The Tattooed Flower

20. Romance Is Not My Forte

"A pool? You're kidding. Oh my god your not kidding..." We're standing in the living room as Caleb pulls back the curtains to what I had previously thought was just a huge window but is actually a sliding glass door that leads out side to a in ground pool. I cautiously pull open the door and walk out onto the stone patio. The smooth rocks are warm under my feet. I glance around me the patio is adorned with matching dark wicker furniture and hanging baskets overflowing with bright flowers. Taz is whining at the edge of the pool, aching to jump in. I glance back at Caleb, "Can he?"

Caleb nods. "C'mon Tazzy boy! Go in the water!" Taz throws his head back in an excited bark and jumps in the water. He paddles around for awhile and then climbs out by the steps. He runs up to Caleb and shakes off before running across the fenced in yard. I laugh as Caleb flicks water off himself, a disgusted look on his face.

"You thinks it's funny?" He asks stepping towards me dangerously. I nod carefully, trying and failing to suppress my smile. He makes a grab for me and I bolt across the yard, Taz barks, playfully nipping at Caleb as he chases me. "How are you so fast?" Caleb shouts after me. Laughing, I continue to run until I reach the edge of the fence. I press my back against it and breath steadily.

Caleb inches toward me, carefully entrapping me between his arms. I can feel the electricity in his stare and all I can do is wait. Kiss me. Kiss me, dammit. I feel his hot breath fan over my cheeks and I stare into his impossibly dark eyes, silently daring him to seal the distance between us. He cups my cheeks in his hands and presses his body into me, pushing me against the tall wooden fence. "What is it that couples do these days?" I can taste the peppermint of his breath in the air. "Netflix and chill? I think chill is code for sex."

"How romantic." I laugh, pulling his hands from my face I begin the trek back up to the house, walking with haphazard steps.

"Romance is not my forte." Caleb says easily catching up to me.

"That makes two of us." I giggle, shielding my eyes from the sun with my arm. "I'm too white for Nevada."

We reach the house and I walk inside, searching for Taz's water dish to put outside with him, hoping that he'd opt for the water dish, over whatever chemicals the pool is riddled with. As I set down Taz's water dish on the stone patio I examine the yard. Its all dull, sandy dirt, devoid of color or life.

It had happened for only a moment before I fell asleep last night. I kept wondering what I'd do: live here with Caleb, let him hide me away and be a leach. I don't want that. I've always been a person who spent her life dreading every moment of what would come. Probably because I was always imagining myself somewhere else. Anywhere else. I want a purpose. I want more than to be a girl in love with Caleb. I want to be a girl with a job and a life, something to have to do. This. This, dead yard.

I can fix it.

***

Caleb-

I have to do something. She deserves romance. But, god, what does that even look like?

Romance...

...Nothing.

Quinn is in the shower. Her voice booms from behind the door. She's singing Total Eclipse of the Heart. Her voice screaming out from behind the door. She's gone from her beautiful, bell-like tone, to attempting to adopt the grit of Bonnie Tyler and failing.

I take my phone from my pocket and dial Matthew's number.

"Hewwo?"

"Avery? Sweetie, can I talk to your daddy?"

"Which one?" Right. Stupid question.

"Matthew, sweetie." Shuffling.

"Daddy, somebody wants to talk to you." I hear Matthew say something softly to Avery, her response is a fit of giggles and the soft pitter patter of feet as she runs off to Dave. I take a sip from the coffee I've been working on all morning.