Tragedy brings Tatum Avery to California. There she meets handsome, alluring, bullheaded, Eli Robertson. Together they find hardship, love, and wild situations.
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"She was stunning, so much so that it was ha...
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"One chocolate milkshake." Eli says to me, pushing the shake across the table. He hesitates for a moment before pulling out a chair from under the table and sitting across from me.
"Thanks." I say instantly taking a long gulp of the cold, chocolate-y, treat.
"How did your love of milkshakes come to be so...strong?" He asks, an amused expression sliding over his face.
I shrug. "They're just really good here."
He nods. "I'll tell my mom you said so"
I raise my eyebrows. "Your mom?"
"Yeah, she owns the place. Has since I was four."
"No way, really?"
He nods again, pulling his eyes from mine to look around the shack. "Under that chair there," He points to a small, wooden, chair that looks as if it could collapse any minute. "Are me, my mom, and my dad's, initials. My dad built it, along with a table that's no longer standing."
"That's awesome."
"Yeah," He agrees. "So how did you get into photography?"
I sigh. "I wish I had a long, beautiful, story to tell you but honestly I don't. I just picked up a camera one day, snapped a picture, and the rest is history. You?"
"My mom bought me a camera for my 15th birthday, been snapping pics ever since."
We talk a bit more about photography and other random parts of life when suddenly his phone buzzes.
He dips into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He takes a quick glance at the notification, makes a face, then shoves it back into his shorts.
Then it buzzes again.
He sighs heavily before reaching into his pocket.
"You can take that if you want."
He looks down at his phone. Then back up at me. "It's my mom- just one sec."
He excuses himself and heads to a farther table to talk privately.
After a few minutes, I finish the last of my milkshake and peer back over at Eli he seems deep into his conversation with his mom. I wonder if he had anything to do tonight before I came along. I pull out my phone. It's 6:58. Perhaps if I left now on foot, I'd be able to make it home a little after Georgie does. It's not dark yet, but it will be soon.
I stand to throw my cup in the trash and head towards the door.
"Hey!" Eli calls out. "Where are you going?"
"Uh- thanks for the shake. If I walk I can make it home before dark."
He says a few more words into the phone, hangs up, then jogs over to me. "It's still early. Are you sure you wanna leave now?"
