Gabe

We spend all day Sunday relaxing in the sunshine. Eloise doesn’t ask again about the second bedroom, and I’m relieved because I want to spend time with her, not clearing out shit.

Usually I spend my time at the house doing non-stop chores. I’m not even going to mow the lawn this week. It’s nice to be able to enjoy the place.

Eloise spent most of the time topless, her nipples hard whenever the breeze picked up. I’ve never been so grateful for having a secluded property.

I can’t wait for her to move her workdays and we can come here every week, all summer long. Not much work is going to get done on the house but that’s okay, as long as she’s here.

Memorial Day is beautiful, and we’re laying on the grass near the lake.

“You know what would look real good on this tit?” I ask, tracing my finger along side of her left breast.

“What?” She sets her Kindle down.

“Some ink. I’m thinking lilacs.”

“Are you saying my breasts aren’t good enough as they are?”

“Your tits are perfect.” I cup her tit.

“Then why do you want to change them?”

“For fun.”

“You haven’t corrupted me enough for me to get a tattoo.”

“Yet.”

Eloise’s boob jiggles in my hand as she laughs.

“Never. Trust me.”

“Are you wearing clothes for the drive home?” I laugh.

She slaps my hand away, and says, “You’ve satisfied me enough this weekend, I don’t feel the need to touch myself.”

“Funny, whenever I think of you, I always feel the need to touch myself.”

“Are you saying I don’t satisfy you?” she chuckles.

“You satisfy me too much, that’s the problem.”

“I’ll stop trying to satisfy you. Maybe next time I’ll keep my hands away from you.”

“Don’t do that. That would be cruel.”

“But less satisfying for you.”

“I’m going to make the burgers now,” I say, standing before she can make any more threats.

“I’ll help.”

“Only if you take off the rest of your clothes.”

“There’s no time, we have to get going home. I have to work in the morning.”

We make dinner together, I barbecue the meat and Eloise makes a Caesar salad.

The ride home is uneventful and fully clothed, though an hour in a truck with Eloise is fun enough as it is.

“I can’t stay over tonight, I have work in the morning and I need some things from my apartment.”

“Your car’s at my place so I can’t drop you off at home.”

We pull into my property. There’s a truck parked out front, but I don’t think anything about it, it’s not unusual for people to use my parking spaces. I steer the truck alongside the tattoo parlor and park it beside Eloise’s car.

She hops out of the truck, and I rush out and pull her into my arms. I squeeze her in a massive bear hug, not wanting to ever let her go.

“You fucking asshole!” a man yells.

I spin around. Marshall is storming toward me, his fists clenched.

“Oh my God,” Eloise says.

“Whoa, what are you doing here?” I demand, placing my body between Marshall and Eloise.

“What were you doing sending me that bitch?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Eloise grabs hold of my arms, her fingernails digging into me.

“Kaylee.”

Marshall reaches the back of my truck and stops. His nose flares as he breathes and his fists are clenched.

“Get the fuck out of here, Marshall. You know you’re not allowed to be here.”

“What’s the matter? Don’t want to fight in front of your new pussy because she doesn’t know what you’re really like?”

Eloise gasps at his words. Adrenaline surges through my body, but I have no desire to hit Marshall, only to hold Eloise.

“Calm the fuck down and get out of here. You’re breaking your restraining order.”

“You think I fucking care? I care about my business, and you tried to sabotage it.”

“Give me a break, I didn’t try to sabotage your business. You suck, there’s no need for me to do any sabotaging.”

Ordinarily by now I’d have broken his nose, but just having Eloise beside me relaxes me. I only wish she was just as relaxed.

“Then what the fuck was Kaylee?” he barks.

“A bitch who isn’t my problem anymore.”

“Well she’s my problem because of you.”

“I didn’t make you hire her.”

“You didn’t warn me about her.”

“So you should’ve phoned for a reference, now fuck off away from here.”

Eloise’s nails dig harder into my skin.

“She stole from a client while he was getting work done, and now he’s threatening to sue me because of her. This is bullshit.”

“Listen,” I say, stepping toward him at my full height. “Kaylee has nothing to do with me. Leave now before I…” Eloise whimpers and I decide not to threaten to cave his face in. “Before we phone the police and tell them you’re breaking the restraining order. Get your phone out, Jewel, and get ready to dial 911.”

“Cocksucker, you’re the one with the restraining order on you,” Marshall grumbles and turns away. He disappears around the corner of the building. I’m amazed how easily it was to get rid of him.

I spin around, intending to hold Eloise but she’s standing with her arms crossed over her chest, hugging herself.

“Don’t worry about him,” I say.

“Who was that? What’s going on with Kaylee? What did you mean a restraining order?”

“Come inside, I’ll tell you the story.”

“I don’t know that I want to. Do you have a restraining order on you?”

I exhale sharply and shake my head. “It’s a long story.”

“I’m listening.”

“Come inside, I will make you a drink.”

“I don’t want to drink, I want an explanation. That guy was crazy.”

“Exactly. He’s a crazy motherfucker who’s being a pain in my ass since I moved back here.”

Her eyes search mine, and I remain motionless. It must be a shock for her, she’s probably never even witnessed anything like that before.

“I thought you were going to hit him. I didn’t know you were like that. Right now I’m wondering who the real you is.”

“The real me is the guy who was at the house.”

Our eyes lock, and her chest heaves with her breath. She throws her arms up, and lets them fall back down.

“Fine, let’s go inside but you have to tell me everything.”

“I fired Kaylee that morning you first came here because I found out she was stealing from me. That’s why I made her leave immediately,” I say as I unlock the door to my apartment.

“So why was he mad?”

Eloise starts climbing the stairs, and I followed behind her.

“He subsequently hired her. That’s not my problem, he didn’t ask me for a reference.”

“But why didn’t you report her to the police?” She stops mid step, and twists around to face me.

“Let’s sit down first.”

“I don’t care about sitting down, I want answers.”

“And I told you, I will tell you everything but let’s sit down first.” I want her to calm down before I start telling her what she wants to know.

Eloise turns back and runs up the rest of the stairs. I hurry to keep up with her. She flops down on the La-Z-Boy, and crosses her arms in front of her.

I’m disappointed she didn’t sit on the futon. I stand in front of her chair before deciding it’s probably not good to tower over her, and I sit on the futon.

“When I moved here and opened my parlor, Marshall was pissed off he’d have more competition and so he smashed the windows in the front of my parlor. That’s why I have a restraining order against him.”

“But why does he have a restraining order on you?”

“Because when he was smashing the glass I was here, and I went down and confronted him.”

“You beat him up?”

“Yeah, but not until after he threw the first punch.”

“I don’t understand. There are more tattoo parlors in Rochester than just you two, why did he attack yours?”

“Because I was new. He was trying to scare me from opening. He’s a psycho.”

“And that’s why you didn’t tell him about Kaylee?”

I shrug. “He’s got a restraining order on me, I’m not allowed to contact him.”

“Plus you don’t care.”

“That too.”

“I still don’t understand why you didn’t tell the police about Kaylee. She broke the law. She stole from innocent people. You have an obligation to tell the police.”

“It’s not that easy. I hate her, I’d love to see her arrested. But she’s a single mom. I’m not going to be the one responsible for taking her son’s mother away. Kids need their parents.”

Eloise’s jaw softens, and she stands.

“Is that really the reason?” she asks, her voice soft.

I stand, and wrap my arms around her. “It is.”

“You really are the man from the lake house.”

“I am. I wish you hadn’t doubted me.” Why did she doubt me? I thought she could see who I am.

“It was the shock of that man coming here and yelling at us. Sorry.”

I lean over and press my lips against hers. I close my eyes, soothed by her. Eloise. The only person who’s ever been able to comfort me. Everything with us is perfect, I just have to get through the dinner with her parents.