Page 132 of My Heart Still Beats
“Hi, Skye,” I say into my phone.
“You doing okay today, Tess?”
“Yeah, I am.” I walk through my kitchenette into my small living area. “I know this makes no sense at all, but I actually feel better than I have in a long time.”
“Tessa?” Skye’s tone is concerned.
“I know. My father. I’m going to miss him terribly, and I hate the fact that I didn’t get to say goodbye in person. But we had a good relationship, Skye, even after I left the church. He knows how much I loved him and cherished him. I can’t imagine what life’s going to be like without him, but for some reason I feel like cooking today.”
“You?”
“Hey, I can cook.”
“If you call packaged ramen and Lean Cuisines cooking.”
“I eat that stuff because I don’t have time to cook most of the time,” I say.
She scoffs at me.
“Okay, fine. I’m lying. I do make killer guac, though. I need to hold onto my roots, Skye. My dad is gone. It was so unexpected. What if the same thing happens to my mother? I need to learn how to cook. Cook all of the Mexican favorites from her side of the family, and even some Irish stuff for my dad. I’m starting today. Because I feel like it. I’m going to make some cheese enchiladas.”
“Sounds yummy. I’d invite myself over, except Braden and I already have plans.”
“Actually, I’m going to invite Ben.”
Skye gasps. “Are the two of you—”
“No, not really. He’s only kissed me once. Yesterday.”
“At your father’s funeral?”
“At the reception, actually. I was standing outside in the rain, and it was…”
I almost don’t want to tell her because it was so perfect. If I tell her, if someone else knows, it’ll be tainted in some way.
“Ben… He…kissed you?”
“Yeah.”
“Just a kiss?”
“Yeah. I’m not even sure he was ready for that much, but the timing was perfect.”
“That’s very un-Ben-like.”
“Meaning?”
“He moves quickly, Tessa.”
“Not with me, apparently, which works out fine.”
I stop talking for a moment. Does that mean he’s not actually interested in me? Am I imagining it?
No, of course not. I can’t be imagining it when he made such a point about wanting to kiss me but waiting for the right time.
“Tess? You still there?”
“Yeah, I’m here. He and I had lunch today, actually, but he got called into work. So he probably won’t be able to come over to sample my mediocre enchiladas anyway, but I thought I’d invite him.”
