Meant To Be (6 page)

“You’re cute,” she said, kissing him, clearly still tipsy. “You’re not as good as you looked like you’d be, but you’re still cute.”

She snapped her bathing suit back into position then stood up, reaching down to shake out the sweatshirt she’d laid out beneath them. Daniel sat up, awkwardly removing the condom and struggling back into his jeans, still not totally believing what had just happened. “Not as good as you looked.” The thought echoed in his head.
How depressing.

He must have looked concerned because she smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell everyone you were awesome.” She kissed him. “Besides, no high school boys are good, you’ll get better at college.” With that she giggled, gave him another kiss and waved as she disappeared in the direction of the campfire.

Once again Daniel was alone.

Did that really just happen?
His hands raked through his hair. Exhausted, he considered lying down and going to sleep. Then he remembered he was still at the beach. The alcohol was beginning to wear off and reality was settling over him.
I’ve had sex. Good, I guess.

I’m not as good as I looked like I’d be… whatever that means.
He cringed.
Probably not good.

I’m still completely and utterly alone. Bad.
That much he’d known for sure.

Daniel couldn’t believe that one conversation with Marienne had stirred up so many vivid memories for him. He hadn’t thought about that time of his life in such great detail in years. He took one last look at the moon before heading into the house, finally ready for sleep.

Chapter Six

“What time did you get in last night?” Marienne asked Frank as she rinsed strawberries. He was already asleep when she’d gotten home the night before.

“Around midnight. I was so beat I don’t even remember getting into bed. What about you?” He flipped through his day runner as he ate his cereal.

“I don’t know. Pretty late,” she said.

“You get a lot done at the theater?”

“We did. Daniel walked me home.”

“Are you kidding me?” Frank sounded incredulous, and for a second Marienne thought he was annoyed. “Shit, that figures. I thought maybe he’d have the sense to drive. Must be you ex-New Yorkers, you all have a need to walk every fucking where.” He shook his head and scribbled something in the margin.

“It’s only a few blocks,” she said.

Frank made a face. “No matter how many blocks it is you’d have gotten home that much faster in a car. Whatever. That’s up to you two. You want to walk, walk. Personally, I’d drive.”

Marienne already knew that. Frank liked to do things his way and on his own schedule. It was what he hated about commuting. At least on the train he could get some work done. He’d been thrilled to meet Daniel, because when Daniel drove them in Frank could avoid the train and still accomplish something on the ride.

“I bet it drives Justine crazy,” Frank said.

“What does?” Marienne cut the leafy tops off the berries.

“Daniel. Always wanting to walk everywhere and preferring to take the train. Justine’s into efficiency. I bet it makes her nuts that he’s so laid back.”

Marienne agreed that Daniel could be laid back, but not in a bad way. “I guess they have different priorities.”

“That’s one way of putting it. Justine wants to rule the world. Daniel won’t even get to rule his own household. But hey, when a woman looks like Justine, does it matter? I don’t care what laws she lays down, any way you slice it the guys a lucky bastard. I bet she fucks his brains out every night.”

Marienne gaped at Frank.
Why does he have to be so crude?
She answered her own question. All men are like that. A tiny voice in her head whispered,
except Daniel
. She ignored the voice, assuming that once she got to know Daniel better she’d find out just as much jerky stuff about him. That’s how things had always worked out in the past.

Besides, the one thing Frank was right about was that Daniel was married to Justine, a gorgeous woman who probably did fuck his brains out every night. That thought made Marienne feel better, safe and confident that a friendship with him could really work. There’d be no threat of it going too far or becoming inappropriate, because he had Justine to go home to every night. She felt a hint of disappointment with the realization, but ignored it.

After all, I have Frank.

Frank got up and kissed her goodbye, leaving his breakfast dishes. Marienne ate her strawberries and glanced out her kitchen window, at Justine and Daniel’s house. She wondered what their breakfast talk had been like. She wished it was Monday, so she could go back to the theater. And she definitely didn’t plan on driving there.

****

“You got home awfully late,” Justine said to Daniel as she packed her briefcase. She sipped her orange juice.

“Yeah.” Daniel wondered if she was annoyed. He waited, but she didn’t say anything further. “I walked home with Marienne and we stopped at the park. It was such a clear night. We wanted to look at the stars. I really missed that when we lived in the city. You could never see the stars.”

Justine grimaced, barely looking up from her papers. “It figures Marienne would share your fascination with stargazing. I swear I don’t know what Frank sees in her.”

“What do you mean?” It was more than apparent that Justine was not the slightest bit jealous. That was an issue in itself, but the fact that she was questioning why Frank would like Marienne threw him.
How could anyone not like Marienne?

“Well, look at them,” Justine said, as if that should clarify things.

Daniel gestured for her to continue, not having the slightest idea where she was going.

Justine sighed. “Frank is a go-getter. He’s tough and aggressive, and he’s got that edge to him, that hunger. Marienne is shy and artsy. Look at the way she dresses. I’d expect a guy like Frank to have a flashy trophy wife, or no wife, for that matter. Honestly, he seems like a player. And I’d think Marienne would have gone for an artist or brooding musician. Whatever. Obviously they illustrate the whole opposites attract thing.”

Daniel understood what Justine was saying, and she had a point. Frank and Marienne were quite different, in all the ways she listed. He still couldn’t see how any of it made Marienne unappealing in any way, to anyone. She was sweet and funny, and he loved the quirky way she dressed. Her lack of pretense was refreshing.

“I gotta go,” Justine said. “You home for dinner tonight, or you doing the theater thing again?”

“Home. The next theater day is Monday.” The five days suddenly seemed much longer.

Chapter Seven

“Is there anywhere decent to shop around here?” Justine asked Marienne as she carried the platter of fruit into the family room. “Someplace that doesn’t involve the hundreds of malls?”

They had finished dinner, and Marienne was setting up so they could enjoy chocolate fondue while they watched a movie on the new big screen TV. Daniel and Frank had spent the entire afternoon putting the sound system together, mounting speakers on the walls, hooking up cables. It was Frank’s dream entertainment center. They were bringing the last of the empty packaging into the garage while Justine and Marienne laid out the dessert.

“Depends what kind of shopping you mean. What are you looking for?” Marienne reached under the fondue pot and adjusted the Sterno lid.

“Nothing in particular, I just want to shop somewhere that doesn’t have a million identical stores where a million other people are buying the exact same thing.”

“There’s always New Hope,” Marienne said. “It’s about an hour away, right over the Pennsylvania border. It’s full of galleries and shops. It’s a great walk-around town.”

“You want to go? Are you free Sunday? I’ll drive.” Justine sounded excited.

“Sure. We can shop and have lunch.” Marienne smiled, thinking it would be nice to spend a day getting to know Justine better. “Be right back.” She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a huge bowl of melted chocolate. She was pouring the silky, molten liquid into the fondue pot when Daniel and Frank wandered back into the room.

****

Daniel stopped and stared at the chocolate as it cascaded into the red enameled pot. He hadn’t realized quite how much he missed having dessert. Justine never kept sweets in the house, saying they were too much of a temptation. Other than the occasional candy bar he grabbed between classes or on his ride home, Daniel almost never ate anything sugary anymore. The sight of the chocolate, creamy and inviting, made his mouth water.

“I forgot the marshmallows,” Marienne said, as she placed the spoon back into the bowl.

“I’ll get them,” Daniel said, hands extended, offering to take the bowl back into the kitchen for her.

“Thanks.” She handed it over. “And yes, you can lick the bowl.”

He laughed. It was like she’d read his mind.

He headed into the kitchen and was standing at the counter, licking the chocolate-covered spoon, when he heard someone behind him. He turned to see Marienne smirking at him.

“You look very at home licking a big spoonful of chocolate. I take it this is not your first time.”

“Hardly. My mum baked all the time and I was the official spoon and bowl licker. Good work if you can get it.”

“I know. Frank’s not big on desserts, so I’m usually the one left to clean out the bowls.”

“Well, I live right there.” He pointed toward his house with the now clean spoon. “And I’m available for all sorts of baking bowl emergencies.”

“Good to know.”

Daniel tipped the bowl toward her. She swiped a finger full of melted chocolate and quickly brought it to her mouth before it dripped. His breath caught in his throat. It struck him that she seemed to have absolutely no idea how sexy she looked. There was something so natural about her. It attracted him to her in a way he knew it shouldn’t.

“Oh, the lighter.” She reached past him to grab it. “That’s why I came in here. I got distracted by the chocolate.”

“Happens all the time.” He was still thinking about her sucking the chocolate off her finger. He shook his head to clear it.

“Finish up so we can start the movie.” She threw him another playful grin as she headed back to the family room, lighter in hand. “And don’t forget the marshmallows.”

He ran the spoon along the side of the bowl, scooping up one last mouthful.
She was licking chocolate, you idiot, she’s not trying to seduce you. Get a grip.
He scolded himself, but the image remained in his head, and it stayed there the rest of the night.

****

It was a cool, crisp summer morning. Justine had told Marienne to come over at ten o’clock, and she was right on time. She knocked, and Daniel opened their door. He smiled and let her in.

“Coffee?” he asked.

“No thanks. You working?” She noted the stacks of papers that covered the kitchen table.

“Yep. First major essays for both of my classes. Not good thinking on my part to have them due at the same time.”

Justine swept into the room, putting in an earring as she walked. She looked impeccable, as always. Her golden hair was brushed into a low ponytail. She wore dark jeans and a cap-sleeved, tailored shirt that accented her hips. A chunky silver pendant rested right below her collarbone, and the matching earrings dangled from both ears. She looked as though she’d just stepped off the pages of an Ann Taylor catalog.

Marienne felt disheveled in comparison. She’d left her hair down, so it hung around her face, long pieces of bangs occasionally falling across her eyes. She also wore dark jeans, but she’d paired them with a tie-dyed v-neck t-shirt with a flared hem, and a pair of black Converse Chucks. Justine looked every bit the together career woman while Marienne felt like an awkward teenager.

“You ready?” Justine grabbed her purse from the shiny black countertop.

“Mmmmhmmm.” Marienne murmured.

Justine leaned down and gave Daniel a quick kiss. “See you.”

“Have fun grading papers,” Marienne said as she followed Justine.

****

Justine wove through the highway traffic. “So, what kinds of stores do they have?”

“Lots of galleries, local artists, artisan jewelers.”

“Cool,” Justine said. “I need things for the house and for work.”

“There are tons of antique shops, too.”

Justine crinkled her nose. Marienne knew antiques weren’t her taste. “What about restaurants?” Justine asked. “I didn’t eat breakfast. I’m starving.”

“We can grab something at a café.”

“Perfect.” Justine glanced at Marienne’s hands as they rested on her lap. “Cool bracelet.”

“Thanks. I made it.” Marienne rolled the bracelet with her fingers. “I went through a jewelry making kick a few years ago, a friend of mine worked at a bead shop. Whenever I needed something to match at outfit I’d pick out beads and put them together myself.”

“What a great idea.” Justine sounded impressed.

Justine found a parking spot on a side street and parallel parked with ease.