Kissing Eden

by T. A. Foster

  Grey raised the glass to his lips and took a sip. Unintentionally, I mirrored his actions. Every time he took a sip, I took a sip. I kept stealing looks at him behind the safety of my margarita glass. He still didn’t see me. Within five minutes, my second margarita was history. My head felt slightly fuzzy, but my whole body was tingling from the tequila.

  A third margarita didn’t seem like a good idea, but I looked at the clock hanging above the row of liquor bottles. It was only ten o’clock. I debated ordering another drink from Mac when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

  “My buddy and I were wondering if you play pool.”

  A guy, who was so lean his T-shirt swallowed him, smiled a toothy grin. His friend stood next to him holding two pool cues.

  “I’m not much of a pool player.” I fidgeted on the barstool.

  “We can teach you. I’m Connor and this here’s my buddy, Pick.” They each tipped the brims of their cowboy hats. There was no mistaking it. They were local Texas boys.

  Something about them made me want to give them a hug right then. “All right. I’ll give it a try, but only if you promise not to laugh when I completely whiff on my first try.” I took the stick from Connor.

  “We wouldn’t do that.” Connor’s smile was genuine.

  “I’m Eden, by the way.”

  Over the corner of Pick’s shoulder, I saw Grey. His eyes held mine with startling intensity. I was afraid that if I blinked, it would give him just enough leverage to see right into my thoughts. For a second, my knees went a little wobbly and my cheeks rushed with heat. Too many margaritas, Eden. I smiled at him, aware at how glad I was he had finally noticed me.

  “Ready to play?” Connor’s insistence shattered the trance. I hopped off the stool, wondering why Grey stared at me like that, and why it sent every nerve in my body into overdrive.

  I returned their smiles. “Yep. Teach away.”

  Regaining control of my senses, I followed the Texas duo to an open pool table. I leaned into the pool cue to steady myself as Pick and Connor argued about who was going to hit first. Knowing I had more distance from Grey, I peeked around the wall the guys made with their bodies. That look still had me distracted and curious. I watched as Grey threw a few bills on the bar and walked out of the double doors of Pete’s. I exhaled and tried to settle my body back to its normal state.

  Connor grabbed the rack, and lined the inside of the tray with the stripe and solid-colored balls. “You’ve really never played pool before?”

  “No, I haven’t. I guess that does seem kind of weird.”

  It wasn’t like I hadn’t spent time in bars, but for whatever reason, this scenario never happened. Taylor and I usually huddled somewhere to talk while the rest of our friends played and drank.

  “As long as you aren’t trying to hustle us.” He laughed and it made me feel relaxed, like I was hanging out with my brother and his friends.

  “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see, boys,” I teased, knowing I was blowing a lot of smoke.

  “Whoa, Connor. Sounds like she’s already challenging us.” Pick leaned over the table with the stick cradled along the ridge of his thumb. He swiftly shot the stick forward breaking the triangle and scattering the balls around the table.

  “We’re trying to teach her how to play, not how to embarrass herself.” Connor was having fun taunting his friend.

  “Go ahead, pool master. If you think that was so bad, show us how it’s done.” Pick stepped to the side and took a swig of his beer. He was slightly shorter than Connor, but with a stocky frame. I could easily imagine him as a running back.

  Connor’s eyes squinted into a thin line, and I saw him bite down on the side of his tongue while he lined up his shot. “Seven ball in that corner and the two over there.”

  “Now you’re just showing off for our guest.” Pick crossed his arms.

  Connor jutted the stick forward and made the two shots from the impact of one hit. “And that’s how it’s done. Want to bet me on the next one, Pick?”

  So, this is probably why I never played pool. Two strokes in and my new hosts were ready to gamble.

  Pick winked at me from under his hat. “He is definitely trying to impress you.”

  I smiled, but tried to ignore the comments and what Pick was insinuating. I wasn’t interested in Connor like that. Both of the boys were sweet, but playing pool was enough for me.

  After three rounds, I mastered enough of a stroke to sink a few shots. Pick and Connor were fun to hang out with. I learned that they attended the local community college, and spent much of the spring break season at Connor’s parents’ beach house. They had been best friends since the age of five. I also learned Pick was short for Pickford, a family name that had been passed down for four generations.

  “Looks like we taught Carolina here how to play eight ball.” Connor slapped his friend on the back before taking a sip from a longneck bottle.

  “I think I have a long way to go.” I handed the pool cue back to Connor. “But, thanks for the lesson. I had fun.”

  “Anytime. Wait. Can I buy you a drink before you leave?” Connor’s expression turned sheepish and his gaze hit the floor.

  I looked at the lanky boy and knew then Pick had been right, Connor was crushing on me. “Thanks, but I’m pretty tired. Long day with the flight and the lost luggage, you know? Maybe another time.” I didn’t want our fun night to turn awkward. I was hoping he had put me in the friend zone from the beginning as I had done.

  “Sure, darlin’. We’ll do it another time. Good night.” Connor grinned. If he was disappointed, he didn’t show it. He leaned over and tucked a folded napkin in the crease of my fist.

  I decided to wait and open the napkin when I was in the privacy of my room. No sense in making things uncomfortable now.

  The guys tipped their hats in my direction as I waved goodnight.

  ***

  Gripping my purchases from Sandy’s, I waited for the steady stream of cars to let up so I could cross the street. The air was warm on my face and rested on my shoulders. The faint notes from the guitar player trickled out into Pete’s parking lot as the cars continued to whizz by. When I woke up this morning, I had a mission to make it to South Padre alone—to prove that I was strong enough without Brett. Standing across the street from the Palm Palace, I felt like I had proven more than my strength. I couldn’t help but smile.

  During the break in the cars, I walked across the street, and headed down the few blocks to the Palm Palace. The vacancy sign flashed in the office window. On the other side of the glass, Grey was sitting at the desk facing stacks of receipts and paper. An opened beer rested next to him. His hands were grasping either side of his head, and he was utterly entranced in a mound of paperwork. I noticed the clock above his head read almost 1 a.m. My pool playing with Pick and Connor had lasted longer than I realized.

  I paused for a second in front of the window, watching Grey sort through the piles and punch figures into a handheld calculator. He was older than I was. I guessed maybe twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and from my vantage point, it looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. I thought about what Mac had said about him at the bar. There was a ton of work to do here, especially if the handyman was also the bookkeeper. I had yet to spot another employee.

  Not wanting him to catch me peeking again, I picked up my step and hustled to room twenty-three.

  I tossed my shopping bags on the dresser and kicked my sandals off my tired feet. All I wanted to do was take a hot shower and crawl into bed. Thank God my first night in South Padre was finally over.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “Excuse me. Could you move please? You’re blocking my sun.” Someone was standing directly in front of me, casting a wide shadow around my chair.

  “Sorry, princess. Didn’t mean to interfere with your busy morning.” I recognized the voice even though his face was encased in a dark shadow.

  I was the only one sunning at the Palm Palace pool. The
pool was elevated above the parking lot, and from my lounge chair, I could see the waves crashing on the beach. It wasn’t resort living, but it was a pretty view. I loved hearing the waves, the gulls, and feeling the sea breeze whisper over my skin.

  I sat straight up, careful to grab my bikini straps and retie them. “Is the pool closed or something?”

  He grabbed the net from the fence and skimmed the top of the water. “No, but I have work to do. Not everyone can sit at the pool all day.” I didn’t like that I was disappointed his eyes were covered with sunglasses.

  “That’s the point. This is the pool. Do you have to be so rude about everything?”

  The muscles in his upper arms tightened around the handle as he dipped the basket deeper in the water. It was hard not to stare; every move his arms made commanded attention.

  “Darlin’, like I said, I have work to do.” He scooped a bug into the net.

  “Does the management know you talk to guests like this?”

  He laughed. “Management? Huh, that’s funny.” He couldn’t possibly keep his job by talking to the motel patrons this way.

  “I know you saw me last night,” I blurted.

  He paused. “Yeah, looked like you met some friends over at Pete’s.”

  “You could have at least said hi—or something.”

  “So could you.” He arched his eyebrows.

  He had me there. “True. You’re right. I just played pool—that’s all.” It seemed suddenly important that he know I wasn’t interested in Pick or Connor even though Connor had slipped me his number on a bar napkin before I left. “Thanks for sending me to Sandy’s Surf Shop. Renee was really nice and she set me up with some clothes. I couldn’t get out of those bourbon-stained jeans fast enough.” I winced, wishing I could take the words back as soon as they were out of my mouth.

  “Good choice. That blue looks good on you.” His eyes trailed from my breasts, over my stomach, and down every inch of my legs. I felt exposed, as if there was no fabric in my turquoise bikini.

  “Thanks.” I felt the heat rising in my cheeks. Thank God I was outside in the blaring sunlight where he couldn’t see the effect his gaze was having on me. I adjusted my sunglasses.

  “Is that one of the room towels you’re using?” His complimentary tone turned hostile.

  “I-I didn’t bring my own towels.” He knew I didn’t have any luggage. Was I supposed to buy a beach towel at Sandy’s?

  “Dammit. There aren’t enough towels to use in the rooms and at the pool.” He slammed the basket into the hooks on the wall.

  “From the looks of it, you don’t have any guests other than me, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “That’s not the point,” he grumbled. “We have some reservations this week and I just bought those towels.”

  “You should have a sign or something. How was I supposed to know I couldn’t use the towels?” I sat straight up in my lounge chair.

  There were only two towels in my room, and I was a two-towel a shower kind of girl. I needed one for my hair and one for the rest of me. I hesitated when I grabbed one for my morning at the pool, but silly me thought I could always request more from the office.

  “I’ll take care of it.” He slammed the pool gate behind him and stormed off in the direction of the office.

  I retrieved my magazine from the chair next to me. I couldn’t figure him out. I was ready to admit he was hot—that was unmistakable. However, he was ill-mannered and always in a pissy mood, and he was the handyman at a run-down, vacant motel. Why did I let him get to me every time I saw him? I sighed and tried to turn my thoughts back to the pages of my gossip magazine.

  ***

  After three hours baking in the Texas coastal sun, I needed a respite from the heat. I wrapped the forbidden towel around my chest and tucked the corner into the side. Luckily, Renee had convinced me to buy flip-flops along with a pair of sandals. I slipped them on my feet and traipsed back to room twenty-three.

  It was early afternoon and I had nothing else to do. No one to hang out with or commiserate with—I was utterly alone. Taylor and the girls were probably floating down one of the lazy rivers in Myrtle Beach, flirting with cute boys and sipping on fruity drinks. I didn’t want to think about what Brett and Miss Spring Break Crasher were doing. He had probably reunited with all of his party cousins and was in a cannonball drink-off contest by now.

  I left another message with the airline. It was almost twenty-four hours since my luggage had gone missing, and I was beginning to think my calls and emails to the company were a lost cause.

  Pink and blue ceramic tiles dotted the shower in my bathroom at the Palm Palace—just one more leftover relic from when the motel was built in the 1950s. I reached for the faucet marked with an H for hot. Even though they were old, some of the features were cute and retro. They just needed some TLC. I hung my towel on the back of the door before I heard a knock at the door.

  I crossed the shoebox-like room and opened the door.

  “Towels?” Grey stood holding a stack of fluffy white towels.

  I stifled a giggle. It was obvious he was trying to balance the soft linens in his frame without touching them. He had new paint splatters on his arm.

  “I thought you said there weren’t enough towels to go around?” I put my hands on my hips, knowing full well he could see almost every square inch of my skin—almost.

  His eyes landed on the tops of my breasts, and I realized for the second time today how skimpy this suit was.

  “I—uh—thought I wasn’t being the best host. Here. Plenty of towels.” He shoved the stack into my arms, and shifted his sunglasses to the top of his head.

  “This is too many. I don’t want you breaking any motel rules for me.” I chewed on my bottom lip, staring directly into the crystal blue eyes that caught me off guard every time I saw them.

  “You need towels, don’t you? Just take them.” It seemed like the freshly folded linens were his way of a peace offering even if his delivery was a little off.

  “Thanks.” I held them in my arms, unsure what to say next. I searched for words, but couldn’t move past thanks. All of my witty badass girl power was melting under his stare.

  “You need anything else?” His eyes locked on mine.

  I shook my head.

  “I’ve gotta go—uh—” He stepped back and pulled his sunglasses over the bridge of his nose. “—fix something.” He turned and rushed toward the office.

  I stood in the doorway, watching him hurriedly walk out of view. I was completely confused. He was hot and cold. It had been a long time since a guy had looked at me like that, but I recognized the look. It made me feel sexy, pretty, and just a little powerful, even if he did derail my ability to form a sentence. It was hard to ignore that every time he was around the energy in the air changed just a bit.

  I closed the door and hooked the chain on the lock. My breathing was still hastened, and I caught myself chewing on my bottom lip—a habit I was trying to break. I placed the stack on the bed and unraveled the top towel. Maybe a hot shower would help clear my head, and push the questions I had about Grey out of my mind.

  ***

  “I know, Mom. I should have called you yesterday but I handled everything.” I pulled my feet under me as I sat on the king-size bed.

  At some point, I knew I would have to tell my parents what happened, but my mom had called twice, and if I didn’t answer the third time, she would send the South Padre police out to find me.

  “But you didn’t even tell me you and Brett broke up. That’s a big piece of news, honey. Eden, I’m worried about you. Why don’t you let me change your flight? I don’t mind paying the fee. Honestly, I’m not comfortable with you being at the beach by yourself. And you’re so far away.”

  I knew she was going to worry. It was far from being my best plan.

  “Mom, I promise I’m fine. I don’t need to leave early. I want to be here. I need to be here.” Although I didn’t have anything to do or a
nyone to do my list of nothing with, I felt like this is where I was supposed to be. “I’ll call you every day I’m here and check in. Will that make you feel better?”

  I could hear her sigh on the other end. “Not really. This makes me so nervous, Eden. How could Brett do this? I thought he was an ok boyfriend—sort of.”

  My mother had never held back on her opinions of whom I dated. Brett wasn’t her favorite boyfriend, but she was supportive when I started dating him.

  “I still haven’t figured that out. He brought another girl with him. I guess he was ready to see other people.”

  I wondered how long he had wanted to date other girls. Maybe he was seeing her when we were still together. My stomach twisted in a knot. What if he had been cheating on me the whole time?

  “It will all come back around. You know that, right? Everything happens for a reason.”

  I wasn’t about to tell my mom I had already inflicted one round of karma to Brett’s face. “I know. I know. I’ve gotta go, Mom. Sorry I didn’t’ call you sooner.”

  This situation couldn’t be resolved with her yoga-instructor philosophies. Energy and breathing wouldn’t undo the stupid mistake I had made by dating Brett in the first place. I didn’t want my mother’s psychoanalysis of him or our relationship. I was doing everything I could not to think about how I had wasted three semesters on such an asshole.

  “Call me the minute you change your mind. Don’t forget to breathe in and breathe out. I love you, honey.”

  “Bye, Mom.” I started to shove the phone in my bag when it vibrated with a text.

  Hey, it’s Marin from the Island Sun. Want to hang out at a beach party?

  My prayers had been answered. The sweet girl from the hotel was asking me out.

  Absolutely.

  I texted back as quickly as my fingers could tap the letters on the screen. A party sounded amazing. It was my second night in South Padre. And after the lazy day at the pool and reading everything I had downloaded on my E-reader before the trip, I was ready for a real night out. I could only take so much solitude.