Two Steps Behind

Part 22

 "Finally I can say I beat you at bowling," Eddie teased as they walked in the door of his house. "It may not have been by much, but I beat you."

"I am also out of practice!" Elizabeth exclaimed in defense of herself. "Take me bowling a few more times and you'll eat those words, I promise."

For all of her worries about things being awkward between them, she needn't have worried at all. They had a blast bowling. They enjoyed a few beers, teased one another mercilessly, and their old competitiveness came right back as the scores inched higher. He had beaten her fair and square but it had only been by 11 points and she was rusty.

Bowling had always been something she and Eddie had done. She had mentioned it once to David and he had looked at her like she had recommended walking across a rusty bed of nails. He wasn't putting his feet in someone else's nasty shoes. And what was so fun about chucking an oversized marble down at a bunch of pins? Of course, nothing had ever been fun for David, which meant nothing had been fun for her.

With Eddie, everything was fun. Everything was lighthearted and playful. At one point, he had accidentally tossed the ball backward and she chuckled. She had braced herself, expecting anger for mocking him, but he had only joined in, laughing at himself. She had silently chastised herself for even going there. She should have known better. Eddie was everything that David was not and she knew that. He wasn't going to be angry at her for laughing at his genuinely funny mistake.

"You want a drink?" Eddie asked as he headed into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'll take another beer if you have one."

"Coming right up."

She walked over to the wall across from the door where there was a display of pictures. Happiness spread through her body as she realized most of the pictures on the wall were of the two of them. She knew he didn't have much family. He had spent most of their younger days at her house because he felt wanted and welcomed there. Her mom had always included him in everything that they did. Still, it warmed her heart to see that, after all this time, he still had kept her visible in his life even after she'd chosen to disappear.

A beer was held in front of her as an arm wrapped around her waist. She could feel the warmth of his chest pressed against her back and she leaned into him. He rested his chin on her shoulder, lightly kissing her jaw and even that featherlight touch sent pangs of desire shooting through her.

"Admiring your own beauty?" he asked, his lips against her ear.

"No, god..." she laughed, shaking her head. "I was just looking at all your pictures and I was surprised that you have so many pictures of me up in your house when I wasn't even in your life."

"Of course I have pictures of you. My happiest times have always been with you," Eddie replied, kissing her cheek. "They made me miss you. They made me wish you were here but I love seeing this every day. They are some of my very favorite memories."

"Even that one?" she questioned, pointing to a picture of her and Eddie on her wedding day. He had lifted her into his arms, her poofy dress billowing up in front of their faces and they were both mid-laugh. It was a moment of pure joy, before the reality of what she had chosen had set in. Before the shackles had been locked around her wrists, the cage assembled to keep her in.

Elizabeth traced her finger over Eddie's face in the photo. Damn, she forgot how amazing he looked in a tuxedo, his hair pulled back in a bun, wisps of waves framing his face. For a moment that day she had to remind herself to look at her soon-to-be-husband and not her best friend.

"Do you want me to be honest?" he asked.

"Of course. Always."

"I love that picture because I like looking at that picture and imagining it was me who got to marry you that day. I would pretend none of it happened and that we were living our happily ever after," he said quietly. "I know it's stupid. Obviously, it's not real. It just made me feel better."