Walk With Me Part 11

Brooke licked her lips nervously. "Look, I, uh, need to finish getting ready, and my parents will be back soon and then the guests are coming, so I guess"-her eyes looked wet-"it's not a big deal if we don't have a singer."

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry." Brad looked truly contrite. "I know how much it meant to you. You even wrote the invitation around it."

Brooke sniffled. Brad hugged her.

"I might know someone who can fill in," I volunteered.

Brooke jerked her gaze toward me, her expression suddenly filled with hope. "You do?"

I nodded. "Do you know Eli Block?"

"Rabbi Block's son?" she asked. Her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh. He has the most amazing voice. I heard him sing all the time when we were growing up. Do you really think he'd help us?"

I had no doubt. "You go get ready, and I'll call him and see what I can do."

"And I'll go talk to my sister," Brad said. "I'm sorry I lost my temper, Brooke. I get a little crazy when people run you down."

"I know." She circled her arms around his waist, and he gathered her in his arms, holding her close. "I love you."

Despite the family drama and the cussing and the fiasco unfolding in front of my face, I felt my spirits lift at their display of love and affection. The wedding was one day; the marriage was supposed to last a lifetime. Seeing Brad and Brooke together told me that even if their big day didn't work out quite like they'd been expecting, they were going to be happy for the long haul.

I went to my office, called Eli, and explained the situation. Thirty minutes later he was standing at my door wearing his best suit and a purple tie, and holding his guitar. And he looked so gorgeous I stopped breathing when I saw him. Actually stopped breathing.

At twenty-one, Eli still looked young enough that he'd raise eyebrows if someone saw him in a bar, but dressed up in a dark suit with his hair neatly brushed, he no longer looked like a kid. Seeing him standing there, I got a glimpse into the man he'd grow into, and I ached to be by his side, watching it happen.

"Hi," he said breathlessly. "I rushed right over. I'm not late, am I?"

I opened my mouth to answer but the sight of him had stolen my voice along with my every ounce of air in my lungs, so I gulped and nodded instead.

"Do I look okay?" he asked, combing his hand along the sides and back of his hair. "You're looking at me funny."

You're beautiful. That's why I'm staring. You're so beautiful I never want to stop looking at you, I thought.

"You look nice," I said.

He blushed, dropped his gaze, and smiled shyly. "Thanks, Seth. So do you." He looked up at me from underneath his lashes, a move seemingly designed to melt my heart. "Is that a new suit?"

"Yes." I coughed and cleared the thickness from my throat. "All my other suits met wedding-related demises, so I did some shopping."

He dragged his gaze from my face, down my body, to my feet, and trembled. With the way he looked and the way he was gazing at me, I knew I needed to change the topic before I tossed out my good judgment, ignored all my concerns, and jumped him right there in my office.

"So, uh, did you decide about that master's program?"

Eli had one more year to go before he graduated with a dual major-music and education. He'd been trying to decide whether to pursue a master's or come home to Emile City and try to get a teaching job.

"Uh-huh. I think you talked me into it. Like you said, that way I have more options because I can teach at a college too."

Over the years, my relationship with Eli had gotten more complex. He no longer came on to me in his overt, campy ways, but the expressions on his face when I noticed him staring at me, the way he clung tightly when I gave him a hug, the way his entire body seemed to shake if I accidently brushed against him, all those things told me Eli's desire to be with me hadn't waned. And though I still gave him advice in a way that reminded me of our age difference, Eli always listened to what I had to say and took it to heart, something he didn't do with his parents, or, from what I'd heard Avi say when he was complaining to Meredith, other authority figures in his life. So I knew that in Eli's mind, I occupied a different s.p.a.ce from those people, which made me wonder if he finally saw me as someone other than the camp counselor who was the subject of his childhood crush.

"Eli?" I said, stepping closer to him.

"Yeah?" He must have heard something in my tone, because his expression morphed into one of hopeful trepidation.

What was I doing? Did I actually think I could ask him if his feelings for me were grown-up enough to be trusted? Could he even know the answer to that question?

Getting my emotions under control, I changed tracks and said, "What're you planning to sing?"

"Oh, uh, I hadn't thought about it." He sat down in the chair across from my desk, propped the guitar across his chest, and started strumming and humming to himself. "I know," he said eventually. "How about 'I Swear'? Have you heard it? John Michael Montgomery?"

I shook my head.

He moved his hand elegantly over his guitar, filling my office with beautiful music, and then he started to sing about knowing someone has questions but promising you'll stand by them and never break their heart.

The song wasn't familiar, but hearing it in Eli's voice made me wonder if he had read my mind. I'd been drawn to him from the start. I'd known I wanted him for months, years even. But standing in my office, seeing him all dressed up and listening to his beautiful voice croon while he gazed at me like I was the only person in the world that mattered, I ached for him. Bone deep.

By the time he was done singing, every hair on my body was standing on end and I was shivering. "Eli," I said breathlessly.

"Wow." I had been so focused on him that the new voice made me jump. I jerked my head toward the door and saw Brooke looking very much the part of the bride in her sparkling white gown. "That was so beautiful, Eli," she said.

"Thank you." He smiled at her. "You look great."

"Brooke." I shook my head to clear my thoughts and put my head back on work. "Are you ready for us?"

"We have a little time. The guests aren't here yet," she said. "I came to tell you that Brad somehow made up with his sister and she agreed to sing after all, but-" She bit her lip. "Eli, your voice is so amazing. If she agrees, would you be willing to sing with her?"

"Sure," he said happily. "Whatever you want." He got up, stepped over to her, and kissed her cheek. "It's your big day."

She beamed. "Thank you!" She grasped his elbow. "Come on. I'll introduce you to Marilyn and see what she thinks."

"See you in a bit, Seth." He winked at me as she pulled him out of the office.

It was no surprise to me that the groom's sister hit it off with Eli; he was such an incredibly likeable guy. So after all the angst and consternation, Brooke got not one but two singers and a musical accompaniment to boot-Eli on his acoustic guitar. The duet Eli and Marilyn pulled off was moving and romantic and brought more than one guest to tears. The bride was thrilled, the groom was grateful, and I finally officiated a romantic, heart-warming wedding.

Chapter 9.

Eli Block.

"h.e.l.lO."

"Hi, it's me. I didn't wake you up, did I?"

I heard Seth's voice, and my heart rate immediately sped up. No matter how many times I lectured myself about hopeless crushes, my stupid reactions to him stayed the same. I was pathetic.

"Hey, Seth," I said, praying I sounded breathless only to my own ears. "It's ten o'clock in the morning. I've already been up for at least, uh, ten or fifteen minutes."

Awake and up, actually. And I was still in bed thinking of getting myself worked into round two.

He chuckled. "You're back in cla.s.ses next week. Better get your body used to a more normal starting hour."

There was a time when I'd resented his constant stream of advice, because it frustrated me to feel like Seth thought of me as a kid. But over the years, I'd come to realize it meant he cared about me. I watched Seth whenever I had the chance, not just when he was talking to me. So I saw how he was with other people. He listened well, nodded a lot, and made the occasional suggestion, but I never saw him truly insinuate himself into anybody else's life. When I realized he was different with me, his advice made me feel special and any resentment melted away.

I slid down on my mattress, cupped my b.a.l.l.s, and said, "Don't worry, old man. It's my senior year. I won't fall apart at the last minute."

He grunted.

"So, what's up? Is there a change of plans? Or am I still coming to your place at around five."

"No change." He paused. "Make sure you bring your key, though, in case I'm late. You know how these weddings can get."

I had a key to his apartment because he'd asked me to house-sit when he'd gone to LA to visit his family for a week earlier in the summer. I'd jumped at the chance to have some s.p.a.ce from my parents (success quotient: minimal-my mother showed up almost every evening with food). Plus, I'd relished the opportunity to snoop through Seth's things when he wasn't around to catch me (success quotient: goal accomplished but results disappointing-his place was bare except for a few photo alb.u.ms with no nudity).

There was so little there that I wondered if he'd had issues with whoever watched his place before me and had gotten in the habit of hiding anything worth seeing in his office when he traveled. But when I asked what happened to his previous house sitter, he said he'd never had one.

"I don't have any plants or pets, and I'm never gone very long, so there's no reason to have someone in my s.p.a.ce, sleeping in my bed." He shuddered. "Kind of gives me the creeps."

I hadn't wanted him to change his mind about my staying there, so I didn't point out that I'd been doing that very thing. h.e.l.l, he'd told me not to bother stripping the sheets before he came home because he'd be washing all his clothes from the trip anyway and he could combine the laundry.

"The key's on my keychain. I won't forget it." I rolled my eyes and snorted when I realized I was responding to yet another piece of advice.

"Good." He sounded happy. I heard him sigh, clear his throat, and then he said, "So the reason I'm calling is I want to borrow the tie you wore to services the first night of Rosh Hashanah."

"The tie I wore to...." I furrowed my brow. "Seth, that was in September. It's been almost a year. How am I supposed to remem-"

"The bride's mom called and asked me to coordinate my tie with the rest of the color theme, which is blush and bashful, but not pink. I have no idea what that means, but your tie is a really light peachy-pink color with silver stripes. You wore it with your navy suit and mine's black, but I have a light-gray shirt almost the same color as the pewter one you were wearing, so I think it'll work."

It took me a moment to remember the tie he was talking about. I let go of my nuts and climbed out of bed. "I think it's here. Give me a sec." I stepped over to my closet and rustled through the clothes until I got to the hanger holding my ties. "Found it. Do you need me to bring it over?"

"No, you don't have to do that. I'll come by on my way to the ceremony. I know you're busy and-"

"Yeah, I'm super busy." I laughed. "I just finished beating off and I'm trying to decide if I should shower or get in another hallelujah hallelujah before I clean up." before I clean up."

Seth made a strange sound, almost like he was choking.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes." He coughed and cleared his throat. "I'm fine."

"Okay." I tossed the tie on my bed. "Give me ten minutes to get showered and dressed, then I'll pick up some bagels from that place you like and head your way."

"Are you sure?" he asked, but I could tell from his tone that he was pleased. n.o.body ever fed the man. It was sad. If he were mine.... I shook off the thoughts. No hopeless crushes.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You're officiating a wedding, that's like a major workout for you. There might be animals or fires or fistfights. The possibilities are endless. We need to make sure you march into battle with a full stomach."

"NOAH," I frantically said the second my friend answered his phone. "Do you have a big bowl? I mean a giant one?" frantically said the second my friend answered his phone. "Do you have a big bowl? I mean a giant one?"

"Eli?"

"Yeah, it's me." I wiped the back of my hand across my forehead and then sneezed when a cloud of flour drifted down. "A big bowl. Do you have one?"

"Uh, Eli, man, I haven't been into that s.h.i.t for a long time." He lowered his voice. "I might be able to find someone who can help you out, but are you sure you wanna do that? I mean, whatever you're into, but-"

I paused in midstir. "What are you talking about? I'm making challah and I measured wrong, put in too much flour. So now I need a bigger bowl so I can increase the rest of the ingredients. I'd call my mom, but then she'd come over here and complain about how I didn't listen when she gave me her recipe." I rubbed my hand over my eye and then started blinking furiously when it started to burn. "I can't deal with that right now."

"Ooooh," he said, drawing the word out. "That kind of bowl."

"What did you think I meant?" I asked, furrowing my brow.

"Never mind. What size bowl?"

I considered the large metal bowl I'd brought over to Seth's from my mother's house. It was close to overflowing by that point, and I still needed to add more water and yeast. "Uh, one that's, like, three times the size of one of those big bowls that comes in the nesting set."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Hold on. Let me ask Clark."

I heard him set the phone down, so I took the opportunity to click the speaker b.u.t.ton on my phone, put it on the counter, and start searching Seth's cabinets on the off chance he was stashing a sink-sized bowl somewhere.

"Oh!" I said to myself. "That's it." I hopped up, forgetting that I was looking inside a cabinet, and slammed my head. "f.u.c.k!"

"Clark says he's never seen a bowl that big," Noah chirped from the phone. I rubbed my head and crawled backward until I was sure I was clear. "Eli? You there?"

"I'm here!" I called out and rushed over to the phone. "Never mind. I figured it out. I'll use the sink."

There was a pause and then, "You're going to use the sink as a bowl?"

I nodded even though he couldn't see me. Then I reached for the ingredients I had lining the counter and moved them closer to the sink.

"Yeah, that's what he said," Noah mumbled, presumably to Clark. "Eli, Clark says to make sure you scrub it down first so you don't get bacteria in the food and then rinse it out really well so you don't get cleaner in there."

"Good point. Thanks."

"No problem. So what're you making?"

"Challah for Seth."

"What's challah?"

"Bread. It's a Jewish thing. Braided egg bread. My mom has a great recipe, and he loved it when he went to my parents' house for Shabbat so I'm making some for him."

"You're at his place?"