by Sara Mack
And then there’s the matter of telling him what happened at Dane’s…
I sigh as the thoughts that have plagued me for the last week swirl around and around in my head. I’m not looking forward to it, but I’m going to have to tell James everything. I don’t want to pull a Rebecca scenario.
My cell vibrates in my pocket, interrupting my thoughts. It’s Shel.
“Hey.”
“Uncle Tom died this morning.” Her voice is monotone and void of any real feeling.
“Oh, Shel, I’m sorry.”
“Well, the good thing is that it’s over and he’s out of pain,” she sighs.
“How’s your mom?”
“She’s doing well enough. She’s on auto pilot right now.”
“How long will it take to make arrangements? When is the funeral?”
“He didn’t want a funeral or a memorial, so that part is easy,” she tells me. “We do need to finish going through his things. We’d already started last week when he was moved to the hospital.”
“Ugh.”
She suddenly perks up. “But the good news is I’m coming home next week regardless!”
“Sweet! How’d you talk your mom into that?”
“It’s getting expensive with the both of us staying out here and most of the paperwork stuff is taken care of,” she says. “Plus, we’ve already got a renter ready for Uncle Tom’s place.”
I hear someone ask her a question in the background. Shel responds to them, “No, not now. Hold on.” She returns to me. “Listen, I have to go. But my flight is already booked, and I’ll be home for the Fourth of July. Ask for it off now; I want all of us to get together. It’ll be fun.” She sounds excited.
“’Kay. Just let me know.”
“I will.” I hear the person in the background again. “Gotta go. Can’t wait to see you!”
“Me too. Talk to you soon.” I smile as I hang up. I’ve really missed having her around.
“Why are you grinning like that?” Dane asks when he returns to the counter.
“Shel’s coming home next week, for good.”
“Oh thank God!” he exclaims. “I can’t take anymore of Matt’s whining!”
I laugh. “He’s that bad?”
Dane rolls his eyes and exaggerates his nod.
“When did he turn into such a girl?”
He laughs. “Memorial Day weekend.”
“Shel wants us all to get together for the Fourth,” I say. “I told her to let me know the plans.”
“Right,” Dane says, then hesitates. “Maybe it should just be the two of them? I’m not down for watching the Matt-Shel love fest.” He grimaces.
I make a face too. “Yeah, ick.” I pause to think. “I doubt I’ll be able to get out of it though; I haven’t seen her since the birthday party.”
“Hey, that reminds me. I’ve been meaning to ask you about that.”
“About what?”
“What the heck went down between you and that girl? She looked terrified of you before you left.”
Oh, that. I haven’t told anyone about that. When Shel had asked, I managed to distract her with questions about her and Matt’s night together. I weigh my options – keep it locked up tight or discuss it with Dane? It would be nice to get an impartial opinion on the matter.
“If I tell you, will you promise me that you won’t say anything to Matt or Shel? I don’t feel like fending off a ton of questions.”
Dane leans against the counter and raises his hand. “Scout’s honor.”
I take a deep breath. “The girl knew James, but didn’t know who I was. I didn’t know her either,” I share with him. “She told me that she and James really connected on the last night he was alive, that they’d met up at a bar.”
Dane wasn’t expecting this and his eyes grow wide. He frowns, but says nothing. I imagine his opinion of James heading south.
“James and I…we’d had a fight that night,” I confess, as to defend James’ reason to go out without me. “Anyway, he went out with some guys, and she was at this bar. She had had a couple of classes with him and they started talking. Turns out they talked most of the night. She started to spill some personal information and got upset.” Suddenly, I feel like I’m trashing James’ reputation. I tame down the story. “James consoled her and it….” I pause. “It really meant a lot to her. When she found out who I was she felt bad for telling me, that’s all.”
Dane is still frowning. “And?”
“And what?”
“There’s more to this story,” he guesses. “Go back and fill in the parts you left out.”
How does he know? I recall James’ voice – “You’ve never been a very good liar.”
“His words really helped her,” I shrug and try to play it off. “She was grateful.” Extremely grateful. I can’t help myself as I grimace.
Dane looks as if he’s trying to figure me out. He regards me for a moment, then asks, “That’s all?”
“That’s all,” I say and try to end the conversation by looking around for something to do. I grab a rag and decide to wipe down the counter. For whatever reason, I don’t want Dane to think less of James. Telling him was a bad idea.
“Hmmm. With the way she was looking at you, I expected a juicier story.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.” I concentrate on wiping the clean counter, avoiding eye contact.
Dane opens the register drawer and starts to break open some rolled coins. “That’s too bad,” he says casually. “I was hoping you’d give me a reason to dislike her. She was cute. I got her number.”
I stop wiping. I clench the rag in my fist and slowly turn to look at him. “You did not.” I’m not amused and it shows. He knows he struck a nerve.
“Oh, so you don’t like her?”
“I never said I did.”
His eyes light up. “What’s your problem with her exactly?”
I know what he’s up to. He’s baiting me. “I don’t have a problem with her,” I say through clenched teeth and go back to cleaning invisible dirt.
“Oh, okay. Good. Maybe I’ll invite her to the Fourth of July thing,” he eggs me on.
“You do that,” I say sarcastically. I’m not falling for this.
He shuts the register drawer. “I wonder if she still needs consoling,” he pretends to ponder.
“Humph,” I grunt. “Go ahead. Knock yourself out.”
“Not that I’d be able to do it as well as James did,” he concedes. “It sounds like I could learn a thing or two from that man.”
I stop wiping and glare at him. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?” he asks innocently. “I’m just thinking out loud.”
“Well shut up,” I snap.
“Whoa. Touchy.” He pauses for a moment. “Is it that time of the month?”
Seriously? He did not go there! “Fine! You win. I don’t like her. Satisfied?”
“Maybe. Tell me why.”
“Why what?” I throw the rag against the counter in frustration. “Why don’t I like her? Do I have to have one reason?”
He raises an eyebrow. “Ah, so there’s more than one reason?”
So help me…
I take a few steps forward so I’m inches from him. If I could punch him with any effect I would. “Stop pushing me!” I hiss at him and I mean it.
“Why won’t you tell me?” He cocks his head to the side. There is no way he’s afraid of me.
“Because!” I look around. There are only two golfers in the main area and they’re watching TV. “I’m done discussing this!”
Dane looks around too. “I don’t think they’re paying us much attention,” he smirks. “Lame excuse. Keep talking.”
“Why is this so important to you?”
“It wasn’t important until you made it important. I can tell when you’re lying, and I don’t like being lied to.”
I clench my fists and stare him straight in the eye. “He kissed her, okay? He took her out to his car, he hugged he
r, he kissed her, and he gave her the shirt off his back! Happy?” I can feel my chest rise and fall under my labored breathing.
Dane’s face falls. “No,” he says quietly.
I shake my head in frustration and walk away from him. I snatch the rag off the counter and walk over to the sink to wash it.
“Emma…”
“What?” I snap.
He walks up behind me. “I didn’t get her number.”
I already figured that. “That makes me feel so much better,” I say sarcastically, while I wring the rag to death under the faucet.
“What James did was lousy.”
“You think?” I turn the faucet off. Giving the rag one last good twist, I turn to face him.
“No, I know,” Dane says. “It sucks.”
“You got that right,” I scowl and walk around him to start wiping the other end of the counter.
“Would you stop doing that?” He follows me.
I scrub the clean counter with the same force I would use to scrub a dirty dish.
“You’re going to take the finish off the laminate,” he says and reaches out, grabbing my wrist, stilling my hand. I look up at him annoyed.
“Don’t hold him up to be a martyr just because he’s gone.”
I stare at him.
“You can be mad at someone and still love them.”
Don’t I know it.
Dane releases my wrist. “I’m sorry I pushed you. It’s getting harder for me to stop myself when it comes to you.”
I’m surprised by his admission, and I don’t know what to say.
Dane backs away from me. “For what it’s worth, I don’t like her either. And she’s not that cute. In fact, she’s hideous. Frankenstein-esque.”
I can’t help it as a snort escapes. “Don’t be mean,” I admonish him. Then I laugh. “Frankenstein-esque? That’s the best you can do?”
He smiles and shrugs. “It’s the first thing I could think of.”
I relax. “Sorry for being difficult.”
“What’s new? You’re always difficult. You’ve been difficult since the day I met you.”
I pretend to be offended. “My apologies.”
A golfer approaches the counter, momentarily distracting us. “Don’t apologize,” he says as he steps backward toward the register. “I enjoy a challenge.”
A challenge? “What does that mean?” I ask.
Dane is interrupted by the customer and I never get an answer.
Chapter 26
Shel decides she wants a pool party on the day of her homecoming. Although it’s a typical American thing to do for the Fourth of July, I wish she had chosen dinner or a movie or anything else that doesn’t involve me wearing a swimsuit. I search through my drawer and pull out the two suits I own and sigh. I can’t remember the last time I wore one of these. I hold in my hands a bright green bikini and a sky blue one-piece with a white swirl design. Maybe I can get by with an old pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
“I’d choose the green one.”
I whirl around to see James standing on the opposite side of my bed with his arms crossed.
“But that’s just my opinion,” he smiles and winks at me.
My heart nearly bursts. A huge grin breaks out on my face and I drop the suits. I run around the bed to him.
He wraps his arms around me. “Hi,” he says softly.
I hug him and place my head against his chest, sighing contentedly. The cool feeling of his body radiates through me.
“Happy to see me?” he murmurs.
“Yes. Very.”
“I’m sorry it’s been so long.”
I raise my head and smile up at him. “You’re here now.”
“I am,” he smiles and leans down to kiss me. When we part, he rests his forehead against mine. “I snuck away,” he confesses.
I look up at him and frown. “You did what?”
“I had to see you.”
Worry creases my brow. “What if Garrett finds out?”
He shrugs. “This,” he kisses me again, “is worth it.”
I’m still concerned. “What if you get caught and he decides to keep you away longer?”
James shakes his head. “He can’t keep me away forever.”
Raising my hand, I trace the outline of his jaw with my finger. “I don’t want to chance another punishment or whatever our separation is.”
He gives me a crooked smile.
“Do I amuse you?”
“I’m just happy you still want me around.”
“Of course I still want you around,” I say sincerely. “I want you around me always. That’s why I don’t think you should test your teacher.”
James’ smile fades slightly. “I needed to see you. I won’t stay too long. Will that make you happy?”
“No. I want you to stay. But I don’t want you in any trouble either.”
James releases me, running his fingers down my arms. “Have I missed anything exciting since I’ve been gone? Fill me in.”
I study our hands, so I know where to place mine in his without passing through his form. I don’t want to have the ‘Your-Mother-Thinks-I’m-A-Whore’ conversation right now, especially since our time is limited. I’m so happy to see him; I don’t want to ruin it with crazy talk. I opt to discuss something else.
“Shel is home from Arizona. She wants to have a pool party to celebrate,” I squish up my nose, making a face.
“I take it you’d rather not,” he grins. Then his smile fades. “Let me guess who else will be at this party.”
Shoot. How do I diffuse this?
Honesty. That’s how.
I look him in the eye. “If you’re referring to Dane, yes, he will be there, but late. He has to work. And you know Matt and Shel are all over each other,” I make the squish-nose face again.
James gives me half a smile. “Still?”
I relax a little bit. “Still. She just got back. I’ll be the third wheel,” I complain.
“Then don’t go,” James says, like I should have thought of that sooner.
I give him a look that tells him that’s not an option. “It’s Shel. I have to go. Plus, I haven’t seen her in a really long time. I’ve missed her.”
James moves to raise my hands and I lift them, since he can’t do it for me. He kisses my knuckles. “You’ll have fun,” he says. “Although it would be easier for me if you two would just have a girls’ night out or something.”
“Because it’s all about you,” I tease.
He gives me a huge smile. “Damn right.”
“Come here,” I laugh and move my hand through his to wrap it around his neck. He knows what I want and he leans forward to kiss me again. His other hand leaves mine and I feel it wrap around my waist. I move closer to him, enjoying this time we have together.
James lips leave mine and he plants another kiss on my forehead. “Can you blame me for sneaking out?” he whispers.
I shake my head no. “Can’t you bribe Garrett with something to make him release you from house arrest?” I ask as he runs his fingers up and down my back, tracing my spine. I shiver, but not because I’m cold.
James laughs. He knows the effect he has on me. “I wish.”
“When do you think you’ll be able to come back and stay for awhile?”
“Garrett recognizes my hard work and commitment. I’ll have a talk with him soon.”
“Like today?” I grin at him.
“Impatient are we?” He raises an eyebrow, but I can tell my question makes him happy. Then his expression changes. “For you, anything,” he says seriously. “I’ll go talk to him.”
“Really?” I ask surprised.
He nods and kisses me quickly before releasing me. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“You’re leaving?” I pout.
“Do you want me to talk to him about us or not?”
“Yes,” I respond without hesitation.
James smiles. “I love you.”
“I lov
e you too.”
I stare at him as he fades away. It makes me feel hollow. I wrap my arms around myself and pray that his conversation with Garrett goes well.
I walk back over to where I dropped my swimsuits. I hold one in each hand, deciding which one to wear, then give up and toss them on the bed.
“Oh, hey, Emma?”
James’ voice is behind me. I turn around, but cannot see him. I look into the room and ask, “Yes?”
“I changed my mind. I like the blue one better.”
I roll my eyes sarcastically. “That’s only because you know where I’m going.”
He chuckles.
I lean over and pluck the blue suit off the bed. “Then blue it is!”
Turns out, blue it isn’t. When I was putting the suit on, I heard a loud rip as I pulled the left strap over my shoulder. It’s just my luck that the seam would split and leave a huge gaping hole that exposed most of my side. I had no choice but to put on the bikini. There was no comment from James; hopefully, he was in a deep, convincing conversation with Garrett.
I now sit on Matt’s pool deck, still dressed in my shorts and t-shirt, brooding about wearing the green suit underneath. Not necessarily because James would disapprove, but because I’m incredibly self-conscious. I am excited to be here with Shel, though. I think I’ve missed her more than I realized.
“You can’t get a decent tan that way you know.” Shel’s lying on a lounge chair beside me on her stomach, her pink bikini straps undone to prevent tan lines.
“I’m self-conscious, okay?” I defend myself. “A good tan is not that important to me anyway.”
Shel squints at me because she’s facing the sun. “Just take off your damn clothes,” she chastises. “Be a girl with me.”
I give her a look.
“There’s no one here, but me and Matt,” she grins. “And he’s taken.”