Opposites Attract

by Michelle M. Pillow

  ‘Well, Emperor, what have you found?’ the woman said to the dog. Her long black hair had touches of grey along the bangs and temples. She wore a dress of bright orange, the front of which was spattered and smeared with paint.

  ‘We’ve come to borrow a jack,’ Ethan called. ‘We found your dog just up the road. He ran in front of our car and we had a slight accident.’

  The woman almost looked offended. ‘If my dog ran out in front of your car, it was no accident. Pekingese are known for bringing good luck. If you wrecked, it was lucky that you should do so.’

  ‘Yep, hippies,’ Ted mumbled under his breath so she couldn’t hear him.

  ‘And, it’s equally lucky that I don’t have a jack,’ she said, continuing forwards. ‘You must be meant to stay here.’

  Ethan frowned. ‘Actually, we’re meant to go to New Mexico today.’

  The woman reached them, glancing down the road to Ethan’s car. She smelled of patchouli. ‘No, I’d say you were meant to stay.’

  ‘Maybe someone else has a jack,’ Ted said.

  The woman ignored him, looking down at Alexis’s camera. ‘You’re a photographer?’

  ‘No,’ Alexis began modestly.

  ‘Yes,’ Ethan automatically supplied, ‘she is.’

  The woman grinned. ‘Then welcome, child. This day is for artists. And the rest of you?’

  When no one said anything, Alexis motioned at Ethan and said, ‘Ethan’s actually the artist of the bunch. He’s the one with the talent.’

  Ethan felt a moment of tremendous pride at her statement. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and stake claim to her with a kiss. He held back from the impulse. It wasn’t like they were officially a couple. Susan might suspect something was going on, but Alexis had made it clear she didn’t want to be seen publicly as his girlfriend, or lover, or whatever she was.

  ‘And what do you do?’ the woman asked.

  ‘Tattooing,’ Ethan said.

  ‘But he draws as well,’ Alexis supplied. ‘He’s very talented.’

  The woman nodded. ‘Ah, then you are in the right place. We’re all artists here. We’re travelling north along the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to capture them in all their beauty. Get your supplies and join us. It’s a beautiful day for it. The lighting is perfect. Later tonight we will gather by a campfire and share stories. Tomorrow someone can take you to town if no one has a jack. I’d ask them today, but today is a quiet day where we all concentrate on the beauty of nature, breathing her in. We can’t break their meditative trances. By the way, I’m Summer.’

  ‘Ethan, Alexis, Susan and Ted,’ Ethan introduced.

  The woman nodded and walked back towards her canvas, her dog trailing behind her.

  ‘Told you,’ Ted said, shaking his head, ‘hippies.’

  ‘What do you want to do?’ Ethan asked.

  ‘I’m hungry,’ Susan said.

  ‘Want to go into the woods and pick berries?’ Alexis asked, giggling. It was clear by the look on her face she wasn’t going anywhere. Ethan eyed her designer denim jeans and her long-sleeve cashmere sweater. Yeah, she wasn’t one to hike – at least not in that outfit. She wouldn’t make it too far in her heeled boots.

  ‘Well, Ted and I did get stuff for a picnic earlier,’ Ethan said. Susan grinned. ‘It was supposed to be a surprise.’

  ‘Oh,’ Susan instantly sighed. She wrapped her arms around Ted’s neck. ‘You did? How sweet.’

  ‘I’d say here is as good a place as any.’ Ted waved his hand towards the valley before hugging her close. Susan kissed him, moaning softly.

  Ethan glanced at Alexis and teasingly wiggled his eyebrows, pursing his lips for a kiss. She laughed, but didn’t come to him. He was slightly disappointed.

  The picnic was hardly a grand affair, but no one complained about the sandwiches, sodas and potato chips. Ethan borrowed a blanket from one of the artists. Emperor kept them company. They tried to shoo him away, but the dog kept trying until they let him sit on the blanket. Ted tossed the animal a piece of sliced roast beef.

  Ted and Susan went for a walk near the woods, leaving Alexis to her photographs and Ethan to his sketch pad. Alexis smiled at him, taking his picture. She wanted to remember this day always. Seeing that they were finally alone, she asked, ‘Today really is wonderful, isn’t it?’

  ‘Mm, yeah, it is.’ He glanced at her, grinning.

  ‘I think I’m actually running out of space on my memory sticks,’ Alexis said, studying her camera. ‘Do you think I could load the software on your laptop and store the photos I’ve taken on there?’

  ‘Sure,’ Ethan answered. ‘No problem. We’ll do it at the next hotel.’

  ‘Can I ask you something?’ She sat down by him on the blanket. Emperor lifted his head up for a moment, yawned and then laid it back down to sleep.

  ‘Sure,’ Ethan said, concentrating on his drawing. ‘But I don’t have to answer.’

  Alexis studied his drawing of the mountains. It was a rough sketch, but decent. ‘When we first started this trip, you said that a girl like me wouldn’t understand about the marking off the maps.’

  Ethan lowered his sketch pad and turned to her. ‘I shouldn’t have been so hard on you.’

  ‘No, you should have. I know it sounds crazy but I’m different now. I can feel that I am. I mean, nobody changes overnight, but –’ She grew nervous, trying to backtrack her words.

  ‘Alexis,’ Ethan said, gently, ‘you have changed.’

  She smiled, feeling like he’d just given her the biggest compliment in the world. ‘So, can I know now about the maps?’

  Ethan threw back his head and laughed. ‘It really isn’t a big deal.’

  ‘Still,’ Alexis said, ‘I’d like to know.’

  Ethan flipped to the end of his sketch pad and took out an outline map of the United States. Some of the states were coloured in with bright-orange marker. Alexis didn’t know if she should be insulted or not. He’d thought she wouldn’t understand a coloured-in map?

  ‘It’s like a private game. I keep track of where I’ve been,’ Ethan explained. ‘I want to travel everywhere in the world before I die.’

  Alexis handed the map back to him. Unable to stop herself, she reached to brush a strand of his red-tipped hair from his face. ‘I think you will, Ethan. I think you’ll see everything.’

  ‘I have a question for you,’ he said. ‘In Wisconsin, why did you say those things about me?’

  Alexis’s hand dropped to her lap. Mortified, she didn’t speak.

  ‘You called me a dog to that girl, Tressa,’ he prompted.

  ‘Ah, mm, yeah,’ she said, unable to look at him. ‘You heard that, did you?’

  ‘Yeah, I heard that,’ he said. ‘Why’d you say it?’

  ‘I, ah, well,’ she said. She couldn’t force the words out.

  ‘Alexis?’ he insisted.

  ‘Oh, all right, fine,’ she said, her voice a little sharp. ‘I was jealous that you might be sleeping with her that night and I didn’t want you to. Are you happy now? It was me. The whole time we were there, it was me. I’m the reason you didn’t land any tattooing jobs. I told the lady in the bar that you were diseased and that your male parts leaked green ooze. I told the lady at the grocery store you were married. I told someone else you were gay. Actually, I told that to several people. I told –’

  Ethan pulled her face to his and kissed her, shutting her up. Alexis moaned weakly in surprise. It felt good confessing to him, but even better to have him kissing her. His tongue rolled gently against hers. She reached for him, touching his face. When he pulled back, he said, ‘You were jealous.’

  Alexis nodded.

  ‘Over me.’

  She nodded again.

  ‘I was jealous of you and Mr Nasty as well,’ Ethan said. ‘It’s why I ran him off.’

  ‘You were?’ Alexis laughed softly, filled with hope. ‘I’m sorry for all of it. I’m sorry for being a royal bitch on this trip and for assuming you’d g
one to prison just because you have tattoos.’

  ‘I’m sorry, too.’ Ethan kissed her again, rolling her down onto the blanket. A shadow fell over them.

  ‘I said your stopping here was lucky, not that you were supposed to get lucky,’ Summer said from above them, laughing. Her easel was folded up under her arm and she carried a small art case. ‘Come, Emperor. It’s time to eat.’

  The dog instantly hopped up. He jumped over Ethan and Alexis’s legs to follow Summer to her camper. Ethan laughed, but didn’t pull away.

  ‘I’m glad you’re here,’ he said, when they were alone.

  Alexis had hoped he’d say more. She forced a smile. It wasn’t hard, seeing his handsome face so close to hers, his head outlined by the afternoon sun. There was something very magical about the valley. ‘I’m glad you’re here too.’

  Susan took a deep breath, looking around the narrow nature trail. The sun shone through the tree limbs. They were surrounded by little dots of light, dancing on the dirt trail. Birds sang and insects hummed. Sighing wistfully, she said, ‘I love it here.’

  ‘I love you,’ Ted said, wrapping his arm around her from behind.

  ‘Mm,’ Susan hummed in contentment.

  ‘And I’d love to spend the rest of my life with you.’

  Susan stiffened. What did he say?

  ‘Susan –’ Ted’s arms left her and he took her hand ‘– will you marry me?’

  Susan slowly turned, no longer seeing the trees. Ted knelt on one knee, looking earnestly up at her. He didn’t have a ring, but that didn’t matter to her. Her whole body shook. She hadn’t expected this. Not now. Not here. He never let on, never hinted. She took a deep breath, looking into his soulful brown eyes.

  ‘Oh, well, all right,’ Ted said, when she didn’t answer him. He stood up, looking as if she’d kicked him.

  ‘Yes,’ she whispered. Ted blinked in surprise. ‘Yes!’

  ‘Yes!’

  Ethan and Alexis sat up in surprise. Birds took to flight over the trees where Susan and Ted had disappeared.

  ‘You don’t think they’re . . .’ Alexis looked at Ethan with wide eyes.

  Ethan looked at Alexis. She was gorgeous. Her hair was dishevelled from where his fingers had thrust into it during their kiss. The taste of her was still on his mouth. He wanted to be able to make love to her right there in the afternoon sun, but he held back. Too many people were around.

  ‘. . . having sex, do you?’ Alexis finished after a long pause.

  ‘Ah, I don’t know.’ Ethan laughed. ‘If they are, I’m a little jealous.’

  Alexis heated at his words. She nodded. ‘Me too. Think we can sneak off anywhere for a little bit?’

  ‘Like where?’

  ‘We could break into a camper,’ Alexis joked.

  ‘I’d be too scared Summer would want to join us in the love fest,’ Ethan said. Alexis laughed. He reached out, grabbing a strand of her hair and twirling it in his fingers. ‘I want to draw you.’

  Alexis blinked, stunned for a moment by the change of conversation. ‘All right. Now?’

  Ethan nodded. He flipped to a new page on his sketch pad. ‘Well, I’d prefer to do a nude portrait, but here’s good too.’

  Ethan drew her portrait over the course of the afternoon, refusing to let her see it no matter how hard she begged. He claimed it wasn’t finished yet. Susan and Ted came back after a few hours. Susan had a healthy flush to her features and couldn’t quit grinning. Ted was just as bad. As late afternoon turned into evening, Summer invited them to join the others for dinner. Not everyone was as extreme as Summer. In fact, they were a blend of different personalities with one thing in common – art.

  Sunset had been a beautiful affair of purples, reds, oranges and golds. An older couple sat in lawn chairs around the campfire, holding hands. Alexis smiled to see them. There was a man who was distracted beyond measure and would only complete about half of his sentence before drifting off to draw in his notebook. Several of the artists took turns showing their paintings to the group for critiques. It was a little dark trying to study the artwork by firelight, but no one seemed to mind. Alexis was amazed at all the different interpretations the artists had of the exact same view. Some painted close-ups, some landscapes, some with an uncanny almost photographic realism, some with bolder lines and brighter, almost unnatural colours.

  ‘How about you?’ Summer asked, looking expectantly at Ethan. She smiled.

  When Ethan looked like he’d deny showing anything, Alexis said, ‘Yes, he’s done something.’

  ‘Oh, let’s see it,’ a young man with glasses said.

  ‘Come on,’ the older woman in the lawn chair urged. ‘We’re all friends here.’

  Ethan looked at Alexis and sighed. He reached behind him and pulled out his sketchbook. He opened it to a sloppy mountain scene and handed it to Summer.

  ‘Mm, yes, yes,’ she said.

  ‘Strong beginning,’ a man added, looking over her shoulder. ‘Nice lines. Shade could use some work.’

  Ethan didn’t say anything as they passed his work around. Summer started flipping through the pages, stopping suddenly.

  ‘Now this,’ Summer said, ‘this is beautiful.’

  The artist huddled around the notepad. Alexis craned her neck, trying to see, but they were in her way. Suddenly, they all looked at her.

  ‘What?’ Alexis asked. Summer turned the sketch pad around. In the orange firelight, Alexis saw her face staring back at her. Her hair was tousled, her cheeks flushed, her lips parted ever so slightly. There was a look on her face, almost dreamy, yet shy. There was nothing of the elitist snob she’d been in New York in that picture. Is that how Ethan saw her? It that what she’d become? She swallowed, shaking terribly. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen and Ethan had done it of her.

  ‘He captured your soul,’ Summer said, handing the sketchbook back to Ethan. Alexis couldn’t look at him. He’d captured a lot more than just her soul. She’d suspected it for a while, but now she was sure of it. She was in love with Ethan James. Slowly, Alexis stood up, walking away from the campfire. She had to think.

  Ethan watched Alexis walk away, wondering at the look on her face. She refused to look at him. Her silence stung him to the core. Was she that upset about the portrait? Or was it something more?

  ‘I’ll go,’ Susan said quietly, standing up. Ethan nodded. He wasn’t sure Alexis would want to see him right now anyway.

  ‘Ah, you’ve moved her,’ Summer said knowingly. ‘Not everyone knows how to take it when they see themselves clearly for the first time.’

  Ethan forced a polite smile. The artists began talking anew. He didn’t say a word as he stared into the flames.

  ‘Lexy, wait,’ Susan said. ‘What was that all about?’

  Alexis dashed a tear from her face. ‘My mother’s going to kill me.’

  ‘What? Why? What happened?’ Susan demanded. She reached for Alexis’s arm. ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘I slept with Ethan,’ Alexis whispered.

  ‘You what?’ Susan said, surprised. She shook her head in awe. ‘I mean, I thought that you might, someday, if things kept going well between you, but . . .?’

  ‘I think I have feelings for him,’ Alexis said. ‘And I don’t think he feels the same way. And I’m scared that when I get to California I’m going to realise that I’m just being emotional right now because my life is so up in the air. I’m scared that in California I won’t love him any more, or won’t like him, or he won’t like me. We are so removed from reality out here on this trip.’

  Susan stayed quiet, just listening.

  ‘It’s like you said. We’re different people from different worlds. When we get back to reality I might just find out this is a dream. I mean, the old Alexis would never fall in love with a tattoo artist, would she?’

  ‘Then why not just wait and see how you feel once we get back to reality?’ Susan asked. ‘There’s no rule saying you have to declare your feelings for
him as soon as you think you have them. It’s not fair to him and it’s not fair to you. If you don’t know how you feel, then you should maybe wait until you do. You don’t want to profess feelings only to have to take them back later.’

  Alexis actually relaxed. ‘You’re right. I’ve been so stressed out over nothing. I don’t have to tell him anything. Not yet. There’s no reason it can’t wait for California. I mean it’s stupid saying something like that when he might not feel the same way, right?’

  Susan nodded, but the gesture was unconvincing.

  14

  Alexis stared up at the stars. They slept close to the fire in borrowed sleeping bags. Susan and Ted were on one side. She and Ethan were on the other. Turning over on her side, she looked at Ethan and said, ‘Sorry about earlier. I wasn’t feeling well, but I’m better now.’

  Well, it was almost the truth. She did feel better after talking to Susan. Besides, the more she thought about it, the less she liked the idea of professing her love to a man who didn’t even try to call her his girlfriend. In fact, he hadn’t called her his anything.

  ‘Don’t worry about it, Alexis,’ he said, flipping onto his back to look away from her. ‘I’m not.’

  That hurt. Alexis tried not to take it personally, but it was hard. ‘I really liked your drawing.’

  ‘Hum,’ he said. Was he angry? His body was stiff like he was angry. She reached out and touched him.

  ‘Want to go somewhere private? Work the tension from your body?’

  Ethan briefly closed his eyes, sighing. When he looked at her, she drew her hand away, sure he was going to say no.

  ‘Is that all I am to you? A way to get off?’ he asked.

  ‘What?’ she whispered, glancing over at Ted and Susan to make sure they couldn’t hear him. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘Me. Us. Am I just your sex toy?’ he demanded. ‘Some guy you can sleep with so long as no one knows about it?’

  ‘Ethan, please, be quiet. We don’t want to wake everyone.’ Alexis sat up. Glancing around, she said, ‘If you want to talk, we’ll talk. Come on, the moon’s full enough to see by. Let’s go for a walk.’