Amazing Love Story (NG1)

14.2 - Loan and Lie

Bear greeted her when she entered the apartment at seven-thirty. No surprise, Garrett was asleep, but it was Sunday morning. Grabbing the leash, she took her dog to his corner and back. Then she ate yogurt and stepped into the shower to wash the gross off of her. Slipping into bed, she hoped not to disturb Garrett. He rolled over and opened his eyes.

"S'it morning?"

"After eight. I'm exhausted." He would start groping if she didn't warn him. Sex was the one thing he wasn't too tired or lazy for. Warning him wasn't always enough as he tried to convince her for a quickie. Fast and intense was his favorite way. She stopped asking for slow and sensual long ago. Looking at him before she fell asleep, she wondered when he last showered.

Victoria woke to an empty bed, but she had roused a few times to know Garrett had slept in. She suspected he stayed up playing his damn games all night while she worked. He really needed to grow up and act like an adult. No surprise, when she walked out of the bedroom he was gaming. After greeting her with slightly more than a grunt, she went to the kitchen. She had about four hours before she had to get ready for work. After fixing a snack, she went downstairs.

Her father sat watching the afternoon game while Becka cut out shapes which were pressed into laminated plastic sheets. She grabbed scissors and sat down to help her stepmother in the mindless task.

"How was work, Vic?" Her father stood and stretched during a commercial break.

"Fine. What's new with you guys?"

"We had dinner at my brother's last night. Nick thinks you hung the moon."

"Did he tell you about his author?" She smiled, thinking of Nick, but also of Matthew.

She felt guilty for walking on the beach with him, but he kept meeting her. Thoughts of Matthew led to thoughts of Garrett. She had been more open than she should have been with Lily. How could Lily compare Brady to Garrett. Brady was in Matthew's league. Garrett was some place else.

"What are you frowning about?" Becka's hands had stopped cutting as she stared at her. Victoria let out a long sigh. Becka whispered, "You haven't been yourself for a while." Victoria looked over at her father. The Red Sox were at bat, so he wasn't paying any attention to them. Becka looked too. "That one is gorgeous." She was referring to the player at bat. "Just tell me."

"I'm worried about him..." She lifted her eyes to the ceiling. "... Being able to pay back the loan."

"Sweetie, that isn't your problem. Your dad took the risk."

"But he did it for me, because he's my boyfriend. I'm sure he had my future in mind, but I'm not sure what my future is." She concentrated on her cutting and didn't look at Becka's face. She didn't want to see a smile or a frown.

"You're still young. No one expects you to get married at twenty-five. If you have a reason to move on, don't worry about the loan. Your father would pay anything for your happiness. You know that."

Her father was her rock and thankfully when he married Becka, it didn't change. She loved her stepmother because her father loved his wife and because she was a good friend. She nodded, but didn't reply. Needing to get away, she stood and kissed her father's forehead. "It was nice visiting."

He looked up from the TV. "Love you too."

Finding Garrett exactly where she left him, she grabbed her car keys and the leash. Bear jumped up. She didn't need to clip the leash on, because he knew by the jingle of the keys they were going for a ride. He looked at her, panting. Beach, please!

Victoria debated the entire drive and was still wavering when she crossed the causeway. She turned left and passed The Landing and should take a right turn onto Plover and park at the Brenner's. Instead, she drove to Evans'. Bear wasn't happy when she left him in the car. She ran up the wooden stairs before she changed her mind. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door. Matthew opened it and smiled. He had sunglasses perched on his head and shoes on.

She frowned. "Are you going out?"

"Just a walk. I need a break."

"That's what I stopped to ask you."

"Where's Bear?"

"In the car, we can walk from here, unless you want to drive down."

"In that contraption? I'll walk."

"Hey! What's wrong with my Jeep?"

"Nothing at all." He laughed. "I saw Nick and his friends yesterday. We had a bit of a book group at The Landing. Lillian was the moderator. It was rather fun."

"Has Lilli read your books?"

"She certainly has. I take it you haven't." Her face felt hot, but not from the sun. "Nick has them all. I should know, I signed 'em."

"Nick's gonna love me forever for introducing you. Maybe I'll read them. I want to read your mother's books too."

"I read one a few months ago. It was creepy. She wrote about things a son shouldn't think about at the same time as his mum."

She laughed. He was so damn cute and honest. "You know how you got here?"

"Yes, I know how it's done. I'm quite good at it. Or at least, I thought I was, but maybe not as good as..."

"Stop! She's an idiot and if I ever met her, I would tell her so to her face."

They walked in silence awhile. Each had their own thoughts, and Victoria tried to think of something other than Matthew and good sex.

Unfortunately, her mind took her to her sex life with Garrett. Sometimes it was exciting, but it could also be uncomfortable. Victoria often complained he liked to stick it in every orifice, but the one God intended. She hated when he made her bend over and would bet money, Matthew wasn't the backdoor type.

When they were close to the end of the beach, they stopped to look out at the churning water. He looked at her and not at the ocean.

"What?" It came out as a whisper, but his chocolate eyes drew her in. As she bit her lips, his eyes settled on her mouth. She felt a mingling of excitement and dread in her belly.

He shook his head. "I wish things were different. I wish you didn't have a boyfriend, but it's not fair of me to say, because I'm leaving at the end of the summer."

She wanted to say she didn't want her boyfriend anymore. A part of her wished the same things, and it left her feeling hollow.

"Come on, let's run!" He shouted.

Matthew took Bear from her and ran him faster than she could. When she caught up, they were waiting for her. Bear looked at her as if to say, what took you so long?

By the time she left him, it was late. She stopped at The Landing to grab sandwiches for dinner. Driving over the causeway, she still wavered about whether stopping was a good idea. When she arrived home to find Garrett hadn't moved, she didn't have any regrets. He sat and ate with her, but she had to leave for the hospital right after she wiped down the counter.

She kissed Bear. "Bye."

"Bye Tor." He was the only one who shortened her name to Tori or Tor. Her dad and some friends called her Vic.

"Don't stay up too late. Tomorrow's Monday. You need to work."

"You sound like my mother."

She didn't respond and walked out the door. The minute Lily saw her, she said, "What's going on with you and Matthew?"

"Nothing. Why? We walked on the beach."

"I saw you walking off the beach together. Where did you park?"

She had never lied before. "On Plover."

"That makes sense." Lily smiled and Victoria felt sick in her belly.