American Honey

by Heidi McLaughlin

  She takes a shaky breath, “Okay.”

  My text message dings as I set Mama on her bed. “Come down when you’re ready.”

  She crawls into the middle of the bed in a fetal position and cries. As I walk out I reach into my pocket for my phone.

  Honey Bee 6:04 pm: What the hell is going on, Tan?

  Me 6:08 pm: WW3 just started. Stay strong, baby. I love you.

  Honey Bee 6:09 pm: I’m scared, Tanner.

  Me 6:10 pm: Don’t be. We’ll figure it out.

  Over the next week everything went to hell. Both sets of parents aren’t talking to each other and they are forbidding Rhea and me to talk to or see each other. I have yet to let that happen and it will be a cold day in hell when I do. They are all so oblivious as to what’s going on as they wallow in their misery that what Rhea and I do are the farthest things from their minds. How did this happen to our families?

  Chapter Five

  ~ Age 18 ~

  Rhea

  I roll over and kick the covers off. I know I should really get out of bed but I’m slightly hung over from another night of partying with Tanner and our friends. My room is bright, too bright to be morning still.

  “Are you going to wake your ass up anytime soon?” Knox asks shoving me in the back.

  I roll over and shield my eyes with my arm, “Why are you in my room so damn early?”

  Knox chuckles, “It’s not early, Little One.”

  I sit up on my elbows and glance over at Knox.

  “You look hot.” He says with a smirk.

  “Shut up, asshole.”

  “You got a little something on your neck.” Knox points.

  I wipe at my neck but I don’t feel anything.

  “What you got is not going to wipe off. If your daddy sees that he’s going to beat your ass.” Knox chuckles.

  I climb out of bed and walk over to the mirror on my dresser. My hair is sticking up all over the place on the right side and it’s matted on the left. My mascara is running down my face, and my lipstick is smeared all over my lips. I look like a hot mess. I take a look at my neck and I have to do a double take. I’ve got a hickey the size of Texas on my neck for all the world to see. And by all the world, I mean my daddy.

  “Damn it, Tanner!” I say stomping my feet.

  Knox lies back in my bed, “You better wear a turtle neck for the next week.”

  I turn and glare at Knox, “It’s the middle of summer in North Carolina, Knox.”

  Knox rolls his eyes, “Thanks for reminding me where I am and what season it is, I’m just offering a little friendly advice is all.”

  I fling myself back on the bed and cuddle up next to Knox. “Please tell me you are taking me away with you this weekend. I have to give this hickey time to lighten and I need to be far away from inquiring minds.”

  He tucks a hand behind his head, “That’s why I’m here. I need your help with a few things then I’m sending you and Tanner off to a hotel for the night.”

  I sit up, “What? Why? We have our own room at the house.”

  Knox smiles, “Relax, I’m asking Savanna to marry me this weekend and I need some help getting the house ready and shit. I thought since you were going to help me out that I would help you.”

  “You do help me all the time though. You don’t need to send us to a hotel, Knox.”

  Ever since my parents divorced, Daddy refuses to let me see Tanner. I’m to have no parts of him in my life. He thinks that because Tanner’s daddy cheated on his wife with my mama, that Tanner is going to do the same thing to me. Little does he know that Tanner would never do that to me. He’s my soul mate. He’s my everything. His official edict for us to stay apart hasn’t happened yet and it’s not about to happen anytime soon.

  Tanner and I have been sneaking around for two years behind our parents’ backs. Daddy kicked Mama out of the house shortly after he found out what she had done. Daddy forbids me to have any kind of relationship with Tanner, he even tried to stop me from seeing the Mitchell’s, but Audrey refused to let that happen. After some persuasion from Audrey, Daddy finally gave in as long as Tanner wasn’t staying at the house when I was down at the beach house. That wouldn’t work and Daddy knew that but never said anything else about it again. I don’t know what I would without Audrey.

  Tanner’s mama kicked his daddy out of the house the day she found out and never let him back in. The cops were called when he showed up to grab his things because Emma refused to let Josh in. Tanner doesn’t talk much about what happened and that’s okay. I don’t like to talk about it much either. Close friendships were ruined and hearts were irreparably broken.

  “I’m not taking no for an answer. I’ve already booked the room and as soon as your ass gets ready we’ll head down and get things going.” Knox smiles at me.

  An hour later I was showered, packed and ready to go. Knox carried my suitcase downstairs while I was putting the last of my makeup on the ugly hickey that Tanner left. It wasn’t really doing any good because that shit was purple and angry looking, and it seemed to be getting darker by the minute. I went into my walk-in closet and took a scarf out that went with my outfit. I quickly tied it around my neck and laid my hair over my shoulders covering it the best that I could. Yeah, I was a walking billboard for failed hickey undercover ops. I was so fucked.

  I grabbed my purse off the bed and headed downstairs. When I got to the bottom I heard Knox and daddy talking.

  “Congratulations, young man.” Daddy says.

  I stand on the bottom of the stairs and eavesdrop for just a minute.

  “Thank you, Sir.” Knox responds back politely.

  Daddy clears his throat and I heard the chair scratch across the floor. “Son, Tanner isn’t goin’ to be there this weekend is he?”

  Leave it to Daddy to worry about Tanner.

  “I’m not gonna to lie to you, Sir. He’s going to be there but I did book him a hotel room so that he and Rhea are not staying under the same roof.”

  “Good, good. That Savanna is a lucky girl. I sure hope my Rhea finds a catch like you some day.”

  I shake my head in disgust.

  Knox laughs, “Thanks, Sir. And I’m sure she will.”

  I walk into the kitchen with a hand on my hip, “You ready to go, it’s getting late?”

  Knox nods and a smile forms across his face. He looks at the scarf and then back to my eyes. If I could have flipped him off with my eyeballs I would have.

  I walk over to Daddy and give him a kiss on the cheek. “Bye, Daddy.”

  “Rhea, it’s a little hot out today to be wearing a scarf.” Daddy says tugging at it.

  I grip it tight in my hand so he doesn’t pull the knot undone. “Oh Daddy, keep up with the styles will you. All the girls are wearing them.”

  I hear Knox laughing softly. He’s so dead.

  I grab Knox’s arm and pinch underneath it making him growl at me. Good, serves him right.

  When we get outside Knox yanks his elbow back rubbing the spot I just pinched, “That’s going to bruise.”

  “Suck it up, Sally.” I glare. “That’s whatcha get for laughin’ at me. I’ll let you borrow my scarf when I’m done with it.”

  He smirks, “You do look ridiculous wearing that.”

  I untie it and throw it at him.

  He full out laughs, grabbing his stomach, “No, wait,” he throws the scarf at me. “You should put it back on.”

  I drop the stupid thing and stalk off towards his BMW. He unlocks it and I slide into the passenger seat.

  Knox slides in and starts the car up still laughing.

  “I hate you.”

  “No, you don’t.”

  I scowl, “I do.”

  Knox shakes his head as he pulls out of the driveway and into Tanner’s right next door. “You love me.”

  Sighing, “I do.”

  Tanner jogs out of the house, opens the back door, tosses his bag in then he climbs in next. He’s groaning so I turn to see what’s wr
ong.

  “Baby, what’s wrong with you?” Tanner’s got a hat pulled low over his eyes, sunglasses on and dressed in black cargo shorts and a black tank top.

  “Shh,” he puts his hands over his ears. “Stop yelling.”

  I laugh, “Hangover from hell, huh?”

  He moans and lays his head on his bag and that’s when I get a glance at his neck.

  I snort, “What in the hell is that?”

  Tanner has bite marks all over his neck and one on his jaw.

  “That would be considered ‘marking your territory’ from the vampire I’m dating.”

  Knox burst out laughing. I turn in my seat and pull my seat belt on. “Well, at least we know how to have a good time.”

  Tanner huffs, “Yeah, well I’ve got a lollipop stuck in my hair that I can’t get out.”

  I whip my head back around and flip his hat off his head. Sure enough he has a red lollipop stuck to his hair. I try to pull on it and he slaps my hand away.

  “I told you it’s stuck.”

  I giggle, “I can see that.”

  Tanner lies back down and puts his hat over his face. I lean my seat back and get comfortable for our two-hour car ride to Myrtle Beach.

  Knox is so in love with Savanna. It’s the kind of love that you read about in fairytales. Knox met Savanna back home in New Jersey. They met his sophomore year in college. Savanna was tutoring for statistics and Knox was assigned to her. They went out once for dinner and spent almost every day after that together. Savanna is my favorite out of all the girls who Knox has dated over the years. She wasn’t stuck up like a lot of the girls he dated were. She just fit in with our family. If I ever need to vent about the boys, I knew I could always count on her to listen.

  About four months ago Savanna called me in the middle of the night crying. She took a pregnancy test and it came back positive and she was afraid to tell Knox. She thought he was going to hate her. After staying on the phone with her for hours I convinced her that he wouldn’t hate her, that she should know him better than that. She told him the next morning and called me that afternoon to tell me that Knox was actually happy about it.

  “You sure you know what you’re doin’?” I ask Knox who is standing on a ladder hanging lights from the roof across the deck, making a million tiny stars in the night sky with the amount of lights he was stringing up. It was going to be breathtaking.

  “Yes, hold the ladder, will you?”

  Snickering I grab a hold of the ladder and start shaking it. Knox is afraid of heights, if you ask him he’ll deny it, but it’s true. It’s the one chink in his cocky armor and I hold the power right now. I continue giggling like a school girl.

  “Knock it off, asshole.” He seethes.

  See I told you.

  “Knox, this is absolutely beautiful but Savanna isn’t gonna to care about the lights. Go get a bunch of candles, set them up all over your room, light them and get rose petals. Spread them all over the bed, get down on one knee ask her to marry you.” I shake my head. “It’s really simple.”

  Knox climbs down and takes his phone out of his pocket. He sighs as he types a message out on his cell phone. “They’re on their way. Savanna said Dad is trying to pass some jerk who’s drunk and shouldn’t be driving.”

  Knox’s parents are driving Savanna down since Knox refuses to let her make the trip herself and he wanted to have everything ready before she got here tonight.

  “Well, let’s get this show on the road then.”

  He throws his arm around my shoulder and runs his knuckles over my scalp. “That’s what I like to hear.”

  I have to admit the house looks damn good. Knox set up everything perfectly. Candles and roses are in every room of the house. He cooked dinner and it’s sitting in the oven keeping warm. He just got out of the shower and Tanner and I are waiting for him to run us over to the hotel for our “special night” as well.

  Tanner wraps his arms around me from behind, “Maybe we can make a baby.” He whispers in my ear.

  I jab my elbows back hitting him in the sides, “Are you fucking crazy? Our parents would have heart attacks.”

  Tanner shrugs, “They’ll deal and then we won’t have to sneak around anymore at least.”

  I shake my head as I walk over to the bottom of the stairs, “Knox! Are you ready yet? Tan’s trying to make you an uncle.”

  Knox comes down the stairs laughing and shaking his head, “Only Tanner would want to make a shitty situation worse.”

  “I heard that.” Tanner yells from the kitchen.

  “Let’s go, lover boy.” He yells back.

  Knox drops us off at a hotel not far away, we could have walked really. I lean over and kiss him on the cheek, “Good luck. Call us tomorrow. Love you.”

  Knox kisses my cheek, “Thanks and love you too.”

  “Dude,” Tanner shoves Knox’s shoulder. “Keep your lips off my girl.”

  “Get out, jackass.” Knox retorts.

  Tanner laughs, “Good luck, man.”

  “Thanks.”

  Tanner and I check in, we get the key to our room and we take the elevator up to the top floor.

  “You know,” Tanner stands directly in front of me and tilts my head up to him, “I wasn’t kidding about the babies. I want them. One day.”

  I stand up on my tip-toes, “In the meantime let’s go have some fun. I think Knox pulled out all the stops for us tonight.” I wink at him just as the doors open.

  “Did you bring lollipops?” Tanner asks his voice husky.

  I look behind me, smiling, “Of course.”

  “Damn, baby.” He pants and practically runs to our room.

  Chapter Six

  ~ Age 21 ~

  Tanner

  Rhea is laying in the middle of the king size bed naked with only a sheet covering her ass and legs. She’s sound asleep after the intense hour of love making that started the second I pushed the hotel door open.

  I take a bottle of water from the fridge that Knox had stocked for us and took a seat out on the balcony. The breeze coming from the ocean is cooling off the hot summer day. The sun set hours ago casting a midnight sky and the moon to reflect brightly on the ocean, it’s eerily quiet. The only sounds are coming from the waves crashing on the shore when normally hearing the ocean sounds plays along with all of the party-goers who consider this town Party Central. The solitude of being here with my girl completely sated in the room behind me affords me the luxury of just being happy, nothing else…no drama, nothing but me and her against the world.

  Knox is probably leading a pregnant Savanna up to his room right now asking her to spend the rest of her life with him. Savanna is good for him, settled his wild days. Knox was like a firecracker just waiting to light. He didn’t do things the normal way like picking up a girl from her house, meeting her family then taking her for a nice dinner and maybe dancing. No, Knox did things daringly. He’d pick up a girl later than he should, he’d take her to a friend’s house and get her drunk, if he was lucky he’d get her to his bed and then drop her off in the middle of the night with a promise to call the next day knowing he never would. The girls love him though, draws a crowd where ever he goes. He’s burned a few bridges over the years making it harder on himself then necessary as well as making things awkward for all of us, well, sometimes to our benefit though, when they’d ask why he never called.

  Chuckling, I take a sip of my water as I recall one such particular instance when his latest fuck buddy showed up.

  “Knox,” Miranda says with venom dripping from her voice. “I thought you said you were goin’ to call?”

  “Sweetheart,” Knox says. He calls all of his conquests sweetheart because he never remembers their names. “I went back home right after I dropped you off.”

  Our friends, Cade and Jeremy, from Myrtle Beach were all sitting around the bonfire with us. We all started snickering, even Rhea; Miranda can’t be that dumb to think that Knox was actually going to call.

  “
Come on over here, sugar.” Cade draws.

  That jackass got more girls with those words then I’ve ever seen. Fucker has the moves and he lays it on them thick. And they flock around him like flies to horseshit. He turns that southern charm on at the drop of a hat and they literally melt like chocolate on a hot summer day right in front of his eyes. Some are born with that talent, with others it’s acquired and perfected. I think Cade had achieved “Master Level” over the years and was now teaching others the ways of the ladies.

  Miranda turns towards Cade with a cocked eye brow. “Whatcha say?” she says chomping on her gum and twirling her hair.

  He winks, “Let’s go take a walk.”

  Miranda nodded and bit on her bottom lip. Cade stood up and handed Knox his beer.

  “I owe you one.” Knox said under his breath.

  “Nah,” Cade said with a chuckle. “I got this.”

  And that was that, Cade swooped in and saved Knox’s ass. If it wasn’t Cade it was Jeremy doing it. It was their way of keeping the peace and getting something out of it for themselves too.

  The door to the patio opened and Rhea steps out wrapped in the sheet from the bed. Her hair a wild mess, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wild with desire. Her lips are red, and swollen and she’s sucking on a lollipop teasingly.

  “You don’t fight fair,” I groan as I sit back in my chair and pat my lap.

  Rhea saunters over as the wind picks up the sheet and exposes Rhea’s bare thighs. She climbs on my lap and wraps herself around me.

  I kiss the top of her head. She smells like Banana Boat suntan lotion, the smell I love on her skin. My kiss goes lower, to her cheek now and she sighs, melting into me. Then I kiss her neck and I can smell myself on her and it turns me on. I’m not too ashamed to admit that I want this smell on her always; I’ve marked my territory, pissed on the fire hydrant, whatever you want to call it, but she’s mine.

  “Babe,” Rhea moans, her voice caught in her throat making it sound like a plea.

  Moving away just slightly, she takes the lollipop out of her mouth and runs it over my lips. When she’s satisfied with the results, she runs her tongue over my lips licking all the stickiness away. Holy. Fucking. Hell. That was hot.