Jenn

“God, where to begin?” Scott asked out loud.

“I don’t need a story Scott, just let me know.”

“I know, but I want you to understand.”

Jenn scowled.

“Okay, I’ll keep it short.”

Scott took a deep breath and tried to quickly organize his thoughts.

“I had a crazy weekend, a few women told me they wanted a casual relationship, nothing serious just hang out and have sex. I woke up this morning and realized that’s not what I want, I want more than just sex Jenn, I had a relationship built on sex and hanging out. Even the best days of my marriage, I don’t think we were ever really committed to each other, we were enjoying having fun together, but there wasn’t enough beyond that to survive when life wasn’t fun.”

Jenn leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. “What are you telling me Scott?”

“That if you want to do this, I need you to know that I don’t want someone who is just in it to have fun, see if it works out, friends with benefits type thing. I don’t want that. I’m looking for someone I can commit to and know they have my back, that when I screw up or get lost in my own head and stop talking that they’ll come get me, fight with me, whatever, just as long as they don’t give up on me.”

“Scott.”

“I just. . .”

Jenn grabbed his hand, held it between hers. “Scott, we’ve been through so much together, you’ve seen me at my worst, I’ve seen you at yours. I’m not going to split the first time things get tough.”

“I know Jenn, even when I ran away you fucking rebuilt my bike.” Scott’s hands were shaking, he knew where he wanted to go, he just couldn’t get the words out of his mouth.

Jenn slipped out of her chair, took Scott’s face in her hands and kissed him.

It wasn’t the world’s most passionate kiss, but it said everything that needed to be said.

“Scott,” Jenn said when the kiss ended, “I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.”

Scott stood up, took her in his arms and kissed her. “Then I’m staying too.”

They stood there, holding each other, no more words needed said.

“New hire my ass.” The waitress quipped as she set down a menu for Scott and a coffee for Jenn. “You want your usual or you got your eye on something ‘new,’ missy?”

Jenn laughed, wiped a tear from her eye. “I think I’ll stick with what I’ve always wanted.” And kissed Scott again.

“Okay, I’ll bring him something too,” She griped as she turned to walk away. “Turning my diner into a goddamn Hallmark movie.”

Scott and Jenn both laughed. They stood there, neither willing to break their embrace till their food came, a burger and fries for Scott and some chicken tenders for Jenn. The waitress slipped the plates onto the table and walked off, shaking her head.

“Really Jenn, still chicken tenders?”

“Shut up Scott, I know what I like.” She winked at him, and Scott smiled.

The rest of the work day flew by. Jenn and Scott did their best not to even look at each other, there was too much feeling between them to handle at work.

When Julio and Bob left for the day and Jenn had locked up the front door Scott met her with a kiss.

“Not here Scott, we can’t here.”

“Then where do you want to go?”

Scott climbed on his bike and looked over at Jenn, she always looked good in her riding pants, but it was different now. This wasn’t the girl he had a hopeless crush on, or his friend that maybe could be more, she was his. This morning, they had been just friends, but Scott could feel it, there was something in the way she smiled at him.

He put on his helmet and followed Jenn out onto the road.

It felt permanent, like looking at a brand-new tattoo finally finished. A feeling that the girl on the bike in front of him was going to be travelling with him from now on. It felt amazing.

They pulled into Jenn’s driveway, the simple ranch style house he had been to so many times, a window he’d thrown stones at, the window she would sneak out of, the tree they’d climb and sit in and dream about their futures.

It was almost too weird, this place was so familiar, and yet everything felt different.

“You okay Scott?”

“Yeah, it’s just surreal,” He looked into her eyes, held her gaze. Jenn smiled at him and took his hand.

“Come on.”

She led Scott in the front door.

“Jenn, you want to order something or eat leftovers.” Bob called from the kitchen.

Scott smiled sadly, almost everything in the house was the same. It was comforting in a way, to see a piece of the world that had been the same since his childhood. But it was also tragic, a shrine to a woman who’d died 15 years ago.

Jenn led Scott to the kitchen. “I’m not hungry yet, you can order whatever.”

“Hey Scott, you hungry?”

“You know me Bob, I’ll eat anything.”

“You guys were supposed to help me decide.”

Jenn leaned against the counter, Scott had always loved the way she’d lean against that counter and think, scrunching up her forehead and biting her lip, staring at the corner of the ceiling.

He’d spent so long trying to convince himself he wasn’t in love with Jenn, that these little moments didn’t matter to him, that he didn’t care about the way her hair fell off her shoulder when she’d lean back and sigh, the way she’d tap her left foot twice when she’d made a decision, all the **** actions that he had watched her make for so long, every one of them etched in his memory.

“Let’s get Chinese.”

“Sounds good, you want to have a couple beers on the back porch till it arrives?”

“No dad, we’re just going to hang out, the two of us.” Jenn said, a smile spreading over her face.

“Oh, okay then.” Bob said, then after a second, suddenly looked up at them, noticing Jenn holding Scott’s hand, the smiles on their faces.

“Okay then,” he said with a bit more emphasis. “I’ll just head to my room, place the order and watch some TV, can you two listen for the delivery guy?”

“Sure dad, I’ll let you know when it gets here.”

As soon as Bob was in his room with the door closed Jenn grabbed Scott and kissed him hard. Grabbing his sides and pulling him into her.

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.” Jenn said, before dragging Scott down the hallway towards her room.