“Where did you get this information?”
“Like I said, Mama worked some of their parties. All these women get drunk and spill their secrets, not realizing the staff is listening. Ruth has a major issue with vodka, apparently.”
“Well, sober she’s a battle ax. I can’t imagine how she’d be intoxicated.” I sighed. “Okay, so what’s your point in telling me all this?”
“To warn you. Be careful. I saw the look on your face when you mentioned him—all googly-eyed and shit. I’m sure he’s very captivating and handsome, but there’s no chance in hell anything can come of it without you getting hurt. I don’t want to see that happen.”
She wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already feel deep down. Gavin was far out of my league. Still, I couldn’t help but be disappointed by the reality check.
“Aren’t you jumping the gun?” I asked. “I’ve only met him twice.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m just thinking ahead.”
“Well, you’re thinking too much. I can say someone’s nice without it meaning more.”
“Are you saying you wouldn’t want to date Gavin if you had the chance?”
“I’m saying I recognize that he and I come from different worlds, and that nothing is going to come of my finding him appealing. Whether or not I’d date him if given the opportunity is a moot point.”
She scrunched up the wrapper from her taco. “Let me tell you something about the rich and powerful, Raven. They will take you for a ride, and then shit all over you. I have no doubt Gavin is attracted to you. I’m sure he’s never seen a natural beauty like yours on the island. It’s the summer. He’s bored. I’m certain it gives him a thrill to flirt with someone like you—a real nice power trip, too. And if it makes his mother’s head spin? Probably a bonus just to spite her. But in the end, people who grow up the way Gavin did have their futures mapped out for them. And that future doesn’t include people from the other side of the bridge, like us.”
Her words really depressed me. “Jeez. I should’ve never brought this up.”
“Oh, no. I’m glad you did. Because you can always count on me to set you straight.”
CHAPTER THREE
* * *
GAVIN
“So where did you and Raven really go today that it took you so long to come back with those drinks?”
Fuck. Really?
Weldon was an A-one asshole. If he wanted that information, he could have asked me earlier. Instead, he chose this exact moment at the dinner table so he could witness my mother exploding like it’s a spectator sport. Weldon lived for stirring up trouble.
“Excuse me?” my mother asked, the vein in her neck popping out.
“He’s full of shit,” I said.
Her eyes narrowed. “Watch your language.”
Weldon laughed and threw me further under the bus. “I’m full of shit? Were you or were you not gone with her for almost an hour and a half when Starbucks is right down the road?”
“What’s this?” my mother asked, her face getting red.
I turned to her. “Raven came out to the pool area to find out if we wanted anything this afternoon. Everyone placed their orders for a coffee run, and it was going to be too much stuff for her to carry back alone, so I went with her. It’s as simple as that.”
“He jumped at the chance,” Weldon said, stirring the pot. “I don’t see you accompanying Fred when he goes to pick up heaps of dry cleaning. How was this any different?”
I tried to pull an answer out of my ass. “Fred works for us. No one works for the boneheads who come over here to hang out by the pool. I wanted to help.”
That was a crock of shit, but I hoped my mother bought it. There was but one reason I’d wanted to go with Raven to get the drinks: from the moment I’d met her, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was gorgeous with her smooth skin, wild black hair, and striking green eyes. But more than that, her down-to-earth personality was a breath of fresh air. I found myself drawn to her in every damn way. I couldn’t remember the last time a girl had captured my attention like this.
Weldon laughed. “Yeah, sure, it has nothing to do with her nice set of—”
“Weldon!” my father shouted.
He chuckled. “Sorry. I’m just calling it like I see it.”
My father turned to my mother. “What’s wrong with Raven, anyway?”
I had to give my dad credit. He must have known that was a loaded question. My mother’s expression grew harsher, and I knew she was gathering ammunition in her brain.
She squinted at him. “You can’t be serious.”
And so it starts.
“Don’t ask a stupid question like that again, Gunther, or you can expect to sleep on the couch.”
My father raised his voice. “That girl is hardworking and respectful, just like her mother, who’s been a workhorse for this family for over a decade.”
“There’s nothing wrong with her,” my mother said. “She’s perfectly welcome to work here, so long as she doesn’t get any ideas about our son.”
“I’m the one who offered to accompany her to get the coffees,” I interjected. “I didn’t give her a choice, so how was it her idea?”
She turned to me. “Well, let me rephrase, then. Don’t you get any ideas about taking up with that girl. Don’t think I didn’t notice the way you were lingering around her in the kitchen the day you returned from London—with your shirt off, no less.”
“So, I’m not allowed to be friendly to our staff?”
“I think we’ve had enough of this conversation,” my father said smoothly. “You’re making a mountain out of a molehill, Ruth. Now eat your dinner before it gets cold.”
Several seconds of silence ensued. My mother played with the salmon on her plate. Dad flashed me a sympathetic look. Weldon smirked at me, and I had to restrain myself from dragging him out of his seat and knocking his head against the wall.
My mother finally put her fork down. “I’m just going to say one more thing.” She pointed her perfectly manicured finger at me. “You may not realize how easily your entire life could be ruined by one bad decision, Gavin. At twenty-one, you don’t know what’s good for you. You’re thinking with something other than your brain. I was young once and understand how foolish people your age can be. If you do something to ruin what your father and I have worked so hard to build for you, I assure you, I can make it far worse. I’ll see to it that you have nothing. You’ll have to find your own way to pay for law school. Do you understand?”
This whole conversation was ridiculous. I hadn’t done anything at all with Raven—except have one of the best conversations I’d had in a long time. My mother had taken this too far. It made me angry that she constantly held money over my head.
In many ways, I wished I was dirt poor, so I could be free of this kind of shit. Her threats really didn’t scare me. What did scare me was how my actions might cause her to inflict harm on others. Yes, I did like Raven—a lot. I’d ask her out in a heartbeat if I didn’t think my mother would make her life a living hell.
I needed to stay away from Raven for her own good. This was going to be one long summer.
***
As much as it sucked, I made a conscious effort to keep my distance from Raven over the next several days. I didn’t want to get her in trouble and knew my mother would be watching her—and me—like a hawk.
My determination stuck for a while, until one afternoon when I knew Mother was at a charity luncheon at the club. She’d be gone for at least a few hours. I told myself if I happened to run into Raven during that time, I was going to say hello. After all, I’d gone from being friendly to completely ignoring her. I didn’t want her to take it personally, although she didn’t seem like the type of girl who would be stewing over it.
But of course, with Mother out of the house, I hadn’t seen Raven anywhere. When I finally went out for a coffee run, I happened to notice her bent over on the grass, digging in the dirt.
Fuck.
Me.
Her ass looked good in those tight, white uniform pants.
Had she been out here all day? No wonder I hadn’t seen her.
She had earbuds in and was shaking her ass to the music while down on all fours.
Damn.
Damn.
Damn.
Her ass was small, but perfectly round. The way it jiggled made me consider adjusting myself. I had a feeling I’d be dreaming about that ass later in the shower.
I eventually walked over and tapped her on the shoulder. “Hey...”
Startled, she jumped, removing her earbuds. “Oh...hey.”
“What are you listening to?”
“‘I Will Survive’—the Cake version.”
No way. “I love that song,” I said.
She made her way just a little further inside my damn soul when she said, “I have their whole Fashion Nugget album downloaded.”
“You like alternative rock?”
“I do.”
Of course. She has to be even more kickass than I thought.
“So do I.”
I kept hoping something would turn me off so I could get this girl out of my mind.
“What are you doing out in the dirt, anyway?”
That was a dumb question, considering it was clear she was planting flowers.
“Gardening.”
“I know. I’m just surprised.”
“Why is that such a shock?”
“We have a gardener, for one.”
“Apparently, he’s been sick. So my mother asked me to help out.”
“Ah. I guess I’m not used to girls who aren’t afraid to get dirty. But you know what? Now that you mention it, that shouldn’t surprise me about you.”
“When you grow up without a man around, you learn to do pretty much everything, both inside and outside the house. I have no problem getting dirty.”
Her face turned pink. I couldn’t tell if her last statement had been intentionally provocative or not. I wanted to believe it was.
“What happened to your dad?” With my hands in my pockets, I kicked the grass. “I’m sorry if that question is too intrusive.”
She looked up at me for a moment, and I felt a ripple of excitement that wasn’t exactly appropriate, given that I’d just asked her a serious question.
Raven stood and brushed the dirt off her hands. “It’s okay. My father was abusive. My mother left him when I was a baby. He lives up in Orlando.”
“Do you ever hear from him?”
“He calls occasionally, but I don’t see him. I do speak to my grandmother, though—his mother.”
“That sucks. I’m sorry.”
“It does, but in a weird way, I think having no father around made me a stronger person. Having no dad is better than having the wrong one.” She shrugged. “That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have appreciated the right kind of dad—an upstanding man like your father. He’s a good guy. My mother has always spoken very highly of him.”
“He is. Thank you.”
“Yeah. You’re very lucky.”
Her hair blew in the ocean breeze. The color was so dark it had blue highlights as it caught the sun. It was thick and beautiful, and I wanted to run my hands through it. With her fair skin, she reminded me of a porcelain doll, so petite and…perfect. Porcelain.
But porcelain was fragile, better to be looked at and not touched. You get my drift.
Still, I couldn’t stop staring at her. She had dirt all over her white pants, and she didn’t give a shit. I’d nearly forgotten I was supposed to be going somewhere.
Fuck it. “I was just about to go for a coffee run. Can you take a break and join me?”
Say yes.
She looked around. “I’m not sure if I should.”
Translation: my mother.
I cut to the chase. “My mother isn’t coming back for a few hours. She won’t know.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, and I wished I could have been the one biting it.
“Okay,” she finally said. “I guess there’s no harm if it’s quick.”
“Cool.”
We got in my car and drove to the same Starbucks as last time. Raven ordered her same macchiato. This time I opted for one, too, to try it. I wanted to know what she liked, what made her tick—everything about her.
On the drive home, I decided to stop at a hidden inlet only a few people knew about.
“Why are we stopping here?” Raven asked.
“I want to show you something.”
After we parked and got out, she took my hand for balance as we climbed down the rocks to the ocean.
She looked out at the water. “This is beautiful. I would’ve never known this was here.”
“Yeah. It’s sort of hidden. It’s my secret spot when I want to be alone. I come here all the time to think.”
Her green eyes sparkled in the sun. “It’s amazing. Good find.”
We sat on some rocks and watched the waves crash.
“I haven’t seen you around much this week,” she finally said.
My eyes drifted away, unable to look at her and lie. “Yeah...I’ve been busy.”
“Really? I thought maybe your mother told you to stay away from me.”
Shit.
“I haven’t wanted to get you in trouble,” I admitted. “My mother thinks she can control every aspect of my life. I won’t let her. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. She can’t tell me who I can and cannot be around. That said, I don’t want her making trouble for you or your mother. That’s the reason I’ve kept my distance. The only reason, Raven.”
“You didn’t have to lie. I can handle the truth. It’s not like you’re telling me something I don’t already know.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t honest. I won’t do that again.”
It bugged me that she knew I’d intentionally stayed away from her. Not only did it send the wrong message, but it made me look like a fucking wuss. But that was the price I’d have to pay for trying to protect her.
My eyes followed a flock of seagulls that had surrounded us. I had a lot on my mind and decided to let some of it out.
“Everyone probably thinks my brother and I have it all. But for once, I’d just like to live my life without being told what to do.” I blew out a long breath. “My mother doesn’t realize that by threatening me, she only makes me want to go against her more.”
Raven’s brows drew together. “So, you’re hanging out with me right now as an act of rebellion? Because she’s not home?”
“No, no, no. I didn’t mean to make it sound that way. I’m hanging out with you because I think you’re cool as shit.”
“Why? Why do you think that?”
How do I even begin to answer? “First impressions are everything. You had me from the moment you called Weldon a pin-headed prick. That’s when I knew you were my people.”
I managed to make her laugh.
“Honestly…” I said. “You’re a breath of fresh air. I find myself unable to tolerate being home sometimes. It’s stifling. The same old shit. The same close-minded people. My mother thought by sending us to England she was keeping us out of trouble here, but being in London actually afforded me more freedom to realize what else is out there. If she knew half the shit I did while I was away, she would’ve made me come home a long time ago.”
Raven’s eyes glimmered with curiosity. “What’s the thing that would make her freak out the most?”
I knew the answer to that question almost immediately, but didn’t know if telling Raven was a good idea.
Screw it. “I slept with one of my teachers.”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“Okay, before you freak out too much, I should note that she was in her twenties, and I was eighteen at the time.”
“That’s still pretty wild.”
“Yeah.”
“Who came on to whom?”
“It was mutual. But technically, she made the first move as soon as I turned legal.”
“What ended up happening?”
“We stopped after a few times. She eventually got together with another teacher. No one ever found out about us. No one knows…except you.”
“Wow…that’s so salacious. I guess she felt you were worth losing a job over. Impressive.”
“Yeah. You should remember that.” I winked.
She laughed.
I smiled. “I’m just kidding. That was way too easy. I had to do it.”
Our eyes locked. The way she looked at me made me want to pull her close and show her just how worth it I was. I had a different kind of chemistry with this girl than I’d ever felt before. She wasn’t trying to prove anything. She was just being herself. When she looked into my eyes, I felt like she was really seeing me. And I loved the way that made me feel.
“What about you?” I asked. “I just told you a secret. Tell me something about you that not many people know.”
“I don’t have anything as exciting as that.”
“There’s got to be something.”
She pondered my question a moment. “Okay. A couple of years ago, I created an online alter ego, pretending to be an older woman. I used it to interact with men who were old enough to be my father, and it was pretty dangerous. My mother found out and banned me from the Internet for six months.”
Damn. She’s got a daredevil side to her. “Holy shit. That does sound risky.”
“I never intended to meet any of them or give out my personal information. But I guess I got a thrill from living vicariously through this other woman.”
Color me intrigued.
“We all need excitement sometimes. Life is about exploring, so long as you’re safe. But I’m glad you stopped.”
“Yeah. In retrospect, I see how dangerous and stupid it was. Because you never quite know how secure the Internet is.”
“I agree. It was dangerous, although I have to admit, I could kind of see that bad-girl side from the moment I met you—pretty sure it’s part of what draws me to you. It’s not so much that you’re bad, but that you’re a good girl who wants to be bad. I could be totally wrong, though.”
The Day He Came Back Page 3