Page 32 of Suits and Spark Plugs

“He respects me enough to not bulldoze me. Besides, rule two, Connor. I’m dating someone, and you don’t get a vote on who that person is or how he acts.” I straightened as Blaine came out of the office with my backpack and coat in hand.

Blaine silently helped me put on my coat. He turned me to zip up the front. “You ready?” he asked.

“Yes.” I turned back to face Connor. “I don’t think I’ll be studying here anymore. I’ll be back to clean in a few days.”

“Liv...” Connor started.

“Rule two, Connor,” I replied.

I followed Blaine out the door and to his car, the entire time feeling like I didn’t really understand, at all, what had just happened here.

CHAPTER TEN

Isat cross-legged on my bed with my physiology book open, willing my mind to focus. Across the room a white canvas with two sets of eyes was looking back at me. The day after the strange events at Connor’s shop between him and Blaine, I’d had to paint out my confused emotion. What had come out of my mind and onto the paper had been their eyes. Two blue, two amber. One tender, one unyielding.

I closed the book with a groan of frustration and stood. My feet walked the familiar path to the corner where I kept my paint supplies. I found a sharpened sketch pencil laying nearby and went to the canvas to draw a quick outline of Blaine’s face around the blue eyes. When I was satisfied, I returned to the supply table. The brushes were waiting for me like old friends. I pulled out the colors I always saw in Blaine’s hair and mixed them slowly, steadily, mindlessly on the palette, all the while picturing him in my mind. As his face presented itself a smile stole to my lips. Blaine was interesting, accomplished, stylish, and kind.

My mind grew calm and clear as I painted him. His charm stood out in the gentle strokes I used, reminding me of all the reasons I’d encouraged our relationship to progress. I painted for over an hour, spending precious time I didn’t have to work through my thoughts. As always, I felt rejuvenated and more at peace.

When the alarm on my phone went off, reminding me I had a shift at the diner, I was satisfied that I had the beginnings of a great portrait. I glanced to the set of amber eyes on the other half of the canvas. They had seemed tender when I’d been looking before, but now they felt mocking. I slashed a line across them, the blond of Blaine’s hair color not quite fully hiding them. I looked back to Blaine’s eyes. What had seemed unyielding, now seemed sure and steady.

With that in mind, I called Blaine on the way to work and invited him to have dinner at my house the following evening. It wasn’t the romantic Valentine’s date I’d originally thought of, but it was a new step and his surprise was evident. He’d been to my house a few times but had never come inside. He’d never met my mom or Sadie, because I’d never invited him to interact with my family at all. To be totally honest, he wasn’t even aware that my parents were basically separated.

Of course, I hadn’t met his family either, but there was time for that. Inviting him over would help one of my walls to crumble, which was a good thing, even though it made my hands shake as I hung up the phone.

The next afternoon when I got off work, I sped straight to the grocery store to buy all the fixings for a homemade lasagna, salad, breadsticks, and a pie from the bakery for dessert. I didn’t cook full meals often, but I knew how and I wanted to impress Blaine. My first Valentine’s date with him would not be frozen dinners.

When I arrived home, Sadie was sitting on the couch, a magazine in her lap and her feet propped on the coffee table. The nail polish was still open next to her, and the smell filled the air. I wondered for the hundredth time why she bothered giving herself pedicures in the middle of the winter when our mountain valley required shoes to be worn at all times. Homework papers were scattered around her, and the TV was on at full volume.

“Hey, did you get the kitchen tidied up a little? Blaine’s coming over for dinner tonight, remember?” I said as I rushed through with arms full of plastic bags.

“Yeah, I had dance practice after school, and then a drill team Valentine party. Sorry.”

She wasn’t sorry, and we both knew it. My shoulders tightened in timeless reaction, but I held my tongue.

I entered the kitchen to find it a mess, which didn’t surprise but did disappoint. I put the groceries on the table and took a few deep breaths while I decided how to handle it. First I’d make the lasagna. While that was baking, I could tackle the cleaning. Blaine would be here in a little over an hour. I could do it.

I heard my sister moving around in the family room and called out to her. “Can you please clean up the front room at least? I’ll get dinner cooked and the kitchen ready.”

“I’m just going to jump in the shower. I’m still sweaty from practice.”

“But you just painted your toes,” I called, but the only response I got was the slam of the bathroom door echoing through the house. I chewed on my lip and groaned in frustration. Why, why, why? And where should I hide her body?

Tamping down on my anger, knowing it would give me a headache that I couldn’t afford, I got to work on the lasagna. Ten minutes later it was in the oven—a miracle thanks to no-boil noodles. I worked like a mad woman. I’d been hoping to have time to clean myself up after my work shift, but it wasn’t looking good. A spritz bath was in my future.

With only ten minutes left until Blaine was supposed to arrive, I had everything ready to go in the kitchen, and the front room was as clean as could be. I ran up to my room and grabbed a cute skirt and top that I’d been saving, then hustled into the bathroom and stripped down. Using a washcloth I wiped down all the important parts before spritzing on fresh deodorant and body spray, and getting redressed. I washed my face, applied mascara and lip gloss, and corralled my hair into place with a few strategically placed bobby pins just as the doorbell rang.

“Honey, Blaine is here,” Mom called up the stairs. The sound of her voice was at once startling and familiar. It had been a while since it had held that happier tone, and I was grateful she’d made it home, even if she hadn’t been able to help prepare things.

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself before walking down the stairs as though I’d had everything under control. I was both nervous and relieved to find Mom and Sadie sitting on the couch together with smiles for Blaine, who was sitting on the chair nearby. He was holding three identical floral bouquets and wearing a truly remarkable navy blue suit. He looked like a million bucks. He stood when I entered the room and came to give me a kiss on the cheek.

“You look lovely, and it smells great in here,” he said against my ear. “Happy Valentine’s Day, babe.” He handed me one of the bouquets and then did the same for Mom, who gushed appropriately, and Sadie, who remained silent although her face turned pink. My heart flipped a little over his thoughtfulness.

“I’m so glad you could come.” I took his hand. “Have introductions been made?”

“Yes. We’re so happy to finally meet this mystery man of yours,” Mom replied with a smile of her own, which grew when she leaned in to smell the roses he’d just given her.

“Well, the food is ready. Let’s go to the kitchen and take a seat,” I said cheerily while my heart tried to beat out of my chest.

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