by Casey Elliot
The pot bubbled away on the stove, aromas of beef and tomatoes filling the air. Emmy sat coloring at the table, scrawling furiously across a picture of Elsa and Olaf, ignoring the suggested lines and creating her own new ones.
“It’s beautiful,” I said, leaning down and kissing her hair softly.
“For you, Mommy!” Emmy exclaimed proudly, shoving her picture in my face so that I could get a better look. I took it from her and pinned it to the fridge, Emmy beamed proudly before turning her attention back to yet another picture. Stirring the Bolognese, I couldn’t get the thoughts of Christina out of my head, and with thoughts of Christina came thoughts of Luke.
Damn it, I thought to myself, Luke will be in town for the wedding. The thought hadn’t occurred to me before now, and it would be the first time we had all been back in town since graduation.
Crossing the apartment, I reached up for a small, black photo album that I kept tucked away. It contained all the photos that I had of the three of us, from elementary school to graduation. My fingers traced the faces that I saw in the photos as if trying to memorize the person that I once was. Loose in the back of the album was a photo that I kept only for me. In it were a boy and a girl with large smiles on their faces, as the boy wrapped his arms around the girl, holding her tight.
Luke, I thought, my heart hammering in my chest. His gorgeous, blond hair gleamed in the sun as we sat down by the lake on the night of our graduation. Luke had come back to see his little sister graduate, and we had reconnected. Everything changed that night, sending my life on a different path than the one I had planned.
“Who’s dat?” Emmy asked, her attention turning to the photo I held in my hand.
“That’s Mommy,” I said, pointing to the girl in the photo. Emmy’s fat fingers poked at the photo while she gazed up at me.
“Like mine!” Emmy exclaimed, pointing at the hair of the boy in the photo.
“Yes, like yours, Emmy,” I said in a whisper, an unbearable sadness rushing over me. Emmy watched me for a moment, sensing a change in mood from her mom before turning back to her picture and the innocence of childhood.
I sat beside Emmy watching her sleep, her chest rising in a rhythmic pattern. For the first time in my life, I felt doubt – doubt that I had made the right choice for me and Emmy. I shook my head sadly, rising from my position at the end of the bed.
There had been no choice, I scolded myself as I headed into the lounge to spend yet another night alone in front of the TV. As the sound from the TV flooded the room, I settled back onto the sofa, my feet tucked under me, flicking through the channels until I found Monday Night Football.
“And Luke Wallace makes yet another excellent pass,” the announcer screamed excitedly. They played a replay of Luke taking the snap and dropping back, eyes scanning the field until he sees an open receiver, and hitting his man in stride for a long touchdown pass.
My heart beat faster at the sight of Luke. Watching football was the only way I could still be part of his life. It had been four years since I had last seen him, and so much had changed, but the hammering in my chest every time I heard his name hadn’t. The school girl that had a crazy crush on Luke was still there, and there had been no one else that had come as close in my affections as he had. Images and feelings came flooding back to the time I had last seen Luke the night of graduation; of Luke’s hand in mine as we lay side by side down by the river, the only sound was the gentle lapping of the water on the shore. I could still feel the softness of his lips on mine, as he kissed me softly, and the fluttering in my belly at his touch. There was no escaping it – I was still madly in love with Luke Wallace.
Chapter Two
The rustle of movement beside me pulled me from my dreams and into the morning. Or was it afternoon? Slowly opening my eyes, the first thing I saw was yet another naked brunette woman whose name I could no longer remember, nor cared to know. The sun streaming through the windows hurt my eyes and my head pounded, letting me know that I had, once again, had too much to drink.
Where had I met this one? I thought to myself, as the memories of last night came flooding back. She had been waiting for me outside the locker room, and it was her pretty face and rocking body that had caught my attention.
“Damn groupies,” I moaned. At first, this had all seemed so glamorous – the parties, the fame, the women. But now, a different girl each night was becoming nothing but a headache.
This is what you wanted, I reminded myself and this is what I had spent my entire life working toward: playing professional ball in the NFL. Lifting myself onto an elbow, I checked the clock, which read 1:30 PM. Great, my plane leaves in three hours, I still hadn’t packed, and I definitely needed a shower. Throwing back the thin sheet, my feet sunk into the soft carpet as I pulled a t-shirt over my head.
“Where are you going, baby?” the woman beside me stirred, woken by my movement, her eyes following me as I moved about the room.
“Georgia.”
“Come back to bed. I can promise you it will be more fun than going back to Georgia,” she purred, her tone suggestive. I hesitated as I considered it. It would definitely be better to climb in next to her and not go home.
“As much fun as that sounds, I can’t. It’s my sister’s wedding in two days.” I had already delayed going home, full of excuses that wouldn’t fly for much longer. Reaching under the bed, I pulled out the suitcase that I had stashed there when I arrived two days ago. My stuff was strewn about the room, still laying where it had fallen. Dread filled me; a small knot of anger forming in the pit of my belly as I gathered my clothes and began to throw them into the suitcase, not bothering to fold them neatly or pack properly.
“Aw, that’s sweet, going home for your sister’s wedding,” her accent was thick, a strong, southern drawl evident. I tried to recall her name, but I wasn’t sure I had even asked her name in the first place. She rolled toward me, the sheet slipping, revealing her large breasts, and I felt my cock twitch as I stared down at her.
“Going back to small town Georgia ain’t my idea of a fun time. Hell, I live in a town of barely five thousand people. It’s boring as all hell. I would much rather stay here with you.” My lips found hers, and she responded eagerly, her body warm under my hands. Reluctantly, I pulled away and sat watching her for a moment. The way her hair lay splayed all around her, her slim, naked body shrouded in the sheets, there was something familiar about her, something I had tried to push out of my mind.
She lay naked looking up at me, her eyes shining. The way she looked at me was the way I had seen other people look at me – with adoration, like I was the person that could make all their dreams come true. Except she wasn’t looking at me like all the others did, trying to figure out how their friendship with Luke Wallace was going to benefit them. She was looking at me as if she knew who the real Luke was. How had I known this girl all my life, and not realized before how perfect she was.
Skye. I had pushed all thoughts of Skye out of my head a long time ago. Not since she broke up with me and we went our separate ways, flying out to Colorado to begin my new career as a professional quarterback, and Skye to Nashville to study music. Thinking of Skye brought me nothing but pain. She was the only girl I had ever thought possible to love, and she had done nothing but break my heart.
“I can’t do this anymore, Luke” her words cutting through me like a knife. “I can’t betray Christina. She’s like a sister to me and, if she found out about us, it would kill her.”
“Skye–” I tried to reason with her.
“Luke, I am sorry.” She sobbed, disconnecting and leaving me with nothing but silence.
“Baby?” the sound of the woman’s voice cut through my daydream.
“I’m sorry, but you’ve gotta go,” I said, picking up her clothes and handing it to her, hurt flashing across her face. “It’s been fun,” I added, before heading into the bathroom and shutting the door firmly behind me. I listened for the click of the front door of the motel roo
m closing before turning the shower on and letting the warm water wash over me, firmly pushing all thoughts of Skye out of my mind.
Chapter Three
The sleek, red mustang parked in front of La Trevia could only have belonged to one person: Christina. It was so out of place in a town of pick-up trucks and small, broken down cars. Butterflies danced across my belly and the palm of my hands were clammy as I crossed the street and headed into the restaurant. La Trevia had been my favorite place as a kid. Its chic, white interior and beautiful paintings of the Amalfi Coast fascinated me. I had always vowed that, one day, I would visit southern Italy and see this beautiful coast for myself, but life had a way of kicking me in the ass.
“Skye!” A voice called out through the restaurant, and I looked up to see Christina waving furiously at me. Shock flashed across my face and it wasn’t lost on Christina.
“I look a bit different these days,” she boasted, as she pulled me into her arms, kissing me on the cheek. I couldn’t believe that the woman standing in front of me was Christina.
She had lost weight and was now slim and toned. Her once straight, mousy hair now bounced around her face, full of shine and volume. Something that felt like jealousy fluttered at the edge of my subconscious, but I pushed it furiously to the side. I was happy for Christina. She had made her dreams come true and had gotten out of this small town. “I was so happy to hear you were back in town! What a coincidence: the two of us being here at the same time.” A cough from behind her interrupted her chatter, “Oh! I’m sorry, Skye. I would like you to meet my fiancé, Max Sheldon.”
I looked over Christina’s shoulder at the tall, handsome man that stood standing behind her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said, accepting his hand, as he reached for mine, his handshake firm.
“Shall we sit,” Christina said, gesturing toward the lavishly laid table. Max pulled out Christina’s seat while I headed around to the other side of the table. Clicking his fingers, Max called one of the waitresses over, surprise flashing across her face. I inwardly groaned, Max’s attitude was totally out of place and, in such a small town, gossip would spread like wildfire.
“So, what are you up to these days?” Christina asked quizzically, turning her attention back to me, as the waitresses scurried around carrying bottles of what must be their most expensive wine. I watched her pour before taking a sip, taking my time to consider Christina’s question.
“Working. Life is crazy between work and home. You know the drill,” I said, picking my words carefully.
“Christina tells me you’re a musician.” Max turned his attention back toward me, though I could see he was asking out of politeness rather than interest. I felt my cheeks redden.
“Well, I play here and there, but I haven’t played for a while.” I prayed they wouldn’t ask any more questions. The last thing I wanted was for Christina and her fancy fiancé to find out what a loser I was.
“Skye went to a music school over in Nashville. She was always going to be a big star.” I felt guilty. Christina had always been supportive of my dreams, and here I was lying to her.
“Tell me about what you’re up to, Christina. I am sure that is far more interesting than my life!” I said, trying to deflect the conversation from my life. Ever since we were little, all Christina and I could talk about was leaving this place and starting somewhere new.
“Oh my God, L.A. is amazing. You will have to come out sometime!” Christina gushed. I listened to her tell me stories of all her adventures in L.A and all the famous people she had met over the past couple of years. I found myself smiling and laughing at her stories. I was genuinely glad to see my old friend again.
“Shoot, I’ve gotta go,” I said, as I caught sight of the clock on the counter. Dabbing my lips with a napkin, I rummaged around in my purse.
“Oh, don’t you worry about that,” Max said, waving his hand in the air. I was sure that the lunch that we had just eaten would have cost more than I would make in a week working at Mitchell’s. I was also sure that this cost less than Max made in an hour. I inclined my head graciously.
“Thank you, Max,” I said politely, as I stood up to leave. “It was great to see you again, Christina.”
“Oh! Hang on, Skye,” Christina said, reaching for her bag and pulling out a beautiful, gold invitation in her hand. “Your invitation for the wedding and rehearsal dinner,” she added hastily. I opened the envelope delicately, revealing the most beautiful wedding invitation. It was handmade with lace cut out around the edges and 3D rose petals framing Christina and Max’s name. I smiled sadly. Christina and I had dreamed of this day for so long, but I couldn’t risk running into Luke.
“I’m so sorry, Christina, but I can’t. I am just so busy at the moment.” I said apologetically.
“Oh” Christina said, disappointment evident in her voice, “I guess it was rather last minute, but I did try and call you earlier.” I hated hurting my oldest friend, but I couldn’t risk Christina finding out that I was still living here and working the same job I did in high school. But most of all, how could I face Luke again, knowing how I had left things and the secrets I kept from him.
Chapter Four
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the doors to the house that I technically owned. I hadn’t been here before, but I could see why it had cost almost a quarter of my signing bonus. It was lavish, with ornate marble and wood finishing, and the very opposite of the house that I had grown up in. There was a steady buzz coming from the crowds of people that filled it, none that I knew.
“There he is!” Looking up, I could see my dad standing at the top of the stairs, and I instantly smiled. I hadn’t seen my parents for the best part of the year and I hadn’t come home in almost four. Every time I saw them, I realized how much I had missed them. At the sound of my dad’s voice, the buzz quietened and people turned around to stare. I didn’t have more than a moment to think about this before I was swept into my dad’s arms and given a firm hug.
“It’s good to have you home,” he said, as he pulled away from me.
“It’s not really my home anymore, dad. This is certainly not where I grew up,” I said, looking around.
“No, no it isn’t, boy, and I am thankful for that!” The buzz returned as people drifted back to their conversations, forgetting about my arrival.
“Who are all these people?” I asked, letting my dad lead me from the foyer into the kitchen, his arms draped around my shoulders. He shrugged, letting me go so he could retrieve two cans of beer from the fridge.
“I don’t know who half of them are. Wedding planners, TV crews, who knows,” he said, before taking a sip of his beer, “and who cares?” He whispered carefully as if being afraid of being overheard.
“Look who it is!” Turning around, I could see my dad’s boss, Bill, cross the lounge and make a beeline in my direction.
My dad gave a rueful shake of his head before turning his attention back to his beer can. Behind Bill, I could see several other locals heading in my direction.
“Hey, Bill,” I said, reaching out my hand, giving Bill’s hand a firm shake.
“The town hero,” Bill said, a wide grin on his face. The people behind him all laughed and smiled in my direction. I smiled. I would be lying if I said I didn’t love the attention, but, here in my home town, it seemed pretentious and out of place. I had known these people my whole life. They all fired a million questions my way, and I tried to answer as many of them as I could, all the while searching for a way out. Over the head of Mrs. Beasley, my high school English teacher, I could see my sister standing and watching, a wide grin on her face. Pushing herself off the wall, she slipped through the crowd and grabbed onto my arm firmly.
“Give me a moment with my brother,” she said kindly, before pushing me through the crowd and out the patio doors onto the deck, which overlooked a large garden. All around, gardeners and laborers worked, intent on transforming the garden and putting up numerous marquees.
“I can
’t believe you’re getting married,” I said, turning toward my sister. She raised a glass of champagne to her lips before turning back to me.
“I can’t believe I’m getting married here, and that you came back,” she said with a smile.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It’s going to be a spectacle,” I concluded, as I watched the workers frantically trying to set up for the wedding of the century.
“You wouldn’t believe who I had lunch with yesterday,” Christina teased.
“Who?”
“Skye.”
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. All the emotion that I had kept under lock and key started to bubble in the pit of the stomach. That was twice in one day that I had thought about Skye.
“Oh yeah?” I asked, trying to sound casual. “What’s she up to these days?” Christina paused for a moment before turning to look at me.
“You know, she was so damn mysterious about it all. I wouldn’t have a damn clue.”
Why hadn’t I thought about this before? Of course, Skye would have been invited to Christina’s wedding. The two of them were inseparable growing up and had only talked about their wedding day nonstop for nearly a decade.
“Is she coming to the wedding?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Now that I knew she was in town, I was going to find Skye Flynn, and finally get the answers that I damn-well needed. Why had she broken it off with me, and why didn’t she have the guts to say it to my face.
“Well, that’s the damn strangest thing. I asked her to come, and she said she was busy!”
“You know Skye, she’s always got a hair in the wind, but she wouldn’t miss it for the world. So, is she staying in town?”
Christina shrugged. “Why the sudden interest in Skye? Actually, she didn’t say where she lived or if she was even livin’ back here.”