During the second heat, I rehydrate and watch with nervous energy, anticipating what’s to come.
It’s not long before they’re announcing the winners and calling us all back to compete in the final. Three out of the six of us will go home with X Games medals. I have a fifty percent chance of taking home a medal. What is this life?
Of course, I drew the dreaded first spot. You can’t win ’em all, right? As soon as the first buzzer sounds, I dive in and give it all I’ve got. I begin with the 540, which thankfully, I land, then I go up the opposite ramp and into a nosegrind. I throw in another 360 but overshoot the landing. I see stars as my ass hits concrete and my board rolls away. But above all else, I feel disappointment.
Rhett: Shake it off, babe. You’re doing great.
I didn’t realize how much I’d missed his mid-competition messages, but it brings a smile to my face.
Raven: Girl, pick that lip up. You did amazing. Didn’t fall till the end. Don’t let it fuck with you.
Me: Love you, girl.
Raven: Love you back. Now, go make some bitches cry.
When it’s time for my last run, I give myself a little pep talk and take off, knowing whatever happens, I’m skating in the freaking X Games, and I’m going to enjoy this experience. I block out the crowd and throw my planned run out the window. With the beat of the music pumping in my veins, I glide across the course, doing whatever feels natural. I nail everything. My 540, textbook perfect. My 360, child’s play. I nail a huge eggplant invert and various nose and board grinds. Before I know it, the buzzer sounds, and I climb out to await my fate.
Chapter 45
Rhett
I’m hiding in the wings, watching from a secluded spot my buddy, Tommy, managed to secure for me, when the final scores appear on the leaderboard.
Gold.
She fucking earned X Games gold.
My chest swells with pride as I watch the megawatt smile that spreads across her face. She’s jumping around, wrapped up in her mother and Raven’s arms, and I want so badly to be down there. To hold her close and tell her how fucking amazing she is.
Me: CONGRATULATIONS!!! I knew you could do it.
For the first time since the picture scandal, I get a response.
Stick: Thanks. For everything.
That message supplies the fuel I need to go through with my plan.
Once the medals are awarded and a million pictures have been taken, and interviews have been conducted, I’m escorted out to the podium and handed a mic. People have already started to disperse. Those who are still hanging around freeze in the stands. I hear my name whispered repeatedly throughout the crowd.
A million thoughts rush through my mind when I look up and my eyes connect with hers for the first time in so long. “Stick.” Her name comes out a hoarse whisper. My heart leaps into my throat. Being this close to her…it literally steals my breath.
Korie’s eyes widen, and her hands visibly start to shake. “What are you doing here?” she grits out, looking around briefly to see who’s watching.
“A very wise woman…well, it was a three-year-old little girl, actually, told me in not so many words that I needed to fight for the woman I love.”
A chorus of awes can be heard among the crowd, but my girl stands stalk-still, like she’s staring at a ghost. It feels as if she’s looking right through me. Her lower lip starts to quiver, and it takes all of my strength not to climb up on that podium and suck it into my mouth. To kiss her with all the pent-up desire bursting inside me.
“She told me if I made a fool of myself, you’d realize you loved me back and save me like the princesses save the princes in her movies.” I smile nervously and shrug, then drop to my knees. “So, here I am. An absolute fucking fool for ever hurting you, begging for the chance to make things right between us.”
“Get up,” she growls. “Please don’t do this.”
“I have a question, Stick. One question then I’ll go.” The weight of her rejection sits like a boulder in my chest.
The tip of her tongue wets the corner of her mouth and she nods. “What?” Her arms cross protectively over her chest as she stares down at me.
“Do you love me, Korie Potter?” When her face droops, my pulse beats out of control. I feel like I’m standing at the bottom of an avalanche and my feet won’t move.
She turns her head up toward the sky, shaking it slightly, then looks directly at me. “Yeah,” she says, her eyes glazing over. “But I wish like fucking hell I could stop.”
The room falls pin-drop quiet. The last thing I wanted was to embarrass her, so I do what I can to lighten the mood which has suddenly become very, very heavy. “One more question?”
She sighs, but nods.
“If I’d shown up on a white horse, would it have made a difference?”
“Have you completely lost your mind?” she asks.
“A little more every day,” I answer, away from the mic. Then I bring it back to my lips. “Congratulations on your win. You deserve it.”
“Oh Rhett...what the hell have I done to you?”
Slowly I peel my bloodshot eyes open, trying to focus on Anika’s face. “Huh?” I really wish she’d stop swaying like that, it’s making me nauseated.
“What on earth possessed you to approach her with a mic at the fucking X Games?” The familiar sound of heels hitting tile echoes through the room. She’s the only woman I know who walks around her own house in stilettos. I sort of have the urge to yank one off and stab her with it. Every clack grates my nerves more than the last.
“You saw that, huh?” I hiccup, turning to my side in hopes that everything will stop spinning. “Judy said, think big.”
She nods. “And the white horse? The Disney princesses? You’re taking relationship advice from a toddler now...that’s just great.”
“She won’t talk to me, Annie,” I groan. “What the hell else can I do? I n–need her.” I take a few deep breaths, trying to ward off the bile rising in my throat.
“You really do love her.” Why does she look so shocked? Haven’t I made that abundantly clear?
“Well, no fucking shit.” I sit up, leaning back on my elbows.
“It’s all over the internet,” she says sheepishly. “I mean everywhere.”
“So? I don’t care.” And I don’t. I would make an ass of myself a hundred times over if it’d bring her back to me.
“What did you think would happen?” She sits at the foot of my bed, stroking my calf over the covers.
“I honestly didn’t know. But I had to see her. I had to try. Didn’t go over so well,” I slur.
“Definitely could’ve gone better...” she agrees. Then her eyes meet mine and get all shiny and concerned looking. I blink a few times to make sure I’m still talking to Anika. Because the Annie I know, rarely shows emotion, and this one looks like she’s drowning in it. “You just gonna drink yourself to death now? Is that the plan?” She gets up and walks around my room, tossing empty beer bottles into the can. All the movement and clanking bottles has me feeling dizzy. “Get up and get into the shower. I’m getting Rosa in here to clean this place up.”
“Just get out,” I groan, falling back onto the pillow and pulling the covers to my neck.
The air turns thick. “What?” Her brows dip inward.
“I want you to go. I don’t want anyone to clean up my mess. I just want to drink in fucking peace.”
Her lip trembles, making me feel like an ass, but fuck. This whole mess is, while not intentional, to some degree her fault. I’m trying not to blame her, but I just fucking can’t right now. I can’t be responsible for her guilt when I’m barely holding my own head above water.
“You’re angry with me…” she mutters, stroking her own hand up and down the opposite forearm.
“I’m not angry with you…I’m angry with life, Annie.”
Chapter 46
Korie
“Oh, hell no,” I say, slamming the door I’ve just opened in the
prissy brunette’s face. How dare she show up at my front door in her pencil skirt and blazer with her expensive, red-bottomed heels?
And smiling at me, like we’re friends…This shitshow just keeps getting better. I’m waiting to find out I’m being filmed for a reality TV special against my knowledge. The drama just keeps unfolding.
The door pushes back, and I’m ready to lose it when I hear Nick’s voice. “You want to hear what she has to say, Kore. Open up.”
“Great. You two here to tag-team me now?” I toss my hands into the air, defeated, and move out of his way.
Nick takes Anika’s hand and guides her past me into the foyer. “I’m on your side, cousin. Always on your side. Just here to help right a wrong. I knew you wouldn’t give her the time of day without me vouching for her. I promise, she’s not here to make trouble.”
Hugging my chest, I nod and walk toward the living room, motioning for them to have a seat on the couch, while I take the recliner. “I’m listening.”
“I haven’t been very nice to you,” she starts.
No shit.
“And I want to apologize.” She pauses, smoothing down her pristine skirt anxiously. “I just…the boys, they mean a lot to me and I knew the engagement was all a ploy for your skating thing. I didn’t trust you. Rhett has a huge heart, and I just knew he’d end up hurt when all of this was said and done. Right from the start he was so sure you were the one…”
“So, you released those pictures to get rid of me?” I ask, the hair standing on the back of my neck like a feral cat.
“No.” She sighs. “I finally traced the pictures back to an ex of his, Ana Michelle. She’d planted a camera in his room to get photos of the two of them together to sell to the tabloids, back when they were messing around. Apparently, she got the one of the two of us, as well, and has been holding on to it all this time.”
The acid in my stomach churns. Hollywood is such a fucking shady place. I’m livid on Rhett’s behalf at the invasion of his privacy, and I’m still so angry at him. “Great, so the mystery of where the picture came from is explained,” I snap. “But the fact remains, Anika, that the picture exists. I don’t care if it was before the two of us were together. He. Lied. To. Me.” My blood pressure spikes as I stab my thumb at my own chest to punctuate each word. I spring to my feet. “I asked him. I asked him if you two had ever been more than friends and he said no.”
“Let her finish.” Nick motions with his hand for me to sit back down. “There’s more.”
So, fighting every urge I have to toss this bitch out of my house, I sit and nod for her to go ahead.
“This is really hard…bear with me, please?” She smiles nervously, and I force myself not to roll my eyes. “So, all my life I’ve been one of the guys. I hung out in their smoky rooms, playing video games and watching them make music, but nothing more. Everyone thought I was sleeping with all of them. But the thought never crossed my mind. The temptation…it wasn’t there.” She shrugs. “With any boy. I mean, I dated, of course. It’s just, none of them really did anything for me.”
She bites her lip then rises to pace the living room. “The night that picture was taken, we’d gone to a party thrown by Ana Michelle’s agent. We were drinking and dancing, a whole group of us, and next thing I know this model—she kissed me.” Anika’s face turns beet red. “I, uh…I kissed her back.” She covers her own mouth like she can’t believe she’s just admitted that aloud. “I’d never felt a buzz like I felt from that kiss with any guy, and it scared me.” Her whole body starts to shake.
I suddenly have the urge to wrap this poor girl in my arms because I can see the truth in her eyes. Feel the pain in her stance.
“So, I rushed home and I drank, and I drank some more, and I cried more tears than I thought possible. Later, when the boys were home and had all gone to bed, I went to Rhett.” A huge tear drips down her cheek. “I knew if I could ever love a man, it’d be him.” She shrugs. “So, I went into his room and I—I took my clothes off, and I threw myself at him.” She laughs, a dry humorless sound. “But he stopped me. God, the look on his face…he was so confused. He didn’t kiss me back—didn’t touch me the way he did all those other girls. He just—he held me in his arms and stroked my hair and asked me what was wrong.”
I reach for her hand and she takes it, sitting on the coffee table in front of my chair.
“I told him everything, and I made him swear he would never tell a soul. My family is…they’re super religious, and they’d never understand. Hell, I’m still coming to grips with it myself.”
“And that’s why he couldn’t explain.” It all makes sense, her attitude toward me. His secrecy.
She nods, dabbing her tears with a tissue Nicholas hands her. “But I can’t let him do this. He’s so in love with you, Korie…It’s not right. I’ve never seen him this miserable. He–he deserves to be happy. The band’s suffered. I told Nicholas, Lyle, and Aiden last night. I wanted to tell you before it hits, so you understand everything and don’t have to read it first in the papers. I’m going to come out. I’m going to clear this whole mess up.”
I rise from my chair and pull her into my arms. “Shhh,” I whisper against her ear. “Don’t. You don’t have to do that.” I smooth her long brown hair down her back and suddenly I’m crying with her. “It’s enough for me, knowing the truth.” I shake my head. There’s no way I’ll be responsible for forcing her to take that step before she’s ready. “Thank you for telling me. But you wait until it feels right for you. No one else.”
“Th–thank you,” she sniffs. “So…you’ll talk to Rhett?”
“Yeah,” I say, my mind spinning like I’m riding a Tilt-A-Whirl. “I just need to figure out my next move.”
“Okay, you guys, everyone find a seat, and my friend Anika is going to pass out snacks. I’ll be around behind her with drinks.”
Probably my absolute favorite part of my new job is arranging entertainment for the children in the pediatric unit. From visits with Mickey Mouse and Cinderella for the little ones, to meet and greets with movie stars and musicians for the big kids, I just want to do anything I can to make these babies smile.
“Who is it?” Shelly, a fourteen-year-old girl with sickle cell asks, dragging her IV pole behind her. She’s here for her monthly blood transfusion, along with quite a few others suffering from the same terrible disease. I do love that they schedule the kids in the same age group together, so they have friends during their stays. It gives them something to look forward to in all of this, and it’s got to help having people to talk to who truly understand what you’re going through.
“You’ll find out in just a—”
At that moment Rhett walks out, with Nick, Lyle, and Aiden closely behind. My heart jolts. He looks so good in his faded jeans and dark gray V-neck. His hair is perfectly messy, and his dimpled smile sends my pulse racing. Just breathing the same air has me tingly from head to foot.
“And here they are,” I laugh. “Kiddos, please welcome our very special guests, The Rhett Taylor Band.”
The look of pure joy on their faces and the sound of teenage girl squeals fills me with immeasurable pride. To look at all these babies in their hospital gowns, toting IV poles, some even on oxygen. The shiny bald heads of our cancer patients, with their steroid-puffed cheeks spread wide with smiles. Gah…It’s almost too much to bear.
“Thank you, guys, so much, for being here to entertain my friends,” I say, turning to address the band. “It means the world to us.”
“We’re excited to be here,” Nick says, waving at a little blonde in the front row.
“Shhhhh,” I say, holding my pointer to my lips. “Let’s quiet down for a minute. They’re gonna play their new single for you, Think Hard. After that you can meet and take pictures. Don’t be shy. Their sole purpose in being here is so you can post all the selfies on Instagram and make your school friends super jealous!” I wink, then move aside while the boys take to the four stools. Rhett has an acoustic g
uitar strapped around his chest. Aiden’s got his bass, and Lyle has a small keyboard with a stand. The drums would have been too much, so Nick is just there with a mic to help sing a little back up.
“Thanks for having us,” Rhett says into the mic, his face slowly scanning the crowd as he takes the time to really look at each one of the children. “It’s an honor to be in the company of so many brave warriors.” His Adam’s apple bobs with a hard swallow.
As Rhett strums the first chords, his eyes bolt with mine. A current of electricity lights every cell of my body aflame. He gives me a small, sad smile that hurts my heart. Then the mask comes on and he’s in performance mode.
Just like the last time, it’s an unbelievably sexual experience for me, watching him perform. I imagine those manly hands on my body as he works his guitar with such skill. Sweat builds on his forehead just the way it would while we’re tangled up in the sheets, and I can practically feel him rocking inside of me—filling parts of me I never knew existed. My breathing becomes erratic as the rough timbre of his voice hits me right at my core.
And then the music stops, and I barely register him thanking his audience. He gives them a wink and a smile, and my insides turn to goo. Anika helps them up one at a time to meet him, thankfully, because I’m stuck, rooted in one spot, my face flushed and my pulse racing. I’m fighting the urge to run into his arms. To cry a river of tears because I miss him so much that it’s become unbearable.
If he doesn’t want me back…
No, I can’t even think that way. I won’t.
Once all of the children have had their one-on-one time with the guys, Anika asks them to sit back in their seats for a moment. “Miss Korie would like you all to be a part of something very special.”
Anxiously they await their next surprise and I. Can’t. Breathe. Rhett looks completely bewildered as he, too, remains in his seat, staring right at me.
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