Begin Again

chapter eight

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

My tone takes on a style of disbelief, my eyes practically bulging out of their sockets. I can hear Luke let out a heavy sigh from the other end of the phone, and I know he is becoming quite annoyed that I keep having him fact-check himself.

"Yes, Eve. I'm serious." I can practically see his dark brown eyes, the same color as mine, rolling in his head.

As I slowly paint my big toe, I reach forward with the nail polish; the phone tucked between my ear and shoulder. "Mom . . . is dating?" Honestly, it's a bit surprising. Dad hasn't even been gone for a year yet, and she's already hopping back on the dating scene. I did not think she would put herself back out there that quickly; she had been with Dad for almost twenty-four years.

"I heard her on the phone with some dude named Axel," Luke elaborates. "She was giggling, Eve. Mom never giggles."

I exhale, making sure not to spill the polish all over my duvet as I rest it on my pillow. "Okay, so she's dating again. I'm happy for her." Luke scoffs, and my eyes narrow. "What?"

"Dad hasn't been dead that long. Don't you think it's a little too soon?"

I think it's too soon, but I value my mother's happiness. I hope that I will never know what it feels like to lose my husband in the way she'd lost hers. It isn't my place to try and dictate how she needs to move on.

"What do you want her to do? Stay single for the rest of her life?" Silence on the other end confirms his answer, and I roll my eyes. "Listen, Luke. Mom is an adult, and as much as you hate hearing this, she can do whatever she wants. I have no problem with her dating; frankly, I'm happy for her." Luke stays quiet, and I continue. "If I hear from her that you're being a dick about it, I will come over there and beat your ass."

He chuckles. "I'm not going to say anything. She doesn't even know that I suspect something. I—I don't want anyone to replace Dad."

"You know that no one can replace him," I say softly. "He'll always be Mom's first love and our crazy old man." After his death, Luke reverted into a shell of his former self. He was utterly broken. We all were. It's only been a few months since things have started to return to some semblance of normal. The ache is still there, though. I know it will always be there.

"Yeah, I guess." I hear some rustling on the other end for a moment before Luke's voice comes back. "I gotta go, practice is starting, but I'll call you later."

"Alright, bye, squirt." He grumbles at the nickname, and I laugh, ending the call as my door swings open. I jump in fright, almost chucking my nail polish across the room. Talia stands against my doorframe, grinning at me like a Cheshire Cat.

I narrow my eyes at her. "What?"

"We're going out tonight!"

"Why?"

Talia pouts, walking further into my room. "Because we haven't been out since before Halloween, at least not all of us together." When I stay silent, giving her a you're not doing a good job of convincing me look, Talia's lip twitches into a smirk. "Miles will be there."

I frown, twisting the cap back on the nail polish. "So?"  I try to feign indifference, but the fact that Miles will be going out with us makes something stir in my stomach. I'm in too deep, and I know it. Especially when I know I'm not entirely over Sebastian.

"Don't give me that," Talia scolds. "I know you like him."

"As a friend, yes."

She gives me a dubious look, clearly not buying the just friends mantra. "Anyone with eyes can see how much you want to fuck each other, Eve." I open my mouth to object, but Talia shoots me a stern look, and I clamp my jaw shut. "So, you're going to get your pretty ass up and put something incredibly sexy on and come out with everyone tonight because I can see how hard you've been working on your internship application, and frankly, you need a night off."