Elly & Kent - The Complete Story: Includes Books 1-3 (43 page)

"Alright, then." He chuckled to himself as we moved on towards the house he shared with his wife. We went over idle small talk, like how my work was going, how he couldn't find anyone to manage a business and soon enough we were walking up the driveway to the large house.

I hadn't been over much except for the occasional dinner party where Jen tried to set me up with her few single male acquaintances. I smiled patiently as I waited for Kent to open the door. I entered the house and looked around, nodding. Everything was different.

"Jen has good taste."

"She's done all the decorating, as you know. I just pay for the stuff." He shut the door behind us. "Just toss the jacket on the coat rack if you want. I'll get us some Dew and meet you on the couch!" For the first time in a long while he seemed really excited, more like the Kent I'd known most of my life.

I put his jacket up as he'd instructed and then made my way into the living room. I sat down on the beautiful yet uncomfortable couch, pulling my shoes off slowly one by one. I let them drop to the floor and pulled my feet up under my skirt. I looked around in amazement. Their living room looked like something out of a decorating magazine. There was nothing but intentional clutter, beautiful art, and expensive furniture. No personal pictures, no dust. Nothing was out of place.

Kent came in the living room with two glasses of that sweet nectar also known as Mountain Dew. I couldn't drink the whole thing, I wasn't a sugar fiend anymore, but I accepted it as he held it out to me. "Thanks."

I smiled as I watched him take a seat next to me and pick up one of the many remotes that had been tucked away in a basket. He turned the TV on and then the DVR player. "I was going to watch it last night, but I didn't get around to it. But now... now it's gonna happen!" I laughed at his excitement. I only ever achieved that level of excitement these days when I was buying a new pair of shoes... or playing with my band.

"You sound like you did when you first watched the Spiderman movie. Your mom kept interrupting your scheduled movie time and it was a whole week before you got around to it, do you remember?" I took a small sip before placing it on the side table closest to me. Oh crap! I grabbed a coaster and lifted my glass, setting it carefully on top so that I wouldn't leave a mark.

"Yeah, I remember. You know Jen doesn't like scary movies? Every time she came in last night I had to cut it off." He drank half of his Dew before putting it aside as well, not bothering with a coaster. I didn't want to see Jen's reaction when she found out.
 

I stretched my arms overhead and then crossed them, holding myself.
 

"Oh, I almost forgot." Kent reached between his side of the couch and the side table and pulled out the awful yellow blanket that had been in his school-aged bedroom longer than I had. As he shook it out a pillow fell out onto the floor. He tried to shove it back between couch quickly and offered the blanket to me. "Here ya go."
 

I leaned forward to make sure I saw what I thought I'd seen and then leaned back, my eyebrow raised, "Have you been sleeping on the couch?"

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Kent grimaced as he picked up the Dew and took a drink.
 

"Yeah," he said. He took one more drink and returned it to the table by the couch. His eyes were focused on the TV. If he wanted to avoid my questioning stares that was fine by me. I'd still get my answers.

I stared at the TV too and tried to remain casual, "Because you're just so tired when you come home or...?"

"Because Jen and I haven't slept in the same bed in over a month."
 

I was stunned. Firstly, because it was so easy to get that information out of him and secondly, because he had been sleeping on a couch for a whole month and hadn't told me. I tried not to let my disbelief show. I busied myself by tucking the blanket around me.

"But I mean...It's a big house, why not sleep in one of the other bedrooms?"
 

His scent slowly surrounded my senses and I tried to resist inhaling deeply. I kept reminding myself it was because his scent was associated with so many memories, it had nothing to do with those old feelings I used to have for him.

"Because it doesn't feel right sleeping in a bed alone is all. I'd much rather crash the couch."
 

"It's good to know you can sleep just about anywhere...except a--"
 

A gangly hand popped out unexpectedly and I screamed, covering my face with the blanket. I heard him laugh at me and uncovered my face enough to glare at him.

"You scaredy cat." He casually put his arm around my shoulder and I felt my body tense. "Are you always gonna get scared at the wittle scawry movies?" He teased me as he turned his attention back to the TV.

"Um, yes...I have good survival instincts, that's all. I'll be right back."
 

I got up off the couch and went to the bathroom. I took the next few minutes to splash some water on my face and try to figure out why I was feeling so weird. It was Kent, he was just being Kent. He was being casual and friendly. There was nothing behind it, never would be.
 

I looked at myself in the mirror, pointed at my nose and whispered, "Stop being ridiculous! Stop conjuring up fiction in your silly head, Elly. Be. A. Good. Friend."
 

I exhaled quickly, smoothed out my dress and then left the bathroom. I was only gone for a few minutes before coming back. I pulled the blanket around myself again and stared at the TV as the zombie with the gnarly hand chased a half-naked, big-boobed girl down the street.

The movie was half over and I whispered, pulling the blanket up to my nose, "They're all gonna die..."

"You know how these movies generally work. Most of the time yes, they do." Kent covered a yawn with his fist.

"I always hope they live," I whispered again. I grabbed the blanket from my shoulders and tucked it around him. He looked so tired and so sad. My heart was hurting for him and his marriage woes. "Looks like it's getting close to your bedtime."

"I got enough to finish the movie! I'm not passing out yet, Elly. Don't forget who usually won those late night gaming sessions! It was me because you always passed out."
 

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Yeah, but you're getting old. You don't party long into the night like I do." I grinned as I tucked my hands into the crooks of my elbows and snuggled back against the couch.

"Yeah, whatever. I can run laps around you any day of the week." He chuckled and pushed part of the blanket onto me. "Just try to finish the movie without screaming again and then we'll call it a night. Alright?"

"I don't remember you being so bossy. Being your own boss must have done that to you, BossyPants." I pushed the blanket back onto him.

"I'm gonna wrap you up like a burrito if you don't accept my hospitality in my own house!"
 

He stuck his tongue out at me and then he flinched and gasped as the zombie attacked the half naked girl unexpectedly while she was finding comfort in the arms of her male counterpart. Kent was blushing as he glowered at me.
 

I pointed at him, hiding my giggles behind my hand. "What were you saying, Scaredy Kent?"

Kent grabbed the edge of the blanket and twirled it around us and tied it in a knot.
 

"Yeah, so what. It's a good movie if it gets me to jump! At least I'm not screaming."

I struggled against the blanket and sighed in defeat after a moment of trying to wiggle out of it. The whole right side of my body was touching his and I was reminded at how warm he was.
"There is nothing wrong with screaming. God, you're like a bonfire."

"Screaming makes the blood move. As far as being a furnace...yes, I am. I can only sleep with a sheet year round."
 

Kent didn't seem to think much about our contact. It was all I could think about, him wrapping me up like he used to when we were teenagers, his lips kissing my shoulder, unlike when we were teenagers... I hopped in my seat because of the movie, but held back my scream.
 

"I think you forget I've known you since before you could walk," I countered.

"I know. You forget how hot my body runs in temperature? You don't remember complaining about being cold in my room and I'm running around in shorts and a t-shirt? Elly..." he sounded disappointed.

I laughed. "Kent..." And then I rolled my eyes, "If I think about it, yes, I remember. But when I think about Kent, my friend, that doesn't usually pop up." Not
that
specifically. Other things popped up, but not him running around in shorts all the time.

There was a raise of his eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Maybe I've forgotten but you seem to be holding something over my head. Tell me."

I shook my head, "Nothing, I don't think. It's just that when I think of you I just think of nerdy you with glasses and those awful 90's clothes...and a morbid fear of girls."
Of wanting to kiss you so hard that your glasses would fall off. And all those nights I'd prayed that you'd notice the parts of me that were round in a sexy, womanly way and not just in your sleep or in a drunken stupor.
I kept those thoughts in my head.
 

"Right. Not Kent who got tired of being picked on and started working out and got rid of the glasses," he frowned, "And I didn't have a fear of girls, just a healthy weariness of them."

"I don't think about how cold your room used to be or all the crusty socks under your bed either..." I bit my lower lip to keep from grinning too wide. His reaction was going to be classic.
 

He blinked, "When were you looking under my bed!"
 

My smiled dropped. His face was turning red.
 

"Well, did you ever wear those frilly pink panties with the bows on them?" he raised his eyebrow, "Yeah, I knew about those. They were sitting on top of your dresser one day when I came over and I pretended not to see them so you wouldn't be embarrassed."
 

I had an exact idea about what panties he was talking about. I'd bought them on the very off chance that I could get Kent into my plus-sized jeans. I laughed and gasped, pointing at him accusingly.
 

"I knew you saw them. I was wondering when you'd say something about them. I wear panties like that all the time." I stuck my tongue out at him and wondered if he was going to try to lift up my skirt to see. I scolded myself for even thinking about it.

Kent chuckled. "The good ol'days, right Elly?" For a moment he didn't say anything. "I miss this. I know we're both really busy, but why did we stop hanging out so much?"
 

Because of Jen
. I cleared my throat and reached out from the blanket, grabbing my phone. "It's late, Kent, I should get going..." I wouldn't meet his gaze, I didn't want him to see what was in my eyes. The regret, the guilt for being so jealous, the hurt he'd put there when he'd chosen her over me so many times in the past.

Kent was about ready to say something but something caught his eye and he looked behind me. In the doorway stood Jen, staring at us. Her purse dangled in her hand, her eyelids wide with disbelief, "What the hell is going on here?"

Ken pushed the blanket aside and stood up. "We were just catching up. It's nothing to worry about, Jen."
 

Jen, however, was more than worried. She was livid. "In our own house, Kent? You'd bring her here to do that?" We could smell the liquor on her breath from across the room.

I stood up quickly and tried to change the subject, "Jen, did you have a good time?" I approached Jen steadily, acting like the innocent party that I was, a smile on my lips.

Jen glared at me. Her eyes were so full of anger and rage that it was actually frightening. My mouth went dry.
 

"Get out," she spat at me.

Kent approached the two of us from behind, his arms out to embrace his wife. "Jen, calm down. This isn't what you think."

"Kent, she's right. It's late. We all need some rest." I retreated, grabbing my shoes and purse before anything was said that couldn't be forgiven.

"Good night, Elly." It was the last thing that was said to me before I walked out the large door. As I walked away from the house I could hear Jen yelling at him. As I neared the bottom of the driveway I heard Kent fire back, his temper officially lost.

I considered going back but it wasn't my fight, it was theirs. As much as I wanted to protect and defend Kent, it wasn't my place. I put my shoes on and walked down the street, pulling out my phone to call for a cab and text with Stacy as I waited for it to arrive.

Me: Holy shit! I think I may have just burned down Kent's house.

Stacy: What?? You burned down his house? What did he do?

Me: I meant his ... not his real one. His marriage house. They are fighting fiercely in there.

Stacy: Oh. I almost peed my pants. Don't do that to a sista.

I shivered as the wind battered me some more.
 

Me: Shit it's cold out here. And dark... Lions, and tigers, and bears...