Three Months and You're Mine (In Too Deep) (21 page)

"I didn't really tell him anything. It's not like I talk to him every day. We're both busy with work."

"Meredith, you're telling you're brother we're together," I said. "Especially in light of what's about to go down at the cabin."

"You're saying you want me to tell him I'm your girlfriend?" She drug out the word girlfriend in a teasing tone.

"Yes, I want you to tell your brother that. Because that's what you
are
for one thing, and also because I'd like to avoid being hacked to pieces."

Chapter 23

Meredith

It was Wednesday May 20
th
, and oh, what a beautiful day it was in Los Angeles California. My scene was airing that day, and eighteen people and two dogs were crammed into Zack's living room to watch Paradise Island when it aired at 2PM Pacific Standard Time. They'd all gathered there to celebrate with me and I felt the love, let me tell you. Zack's mom got there early and helped us get things ready. They ordered some simple finger foods and his mom put the trays out along with everything needed to serve and eat. I couldn't believe all the trouble; I felt humbled. I was extremely nervous to see how the scene came out.

The night before
, I sort of inadvertently told Zack my brother didn't know about us yet. I made sure Zack knew I was planning on telling Collin the truth if I had the opportunity while we were there to watch the show. I tried to think about how scared I should be of my brother, hoping it would somehow make me forget how anxious I was about watching my scene. 

That wasn't
all I had to be nervous about, either. We were just
ten days
from our night in the cabin. (Can I get an OMG?) Obviously, we hadn't told anybody what we were using the cabin for, but I did put my name on that night using the online calendar Gretchen had set up.

My mom and dad along with
Collin and Rachel were the first to arrive at the little shindig. Taking in the scene, my mom acted for a second like she wanted to get a little passive aggressive about not being in on the planning committee. But just like that, God love her, I saw the switch flip, and I could see her resolve to go with the flow. She smiled and reached out to hug me.

"I'm so proud of you sweetheart," she said.

The burning pain of unshed tears hit me instantly and I held them back with all my might, trying to avoid a dramatic scene.

"Thank you,
I'm nervous," I said, honestly.

"You shouldn't be," Rachel said, reaching in to hug me. I was glad for the distraction. My mother's proudness was almost too much for my tear ducts. I busied myself by getting hugs from my brother and dad then we all gathered around the kitchen, making introductions and conversation.

Everyone had arrived with ten minutes to spare before the show started. We stood around the kitchen and living room, hanging out and eating snacks. Zack's mom said something about the two of us being together as a couple, and when she did, I got some serious stares from my mother and brother. I just smiled and looked at Zack. "I mean, it's only really been official for, what, three weeks now?" I gave a nonchalant shrug as if it were old news.

"You and Zachary are seeing each other?" my mom asked
formally. There were at least ten of us gathered in the living room, and up until then, people were talking amongst themselves, but at my mom's question, the whole room fell silent.

I looked at Zack and shrugged again
trying to make it seem natural, but I knew I was red, I could feel the blood in my cheeks.

"Yes, we're seeing each other," Zack said. He pulled me in for an off balance hug, which earned us appreciative noises from the group. I hadn't realized how badly I wanted to hear him tell other people that. All along, I'd
been wanting to hear him say it. When the words came out of his mouth, I could physically feel relief in my chest. Zack Larson had just made things official between us in front of our friends and family, and the most amazing part was…
I still wanted him
. Thank God Almighty my run-reflex was broken! In fact,
wanting
wasn't even the appropriate word for what I felt about him. I was giddy with anticipation about the night we had planned at the cabin, and I was so attracted to him, that literally every time we touched, even brief or accidental, my gut clinched and I felt a zap to my skin. I wanted Zack so badly, I felt almost delirious with desire.

The show had been on for a little while, but my scene hadn't aired yet. Zack and I
were sitting on the couch together, and he got up during a commercial to grab a drink out of the fridge. He had on jeans that hugged the muscular curves of his legs. His shirts were usually fitted because with his broad chest, they just all fit like that. This one was no different. It was a simple white V-neck, but it fit him like a glove and that was a sight to behold. I sat there staring at him from across the room, wondering how I ended up with the most gorgeous guy there. I knew I looked good, but shit, there must have been a little luck involved with me catching one like Zack.

"You look happy, sweetheart." My mom's statement had me pulling my gaze from Zack so I could
look at her.

"I
am
happy, Mom. I'm loving work, and now that I have Zack I'm starting to feel really comfortable here."

"Are you planning on finishing up school here in L.A. then?"

"I'm planning on taking it day by day right now. I'll see if I can keep up this momentum, if not, I'll fall back on school."

My mom murmured the words
falling back
under her breath, then said, "Going to school should not be plan B, Meredith. It should be plan A."

"
Well, mom I don't know what to tell you other than for me, school
is
plan B, so you can just get over it. I'm sorry if my life makes you nervous."

"That does make me nervous, Meredith. I'm sorry, but it does."

"That's okay, mom. Just get over yourself enough to tell me good job when I make it."

We sat there in silence for a few long seconds, both of us being stubborn. "S
weetie, I'm sorry," she said. I glanced at her, and could see that she looked genuinely regretful. "I worry about you, and I just have to get my two cents in about it. I guess if I'd open my eyes, I could see that you
are
making it." She gestured to the TV. The commercial was over and Paradise Island was coming on again.

"Zack!" I yelled. I knew my scene was coming up in this sequence because Max sent me a text saying
32 minutes in
. I hadn't told anyone the exact time, because I was too nervous already with no one else knowing. I wouldn't have been able to handle it if there was a big countdown or anything. Zack made his way back to the couch. I couldn't help but notice the spring in his step as he traversed the people scattered about, and I smiled at how much better his knee was getting.

"Is it coming up?" he asked
. He settled in his spot on the couch, looking excited.

I shrugged even though I've been staring at the cable box l
ike it was a bomb and knew that it was only four minutes away. I glanced at it again. "I think so," I said shyly.

He flashed me a big smile. "Do you know what time it's coming on?"

I nodded.

"When?"

I glanced again.

"Three minutes," I whispered.

Zack could see that I was trying to remain calm,
and didn't say anything. He just smiled and put his arm around me, pulling me into his embrace. That's where I stayed until the scene was over. My nerves were so insane that the only thing keeping me from a full-blown panic attack was Zack's protective arm around me. Worse case scenario was the scene was such a disaster that my friends and family would turn into an angry mob and try to string me up, and even then, I'd have Zack there to protect me.

I'm happy to
report that none of that was an issue because the scene was
not
a disaster. It was far from disaster, and even though I'd been there during production, I was, thank God, really impressed with how it came out. I had a surreal, out of body experience during the seven minutes it was on, compliments of my nerves.

Once they cut to the next scene, there was a
moment of silence before the whole room erupted in applause and a chorus of cheers. I wasn't sure what I had expected, but it wasn't that. Not knowing what to do, and being pretty sure I might shed a tear or two at the onslaught of emotions, I put my face in my hands. Zack's arms clasped securely around me, and I was relieved for the excuse to stay curled up in a ball for a few seconds.

"That was awesome, Shorty," he said, close to my ear. "Everyone's really proud of you. But don't get too comfortable on the couch, because I'm
gonna need you to do that about a thousand more times if imma get that Bugatti I've been looking at."

I was so thankful that Zack knew when to offer a little comic relief. I laughed, picturing Zack in a Bugatti, spending handfuls of my soap opera cash.

I laughed. "Imma get you one of those, Boo. You just watch." I gave him a wink and turned to talk to my mom. That turned into talking to Collin, turned into talking to Emily, turned into talking to Gretchen, and so it went until about an hour or so later when everyone started to leave.

My mom and dad rode with Collin and Rachel, and the four of them stayed at Zack's house long after everyone else
(including Zack's mom who had to leave right after the show because of some kind of appointment). Zack and I had a lot of fun with my parents and brother. I took the time to sit back and take mental snapshots of our time together that night because I knew I'd want to remember and picture them later. I was getting along with my family and sitting next to the man of my dreams, and to top it all off, I liked him even when he liked me back. It was a beautiful thing.

****

The next ten days went by in a flash just like all of life seemed to. Suddenly, it was Saturday May 30
th
, the night Zack and I would go to the cabin. I played out a ton of cabin scenarios in my head in recent weeks, but truth was, I had no idea what to expect. I knew we were having sex. Everything else was up to him. The anticipation I was feeling had grown more and more intense in the past few weeks, and I didn't know if that was just because I knew the big night was getting closer, or because I had real feelings for him. I thought both might be true. I was in deep.

Our friend Brit was the singer in a band, and she had a gig at that bar called Viva that
we all went to a month or so ago. Her band was called Brit and the Bombers, and they'd played a few gigs recently, but this was by far the biggest, and Brit was really excited. I'd heard her before, and knew we'd all have a good time hanging out listening to her band. It was a Saturday night, and a local girl-band called Kissyface was headlining the show. Brit's band was supposed to play from eight to ten, which was perfect for me since I was excited to get to the cabin.

Some of
the other couples carpooled, but Zack and I rode alone. He picked me up at my apartment wearing jeans and an awesome looking, baby blue and grey windbreaker with a hood. He had to know what the color did to his eyes. They were the first thing you noticed about Zack, anyway, but against the color of that jacket, his eyes were that much brighter. He looked sharp and smelled good, and I was utterly smitten the second I opened the door.

"You have a bag." He smiled when he looked down at the overnight bag I packed for the cabin.

"Well, yeah, I gotsta have my creature comforts," I said. "I mean, I figured we'd be spending the night, right?"

"We are, and I brought a bag too, I just mentioned it because I like knowing your night clothes are in there."

"Oh, you like imagining my night clothes?" I said innocently. I turned, stuck out my bottom and rubbed it a little bit.

"Your panties."

"What?"

"Specifically your panties, your night clothes too, but I'm more interested to see what panties you have in there."

I had three pair in the bag, and I'd carefully considered each one. "I hope I don't disappoint. I just grabbed whatever was on top." I was still using that innocent tone, teasing him. He knew how excited I was about everything, and he was having fun getting me wound up.

We wanted to catch most of Brit's show, so we were at Viva by ten after eight. Our group of friends was spread out between three or four tables on the far right-hand side, and they got our attention right when we made it in the door. Brit's band was already in full swing. She had this really cool,
deepish voice, and the sound of the band was folky and funky at the same time. She even brought a couple of people up on stage to do these stupid human tricks a couple of times between songs. This one guy fit his whole body through a tennis racket and a girl came up who could bend her hand backward where her fingers touched her forearm. That was a trip.

At 9:30, I went to the ladies room. When I got back to the table, I slid my shaking hand into the pocket of Zack's jacket and left the tiny piece of material there for him to inspect. He
felt me do it and he fished around in his pocket until he found it and pulled it out. It was the panties I had on until a few minutes ago when I went to the ladies room and took them off. It only took him a few seconds to figure out what he was holding. He closed his eyes as if to pray for patience and put the lace panties back into his pocket. Leaning over to talk next to my ear, he asked, "Did these come off of your body?"

"I'm not sure," I said. "That might just be an extra pair I had in my purse."