by Ashley Beale
"First off, you're a tease too," I say while pointing at him, and giving him a scowl in return. Then I let him know I'm being serious. "Have you been going to PT still?"
He smirks and nods his head. "Yes ma'am." He gives me a two finger salute and makes his way towards the bed. "If you're referring to me looking like shit lately, it isn't because I haven't been attending my PT sessions, it's because it's been hard for me to sleep or eat without you. But now that I have you, I'm sure I'll look stunning again in no time."
"Cocky much?"
"If you don't want to go too fast, don't say any word resembling cock, because you're going to make things very difficult."
I laugh and roll my eyes at him. Then I decide to push the buttons, although I know I shouldn't. "You mean, I'm making things... hard."
After he shoves me away, and grabs the remote for the TV in my bedroom. "Another naughty word out of your mouth and I'm tying you down and taking advantage of you."
I laugh again but this time I don't say any naughty words. Although, his threat is very tempting, I honestly think this is what is best for the two of us.
Less than twenty minutes later I hear snoring and look over to see Avery passed right out. He really must not have been sleeping so well, because it's very rare for him to fall asleep to the TV. I give him a simple kiss on the cheek, leaving my lips there a little longer than normal, in case this is a dream of some sort, then I click off the TV and cuddle up next to Avery.
Chapter Three
While sizzling bacon on the frying pan the next morning I hear Aubrey enter the apartment. I turn to say hello and see her eyes are puffy and red. "Oh my God, Aubrey, what the hell happened?"
"Hormones," she grumbles.
She sits down on the stool at the bar and points to the coffee maker. I make her a cup and slide it across the counter to her, knowing she needs some caffeine before she will tell me what is going on with her. I continue with the bacon, put some bread in the toaster, and finish whipping up some eggs with cheese.
"Why are you making a feast?" she asks after a few minutes.
Facing towards the stove I answer her. "Just wanted to make Avery a special breakfast." That's when I remember that I hadn't told her that Avery and I made up and were back together. The silence that remains tells me she must be shooting daggers through the back of my head.
I turn around, and yup, she is. "And you were going to tell me about this, when?"
"Sorry, I talked with him pretty late last night and we're going to work things out. You've been right all along, I was being dumb letting him go and ignoring him. I talked to my mom about it all yesterday too. But enough about me, what is going on with you? Why are you crying?"
She looks down at her cup and swishes her coffee around the mug. "I'm always screwing things up. My hormones get the best of me. Mason's ex-girlfriend called him this morning, while we were well on our way to getting hot and heavy, and he answered it. Which made me mad but I was willing to look past it. Then she said she needed his help with something, and he wouldn't tell me what, but he said he would be over later. I told him if he went over there, especially without telling me why, then we were done. And he told me I was being selfish and asked me to leave. So I did."
"Um, those are not your hormones getting the best of you Aubrey. That was a real jackass move of him. You deserve to know why he is going over there, and he shouldn't have asked you to leave. What the hell!" Wow, now I'm angry. I'd be crying too. In fact, if I were pregnant and my boyfriend was trying to pull that shit on me, there would be another World War happening.
Just as she was about to open her mouth again we heard my bedroom door open. She gave me pleading eyes, which basically asked me not to say anything, and I nod, letting her know I won't. I turn back around and finish what I'm doing before things burn.
Avery's voice is still hoarse when he speaks and it sounds way too seductive for his own good. "Smells amazing." He reaches up and grabs a coffee mug and pours himself some coffee. "Looks amazing too." He leans in and kisses my cheek while stealing a piece of bacon that is currently sitting on a pile of paper towels.
I smack his hand away and finish taking everything off the stove. "Hands off, I'm making us all a plate right now."
"What did Mason do this time?" I hear him ask, which I'm assuming is to Aubrey. Her eyes are too noticeable.
She makes a funny noise that sounds half like a grunt, half like a sarcastic laugh. "Nothing, don't worry about it."
"Need me to kick his ass?"
I place plates in front of the two of them, and in front of the spot I'll be occupying. I pour myself a second cup of coffee and join them at the bar. Aubrey shook her head no but doesn't say anything and I nudge Avery's arm and give him a warning look not to say any more. I'll have to talk to him in private and see what I can find out about Mason and his ex, maybe get an idea of why he would go over there without letting Aubrey know why.
"So, what's on the agenda for today?" I ask Avery with fluttering eye lashes.
When he finishes swallowing the mouthful of eggs he gives me a sort of sad smirk. "Shit, I had plans to go golfing today with Austin, but I can call and cancel them." Austin must be the guy I keep seeing him around campus with. I hadn't met him, but every time I see him walking around there is always either Mason or some blonde haired guy next to him.
"No, that's okay. You guys have fun. I have some homework to catch up on."
He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him, kissing the top of my head. "Too bad you don't golf, his girlfriend, Madison, goes with us. You'd like her I think."
I look up and give him my best smile. "You could always teach me. Or I could be the cart driver."
"You'd come with me?" The excitement in his eyes makes my smile grow, and although I find golf rather boring, of course I'd do anything to spend more time with Avery. We have a lot of making up to do.
After showering I slip on my bikini then a pair of capris and an adorable pink and green argyle tank top. I finally have an excuse to wear it. After putting my hair in a ponytail and slipping on white flats, I'm good to go. When I walk out of the bedroom, Avery is just coming out of the bathroom and he smells delicious. Mason has some of his body wash in there, and although it smells good already, it being mixed with Avery's natural masculine scent as me wanting to bring him back in the bedroom.
He looks at my clothes and starts laughing. "Babe, seriously, you don't have to wear argyle just because we're golfing."
I pout out my lips, being a baby, and walk in the opposite direction. I grumble under my breath, "I think I'm adorable," and keep walking.
Minutes later Avery put his arms around my waist from behind and whispers in my ear. "Don't worry, you are adorable. I wasn't laughing because you look bad, in fact, you look amazing. I just thought it was funny that you're wearing that only because we're golfing today."
I turn in his arms and kiss his lips and back away. He is wearing some of Mason's clothes, and they're tighter on him than normal. "Do you want to swing by your apartment on the way so you can change? You look hot, but I'm sure you're not going to be very comfortable in that."
"Yeah, that is probably a smart idea."
"And grab your swim trunks. I want to go to La Jolla shores after."
"Yes ma'am," he says with a wink. Yum. I miss that wink. And him. And his kisses. So I kiss him one more time, with a little more passion, and enjoy every second of it.
We arrive at the golf course before his friend, so he takes out his clubs and shows me the basics. He stands behind me, wrapping his arms around me to show me how to properly hold the club. I do a few swings, each one a little better than the last. Avery places a ball in front of me on one of those little triangle things that go in the ground and he tells me to swing, which I do, and it goes way too far to the left. He laughs and places another ball down, telling me to swing a second time, and I do. This time I take a little longer so I can line my swing up better and when I hit the ball
, it goes straight, and goes a lot further than I expected.
I jump up and down with excitement and run towards Avery, who hugs me tight to him. "That was really good Angel. I think you'll do perfect."
"Thanks! I'm excited now. But don't be mad if I give up half way through. Thirty-six holes is a lot of swinging."
He chuckles softly and holds his lips to my forehead. He keeps giving himself a reason to touch me, or kiss me, making me feel guilty. I love that he keeps touching me, but I know it's because he thinks I'll run away again. I don't want to run away, I don't want to be anywhere else but here, with him.
"Ready for this man?" I hear a guy say behind me. I turn towards the blonde haired guy I see Avery walk around with, answering my earlier question if I was right or not.
"Hell yeah," Avery answers. He slips away from me to fist bump his friend. "Austin, this is my Angel I told you all about, Cassie. Cassie, this is Austin. And where is Madison?"
"Hey," he says to me and nods his head, but doesn't give much of a smile. He looks back towards Avery, and that is when I see his smile creep on his face. "She's coming. Hey man, can I talk to you for a second? Alone." His eyes flicker towards me but not for more than a second.
Avery reluctantly agrees and walks away from me with Austin. I watch them talk and feel really uncomfortable. Two girls walk in my direction, and I don't think much of it until I hear Avery's name leave one of their mouths.
"Didn't I tell you Avery was so hot?"
"Ohmigod, you're so right. I can't even believe you're hooking us up. As if he is even single."
"Yeah, his last girlfriend was a bit crazy from what I hear."
"What do you mean crazy? Am I going to wake up one morning to slashed tires if I start dating him?"
Date him? Whoa. What the hell! What's going on? I look back towards Avery as I listen to the two girls talk. Neither him nor Austin are looking in this direction, and I really don't want to interrupt them, but I'm feeling really uncomfortable right now listening to two people talk about me, when neither of them even know me.
"I don't think she's that crazy, from what I hear she just led him on for a long time, then left him by text and won't talk to him. And last year she played with him a lot, was sleeping around and stuff."
"So she's a slut and crazy? Great. Well, her loss. I'm totes going to do what I can do make him mine."
I stare at the two girls again, who still don't seem to even notice me watching them. The one who I assume to be Austin's girlfriend is actually really pretty with auburn hair and light green eyes. The other one, that wants Avery, is skinny, blonde, and her eyes look blue from here but I can't tell for certain. She is pretty as well, but has a large nose and extremely thin lips. I can't see Avery finding her all too attractive, unless you're staring at her chest, which is huge. Like fake huge. What am I saying? He is a guy, of course he is going to stare. Great! Day one of being together again and working through things, and something, well someone, is being tossed into the mix.
Just then the guys walk back over and Avery looks highly amused about something, then he stares at the two girls and back to me, giving me an apologetic look. He walks close to me, holds me to him and whispers in my ear so only I can hear. "Apparently Austin was going to make this a double date type thing. I didn't know, I'm sorry. I told him Madison and her friend are more than welcome to play with us, but only if that is okay with you."
"Yeah, that's fine with me," I lie. I'm not going to let him know what the girls said, or how I feel about it all, because we need a fresh start. I just want to enjoy my time with Avery, and if Austin, his girlfriend, or fake-boob-blondey doesn't like me, well that is there problem, not mine nor Avery’s.
I turn in the direction of where Austin met with the two girls who were just talking about me and I have to lock my lips closed. I can't contain the smile though. They both look like they've just seen a ghost. Avery walks closer to them, which requires me to too since his arm is still around me.
"Hey Madison, this is my girlfriend, Cassie." Her face is priceless. As well as blondies. "Cassie, baby, this is Austin's girlfriend Madison, and her friend, um?"
"Katie," she answers with a giant, fake smile. "It's so good to meet you Avery." Really? She is going to flirt with him with me standing right here? Wow!
I look up at Avery and he bunches his eyebrows together. I don't think he gets it. "Um, thanks, yeah, you too."
"Well, let's get going, we have a long day ahead of us," Austin interjects.
After signing in with the office we make it to the first hole. I watch the guys go first, then Madison, then I go and do horrible, then lastly it's Katie who does even worse. Madison is just as good as the guys, if not better.
I attempt to be polite since she is the girlfriend of one of Avery's new friends. "Wow, Madison, you're really good at this."
"Yeah, my dad taught me well," she claims. There isn't even a smile on her face as she takes Katie's hand.
"I'm horrible at this," Katie pouts. "Avery, would you be so kind to show me the proper way to hit the ball?" She bats her eyelashes his way. He does this awkward laugh while running his hand through his hair.
"I think Madison would be better at showing you," he says and smiles my way. I smile in return and walk in his direction with my rented golf clubs strapped around my shoulder.
Together the five us make it a few holes, having light- almost none- conversation. Katie and Madison stand together in their own little group, and I can't help but notice Katie keeps pushing her chest out even more, or flicking her hair over her shoulder, or laughing extra loud, which catches everyone’s attention but Avery’s. Finally at the seventh hole it's my turn and Avery comes up behind me, correcting my stance.
"Thank you baby," I tell him. He leans in and kisses my ear before backing away. I concentrate extra hard and give the best swing yet, causing the ball to fly through the air. I scream in excitement when it lands on the green, only inches from the hole.
Both Avery and Austin give me fives, while Madison smiles and Katie glares. Once we make it down to the green and it's my shot again I make it in, which Avery called a birdie on a par-3 hole. I'm not sure what it means, but it excites me anyways, since no one else got a birdie or a par.
While walking to the next hole I look over towards the coast, since the course is over-looking the Pacific Ocean, and see two people parasailing. It's romantically beautiful and I can't help but stare. I've watched people parasail before but with all the cliffs and the still rising sun, it's a whole different view.
Avery wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his chin on my shoulder. "We got to keep walking so the people behind us don't get annoyed, but I promise to take you parasailing soon."
I turn my face towards his and kiss his cheek. "You're too nice to me, I don't get it. But thanks. That would be awesome."
I go to walk forward but Avery pulls me back while turning me to face him completely. "What do you mean?"
"By what? I said that'd be awesome."
"You said I'm too nice, and you sounded a little sad about it."
I shrug my shoulders, not wanting to discuss this right now. Ever since hearing Madison and Katie I can't help but feel like Avery is way too good for me. Well, I knew that already, but they made me feel guilty about it. And he has obviously said a lot of bad things about me or else Madison wouldn't have known anything about me and my past, and the history of Avery and I. He may not have told Madison directly, but he had to have said stuff to Austin.
"I'm fine Avery. I'm having a blast."
He stares me in the eyes, internally debating with himself, but he doesn't say anything. He kisses my forehead and together we walk towards the rest of our group, catching up only minutes later.
When the first eighteen holes are done I'm ready to give up. Avery, Austin, and Madison all have scores between the fifties and sixties, mine is ninety-seven, which means I did horrible. Of course the first time I get a high score in something recreational is w
hen you should be getting the lowest score. I don't mind though, Katie got a score over a hundred and I want to gloat so badly, yet I don't.
Avery suggests us girls get something to eat at the lodge that is right at the golf course. I would prefer not to spend alone time with both girls, but I am starving and tired of walking, so I say okay. Both Madison and Katie seem just as reluctant on the idea but also agree, and the three of us make our way towards the restaurant.
Once we're seated on the outdoor patio, we give our waitress our drink orders and sit there in silence. I'm praying the guys give up before the next eighteen holes are done, but knowing Avery he won't just simply quit, regardless to how hot it's starting to get out. I'm glad we left early enough that by the time we're done, it'll be the perfect time and temperature to go swimming at La Jolla shores.
"So Cassie, I didn't realize you and Avery were dating again," Madison finally states. Katie perks right up, ready to hear whatever juicy gossip she believes I'll spill. I won't dare give her the pleasure.
I smile and try to be as sincere as I can be. I want to get along with Madison for Avery's sake. "Yeah, we worked things out and became official again last night."
"Oh, well, that's cool. I thought you guys didn't even talk anymore?"
"We hadn't talked in a couple weeks, but it really wasn't anything to do with us, or our relationship, it was more of a family matter. But everything is situated and the two of us couldn't be happier than we are right now. I think this small break did us good, made us appreciate one another so much more." Okay, I'm laying it on a little thick, but I want to make it known, especially to Katie, that he is off the market and will stay that way.
Madison smiles but it hardly seems genuine. "That's good I suppose. I don't know him too well yet, but Austin and him have become close, and he seems like such a great guy. He deserves to be treated really well."