Chapter Ten

Larson sat across the street from her hotel on a park bench. She had only been here in Florida for a day and already she was ready to scream. She truly loved her family more than anything, she just didn’t like being in an enclosed area with them for too long. She blew out a deep breath and leaned back on the bench. Thank God that Mel was here, she was helping to keep her in check and not say something that Larson really shouldn’t. She also had JC’s benefit to look forward too in a couple of days. She would have a whole night away and she could just relax.

“Is this seat taken?” Someone asked her and she looked up to see JC standing next to her.

“Jace? What the hell are you doing here?” She said sliding over and he sat down next to her,

He shrugged, “I was in the area.”

Larson laughed, “In the area, huh? You live like two hours away and you were in the area?”

“Okay, so I called your room before and Mel said that you were already freaking and I was bored, so yeah, here I am.”

Larson laid her head on his shoulder, “Thank you.”

“Are you still freaking?”

Larson glanced over at the hotel, “Not since I left that hotel.”

He looked up at the hotel, “Is your sister here?”

Larson shook her head, “No, she went home.”

He looked down at her, “Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yeah, I just needed some fresh air.” She sighed and JC squeezed her shoulder,

“What’s driving you crazy?”

She sighed again, “My sister, mainly.”

“And why’s that, I don’t think you’ve ever explained that to me.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love my sister and I’d do just about anything for her, but I really don’t like her.”

JC chuckled, “And why’s that?”

Larson took another deep breath, “Because she’s a first born, and first borns are pains in the asses.”

“Hey, I’m a first born.”

She lifted her head with a smirk, “I rest my case.” She teased.

JC scoffed, “I can’t believe I drove two hours for you to make fun of me.”

“I can, cuz you’re here.” She said poking him gently in the side, “But I really appreciate you being here and I don’t think you’re that much of a pain in the ass.”

“Oh thanks.”

Larson pinched him in the side playfully, “Oh stop.” She laughed and looked up at him, “Hey can you stay for the rest of the week? You just got here and already I’m feeling better.”

“You want me too?” He asked seriously and she shook her head,

“I was just kidding. I don’t torture my friends like that.”

“Torture?”

“You haven’t met my family. Trust me, they’ll meet you and two seconds later, they’ll be asking you when you’re marrying me, what religion we’re going to be raising our children, what your family is like, what you do for a living, what college you went to, what your intentions are with me, and those are the easy questions.” She let out a deep breath, “I love my family, I really do and I love spending time with them. It’s just they get a little over anxious to marry everyone off.”

“Well, you’ve haven’t gotten married yet.”

Larson laid her head back against the bench, “That’s because I’ve got them confused.” She smiled to herself, “They can’t figure out if I’m straight or not and they’re all too chicken shit to ask.” She glanced over at him, “It’s worked so far.”

JC snapped his finger, “Guess I can’t make out with you in front of them and blow your cover.”

Larson burst out laughing and laid her head back down on his shoulder as she giggled, “Jace, please don’t leave me. This is most I’ve laughed since I left California.”

JC wrapped his arm around her shoulders, “Glad I could help, L.”

“You have no idea.” She then looked at her watch, “Holy shit, it’s late. Jace, you’re not driving back tonight, are you? You won’t get home till like two in the morning!”

He grinned flirtatiously at her, “Who said I’m leaving?”

She rolled her eyes, “Where are you going to stay?”

“I can’t stay with you?” He asked giving her the puppy dog eyes,

She looked down at her hands, “Actually you could.” She looked up at him, “You want to?”

He shrugged, “I don’t care. Whatever you want.” He leaned in close to her, “And just to let you know, there’s this building in front of us, it’s called a hotel, and they have rooms with beds that people can rent and sleep in.”

Larson pushed him playfully, “Smart ass.” She chuckled.

“You bring it out in me.” He teased back,

“I apparently bring it out in everyone.” She joked and looked around the area around them, “Gosh, it’s beautiful out here.”

JC looked around at their surroundings, “Yeah, it really is.”

“I love nights like this, when the heat from the day carries over to the night and there’s a slight breeze. There’s just something in the air that makes you want to be outside, doing something.” She sighed happily.

“Like take a walk?” JC suggested,

“Yeah.” She nodded in agreement,

“You wanna take one?”

“A walk?” She asked back,

“Yeah.”

Larson closed her eyes and took a deep breath with a smile, “That sounds like a wonderful idea.” She opened her eyes, “Let me just call Mel and let her know what’s up, so she doesn’t think that some stranger kidnapped me or anything.”

“Good idea.”

Larson quickly called up Mel to let her know that she was with JC and that she was going on a walk. After she hung up they set off on their walk. The beach was just on the other side of the park and each of them decided that it would be the perfect place for their walk.

“This was a good idea.” Larson announced as they walked along the shore. Each of them had taken off their shoes and were carrying them in their hands.

“I agree. I love the ocean.” JC replied taking a deep breath of the ocean air that he loved so much.

“Is that why you have a house on each coast?”

He chuckled, “Maybe, or maybe it’s because I spend a lot of time on each coast and I hate staying in hotels.”

She smirked, “Definitely has to do with the ocean.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I could live on the beach, better yet a boat on the ocean.”

“Join the Navy.” Larson suggested.

JC made a face, “Uh, no thank you. I’m a lover, not a fighter. I just want to lie back and chill out, maybe fish a little.”

“Be a beach bum.” She teased and nudged him gently.

“Jimmy Buffet is my God.” He chuckled,

“I could see that.”

He looked over at her, “How is that?”

Larson cocked her head to the side, “You’re laid back and you wear flip flops like it’s the only pair of shoes you own. Then of course there is that whole wipeout thing.”

JC groaned, “You just couldn’t let that go, could you?”

Larson giggled, “But it was SO adorable.”

“You be quiet or I’ll throw you in.” He threatened playfully and she looked away,

“Kay.” She agreed.

JC knew that Larson never gave in that easily, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She replied with a shrug, “Why do you ask?”

“You never give in that easily.” He pointed out.

“So? I don’t want you to throw me in the ocean.”

“I was only kidding.”

“Oh, kay.”

JC stopped her, “Oh kay, what? Why do I feel like there’s more to this than you don’t want to get thrown in the ocean?”

She sighed, “I have a fear of water I can’t see the bottom of, the ocean is included in that category.”

“It’s just water L.”

“Yeah, and there are things living in that ocean and in lakes and in ponds and in rivers. It creeps me the fuck out.” She shivered.

“They don’t bother you. Most of those living things are more scared of you than you are of them.” JC explained,

Larson rolled her eyes, “Well thanks for that explanation, you’ve totally cured my phobia of dark water.”

“L…”

Larson sighed looked up at him, “Sorry, it’s just a touchy subject. It’s in my head and I know that. It just is what it is. I’ve been this way for a long time.”

“They have therapists for things like that.”

“And I’ve been to them, I know where it roots from, but I can’t seem to shake the fear. It’s very real and very traumatic.”

“Where does it come from?”

Larson sighed and sat down in the sand. JC took a seat next to her and she ran a hand through her hair, “Some of the people in my family get off on torturing other people. You know like little kids do. Well, my one uncle thought that it was funny to swim up under me and grab my ankles, pulling me under the water. Kind of traumatic when you’re seven, then I saw Jaws and that was it, I couldn’t go in the water.” She shrugged,

“So you can’t go in the water at all?”

“I can wade in the water, but when I can’t see the bottom, I can’t go any further, like I can’t even make myself go any farther. I freeze up and I freak out.”

“Freak out?”

“Cry, scream, punch, kick, hyperventilate, do anything possible to get me out of that water, as soon as possible.”

“Wow.” JC said, “Fear can be a powerful thing.”

“Trust me, I know.” She shook her head and then looked over at him, “Do you have any fear like that?”

“Needles.”

She nodded, “Oh, yeah I can see that one.”

JC smirked, “I once ran away from a nurse when I thought she was trying to give me a shot, turns out she was trying to take my temperature.”

Larson chuckled, “When you were younger?”

JC scratched the back of his head, “Yeah, but younger as in, like a couple of years ago.”

Larson smiled softly, “Hey if anyone understands phobias, it’s me. I ain’t gonna rag on you for running away. I’ve done worse..”

“Really?”

“I punched out one of my good guy friends, knocking out his front teeth and giving him a fat lip.”

JC winced, “Ooo, ouch.”

“I felt so bad afterward, but in my defense, I did warn him.”

“Definite note to self.” He smiled and patted her arm, “Don’t worry L, I won’t make you go into any water that you can’t see the bottom of.”

“Thanks.” She said and stared out at the ocean, “I could stay here, though. This is nice.”

“Like forever?”

“Yeah. No weddings, no family to drive me crazy. God I can’t imaging getting married.”

“Yeah, but you want to get married. It’s in your life plan.” He pointed out.

Larson wrinkled her nose, “I guess.”

“You guess?”

“I don’t really know.” She blew out a deep breath, “I mean, I’m not one of those girls who’s out there searching for a husband in every guy I meet. Honestly, if I never get married, I’d be okay with that.”

“You would?” JC asked completely surprised,

She smiled, “Yeah, I’m pretty good by myself. I have awesome friends, a job that I love, and a huge family that loves me to death. I’m pretty happy.”

“So you don’t want to get married?”

“No.” She said slowly.

“Huh?”

Larson laughed lightly, “You see, I’m not really looking for a husband, but if the right guy came along at the right time, then sure, I’d be all about it. I’m not against it, but I’m not running down the aisle either, you know?”

JC smiled back at her, “Yeah, I completely understand. Do you ever feel pressured to get married?”

“Constantly.” She laughed shaking her head, “It’s like I’m a freak because I’m 26 and not married yet.” She rolled her eyes, “People don’t understand that I’m happy the way I am.”

“Yeah, just enjoying life.”

“Exactly.” She agreed, “It just seems that everyone spends so much time running around trying accomplish their goals, that they never get to sit back and enjoy what they’ve done.”

“L, I couldn’t agree with you more.” He said sitting back on his hands,

Larson looked down at her feet as she dug into the sand with them, “I think that’s why the divorce rate in America is so high.” She looked back up at him, “There’s such a pressure to get married and settle down, that I think that people do it because they’re expected too, not because they want too.”

“That’s really interesting.”

“Yeah, well, think about it. Say you did get married when you were 25 and you got divorce by time you were 35. Then you met the true love of your life at 40 and got remarried. Wouldn’t it just be easier to wait till your 40 to get married and do it right the first time?”

“Unless, you wouldn’t have met the true love of your life without getting married the first time around.” JC pointed out.

“Good point.”

“So you’re waiting for your true love?” He smirked.

Larson nodded, “Why not?” She stared off into the ocean, “I want to have that marriage that lasts. I want to be a little old married couple together, where we still hold hands and dance to our song when ever it comes on, even if it’s in the middle of the mall.” She sighed dreamily and looked over at him, blushing slightly, “Mel thinks I’m crazy.”

“For what? Wanting your marriage to last and be happy?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“I guess.” She shrugged, “You don’t think that’s weird?”

“No.” He shook his head, “I wish more people wanted marriages like that.”

“Yeah, me too.”

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