by Claire Adams
"Yeah. It was so romantic, too." I smiled as the memory of Tate proposing ran across my vision. "It was on that same patch of land that I broke down on two years ago when we met."
"No way." She reached out and took my hand, lifting the ring to her face to study it more.
"Yeah," I laughed. "He took me out there on the bike, and my car was sitting out there broken down. He told me that he'd tried to take the car out earlier that day and had to walk all the way back to town. I felt like shit, but I'd warned him not to drive the lemon. It's always acted up, you know?"
"Yeah. I'm surprised your dad let you keep it after leaving Allison's wedding." She lifted her eyebrow and shook her head.
"Me, too, but anyway, the car was idle, and he reenacted every part of that first night." I laughed and glanced back to see Amy farther down in the line and Katelyn beside her. "When I walked around to look at the engine with him, the engine was missing, and instead there was a small table with beautiful battery-powered lights and the ring in the middle. There were rose petals everywhere, too."
Tears filled my eyes, and I fanned my face.
Lucinda was doing the same thing. "I want Sam to do that. Tell Tate to make him do that for me."
I laughed and pulled her into a hug. It had been a long eighteen months of change, but a good eighteen months. She and Sam had grown impossibly close, and his father had even accepted her as a vital member of the family. I figured it wouldn't be long before they decided to get engaged. Sam should have been in the crowd, but his plane was running late from Boston, so we weren't sure he would make it in time. I could tell that it was upsetting Lucinda a little, but we both knew that if there were any way at all for him to be there, he would.
Tate and I had moved into a small studio apartment near the campus where he was given an associate professor job while he worked through his Masters in Psychology. He still helped at Jerry's garage on the weekends from time to time, but most of his free time was spent in my arms or preparing for another swim meet.
He and Martin both made the Olympic swim team a while back, and they'd been practicing for the last year and a half for the summer Olympics, which were coming up in the next month. I'd never been happier in all of my life, and it was all owed to him. He taught me how to live for my future and not my past, how to let the idea of love carry me through some of the shit we suffered with my parents, and the heartache of helping my sister through her divorce.
Life had been violent ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I found my rest and reprieve in his arms.
My name was called just after Lucinda's, and I was awarded my degree in Business and Kinesiology. I was headed to start training with the Minnesota Lynx after spending the summer free to do what I wanted. I would play in the WNBA as long as my legs would hold me up. Tate was good with it, but he was crazy supportive of anything I wanted to do. Almost too much. After that, I'd be looking for a coaching position as UMN so that I could be near my future husband and our friends.
His mother was doing great, and I couldn't help but notice the pride in her eyes as I walked down the stage at graduation. She was standing next to Tate as they cheered louder than anyone else for me. My sister was beside them looking better than I had ever seen her look. She was dating Kade, funnily enough, and though it was awkward at first, we all grew close within a short period and he became like family, too.
I moved back to my seat and cheered for my friends as they walked across the stage. Anticipation of getting back to Tate drove through the center of me, and I closed my eyes and pushed back tears. Gratefulness was the only feeling I could separate out of the torrent of emotions pumping through me. I almost wished my parents were there, but it was a good thing they weren't. They'd have nothing good to say, anyway. They were stuck in their ways, and quite upset at both Allison and I, but it was their loss.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the graduating class of 2017."
The crowd went wild as we all stood and threw our hats in the air. The yells and shouts of excitement filled the air around us, and I turned as someone tapped me on the shoulder. Tate.
"Hi, baby." His smile was radiant as he reached out and pulled me into his arms, only to squeeze me tightly and lift me off my feet. He spun me around once as I leaned down and pressed my lips to his.
"I'm so damn proud of you, Valentine." He kissed me again and breathed in deeply, sending chill bumps along my exposed skin.
"I couldn't have done it without you." I smiled up at him and lifted my eyebrow. "We should get out of here and celebrate the way we do best."
"Beer and s’mores?"
"Sex and strawberries." I popped his chest. "That so old school – beer and s’mores."
He laughed and picked me up as I yelped. "Whatever it is, as long as I'm doing it with you, I'm in."
His mother moved up in front of us as he sat me down.
"Oh, Val, I'm so proud of you." She pulled me into a long hug. "I wish your parents were here today, but know that I've already adopted you as mine, so one of us is here!"
I laughed and moved back to wrap my arm around Tate's waist. "You guys are my family, now. I couldn't be more blessed."
"So what's next? You two want to come out to the house for lunch?"
"Um, yeah, sure." Tate glanced down at me as Sam bounded up next to us.
"Yeah! Congrats Miss WNBA. What the hell? No one has my number? I had no idea you guys got engaged, either. Wow. This day is just full of surprises."
His excitement caused my heart to race with anticipation of all we had to look forward to. I didn't have much time to think about it as the rest of our friends crowded around us tightly.
I turned to Tate and gave him the look.
"Getting claustrophobic?" He lifted his eyebrow.
"Yep. Get me out of here." I slipped my hand into his and ducked through the crowd behind him. We'd gotten good at getting out of places and finding somewhere to hide out. The hiding out usually turned into making out, which led to hot sex in a lot of unconventional places, but I wasn't the girl I used to be. I was a biker chick now. I had to be tough, ballsy, and ready to drop my panties in most places.
I smirked at the thought as he picked up our walk to a jog. His bike was just up ahead, and the thought of driving through the country for hours wrapped around the back of him sounded like bliss.
"Where we going?" He handed me my helmet and gave me a wicked grin.
"Anywhere, as long as I'm with you." I got onto the bike as he offered me his hand.
"That's my girl. Hold on. It might get a little bumpy."
"I'd expect nothing else from a guy like you." I slipped my hands around his waist and cupped his package tightly.
"So naughty, Val." He started the biked and pulled it onto a long stretch of road just outside of the college. I closed my eyes and snuggled against him, losing myself in the promise of today. Tomorrow would come soon enough, but I didn't want to waste a minute of my time with him.
Besides, forever wasn't nearly long enough.
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VACATION
By Claire Adams
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 Claire Adams
Chapter 1
Vivian
It was still relatively cold this time of the year in New York. Heading to Miami wouldn’t help much. It was liable to be cold there too. With the shifting of the seasons, spring break was stacking up to be miserable. Not that I was in the mood to enjoy anything more than a good book and my pjs, but my roommate wasn't going to let me back out of our trip. She was far too excited to let anything dent her mood.
"I really don't think this is the best idea, Casey. Maybe we could call the airlines back and see if t
hey're willing to move the flight just once more." I ran my fingers through my long crimson hair and dropped down on my small bed in our dorm room. "Just think about it. We could stay here and go to all of our favorite places. You know you love Central Park this time of the year."
"No, Viv. This is going to be great. You've been moping around this place since the beginning of February. We're getting the hell out of here for a little while. It will do you some good. It will do me some good. I'm tired of this frigid-ass weather. I need to see the beach and pretend like one day I'll get out of here." She moved to stand in front of me and touched my shoulder gingerly as I shifted my gaze toward the floor. "Hey, it's going to get better."
My eyes filled with tears, though I honestly didn't figure I had many more left in me. I'd known Jackson my whole life, and dated him most of it. I couldn't see myself beside anyone in life but him, and yet he felt differently. Not having the balls to tell me that he was sleeping with half the student body at NYU, I happened to find out the hard way – by accidentally witnessing him in action.
"Right." I pulled from her and got up, walking to the short window that sat at the far end of our dorm room. "I just wish it would hurry up."
"It's only been a month." Casey wrapped me in a hug from behind and I sunk down into it. My spunky roommate had been my best friend since kindergarten; her commitment to living life with me being one of the only things that was sure to help me through the break-up with Jackson.
"I know, but this was supposed to be our trip, Case. We'd been dating for ten years on Valentine’s. That was the reason for the trip, remember?" I pressed my hands to my face and took a shaky breath. "I just don't know if I want to go hang out in Miami for a week, even with you. I'll do nothing but drag you down and be a complete killjoy. The last thing I want to do is have you upset with me because I can't be anything but depressed right now. I'm trying to pull myself out of it, but I just can't seem to. You're going to be disappointed and the trip's going to suck because of me."
"That's not true. Not one damn word you just uttered is true." She moved back and tugged on my hair. "Get packed up. We got the tickets from Valentine’s moved to now, and we're going. You're going to meet some fantastic hottie and have loads of great, unattached sex."
She gasped dramatically as I turned to pin her with a 'get real' stare. "Me?"
"Yes. You. Just think – it will almost feel like you're a normal college girl. Having fun and living in the moment. What? What will the media think?" She wagged her eyebrows as I wiped the last of my tears away.
"You're dumb." And she was, but she was right. I needed to figure out how to start living a little. My life had revolved around Jackson and my grades for so long that having fun didn't seem attainable.
"Right, and you're dumber. Get that cute, little, black string bikini that you hate. It looks killer on you." She nodded to my bed. "Grab your pillow, too. You know how much you hate sleeping on anything but Hilda."
"It's too cold to wear a bikini. I'm going to need a full length coat and sweats just to be able to walk outside." I moved toward the bed and picked up my pillow, which we'd lovingly named Hilda years ago. I was on Hilda number six by then, but our traditions stuck – even the odd ones.
"Florida is vastly different than New York, Viv. Check the weather on your phone, and while you're at it, check the flight times, too. I want to run by the store on the way to the airport. I need some gum and want to grab a couple of beach towels before we go."
"The hotel doesn't give them to you?" I picked up my phone, forever minding my bossy-ass friend. She was president of every club she could get her hands on, energetic and an extrovert to the nth degree. I wasn't her polar opposite, but pretty damn close.
"No clue, but I don't want to chance it, and the gum is for your ears. You know they pop like crazy on takeoff." She picked up a nightie from her open suitcase on her bed and wagged her eyebrows again. "Whatcha think? Hot enough to catch some guys attention?"
Her blonde pixie cut and vibrant blue eyes drew everyone in quickly, and even after all the years of us being close, I was no different. She had a warmth to her that made you want to get close enough to warm your hands by her fire.
"It's rather naughty. You sure you want to take that with us? You're going to be mighty disappointed when I don't ask you to put it on." I gave her a silly look, which melted into a smile. She wouldn't wear the nightie even if there were a good-looking guy she wanted to impress. She was too self-conscious about her curves, though I didn't think she had any reason to be.
"Now who's being dumb?" She chuckled and tossed it back into her bag. "I'm going to find us some handsome boys to have a little bit of fun with."
"Right. You do that." I finished packing a few t-shirts and shoved the last of my jeans in before sitting on the top and motioning for her to come help me close the thing.
"Why am I suddenly concerned that you didn't bring anything dressy or skimpy?" Casey bent down and zipped up my suitcase as I wobbled on top of it.
"Because I didn't. The weather says that Miami is in the low seventies right now. That sounds warm, but we're right on the beach in Miami. It's going to be cold. You're going to freeze your ass off, and when you do, don't say I didn't tell you so." I shrugged and slid off the side of the suitcase. "Let's get going. The flight is in three hours. That gives us just enough time to grab the stuff you want and get there."
"Killjoy. Already." Casey popped the side of my leg and picked up her bag. "You're going to meet someone sexy that sweeps you off your feet. Mark my words. Karma's a bitch, and Jackson will get his, but you'll get yours too."
"I believe you." I slung my satchel strap over my shoulder and brushed my sweater and jeans to smooth them out. "I'm going to meet lots of sexy men that are going to leave me panting."
She smiled brightly before heading to the door. "There's my girl. I know there's an optimist deep inside of you. Are you thinking we'll meet them at the hotel or the beach, or maybe a bar?"
I walked out of our dorm room and turned to close the door as a smirk lifted my lips. "I'm going to find them in a book. Lots of books. Safe sex without the herpes."
"Oh Lord." Casey rolled her eyes, shook her head and moved down the hall, starting her murmuring as she always did when I acted up.
I chuckled and ignored the pang of regret I felt over letting her talk me into the trip. I wasn't ready to move on from Jackson, and not that the trip would force me to, but it was a first step toward taking back my life as a single person.
Too bad I would trade anything to make things go back to the way they were. It wasn't possible, though. Trust meant everything to me, and nothing to him.
As long as I don't have to see him for the rest of my life, I'll be good.
*****
Casey drove us to the nearest shopping center and waited ten minutes for someone to pull out of one of the front parking spots. I bit my tongue, but wanted to berate her for sitting there for so damn long when we could have already gone in and been back out.
"Are your legs hurting?" I asked as we got out of the car.
She smoothed down her short blonde hair and gave me a cheeky grin. "Not yet, but they will be next Saturday. Open 24-7."
I shook my head as we walked into the store. "You're corrupt."
"You love it. I'm your fixer-upper project." She elbowed me.
I started to respond, but noticed the way her face fell as she glanced just beyond me to someone else. Her voice was curt as she stopped me from turning, her fingers biting as she pulled at my arms.
"Hey. Let's just go this way."
I had no doubt who was behind me. My luck never held up for too terribly long. There was a moment where I contemplated following her advice, as I did most days of my life, but I couldn't seem to shake the need to turn around.
"I'm good. Really." I turned and met eyes with him, the boy I'd given my heart to, my virginity, my future.
He waved once as he moved up in the checkout line he was in and re
ached for a busty blonde, pulling her against him and laughing at something she'd said. His jeans fit him beautifully, his broad shoulders almost stretching the thick t-shirt he wore. To say he looked good would be a vast understatement. Jackson was the all-American boy with dark brown hair, warm brown eyes, and a way about him that made almost anyone melt – especially me.
Turning on my heel, I walked down the nearest aisle as languidly as I could. Why of all the people in the whole world to run into, did I have to run into him? He should have been gone on his own spring break trip. In all the years we'd been together, I'd never known Jackson to not have a huge trip planned for mid-March. What was he doing still in New York?
Casey was speaking rapidly under her breath, but all I could hear was the rushing of my own blood by my ears as my body lit on fire and anger burned up the center of my chest.
How could he be with someone already?
He was with someone when we were together, so him being with someone now that we're not shouldn't have been that surprising.
"Vivian. He's not worth it." Casey moved in front of me, and I hadn't realized that I'd stopped in the middle of the paper goods aisle and bent over, my hands pressing to my knees. Air was hard to find and the agony that pumped through my chest was unable to be ignored.
"No?" I whispered and sucked in a shaky breath. "Why does it hurt so fucking bad still?"
She ran her hand over my back rhythmically as she bent down to put her face beside mine. "Because losing someone that you plan to spend forever with is like a small death."
The sound of his voice behind us caused my blood to run cold. "Viv. You alright?"
I stood and brushed my hands down the side of my hair before turning and crossing my arms over my chest. "Sorry? Did you say something?"
His expression was almost caring, kind, loving. He watched me like he actually wanted to know how I was, as if he cared at all. "I just wanted to check on you. I saw you run for the aisle and–”
"Running? I didn't run." I moved toward him as my nervous system shot into overdrive. It was all gone. All the nights of having him make love to me then wrap his big strong body around me. All the promises, the dreams, the future. Gone.