Old Enough to Love... (Just One of the Guys) (17 page)

“They don’t smell like the one’s there,” he whispered. “Come here, I can’t believe you did this.”

“No!” I swatted his hand away. “We have a city waiting for us.”

“Please show me the way.”

About halfway down the lit up wooden walkway hung my homemade sign for Fishermans warf. Plastic crabs and octopus hung in fishermen’s net along the walkway.

I watched him, measuring his response.
Sittin on the dock of the bay
echoed over the speakers. Confusion masked his smile.

“What is this?” he asked slowing to examine the intricately made signs.  He looked at the map, indicating China Town was straight ahead,
Scoma’s to the left and Ghiradelli square to the right.

“
Scomas?” he asked.

I nodded. “Your mom said it’s your favorite.”

“My mom was in on this, eh?”

“Which way?”

He looked again at the map smiling. “Let’s see how Scomas measures up.”

We walked to the left and white lights lit up around the area. My mom lit the candles on the tabletop and poured our water. My dad suddenly appeared with two bowls.

“Please sit,” I gestured at the chairs.

He did while my dad sat the bowls in front of us.

“Clam Chowder for the lady and the Lazy Mans Cioppino for the gentleman.”

“Dad!” God, he was dorky.  Couldn’t he just set the soup in front of us and walk away.

“Thanks, Mr. Hendricks.”

Zach’s eyes widened as he picked up his soupspoon. “Is this really..?” He tasted the soup and smiled…big. I was happy.

I’d saved my money for weeks to pay for the soup to be overnighted from Scomas.

He reached across the table. “Emma.  Thank you.”

After dinner, we headed to Chinatown. First up, were press-on tattoos. I had no idea what they said; I’d only ordered them a week ago special delivery so they’d be here. Ryan frowned behind the table.

“Which one do you want?” He asked with the world’s worst customer service. Mom was making him do this, and it was clear he wasn’t going to play the part well. When Zach broke into laughter, Ryan threw the sponge he was holding and stormed off. 

“At least he tried,” Zach said still laughing.  “What do they say?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know really.”

He leafed through them then pulled his phone out and took a picture of one of the tattoos.

“What are you doing?”

“My app translates. I want this one.”

I moved quickly behind the table to the small Tupperware bowl of water. I found the sponge Ryan threw and dipped it. “Where?”

Unbuttoning his shirt, he pointed to just above his right pec, right below his shoulder.

After getting him wetter than intended, I peeled off the backing and it stuck to his beautiful skin.  This time, I pulled out my phone and took a picture of the lettering.

“What’s it say?” I asked.

But he didn’t answer; he simply ran his fingers the length of my face.  It mus
t have been something he missed from the city.  

“Next stop, Ghirardelli Square.”

“Let’s go,” he said with enthusiasm.

Ali’s area lit up with lights and I’d made the sign above her, an exact replica of the sign in San Francisco.  She retrieved what I’d put on ice earlier, lit the candles and walked away.

“Happy Birthday,” I semi whispered.

The ice cream cake from Ghirardelli’s read “
Happy 18
th
Birthday Zach.”
It was starting to melt so I cut him a piece quickly.

His spoon slid easily thru the beautiful confection, and the first bite came my way. I
opened my mouth and the cream, and cookie crumbles and fudge, WOW, they were awesome.

He took the next bite and smiled.

“I can’t believe you did this.” He paused and just stared at me. “For me.”

Goofily, all I could do was smile. This was SO worth all of the trouble I went to.

“You’ve done your homework young lady,” he said taking me into his arms.

“Yes sir I did.”

“Up for a quiz”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

“Name of two bridges there?”

I snapped. “The Golden Gate!”

He pecked my lips. “That’s one.”

“The Bay Bridge?”

He nodded and pecked me again. “Good girl. Name the prison sitting in the bay.”

I knew this but couldn’t think of it. “Um, can I get a life line?”

“Fair enough. There was a movie made about it.”

“Escape from Alcatraz!” I shouted. He reared back then pecked me again while chuckling.

He released me and rubbed his hands together. “Ultimate San Francisco question. Name the most used mode of transportation by visitors.”

“Bus?”

“No.”

“Those electric thingy like trains.”

He smiled. “Electric trains, no again.”

“Oh!! The Trolleys!”

He turned on his heels and walked away from me.

“Where are you going?”

He shook his head. “I must break up with you over that one.  I’m sooo disappointed!”

If it wasn’t for the smile that I loved inching across his face, I think I may have vomited right then and there.

“I don’t know the answer,” I whined.  “So I don’t get a kiss?”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

“Consolation prize?”

“Huh-uh.”

“Zach! Just tell me!” I shouted moving toward him and he back stepped. “Kiss me.”

“Not on your life,” he grinned.

I knew he was joking but the thought…oh the thought. I had always been protected. My whole life surrounded by guys who would keep me safe. But Zach was different. He was mine.  There was no obligation to my brother. He liked me. And even though I loved him, his liking me was enough.

“I’ll reconsider when you can answer it correctly.”

He must have noticed by inability to focus. Immediately, I darted toward the house. It only took a minute for me to get the right answer.

I confidently strolled toward him. His brows arched.

“Well?”

“You best pucker those lips. Because the answer is…cable cars…”
             

He grabbed my face and cradled it for the longest time.

“You’re right, cheater.” Then he kissed me long and soft; and it was by far the best kiss yet.

The last stop on our tour was the hardest thing I’d had to build. It started from a cardboard bridge my mom scored from an empty house. The bridge had been used in a vacation bible school and carnival as were some of the booths I’d redecorated.

Our hands clasped tightly as we walked to the east side of the house. As we rounded the corner, his eyes shot upward toward the lights and his mouth hung open.

“
Em-ma.”

I loved when he drew out my name and a shiver rippled through me. The homemade Golden Gate was pretty stinking good.  Didn’t really look like the real thing but the gist was there. My dad had unhappily dug three holes in his manicured lawn for this. The tall PVC pipe wrapped with lights was his brilliant idea and it worked.

“I know that it doesn’t look quite like…”

His fingers hushed my lips. “It’s perfect.”   With his hand still over my mouth, he unbuttoned his shirt and my heart skipped a beat. He pulled out his
iPhone and took a picture of the tattoo.

“Click on the translation app,” he directed.  I did. Then he clicked on the image of the tattoo and the phone was loading.  My eyes looked up to his and he slid his finger over the V between my eyes. 

“Relax your face,” he whispered.

He smiled at his phone then turned it to me. The image had been translated. The screen read: 
 我
爱你 / I love yo
u
.

The V was
between my eyes again. I could feel it.  I didn’t understand what that meant.

“The phone translated your tattoo?”

His wide smile forced me to smile. After sliding his phone into his pocket, he placed my hand over his tattoo. His heart pounded beneath my palm.

“I love you,” he said.

I nodded. “Yes, that’s what the tattoo says?” I asked again.

“Yes. That’s right. And that’s what I’m saying to you.”

“You love me?”  What?

A chuckle shook his chest, and I realized my hand seemed glued to his skin.

“Me?” I asked again.

“Very much,” he added.

“I love you too!” I nearly shouted, hoping his mind hadn’t changed in the fifteen seconds I’d hesitated.

When his lips met mine, on our very own Golden Gate Bridge, I didn’t dare close my eyes. This memory would be mine forever.

I was shocked to find out that Ali and Ryan had gone out that night.  Shock would be an understatement when Ryan admitted to actually having fun. Evidently, the verdict was out on the whole freshman thing…but Zach warned him not to knock it. Ali banked on the thought that because things were going so well with Zach and me, she and Ryan would follow suit…I wasn’t that optimistic. I knew my brother too well.

A week prior to Christmas break we planned a movie night for the four of us, and Ali’s excitement level was bordering on obnoxious.

“So, what are you wearing tonight?” she asked.

“Jeans and a shirt. Why?”

“You aren’t going to dress up?”  She acted appalled.

“Ali. We are going to a movie.” I spoke like I was talking to a first grader.

“I KNOW! This is going to be so much fun.” Her squeal shocked me.

Zach’s arm wrapped around my waist from behind and I smiled without looking at him. I faced him with my back to her. “Ali is excited about tonight.” I spoke with my teeth tight then crossed my eyes. 

He picked up on my irritation. “It
is
going to be fun! I am SO excited,” he laughed sarcastically.

“I KNOW!” Ali added.

He patted my back and hurried to his next class. “Good luck,” he whispered in my ear while Ali and I made our way to Advanced Biology.

“You know,” Her voice was hushed. “we kissed the other night and…”she glanced around to guarantee no one was listening. “He touched me.”

My response couldn’t have been positive because she closed her mouth in a little pout. “What do you mean he touched you?”

“Nothing. It’s no big deal.”

I grabbed her arm. “Ali. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t,” she defended and entered class.

I followed and pulled my lab stool next to hers. “I didn’t mean to make you mad. We are both in the same boat. We should take it slow and make sure it’s right.”

“Oh,
Em. It feels so right.”

I knew what she meant; I’d felt the same way. But I was scared she’d jumped into this too fast.

My gut told me I needed to have a talk with my brother.

Zach picked Ryan and me up before Ali, and, as we got to the car, Ryan lifted the front seat so I could get in the back. I frowned and started to speak when Zach interrupted.

“Ryan. Not trying to piss you off dude but that’s
Em’s spot.”

Ryan looked back at me, rolled his eyes and squeezed into the back. “Fine.”

I smiled at Zach, who winked at me, and I slid in to my shotgun position.

We drove to Ali’s and she bolted from the front door like the house was on fire. Zach had gotten out, lifted the seat and helped her in. Her perfume was strong.

“Hi guys.” She chimed and took Ryan’s hand immediately. I wished I could see his face…his reaction. But I couldn’t.

We voted for the scary movie, which I wasn’t psyched about but made for a good excuse to have Zach’s arms around me.  Not that he needed an excuse. We all sat together with a seat between Zach and Ryan.  I wasn’t sure why guys did that—but I’d seen it a lot.  

The movie was terrifying with a guy running around with a chainsaw trying to kill only the, hot young people; I spent half of it with my hands over my eyes. Zach chuckled if my screams actually escaped and would grip me just a little bit tighter. I heard a moan come from Ali mid way through the show and glanced over to see them making out. Please. Are you kidding me? Good thing we sat two rows from the top; no one was behind. I elbowed Zach in the side and he shook his head. I was embarrassed for them. Zach tugged on my hair till my head titled back, then he kissed my lips. When the credits rolled, we made our way back to the Jeep and stopped off at Starbucks and got a drink.