It Goes On

by Ashley Claudy

  Shane raised his eyes to the umbrella over us. “Who hasn’t been waiting would be a shorter list. I wonder if Sydney already knows.” He looked at his phone. “I’m supposed to meet her after this to go shopping. You should join us.”

  I shook my head. “I think I need a nap.”

  “Seriously? I’m the one that stayed out all night fighting, but I’m powering through.”

  “Well, we can’t all be as awesome as you.”

  “Very true.” He nodded emphatically.

  My nap would have to wait though. First, I wanted to return Ethan’s phone. Nervous energy pulsed through me as I thought about seeing him. Both anger and excitement warred within me, and I wasn’t sure which one would win.

  ~Carly~

  “I can’t meet with you today. If you need to talk to me, then do it now over the phone,” Connor ordered.

  Carly didn’t dwell on her disappointment over his shortness. “I had some concerns about Mr. Goldstien that I wanted to discuss, confidentially.” She wanted to see his reaction, to judge what it meant. Over the phone would not be sufficient.

  “Well, I’m alone now. What are your concerns?” Connor questioned.

  Carly looked at the ceiling, formulating a plan. “I also need to discuss a plan for the reporters. They keep calling me. I’ve done as you said and ignored them, but I’ve seen what your spin on our story is; that you knew nothing about Kate.”

  “Fine. We can meet tomorrow at four. Keep ignoring reporters until then.” He hung up the phone.

  Carly started the car that Connor bought her. The feel of it comforted her, reminding her that Connor was still helping her. She had a place to live, money in her account, and a job because of him. And most importantly, Kate had all of those things too.

  But Carly was all too aware that those things wouldn’t last if she didn’t play this game right. And she felt it all slipping away.

  She took out her phone and made an appointment at a spa. When she saw Connor, she would look her best, but she feared it wouldn’t be enough.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Don’t think too much, you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.

  I slid my hands through my hair, fidgeting as I waited. Impatient, I fisted one hand to knock again, but Ethan opened the door first.

  He leaned against the edge of the entrance and my gaze traveled over him, searching for injury. Gray sweat pants hung low on his narrow hips, and a white t-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders. His face was shadowed by the stubble of facial hair but otherwise unmarked from last night’s events.

  “Hello beauty,” he greeted with a crooked smile and stepped forward to hug me.

  Dodging his embrace, I handed him his phone.

  His smile faded as he took his cell from my hand. “Where did you get this?”

  “Shane gave it to me. You dropped it last night.” I pulled my eyes from his deep green ones, breaking the pull I felt with a clean snap.

  “Don’t go yet?” Ethan asked as I took a step away. “Stay. Talk to me.” He nodded into the condo and reached a hand towards me in invitation.

  I fought the urge to go to him, to step into his strong arms and let him surround me in his intoxicating warmth. “I can’t.”

  “Are you mad at me?” His face twisted with his question.

  “I told you not to do anything. I didn’t want others to know,” I explained quietly.

  “I told you, you overreacted,” Liam chimed in from within the condo.

  I cringed at being overheard.

  “Shut up, Liam,” Ethan snapped, and then extended his hand to me again. “We need to talk. Alone”

  At my nod, he grabbed my hand, and I let him lead me through the living room and down the hall to his bedroom. He closed the door behind us and then turned to me. “I didn’t say anything to anyone.”

  I took a step back. “But when you fought him, you used my name, and now everyone’s questioning that.”

  “Who cares what they think?” He threw his hands up in exasperation.

  “I do.” I pressed my palm to my chest.

  His expression softened as he looked at me. “I’m sorry then. I didn’t mean for others to hear me, but I wanted him to know why he was getting his ass kicked.”

  “I didn’t need your help; I didn’t ask for it. I can take care of myself.”

  He nodded and stepped towards me. “I know you can. But I wanted to help. That’s what friends do whether you ask for it or not, especially when you don’t ask. I’m here for you.”

  His words sliced me. My emotions spilled out of my heart and filled my stomach, making me feel ill. “Is that what we are, friends?”

  His smile lit his face. “Yeah, for now. That’s what you wanted, right?”

  I nodded, unsure if his smile or eyes affected me more and hating the weakness they caused. I gripped my anger for support, for familiar safety. “You shouldn’t have gotten involved; you could have been hurt or arrested. And now, he’s facing prison and off the basketball team.”

  “And you’re mad at me for that?” His frustration was back.

  I raised my eyes to the ceiling and tried to put my thoughts in some sort of order. “No. I’m mad at myself. Everything is such a mess, and it’s all my fault. And I don’t know how to fix any of it.”

  “Do you even hear yourself?”

  My eyes swept down to meet his, anger immediately tensing my muscles and narrowing my eyes.

  “Sometimes you talk like you don’t control anything, when you do. But in this situation, you blame yourself? None of this is your fault. He’s the dick who created this mess.”

  “Look at me. You need to understand this.” His hands slid over my shoulders in a light grip, and when my eyes met his, he continued, “He attacked you. He threw the first punch last night. He was the stupid asshole who had coke on him. That is why he went to jail and can’t play basketball. None of it was in your control. You’re lucky you got away from him. He deserves the trouble he’s in. More if you ask me.”

  I held his intense gaze for a moment, lost in its depths, before averting my eyes. He was right, and that pissed me off too. “I know. Really, I do, but …” I shrugged. “I didn’t want you to get involved.” I stepped away from him. “I don’t want to be the reason you get in trouble or hurt. I just wanted to forget about it.”

  His annoying smile returned as he spread his arms out and looked down at himself. “I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt and nothing bad happened to me. Quit worrying about me and stop blaming yourself for any of it. I make my own decisions.” He slid his arms around me, and I didn’t pull away this time. “If it makes you feel better, you weren’t the only reason I fought him.”

  It didn’t make me feel better. And I tried to stomp out the jealousy I felt. I had just complained that I didn’t want to be the reason he fought, and now I was angry not to be. I looked up to meet his eyes. “Sydney?”

  He squinted at me, “Sydney? Why do you think that?”

  I shrugged one shoulder. “Shane said Tristan was dancing with her when you stepped in.”

  His smile spread to his eyes. “Are you jealous, thinking that I fought over Sydney?”

  I pushed out of his grasp, frustrated at my own feelings and his annoyingly accurate statements. “Pff, no. I was just guessing what the other reason for fighting was.” I looked anywhere besides him. His bedroom was large and sparse with two dark dressers and a gray king size bed. Above his dressers, there were several frames of different colors and sizes forming a mural of photos. I didn’t even try to see the people in the photos; I was distracted with the overall look. It was eye catching.

  “It wasn’t Sydney. I wanted to fight him the minute I saw him. All I had to do was wait for a reason to get in his face; I knew he had a short fuse. It just happened he danced with Sydney, but it could have been any girl.” He waved away the inconsequential start to the fight. “You were the main reason I wanted to fight him, but I already had issues from
before. He deals drugs to some of my friends, and I can’t stand that shit.”

  I watched his fists flex and then stretch open by his sides, unsure of what I should say or do. His green eyes were bright with anger as he recalled last night. I wanted to return the smile to his face that weakened me earlier because this look of anger, of passion, sent electric currents down my spine that only increased my desire to be near him and comfort him, as he so often did for me.

  He had called himself my friend and stood up for me. No one had ever put themselves in danger for me, and as much as I had wanted to be angry, I couldn’t maintain it.

  I took deep steady breaths and tried to control the urge to go to him. Looking at Ethan, I knew he could change me, and I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. But I knew these feelings scared me.

  “I wish I knew what you were thinking,” he said in a low voice, head tilted as he studied me with a sexy look.

  I blinked to clear my thoughts and tried to focus on his words. “What?”

  “I can’t read you.” He shook his head and white teeth flashed beneath his crooked smile. “I wish I knew what you were thinking behind those dark, beautiful, eyes. Are you still mad at me?”

  Relief flooded me. Thank God he couldn’t read my thoughts; they were much too strong for someone who called himself a friend.

  Laughter spilled from me; I pressed my lips together to contain it. I sat on the edge of the bed and covered my face with both hands. I sensed Ethan walk towards me and raised my hand as I tried to stifle my giggles. “I’m sorry. I’m not mad anymore.”

  He sat beside me and placed his hand on my back as if to calm me. “Are you all right?”

  I sucked in air, sat up straight, and blew out the rest of my laughter.

  Knowing that Ethan couldn’t read my thoughts helped me to feel stronger and less exposed. My feelings were not on display and as evident as I had felt they were. I was not vulnerable. “I'm fine. It’s just I’d forgotten that I was good at keeping a blank face. Good thing because I’d be in trouble if people could see my emotions. They’re everywhere. I’d look crazy if they all showed.”

  He hesitantly smiled as his hand rubbed circles on my back. “Oh yeah? Well, laughter looks good on you. Sounds good too.”

  I raised my eyebrows with a snort and let my head fall to his shoulder. “I’m a mess. Are you sure you can handle being my friend?”

  Ethan slid his hand around my back and squeezed me to him. “I can handle this.”

  I inhaled his fresh male scent and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Thank you,” I whispered, not really sure what I was thanking him for. Last night. This moment. Friendship. Comfort. The overwhelming feeling of safety I felt in his arms, unlike any feeling I’d ever felt.

  His arms tightened around me, and one hand stroked my hair down the length of my back.

  I was on the edge of something great and terrifying. All I had to do was lift my head towards his to leap into the unknown. It was all or nothing, there was no slow descent. When every touch stirred me, I knew a kiss would break the hold I had on my feeling and they would be undeniable. My lips tingled with the need to join his, but my heart stopped in fear. I knew he was attracted to me, but what I felt was crazy and well beyond attraction. Was I willing to make the leap alone?

  His lips grazed the top of my head, and I had to fight the urge to turn towards him.

  “I think I better get going.” I reluctantly untangled myself from his arms and rose to my feet.

  “Why? Do you have plans?” He rubbed his short hair with his hands as he stood up in front of me.

  “Uh, no. I just thought…” I hadn’t thought anything. All I knew was I had to step back from whatever I was feeling and get distance from him so I could think clearly again. “I told Lexi I’d call her, and I didn’t want to keep you from whatever you need to do.” My explanation sounded lame even to my own ears.

  Ethan shook his head with a small laugh. “I don’t have any plans. Maybe we could hang out tonight? I was going to hang out here, but if you want to go out—”

  “No. I don’t want to go anywhere,” I interrupted. I’d been on a nonstop merry-go-round since I arrived in LA. I needed to relax tonight.

  He cocked his head and wore a matching crooked smile. “Good. We can stay here then. You can call Lexi and I’ll get us food and drinks. Do you want sushi?”

  “I just ate so…” I looked around the room for inspiration, scared to stay but not wanting to go.

  “Well I need something, and you might want a snack later.” He walked around the bed and pulled the curtains along the wall, revealing a sliding glass door to a balcony. “It’s a nice night. We can hang out here and get to know each other because, for friends, we don’t know much about each other. Come on.” He waved me over. “Call your friend, and I’ll be right back.”

  I felt my feet moving before my mind could decide what to do. The balcony was larger than I expected. It ran the length of Ethan and Liam’s bedrooms. French doors led to their living room at one end and a staccato wall with a waterfall running over it closed off the other end. There were several chairs, sofas, and ottomans placed around the deck. Ethan patted one of the couches for me to sit on.

  “I’ll be right back.” He flashed a bright smile before going back through the sliding door, and I knew I was in trouble because that smile could wreck all my defenses.

  I pulled out my phone. It had been a lie that I needed to call her. I had already talked to her after leaving The Ivy. But I could use her logical reasoning right about now to keep me from having a heart attack. Which I was in danger of having. Any moment.

  I took a breath and dialed Lexi’s number.

  She answered before the first ring even finished. “Psychic, I was just about to call your ass. I just got off the phone with Chase and he shared some new deets.”

  Oh no. “I don’t think I want to hear any more.”

  “Well then, I guess I won’t tell you about the second fight that almost happened.”

  “I wasn’t serious and you know it. Speak.” I scooted to the edge of my seat, literally.

  “Ethan and Tristan were the main fight, but Liam, Brody, and Chase jumped in to help when Tristan’s friends got involved. Well, after they were all kicked out, Chase said that they were all pretty pumped. Him and Brody were doing that male bullshit stuff where they jump on each other and tell each other how fucking awesome they are, but Ethan and Liam weren’t. Ethan and Liam almost fought outside the club.” She paused for my reaction.

  “Keep going. Why? What happened?” I stood up and walked to the railing.

  “Chase isn’t too sure, but he said that Liam was pissed that he had to jump in. They pushed each other and then Liam just walked away. But they rode home together, so I guess they got over it.”

  I looked towards the living room. Lights glowed through the curtains blocking my view. I guess they were okay in there. “That’s crazy. I’m at Ethan’s now, but he didn’t mention that.”

  “You're there. Right-fucking-now. And you’re calling me?”

  “Yes. He’s getting food, and I’m kind of freaking out. We’re going to hang out here tonight. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  “You don’t know what you’re doing? You’re getting to know a person. A person who you like and want to get to know better. Why are you freaking out? Did he try anything?”

  “No. It’s me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep myself from trying something. I’m not ready to put myself out there like that.”

  She laughed in my ear. “Just stay away from tequila and I’m sure you’ll maintain control. Good luck girl. Just remember, I’m only a phone call away.”

  “Yeah, I can do this.” I tried to reassure myself. “I just thought—”

  “Stop. Stop that shit right now,” she demanded. “No more thinking. Get out of that pretty little head of yours and just relax. This isn’t a big deal. Hang out with him and stop worrying. If things start to get too intense,
leave. You’ve hung out with him lots of times and had fun; don’t ruin tonight by over thinking it. Now get off the phone and call me in the morning.”

  I ended the call and sat down. The warm night air surrounded me, and I relaxed into the seat, trying to take Lexi’s advice and not think beyond this moment. The sun was setting, and the lights of the city were impressive. I was surrounded by signs of life. Stores and homes were lit up, cars were driving on the roads, and people were on the street, but the balcony offered seclusion from it.

  The living room door opened, and light and music spilled onto the balcony as Ethan stepped through. He handed me one of the beers in his hand and sat beside me on the deep sofa. He was close enough that our legs touched, and he stretched his arm behind me on the seat.

  “So how was your first week of work?” I asked before taking a sip of my beer.

  “I’m working with a great team. I think I'll learn a lot. One of the architects is actually going to be my professor in the fall.”

  “You’re going back to school?” I adjusted myself on the couch so I was facing him.

  “Yeah, USC to get my Masters of Architecture,” he spoke with an electric energy that lit his entire face. “They have one of the top-ranked programs in the country. I’ll be there for two years, and if I do well with the internship, I may have a job when it’s all over.”

  “That’s great.” I smiled at his enthusiasm.

  “I saw your dad at work yesterday.” He pointed the neck of his beer bottle at me. “I’d never met him before. Our team had to present the specs for a new building design to him. My supervisor gave me credit for some of the ideas even though I’d only come to them by brainstorming with the team. But either way, your dad seemed to like the plans.”

  I nodded. I didn’t want to talk about my father, and I didn’t like the suspicion that shadowed the moment. Did he think I could help him in his career? Was that why he was being friendly?

  “Hey,” Ethan called softly as he leaned forward to put himself in my line of vision. “Are you all right? You can talk to me about it.” He placed a hand on my knee