“Yeah, your silence says it all,” he says with a sigh. His head turns and he stares out at the water.
“No, I mean—”
“Nah, I get it. You've only seen two sides of me. The one that wants to get into your pants, and the one that's been a total ass.”
“It wasn't like that. I was just surprised, that's all. What other sides do you have? You've seen all mine,” I joke.
“Literally,” he teases as he focuses his attention back on me.
“Ha-ha. Answer the question, Cowboy.” I'm curious as to what he'll say. I think there's a lot to Caleb that I haven't seen yet. His calm acceptance of my breakdown after my nightmare tells me he's not the arrogant playboy I'd thought him to be.
Caleb groans. “You can't call me that anymore.”
“Why not? You call me Sparky,” I point out. And it reminds me of that night he'd pressed up against me in that hallway, his seductive voice telling me how explosive we could be together. My body warms every time he calls me by that nickname.
“When you call me Cowboy, I envision you riding me.”
This has me smirking. I'm glad he's just as affected by our attraction as I am. At least I'm not alone in this battle we're fighting against our bodies’ needs.
He catches sight of my smirk and looks back at the ocean. “Platonic,” I hear him remind himself under his breath. He then quickly changes the topic. “Well, in reference to your question, I'm actually a good listener. I know I haven't given that impression, but I can be a really good friend. Non-friend, I guess, where you're concerned,” he amends.
“I'm a lousy friend.”
“The guys don't seem to think so. Your name is brought up on a regular basis when I'm around them.”
A snort escapes me. “Yeah, because I'm such a bitch.”
“I've never heard them complain about you. If they're thinking of going out, one of them automatically brings up your name, and they wonder what you're up to, if they should invite you. Then there's times where we're all shootin' shit to one another, and one of them will inevitably crack up and bring up your name, wondering what your smartass reply would have been in retaliation,” he says as he looks at me.
Now I turn my gaze away and stare at the ocean. I don't say anything. I hadn't known they talk about me as much as they do. I'm not sure what to do with that information. Truthfully, it causes a bit of anxiety in the pit of my stomach.
“I get the feeling you're not thrilled with that information,” Caleb says lightly.
I give my usual shrug.
“So, about that swim?”
As he drops the topic, I relax again. “You're very persistent.”
“Persistence usually pays off.”
Yeah, I know that better than anyone. It was how he'd gotten me into bed in the first place. My eyes drift back to him. “Not this time. I'm not a good swimmer. Get me in water over my head, and I'm likely to drown.”
“You'll be fine. I won't let anything happen to you,” he assures.
Everything stills within me at his words. “I don't think so.”
“Alright,” he says easily. “I can teach you to swim sometime if you want. We can meet at the Student Rec and Wellness Center, or the Student Union, and use one of the pools,” he offers.
“I'll think about it,” I reply, though I have no intention of taking him up on his offer.
“Just text me sometime if you're in the mood.”
“Okay.” I rise to my feet and wipe sand off the back of my shorts. I'm used to “Controlling Caleb,” or “Caleb the Seducer,” or even “Caleb the Ass,” but “Caleb the Friend,” is equally distracting. “I think I'm going to go in now.”
“I'm going to hang out here for a bit,” he tells me.
I'm relieved he has no intention of following me and continuing our conversation. I need some distance from him. “Later,” I say before I turn and walk back up the beach towards the condo.
~*~
I didn't realize how much Caleb had gotten under my skin until I felt the first stirrings of jealousy the following night at a party.
Yes, I said jealousy.
Ironic, isn't it? Me? Jealous? It's hard for me to wrap my mind around. I don't think I've ever felt this kind of jealousy before. I mean, there was my only boyfriend, Alex. But he only ever had eyes for me. I got jealous over how much time he spent with his friends. It was never caused by another girl.
If I wasn’t moody earlier, I certainly am now. Especially now that everyone’s left me to do their own thing. There's a lot of parties in the area, and our group had split up. We'd lost Ace right away at the first party, and then Jeremy ditched me as soon as we entered this one. Caleb had moved on, and the odd sense of closeness I'd felt with him last night has become a thing of the past. Already forgotten by him, evidently.
My hand tightens on the plastic cup I'm holding as I watch Caleb dance with a blonde haired girl that always seems to be around him lately. Envy unfolds within my chest as I watch Caleb's hands slide down to the blonde's ass with an assuredness that bothers me. His hips press into hers as they grind, and she's all over him, her head tilted back as she smiles flirtatiously. His head lowers and he murmurs something in her ear.
My gut clenches.
He'll take her home tonight. Do all the things that he did to me, to her.
The feelings unfurling inside me are new and most definitely unwelcoming. How had this happened? I want to be the one in his arms tonight. I have no claim on him, and yet...I feel an ache deep inside that he'll be with her later.
I tear my eyes from the dancing couple and find myself peering down at my mostly full cup. I decide it's time to throw in the towel and leave since I’m no longer in the mood to get drunk. I’m also going to need a cab. I had assumed I'd be drinking and having a good time, and that I'd be too inebriated to drive, so I'd hitched a ride tonight with Ace.
I leave my drink discarded on a table as I make my way to the front of the house and leave. A couple of guys try to hit on me as they arrive to the party, but I barely even acknowledge them. It doesn't take long to track down a cab, and within ten minutes, I'm entering my silent apartment.
I flip on the kitchen light, rubbing my hands over my face warily. It's not lost on me that Caleb's the reason I'd gone out tonight. I'd actually been hoping to spend time with him. And I don't mean in bed.
He didn't panic when I'd had my nightmare. He'd been calm. He'd taken the situation in stride, and there hadn't been any pity or judgment within the depths of his gaze. He'd treated me like normal and hadn’t hovered. He'd let me deal on my own as if he somehow understood me. Like he got me.
With a soft sigh, I leave the kitchen and trail off to my bedroom. It’s becoming increasingly clear that I need to back off when it comes to Caleb. I'm beginning to like him and that can't happen. If I give him a piece of my heart, I know he'll shred it to pieces. It's inevitable.
My phone vibrates in the back pocket of my jeans. I toss my keys on my dresser as I pull out the phone and glance at the screen. I'm surprised to see it's Ace. “Hey,” I say into the phone.
Loud music comes from the other line. “Uh, is this Zoey?” a female voice asks.
I frown. “Yes. Who is this?”
“Ace wanted me to call. Can you come pick him up? He's not feeling well, and I've had a lot to drink tonight.”
My hand tightens on the phone. “Let me speak to him,” I order.
“Uh, he's kind of out of it.”
“Where are you?” She rattles off the address. “Can you help him outside? I'm on my way.”
“Yeah. Okay.”
I disconnect the call and shove it in the back pocket of my jeans. I grab my keys and rush out of the apartment. I have a bad feeling, and I don't bother waiting for the elevator. I practically fly down the stairs and jog to my car.
My mind races as I drive. Ace is rarely ill, and he's careful when he drinks. He's a complete control freak so allowing alcohol to muddle his mind is a definite no-go. Unless he doesn't pla
n on hooking up that night. Those nights he'll let loose, but it's not that often. Ace's idea of tanked is a good buzz. Even buzzed, he's alert and aware of everything and everyone around him. If Ace couldn't even talk on the phone...
I push the speed limit as my hands tighten on the steering wheel. Ace either drank too much or took something. Neither of them seem like a logical explanation. Ace never goes past his own personal limit with alcohol, and he won't go near drugs. Hell, he's even lectured me when I've had a momentarily lapse of judgment and taken something at a party.
I have no idea what I am going to find when I get there.
Luck is with me tonight. A car is just pulling out from in front of the house, and I quickly nab the space before cutting the engine of the Camaro. I run towards the house, and that’s when I spot him.
He's on his back, arms flung out, and he looks unconscious. Two guys are standing less than ten feet away, carrying on a conversation—completely oblivious to Ace. The girl that had called me is nowhere to be seen. Fucking bitch. When I find out who she is, my fist will be introducing itself to her face.
I run over to Ace and drop to my knees beside him. “Ace? Hey. C'mon,” I say as I pat his cheek. He doesn't stir. “Ace?” I ask with growing alarm.
This is when I notice his breathing is erratic. With shaky hands, I check his pulse. It's weak. He's having some sort of reaction to something. My first thought is to call an ambulance, but I'd have to waste time giving the location and wait for the paramedics to arrive. It'd be faster to get him in my car and take him to Emergency.
“Hey!” I yell at the two guys that are still talking. They pause, their eyes flickering over me with interest. “Help me get him to my car. Please?” I tack on, figuring a bit of politeness might help.
One of them asks, “What's in it for us, sweetheart?”
“What?”
“Nothing is free these days.”
“Thanks for nothing you piece of shits!” I snarl at them before I slip my arms beneath Ace's shoulders and struggle to ease him up.
“Zoey?”
I look over my shoulder at the sound of Caleb's voice. He's walking up the front lawn, and relief streaks through me. I don’t know why he’s here and not with the blonde, but I’m beyond grateful. “Help me, Caleb. Something’s wrong with Ace!”
He seems to notice Ace for the first time, and he hurries over, kneeling at his side. “What's going on?”
My voice shakes slightly as I say, “I don't know. Some girl called and said Ace needed me to pick him up. He's in bad shape.” Now that someone else is here to take over, I can feel the alarm and fear building.
This is Ace.
I can't lose him.
Caleb checks his pulse. “We need to get him to the hospital.”
“My car's right there,” I say, nodding towards the curb. Caleb eases Ace's unconscious body into a sitting position, then he carefully sets him over his shoulder. I quickly rise to my feet and rush to my car. I open the passenger door and yank the seat back as far as it'll go so there's room for Ace's legs.
Caleb carefully situates him in the seat and secures the seatbelt over his chest. Then he leans in and pries open one of Ace's eyes. He studies his pupil in the light provided by the car’s interior dome light. “He's definitely jacked up on something. His pupils are abnormally small.” He straightens up and looks at me. “Go straight to Emergency. I'll be right behind you, my car is just down the block.”
I nod and hurry around the car to the driver's side. I slide in, and as I turn the ignition, I see Caleb jogging down the street in the direction of his car. I glance at Ace with fear building in my chest. His head is tilted towards me, face slack in his unconscious state. A strand of blond hair falls across his cheek, and I want to lean over and tuck it behind his ear, but that would be wasting time. Time that Ace may not have.
“Just hang in there, Ace,” I plead as I quickly pull out onto the street. The drive to the hospital is a complete blur. The only thing I can think about is getting Ace there in time. When I pull up to Emergency, Caleb parks his car right behind mine. He has the passenger door open, and he's pulling Ace out before I can even shut off the ignition. I stare after him as he hurries inside with Ace.
My hands are trembling where they’ve loosened their grip on the steering wheel. Is this really happening? Ace is always so strong and resilient. He'll be fine, right? But a little voice inside me tells me he may not be. Drugs can kill even healthy people.
Oh God.
I jerk into action and rush inside. By the time I get there, Ace has already been rushed off and Caleb is pacing restlessly, one hand running through his hair. He looks at me briefly as a nurse directs us to a waiting room that has about a dozen people scattered among the chairs. While some look bored, others look anxious. Most likely family members hoping for good news.
I know what it's like to get the bad news.
My arms fold over my chest as I walk to the windows overlooking the darkened Emergency parking lot. I sense Caleb behind me, and my eyes lift to focus on his reflection. “Did they say anything when they took him?”
“Not a word.”
My lips press together tightly.
“You said someone called you?” he asks.
“You didn't get a call?”
“No. I got this,” he says, pulling out his phone and showing me a text message from Ace when I turn around to peer at it. None of the letters spell anything, it’s total gibberish. “I figured I'd better head to the last place I saw him.”
“AJ and Jeremy. They need to know,” I mumble.
Caleb squeezes my shoulder. “I'll call them. I'll be right back.”
I stand there, not moving from the window as fear ravages my insides. If I lose Ace... I can't go through it again. I just can't.
Caleb touches my shoulder a couple minutes later. “Hey. Come sit,” he urges gently.
“I'm fine,” I say quietly, even though my mind is screaming that life can't possibly be this cruel, can it? What if I hadn't gotten to him fast enough?
Strong hands grasp my shoulders, and Caleb turns me around so he can look in my eyes. They are calm while I am anything but. “Don't go there, okay? We don't know anything yet. He was still breathing and had a pulse when we brought him in. Remember that.”
I lick my dry lips. “He wouldn't go near drugs.”
Caleb sighs. “He probably picked up someone else's drink by mistake and didn't realize it. That shit happens.”
I nod but don't say anything more. There's not much to say. All we can do is wait, and it's the waiting that is going to slowly torture me.
“Come on,” Caleb slips an arm around me and leads me to the nearest set of chairs.
I sit down, barely aware of Caleb sitting next to me. It feels like hours, but I'm betting it was only about fifteen minutes before AJ and Jeremy arrive at the same time.
AJ takes one look at my pale features and instantly pulls me up from my seat. He hugs me firmly to him while rubbing my back. “It'll be fine, Zo. You'll see.”
I hug him back, eyes closing as I try to accept his comfort, and I can hear Jeremy asking how this all came about. While Caleb rehashes the night’s events, AJ sits down, pulling me onto his lap. I cuddle in close, my arms wrapping around his shoulders as I rest my forehead in the crook of his neck. I'm struggling to keep my sanity. My mind keeps flickering to that day I'd woken up in the hospital, only to find out that the nightmare had been real. That Micah was dead. It's all I can do to keep the memory at bay.
Conversation falls silent as we all wait for some sort of news.
Minutes go by.
Then, an hour.
Then, two.
I can't stand it anymore. I can't just sit here and wait. It’s slowly killing me in the inside. I stir in AJ's arms and sit up.
He looks at me questioningly. “You okay?”
Of course not, I want to yell at him. Instead, I just nod and rub the side of my face. “I need to do something. My car'
s still out front, I'll go park it.”
He frowns at me and Jeremy speaks up before he can. “I'll take care of it,” he offers.
I glance at him and shake my head. “I need the fresh air.” I slide off AJ's lap. “I'll be back.”
AJ begins to rise to his feet. “I'll come with.”
“I can handle five minutes on my own!” I snap. Jeremy looks away, and AJ hesitates before reclaiming his seat with a nod. I glance at Caleb to see he's studying me, but it doesn't look like he's going to call me out on my rudeness.
I spin around and walk away before anything more can be said. I ignore the few stares I get from the other people in the waiting room and hurry down the hall. I make my way outside, and my car is right where I left it. I quickly slide in and start it up. After parking it in the visitor’s parking lot, I cut the engine and sit there in silence for a long moment. I draw in a deep shaky breath and try to hold on to my composure. I have to stay strong for Ace. I can't lose it, so I spend five minutes trying to shake the fear off. If I let it overwhelm me, I'll end up freaking out on the guys.
By the time I re-enter the waiting room, I feel like I've recovered my composure. That's when I spy the guys standing rather than sitting. My pace picks up as I realize someone must have come out to speak with them.
AJ spies me. He grins widely and opens his arms up. He's smiling. He wouldn't be smiling if Ace was dead. I rush to him, flinging myself in his arms as my eyes burn with tears of relief. I fight them back and hug him tightly. “He's fine, Zo. He'll be back home tomorrow, good as new,” he promises.
After I force back my tears, I pull back and look up at him anxiously. “What happened?”
He grimaces. “He had a reaction to some bad heroin.”
My mouth drops. “Heroin?”
“Yeah. He had traces of some ecstasy in his system, as well. The doc said that ecstasy can have a lot of different shit in it. There are so many different kinds out there, and the kind Ace ingested had some heroin in it. A bad batch, evidently.”
“He won't have any bad side effects or anything?” I press.
He shakes his head and ruffles my hair. “Nope. We can see him in about thirty minutes. They're getting him settled in a room for the night so they can monitor him until morning.”
Poison Me Sweetly (Long Beach Series Book 1) Page 14