****
Early the next week we had an office party to celebrate Mr. Wright's birthday. It wasn't a big deal. His wife had catering done by his favorite taco truck, and we sang happy birthday, ate some cake and (those of us who wanted to) drank a glass of wine.
I left the office at a little after seven o'clock with just enough of a buzz to be in the mood for some loud music. I pulled my cell phone from the bottom of my purse so I could choose a song to sing along to. There was a text on my phone from Collin.
"Swimming late. I'll be home around eight. See you then, unless you want to come by here." I decided to go by the aquatic center on my way home. It was a little out of the way, but I didn't mind. I loved to watch Collin swim, and I didn't get to do it often enough.
I'd never seen L.A. Aquatics so dead. The door was unlocked, but the front desk was unmanned and most of the lights were switched off. I made my way down the long corridor that led to the main pool where I hoped to find Collin. When I got close enough to peer into a window, I could see the lone figure making waves in the pool. I knew it was Collin even though all I could see was the rotation of his arms and the back of his head as he swam.
I made my way to the end of the pool. He still had a turn to make before he'd be headed back to me. I could watch him swim all day. Those broad shoulders were like a well-oiled machine, and his arms sliced through the water like blades.
He spotted me standing at the side of the pool, because when he reached the edge where I stood watching, he stopped, pulling his goggles and cap off in one fluid motion. He smiled up at me and puckered his lips like he was expecting me to bend down and kiss him.
"You're gonna have to come a little closer," I said, "I'd fall in if I tried to stoop that low."
"What's wrong with falling in?" Collin asked, but even as he asked it, he was lifting the top half of his body out of the water. The defined muscles of his chest, abs and arms flexed under his weight as he sprang up for a kiss. Water streamed off of him in the little valleys between muscles. It was so beautiful that it was almost comical… like something in a beer commercial. I got that same nervous flutter in my gut as I bent to place a kiss on his wet lips.
"Why don't you come in? Nobody's here." He kicked off the wall and floated on his back, showing me how relaxing the whole experience was.
"Nobody?" I asked.
"Nobody," he said.
I knew he was asking to be nice, and he never in a million years expected me to consider it. I was straight off a long day at the office, and I had on a business suit, after all. For whatever reason, I decided on a whim to take him up on the offer. I'd never been in the water with Collin before, and I was looking forward to seeing him in his element. I walked over to a nearby chair and began unbuttoning my shirt.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" I heard Collin say. The next thing I knew, he was out of the water and walking toward me.
"Wait," I said, a little scared of the soaking wet-ness that was walking toward me. "Let me get my clothes off so I have something to wear out of here." Collin put his hands on the back of his head and looked to the ceiling like the thought of me taking my clothes off was too much for him to bear… like he couldn't wait another second to put his hands on me. I put my shirt, skirt and pantyhose in a neat pile, leaving my bra and panties in their place on my body.
"You leaving that stuff on?" Collin asked. He gestured to my mid-section.
"I thought so," I said, starting to feel a little shy. "It's as close as I'm gonna get to a bikini with this short notice."
Why can't you just wear nothing at all?"
"Because we're in a public place."
"And nobody's here."
"How do you know that for sure?"
"Because Phillip was the last one here, and he left an hour ago. He told me to set the alarm when I left."
"Are you sure he won't be coming back?" I asked, unable to believe I was even considering it.
"Positive," he said, "take it off." I gave him an injured look at the authority in his tone. "I'm not playing," he continued. "It's too late now. You're gonna end up out of those things anyway, so you might as well keep them dry." Even though he wore a smile, I could see the look of determination in his eyes. I started to wriggle out of my undies. I must not have been moving fast enough for him because he started counting down.
"You're going in in five, four, three…"
"Ahhh!" I squealed, trying to shimmy at top speed. I barely had my panties off before he scooped me up and carried me to the pool. He was still soaking wet but I didn’t mind anymore. I loved the feel of being cradled in his strong arms, wet or not.
"There aren't any stairs, you know." Collin was looking a little apologetic, which scared me.
"What's that mean?" I asked.
"The water's warm anyway," he said, smiling.
"I'm scared."
"Don't be scared," he bent to whisper in my ear, "I'm a good swimmer." He let my feet fall slightly so I wouldn't do a back buster when I hit the water. He threw me in feet first then jumped in after me. I came up out of the water with my hair slicked back in one long wet mass down my back. I clung to the side of the pool with my left hand while using the back of my right hand to keep the mascara from running down my face. Collin emerged from the water and trapped me against the side of the pool. His jammers had come off sometime in the last few seconds. I could feel the evidence of that pressing against me under the water.
"Collin, we can't do that here, I mean, skinny dipping is one thing, but you weren't thinking we were going to... were you?"
"Well don’t act like it’s all my fault… you're the one that started it by getting naked." My eyes widened and I looked around.
"You can't be serious," I said, shocked. I certainly wasn't accustomed to doing things like this in a public place.
"I promise we're alone," he said, reaching down to place a soft kiss on my jaw, then my ear. His gentle touch made me shiver.
"Can we even do this in the water?" I whispered.
That was all the permission Collin needed.
He gave me a slow grin before he went back to work kissing my face and neck. Within seconds he was inside me, showing me just how easily "this" could be done in the water.
The now familiar intrusion was so wonderfully unfamiliar in this setting. Collin spent a good part of his existence in the water, and I felt like our experience in the pool was a sort of my initiation into his world.
****
The rest of that week flew by, and before I knew it our party was just two days away.
I found myself staring at the full-length mirror in my bedroom. Maggie Cooper, the stylist that I called in a pinch, brought over at least fifteen dresses for me to try on for the party. Half of them were white, and I assumed it was because I mentioned to her that I didn't get to wear white at the wedding.
We strategically planned her arrival for when Collin was training at the pool, so he wouldn't be able to see my dress. Maggie and Gretchen were both sitting in my living room, waiting for me to come out. I was on dress number six, but I knew before I even went out there that this was the one. It just felt right.
"Oh, Rachel, it's amazing. I think it's the one. Don't you?" Maggie was moving about, poking and prodding at me with a stylist's eye. Gretchen had her hand over her mouth in obvious approval.
"I think I love it," I said, giving a little twirl.
"You'd be crazy not to. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Gretchen was crossing the room, headed for my bedroom. "Do you care if I try on a couple, just for kicks?"
"Aww, I'm sorry Gretchen, I should have thought about bringing you a few to try," Maggie said. "I think you'll fit into these, though, if you want to play. If you like one, we'd just have to let out the hem since you're a little taller."
"Oh I'm not looking to buy anything. I just wanted to play, like you said."
"I'll be happy to chip in on one if it's for the party."
"You keep forgetting you don't
have to chip in on things anymore," Gretchen said with a wink.
"That's right, Money Bags," I said, which drew a curious glance from Maggie.
"What'd ya hit the lottery?"
"Nooooo," Gretchen said, batting her eyes. "You're looking at a leading lady."
"Get out!" Maggie gasped. "What the heck are you staring in, and why am I the last to know? You should be getting some celebration clothes." Gretchen laughed and then actually seemed to consider the notion of doing some celebration shopping.
"I was just planning on wearing a dress I already have to Rachel and Collin's party, but maybe you can bring a few everyday things over for me to look at sometime."
"I'd love to. It'd be fun. But you have to tell me what role you got, sister?"
"Oh, Her name is Abigail Wentworth. She's on a show called—"
"Passion Island?" Maggie asked, amazed. "Abby's coming back? Oh God, I knew she'd be back. Where are they gonna say she's been all this time? I think the last actress who played her was a kid! I forgot what happened to her, though. She's Cruise and Debora's daughter, right?"
Gretchen lit up at Maggie's excitement. "Cruise and Deborah thought she was dead all this time, but viewers knew she was taken by Stefan Romero years ago."
"Ohhh yeah, I remember that," Maggie said, looking like she was seeing it all in her mind's eye. Gretchen was loving the fact that Maggie was a fan. "I'm so excited for you Gretchen, and I can't wait to see you on the show. I catch it at least three times a week. Have for years. I'll probably record it every day now that I know Abby Wentworth!"
"I could bring you with me to the studio sometime," Gretchen said.
"Are you serious? That would be awesome! I've worked as a stylist on a few things, but nothing I was a real fan of. I'm actually a fan of that show. Pardon me if I'm a little starstruck right now, Abby." We were all laughing at that when Maggie gasped, realizing she'd forgotten to ask something really important. "Who's she gonna hook up with? Oh, there are some good candidates right now. You have Derek, Vic, Lance, Ashton… do you know who she goes for yet? Eeeeee! I love this. Gretchen, this really is cool news."
"I know," Gretchen said. "It's pretty exciting. And, no, I only have scripts for the first few episodes. My character doesn't start filming for another two weeks. That last bit of information must have made Maggie think two weeks notice, which made her think of Gretchen's old job. She turned to me with sympathy in her expression.
"Aww, I'll bet you're gonna miss her, huh?"
"Like crazy," I said. "But we'll still be friends, obviously. I just won't see her at work."
For the second time in as many minutes, Maggie gasped as if she'd just remembered something. "I can't believe I forgot to mention this… I'm just distracted with all the Paradise Island talk, but I totally saw Rachel's man on Good Day America the other day." Maggie looked over at me and continued, "You told me he was going to be on, remember? I had to work during that time, but I recorded it. I should've known with how gorgeous you are that he would be a total hunk. That inventor guy with him wasn't too shabby either. Isn't he your client?"
"Yeah, Joel Perrin's his name. He'll be at the party if you want to meet him."
"Well, heck yeah! Is he single?" Maggie asked. Gretchen didn't know it, but I saw her head fly up so she could see my response.
"Single and rich," I said, just to see if I could get a reaction from her.
Gretchen just stared ahead with an unreadable expression. When she finally spoke, it was to say… "I think I'm going to bring someone to the party. I think I'll ask one of the guys at P.I. to come with me. I hung out with a few of them the other night and they're all really nice."
"Who, who, who, who, tell me who." Maggie said beginning to bounce.
"Probably Caleb Scott, the guy who plays Ashton. He was a really cool guy, and he gave me his number." Gretchen was saying it as if the plans were solidifying in her head by the second.
"Oh, Ashton's a good choice." Maggie was bubbling over with anticipation, her dark curly ponytail bouncing. "This gonna be fantastic… I officially can't wait for your party, Ray!"
Chapter 24
Collin
Jimmy and Rita, Rachel's mom and dad, stayed in the spare bedroom of our apartment the night before the party. Rachel wanted to put them up in a hotel, but they'd always stayed with her in the past, so I didn't want to make them change their routine just because I'd moved in. Besides, I was having fun getting to know them. It was easy to see where Rachel had gotten her sweet personality.
The girls had gone to the salon to get hair and faces done for the party tonight, leaving Jimmy and me to fend for ourselves for lunch. He asked me if I wanted to grab a burger, which sounded like a wonderful idea. He was a big fan of In and Out Burger, and he rarely got to eat there since the chain hadn't made it to Oregon.
"Did Rachel's mother tell you her friend Brit from high school is coming to the party tonight to surprise her?" He was talking around a mouth full of burger. For a thin man, he sure was all fired up over this lunch.
"No," I said, giving him a surprised look. Rachel had told me about her friend Brit. She was studying art at a college in Seattle, and although they kept in touch via email, they rarely got to see or even talk to each other. "I knew she sent an invitation, but I thought she said Brit was too busy with school."
"Brit's been in touch with Rita. They've got it all planned out. She'll be there tonight. It's good to know Rachel has no idea."
"No idea at all," I said. "She'll be thrilled.
We shared a few minutes of comfortable silence while we pounded the tasty burgers. Jimmy was the next to speak.
"We saw you on Good Day America the other day. Rita's watched the interview about twenty times on YouTube. That Perrin guy seems to think you'll make the Olympic team next summer."
"I hope so. It's looking like I have a pretty good shot at it."
"Well, that sure would be exciting for all of us." Jimmy smiled and stared blankly like he was remembering something.
"What?" I asked, unable to resist.
"I just thought about something from the time at Disney when Rachel first met you," he said, still smiling. Rachel had filled them in on everything that had gone down when we met three years ago, but Jimmy was obviously still putting some of the pieces together. "We went to that swimming showcase deal, and Rachel went nuts in the stands when you guys came from behind on that last race." He chuckled, still remembering the moment. "That was so unlike her to jump up and cheer about sports… I asked what got into her and she said she just liked U Cal." Now we were both smiling. He was enjoying the memory, and I was enjoying picturing her cheering for me in the stands.
On our way out, Jimmy got another burger for the road. He laughed about how Rita was going to kill him because his dress pants were already fitting a little snug. I told him he could walk it off by taking a tour through my new training facilities.
Even though my coach and teammates weren’t there on the weekend, I took him by L.A. Aquatics so he could see the place where I spent so much of my time. He asked me a thousand questions about the sport, making me feel like he was genuinely interested and excited about my job.
By the time we got back to the apartment, the girls had already finished with their salon appointment. Rachel looked gorgeous, despite the fact that she still had on her bum-clothes (as she called them), which included cargo shorts and Birkenstocks.
****
The next four hours passed in a blur, and before I knew it, we were pulling into the parking lot at The Mirror Garden. My little brother and sister (who were both still living at home) rode up with my parents. The four of them had arrived already, and Meredith, my eighteen-year-old sister, had already blown up my phone, texting me about how "off the chain" The Mirror Garden was.
My family was waiting at the front entrance when we arrived. They wanted to be the first to greet us. I could tell my mom with a little miffed by the fact that Rachel's parents showed up with us. She was miffed ab
out Rachel in general, and I had no idea why.
We spent a few minutes near the entrance of The Mirror Garden while the two families stumbled through introductions. My dad, brother, and sister were all predictably nice, but I could see my mom's passive aggressive personality rear it's ugly head. It was awkward enough that I almost made a joke about it in front of everyone, but I figured that would just make matters worse.
"Looks like Colita's not a girl after all! You didn't have to get married just to prove your manhood."
I knew it was Brett Nye before I even turned around. I hadn't seen the guy in two years, but I knew he was living in L.A., so I sent him an invitation. My marriage wouldn't have been complete if Brett hadn't made a girl joke about it, and his timing couldn't have been more perfect. I was so ready to get Rachel away from my mom.
"Sup dude? I haven't seen you in forever," I said, bumping shoulders with him.
"I know man, it's been a long time. You look good. I heard you could go all the way next year."
"Fingers crossed," I said.
"How is this place?" Brett asked, motioning past us through the entryway.
"I actually have no idea," I said, thankful for the distraction. "We just got here. I'd like to see it myself."
"Well what are you doing standing out here?" He asked, not even noticing tension that radiated from my mother. I was thankful for the excuse to separate from them. My dad could just deal with whatever mood she was in. At least it didn't seem to be affecting Rachel, and that's all I cared about. I introduced Brett to everyone as we walked into the venue.
My little sister was right. This place was off the chain. It was exactly like the name made it sound. A whimsical garden constructed of mirrors and glass. Some of the glass was blown, and some of it was Mosaic. Almost everything had a reflective quality to it that made the atmosphere truly one of a kind. Rachel was blown away, I could tell. I wasn't even able to look at the beautiful works of art because I was so consumed with watching her reactions to it. She was an absolute vision in white with all of that color and sparkle behind her. It was nothing new for me to marvel at how lucky I was to have her, but seeing her like this made me feel something indescribable. It's not enough to say I felt lucky. I felt whole.
Three Years Later Page 16