by Roth, T. A.
Say Nothing
Copyright © 2015 by T.A. Roth
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher T.A. Roth
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover design by:
Hang Le at By Hang Le
www.byhangle.com
Editing by:
Jenny Sims at Editing4Indies
www.editing4indies.com
Interior design and formatting by:
Christine Borgford at Perfectly Publishable
www.perfectlypublishable.com
Say Nothing
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
Say Anything . . . Excerpt
Acknowledgements
Playlist
Ari’s Sangria Recipe
About the Author
15 years ago . . .
I PARK IN FRONT OF the yellow duplex and double check the address. 336 Reynard St. Looks like the place. I step out of my beat-up Honda and smooth my hands down the front of my jeans. I'm nervous.
I've struggled for months to find a part-time job that would allow me the freedom to pursue my music. When Rosemarie suggested I teach piano, I took her idea and ran with it. She put an ad in the church bulletin, and I spent weeks studying ways to teach others.
I currently have three adult clients. They are older members of the church who have always wanted to learn. Today, I'll be teaching my first child.
I grab my satchel from my backseat and make my way up the walk. My bag is filled with stickers and a few different workbooks for me to use, depending on how quickly she learns.
The woman on the phone mentioned the lessons were for her seven-year-old daughter.
I knock once and nervously push my shaggy hair out of my face.
"Coming,” says a lady’s voice from behind the door. A few seconds later, a woman in her late twenties opens the door. She smiles as a toddler perches on her hip and another one peeks out from between her legs.
"Amos?" she asks.
"Yes, that would be me," I say smiling.
"Come in,” she says opening the screen door.
"Excuse the mess. These girls decided to pull out every Barbie they owned today."
I step over the pile of dolls and walk over toward the antique looking piano. It's a Baldwin.
"We had it tuned. It belonged to my grandmother. Rely is obsessed with it. Let me get her." She leaves the room with the two little ones as I pull out the piano bench and take a seat. A noise from behind the couch pulls my attention. A pair of sparkling hazel eyes meets mine as they peek out from behind the armrest.
"Hello?" I say waving my hand.
She moves out of sight, and I smile.
"I'm your new piano teacher. Will you come out so we can meet?" I ask.
Her mother enters the room exasperated. "I don't know where she's hiding. I swear this girl is a pro at hide and seek."
I chuckle and point behind the couch.
"Rely, come out and meet your new teacher." Her mother seems to be pulling her from behind the couch. She reluctantly comes out, and as her sisters did earlier, she hides behind her mother’s legs.
"Rely, that's a very pretty name. Your mom tells me you want to learn to play the piano. I'd love to teach you. Will you let me?" We wait a bit, and she doesn't budge, so I try something else.
I face the piano and begin to play “Old McDonald.” I look over my shoulder, and she hasn't moved. “Itsy Bitsy Spider” is next and still nothing. In a last ditch effort, I try “Jingle Bells.” What kid doesn't love Christmas songs?
Suddenly, she's on the bench beside me, and we stare at each other a moment. She has a mass of chestnut hair, and her tiny red lips purse as she watches my fingers float across the keys.
"Can you teach me to play that?" she asks.
Little did I know how much more I'd be willing to do for her . . .
“ARI . . . ARI . . . BABY.” HER FACE had turned as white as a sheet. Then she was crumpling to the ground. I lurch forward in time to catch her.
That familiar look passed over her beautiful eyes then it was gone. I'm on the ground cradling her neck. "Mija . . . mija . . . wake up. Oh, my God, what happened?" her mother asks, crouching beside me.
Ari's eyes flutter open at that moment, and she trades glances back and forth between her mother and me. "What happened?" she asks looking dazed.
"I'm not sure. I was introducing you to my uncle." Her body immediately stiffens, and she scrambles to get back to her feet. "Wait . . .” I say, reaching my hand out to help her.
"I'm fine," she says, nervously raking her fingers through her hair. The plate of food she was holding has been tossed to the ground. Small bits of grass are tangled in her soft waves. "Really, you guys stop staring at me like that." Her family, Eli, and Vonne are crowded around us. "It's been a long day, and I was feeling off. I didn't really get to eat and started feeling lightheaded. I don't . . .” she rambles.
"Shh . . .” I whisper cradling her cheek. My thumb makes slow circles across it in an attempt to calm her. She averts her gaze, releases a breath, and tries to get up. I hold her elbow, helping her to her feet.
"Mija, are you sure you're okay?" her mom asks again. "You've never fainted before."
"I'm fine, Mom, really," Ari answers, smoothing her hands down the front of her dress.
"I'll be right back." She walks away toward the house, and I follow. "I'll come with you." She turns around, taking a few steps toward me.
"I'm fine, really. I just got a little lightheaded. I'm going to go to the bathroom, splash some water on my face, and I’ll be right back. Please stop making a big deal."
She leans in to give me a sweet kiss and heads back to the house.
"She hates when we fuss over her. We should just give her a few minutes. If she says she's fine, we'll just let her be. You know how stubborn she is." Her mother pats my shoulder and walks back to the party.
"What happened? I just saw her go down," Vonne asks. I shrug.
"I walked up to introduce her to my uncle. Then the next thing I know, her eyes rolled back and she was about to hit the ground." Speaking of. I look around the party, wondering where he went.
"Hey, did you guys see where my uncle went?" I ask.
"No. Everything happened so fast and we just wanted to make sure she was okay," Vonne answers.
"Okay. I'm gonna go ask my aunt and see if he told her anything. Will you check on her for me? Make sure she's okay," I ask Vonne.
"Sure," she says, making her way to the house.
"Thanks."
Tremors are wracking my body. I barely made it to the guest bathroom near the back of the house. I need a minute to get my racing thoughts together. What the fuck? What the fuck? How is this even possible? They're related? Does he remember me?
I'm starting to work myself up again; breathing is becoming difficult, and my chest feels like it's closing in on itself. Sitting on the closed to
ilet lid, I drop my head between my knees and take long, deep breaths. God help me. What do I do? This will destroy him. He can't take another blow like this. Not now. Not so soon. But how do I stay? How am I supposed to act normal around him?
My thoughts are a jumbled mess. "Ari . . . Ari . . . you in there?" Vonne's voice comes from the other side of the door. I'm not ready to face anyone right now. I need to get myself together. Like quick. I stand, flush the toilet, and give myself another once over.
"Yeah. I'll be right out. Give me a minute," I shout back.
Fuck. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. Wide, hazel eyes stare back at me, and the color hasn't completely returned to my cheeks. Small bits of grass are tangled in my now tangled hair. I turn on the faucet, wash my clammy hands, and press one to the back of my neck. There's no use; I still look like shit.
Here goes nothing. I open the door plastering on the fake smile I learned to master years ago.
"Hey.” Vonne takes a quick scan of my appearance.
"You don't look so hot. Are you sure you're doing okay?" Those eyes that detect all of my bullshit are fixed on me. “Wait, you’re not pregnant are you?”
"What? No, I’m not pregnant. Stop looking at me like that." The pitch of my voice is about three octaves too high and she narrows her eyes at me. "I’m not. I just need food. C'mon, let's go get me a plate before I face plant again," I say laughing as I pull her down the hallway.
I walk the length of the yard in search of my aunt, Gloria. She's my grandmother's youngest sister, and Amos is her favorite nephew. If he left, she would have been the first person he told good-bye. I notice her at one of the back tables talking to my cousin, Sam.
"Tia," I interrupt. Both she and Sam turn to look at me.
"Yes, mijo."
"Did my tio, Amos, leave? I can't find him."
"He did. You were busy with Ari. He waited to make sure she was okay, but then said he needed to go. Something about an important phone call and he needed to get back to the hotel."
I pull my cell out, and there is a missed text from him. I had silenced it this morning and forgot to turn the ringer back on.
Amos: Something came up. Call you tonight.
I shake my head. Work always comes first with that guy. He has a house full of family, his mother just passed, and he can't take an afternoon off to just be with us. Fucking ridiculous. I don't bother with a response.
"Thanks, tia. I just got his text."
"Okay, mijo. Is everything okay with Ari?"
"I think so. She said she didn't get a chance to eat. Things have been really hectic with her job and with all of this. It's no wonder it didn't happen sooner. I have her best friend checking on her. Thanks again."
I kiss her cheek and head back to the house to check in on Ari.
With Vonne in tow, we walk out of the double glass doors just as Ben is making his way toward us. I can't help but do a quick scan of the yard. I'm trying with all I have in me to keep my smile from wavering. Breathe. You're fine. Those words are currently on repeat. I remind myself the house is full of family and he can't hurt me here. If I stay glued to someone, he won't be able to get me alone.
"You good?" he asks as he approaches. I nod and continue to look past his shoulder.
"I'm going to grab you a plate. I'll be right back," Vonne says from behind me.
"Thanks." She squeezes my forearm and walks toward the food table.
"You sure?" Ben asks again studying me.
I smile, pulling him into a hug and kissing him on the cheek.
"I should be asking you that. Now, stop worrying about me. Vonne is grabbing me a plate. I'll be fine, I swear." I pull back to look at his weary face and continue faking my way through this.
I force down a few bites from the plate Vonne made for me. I'm too distracted and still a little on edge. His uncle has been nowhere in sight, and I'm too afraid to ask where he went. I use my fork to move the food around my plate and try to stay engaged in conversation. It takes about an hour for me to finally assure everyone I'm fine.
Family and friends are starting to say their good-byes. Ben hasn't left my side, and I'm grateful for that. The caterer and Rosemarie's friends from church busy themselves with cleaning up. We offer to help, and they shoo us away.
Ben's aunt, Gloria, is the last to leave; giving her a hug, I excuse myself to throw my uneaten meal away. Completely zoned out, I stare off into the huge yard as the people around me pick up chairs and clear tables. I busy myself with the table nearest me when strong arms pull me in from behind. My body freezes, and I suck in a breath.
"Hey . . . hey. It's just me," Ben says, turning me to his chest. His muscled arms wrap me in a bear hug. Embarrassed, I bury my face in his neck, breathing him in. He leans his head toward my ear.
"Are you sure you're okay? You haven't really been yourself since earlier."
"Yeah, I'm good," I mumble.
"Well, I don't believe you. You think I didn't notice you pushing your food around your plate." I pull away and look up at him with a guilty smirk.
"Busted. Now, let's get you home. Ruth has a key to the house and says she’ll lock up when they’re finished. No one will let me touch anything anyway. I'll just come back in the morning," he says, waggling his eyebrows.
"Are you inviting yourself for a sleepover, Mr. Rodriguez?" He pulls me in tighter and kisses the tip of my nose. "Yup," he says smugly, making me giggle.
"See, there she is. Let me just go grab a couple of things. Give me five minutes." He leans in, gives me a quick peck on the lips, and walks toward the house.
"Hey, I didn't say yes," I yell to his back. "You didn't say no either," he says over his shoulder offering me the dimpled smile that melts both my heart and my panties.
I meet Ben over by the front door a few minutes later. We say our good-byes to Ruth, and she hands us a bag of leftovers as we walk out and promises to lock up. My stomach begins to growl in response.
"So are we good with leftovers, or do you want me to stop and pick something up?" Ben asks as I slide into the passenger seat.
"No, I'm good with leftovers." He smiles, closes my door, and makes his way to the driver’s side. We pull away from the curb, and he places a hand over mine. "Thanks again for today, for this week, for everything. I'm not sure how I would have gotten through today without you." I look over at him and smile.
"You don't have to thank me, but you're welcome." I lift his hand to my lips and kiss his knuckles.
"My uncle pulled a disappearing act as usual. Work always comes first with that guy," he says annoyed. I will my body to relax; he can read me better than anyone can, and my curiosity is killing me.
"What does he do?" I ask, trying to keep my voice even.
"He's a sound engineer. He moved to London about ten years ago to help a friend start a recording studio. They started out small, helping out indie bands when they could. Then he got a break. One of the bands hit the mainstream, did that whole American crossover thing, and asked him to tour with them."
"Wow, that's awesome. Anyone I would know?"
He starts to laugh. "Have you heard of the band Memory Eraser?" My eyes go wide. I know exactly who they are. The lead singer is hot. He's dated every A-list actress and supermodel known to man.
"I can see by your reaction that you know who I'm talking about," he says scowling at me. "What is it with that guy?" he asks. The guy he is referring to is every woman's fantasy, Jalen Jeffrey. There's something about a guy who can rock tight leather pants and work a guitar as if his life depends on it. Add in a voice that wraps you up like a warm blanket and Good Lord! Instant panty melter. The first time I heard his voice on the radio, he had me clutching my pearls and fanning my face like an old Southern woman.
"Hello? Earth to Ari."
I snap out of it. "What did you ask me?"
"Oh God, not you too," he says, shaking his head. "Don't tell me you actually find that douche attractive?"
"What? No, of course not,"
I say with a laugh. He pulls in his newly adopted parking spot and shuts off the engine. His eyes are wild; I've seen that possessive look before, and I'm not gonna lie—it makes me hot. He wraps his hand behind my neck and plants his warms lips across mine. He starts off slow, just a gentle massage, with small nips at my bottom lip. He's teasing me, and he knows it drives me wild. I grip a handful of his shirt and deepen the kiss. He moans his approval, and it urges me on. My hands take off of their own accord and map his body. We kiss for what seems like forever until he pulls away panting.
"Mine," he whispers across my lips.
"Always yours," I pant back.
We rein it in after a few minutes and stop fogging up the windows like a couple of teenagers. The look on her face when I told her the name of the band made that possessive caveman come out again. Logically, I know she wouldn't do anything to hurt me, but the thought of her even thinking about another man like that drives me insane.
We gather our things and are about to step out of the car when my cell buzzes. I roll my eyes when I see my uncle's name flash across the screen.
"Hello?" Ari stops and looks over her shoulder. My phone was on vibrate, and she didn't hear it ring. Sliding my hand into hers, I continue to walk us toward her apartment.
"Hi, mijo. Listen, I'm sorry I had to run out on you. The engineer I left in charge was having some trouble. I needed to give him some information I had back at the hotel. Did everything go all right?" The slight accent in his voice makes me want to roll my eyes. How does a guy born and raised in Los Angeles suddenly have a British accent?
"Yeah, everything went fine. We just left. Ruth and the rest of Nana's church friends were cleaning up, and Ruth is locking up for me. I'll head back over there in the morning. So what's the deal? You hanging around for a while or are you headed back right away?"
Ari unlocks the door and quickly busies herself with the lights. She takes the bag of leftovers and walks into the kitchen. I settle into one of the dining room chairs and watch as she fixes us each a plate.