Keeping Dominic (The Golden Boy Series Book 1)

by Alyson Reynolds

"It can't be better this way. You two are supposed to be together."

  I started walking again. "Maybe not."

  She reached for me again, but I shrugged her off. "No. I'm not going to tell him anything. Dom deserves that after everything I put him through. I'm not going to make him choose between us. If things end between him and Talia, I'll say something. Until then, I need you to keep this to yourself." I stopped suddenly and looked back at where she stood in the sand behind me. “Promise me, Care.”

  "Okay, I promise." She lowered her gaze for a second. "But I don't like it. I think you should tell him."

  “Things are weird enough between us as it is. I’m not about to jeopardize our friendship now. What if his feelings changed?”

  “Brooke, what if they haven’t? That man has been in love with you for the past three years. What makes you think his feelings would’ve changed in a month?”

  “Things are different now. I feel like I’m walking on eggshells with him, especially if Talia is around. I don’t want to risk losing him as a friend if I tell him how I feel and he doesn’t feel the same. What if she finds out and doesn’t want him to be around me anymore?” My shoulders slumped. “There’s too much at risk.”

  We resumed walking. I stared out at the ocean, ignoring the cat calls of other college guys as we went. Taking a stroll in our bikinis wasn’t the best idea, but I hated that we couldn’t, just because we were women. I flipped them off and kept walking.

  “What about Austin?”

  I winced. “What about him?”

  She looked at me incredulously. “You’ve tried to date him for years. Now you just don’t care?”

  “I don’t know. Dating Austin isn’t exactly what I thought it would be.”

  We were quiet for a few paces. “I wish you were happy,” she said softly.

  How did I even begin to answer that?

  “It’s not that I’m not happy. I just don’t know what I want,” I finally admitted. “Dom has been such an important part of my life for so long, I’m terrified of losing him. He’s obviously not happy Austin and I are together.”

  “I don’t think that will happen, B. You’re important to Dom too. Who knows…after all this, you two might end up even closer than you were before.”

  I gave a humorless laugh. “Yeah, maybe.”

  Even if we were talking about something I’d rather not, I loved being on the coast again. It reminded me of being back home in North Carolina. Josh had decided his senior year that he wanted to go to school in Austin, Texas, at UT for some reason. He never admitted why, but I had a feeling it had to do with a girl who wasn’t Riley. Either way, when it was my turn to graduate two years later I was desperate to get out of our small, gossipy hometown. I’d already got a taste of the travel bug when I went to a special cosmetology school in New York during my senior year, so I jumped on board quick when Josh begged me to come out here with him. I dragged Caroline with me, and even though we tried, we couldn’t convince our other best friend Hannah to come with us.

  At least we knew she loved every second at SCU due to a certain someone. Chance made her happy, and it made Caroline and me feel better that she had made some amazing friends out there. Our spring break trip made it clear that she had something special going on. We hoped she’d be able to make it out here for a few days during the trip, but she’d opted to take a few summer classes instead. I couldn’t fault her for wanting to finish up early, though.

  I tugged on Caroline’s arm and we sat down in the sand a few yards from where our friends were. I still wasn’t ready to go back. There was something else I wanted to get off my chest, but I didn’t want anyone to overhear me. I dug my fingers into the cool sand, trying to calm my nerves. Caroline was quiet while she waited. She knew me well enough to know I’d speak when I was ready. It took me a few minutes to build up my nerve to say what I needed to aloud. I leaned my head on her shoulder and looked out at the horizon.

  “I made a mistake with Austin.”

  She didn’t respond.

  “I need to break up with him.”

  “Is it because of Dom?”

  “No, it’s because things just aren’t right. He’s not the one.”

  She didn’t have the shell-shocked expression I expected.

  “Okay.”

  Thank goodness. There was no judgment. No unsolicited advice. Just my friend being supportive. Not that Caroline was the type to do any of that, but it was nice to finally get it off my chest.

  “I still haven’t slept with him.”

  “Really?”

  That got her attention. I leaned up and shoved at her shoulder playfully. “Don’t sound so surprised. I don’t sleep with every guy I date.”

  She laughed. “I never said that. I just thought because it was Austin, you would’ve—ya know. From the rumors around campus, it might be fun.”

  I blushed. “We’ve messed around, but we haven’t done that. It’s like every time we get close, something happens that makes me think it’s a bad idea.”

  She cocked her head to the side, and I rolled my eyes.

  “Let’s see. I’ve been completely naked and Josh has knocked on the door. Twice. That was fun. We came into the apartment one night all hot and heavy and realized Jared and Drew were watching us from the couch. Kind of a mood killer and creepy as hell.”

  She giggled.

  “Then there was the no condom time, and I’m sure not going there. Should I keep going?”

  “I think I’ve got the picture. So it’s not meant to be. You’ll both get over it.”

  “I know, but I hate it. I don’t like ending relationships.”

  She nudged my arm with her shoulder. “You’ll just be single like me. This will be our summer to be single together.”

  I gave her a small smile back. “I just have to figure out how to do it.”

  She wrapped her arm around my waist and I rested my head on her shoulder again. The second half of this vacation was about to get interesting. I just didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing.

  ***

  I waved at Hannah through the screen and scooted over so Caroline could say hi too. Chance stood behind Hannah, looking amused at her high-pitched squeal as we all said hello. It had only been a few months since we’d all been together, but it seemed like so much longer. It was clear to anyone who looked at them, they were incredibly happy together. I hoped they’d make it work because they both deserved to find someone who loved them.

  Josh stood behind us, waiting his turn to tell his other ‘adopted’ sister hello. The three of us had spent so much time together over the years, Josh had three sisters, not just one. He’d adapted well. There were times he’d threaten Hannah’s or Care’s boyfriends more than he threatened mine. None of us had ever had serious relationships in high school, but it was funny to watch Josh freak out and try to protect our innocence. Hannah’s eyes lit up when she saw him standing there. He hadn’t made the trip with us for spring break, so it had been even longer since she’d talked to him.

  “I miss you guys so much!” Her eyes became misty. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t come out there. We wanted to, but between work and taking summer classes it didn’t fit.”

  “It’s okay, but we miss you. We’re all planning on coming home for Christmas. Are you going to be at your mom and dad’s then?”

  She glanced at Chance. “At some point. We’ll be going between the two this year. Josh, I want you to meet my boyfriend Chance. Chance, this is my big annoying brother, Josh.”

  “Really, Hannah?” Josh said, mock annoyance in his voice. It was nice to see them play fighting since they hadn’t been able to for so long. He exchanged a few words with Chase, and from experience, I could tell Josh was sizing him up.

  I poked him in the ribs. “Be nice, asshole.”

  We caught up with Hannah and asked about her friends Nate and Olivia and Finn and Cora. If we couldn’t be on the East Coast with her, I was glad she had so many amazing people surrounding he
r. It hadn’t taken long for them to take her into their fold and help her find her way at SCU. Even during our trip, they’d made us feel welcomed.

  Quinn and Riley made their way into Caroline’s bedroom where we were camped out and said hello. Eventually we’d make it happen that they all got to meet in person. Over the tiny phone screen sucked.

  Hannah finally disconnected when she had to leave for class. We promised to call again soon and let her go. It was a melancholy feeling when we had to disconnect those calls, but I knew she was in good hands with Chance and all her other friends. Caroline had the same somber expression I did. We missed our friend.

  “Call Callie now?” I asked.

  Caroline snorted a laugh. “Sure, why not?”

  We called Riley and Quinn back into the room so they could talk with our other friend too. Quinn and Callie had been roommates our freshman year of college, and she’d become one of our group quickly. We’d begged her to come along to the beach with us, but she’d begged off since she needed to work and save money. She was trying to get into an exchange student program through the school, and if she got selected it would be a lot of money up-front for her plane tickets and student housing.

  Callie picked up on the first ring and grinned when she saw the four of us on the other side of her screen. Her wide smile was contagious.

  “What are you guys doing?”

  “We’re missing you,” I said. “How are things back home?”

  “Boring with everyone gone for the summer. How’s the beach? How many hot guys have you spotted? Tell me everything.”

  Caroline laughed. “Considering Quinn and I are the only single ones here, the pickings are pretty good, but I haven’t noticed anyone worth my time. What about you, Quinn?”

  Her grin was contagious. “Not yet. There’s still time, though.”

  “I wish I’d come with you guys,” she said wistfully. “I found out I didn’t get the spot abroad. There’s a waitlist and I’m first up, but hardly anyone skips out.”

  “You could still come.” I looked at her through the laptop, hoping she would agree.

  “No chance. I’m working a ton, which is nice for my wallet, but it stinks to miss out on the fun. Speaking of, I should probably go. I have to be at work in about twenty minutes.”

  We all said our goodbyes and hung up. Caroline and I were back to our melancholy moods, and now Riley and Quinn were right there with us.

  “Beach?” I asked.

  Caroline smiled. At least we had the sun and surf to help fix things for now.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Dominic

  I will not let myself be alone with Brooke.

  I will not let myself be alone with Brooke.

  I will not let myself be alone with Brooke.

  Fuck.

  I missed my friend, but the sexual tension between us was thick enough to clear a room. Thank goodness Talia hadn’t caught on, otherwise my balls would probably be in a world of hurt. Talia was everything I should want in a woman. She was strong, independent, sexy, and willing to let herself be vulnerable with me.

  We were all sitting around the massive living room, watching a movie. That stupid pineapple was sitting on the mantle, taunting me to make it into fruit salad. But that would ruin Jared and Drew’s fun, so I left it.

  “Anyone else hate that stupid pineapple?” Quinn asked from across the room. She was draped over one of the loveseats, almost melted into the leather.

  A number of hands shot up into the air.

  “Come on, guys, Matilda needs our support,” Drew said.

  “You named the fucking pineapple?” Josh said, disbelief tingeing his voice.

  Jared shrugged. “I got drunk and decided we needed to name her.”

  I chuckled. “How did you decide it was a she?”

  Austin groaned. “Don’t encourage them. We should just eat the damned thing and call it good.”

  Drew sat up suddenly. “You will not murder Jared’s girlfriend.”

  Talia snorted a laugh, then dug her face into my chest. Her shoulders shook with laughter, making it harder for me to hold mine in.

  “You guys are insane,” Brooke said, shaking her head. “How did this even start?”

  “You see, what happened was—”

  Drew cut off Austin. “Don’t you dare.”

  “Why? It’s a pretty funny story.” He gently moved Brooke so she wasn’t leaning on him anymore. “Drew cock blocked Jared by unintentionally hitting on the girls Jared had chosen for the night. Because Drew only knows how to flirt with everyone.” The room went quiet as everyone who wasn’t there listened to the story. It was bound to be good. He pushed off the couch, preparing to run. “When Drew realized what happened, he overcompensated, and then they thought the two of them were a couple. It was quite comical to watch them in action. Drew and Jared do make a cute couple, though.” He choked back his laughter. “In their drunken state, we ended up at a grocery store. Jared started carrying on a conversation with the pineapple. Apparently it understood him.”

  Jared pushed off his chair and ran after Austin, tracking him through the house. He had a head start and made it to the deck before Jared even made it to the kitchen. The remainder of us looked at each other and then followed to the kitchen so we could watch him throw Austin into the water. We all stood there for a few minutes, watching the chaos commence. Drew watched from the doorway, laughing his ass off as Jared threw Austin into the water. Jared made his way back up the house looking satisfied. In the distance Austin stood up in the water, looking like a drowned rat covered in sand.

  “Just for the record, Jared isn’t my type,” Drew said as he passed by.

  I laughed. “Believe me, I know.”

  He grinned and walked back into the living room. One by one we peeled off to finish the movie or get drinks so we could sit out on the deck. Brooke leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest, with a small smile playing on her lips. Eventually we were the only two standing in the kitchen. Against my better judgment, I took a few steps closer, allowing her soft vanilla scent to fill my senses. She looked at me and her lips parted.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey,” she answered softly. Her body angled toward mine.

  “You seem—”

  Austin’s voice came in through the open door, cutting me off. “Babe, can you grab me a towel? I’m soaked, and I don’t want to track sand everywhere through the house.”

  “Coming,” she called back. “Just give me a second to go upstairs and grab one.”

  She reached out and patted my arm as she went by. The smile on her face hid the sad look in her eyes. No one else would probably notice, but I did. Once upon a time, I would’ve held her there and made her tell me what was going on in that pretty head of hers. Now I felt like I couldn’t. It wasn’t my right. Just standing there with her for those few seconds made me want things I shouldn’t.

  I watched her go up the stairs toward the room she shared with Austin, and the familiar anger rose up in my chest. It pissed me off that she was with him, but if she was happy—which I highly doubted—I wouldn’t say a word. I didn’t have the right to say anything.

  Talia was my girlfriend. Not Brooke.

  And my girlfriend was amazing. She really was. We really were happy together, but God did I missed my friend. It didn’t matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept roaming back to Brooke. Every time I felt like I was moving past my feelings for her, something like the pull from the kitchen happened, and I was back at square one.

  Josh came up and clapped his hand down on my shoulder, distracting me from my wayward thoughts. Dangerous thoughts I had no right to be having.

  “Want to go hang out tonight? Just you and me?”

  I tamped down the anger I felt at watching Brooke dry off Austin outside the window and focused on Josh. “Sounds good. I’ve got an idea of something I’d like to do if you’re game.”

  He grinned. “Is that a challenge?”

 
; I chuckled. “Not really, but if you want some ink, sure, we can make it a challenge.”

  He blanched, and I laughed.

  “Don’t worry, pretty boy, I won’t make you get any black on your skin. I’ll bring you back home to Riley in perfect condition.”

  Josh wasn’t afraid of much, but if you even started to get a needle near his skin, he freaked out. Our freshman year, he decided he wanted a tattoo, and we made it all the way to the shop before he started panicking. I thought he was going to pass out when he sat down in the chair. The artist never even got the placement of the small piece he wanted down. Instead, I sat in the chair. That was the start of my obsession. Now I had an entire sleeve up one arm and a forest on the other forearm with more planned for the future.

  Thirty minutes later we were standing in the waiting area of a shop that came recommended by some guys I’d met on the beach. They had stopped to comment on my sleeve, asking where I got my work done, and it gave me a good idea of where to go tonight. I’d already planned on making Josh go with me at some point, but he gave me the perfect opening.

  “Tell me again why you want this done now?” Josh asked as he nervously paced. “You can’t get back in the water the rest of the trip if you do this tonight.”

  I shrugged. “I know, but I just—there are reasons.”

  His gaze locked with mine. “Does this have to do with Brooke?”

  I swallowed hard. “What are you talking about?”

  “I know things are still rough between you two right now. This is kind of your form of therapy. I just put two and two together.”

  He wasn’t wrong—not completely.

  “Something like that,” I mumbled.

  I had no clue how he hadn’t guessed my feelings during the past few years. Josh was my best friend, but he was blind when it came to how I felt about his little sister.

  A young guy, maybe mid-thirties, came out and introduced himself as Dizzy. Josh gave me a funny look, but I followed the guy back to his station. Who was I to judge a name if his ink looked good?

  “What are you thinking?” he asked.

  I pulled up an image on my phone of a compass surrounded by hydrangea and we discussed a few particulars. The guy gave me a look like he understood everything about this sketch. I needed to find north again, follow the straight and narrow. I never said it out loud, but the meaning was loud and clear. Even the hydrangeas in the background were Brooke’s favorite flower.