by Jane, Eliza
I realize it’s Homecoming night and dial up Reis instead. “Hey man. You ready for the dance tonight?”
“Yeah. I just got Taylor’s corsage out of the fridge, she’ll be here soon.”
“You didn’t pick her up?”
“I know. I wanted to, trust me. But you know how she is. She insisted that was a stupid idea, and I could do little more than nod my head and obey. She’s staying the night here though, sleeping in your old room.”
“Cool. How’s Mrs. Lee?”
“A nervous wreck, waiting in the foyer with her camera ready and poised on the door. But hey, listen we’re dancing around this and we need to talk about what you’re doing to Taylor.”
Now I’m getting shit from my little brother too? Damn, this is not my day. “Just worry about yourself, Reis.”
“You’re fucking with Taylor’s emotions and we both know it. Come clean with her,” he says.
“You don’t know shit about my relationship with Taylor.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I’m there when she’s sad because you’ve done something stupid. I’m the one who’s there for her when she’s drunk and sick. And I’m the one she comes to when she wants to laugh. I’ve been the one comforting her when she runs into one of your ex’s.”
Fuck. I hate this. I hate that I’m not there for her. “Don’t get any ideas with me away. She’s not yours.”
“We’ll see. You’re not here for her.”
“I’ll be back eventually, don’t be a dumbass, Reis,” I growl.
He’s quiet for a second. “Why do you have to have this girl? You’ll fuck anything that moves.”
His assessment of me would have been true a few months ago, but Taylor’s changed that. It sucks to know that’s what he still thinks of me though. Some big brother I turned out to be. What if Taylor is better off with him? Someone her own age, who doesn’t have a shaky past, who isn’t running an international corporation, someone who can take her to regular stuff – like high school dances. Reis can give her things I can’t. “If that’s what she decides she wants, I’ll step away, but until then, no fucking way.” I won’t just hand her over to him.
“You can’t have it both ways, Colt You’re not here.”
Maybe it is selfish of me to try and keep her. If she really is interested in Reis, though it will kill me, I’ll walk away. “Treat her right tonight.”
“I always do,” he says, ending the call.
Chapter 23
Taylor
I pull into the circular driveway of Reis and Colt’s massive house and hobble up the brick walkway in my too high heels, tugging at the hem of the tiny silver dress MJ lent me. My curves fill it out in ways MJ said Reis would approve of, but I felt overexposed.
I reach the door and before I can knock, it’s pulled open by a tiny Asian woman smiling at me. “Hello,” I say.
“My dear, come inside, come inside.” She grips my hands and pulls me in. She’s standing there, still holding onto me, grinning from ear to ear while she studies me.
“Mrs. Lee?” I guess.
She nods vigorously.
Reis rounds the corner, chuckling at us. “Mrs. Lee, give her a break.” Once she steps back, his eyes travel from mine down the length of my body, down my legs and stop at my open toed heels. His mouth drops open. “Damn, Shrimp. You look sexy.”
Mrs. Lee nudges him in the side, and he starts chuckling again. He crosses the room, lifting me in a full embrace until my feet leave the floor.
Mrs. Lee poses us together in various positions, clicking away with her camera repeatedly. After we’ve posed for photos in front of the fireplace and in the backyard, Reis slips a beautiful corsage of purple flowers on my wrist and ties it in place with a silver ribbon that matches my dress. Then we’re on our way.
I steal glances at him once we’re inside the Jeep. He looks good in his suit. His shoulders fill out the black suit jacket and crisp white dress shirt. It’s simple and classic. And with his silver tie, we sort of match.
He finds my hand and gives it a squeeze. It’s a short drive to his high school, but once we park, he hesitates, fidgeting with his keys and makes no move to get out. “I have something to tell you before we go in.”
My stomach lurches. He looks so nervous, I’m desperate to know what it is he wants to get off his chest. I pray it doesn’t have anything to do with Colt. I can’t handle hearing from Reis that Colt’s done with me. I won’t make it out of this Jeep if that’s the case.
He swallows. “I sort of told everyone you’re my girlfriend.”
I slug him in the arm, which ends up hurting my hand and has no effect on his arm whatsoever. I frown and rub my knuckles. “Why on earth did you do that?”
“Because. I’m new here, I don’t have many friends. They’ve all gone to school together since forever.” He waves a hand absently toward the school. “And I’m always spending time with you and when someone assumed you were a girlfriend, I just never corrected anyone.”
I stare out the smeared windshield and watch as a group of guys escort a group of girls in dresses of every color. I don’t like that Reis has felt so alone here. I guess for one night, if people think I’m his girlfriend, so what? “Well then you better come around and open my door to help me out, because I have very high expectations of my boyfriend.”
He grins. “You’re the best, Shrimp.” He hops out of the Jeep and jogs around to help me out.
The school is much like my old school, smelling of disinfectant and plastic with chipped tiles and germ-infested drinking fountains. The decorations in the gym are subtle, but the low lighting and disco ball send little sparkles and stars skittering across the shiny wood floor. It’s nice. Sort of comforting, in a regular high school kind of way. I’m glad Reis brought me. Being here with him beats lying on my bed worrying over Colt. And I’ve never seen Reis so excited or proud. He keeps his hand on the small of my back and introduces me as we mingle in the gym. He seems to know everyone. A few of the guys give him fist bumps and nods of approval when they meet me. Apparently, some of them thought I didn’t exist.
His claim that he doesn’t have many friends here is clearly a farce. But then I realize he’s spent every weekend since school started with me. He probably hasn’t developed any true friendships because I’ve monopolized his time. But he seemed to like spending time with me too, so I didn’t dwell on it too much.
Reis leads me to the center of the gym. He pulls me into his chest, nestling my head under his chin. He’s really making the most of this girlfriend experience. But somehow I don’t think it’s for show. His heart thuds against mine as we sway to the music.
We stay in the center of the crowd, moving at our own pace regardless of the song changes. It’s nice having him hold me. After several songs, he’s ditched his jacket, and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, and I’ve slipped off my shoes, evoking a whole new round of comments on my height as if Reis had forgotten in the last few hours what my true height was.
The song changes, this one is slow and sweet. The lights drop even lower to set the mood. Reis wraps his arms around my waist, pressing me close. His fingertips massage my lower back and he drops his head down to my ear. “How’s that feel?” he whispers.
“I like it,” I say back.
He moves with me, holding me against him. I’m very aware of our nearness. And the fact that I make no move to set any boundaries between us. Just his presence comforts me. Even though it probably shouldn’t.
“I want to kiss you,” he whispers against my temple, giving me time to decide, time to say no, pull away, something. But I freeze in his arms, waiting in anticipation. He lowers his mouth flush with mine and gently presses forward. His lips are soft and slightly damp. A thrill runs through me settling in the base of my spine. His hands press into my lower back, urging me even closer and deepening the kiss. His kisses are different than Colt’s. He’s more eager, less controlled and not as precise as he tries to find the right angle to bri
ng us together. But it’s nice. His tongue sweeps against mine and I turn off my brain, letting myself enjoy his kiss.
After our kiss on the dance floor, I made an excise to use the restroom and spent fifteen minutes locked in a stall nearly hyperventilating. I even considered calling Colt to confess. But Reis finds me and talked me out, saying he’s sorry, he got caught up in the moment of pretending I was his girlfriend and it wouldn’t happen again, unless I wanted it to. I could almost believe that was all it was, until I caught sight of the mirror, and my flushed, swollen lips. I had no right to be breathless and warm from his kiss.
Once we get home, Mrs. Lee is gone. Reis failed to mention I was staying over, saying she’d be pissed. I remove my shoes and he carries my bag upstairs. He drops it in the doorway to Colt’s room and gives me a quick hug goodnight, thanking me again for going with him. I can do little more than nod and murmur my agreement. I’m numb, confused and utterly disgraced that I kissed Reis. Or rather that I allowed Reis to kiss me.
After changing into shorts and a tank top I wash my face, then collapse onto the bed. I pull out my phone. I’ve missed three calls from Colt tonight. He knew it was the night of the dance, so I don’t know why he’d be calling. His name flashes on the screen. He’s calling again.
I answer it before I chicken out. “Hello?” Right away I can tell we have a bad connection. Static crackles in the background.
“Taylor?”
He never calls me by my name, instead choosing baby or another endearment. It sends off warning signals in my brain.
“This trip…something happened…didn’t go as expected…”
“Colt? I can’t hear you, you’re breaking up.”
But he keeps going uninterrupted. “…between me and Bria. I’m sorry.”
“What? What about you and Bria?” I press the phone more tightly to my ear, waiting to hear my worst suspicion confirmed, that he and Bria had hooked up.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you…but her and I…” he says before cutting off again. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
My heart slams against my chest, thudding painfully. After several seconds of silence, he speaks again. “Taylor, say something.”
While I try to figure out what there is to say, mercifully, the phone connection is lost just as the tears begin to flow and tumble down my cheeks.
I curl into a ball and sob into the pillow. The pillow that still smells like Colt, which must be the universe’s idea of a sick joke.
“Shrimp?” Reis peeks inside the cracked door.
When his eyes meet mine, he sees that I’m crying, and comes toward the bed.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have kissed you. I’ll tell Colt, it was my fault. You did nothing wrong.”
Yeah, nothing wrong, other than enjoy it and let it happen. Stupid, Taylor. Stupid. That kiss shouldn’t have happened. I was still with Colt then.
“It’s not that,” I manage between sniffles.
“What’s wrong then, sweetheart?” He gently rubs my back, coaxing the words from me.
“I talked to Colt.”
His hand freezes on my back while he processes my words. Then he begins rubbing again. “Did he tell you?”
I sit up suddenly, tears staining my cheeks. “You knew? About him and Bria?”
He nods. “Yeah. I wanted to say something, but he wanted to be the one to tell you.”
I reach for the pillow and pull it to my chest, burying my face. Reis knew. Britt probably knew. And of course Bria and is probably celebrating behind my back. I let the tears come, not even trying anymore to hold them back.
“Shh, it’s going to be okay.” Reis continues rubbing the length of my back. “Everything will be fine when he gets home, you’ll see. You guys will figure this out.”
I lift my head from the pillow. “No. He’s messed up one too many times.”
I cry until I’m spent, emotionally and physically drained. Reis just sits quietly beside me, rubbing my back and smoothing my hair, and shushing away the harder sobs that rack my chest. Eventually when I quiet into just hiccups, he lies down beside me, cradling my body with his. A few minutes later, Reis gets up from the bed, untangling his limbs from mine.
I whimper from the sudden absence of warmth and reach out for him.
He chuckles. “I’m not going anywhere, Shrimp, just turning off the light.” He flips off the light and comes back to the bed, pulling me tightly to his chest once again. I sigh and relax into him, thankful for his presence and long past feeling guilty about that kiss.
After I’ve quieted my tears and breathing has returned to normal, I roll over, turning toward Reis. He looks down at me and brushes my hair back from my face and smiles.
“How stupid am I?”
“Shh,” Reis whispers, playing with a lock of my hair.
“I gave my heart to someone who can’t be trusted. He hasn’t changed one bit. And to think, I almost slept with him before he left.” I shake my head. And I would have, except it’d been Bria even then coming between us. It’s just like MJ said it would end.
“You mean you never slept with him?”
“That’s what you took away from that?”
He chuckles. “Sorry.”
“One track mind, much?”
“Well it’s Colt, so I figured you had. And even though it would have been weird being with you after that, I was willing to overlook it.”
I sit up in bed. “Reis, I’m not going to be ready to be with anyone for a while. I just need to be by myself.”
He nods. “I’ll wait for you until you’re ready. I’m nothing like him, you know?”
“I know that.”
“So maybe there’s hope for us.”
“I don’t think so.” Reis is a nice guy. Why couldn’t I have fallen for someone like him? But I wasn’t ready to even consider another relationship. I should be banned from interacting with the male species. “I’m not ready for anything, with anyone.”
“Let me worry about that then. You just focus on being happy again. And I’ll be here to cheer you up. How’s that sound?”
“Nice,” I admit.
“Good. Come here.” He holds out his arm and I snuggle in against his side, letting my whole body relax.
Chapter 24
Colt
Taylor was quiet when I told her Bria and I would be in London for another two weeks. I’d apologized profusely, but she hadn’t said much. After we got disconnected, I tried to call her back and instead of answering she’d sent me a text. She was tired of not being able to trust me, she said. It was over. She was officially done with me.
I fall back against the pillow. My sleeping schedule is completely messed up and my head is spinning. It’s been too long since I’ve seen her. Too long since I’ve held her, and she’s forgotten how good we are together. That’s all. I know I can get her back. Two more weeks and I’ll get my chance.
Then I remember that tonight was Reis’ dance. She hadn’t said anything about it, but damn, she hadn’t said much of anything. Did the dance have anything to do with her change of heart? Maybe that’s what she realized she needs. A typical high school experience, a boyfriend who’s actually around, not working in another country for weeks at a time. It’s her senior year. I couldn’t expect her to wait for me, I just figured our relationship was important enough for her to want to. I guess not.
I consider calling her again, we need to talk this out. But it’s late, and she probably needs time to cool off and realize this isn’t what she really wants. I switch off the lamp and punch my pillow into shape. Just as I’m falling asleep, my door squeaks open and I see Bria’s silhouette against the darkness.
“Are you awake?” she whispers.
I swallow down a lump in my throat. What the fuck is she doing in here? “Yeah.”
She tiptoes into the room. “I can’t sleep.” She comes in and shuts the door, shutting out the light that spilled in from the hallway and sits down on the edge of my bed. I
push up on my elbows to look at her.
“Did something happen?”
“It’s just Liam. I shouldn’t have slept with him.”
Fuck. I didn’t know she’d actually slept with him. They’ve been out twice. Fear twists in my stomach, worrying what this might mean for the case. “Bria, I told you not to get involved. We need this deal with his uncle.”
“Relax. This has nothing to do with your precious deal. Geoffrey loves us. Liam on the other hand, now that he got what he wanted, is all back to all business.”
I breathe a sigh of relief and fall back against my pillow.
Bria crawls up the bed and leans against the pillows beside me. “Why can’t I find a guy who loves me for me?” Her eyes implore mine. I have no idea how to answer her question. I thought I found love with Taylor, but now I think I’ve already lost it.
“What is it about Taylor? I mean, why her?”
I’d never really thought about it, but I knew the answer without even thinking. She was open and outspoken. She wasn’t overly concerned with her appearance or impressing me like other girls. She made me earn it. Earn her and be worthy of being with her. “She challenged me.”
Bria scoots closer and I let out a frustrated sigh, but I don’t stop her. She’s testing the boundaries, waiting to see what I’ll do, if I’ll push her away. Now that I know how it feels to be rejected, I don’t have it in me right now.
“Can I stay in here?”
Without waiting for my response, she crawls toward me. “Bria…” I don’t want to argue with her right now. But she shouldn’t be in here.
“I’ll stay on my side, just please. Please let me stay.”
“You’ll behave?”
“I promise,” she whispers.
“Fine.”
“Night Colt.”
“Goodnight.” My mind reels. Sleep will be impossible tonight.
Bria rolls over to face me, a smile on her lips. “Despite constantly acting like a jerk, you’re not so bad.”
“Thanks.” Little does she know, Taylor is done with me, thinks I was a terrible boyfriend. I probably am.