There he stood, in the flesh—Oliver Garrison. Ollie was the root of my memories of Serenity, and arguably the cause of one of my biggest demons. Certainly, he was the reason I’d run far from there. As kids we’d grown up being forced to play together, while our very close Grandparents did their own thing. From an early age, I knew I loved that boy. He was the one to whom I gave my virginity, and the one who broke my heart. Now there he was only ten feet away and I was glued to my spot.
I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to see Oliver again, and if I did it sure as shit wasn’t going to happen while I looked like a hot mess. Especially when he was standing there looking—sigh—perfect. Ollie had always been one of those naturally attractive guys. Even as a child going through the ‘awkward’ phases, he still looked incredible. Now though, there was no comparison. His tall muscular body was toned looking particularly yummy beneath his white shirt and khaki shorts. The blonde mop of hair seemed slicked over with some gel only making him look better. Whoever he was on the phone with had said something to make him flash that perfectly white smile. My knees felt weak and it had nothing to do with the long drive I had just sat through.
It was time to go.
I silently praised myself for pre-paying at the pump so I wouldn’t have to pass him to go into the station. Instead I ducked down and quickly hung up the nozzle, screwed back on the cap and slithered into the driver’s seat. The engine came to life and just as I was about to drive ahead I shot my eyes towards the side mirror.
Standing there with his eyes wide open Ollie stared back at my mirrored reflection. The recognition was clear but before he could make a move, I peeled out and drove to my new home, without looking back.
My mind was in such a whirlwind I forgot to grab something to eat. Now it didn’t matter. I no longer had an appetite. The second I arrived, I made my way into the bedroom and crawled under the covers. Originally, I’d planned to unload the car, check out the place and ready myself to return to the Inn. But that would all have to wait. My emotions were on high alert after my unexpected run in with Ollie.
* * * *
The next morning my body decided a little before six am, that I had plenty of sleep. The desperate need to return to bed was tempting, but my car was still filled with crap. Besides I hadn’t actually seen my new house yet; not that I had any doubts regarding my Grandpa’s ability to pick something great. The master bedroom alone exceeded my expectations.
The walls were a soft beige color with deep purple curtains covering the expansive windows. The dresser sat against the wall across from my new queen size mattress with a comforter matching the drapes. In the corner of the room was my new favorite thing, an oversized plush chair and foot rest. My bedroom back in New York I’d thought was a good size but after seeing this room—I’d clearly been living in a box. The rest of the house surpassed everything I’d expected.
The second bedroom was significantly smaller than the master was but comfortably fit housing a large desk and bookshelf, with room to spare. My new kitchen had state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, a breakfast bar and an island in the middle. There were already a few basic appliances, supplied, so I wasn’t coming in to an empty kitchen. My favorite, I’d have to say was definitely the bright red coffee maker with a bag of my favorite roast sitting next to it. I’ve never been too much of a cook but that was all about to change if this was my new kitchen! A window placed above the sink looked out at my new backyard. In New York City a “big back yard” was if you actually had a patch of grass to call your own. It was a fenced in oasis with a beautiful pond in the corner, a few large leafy trees with a homemade swing hanging from one. It took just about everything in me not to run to the swing and re-visit my childhood. The adult in me knew