Buried Castles

by Monica Alexander

  Last night had been a whirlwind of admissions and declarations that had ended in us realizing we both wanted the same thing. I couldn’t have been happier.

  Shivering in the slight chill in the air, I slipped on my jeans from the night before and Zack’s sweatshirt before crawling back into bed with him. I had no intentions of waking him, but he stirred next to me nonetheless.

  “Hey,” he croaked out, his voice scratchy with sleep. His arms encircled me and pulled me against him, where I snuggled into his chest, inhaling his very own Zack scent that drove me crazy.

  “I’m hungry,” I said then, and as if my statement needed punctuation, my stomach growled audibly. I realized then that we hadn’t eaten all day.

  Zack laughed. “Yeah, I can hear that. Do you want to go out?”

  He rubbed the sleep from his face as he waited for my answer. I made a face. “All I have is this,” I said, gesturing to what I was wearing. “And I’m not wearing any underwear.”

  “Damn, that’s so hot,” he said, as he rolled me on top of him, and we might have gotten lost in each other again had it not been for my stomach grumbling yet again. “Okay, message received. I’ll feed you.”

  I smiled. “Thank you.”

  “How about we order Chinese?” he asked, picking up his cell phone and choosing a number he had saved.

  “I love Chinese,” I said, settling back against his chest.

  While we waited for the food to arrive, Zack ran his fingers through my hair methodically while I drew swirl patterns on his bare chest. He’d put on jeans but had remained shirtless which I appreciated.

  “This is new,” I said, stretching my lips up to kiss the tattoo that rested over his heart. It was the words ‘Always Love’.

  He nodded and looked down at me. “I got it in memory of my mom,” he said and smiled. “I learned to play the song when it came out a few years back because she loved it. Then after that, whenever I was pissed off at someone, she’d tell me to always love. It frustrated the hell out of me, but I knew she was right.”

  “She was a smart woman,” I said.

  He smiled. “She was amazing.”

  “And she actually loved a Nada Surf song?” I asked, not believing that. My mom’s musical tastes were of the soft rock variety. I was pretty sure if I mentioned Nada Surf she would look at me like I had two heads.

  “Hell yeah,” he said, and I loved the way his face lit up when he spoke about her. It was so different from the night before when he’d barely been able to control his emotions. “She loved rock and roll and alternative rock and even punk. She was so cool.”

  “I wish I could have known her better,” I said.

  A dark shadow passed over his face. “I wish that too,” he said. “But I’m just glad she got to meet the girl I’m going to marry someday.”

  “Zack!” I admonished, appalled that he’d said that. I felt my face turning red, so I buried it in his neck. I couldn’t believe he’d said that. I was sure he was joking, but still.

  “What,” he chuckled. “I’m serious. Someday soon, I’m putting a ring on your finger.”

  I didn’t look up, but I couldn’t help smiling. I loved that idea, even if it slightly terrified me.

  There was a knock on Zack’s door then, and I lifted my head as we both turned our gazes toward the door.

  “Come in,” Zack said.

  “Are you decent?” Kristin asked.

  “Fully clothed,” Zack called back, and he sat up in bed.

  “Cool,” Kristin said cheerfully, pushing open the door and bouncing into the room with a bag of Chinese food. “There is a ton of food in here. Can I eat with you guys? Leo’s at work, and I’m bored.”

  Zack looked over at me, as if asking my permission. “Sure,” I said, sitting up next to him as Kristin sat at the foot of the bed and unloaded cartons of food.

  We all dug in, and she turned to Zack. “I can’t tell you how happy I am for you guys,” she gushed, and I suddenly remembered her crying the night before when I’d come over, and I realized she’d been in on Leo’s plan. Her tears had been pure acting.

  “Thanks, Kris,” Zack said, playfully kicking her with his foot. I realized as I watched them interact that they were more like brother and sister. Funny how I hadn’t seen that before when I’d imagined her doing all sorts of inappropriate things to him.

  “Emily, welcome to the family. We are a crazy bunch, but we’ve all been together for years, so we love each other, and we tolerate the insanity.”

  “Thanks,” I said tentatively.

  “You know,” she said around a bite of orange chicken. “I don’t think I’ve seen Zack this happy – ever. Zack you should totally play her some of the songs you’ve written over the last few weeks. Really depressing stuff. She was your muse after all.”

  I vaguely remembered him telling me that the night before when I’d first walked into his room.

  “You wrote depressing songs about me?” I asked, turning to him.

  His face was bright red. “I wrote what I felt,” he mumbled.

  “I think that’s sweet,” I said, smiling at him.

  “You should make him play Zack Doesn’t Know Shit About Women,” Kristin chimed in. “That’s my favorite. Or Emily Hates Me. That one is really just one chord with the same lyrics repeated again and again, but after a while, you really get the feeling that she hates him.”

  Zack glared at her, as I laughed and his glare move over to me. “Get out,” he said. “Both of you.”

  That just made me laugh harder. I leaned over and kissed him. “I love you, baby,” I said, and I watched his emotions turn over.

  He couldn’t help smiling at those words, and neither could I. They felt too good to say.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Emily

  Zack’s ringing cell phone pulled me out of a deep sleep, and I tucked further into his chest to shield my ears from the offensive sound.

  “Why does Molly insist on calling so early,” I grumbled.

  Soon after we’d gotten back together, Molly had called with news. Her label, Live Ammunition, wanted to sign Liar’s Edge to a record deal. The guys had all flown out to L.A. to sign the contract that guaranteed them an album and one more if their first one sold well. In exchange, Live Ammunition would do what they did best and build a following for them. Molly had been calling frequently with updates and had taken over managerial duties of the band since it was a bigger job than Kristin, who had very little management experience, could handle.

  Molly and her boss, Adam, had vast dreams for the guys, so Kristin, who was busy planning her wedding and working full-time at the web design firm she’d been at for a few years, happily stepped back into the role of Leo’s fiancé, but she was still the webmaster for Liar’s Edge.com. That was a job I knew she’d never give up.

  Zack’s lips found my forehead, as he silenced his ringing phone. “Because Molly’s life is the band, and she’s always been a bit of an insomniac.”

  “She lives in California. Does she not realize that it’s five in the morning there?”

  “I guarantee she’s just getting home for the night,” he said, his arm pulling me closer. “I’ll call her back later when she’s sleeping.”

  “You’re evil,” I said, kissing his bare chest.

  “No, I’m busy.”

  His lips found mine, and all too soon he was tugging my tank top over my head, succeeding in waking us both up in the nicest way possible. Then we drifted back to sleep for a few more hours.

  By the time, we left Zack’s room, he had three missed calls and five text messages, all from Molly.

  “What the hell does our cousin want?” he asked Leo as we made our way down to the kitchen. He set to work, pouring us both bowls of Life cereal – his favorite.

  Leo was sitting at the table munching a bagel and reading a printout of something, probably having to do with his bar.

  “She wants us to go on tour,” Leo said, looking up at Zack.

>   The spoons he was holding fell from his hands as his jaw dropped, and he looked at Leo in awe. “Are you serious?”

  Leo nodded. “Yeah, The Claws are going on a tour of the East Coast, from Maine down through Florida, and they want us to go with them. They also invited some band called Bag of Tricks from South Carolina. It’s mostly college towns and smaller venues, but there are a lot of stops, so we’ll get a lot of exposure.”

  “No shit,” Zack said, shaking his head back and forth as he processed the information he’d just received.

  “Yeah,” Leo said, clearly not as stunned as Zack.

  “What did you tell her?”

  “That I needed to talk to you, Derrick and Andrew, but I figured we’d be in.”

  “When is it?” I asked, taking my bowl of cereal from the counter, after taking over milk pouring duties when Zack was no longer capable of normal human functions.

  “We’d leave at the beginning of April and will be gone through the summer,” Leo said, and I could see the wheels turning in Zack’s mind. It was what he’d always dreamed of – a chance to be seen on a national level.

  “I already called Derrick and Andrew. They’re in if you are, and I can see by the look on your face that you’re in,” Leo said.

  “Hell yes!” Zack said, and I half-expected him to punch the air with his fist. He looked like a kid at Christmas. “Baby, can you believe it? I’m going on tour!”

  I laughed at his exuberance. He was so excited. He pulled me out of my chair and twirled me around the kitchen, and I had to laugh along with him. Leo left the room, saying something about calling Molly to let her know they were a go with the tour.

  “You are going to be famous,” I said, as he pulled me close. “I told you that months ago. Now do you believe me?”

  Zack looked dazed as he soaked in what I’d said.

  “I’m going to be rich and famous, and when I am, I’m going to buy you the biggest castle I can, because princess, you always believed in me.”

  I looped my arms around his waist. “Oh, so you’ll remember us little people when you’re a famous rock star?”

  “Little people? You? No way. You’re my biggest fan, princess. You’ll get a front row seat at all my shows if you want one.”

  “Liar’s Edge tickets for life? Sign me up!” I said, kissing him deeply.

  “Oh, I see now why you really wanted to get back together,” he said, fake pouting.

  “Um, yeah, obviously. I mean, you’re cute and all, but you’re really just secondary to the music.”

  Zack smiled coyly. “You do know I write and sing the music you love so much, right?”

  I feigned surprise. “Really! Well in that case, I guess I can put you before the band.”

  “You are adorable and hilarious,” he said, kissing me deeply.

  “I’m so proud of you, baby,” I said, pulling back taking in the sheer glee in his eyes.

  “Five months apart, though,” he said somberly, his mood suddenly shifting like it did so often, as he leaned his forehead against mine.

  “We’ll be fine,” I said, because I knew it was what he needed to hear. No way would he know that I was already dreading being away from him for so long. Being a musician was his dream, and I wasn’t going to do anything to take away any ounce of happiness that he should be feeling. “It’s only five months.”

  “We’ve never been apart for that long,” he mused.

  We haven’t even been together for that long, I thought, chastising myself for being so negative. We’d fought so hard to get back together, and I knew nothing would keep us apart, not even distance.

  “Zack, I love you, and no matter where you go or how long you’re gone, I’ll never stop loving you, okay?”

  He rested his forehead on mine. “That’s why I love you, princess, but you know what would make me love you more?”

  “What?” I asked, humoring him, figuring he’d try to pull me back upstairs to celebrate.

  “Come with me.”

  “What?!” I asked, not sure I’d heard him right.

  “Come on tour with me,” he said, and I knew he was dead serious.

  “Zack, I have school. I can’t just pick up and go on tour with you and your band.”

  I was just three months away from graduating. I wasn’t about to quit school and go on tour with him.

  “After you graduate,” he murmured, kissing my cheek and my neck, his lips warm against my skin. I shivered involuntarily. “It’s only three months away.”

  “You’re serious,” I said, pulling back to look at him.

  His eyes locked with mine. “I wasn’t going to ask, because I knew it would freak you out. You said over the summer that you didn’t want to be the kind of girl who moves somewhere for a guy, but Em, I can’t not ask you to come with me. I don’t want to be away from you.”

  Suddenly it was like ice water had been dumped over my head as I remembered my words and my promise to myself. I swallowed hard, as I contemplated what do to. I let my head fall against his chest, taking a few minutes to inhale his warm familiar scent.

  Steeling myself, I looked up at him. “I can’t do that, Zack.”

  I watched his reaction, knowing he hated what I was telling him. His face didn’t change, but I saw the light in his eyes falter before he nodded quickly a few times. “I understand,” he said, but I wasn’t sure he did.

  I’d been dependent on others for so long, my happiness dictated by what someone else decided for me or who I should be based on others’ expectations. I needed to be on my own, do some things just for me. I needed to know I could be okay without someone by my side, but that didn’t change the fact that I loved Zack and would miss him like crazy while he was gone.

  I hugged him tighter around his middle, trying to soak in everything I could about his face, his arms and the way he was looking at me. God, I would miss him, but at least he wasn’t leaving for two more months.

  “We can do this,” I said. “Long distance won’t be so bad.”

  I knew I was pacifying myself as much as I was him, but it was all I could do. There was no way I was going to hold Zack back from his dreams. This tour could open doors for him that staying in North Carolina and performing at local bars never would.

  “I’ll be back for your graduation,” he said, kissing me. “And then why don’t you come with us the week after you graduate – just for a week. It’ll be like a vacation, and then you can go join the real world.”

  “I like that idea. Can I have a front row seat?”

  He grinned. “I told you, you can have front row tickets to Liar’s Edge for the rest of your life, princess. As long as I can look into the audience and see you staring back at me, life is good.”

  I shook my head. “Soon you’ll be so famous that you probably won’t even remember me, but I’ll be there – always your number one fan.”

  He laughed, but I could tell he was holding back. “We’ll see about the whole fame thing. I don’t know about that.”

  “You will be famous. You’re amazing, Zack. You have to know that.”

  He sighed, long and loud. “Please think about what I asked,” he said, and I could tell he was still unsettled by my answer. “I love you, Emily. I want you with me for this.”

  “Okay,” I said, knowing I would never go.

  It was such a far-fetched idea. I couldn’t go on tour with him. I had to find a job and make a living and grow up. I could not go touring with my boyfriend’s band. What was hard was that I had news of my own, but I’d been trying to figure out how to tell Zack. I’d actually gotten a call to fly out to L.A. for an interview with a PR firm. I was flying out in two weeks to meet with a few people in their HR department. It was a long shot, but they did PR for one of the major movie studios, a well-known record label and few national brands. It would be an amazing opportunity. Cassie had gotten hired by them and had given them my name as a referral.

  I also had an interview with a PR firm in Raleigh the following w
eek and had gotten an offer the day before to work at a radio station in Chapel Hill doing marketing. I was debating my options, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t leaning toward taking a job in North Carolina so I could stay near Zack. I’d also be lying if I said passing up an opportunity to work in entertainment PR in L.A. wouldn’t be something I’d regret. I was completely torn.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Zack

  “I look awesome,” I said, appraising myself in Emily’s full-length mirror, tilting my fedora just a bit on my head.

  “You look hot,” she said, sidling up behind me and pressing her body against mine.

  I turned to face her, taking in the sequined headband with the feather sticking out of the back of it. Down further was a matching sequined dress with fringe on the bottom.

  “I think that title belongs to you,” I murmured, kissing her as I eased her back toward her bed.

  She fell back when the backs of her knees hit the edge of the bed, and I landed on top of her, my mouth going directly to her neck. She giggled and tried to push me off.

  “Zack, don’t,” she said playfully, but I knew she only half-heartedly meant it. “You’ll mess up my hair.”

  I felt her reach up and pull the headband from her forehead before her arms encircled my back.

  “I will never get tired of kissing you,” I said, as I kissed a trail from her neck down to her bare chest. Her dress started right at the top of her cleavage, giving me no access below that spot.

  “We’re going to be late,” she whined, but there wasn’t a lot of weight behind her protestations. “We have to meet Taryn and Brittany in twenty minutes.”

  We were meeting her friends for dinner before going to her sorority dance that had a 1920s theme. I would miss their big Luau since I’d be on tour, so she’d demanded that I attend this event. I hadn’t ever been to a sorority dance before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but at least I got to wear a kick-ass suit and hat. It was much better than a Hawaiian shirt and a lei.