home at last

❝ This morning with her, having coffee.❞ - Johnny Cash, when asked for his definition of paradise.

[ohdarling]

unmissyou‌:

Gwen scoffed, giving a playful roll of her eyes before sipping her tea. She held the cup close to her mouth for a moment as she heard him out, her concerns not at all eased by the fact Andrew was engaged. (It was hard to believe, but for reasons she was too nice to say out loud. Instead, she made a mental note to share them with Stevie.) If anything, the boy was probably eager to get all of his pent-up energy out one more time before cuffing himself down. 

“So what you mean to say is, you guys are probably going to have one last hurrah at the bachelor party before he gets married?” she asked, smirking, finally lowering her cup back down. It was already cold at this point, but she liked the taste just as much. 

For a moment, she thought back to her kitchen counter. Ah, so that was what Andrew had to tell her via snail mail. He was getting married. 

“I’ll never forget that guy you both tried to hook me up with in college,” she said, snapping back to reality and giggling in front of Luke. “Do you still talk to him? Hunter?” 

Gwen was, at that time of her life, all too focused on leading the climate club at her college to really worry about dating boys, despite the twins’ relentless attempts on getting her to “de-virginize.” Little had either of them known she’d already lost her virginity before college, but Gwen wasn’t one to really talk about that too much. 

Well, he hadn’t thought about that. Here he was trying to rationalize his visit with Andrew and how mundane it would be in comparison to old times… but really it was the exact reason why it would be like old times. One last hurrah. What a strange concept. All of his old friends were getting married and starting new lives, ones he couldn’t quite relate to. He was beginning to feel old, but it was a feeling that he wouldn’t allow to last. Luke let himself believe that those things would only hold him down and make him miserable, even if it was most likely the opposite. 

He took a swig of his coffee and shrugged his shoulders casually. “Well, when you put it like that… I promise we’re just going to have a few drinks and dinner. That’s all. Just catching up.” 

It’s not like Andrew and him were even that great of friends. Truth be told, Luke didn’t have very many “friends”. Just the occasional acquaintance that came and went in his life - especially from his college days. Most days it felt like he had only Jacob, Rory, and of course, Gwen. It’s why he still valued the simplicity of these lunches with her. 

“Hunter,” he echoed slowly trying to put a face to a name. “I vaguely remember him. That was Andrew’s idea, first of all. I would have never hooked him up with you.” Luke scoffed at the idea.  Then again, Luke wasn’t the type to try to hook her up with anyone. Maybe deep down he knew it would only make him jealous.

[ohdarling]

unmissyou‌:

Hand in hand, Joseph led the way back to the brewery. The beautiful thing about Hawaii was, you could easily get from one place to another just by walking. You could certainly do the same in New York, too, Joseph thought– you’d only have cab drivers in the way. He could appreciate the beauty of it and knew all too well why it appealed to the blonde he walked beside; Chey always dreamt of freedom and sun. What was Hawaii if not that?

“Stop thanking me,” he said, chuckling. “Honestly, it was nothing. If anything, I should be thanking you for not chewing my head off coming here outta nowhere.”

His spontaneous visits were now more well-received than they used to be, back when they were broken up and he showed up just to stir the pot between them. Things had changed so much, it almost felt unreal that they were in such a good place. 

Standing outside of the brewery and under a street lamp in the parking lot, Joey leaned back against his rental car and placed his hands on Chey’s hips. He smiled softly at her, licking his lips out of habit. “Are you gonna invite me back to your place or should I drive back to my hotel?” 

He should know by now she would always feel inclined to thank him for things like this. At least she accepted gifts and gestures now, because back when they were younger she’d try everything in her power to not. “Fine, I’ll never thank you again,” she teased.

Walking back to the brewery felt strangely blissful. The crickets were coming out and singing a tune, the gentle breeze kept the night cool, and the air almost smelled of pineapples. It was peaceful, but even more so that he was there with her. Of course she had imagined from time to time what it’d be like if they could live together there, but she also knew this wasn’t home for him. As much as she wanted it to be, it just wasn’t. So, she soaked in the quiet peace between them knowing it wasn’t forever.

She walked him over to his rental and gave a light smile as he faced her. Chey moved closer to him, leaning against him a bit as his hands found her hips. Slowly, she leaned in to give him a kiss but hovered over his lips. “Have fun at your hotel,” she whispered to him before pulling away gently. But the joke could only last a matter of seconds before she felt the need to give him a smile and a chuckle. “Of course come back to my place. I actually rode my bike here today. Give me a ride?”

[ohdarling]

unmissyou‌:

“Maybe,” Gwen half-considered, though her mind was elsewhere. “Or you could, you know, take her out on a respectable date.” The chances of it were slim to none, but it always amused the blonde to give it a shot. Throughout their entire lives, she couldn’t remember a single woman he’d ever gotten serious with. Maybe there were one or two possibilities, but they’d always ended up being dodged bullets– which were a good thing. Gwen was almost starting to believe Luke would be alone forever, though it was the last thing she wanted to do. 

She bit into her salad, furrowing her brows at the mention of Andrew. There was nothing inherently wrong with Luke’s friend in that, whenever Gwen was around him, he didn’t do anything bad. Save for the few gross quips and catcalls here and there, Andrew was passably nice. But he was almost like poison for Luke. Luke would be doing really well, and like clockwork, Andrew would come around and ruin that for him. Her hopes were that maybe Andrew and Luke had grown out of their fraternizing ways, but those hopes were too far out. 

“So it sounds like I’m going to be on babysitting duty this weekend, then,” Gwen spoke, half-sarcastic. No one ever asked her to look out for him, but she always just did. Whether he called her or not, she always found herself staring at her phone, anticipating a call. It started in college, when she was in her dorm, studying for a final while Luke was out on the town. She knew how much he loved to drink, and it worried her. Stevie would tell her to stop babying him, but she couldn’t help herself– especially now that their mother wasn’t around. 

Would you watch over Luke for me? Stevie, she’ll be fine, but… 

Their mother’s final words to her echoed in her mind. She cleared her throat, snapping herself out of it and glancing up at him from being halfway done with her salad. “Just promise me you won’t end up in the news,” she teased.

When was the last time Luke had been on a proper date? It was funny considering the man was quite the romantic. He liked the romance, he didn’t like the concept of intimacy and vulnerability that came with relationships. Luke often wondered if he’d always be like this, destined to be a bachelor constantly self sabotaging himself. “She’s not my type,” he answered before taking a large bite of his sandwich. Luke didn’t necessarily have a type, but it felt like the only answer he was willing to give.

Luke then realized how bad of an idea it was to mention Andrew. Gwen was nicer than Stevie about his little friend, but he knew Gwen didn’t like him just the same. The stubborn man rolled his eyes and shook his head at her. “You’re not babysitting anyone, G.” 

Her worry was valid, although the man refused to see that. Some days he liked to pretend he was still twenty-one, chasing just about any adventure that presented itself. It only grew worse when Andrew was around, but still. He didn’t see an issue. A large sigh escaped him and he took his glasses off once more just so he could look her in the eye. Holding up his hand, he said, “Scouts honor. I’ll be good. Don’t worry about it. Andrew’s getting married soon, anyways. Those days are long over for him.”

[ohdarling]

unmissyou‌:

It wasn’t that big of a deal or anything, and Joseph certainly wasn’t expecting Chey to go, and yet it still was a pleasant surprise when she said she would go. With everything going on in this new chapter of her life, Joseph didn’t necessarily think he was going to be left behind– rather, he knew she had more important things to do. In short, it meant a lot to him that she’d be going, though he shouldn’t have expected anything less from the blonde. They were fiercely supportive of each other, if nothing else. 

Wordlessly, he planted a tender kiss on her lips for a moment, before pulling away. “Of course I want you to be there,” he affirmed, continuing to sway with her atop the deck of the yacht, even as the song began to fade out. 

Mischievousness took over his expression again, though, as he looked from the darkening waters to her face. “But I hope you know that means I’m going to have to ask you to be my date,” he said, chuckling. “And I’m going to have to take you shopping for a pretty dress.”

The slow song inevitably reached its end, and it seemed as if their ride on the yacht was at a close, too. Chives came from the captain’s port and onto the deck, keeping his distance but interrupting them as he cleared his throat. 

“Sir,” he said, “and Miss Chey. It looks like we’ve reached shore. Shall I park the yacht?” 

Joey slipped away from Chey to hand Chives a card from his wallet. “Thanks, Chives,” he said. “And you’re off for the night once you park. Get some rest.” 

Chives gave a polite thank you before returning to the captain’s port, lowering a staircase for them to head off of the yacht and onto the boardwalk. “Ready to go?” Joey asked, looking back at the blonde.

She smiled in the kiss and she couldn’t help but feel like it was nice knowing he wanted her there, even if he deemed it to not be a big deal. Then again, sometimes she was convinced he looked for reasons to spoil her with a nice experience. “What is this? Pretty Woman? Are you going to show me a case with a beautiful necklace then snap at my hand when I reach for it?” she teased jokingly, recalling the classic flick. “Okay, okay. I’ll be your pretty date. Make you look good.” She sent a small wink just as the ride on the boat came to an end. 

Unraveling herself from him as Chives walked over, she smiled at the kind man and nodded. Though she didn’t want the night to end, it would have to eventually. This was how it always was with them - sometimes she forgot the rest of the world existed. “No,” she answered Joey playfully and smiled. “But I guess we should.” Together, they walked off the boat and their feet soon touched the docks. Chey’s arm wrapped around his waist as he joined her side and she walked with him. “Thanks for… Well, you know. All of this. Tonight, the boat, surprising me. I’ve already said thanks, but I should probably say it at least a thousand times more.”

[ohdarling]

unmissyou‌:

It always shocked Gwen how harshly Luke spoke about his own writing. When he was younger, he had a bit more mercy on himself, but the older he got… the more he truly seemed to hate what he did. It broke Gwen’s heart a little bit. Back then, he put his heart into his writing. And, she didn’t know what happened in between, but something in him– maybe that fire in him– just fizzled out. She wondered if, maybe, it was just a rut he was in. But she’d first had an inkling of the rut a few years ago… and it had yet to pass. 

Gwen would’ve loved to ask and pry, to try and get Luke to open up to her… But she didn’t know how well it would all go. Luke had his ways of coping, and she was there for him in the only way she knew how to be: sitting across from him on these weekly, monthly catch-ups, telling him about baby wolves and the state of her plants. 

“Don’t be crazy,” she said, chuckling. “Jacob’s going to send me the first copy, signed,” she said, looking at him with warning– he would sign it, or else– “and I’m going to eat it up in one sitting.” 

She had every single one of his books on her shelf, and she read all of them front to back. Some, she thought, had more soul than others– but they were still Luke’s, and she treasured them in ways he may never understand. 

At the mention of Steve’s affair, Gwen couldn’t help but wince. She cared for that girl as much as she cared about Luke, and unfortunately, the two were so much like twins that they sometimes loved to get in the same mode of self-destruction. Gwen never minded picking up the broken pieces. “How long has it been since they split up?” she asked. “I thought I heard Bobby was seeing somebody else, or at least, going on dates.” 

And they got into these conversations, sometimes. Where they’d start off talking about each other, but dove deeper into other people’s problems. It was a blessing and a curse in their friendship.

The waitress passed by, pouring them more water in their glasses. Gwen couldn’t help but notice the waitress’ gaze lingering on Luke; something she’d noticed a few weeks ago when they were last here. “You know,” she said, leaning in. “I think that girl likes you.”

It was no secret that Luke had become a different person after the passing of his mother. Loads of regret and remorse manifested in the man and swallowed him whole. So much so, he hardly remembered what life was like before it. He forgot what it was like to feel passionate, like he was seeing the world with bright eyes. He had forgotten what it was like to not have such an aching empty feeling in his core that could only be stifled with loads of alcohol and the occasional drug. Life was much different for Luke. It had been four years - almost five - since she had passed and left him with some painful realizations. They all thought he’d be different by now, and sometimes he liked to play the part of just that. With every day, it seemed like he only got worse but he did his best to sweep it all under the rug. 

But Gwen often knew he was struggling despite the distractions he threw. Even if he hadn’t spoken to her in ages, she could tell by the way he wrote. There was no heart in it. It was just his job now. “Fine, torture yourself, then. I guess you’re into that kind of thing...” 

Digging into his food, he realized it had been a while since he had a decent meal. It was amazing the man managed to keep himself alive. “I don’t know... Two years now? Either way, I rather not even think about that guy. You know how I feel about him.” Truth be told, Luke never liked his sister’s ex-husband. For the longest time, he had no reason to dislike him. In fact, he seemed pretty decent to just about everyone else. Whenever the man cheated on Stevie, as sad he was for his sister, Luke felt a little triumphant - finally everyone saw he was right.

He washed down his bite with more coffee and some water - again, not realizing how thirsty he was, too. As Gwen moved in and her eyes directed towards the waitress that served them, Luke stole a glance and caught her gaze. He gave the woman a charming smirk, one that surely made her cheeks turn pink. Letting out a soft laugh, he looked back at Gwen. “Maybe she’ll give us a discount,” he joked and wiped his fingers with his napkin. “Oh, did I tell you about Andrew? He’s coming to visit this weekend. It’s been forever since I saw him.” The words came out so absentmindedly. Last time he checked, Gwen wasn’t fond of his friend from his college days. Andrew. He always seemed to stir up trouble, but some of the craziest stories of Luke’s stemmed from night outs with the man. While everyone found Andrew to be a nuisance and bad influence, Luke saw a hell of a friend.

[ohdarling]

unmissyou‌:

“My wife’ll be there, and I’m not sure I’m ready for her to meet my gorgeous mistress yet,” Joseph teased, an undying smirk on his lips. Before she could give a quick rebuttal, he twirled her and dipped her as the bridge of the song kicked off. He straightened her back up and chuckled. He was never much of a dancer before, but as he grew older, he picked up a few things. 

“But, honestly, it kinda didn’t cross my mind over the last few weeks,” he responded, giving her a shrug. “I had a whole bunch’a other shit going on, and with you at the brewery… Well, I was too worried about you to really care too much about the gala. That’s what I have people like Erin for.” 

Erin was probably too good of an assistant for him, but he made up for his shitty personality in a huge salary and ample vacation time. Perks included attending New York Fashion Week and, well, exercising that part of her life. Truth be told, he’d been pushing her to go to more fashion events as a way of grooming her out of being his assistant. 

He looked down at Chey and his smirk turned into a smile. “I’ll tell you the details tomorrow and you can decide to go if you’re available,” he said. “But you know it’s probably better for you to stick around the brewery for a few months, at least until you’re sure everything’s smooth.” 

Her jaw dropped as she smiled at his clever quip, but he distracted her with dancing before she could make her own, or better yet, just give him a classic shove to his shoulder. “Jerk,” she mumbled with a chuckle and shook her head at him. 

Even though he downplayed the gala like it wasn’t much, she knew it was important. Surely he’d see that too, eventually. Chey was a lot of things, but easily her best and biggest trait was her love and loyalty to those close to her. She’d endlessly support him, just as he endlessly supported her. 

“I’ll be available,” she answered without hesitation. “I’ll be sure of it.” 

He had gone to all here premieres - even the ones she hadn’t invited him to personally. When they were younger, he’d go to her band’s shows almost every single time they had a gig. And here he was now seeing the opening of the brewery all away across the country. She wasn’t going to miss this gala. She owed him that much. “The brewery will be fine. My brother is a part owner for a reason. He can manage it for a weekend. It’s the least he can do considering I do all the work. Of course I can go.” She chuckled and squeezed his side a bit. “You know, unless you’re really not wanting me to be there or something.”

[ohdarling]

unmissyou‌:

ohdarling‌:

“Sure,” 

Gwen gave him a playful roll of her eyes before folding her book up and setting it inside her purse, which sat in the seat beside her. “And you’re welcome,” she responded, actually beginning to eat her salad now. The few pieces of bread the bistro offered at the beginning of her stay held her over for long enough. “Hope you had fun with Sarah or Sadie.”

It was their silly little name game: He offered her two names, and she batted right back. His womanizing ways were heartbreaking to most, but they amused Gwen more than anything. Often times, she wondered if he’d ever settle down, and thought about the kind of woman it’d take for him to do so. The woman she ended up concocting in her brain ended up being too perfect to exist, a strange hybrid of a martian and supermodel. 

She took a deep breath at the question, always finding the task of condensing the time span between their last meeting and this moment a bit troublesome. “You know, things have actually been pretty good,” she reported, shrugging her shoulders. “You remember the pregnant wolf I told you about last time we saw each other? She finally had babies, and I’ve been kind of like a crazy person showing people pictures of it like they’re my own kids.” Truthfully, the blonde seldom had anything to share about her own life whenever they caught up. “Other than that, my plants are thriving and the sun’s out. No complaints.”

Remembering he’d been on the cusp of a deadline, she furrowed her brows in curiosity. “How about you, Caulfield?” An endearing nickname for her writer best friend. “Is your book almost done?”

Some things never changed. No matter the circumstances, she never fully answered his questions correctly. Of course it was always interesting to know those little details of her life, but she constantly deflected the questions to talk about the things that weren’t exactly important in terms of her well being. It was quite possibly one of the biggest similarities they shared. Luke was never particularly personal. If one asked how he is, he’d talk about all the fun and admirable little things he may have took part in. Never did he speak on anything deeper. 

But Luke was a hypocrite. Even though he didn’t discuss his own personal matters, he wanted to know Gwen’s. “Wolf puppies and plants, eh?” he chuckled and was interrupted by the waitress returning with his coffee and sandwich. He thanked the woman with a smile before looking back at Gwen. “No where in there did you really talk about, you know, you.” He eyed her and blew some steam from his coffee. 

Ah, then there the subject changed to his book. On second thought, wolf puppies and plants suddenly seemed like the best topic in the world. “It’s trucking along. I submitted a few chapters yesterday.” His heart wasn’t in this book, just as it wasn’t in the last two. Jacob, his editor, really did a good job polishing a piece of shit. Luke was writing for the publishers, the paycheck, and nothing else. And he hated that - surprising enough. “Do me a favor and just... don’t read it when it comes out.” He chuckled halfheartedly before taking a bite of his sandwich. With a cheek full of food, he shrugged. “It’s no good, but at least I’m writing again... Anyways, other the that, I’m doing pretty great, actually. I just saw Stevie the other day. I’m pretty sure she’s still sleeping with her ex-husband. It’s entertaining watching her try to lie to me. But, you know.... the twin thing.” Something he had always referred to since they were children. Luke was always convinced he had a sixth sense when it came to his twin sister Stevie. They could never hide anything from one another even if they tried. It was like sharing some awful telepathy neither signed up for. “So that’s a fun mess... But that’s about all the excitement I got going on. It’s not wolf puppies and plants, but I try.”

[ohdarling]

unmissyou‌:

Though it was just the two of them on the yacht, it almost felt like they were throwing their own party. A permanent grin was etched on Joseph’s face as he danced along with her, thrown back to memories of them dancing just like this when they were teens. Back then, though, they were usually drunk and dancing mindlessly to whatever thrown-together beat the DJ put together. That was fun, too, but there was something about still carrying on that tradition many years later– without the drunken shenanigans.

When the song faded and something slower took over, the new sound coaxed Joseph closer to Chey. He placed his hands on her waist, swaying gently to the beat with her– Two of the Lucky Ones by The Droge and Summers Blend– as they danced atop the deck. 

Eventually, he loosely bracketed his arms around her waist, curling his fingers together behind her back. At her question, he pursed his lips in thought before exhaling. “Well, you know,” he said, shrugging. “Definitely not as exciting as things are here in Hawaii.” He cracked a smile, then figured he owed her a true recap. It had been a while, anyway, since they got to talk as deeply, her being so deep into the world of her brewery. 

“My company, uh… you know, we reached a thousand clients just last week,” he said. It was an accomplishment, but for some reason, he didn’t think too much of it. “And that’s– you know, that’s all over the east coast, or at least New England. Honestly, my brother’s trying to get me to branch out somewhere, but… I don’t really know yet.” The business talk, it bored him, but he liked sharing things with Chey. “Mostly, my assistant’s been wrangling shit together with the event planner. We’re wanting to host a thank you gala.” 

Despite how often she felt like Joseph could be her soulmate, she just as often felt as if they were from two far away universes. A part of her wondered if she could have bridged the two universes together by just biting the bullet and moving to New York. She didn’t need to open the brewery. She was in a point in her career where New York made actual sense. It would have made things easier for them, and perhaps had given them exactly what they were always looking for. But Amanda Chey was bold colors of blue, green, and purple and there was no way to hide that in the grey of New York. She didn’t belong in his universe. And she’d certainly lose herself if she tried to fit. 

Hearing him talk about business always made her think those things in the split second. She questioned why she was so difficult, why couldn’t she just give this all up if she truly loved him? Hearing how well business was doing was one way of telling her a very obvious truth - he had to stay in New York no matter where she was. She danced with him and kept those thoughts deep inside her mind and instead only felt proud. She was always proud of him, though. He had been impressing her since day one. 

“That’s amazing, Joe,” she told him before reaching her hand up to cup part of his cheek. Her thumb grazed against his skin as she smiled at him proudly. “I can’t say that I’m surprised, though.” His accomplishments were always large and well deserved after all the work he had put into them. “A gala? And you’re just now telling me about this?” she narrowed her eyes somewhat playfully. “Am I not invited?”

[ohdarling]

Having feelings for her best friend often felt suffocating. Rory knew they were feelings that would never be reciprocated, so she never acted upon them. Besides, Rory wasn't as brave as she used to be. Back when they were younger, she'd openly flirt with her and cuddle with her any chance she got, but she knew Lulu must've thought it was typical friend behavior. Or Rory was just promiscuous back then and it's how she treated most people - which wasn't that far from the truth. Her mind went back to Zelda's words and truthfully Rory didn't read into it much. "I don't know," she answered with a shrug. "I thought she just meant we would become closer. Like our friendship will be stronger." Sure there was some ominous stuff mixed in there, but Rory didn't have time for ominous. "To me, it just sounded like we both really needed this vacation. When's the last time we got to hang out this much, anyways?"

[ohdarling]

nverletmego‌:

Holding Three Women by Lisa Taddeo in one hand and a teacup in the other, Gwen absentmindedly blew on the top of her cup before taking a sip as she read into the next chapter. The waitress from earlier, who checked on her about a half hour ago, came by. 

“Still doing okay?”

A sweet smile adorned the blonde’s lips. Truly, there was no hint of impatience. “Yeah, thanks,” she said, nodding. “I’m sorry my friend’s taking forever.”

But this was an apology the waitress– and a few of the others across town– had heard before. “No worries. Take all the time you need.”

The notion of Luke being late was by no means revolutionary. It was why Gwen always thought to bring a few things to keep herself occupied whenever she had to wait for him at whatever meetups they planned. At first, it was a little irritating, but she should’ve known better. Since college, the boy had been somewhat unreliable, and often shacked up in his own world. And she never really minded; she just accepted Luke as a fleeting, yet solid friendship. He might have been fickle by nature but she’d grown to learn and accept that by no means did it mean he cared for their friendship any less. 

Or, at least, that’s what she’d hoped. Seldom did they ever get to talking about feelings, feelings, feelings. Gwen just went along for the ride when it came to her best friend. 

When he finally emerged from whatever great depth hid in his bedroom, she chuckled and reached over, pulling off his sunglasses. As she’d expected, the boy looked like he’d just woken up. He didn’t have to admit anything for her to know. “Who was the lucky lady?” she asked, wiggling her brows before taking a sip of her tea. “Ordered you your favorite sandwich. Should be here in a minute.” Her own salad was half-touched. 

He had already begun scanning the menu, which was ridiculous on two accounts - he always got the same thing, plus he knew she would’ve ordered for him already. It was just in her nature. Closing the menu, he pushed it away before brushing his hair with his fingers. Who was the lucky lady? Ah, she assumed a casual hookup was the cause of his delay in waking up. Though most times she wouldn’t be wrong, she happened to be this time. No lucky lady - just the bottom of bottles and blank pages of the book he had been struggling to write. 

Somehow he rather her believe it was a girl. It was easier that way and held less of a punch. “Sierra or Shea.... Something like that,” he replied casually and gave the girl a wink. “Thanks for ordering, ace.” 

Flagging down the waitress, he ordered himself some coffee in hopes to fight off just about everything wrong in his body at the moment. He reached over and snatched his sunglasses back from Gwen and put them on. The bright sun - although they were in the shade - only made his hangover worse. 

“Let me borrow that when you’re done,” he nodded towards his book. It was something that the two always connected on. Reading had always been his favorite thing to do, and Gwen had even caught sight of the complete anti-social bookworm he once was a child, too. “Okay, sorry, sorry. How are you? How’ve you been? Yadayada... You know the drill.”

[ohdarling]

nverletmego‌:

“That sounds like the greatest idea I’ve ever heard,” he said, smiling up at her before standing up himself. 

As crazy as it sounded, Joseph nearly forgot that he bought her a goddamn yacht. They transitioned seamlessly on it, Chives taking the captain’s hat and steering from his own quarters while the two opted to stay out in the setting sun. The sky was all purple, blue, and sienna as the sun fell closer to the line of the ocean. Temporarily, the yacht had some cheaper looking light fixtures installed, but Joseph made the mental note to maybe incorporate some nice hanging lights before Chey brought her family on it. For now, though, the lanterns, folding chairs and small table would do. 

“Whew,” he said, after they’d finished their delicious meal. “You’re right. That was the best barbecue I’ve ever had. Gives yours a run for its money.” 

He stood up from their makeshift dining table and connected his phone to the speakers, playing Chey’s surf rock playlist on a decent volume. He set his phone down and looked over at the blonde with an effervescent smile. With their bellies and hearts full, he couldn’t help but think this was a successful day. 

He stretched a hand out to her, standing in the middle of some open space on deck. Perfect dance floor, he thought. The first song the playlist queued was Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys. Joey began to snap along with the song and dance-jump. “C’mon, let’s rock the boat a little,” he grinned.

It was picturesque - almost dreamlike if she thought too hard about it. The setting Hawaiian sun, a boat of her own out in the big blue, just enjoying the small and big pleasures of life with Joey. Was this Heaven? It felt like it, but she knew it couldn’t be. In the end, it was still all so temporary. But Chey had learned from the past that the only way to live is to be in the present. So, she embraced their time together and enjoyed the now. 

“Hey, I don’t know about that,” she playfully defended with a full belly of her own. “Mine still kicks ass.” 

Pushing her food carton aside, she watched as he turned on the music - a perfect and classic favorite of hers. She laughed a little as he snapped his fingers and danced around - and who was she to deny him? 

She got up from her chair and began to snap along with him, making her way over by dancing to the beat. Taking his hands, she spun herself around towards him and let out a loud laugh. It felt like being in high school on a summer night, just getting caught up in one another and whatever music they were obsessed with. 

“You still got it,” she joked and looked up at him. Towards the end of the song, her quick movements slowed and she wrapped his arms around his neck, not even caring what the tempo was. She just wanted to hold onto him and be with him. “Catch me up on you. How’s things in New York?”

[ohdarling]

nverletmego‌:

Rarely was Lulu ever out of words, all thanks to her years in debate and her gross journalistic pretense. But for once, Rory’s sentiment shriveled all of her matter-of-fact words up, and she had nothing witty or smart to say back. The girl looked like a strawberry against the white beach chair, involuntarily curling up just a bit under her hat to hide from the blonde beside her. 

“Yeesh,” she said, chuckling. When she finally had the courage to respond, she took off her hat, hung it on the top of the chair behind her, and tilted her head at her best friend. “You know you’re gonna have to buy me dinner first, right?” she teased, an ever-so-polished way of deflecting. Her stomach churned, though, real feelings creating a stew that was past its boiling point. 

Right in the nick of time, a waiter came by and asked them for refills of their drinks. Lulu politely said yes, then looked back over at Rory whenever he stepped away. “So, we’re gonna find boyfriends on this trip, right? – Or at least, temporary ones whose hearts we have to break whenever we inevitably have to go home.” Was that what Zelda said the trip would be? No, but Lulu had to try to push away her feelings as much as possible.

It was always fun to compliment Lulu, though that never made it insincere. Rory smiled at the girl as she turned shades of red and she felt a sense of accomplishment from the sight. “What? It’s just common fact,” she playfully defended before lying back and enjoying the sun. 

But then the sudden mention of boyfriends couldn’t help but shift her sudden upbeat mood. She’d be a fool to say she didn’t feel some sort of pang of sadness or even jealousy at the sudden idea from the brunette. It was moments like this she was reminded Lulu was just her friend and always would be just her friend. Rory had thought she had let go of that silly crush ages ago, but here she was fighting against it. 

“Boyfriends?” her voice drenched in disgust. “I’m on vacation. I don’t even want to have to look at a man.” It was true the woman had grown so tired of men in her life. After escaping a toxic relationship, she then entered a toxic workplace with demeaning men as her employers. “Maybe I’ll get a girlfriend and find you a boy toy then.”

[heavenisahope]

you make me feel like dancing // ford & roslyn

[ohdarling]

heavenisahope‌:

The little girl, now known as Stephanie, giggled and scurried away, grabbing her mother’s attention before practicing at the bar. Her mother looked a bit defeated, but it wasn’t clear to Ford yet why. 

Nevertheless, he felt relieved whenever he saw Roslyn approach them. “Hi,” he said, a little bit excited. He wondered why he didn’t notice her at first, but regardless, he was glad she came when she did. It almost felt like the little girl was going to pawn him off to her mother. “Yeah, I’m..” he checked his watch, “sorry about that.” 

He shoved his hands in his pockets and waited a beat before realizing he should probably say something else. If Soleil could see him now, she’d tease him for being clueless around women– especially someone as beautiful as Roslyn. 

“I’ll, uh, sit over there,” he said, pointing his pocketed hand over to an open seat by the mothers. “Thanks for lettin’ me in.” He gave her a soft smile before clearing his throat and heading to the spot. It must have been a chair for younger girls, he thought, because his ass barely fit on it and his knees practically hit his chin. 

Again, he felt eyes on him; he looked over and gave the somewhat predatory women a half-smile. 

“Of course,” she told him with a warm smile, watching as he dared to sit with the dance mothers. Although Roslyn felt sorry for the man, she couldn’t help but find it a bit funny. They looked like they could eat him alive - in both a horrible and wonderful kind of way. 

Roslyn returned to her class and helped them finish their ending exercises for the day. She spent time with each student, careful and kind as ever. Whether Roslyn wanted to admit it or not, she was an excellent teacher. Finally the girls finished up with one last stretch and she dismissed them to their families that waited for them. Roslyn spent the time talking to a handful of mothers, answering questions or just allowing them to chat. Roslyn’s eyes always glanced over at Ford, her smile intended for him and not the ones she spoke to. 

Soon enough, the room was empty before her next class would enter and she walked back over to Ford. “Sorry, the girls can be a bit of a handful. How are you doing?” 

[ohdarling]

heavenisahope‌:

“Got it,” Lulu said, zapping the television on and turning on her recording of last night’s episode of The Bachelor. She kept it paused and messed with her phone for a minute or so while Rory scurried to the kitchen. She set an alarm, checked some emails, and texted her mom goodnight before plugging her phone in to her nightstand. Poppy curled up at her feet. She sat up, resting her back against the headboard and pulling her knees up, getting in a comfortable position before Rory joined her back in bed again. 

“Why, thank you,” she giggled, retrieving the cookie from Rory once she returned. She munched on it and let the blonde rest on her shoulder, unpausing the television. “Well, if you think about it this way, if these guys are on the show for a few months, it thins the population of idiots we’re exposed to in the world,” she said, snickering. “Yanno something? Why isn’t there, like, a gay dating show? I’d love to see that. It’d be like RuPaul’s Drag Race, except, better.”

The woman got comfortable as she laid against her best friend, popping cookies into her mouth like they were damn tic tacs. That was the beauty of being with Lulu - no judgement between the two of them. At Lulu’s sudden remark, Rory couldn’t help but gasp and nod. 

“Okay. Now you’re talking. I’d watch that show. Hell, I’d be on that show,” she teased and let out a small laugh. “Or what would be even better is if two of the girls competing for the man end up just falling in love with each other and they hijack the show. Now that’s television.” 

[ohdarling]

heavenisahope‌:

You get used to it. Alice chuckled. Though she didn’t live the same life, she understood him. She never pinned him as someone who cared about having 10 different cars in the garage or the fanciest clothes. Despite all this, she always knew Cohen to be normal. Whatever that meant. But in Hollywood, she thought, it must have meant that you had a heart and didn’t just care about the money or fame.

As much as Cohen joked about all this, Alice knew better. She played along with him and gave him a laugh, but she reached out and squeezed his forearm. A soft smile adorned her lips. “I’d like that,” she said, referring to meeting his father. He spoke rather highly of his family regardless of the kind of world they lived in. It paid off, she thought, to be different. 

Mindlessly, she locked her arm in his, straightening them up. “Absolutely,” she said, confidently. “Make sure you show me where you keep all your diamonds and such, so I know what to steal.” She flashed him a wink. 

“Diamonds, right. Okay.,” he mused and held his arm in his own. Though it was a nice stereotypical Hollywood home, he still found it to be... well home. Despite how modern it may have appeared in style, he remembered coloring on those walls with crayon just like any other kid did. That was the beauty of his parents when he was younger. Despite spending many vacations just being on movie sets, they did what they could to give Cohen and Sawyer a normal life. 

And normal was just enough for Cohen. 

Moving about the house, he showed her the living room where a lot of people congregated (and he did his best not to make eye contact..). “I’ll show you the best part of the house.” He guided them towards the back and pushed the door open that led to the backyard. In the back was a nice patio with a lit up pool, candles floating in the water as some even chose to swim. Typical - they had to be wasted. But below the noise of the party laid a beautiful view of the city. Living in the hills had its advantages. He smiled at the view and had to admit he missed it, even if he preferred his small apartment. 

“And see that,” he gestured towards the pool’s guest house. “That’s my room. I mean, it used to be inside and then I begged to move out here once I was in high school. I’d show you it, but you’ll just make fun of how nerdy it is in there.”

[heavenisahope]

you make me feel like dancing // ford & roslyn

[ohdarling]

heavenisahope‌:

@ohdarling​​  // 

The next morning, Ford retrieved an address and time to be at Roslyn’s dance studio. Soleil was out for her last day of work, which left Ford needing to find a way to the studio by himself. He didn’t mind so much. After yesterday’s encounter, he woke up feeling somewhat confident about taking on the streets of the city again. 

“Don’t be an idiot,” Soleil lovingly warned before leaving the apartment, as Ford chewed on a bowl of chocolate cereal. 

Once he finished getting ready for the day (How did one dress up to go to a dance studio? Formal? Casual? He chose a plain, dark blue polo, jeans, and a pair of sneakers.), he took a taxi to Roslyn’s dance studio. Without noticing, he arrived a little early than usual, stepping into the somewhat empty studio and not recognizing anyone. 

“Excuse me, tall man?” 

The squeaky voice came from a little girl worlds smaller than him. He looked down at her, cleared his throat, then scoped the area. Similarly-sized girls were practicing at a bar in front of the mirror. He remembered Roslyn saying she taught teenage girls, too, but they were nowhere in sight yet. Just the little girls’ mothers, who were sat in a corner, giggling. 

“Yes?” he asked. 

“My mommy wants to know if you have a daughter who’s gonna join our dance class today,” she said. 

“Uh… no,” he said, brushing his nose with his finger. He noticed the women were staring right at him, so he dodged their gaze by looking down at his watch. “I’m here to see Miss Roslyn.” 

“Oh,” the girl asked, looking a little dejected. “Is she your girlfriend?”

“Uh… what?”

Teaching children how to dance was something she had never particularly envisioned herself, but it was a job that came easy. With Roslyn’s infectious personality and patience, working with kids felt easy. Natural. Yet, somehow, she also felt like the woman didn’t have a single motherly bone in her body. It’s strange how that worked. 

Roslyn walked among the girls who were left in the class practicing on the bar. “A little more straight, sweetie,” she told one girl before helping her in place. “There you go. Perfect.” 

She stepped back to watch them and then saw someone out the corner of her eye. It was Ford. A smile formed on her lips and she had to admit she was surprised. A part of her believed he wouldn’t have time to come or he decided against it all together. But there he was talking to one of her students, always looking a little lost - but that’s what she liked about him. 

“Stephanie,” she spoke once approaching the two. She put her hands on the girls shoulders and gave her back a small pat. “Come on, leave him alone. Go show your ma how good you are on the bar.” The little girl, who admittedly loved praise a little too much, ran back to join the other girls. Roslyn smiled at Ford and crossed her arms over her chest. 

“You’re here,” she started and laughed a little. “And early.” Roslyn glanced back at the little class before looking at Ford once more. “This class is almost over.... It’s good to see you.”

[ohdarling]

heavenisahope‌:

Rory’s words grounded Lulu in a way no one else could. They balanced each other out perfectly, somehow calibrating to never both be freaking out at the same time. If one wasn’t feeling well, the other would step up and captain the ship. Even if things weren’t okay, they’d fake it ‘til they made it. Lulu was old enough to see that Rory was trying to make her feel better– and she was old enough to accept it rather than fight it. She had to believe the trip would be good for them, for the sake of preserving the optimism. 

Lulu smiled. “Okay, okay, okay,” she said, giving in with a laugh. “We can book our flight in the morning.”

She yawned, then snuck under the sheets, cuddling Polly closer as she prepared her body for sleep. When Rory sat up, she furrowed her brows and almost pouted, like she didn’t want her best friend to leave the bed. The mention of snacks made the brunette laugh. “No, I’m good,” she said. “Thanks, though. There’s some Girl Scout cookies in there for you.” Of course, she always kept her pantry loaded with snacks, even if she didn’t think she’d be seeing Rory any time soon. She loved to indulge in sweets herself, especially when she felt mentally exhausted. Plus, it never heart to have a comfortable stockpile. 

“Want me to turn on some Hulu or something? I missed last night’s episode of the Bachelor.”

Rory’s face beamed at the sound of cookies and she nodded while getting out of bed to go retrieve them. “Yeah, put it on!” she called out as she left the room and headed to her kitchen. Even though she fully intended on going to bed soon, the woman couldn’t help to give in to her last minute cravings. She picked up the package of girl scout cookies and made her way back to the room with a smile honestly far too big. 

“I got the goods,” she joked before crawling back to bed next to her, pulling the covers over her and holding the box of cookies on her chest as she fetched one out. Pulling one out, she handed it to Lulu - a bit insistent on it, really. Rory got closer and moved to lay her head on the brunette’s shoulder just as she always did when they were younger. “This guy looks like a douche,” she commented with a cheek full of cookies as she gestured towards the television. “I don’t understand how they pick these guys. They’re always the more boring and douchiest men.”