Worth the Wait

by Jamie Beck

  “Gimme five minutes.” She picked up her phone. “What about Cat?”

  “I’ll tell her now. Everyone’s coming.”

  Darn it. It was a sorry state of affairs when sitting for final exams sounded better than spending time on the beach with her friends. She glanced at the top of Jackson’s head, feeling a melancholy pang. Helping David mend all these relationships would take time and savvy. Today she’d simply look forward to Franco rescuing her at one o’clock.

  Jackson slammed the cooler lid closed and stood up. He appeared unaffected by his earlier run-in with his brother, but Vivi couldn’t stop herself from nudging him, for David’s sake.

  “Are you and David okay?” She watched him scratch his cheek and bend over to grab the cooler.

  “Who knows? He won’t tell anyone what the hell is going on with him.” He grunted when he lifted the cooler. Vivi looked away, afraid he might see right through her. “He’s unreachable these days.”

  “Maybe you could show him a little trust. Let him and your dad work out their own problems,” Vivi suggested. “Just talk to him, Jackson. I know he wants to reconnect with you and Cat.”

  “Women talk about their feelings. Men don’t.” Jackson chuckled. “It’ll work out in the end.”

  It’s not that easy, she thought. She couldn’t say more without raising his suspicion. Shrugging, she typed a second message to Franco, redirecting him to pick her up at Fred Benson’s at one o’clock, and then went to change.

  Twenty minutes later, everyone squeezed into the Jeep. Jackson and Hank sat in the front. David cast her a worried glance before climbing into the backseat with the boogie boards and cooler. Laney crawled onto David’s lap and snuggled against him.

  Vivi swallowed her envy by leaning forward and gently massaging Jackson’s shoulders.

  “All set?”

  “Oh yeah.” He patted her hand. “All set.”

  The car pulled onto the road to town, kicking gravel out from under its tires.

  CHAPTER TEN

  St. Jameses’ House

  Eleven Years Ago

  Vivi settled into a lounge chair in Cat’s backyard, surveying Jackson’s high school graduation party. Floating candles illuminated the pool, pitching soft yellow light across its glassy surface. She knew those poor candles would be doused later when the guests would start tossing each other in the water—just like at David’s party two years ago.

  Tables and chairs, decorated with the Wilton High School team colors, stretched across the manicured lawn. U2’s “Beautiful Day” blared from the patio speakers. Long buffet tables of food and beverages offered something for every palate. It was a picture-perfect party on an equally lovely day.

  “Hey, you.” David tousled her hair before sitting on the edge of her lounge chair.

  Warmth spread throughout her body. David was maturing. His behavior and thoughts had always revealed an old soul, but now his body was catching up. Tonight he looked yummy in a crisp white shirt and navy flat-front shorts, and smelled just as good. Her eyes feasted on the flex of each muscle in his arms and calves whenever he moved. She envisioned him stripping off his shirt before jumping in the pool later. Swimming with Cat’s family had become one of her favorite pastimes. Her cheeks flushed at her thoughts.

  “Save me from these people,” he said. “And tell me Cat’s not turning into one of those girls.”

  Vivi followed David’s gaze to where Cat was chatting with her fellow cheerleaders.

  “Don’t worry, she’s still Cat. At least with me, anyway.”

  “Good.” He waved off a dragonfly, muttering, “Three-hundred-million-year-old pest.”

  “Why do you know things like that?” Vivi laughed.

  “I think it’s interesting.” He shrugged. “Speaking of interesting, let’s go to MoMA for the AUTObodies exhibition. I want to see the antique Pininfarina and Ferrari Formula One racing car. There’s also a photography exhibition of pictures taken in Astoria and other neighborhoods in Queens. Maybe we could grab sushi in the city afterward.”

  “Sounds wonderful!” Like a perfect date. She knew it wasn’t, although she’d happily pretend. She’d playacted that role whenever they went for pizza and ice cream or caught a movie, although Cat and Jackson were usually with them, too.

  “Great.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “So, why are you sitting here alone?”

  Vivi glanced over at Jackson, who was horsing around in the yard with his teammates and flirting with the prettier girls.

  “I’m not a friend to most of these people.” How embarrassing to admit aloud.

  “Thank God! You’re much more interesting than any of them.” He shifted toward her and rested his hand on her ankle, mindlessly tracing circles on her skin with his thumb. She wondered if he realized how often he touched her whenever they talked. “But you’re Cat’s friend. You could hang out with her instead of sitting by yourself.”

  “I don’t want to cramp her style, or Jackson’s. Besides, everyone else feels like celebrating, while all I see are more good-byes. You know I hate good-byes.”

  When David opened his mouth to respond, he was cut off by voices calling his name. He held up his finger at them and then turned back to Vivi.

  “It’s not good-bye. It’s just a change. There’ll never be good-byes between us.” He squeezed her hand before strolling across the lawn to stand beneath an old-growth sugar maple amid a circle of Jackson’s friends.

  Two years ago he’d been their lacrosse captain. Discerning the eager looks on the other guys’ faces, Vivi suspected they were questioning him about college life and frat parties.

  She shoved aside thoughts of David surrounded by a bevy of sorority girls. Although he never spoke of his girlfriends in front of her, she’d overheard Cat and Mrs. St. James mention a name or two. She pictured the type of beautiful girl he might date—tall, shapely, confident. Everything she was not.

  Jealousy wracked her. Would she ever be more than his friend? As if sensing her thoughts, he looked up, caught her gaze, and winked before returning his attention to his friends. She loved summer. No homework struggles or cliques to avoid. And most importantly, David returned home. But come September, both he and Jackson would be gone. She frowned at the notion.

  Her growling stomach motivated her to leave the safety of the chaise and wander in the direction of one of the buffet tables. Unfortunately, three of the nastiest girls from school stood between her and the food. Drawing a deep breath, she ducked her head and attempted to pass by unnoticed.

  “Look at what the Cat dragged in,” scoffed Janine, a graduating senior and former captain of the cheerleading squad. “Interesting outfit. Matches the purple streaks in your hair. It’s almost as weird as you.” Janine sneered with haughty delight. The other two mean girls snickered.

  Vivi never liked Janine or her posse. The gang of them strutted through the halls of the school acting like their expensive clothes and haircuts made them better than others. But she wouldn’t dare disrupt Jackson’s party by creating a scene, nor would she subject Cat to an uncomfortable confrontation with members of her squad.

  She valued Cat’s friendship, especially knowing Cat’s social life could’ve been much easier if she’d dumped Vivi once they’d entered high school. Cat was a beautiful, bold, accepted, and sought-after girl. Vivi, with her childlike figure and bargain-basement clothes, remained an outsider. Thankfully Cat wasn’t shallow.

  Fixing a serene smile on her face, Vivi said, “Excuse me, I’m just going to eat.” She moved to her left to skirt around the small group. Janine stepped sideways to prevent her advance.

  “Good idea. Maybe if you eat something, you might grow into a full-size person.” Janine’s snarky laugh sliced through the air.

  When Vivi noticed David hovering at the outskirts of the group, her insides crumbled. Although she’
d sometimes complained to him about her high school experiences, she never dreamed he’d witness her humiliation. Cornered, she took a deep breath and grinned through gritted teeth.

  “Hi, David,” cooed Janine. She ran her fingers through her silky blond hair and thrust her cleavage under his nose. “I’ve been hoping you’d come talk to me.”

  Vivi noted the stars in Janine’s blue eyes and prayed her flirting wouldn’t capture his attention. His eyes grazed the length of Janine with cool detachment and then he dismissed her as if bored.

  “I came for Vivi.” He turned his back on Janine when she gasped, then held out his hand to Vivi. “I’m starving. Come keep me company.”

  While steering her away from Janine’s posse, he draped his arm over her shoulder and whispered, “Ignore her. Promise me you’ll never change—not for anyone. You’re absolutely perfect just as you are.”

  She practically floated across the grass as hot tracks of blood coursed through her body from the contact. Resting her cheek against the side of his chest, she briefly closed her eyes.

  “You’re the only one who thinks so.”

  He turned toward her and raised her chin with his free hand. In a deadly serious yet soft voice, he asked, “Who else matters, Muñequita?” He winked before bending down to plant a kiss on her forehead, and then dragged her to the buffet line.

  No one else matters.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Present Day

  David rolled down the window, seeking fresh air for his tightened lungs. Soham, Soham, he mentally repeated, although meditating in the crowded car proved to be an exercise in futility.

  His sister strategically positioned herself between Vivi and him like a human shield. Then again, maybe Vivi needed protection from his erratic behavior. He already regretted saddling her with his secrets, but he couldn’t deny the small measure of relief he’d experienced from their shared confidence. During those moments on the bench, everything between them felt right again—better than right.

  God, he might have even kissed her if Cat hadn’t interrupted. Of course, Cat and Laney’s presence provided icy reminders of why he could never act on his burgeoning feelings. Feelings he shouldn’t trust in view of his screwed-up state of mind.

  Glumly, he stared out his open window while the weight of Laney’s presence pressed upon more than just his lap.

  Jackson parked near the hub of activity at Fred Benson’s. The humidity clung to David’s skin when he stepped out of the car. He eyed the gray clouds gathering on the horizon with suspicion.

  Laney tucked her hair under another oversized sun hat and then tossed David her beach bag. As always, she looked like a million bucks, wearing rhinestone flip-flops, an emerald-green cover-up, and a string bikini. It occurred to him that anyone who ended up with her would be spending a million bucks to keep her looking this way for the rest of her life.

  He glanced back at his sister and Vivi. Cat’s gigantic black sunglasses obscured much of her face. She chatted with Vivi, who looked distracted, which made sense given everything he’d just told her. A beach towel hung artlessly over her shoulders. Her shabby baseball cap shaded her face.

  She’d never put much emphasis on her appearance. Unlike his sister and Laney, people sought her company because of her cheerful demeanor, not her looks. Still, she habitually managed to be adorable despite her lack of fashion sense.

  The group strolled through the open pavilion and crossed its deck to get to the beach, passing by the band assembled near the steps. A wide array of rainbow-colored beach umbrellas littered the shore. Young children tore through the sand. Greasy aromas emanated from Rebecca’s takeout concession area, completing the typical public beach experience.

  Jackson’s eyes scanned the horde, ostensibly to scope available women. His brother’s juvenile behavior and heavy drinking this week raised red flags, but David reserved comment.

  Jackson buried two umbrella poles deep into the sand. Laney settled herself in the shade of one of the generous orange canopies. David set her beach bag beside her. To his left, he noticed Vivi stripping off her shorts and T-shirt, revealing a barely there, tie-dyed string bikini. Suppressing the reckless urge to touch her, he sat beside Laney and closed his eyes.

  Within fifteen minutes, the rest of the gang wandered off to join a volleyball game with a group of strangers. David remained with Laney, watching the others laugh and slap high-fives whenever someone got off a lucky shot. Vivi appeared to be holding up under pressure, which surprised him. After his confession, he’d half expected her to hover, make suggestions, offer solace. If he were being honest, he’d admit he craved her attention now. Contrary to his wishes, she seemed to be avoiding him even more than ever.

  Maybe she needed distance to keep this secret. Or maybe she simply didn’t care much about his feelings anymore. He rubbed his hands over his face to alleviate the sensation of staring into a fun house mirror. When he opened his eyes and looked back at the ongoing game, he realized they were all having fun, while he was not.

  Suddenly, despite having no love for volleyball, he wanted to play. Leaning forward in his beach chair, he tapped Laney’s arm. “Let’s join the group.”

  She scrunched her nose. “It’s so hot. Besides, I’m not athletic.” Her eyes darted from his family back to him. “You go. I’m fine hiding under this umbrella.”

  The teams were evenly matched, so he couldn’t include himself without creating an unfair advantage. Sitting back, he frowned and snatched a drink from the cooler.

  While dragging a long pull from the bottle, he eyed Laney, wondering when exactly they’d fallen so out of sync. Looking back, he realized they hadn’t spent much time going to movies, talking about books, or visiting museums. They’d discussed mergers and acquisitions, the law, and the business of the law. They’d done that and had sex. Pretty good sex, actually. But he knew little about her family or her past, her passions or hopes.

  The realization that he didn’t care to know more made him remorseful as hell. He needed to end things between them now that he suspected she wasn’t being honest with him about her needs. Breaking up while maintaining an affable relationship at the office would require serious skill and planning. Definitely not something to undertake here in front of his family. He closed his eyes and breathed out through his nose before returning his attention to the beach.

  When the volleyball match ended, the foursome wandered into the mild, rolling waves. Vivi screeched when the frigid north Atlantic sloshed against her legs. Rather than run out of the ocean, she dove headlong into a small wave. She popped out of the water, howling and shivering while wiping the water from her face.

  David smiled. She’d always been an all-or-nothing girl. He should have guessed she would treat him likewise. For years she’d given him her all, and now she had nothing left.

  His smile dissolved on that thought.

  Hiding behind sunglasses, he watched Vivi riding Hank’s shoulders while engaged in an intense game of chicken with Jackson and Cat.

  The scene reminded him of playing the same game in the heated pool at his childhood home on warm summer evenings, surrounded by fireflies. His mom had served piononos or other delicious sweets they’d enjoyed. His team won most often due to his height advantage, meaning Jackson and Cat would be going under first. Yep, there they went, right into the deep blue sea.

  Vivi fist-pumped the air above her head while laughing, then bent down to kiss the top of Hank’s head and pat his shoulders. David’s breath hitched and his fingers tightened around his bottle. He cast a chagrined glance toward Laney before loosening his grip and rolling his shoulders backward. Jackson and Cat regrouped for another round.

  Seeing Vivi’s thighs locked around Hank’s head again made David’s entire body tighten. He noticed her bite her lower lip, calling his attention to her fuller upper lip, which always looked a little bee-stung. Kissable.

>   Her wild hair clung to her shoulders, dripping water down her glistening skin. She looked like a tiny mermaid come to life—a living, breathing fantasy. He prepared to bolt from his chair and take Hank’s place in the game, when he noticed a dark-haired man arrive and kneel in the sand, taking photos of Cat and Vivi. David sat forward, ready to go toss the camera in the water, then Vivi waved at the guy.

  Franco.

  Franco now had pictures of her in a tiny bikini. When David imagined what Franco might do with the sexy images, the vein in his neck began throbbing. He couldn’t see Franco’s face, but Vivi’s beamed as she waded through the water to greet her new crush.

  Watching her look at another man the way she used to look at him stole his breath away.

  Then outrage replaced the hollow feeling in his chest. How could she so quickly brush aside everything he’d just told her and run off with this guy? He’d done as she asked—spilled his guts—and she still ignored him. For this guy. This guy, who was much too old for her, by the way.

  David’s fingertips pressed against the arms of his beach chair as he steeled himself for the forthcoming introduction.

  “David, Laney, this is Franco.” Vivi gathered her things, appearing eager to leave. “We’re heading to rehearsal.”

  “Nice to meet you.” David nodded politely while Laney said hello.

  “You too.” Franco smiled while keeping his eyes on Vivi.

  The throbbing in David’s neck shot to his temple.

  He instantly disliked everything about Franco. And no, he didn’t need more time to make his assessment. With the exception of misjudging his father, sizing up the integrity of others had always been his strength.

  He knew men like Franco wielded their looks and easy charm to cast a wide net. That kind of guy only wanted to catch a few women long enough to satisfy his desires. Then he’d cut the women loose. Why didn’t Vivi see how wrong he was for her?

  “Okay, I’m all set.” Vivi turned toward David. “See you all later.”