy…no, not him. Not him at all.

“You look nothing like you did freshman year.” I blurted out. Then quickly turned red and clamped my hand over my mouth.

Oh God, he’s going to think you are the biggest idiot.

Eli laughed. “I was a lot scrawnier back then. Had longer hair. Wore thick framed glasses all the time.” His voice still sounded the same. That was something at least. “When I moved back home to help my mom, I worked with my uncle at his construction company. I guess that helped me gain a little muscle.” He shrugged like he was not confident with how he looked.

The more I stared at him, the more he was becoming familiar. Freshman year, he was this quiet, slightly nerdy kid. He always wore comic book t-shirts. He had spent most of his time on his computer or playing video games with Noah. Kyler had kept telling me that he had a crush on me, and she even begged me to go out with him a few times, but I always came up with reasons I couldn’t. Mostly those excuses dealt with
my
crush at that time—Drew. Blah. I was
so
not going to think about that douche when Eli was standing in front of me.

I mean, I enjoyed hanging out with him as a friend, but dating? He was definitely not what I thought my type was. Though, what I thought my type was turned out to be a bunch of jerks, so maybe I should have given the nice guy a chance.

“You okay?” he asked gently, pushing off the railing and taking a seat next to me on the swing. “You seem lost in thought.”

I shrugged, not knowing what to say.

“You don’t remember me, do you?”

“Oh no, I do.” Do I apologize for being the biggest bitch ever? For knowing he was the nicest guy, but being horribly stereotypical? I really am the worst. Especially when all I want right now is for him to wrap his arms around me and for those beautiful lips to make me forget everything that’s going on in this world.

Damn, Haley. You really are horrible.

“Hales, dinners read—Oh hey, Eli.” Kyler came out onto the porch and stared at us sitting next to each other. I jumped from my spot and quickly hurried past her and into the house.

Oh man, get it together, Haley.

I rushed into the living room, stopping when I saw Noah place the pasta in the middle of the table. I knew my cheeks were flaming red and did not want him to notice. He would badger me forever until I told him what was going on.

I ducked my head and walked past him, mumbling that I needed to use the bathroom first. Once there I leaned against the sink staring at my blushed face in the mirror. Thankfully I hadn’t put any makeup on before we left, so I quickly splashed cold water on my face to cool it down. Or maybe I wasn’t thankful I didn’t put makeup on, especially since Eli was here.

Snap out of it. He probably doesn’t even like you anymore.

Staring in the mirror, I watched the blush slowly fade off my pale face. Amber brown eyes were staring tiredly back at me. I dug into my pocket and pulled out some lip balm. At least I could do something about these pouty lips…well, kind of. I swiped a layer on my lips, washed my hands, and headed back out into the dining room.

Everyone was sitting at the table when I arrived, and of course, the only spot left open was right next to Eli. I slowly sank down on the bench, watching as Eli filled my plate with pasta and sauce before placing it back in front of me. I grabbed my fork and started picking at the salad Kyler had made to accompany the pasta.

“Thanks.” My voice came out hoarse. I grabbed my glass of water and took a sip, clearing my throat. “So, um, how do you like being back here?” I turned my head slightly to watch Eli out the side of my eyes. Kyler and Noah were having a quiet conversation between themselves, so I figured instead of awkward silence I’d try to talk to him.

“I love it here. I didn’t want to leave when I did. But my mom…” He trailed off and shoved pasta in his mouth.

I get it. I don’t really want to talk about my mom either.

“What’s your major again?” I tried to play it off like I forgot, but I’m pretty sure I never really knew. Or if I did, I definitely didn’t retain that information.

He smirked at me over the rim of his water glass. “Computer science, with a minor in game development. I’m surprised you don’t remember. We had a few classes together freshmen year.”

Ugh. I am a total doofus.
I groaned audibly, which just caused Eli to laugh even more.

“Shut up. Freshmen year was forever ago! I barely remember what classes I had, let alone who was in them!” Oh…crap. I watched Eli’s smile fall a little before he caught himself and put more pasta in his mouth.

“I just mean…” Oh man, I was just digging myself into a hole with this boy.

“I get it, Haley. It was a long time ago. I barely remember classes here either.”

I shot a glance at Kyler to help me out here, but she and Noah were still mumbling quietly to each other.

“So, you’re majoring in graphic design, right?” Eli startled me out of my staring.

“Yeah.” I shoveled some salad in my mouth.

“What are your plans for after graduation?” he asked, oblivious to my complete awkwardness at the moment.

“I was thinking of trying for the magazine or newspaper in town. But I’m not one-hundred percent sure. I guess we’ll see when it gets closer.” Honestly, I wasn’t even sure how I was going to make it through this year in one piece with everything going on with my mom, but I wasn’t going to tell Eli that. I could very well be taking more classes next year. “What about you?”

“Dream job? Designing video games. Job I’ll probably end up getting—computer programmer at some company. I’m hoping to stay around this area, but we’ll see.”

“I remember you always on the computer when we’d come over to hang out.” Flashbacks of Eli leaning back in his chair, typing codes into the computer entered my mind. The way he would glance at me when I walked in and give me a shy smirk. Or how he would always grab my plate and fill it with food before he did his own.

Wow, nothing has really changed much.

We continued talking about future goals while we finished our meal. Kyler’s mom’s spaghetti recipe did not disappoint.

When I finished, I stood and gathered my dishes and reached over to grab Eli’s. “I’ll clean up, since you two did the cooking,” I said to Kyler and Noah, who were starting to stand from the table. Kyler smiled and grabbed Noah’s hand, dragging him up the stairs to his room. I took the plates into the kitchen, setting them by the sink before turning to get the rest. But Eli was already walking in the kitchen with them.

“I’ll help,” he said, reaching for the dish soap from under the sink.

“Oh, that’s okay. I don’t mind.”

“I helped eat. I can help with the cleanup.” He swatted my hand away as I tried to take the soap from him.

“Fine. Wash or dry?” I asked.

“I’ll wash,” he said, snatching a clean wash cloth and towel from the drawer next to the sink. I took the towel he extended to me and slid up next to him, waiting for the dishes to dry.

We worked in silence, him washing, me drying and figuring out which cabinet the dishes went in. It was quick work, and when he handed me the last dish, I wiped the cloth over it slowly. Our time was up.

“Where does this go?” I asked, holding up the platter I was drying. Eli pointed to the cabinet to the left of the stove.

“Up on top.”

I walked over, opened the doors and stood on my tiptoes, stretching to try and get the platter on the top shelf. I felt a warm body come up behind me.

“Let me help,” Eli said, taking the platter. He pressed against my back, reached up and placed it on the top shelf with ease.

Can’t. Breathe.

He dropped his arms to the counter top, boxing me in for a moment.

One. Two. Three.

Three seconds he stayed there, before he moved away and headed through the doorway. I let out the breath I had been holding and took a few more to calm myself.

This boy was going to wreak havoc on my emotions. But oddly enough, I was pretty sure I’d be okay with it.

Eli was sprawled across the sofa when I walked into the living room. His shirt was inched up a little, exposing his well-toned abs and that amazing little trail of hair, heading south.

He glanced up and caught me staring at him. I turned twenty shades of red and shuffled over to the recliner, trying to hide my face with my hair.

“Anything you want to watch?” he asked, holding the remote out to me.

Offering me the remote? He really is something else.
“That’s okay. Kyler and I should be leaving soon anyway. I still need to unpack all my stuff.”

“Oh yeah, you just moved today. Like your place?” He flicked on a movie but kept his gaze locked on me.

“It’s nice. But I wish we found this place first.” I looked around the room taking in the old woodwork and noticed three small stained glass windows above the windows lining the side of the house.

“You don’t know the story of how Noah found the house, do you?” he asked, sitting up and moving to the other end of the sofa, closer to me. I shook my head.

“He and Kyler were out for a walk one day right after the school year ended last year. She was the one who noticed the house and saw the ‘for rent’ sign in front.
She
was the one who called the landlord, set up the appointment, and dragged Noah with. She figured she’d move in with him, and you would live here too.”

My mouth fell open at his confession. I could have lived here with both of my best friends?

“Yeah.” Eli chuckled at my reaction. “But then I called and asked Noah if I could move in with him, and he said yes, without talking to Ky. Apparently he didn’t know her plans, and figured he needed roommates. I had already sent in my half of the deposit and had my address changed over. Kyler wouldn’t talk to Noah for forty-eight hours. And you know how big a deal that is.”