Thirty-Eight Days (4 page)

Clara was surprised at the sight of her apartment. She prided herself on self-control, but the sight made her feel ashamed. She let her failed relationship get under her skin. She let him cheat on her, and she let herself crumble behind closed doors. All of it was truly her fault.

Sighing, she started to pick up the pieces of white chocolate nut squares from the floor. They had never been her favourite, and she understood why they settled on the floor. She presumed an emotional fit of rage during her intoxicated state of mind had chocolates flying. As she stood up from the floor, Clara noticed what she had been watching last night. She cringed at the sight.

Katherine Heigl… of course!

27 Dresses
was her go-to movie when she was upset. It had the right mix of heartbreak and happy ending. Clara winced at the thought that she probably belted out
Bennie and the Jets
along with Jane and Kevin. It seemed so fitting. Clara walked over to the kitchen and disposed of the chocolates in the bin. Returning to the living room, she collected the empty wine bottles and noodle boxes, placing them on the kitchen bench. As she glanced around her apartment, Clara was satisfied that it looked better than it did before.

Alex would be home this time tomorrow and she could concentrate on spending time with her brother. Clara had missed him more than anything. The last time she saw Alex was when they met up last winter in Switzerland for their ski trip in the Alps.

There were times where Clara wanted to desperately speak with him. But it always felt like an inappropriate time to call, and she knew Alex needed rest before flying out to Melbourne. She walked over to her bedroom and stood by the doorframe. Her room was painted a violet colour and her white French bed stood in the middle of the room against the wall. A window seat was on the opposite side of the bedroom door and a bookcase against the wall.

Clara's room was significantly large for an apartment in the city. All she needed was the view from her room. Her window gave her a painting of the city and she loved to see the twinkle from the stars above on clear nights.

Looking over at her bookcase, it held more pictures of her memories than it did books. A frame that sat in the middle was a shot of her and Alex taken the day he left for Stanford. A few other pictures of them from when she was younger, and one frame lay down flat. Clara knew what one it was. The memory flashed before her, the day they had a picnic out in the country, the day she thought she fell in love.

No matter how many times she tried to move the frame, she couldn’t. She left it where it lay, not wanting to touch or remember the memories that came from the picture. There would be a day where she moved it, but not today. Walking to her vanity, Clara sat on the padded stool and noticed the time on the clock, she had slept in till one in the afternoon. Staring at her reflection, her smudged makeup and messy bed hair made her cringe. Not liking the image that greeted her, Clara stood up and decided it was finally time anew.

Stepping out of the shower, Clara felt the warm water ease her mind and relax her body. Today was the first day of her new self. She had a life before Darren, and she was determined to find herself again. Walking over to her closet, she decided that she would dress the way she wanted to. Darren couldn’t dictate what outfit was appropriate and what wasn’t anymore, the choice was now hers. Clara searched through her closet until she found her short, pastel pink dress. The rosy dress was tight around her bust, but once it hit her hips it flared around her mid-thigh. She remembered the day she purchased it. Darren had told her it made her look cheap and Clara listened, leaving it on the hanger in her closet.

I could go see Annie for lunch.

Clara gave it a thought, but she convinced herself she wasn't ready to let Annie in yet. She would wear the dress for herself. She would stay inside and watch the episodes of
Hawaii Five-O
she had recorded. Watching Steve McGarrette on her TV was nothing short of a good night ahead. It was a little past four once she dressed herself, put on a bit makeup, and watched the afternoon slots of
Ellen
and
Dr. Phil
.

Out the kitchen window, Melbourne was offering a beautiful day. She was tempted to go for a walk, but the heat from the sun would tire her out easily. Instead, she decided to stretch her legs and go downstairs to collect her neglected mail.

"Clara, you look amazing," she heard behind her. She quickly spun around to see Liam, her upstairs neighbour, standing behind her.

A blush heated her cheeks at the compliment. The attractiveness of Liam's hazel eyes could literally make any girl fall to her knees. Her breathing spiked and her knees turned to jelly. Liam was dangerous to be close to. She had always composed herself around him since she had been Darren’s. But now, Clara was single, and she took in and enjoyed every little bit of Liam’s flirtatious ways.

"Stop that, Liam!" she said once she controlled the sound of her voice. He made her uncomfortable, to the point where she couldn't stare at him for very long. Liam was ridiculously good looking, and ridiculously good looking men like him did not take a second glance at girls like Clara. Maybe it was the fact that she was no longer someone’s girlfriend that made him act the way he did. He was a playboy, and playboys brought with them trouble. Liam was definitely trouble, smooth-talking and without a hitch with women.

"Why? You don't have a boyfriend.” He raised his eyebrows. It surprised her that his comment didn’t hurt like she expected them to. It caught her off guard more than it made her flinch.

"Oh, if I remember correctly, it
never
stopped you in the past," she replied as she headed for the elevator with mail in her hands. Clara liked her response, and by the sound of his footsteps running to her, Liam did too.

It didn’t help that she found herself attracted to her neighbour. As Clara pressed the button for the sixth floor, she was inches from his arm touching hers. Liam stood at six-foot-two, and would have had to spend hours at the gym to have that broad shoulders and muscles that he did.

Clara had once seen him shirtless, and that was when she watched him move into the apartment building. It had been thirty-seven degrees celcius, and the heat made her clothes stick to her skin. Clara had gone down to get some more ice from the convenience store down the road when she watched Liam take off his shirt. The beads of sweat that ran down his chiseled chest had her wanting to fan herself.

She would have never cheated on Darren, but Liam made it very difficult with a body like that. At least Clara knew how to stay faithful even though the most attractive man happened to live upstairs. She watched as Liam leaned forward and pressed the button for the seventh floor. Clara stood there as she quickly shifted her gaze to the mail in her hand.

"Have dinner with me next Saturday?" he asked, breaking the silent tension as the elevator approached the second floor. His voice went husky and it made her blush at his desire to date her. She looked up to see hazel eyes meet her brown eyes.

Did he just?

"Dinner?" she said, sounding bemused at his request. Her heart started to beat irregularly.

"Yes, dinner. Think of it as a housewarming dinner, but with just you and me, and in my apartment," he said, raising an eyebrow to her. That smirk had her flustered, and Clara mentally cursed herself.

"You moved in a year ago," she said matter-of-factly.

"And the problem?" he asked. Liam reached over once more and pressed the emergency button of the elevator, causing it to come to an abrupt stop; the lights dimmed. Fear and panic swept through Clara’s system; she was in an elevator that was stuck between floors.

Liam turned to face her, a pleased smile developing on his face. He made her breathing hitch, and all she could do was look into those beautiful eyes of his.

"So, next Saturday?" The lights had dimmed further, making it almost a black, confined space. She wasn't sure if she should say yes. Liam was attractive, but looks could only get him
so
far, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to put herself out there.

"Hello, do you need the CFA called?" a voice blasted through the speakers. It had startled Clara and she watched a laugh slip from Liam's lips.

The County Fire Authority… Oh, he thinks we need firefighters to rescue us.

“We’re good in here, Frank. Accidently pressed the emergency button. I'll press it again and we should be right to go back," Liam said calmly, his eyes never leaving Clara’s. She shivered slightly.

"Try not to press it again. It’s an emergency button for a reason." She heard the irritation in Frank’s voice. Liam gave Clara a shrug.

"So what do you say, Saturday?" he asked again as his hazel eyes started to reflect gold specks under the dimmed lights. Clara blinked several times in hopes of focusing.

"My brother's… Uhh, in town," she managed out, sounding like a blabbering fool.

"So blow him off for the night."

"Can't. He's only in town for a couple weeks, and I'd like to spend as much time as I can with him." Clara couldn't make up an excuse for the life of her. But she did lie to him about how long her brother was staying in Melbourne. If Liam knew the exact number of weeks, he’d most likely try again.

However, if he had continued to press her, then she would be having dinner with him next Saturday. Liam said nothing as his jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. She watched as he closed his eyes and took in a breath of air, recovering from being shot down, before he relaxed his shoulders and pressed the emergency button. The elevator jolted as it came back to life. The lights had brightened, but didn't diminish the tension filling the small space.

"That's okay. He’s important to you. I get it," Liam replied as the elevator opened to Clara’s floor.

That was not the response I was expecting.

She smiled at Liam, hoping she didn't bruise his ego in any way. Clara noticed that he looked more upbeat, and it puzzled her. Liam was only two years older than her, but she felt like he was beyond more than she could handle. Clara took a step out of the elevator and set foot on her floor. She could feel the warmth on her face. She was possibly as red as a chili.

Temptation can get you burned.

"Clara, wait!" Liam yelled out. She spun around to see a smile on his face and a glimmer in his eyes. His hands held the elevator doors so they wouldn't automatically close.

"I won't give up, Clara. You will say yes to me someday," he replied with a smile and a wink. She watched as he pressed the close button on the lift, his eyes never leaving hers. When the doors closed she let out the breath she was holding.

She finally knew why he was upbeat and had that glimmer in his eyes. Liam saw her as a challenge. He was determined to have her say
yes
,
but she wasn’t sure if Liam was after a one-night stand or something more. Clara pushed the thought aside; it was nothing to stress over. It wasn't like she was actually dating her neighbour. He was simply letting his message come across.

Walking over to her kitchen cabinets, she pulled out a big pot and filled it with water. She added some oil and salt in before she sat it above the fire to boil. She took out the mince from the fridge and started to brown it for her spaghetti.

Liam kept returning through her thoughts. He desired her and she desired him. Or did she? Maybe it was her want to be desired that made her want this attraction between them. An attraction was one thing, but a date was a whole new ball game. Someone would have to strike out, eventually. They needed to stay platonic; they were neighbours, and it was stupid to think more.

There was no doubting Liam’s level of attractiveness. But Clara knew how much of a man-whore he was. Night after night, he brought back girls to his apartment. The constant
clack
of high heels, giggles, and “Oh, God!” would drive her insane, especially the loud ones. Clara shook her head. The image of his cheap one-night stands was something she didn’t need to fret over.