I parked and got out of my car, giving it one last hopeful look as I looked around. A hooker walked by me as I started toward the stairs. I tried to avoid her eyes, but it was obvious she wanted to make sure she spoke with me.
“Hey, sugar. Wanna keep me company tonight?”
I pressed a smile. “Nah, I’m good. Thank you.”
“You ever get lonely, make sure you come find me. Doreena. With an ahh on the end. Just the sound you’d make with me, baby.” I snickered at her joke as I gave her one last look. She had some extra padding that I was sure some guys would really enjoy.
I waved at her as I climbed the steps, warily studying the area below. I checked the number on the door another time, hoping it was Cory’s apartment and didn’t belong to some messed-up prostitute. Glancing back at my car, I wondered how long it’d still be there. There was no doubt in my mind that it or the tires would probably get stolen or the rims taken off it. I held my hand over the worn, faded white door. Finally, the moment I might get so many questions answered.
I knocked.
The whitish curtain near the window moved before I heard a voice from inside.
“Go away.” At least it was a female voice.
“Is Cory in there? I need to speak with her.”
“There isn’t a Cory living here. Please leave.” That was definitely Cory’s voice, but her demand sounded more like she was begging me to leave.
“Um. Okay. I need to speak with Sarah?” Is that what she wanted me to ask instead? To use her other name? “Is she in there?”
“Please. Just go away.” Her voice lowered to a pleading whisper. “I can’t do this right now.” My eyebrows pinched together as I heard the plea through her tone. She was scared and I couldn’t understand why.
“Look, I have no idea what’s going on with you right now, but please. Just let me in so we can talk.” I took a deep breath and then let it out as I put my forehead to the door. “I’ve never stopped thinking about you. You hurt me, but I’ve always thought about you.”
A sobbing sound came through the door and I knew I was getting somewhere.
Behind that door was the love of my life and I’d be damned if I didn’t make sure she finally knew it. No matter what happened back when or whom she ran off with, I wanted another chance with Cory.
Seven
Cory
Listening to Alex say that he had always thought of me tugged at my heart. Could that really be true? Alex. If it hadn’t been for seeing both Jay and then Granny, I might not have believed it. Granny was unmistakable. There was no way I’d ever forget her. Time might have aged her appearances, but to me she’d held onto her timeless beauty as the grandmotherly figure I’d loved so much. Then there was Alex. I had stared at him and thought of the possibilities of him being my Alex. Really my first real love. My best friend from way back when.
More than anything, I wanted to open the door. However, doing that would open the wounds that now were faded scars. I had waited for him after we moved. He had promised he’d come for me. He knew my address. When my stepfather started abusing me, I began to hate Alex simply for not coming to rescue me. I wanted him to come find me for so long. I wanted to be taken from the cruelty of my stepfather. My mother drank so much she was oblivious—or maybe she knew and drowned herself in alcohol so she wouldn’t see. After running away and what happened, I was still surprised I hadn’t started down the same path my mom had.
Closing my eyes, I shoved away all the visions of my stepdad. I pushed away all the hurt and tried to focus on Alex—the Alex I remembered. Scrawny, pimple-faced, and shy with girls. He had no idea how to talk to girls. Boys, yes. It had been obvious that girls intimidated him. I smiled at the thought of how nervous he’d been around me until he got to know me more. Especially when he found out my love for baseball.
“Cory.” My old forgotten name was whispered, followed by another rap on the door.
Tears streaked down my face and I swiped at them quickly. I wanted to be angry with Alex. I had hated him for so long for not coming for me as he had said.
“Hey! What’s going on?” Jeanine scared the shit out of me walking into the living room.
“Shh!” I waved to her, making her even bend down to come over to me.
“It’s someone from my past. I need to get rid of them. You need to help me.”
“What do you want me to say?” Jeanine whispered as she peeked quickly through the side window. The sheer curtain surely wouldn’t keep me from being seen, so I stayed tight up against the corner of the door. “He’s hot. Seriously, you should totally go out with him. He’s gotta be rich.”
“Shh!” I smacked at her arm, hoping she’d just help me instead of checking him out.
Jeanine cleared her throat. “Um, there’s isn’t a Cory that lives here.” She smiled and winked at me.
Muffled through the door, he asked, “Oh, right. Sarah. I need to speak with Sarah, please.”
Jeanine pursed her lips, obviously impressed. “Manners and a deep sexy voice. Seriously? Can I go out with him?”
I glared at her and she rolled her eyes. “There’s no one here by that name either.”
“Hmm. She put this address down on her application. Is there anyone in this area that goes by the name Sarah?”
“No. Not that I know of.” It was then that she scared the shit out of me and made me want to kill her at the same time. She popped open the door only enough to fit her face through the crack. “What’s your name, handsome?” she cooed. I punched her arm and her hand reached out to smack mine.
“Um. It’s Alex. But I’m really interested in finding Sarah.”
“I can pretend to be her, if you’d like.”
I could actually hear him smiling, and if he did take her bait I was going to be pissed. Of course, I had no reason to be, since I was the one hiding behind the door scared to death to talk to my old boyfriend. “Thanks, but Sarah is the only woman I’d like to speak with. Are you sure she’s not here?”
Jeanine shook her head. “Yeah, I’m sure, honey. Like I said though—if you ever need a date, feel free to come knocking on my door. You’re more than welcome anytime.”
“Thanks,” I heard Alex say, and then heard the sound of his footsteps as he descended the stairs. My heart skipped a beat the moment the steps on the stairs stopped and I heard him say, “If, by chance, you do really know her or see her, please tell her that I’ve never stopped thinking about her.” He paused for a second and then added, “I’ll be waiting at the show for her. I really hope she meets me there.”
Jeanine nodded her head and then closed the door. Glaring at me she asked, “What is up with you? Why wouldn’t you want to go out with him? He’s a walking fantasy right there.”
I closed my eyes for a brief second and tried to catch my breath. Jeanine scurried across the floor, over to the kitchen window, and peered out. “Oh wow. You should see what he drives. Holy shit. I’m surprised the thing is still out there and wasn’t stolen by C’s gang.” She whistled and then smiled. “Damn. You really shouldn’t let him get away.”
My heart sank knowing I probably was making another mistake—another one in a long string of them.
I thought back to Alex and all that he had meant to me. Back to when we were young and things were so simple. Fun. I had the same nervous butterflies fluttering around my stomach as I used to get when Granny would tell me Alex was coming the next day. I’d have them all through the night, right up until he finally would show up at their house.
Granny. Seeing her had brought back a flood of memories. Good ones. The ones I’d tried to hold tight to every night after we had moved with that monster.
Growing up next door to the elderly couple was like having a second set of grandparents. My parents were happy together until that fateful day. And Alex had been there for me when my dad died. He’d stayed on even after his break was over, pretending to be sick, and played on Granny’s caretaker side. He’d been there for me as long as he cou
ld. Alex and I had no trouble writing back and forth to each other at that time. He’d called just as often then too.
Alex’s letters hadn’t stopped either after my mom met the monster. He’d even come up from break to be by my side at their wedding. When I’d cried my eyes out afterward, he’d held me in his arms. Then we’d moved, and the letters, the calls—all of it stopped.
When Alex wasn’t there for me, Remy was.
Seeing the mistakes I’d made with both boys, it was obvious that trusting a man had been my downfall. I had found out through my stepfather that my dad was a huge gambler. Stan had also been a gambler and lost even worse than my dad. Too bad Stan hadn’t been shot to death too. The men in my life could never be trustworthy, and after the final lie from Remy had hit me, I had promised myself I’d never trust again.
Eight
Alex
There was no way anyone could convince me Cory wasn’t really standing behind the door hiding. I could hear her whispering through the wood. Whoever the woman was, she couldn’t have been a good friend—especially with how she was so blatant with me. Was Cory okay with that? Did she really want me to move on? I drove back to my apartment, thinking about everything that had happened during the course of the day. Still stumped if it was a dream come true or a curse. Amazed that after all those years of thinking about her, being angry with her, and unsure why she would dump me like she did, that I still had such strong feelings for her.
My phone rang and I glanced at the caller ID. Cal. I answered, unsure if Andi was going into labor or if he just wanted to talk.
“Hey.”
“Hey, how’s it going?” Cal asked. I knew then he wasn’t calling me with news of my new nephew just yet.
“Good. Granny arrived safely and said she wants to have dinner with all of us Sunday night. Is that good for you guys?”
“Unless Andi finally has this little one, yeah, we’re game.” There was a small pause. “So, was it really her?” I had called Cal the second after I dropped off Granny needing to tell someone else. Andi always teased the three of us that we were just as bad as gossipy girls. I guess she was kind of right. Although in this case, I just needed to talk it out with someone.
“Yeah.” I exhaled a breath. “Yeah, she’s really Cory.”
“Wow. That’s just…amazing. Did you talk to her?”
“No. Actually, she ran off. I’m just leaving from where I was told she lived, and the woman who answered the door said there was no one there by that name. She was there, though. I could hear her whispering behind the door. I’m certain of it.” I flipped my blinker on and changed lanes, wondering what the hell my next move should be.
Cal paused a moment. “Sorry, man.” He exhaled a deep breath. “Maybe she just doesn’t want to start over again.”
He made a good point, I thought as I turned the corner and clicked the button for the parking garage. “When I asked her out, I was sure she was happy about it. Of course, that was before Granny figured out who she really was.”
Cal’s voice muffled for a moment, and I was sure that he was reciting all the information back to Andi. When he came back to the line, he asked, “When’s that date supposed to happen?”
I pulled into my parking spot and turned off the car. Sitting there staring ahead at the wall, I told him, “She’s supposed to meet me at the theatre Friday night. She has a ticket.” My heart stuttered as I realized the truth. “It’s all in her hands now.”
“Yeah. Maybe you should hang back a little and see if she changes her mind. You’ll know for sure Friday night.” Cal’s voice didn’t reassure me, and I was positive he thought she’d be a no-show.
I nodded and said, “Yeah.”
Usually I looked forward to Friday nights. Now I wasn’t too anxious to find out what her decision would be. A feeling deep in my gut told me it wasn’t going to be good. I hoped it was wrong.
It had been a long three days of waiting, playing out scenario after scenario in my head of how the night could end. I pulled up the lapel of my jacket—the same one she had made fun of me for at the park. The wind was biting, but that didn’t stop anyone from heading out to the bars and restaurants in the area at all. People streamed into the theatre. I had arrived early with my ticket in hand, hoping she’d still meet me even though I knew who she really was.
As I watched everyone file into the theatre the moment the doors opened, I started to get that feeling that she might not show up. I had considered it before, but now my gut was telling me she was definitely going to stand me up. Each time I saw a stranger and not Cory, my heart shattered a little bit more. If she wanted to try things out between us, she would show. As much as I wanted to go inside and sit in my seat, I wasn’t going to sit there alone to watch the show. That would only increase the feeling of being a loser that I was battling at that moment. The doors started to close and I still stood outside like an idiot, waiting, hoping, and yes, even praying.
Checking my watch, I saw that it was now ten minutes past the start time. There’d probably be no way we could catch up to the storyline at that point. I could feel the walls building around my heart, protecting me from the truth that I cared more about her than she did for me. I began to turn and started to walk toward my car.
“Wait!” Relief spread through me and I closed my eyes, thanking whatever power had finally brought her to me, the moment I heard a voice cry out. I turned, hoping to see Cory. My shoulders slumped and I clenched my jaw when I noticed it wasn’t her calling out to me as a woman went flying past me to catch up with her friends. They laughed and mocked her as she bumped into them playfully, and I sank into a pool of rejection a little bit more. I watched them for a moment while my chest tightened. The overwhelming disappointment brought me back to when I had gone to see her and found out she had left with another boy.
Standing at my car with my fob in hand, I unlocked my doors. I was stalling and I knew it, still hanging on to some shred of hope. Just like the idiot I had been at the trailer park when I sat in my car hoping she’d pop out and surprise me.
This time, I had really believed she’d show and we’d try again. All day long, I had sat in my office unable to get any sort of work done, and instead fantasized about being together with Cory again. Our dream house would be built within walking distance of her bakery that she’d always wanted. The two children we wanted would be running around creating joy and memories.
I checked my phone, making sure she hadn’t called—although I wasn’t even sure if she had a phone or my number, but desperation makes facts seem irrelevant. My eyes searched all the faces in the streets, still hoping, while my heart sank further and seemed to know better than my mind.
Thoughts raced and I tried to think about what might have happened to her during all those years. What had she gone through? Was I willing to figure it out after she stood me up tonight? She had run away with another boy instead of coming to me and now, right now, I wished she would have chosen me.
Getting in my car, I sat there for ten more minutes as I continually checked the rearview mirror. Now I was even more of an idiot who was stood up and still hoping she’d show. Letting go of someone who had owned your heart for years wasn’t an easy task.
I shut my eyes and tried to dismiss my final shreds of hope. She wasn’t coming. And as before in the trailer park, anger took over for the hurt and seared my heart shut. I wasn’t going to let her play me for a fool again.
The cold outside was a complete contrast to the boiling temperature inside my body. Pissed wasn’t even the word for what I was feeling as I stared through the glass doors looking into The Freckled Maiden. Cory was inside, in her uniform, smiling as if she hadn’t just stood me up. Her face held no expression that she was even aware of how she had destroyed me again with her choice to ignore me.
Running my hands through my hair, I seethed. I paced the pavement like a bull waiting to charge. My first instinct was to go in there and start screaming like an angry ex-boyfriend. That was some
thing my dad would do. I wanted to be nothing like him. No, I had to handle it with less anger, if that was possible.
I reined in my temper, pulled on the cold, brass handles on the door, and walked into the Maiden. My pulse was still sky high even though I was trying my best to take in deep breaths to calm myself. I probably still looked like a raging bull with my fists clenched tightly, and if I’d had a mirror I was positive my face was crimson despite the temperature outside—but this time she was going to have to face me. No more running from me and avoiding the pain she’d caused me.
Pappy had always taught me people did things for a reason we might not understand, and we needed to figure that reason out first. In other words, think before we react. There was something else here that I was missing—at least I hoped there was. Otherwise, my ego was going to be crushed that I had been stood up for no other reason than she didn’t want me. Curiosity and trying to reason why she would do that to me was more than I could take. I needed to know why, right then. I refused to live another fifteen years asking why or if I could have done something to make her want me. Or maybe I just wanted to be tortured some more so I could get angry enough to forget her.
That was when I saw her again and the rage throttled back through me. Her hair was haphazardly pulled into a ponytail, and she was wearing that uniform that highlighted all the curves she now had and taunted me with.
Cassie passed by me and I tugged on her elbow. “Was Co—” I stopped myself, inhaled deeply, and corrected myself. “…Sarah scheduled to work tonight?”
Her brows pulled together as she looked at me quizzically. “No. Actually, she called this morning and asked if we needed help tonight. I told her we always need help on a Friday night and she said she’d come in.”
Trust Me Forever (Forever Happens Series Book 2) Page 5