Chapter 37

Phil was checking the coals in the hibachi on the balcony when he saw Tiffany’s car pull up and Hailey exit. She smiled nervously as she came up the stairs, wondering how her opening gambit would be received.

Phil put his arm around her waist as she reached the landing and Tiffany honked the horn. They both waved down and Tiffany waved back before she pulled away – a huge smile etched across her face.

“Can you leave that for a moment?” Hailey asked, determined to follow through with her plan. Phil nodded and followed her into the apartment. He had barely closed the screen door before Hailey wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself tightly to his chest.

“I was so scared that I would never get to do this again,” she admitted. “Or this.”

She tugged him down until she could kiss him and sighed contentedly when she felt his hands massage the muscles in her back.

“Thank you,” she said when she released him.

“Thank you!” Phil enthused.

“I decided it’s best to get that awkward first kiss out of the way,” she grinned. “You never know if you’re going to turn your face in opposite directions and bump noses.”

“Of if one of you goes for soft and sweet and the other goes for hungry and passionate,” Phil played along.

“It’s a lot of stress we don’t need,” Hailey said, putting her arm back around Phil’s waist.

“I agree totally,” he told her. “Anything else you want to get out of the way?”

“Oh, there really is but I don’t want all the food preparations to go to waste,” she said. She could actually feel the tension drain away as they spoke. “What can I help you with?”

“It’s all pretty much ready,” Phil admitted. “I’m just going to burn the shit out of my hands while I wrap the potatoes in some foil and put them in the coals to finish. I start them in the microwave and let them cook along with the meat.”

“Don’t you have a potholder?” Hailey asked.

“I’m a guy!” Phil declared. For good measure he beat himself on the chest like a gorilla – and immediately broke out into coughs.

“I know you’re all man!” Hailey said. “You don’t have to prove it with scar tissue.”

“I actually figure if I do this often enough I can rob a bank without leaving fingerprints,” Phil joked as he opened the microwave and gingerly rolled a steaming potato out onto a square of foil. He repeated the move with a second one and lifted the tail of his shirt up to carry them to the grill.

“You can get the door,” he offered. Hailey just shook her head when Phil put the potatoes on the edge of the coals and shook his hand.

“I don’t have to wonder what to get you for your birthday, do I?” she asked.

They chatted about classes and their upcoming finals while their meal cooked. Hailey made it a point to be never farther than a foot away, not because she worried he would need her help but because she wanted to be near him. If she could crawl into his clothes, she decided that might be close enough.

“I was thinking,” he said.

“Uh-oh!” Hailey said. “That can’t be good.”

“Yeah,” Phil agreed. “Anyway, you might like this so hear me out before you dismiss it because it came from me. I was thinking that you and I have to develop a relationship outside of the one we have with our friends. That means solo time together without the posse, things like that. What do you think?”

“I know I would really enjoy that,” Hailey said. “I think part of what happened last time was the fact that anytime you and I were alone we were either naked or on the way to getting naked. I’m not suggesting we stop that part and I’m not suggesting we abandon the people we’re close to. I think we need to have some time when the two of us can take a walk or go for an ice cream cone or even have a fight without Katelyn, Molly and Tiffany in our hip pockets. I just hope they understand the need for it.”

“We’ll just tell it like is,” Phil said with a shrug. “We enjoy having them around but we’re the linchpin of the relationship. If you and I don’t work it doesn’t really work for any of us. You’ll wind up with Tiffany; I’ll wind up with Katelyn; and we’ll have joint custody of Molly.”

Hailey laughed at the notion but admitted to herself that he was probably right.

“So you want to try again?” Hailey asked.

“I do,” Phil said with a nod. “It was really good for the first part. It wasn’t just, you know, the naked things. It was having someone like you around. No, it was having you around. When we would be in class, I would look forward to when I would see you walking across campus toward me. I liked when we’d talk about our day and compare professors. I liked that little kiss you always gave me when you thought I was asleep and how you’d whisper that you loved me if you had to get up in the middle of the night.”

“I liked those things, too,” Hailey admitted. “The last month has felt like a part of me was missing. I’m not talking about my tonsils or an appendix. I mean an arm or a leg, something vital. I really scared me how much I had come to rely on you in such a short amount of time.”

“It scared me, too,” Phil confided. “I went from hating you – and you not even remembering I existed – one day to nominal friends the next and to spending every minute of every day together the next. It was too fast for it not to flame out like it did. As much as I enjoy company, we have to have interests that are all our own. With the hours I transferred from high school and the 32 I’ll add this year, I’ve already fulfilled the requirements to be a junior academically. I’m going to play baseball in the fall.”

“Hey, that’s awesome,” Hailey said. “I thought baseball was a spring sport though.”

“They have about 10 games in the fall before the weather turns,” Phil explained. “It’s like an extended tryout for guys like me and it helps shake the rust off guys like Bob Prohl. I might not play much. Coach Andrews told me that he made sure he had a decent right fielder in the next recruiting class and I haven’t really played in a year now. But it will be nice to be on the team and to be able to fart without leaving the room.”

“Doesn’t stop us,” Hailey said with a laugh.

“That means although I’ll belong to Beta Club, I’m not going to be an active participant,” Phil continued. “I’m going to split my proxy between you, Tiffany and Katelyn. That means two of the three of you have to agree before you can vote for me. I doubt it will be an issue but I didn’t want anyone pissed at you and to think you got two votes because we’re...”

“Boinking?” Hailey said, smiling broadly.

“Yeah,” Phil agreed. “There are no overnight trips during the fall but if I make the roster for spring, it’ll mean that I’ll be gone all Spring Break. The team travels to warmer climates every year to get in as many games as they can. There are also two weekend tournaments when I’ll be gone. I made this decision while we were apart but I wanted to tell you about it in case it creates problems.”

“It won’t,” Hailey said. “I admit I wasn’t unhappy about how much time we spent together but I can see where you might be.”

“No!” Phil said. “It wasn’t anything like that. I spent today thinking about long-term planning. My Mom and Dad do a lot of things together. They also do a lot of things as individuals. We need individual hobbies or we’ll get sick of each other.”

“I see that being a long-term problem,” Hailey agreed. “I, uh, I’ve never actually wanted to spend time with a guy before you. I mean, I’d go to parties with them and let them take me on dates but I didn’t just want to sit at the table waiting on supper to burn.”

“Shit!” Phil said, jumping to his feet and racing to the balcony. He pulled the steaks off the grill and dug around beneath for the potatoes. He found Hailey standing in the doorway laughing.

“Some chef’s assistant you turned out to be,” he muttered. “That means you have to do the clean up!”

“They’re fine,” Hailey said. “You told me it would be five more minutes and it was. Unless your calculations are off, we’re good – and so are they.”

Hailey insisted Phil stay at the table while she did the dishes. He would empty the charcoal in the morning and deliver it to the Dumpster on his way to class. He was watching Hailey’s rump shimmy to music only she heard as she washed the dishes. His attention was pulled from his fascinating subject by his buzzing phone.

“Hi, Molly,” he said when he answered.

“Phil,” Molly said noncommittally. She had been out with her cousins all day and had missed the news flash.

“I wondered if you needed a ride in the morning,” he said. “I could come out and get you if you’d like.”

“I’m pissed at you!” she said.

“I know,” Phil told her.

“I had nothing to do with anything that happened!” she continued.

“I know,” Phil said again.

“And you just threw me aside like yesterday’s newspaper because they did something,” Molly added.

“I know,” Phil said.

“That made me feel like shit, Phil,” Molly ended.

“I know and I’m sorry,” Phil said. “I was unhappy about what happened and you got lumped in with everyone else. I guess it was guilt by association and I’m sorry.”

“Yeah,” Molly said. “Well, it’s not going to be easy. A girl has her pride.”

“I know,” Phil said for the fifth time.

“I expect reparations!” Molly replied, stifling a giggle. If she could somehow bring Phil back into the fold everyone would treat her like the conquering hero.

“Name your price,” Phil told her, winking at Hailey who was laughing and shaking her head.

“First off, I want an invite to the apartment that caused all the fuss,” she said.

“Done,” Phil said. “I actually had a bedroom set up just for you because I hoped you’d either be there all summer or at least visit a lot.”

“I will admit I found that to be amazingly sweet and thoughtful,” Molly admitted.

“Then I ruined it,” Phil pointed out.

“Yes, thank you,” she told him. “I had almost forgiven you without getting to the rest of my demands. Let me find my place. Oh, here it was: Number 2 on the List of Things Phil Must Do to Return to My Good Graces. I expect full lunchtime privileges at the apartment until the school year ends.”

“Understood,” Phil replied.

“You’re giving in too easily,” Molly said. “Perhaps I should skip down a bit. We can work out the trivial things as we finalize negotiations. Let’s see, Number 107.”

“One-hundred seven!” Phil cut in. “I didn’t run over your poodle!”

“Ah, good, I’m glad you brought that up,” Molly said. “Tiffany has been giving me rides when I have to transport my cello. I understand that will no longer be possible. I fully expect you to pick up the slack in that department.”

“I just called to offer you a ride in the morning,” Phil pointed out.

“Being snarky will not help your cause, Mr. Warner,” Molly said. This time she couldn’t contain the laugh that came along with it. “It is really good to hear from you. I am a little peeved at being frozen out and I was majorly peeved with the others when I learned the details that led to it. I’ve actually gotten closer to them in the past few weeks and I don’t want to cause strife. I’d like for you to contact them, too. I don’t know if you can be friends again but they do miss you. Katelyn is really hurt but Tiffany isn’t far behind. They care about you a lot.”

“I’ve already talked to Katelyn and Tiffany,” Phil admitted.

“Ah, well, leave me for last did you?” Molly joked.

“You shouldn’t have such an active social life,” Phil replied. “I left a message on your phone hours ago.”

“Too true,” Molly said. “My time is quite valuable, as you know. What about Hailey?”

“What about her?” Phil inquired.

“Do you plan to speak to her?” Molly wondered.

“Eventually,” Phil said.

“I think it should be sooner than eventually,” Molly said, wary about delving into a minefield. “I’ll let that decision rest with you.”

“Can it wait until I put the phone down?” Phil wondered. “We just had dinner together and she was washing up when you called.”

“Oh, well, that’s good,” Molly said. “I guess I can cross Number 267 off my list: Must give Molly a right good shagging.”

“I’m not your type,” Phil said with a laugh.

“Probably wouldn’t stop me,” Molly admitted. “Still, if you two are talking it won’t be long before you’re together again. That’s a good thing, Phil. I’ll just have to leave you to the lovely blonde with the perfect figure, wondrous intelligence and beautiful face. I’m sure it will be a chore for you but you’ll be fine. We can’t all have a redhead to grace our beds.”

“Whoever winds up with you will be one lucky guy,” Phil said. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow morning? Oh, wait, Hailey is shaking her head. Ah, it looks as though I’ve been overruled. Hailey will see you at 7:30 a.m., it appears. I will, however, expect your cute fanny here for lunch.”

“You do know that ‘fanny’ means ‘vagina’ in the U.K.?” Molly said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, so?” Phil shot back. “I said what I mean.”

“Go back to your girlfriend, you goof,” Molly ordered. Phil thought that didn’t seem like the worst idea he’d heard.

“I was a bit worried at the start,” Hailey admitted.

“She was playing hard to get,” Phil joked. “She had a fictional list of demands: car service, lunch, a right good shagging. I agreed to them all.”

“You agreed to a ‘right good shagging?’” Hailey asked.

“I can’t figure out why she’d want a carpet but she’s always been a little weird,” Phil answered with a straight face. “I’ll have to ask the guy at the store what a ‘right good’ one is though.”

It took Hailey a moment to figure out Phil was joking. She threw a wet dish towel at him.

“I thought I was hooked up with an idiot,” Hailey said. “Is that what the fanny comment was about? She explained the difference to us.”

“That was what it was about,” Phil replied. “I knew what the term meant in Ireland. I used to try to slip it into conversation just to watch her face turn red. It’s why I never referred to her butt as a tush or a bottom. I always called it her fanny and pretended I didn’t know why she was giggling.”

“You’re bad,” Hailey laughed. “So are you planning to give her a right good shagging? She probably could use one and I know Tiffany will tell her all about it tomorrow.”

“Molly isn’t Tiffany,” Phil said. “Tiffany and I went that far because we were both curious about what it would be like. That was another problem with things the first time.”

“I know,” Hailey admitted. “And you’re really not Molly’s type. She’ll eventually learn to appreciate sweet and caring guys. I did. I sort of figured that being around you and seeing how you act all the time would be enough. It’s a shame it wasn’t.”

“It is,” Phil agreed. “But a right good shagging from someone she isn’t into isn’t going to change her mind. Besides, I’m with you. That’s all I need.”