by Gerri Hill
She met Gina’s eyes, the wonder of it all reflected back at her. Ashleigh smiled, then leaned closer, closing the gap between them, their mouths meeting again, soft kisses turning hot. She moved her hand down Gina’s body, touching the panties she still wore.
“I want these off,” she said. “I want to feel all of you. I want to feel how wet you are.”
And she wasn’t afraid.
Chapter Fourteen
Present Day
Gina left the city behind, the sun’s first light barely showing in the eastern sky. The morning was cool, the wind already freeing her. She left the top down on the Jeep, needing the openness it brought. She was nervous. So nervous, in fact, she’d nearly cancelled the whole trip. But Aunt Lou was expecting her, and Gina remembered how excited she was at the news Gina would be in Calloway for a week.
She smiled as she turned off the highway past Lake Corpus Christi, taking the back roads through the ranch lands of south Texas. She hadn’t heard from any of her classmates in twenty years. Yet, in the past week, she’d talked to Crissy Summers three times as she helped Gina with her hotel reservations, saying even the locals were staying at the Holiday Inn so they could party all weekend. But it was the last conversation that threw her.
“Oh, Gina, it’ll be so good to see you. And I spoke with Ashleigh Pence and let her know you were coming. I bet the two of you can’t wait to catch up.”
Oh, yeah. Can’t wait.
Gina wondered if Ashleigh would bring her lover. Hell, would Ashleigh even speak to her? Their breakup didn’t go well, and even though Gina did it for Ashleigh, the look in Ashleigh’s eyes ...well, it was a look that haunted her for a long time afterward. Every time they would run into each other during the semester, Ashleigh had the same look—wounded and hurt and devastated. It was something Gina never understood. She also never saw Ashleigh with her new lover, so maybe that didn’t last after all.
When the semester ended, Gina went to San Antonio where her parents had moved, and she assumed Ashleigh went home to Calloway. Ashleigh didn’t return the next semester and Gina spent it trying to forget she and Ashleigh were ever lovers in the first place. Actually, she spent the next several years trying to forget Ashleigh Pence. But no matter how many women passed through her bed, no matter how many lovers she had, none of them could ever make her forget Ashleigh...and none were able to replace her.
So she’d settled in Corpus and put all her energy into their business, rarely going out, rarely dating. And seldom sharing her bed with anyone. She was content now, satisfied with her life. Their business was thriving, she had a handful of good friends, especially Pat and Carly. And Tracy and her family filled a void that her parents’ divorce had created. Tracy went all out for each and every holiday and Gina was always invited to share it with them. Yes, she was content now.
So why then was she heading to Calloway? So what if it’s been twenty years of water under the bridge. She knew seeing Ashleigh would affect her, especially if Ashleigh was there with her lover or her partner or whoever. She was just setting herself up for a deluge of memories.
Yeah, like she hadn’t been traveling that road lately. And that was really the problem. She’d been plodding through her memories, reliving those teenage years, still able to remember the tingly feeling she got from being with Ashleigh—touching her, kissing her, loving her. It was the best time of her life, a time when she thought life was perfect, a time when she was so certain that she and Ashleigh would be together forever. A time before the heartbreak and pain. Those were memories she’d just as soon not relive—the breakup and then her cure for Ashleigh—sleeping with any and every girl she could. Anyone to try to make her forget Ashleigh...forget Ashleigh and her new lover.
She was surprised how much that still hurt. Twenty years later she could still feel the sting, still feel the jealously, still see the other girl’s face. She smiled, finding some humor. She could remember her face but she couldn’t remember her name to save her life.
Ashleigh exited off the interstate east of San Antonio, then turned south, taking the familiar country road to Calloway. She still had nearly an hour’s drive but her nervousness increased tenfold as she left the highway. She could have flown from Houston to San Antonio and rented a car, or taken her mother’s offer to be picked up, but she wanted this time to think, to prepare.
First of all, she was still shocked that Gina was even going to the reunion. As far as she knew, none of their classmates had ever heard from her in the last twenty years. But nervousness and trepidation had replaced the shock weeks ago, so much so that she’d actually called Crissy to tell her she wasn’t going. That plan obviously fell through. Crissy was so excited about the whole affair, Ashleigh just didn’t have the heart to cancel.
So now her nervousness was mixed with a healthy dose of anxiety, the feeling of dread weighing heavy on her chest. Which, as she’d been telling herself for the last fifty miles, was ridiculous.
Gina Granbury meant nothing to her anymore. She was a former classmate, that’s all. She had no bearing on her life and it was just crazy to be dreading her twenty-year reunion because of her.
“So I’m crazy,” she murmured. Because, yeah, she was dreading it. The only silver lining she could find was that Crissy had said Gina had sent in her RSVP for only one. Which meant Ashleigh wouldn’t have to be subjected to seeing Gina with her lover. Well, regardless, she had already decided that if Gina asked if she was seeing someone, she was going to lie and say yes. She’d be damned if she’d let Gina know she was still single.
She tried to imagine how it would go when they saw each other. She didn’t want to cause a scene so she couldn’t very well ignore Gina. After all, they’d been best friends in high school. None of their classmates ever knew of their affair and as far as she knew, none would know now that Gina was gay. Ashleigh? Yes. After that first semester when she’d returned home for the holidays, she’d been in such a state of shock, still heartbroken, that she’d come out to her parents, had come out to Crissy. She never told them who it was, never mentioned Gina’s name. To their credit, her parents hadn’t totally freaked out, at least not in front of her. Mark was the one most shocked, but Courtney had put her hands on her hips and smiled. “Cool. My sister’s a lesbian. I guess you’re not as uptight as I thought you were.”
Ashleigh laughed. This coming from a thirteen-year-old who was as uptight as they came. But all of her studying paid off. Courtney went on to medical school, specializing in—of all things—gynecology.
Which Ashleigh found extremely funny, seeing how she was practically celibate, yet her sister made a living touching female bodies.
She tilted her head. What did she mean practically celibate? It had been more than a year since she’d slept with anyone. In fact, since she couldn’t recall exactly when it was, it may very well be creeping up on two years.
“Yeah, practically celibate.”
Which brought her back to her original thought. How would her first encounter with Gina go? Would they hug and exchange pleasantries? Would they only shake hands and be cool toward each other? Would they say “hello” and “how are you” and then go their separate ways, never to speak again? Or would someone like Crissy, who had no knowledge of their past, push them together at every chance, thinking they’d have so much to catch up on? Yes, that was the scenario she envisioned. And since she didn’t want to cause a scene and draw attention to them—and their past—she would no doubt go along with it.
She sighed, watching the miles speed by as she got ever closer to Calloway. She wondered what Gina was like now, wondered if she’d changed much. The shy girl in high school had come out of her shell as soon as they’d become lovers. She became more outgoing, more sure of herself, confident and strong. Traits that Ashleigh loved in her. Of course, after their breakup, Gina continued to be outgoing, sleeping with nearly every girl at college, whether they were single or not. Or gay or not, Ashleigh recalled, as she remembered a handful of straight gi
rls falling victim to Gina’s charm.
Damn her.
Gina was shocked by how much Calloway had changed. Aunt Lou had told her that their sleepy little town was growing as more and more people escaped the city, leaving San Antonio and moving south, but she never imagined this. The tiny two-lane road that she remembered was now a highway, bypassing the heart of town as it looped around to the north, no doubt built for commuters who still drove into the city to work every day.
She took the business route into town, now looking somewhat familiar as many of the old buildings remained, housing locally owned shops that were still in business. Even the movie rental and tanning place was still there, although back then, it was called The Corner Tan. She was surprised that a Blockbuster hadn’t opened in town, putting it out of the movie business.
She drove on, wanting to stop by Aunt Lou’s before checking in at the hotel, as she had a couple of hours before the planned happy hour “get reacquainted party.” She and her aunt had always had a special bond, but it wasn’t until she was older that she realized why. Aunt Lou was a lesbian. It was something they had never talked about. Ever. Oh, they talked about Gina and her love life plenty. But any time Gina questioned Aunt Lou’s lack of a husband, a partner, she’d clam up, saying she was perfectly happy being an old maid. Of course, Gina eventually put two and two together, remembering Aunt Lou’s trips to San Antonio and even the occasional “friend” she’d have over. Gina had been too young to question it, to think it odd. But now, as an adult, she knew that Aunt Lou had had a lover in San Antonio. Whether she still did, Gina had no clue. She respected Aunt Lou’s need for privacy, for secrecy, and left it at that. If she ever wanted to confide in her, she would. If not, it wasn’t any of Gina’s business. She suspected one reason Aunt Lou remained deep in the closet was she didn’t want Gina’s mother to use her as the excuse for Gina being gay. Her mother still found it difficult to accept and still felt the need to let her know how disappointed she was.
Gina shook her head, not wanting to go there. She and her mother’s relationship had been strained, to say the least. First their divorce, then Gina coming out to them, then her father’s sudden death and then her mother remarrying—all events which widened the gap between mother and daughter. Oh, they weren’t estranged or anything. They still talked on the phone occasionally, they were civil, but they didn’t see each other. Gina rarely left the coast, content with the extended family she’d built there. Her mother had come once to visit, to see where Gina worked and lived, but the disapproval Gina saw in her eyes, not just about her lifestyle, but about her life in general, was enough to keep Gina from extending the invitation again. She knew Aunt Lou and her mother still kept in touch, so she wondered if her aunt had felt the need to share that Gina was coming to stay the week with her.
She turned down the familiar street, the homes all older and showing their age, but her aunt’s yard was as pristine and well-kept as Gina remembered. She parked and got out of her Jeep, stretching her legs and back after the long drive. She ran her fingers through her hair, windblown and disheveled as it was. She tried to tame the dark strands, finally giving up.
“Oh, my God, look at you.”
She turned, finding Aunt Lou rushing toward her. She opened her arms, accepting the tight hug and kiss on her cheek. She pulled back, grinning.
“Good to see you, too.”
“You look wonderful, Gina. As lovely as ever. Your father would have been so proud of you,” she said as she grasped her shoulders.
“Would he?”
“Gina, of course he would,” she said in that let’s don’t talk about it tone. “Now come inside. Let’s catch up.”
Ashleigh pulled into her parents’ driveway, feeling the familiar peacefulness that always eluded her in the city. Even after the stressful drive and the impending reunion that she now dreaded, the peacefulness returned. She got out, taking a deep breath of the clean, country air, enjoying the quiet for a second before heading up the walk. Her mother was waiting, opening the door before Ashleigh could knock.
“Hi, honey,” she said as she pulled Ashleigh into a hug. “So good to see you again.”
“Hi, Mom.” Ashleigh stood still, knowing she wouldn’t be released until her mother was good and ready. She finally loosened her grip and Ashleigh stepped away, grinning. “Good to be home.”
“I keep telling you to visit more often,” she said, pulling Ashleigh inside. “We’ll get your things later.”
“Oh, I’m not staying here.”
Her mother spun around. “What?”
“Well, not for the weekend. I’ve got a room at the hotel. Crissy insisted,” she said.
“But next week?”
“Yes, I’ll stay here.”
“Because Courtney would be terribly disappointed if—”
“Mom, I said I’m staying here. It’s just the reunion and all, it would just be easier to stay there. I’ll come here on Sunday.”
“And you’ll stay until Wednesday?” her mother asked as she led them into the kitchen.
“Yes. Is Courtney still coming Monday as planned?” She eyed the pitcher on the cabinet. It wasn’t tea. She raised her eyebrows.
“She’s leaving the hospital Monday morning.” Her mother followed her gaze. “It’s Friday. Your father expects cocktails when he gets home.”
Ashleigh glanced at the clock, then back at her mother.
“I thought you and I might have a drink on the patio. And no, I’ve not turned into a lush. Your father gets home at four on Fridays.”
Ashleigh grinned. “So then Courtney and I don’t have to have a daughter intervention?” She watched as her mother filled two glasses of what she assumed were margaritas. “How’s Mark?”
“Oh, busy as ever. I just talked to him last week. He said he’s missed you the last couple of times you’ve called.”
“Yeah. And apparently he doesn’t know how to return calls.” She took the drink with a nod. “Thanks.”
“He’s seeing someone, you know.”
“No, I didn’t know. Since when?”
“For about a month,” she said. “Let’s go out to the patio.”
Ashleigh stepped outside, the view bringing back a rush of memories. Their backyard was as impeccably neat and tidy as always, the green grass cut to perfection, the water in the pool crystal clear. She wasn’t surprised by the direction of her thoughts as she could picture Gina splashing in the pool, laughing at her, playing with her. She mentally shook those thoughts away, turning to find her mother watching her.
“It’s beautiful back here,” she said, joining her mother at the small round table, the ceiling fan stirring the air around them. “I miss having a yard,” she said.
“You can afford a house. Why must you stay in that condo?”
“Because it’s a prime location, and I have access to a hike and bike trail, not to mention the golf club.” She sipped from her drink. “Besides, if I want to sell, it wouldn’t last a day on the market.”
“It’s still hard to picture you in the big city. I just wish—”
“I’m not moving back to Calloway,” she said with a laugh.
“No, but what about San Antonio? Courtney is there and you’d be close to home,” she said wistfully.
Ashleigh reached across the table and squeezed her mother’s hand. It was a conversation they had nearly every time she visited. “So, tell me about Mark.”
“What’s to tell? You know how secretive your brother is.”
“Okay, let me rephrase. Is he seeing a he or a she?”
“She.”
Ashleigh sighed. “So he’s still convinced he’s bisexual?”
“You would know better than me. I’m just glad he’s not seeing that artist fellow any longer.”
Ashleigh laughed. “Mother, Mark is an artist.”
“Exactly. At least one of them needs a real job.”
Ashleigh hid her smile. She knew all too well that Mark was still in love with “
the artist fellow” and only pretended to date women so that their parents wouldn’t feel totally guilty over having two gay children. When Adam ended things with Mark, it’d taken him awhile to recover. She and her brother talked nearly nightly during that time, the closest they’d ever been. But living in San Francisco, he got back in the saddle quickly and their nightly talks ended.
“So, are you looking forward to the reunion?”
Ashleigh spun her glass, watching the ice bounce off the sides. “Yes, it’ll be fun,” she said, hoping her voice had the correct amount of enthusiasm.
“Well, I spoke with Lou Granbury at the grocery store the other day. She says that Gina will attend this year. Have you talked to her?”
Ashleigh shook her head. “No, but Crissy said she was planning on coming.”
“I’m sure that’s exciting. I still can’t believe the two of you lost touch like that. You were so close during high school.”
If you only knew. But Ashleigh forced a smile. “It’ll be...good to see her, yes,” she said. “I don’t think anyone from school has had contact with her over the years.”
“She lives down at the coast, Lou says. Corpus.”
“Really?” Ashleigh stood, not wanting to continue the conversation. “These were good. Can we have another?”
“Of course, honey. But don’t overdo it. You have a big night tonight,” she reminded her.
Ashleigh gave her a fake smile, then disappeared into the kitchen for a refill. She would need much more than a couple of margaritas to get her through the night.
Chapter Fifteen
Present Day