Sugar Love

by Callie Bardot

  Effie didn’t like the look on his face, especially when a cold smile appeared, making him look like the Joker.

  “Tell you what,” he said, stroking his jaw. “How about a little competition to settle things?”

  “What kind of competition?” Zander asked.

  “Let go of my girlfriend and I’ll tell you.” Bryant fixed an icy stare on Zander.

  “Don’t try anything,” Zander hissed in Trisha’s ear. He released her arms and she wrenched herself away.

  “You, of all people, can’t tell me what to do,” she said, whirling to face him.

  Bryant pulled her toward him, tugging on her upper arm. “Trisha. Cool it. Now.” He turned to the crowd. “Who’s up for a bet?”

  “I’m in,” a male called from the back of the room. “Will it be these two, naked, in a pit of mud?”

  Several people laughed, draining the tension from the room.

  “Not exactly,” Bryant said. He grinned, stalking in a circle. “We’re going to see how well these two ladies do on a rock wall, in a climbing competition. What do you say?”

  “Will they be naked?” the same male in the back called.

  More people laughed.

  “That’s up to them,” Bryant said, clearly enjoying the attention. “The winner will donate her money toward our climbing competition. Let’s say your bet doubles on the winner.” He grinned.

  “No fucking way am I going to allow this,” Zander asked.

  “What? Think she’ll lose?” Bryant said, smirking. “You can take the few dollars people bet on your horse and do whatever you like.”

  “My money’s on Zander’s girl, then. I won’t lose as much,” someone said.

  A few people laughed.

  Effie shrank inside. She didn’t like being ogled at a party, and the thought of climbing with a bunch of onlookers sounded revolting. I’ll probably fall, hanging from the rope like a spider.

  “Trisha doesn’t climb,” Zander said. “She’s worried about breaking a nail.” He smirked at her.

  A look of utter superiority flashed across Trisha’s face. She pushed a few wet strands of hair out of her face. “I never climbed with you, Zander. You were too busy to show me how it’s done, too busy being a superstar on the wall.”

  “I was not,” Zander said. His expression turned into wounded fury like he’d been punched in the stomach by his best friend. His hands coiled into fists.

  “You were, too. I tried to get you to take me to Rock Nirvana. ‘I have to train, Trish,’ you always told me. ‘There’s a big competition coming up, Trish,’ you’d say. And, you never made time for me. Well, guess what? Bryant shows me everything. He cares.”

  Zander’s face fell as if Trisha’s words were true.

  “Don’t let her get to you, man,” Dante said, putting his hand on Zander’s upper arm.

  Effie, standing opposite Zander, cringed. Dante’s right. Don’t take the bait, Zander.

  Zander, mouth agape, stared at Trisha.

  Trisha flashed her supermodel smile at him as if she’d won.

  The heat pouring from her eyes let Effie know the truth: Trisha still wanted Zander. All her bluster about him being a cripple probably served to cover up her true feelings.

  The intensity flowing from Zander told a different story. It spoke to the depth of love he once shared, and might still share, for Trisha.

  Effie groaned inside. I never stood a chance.

  “We’re going to do The Ascent at Rock Nirvana,” Bryant said. “That’s the hardest climb there, for those who don’t know. It will be a timed ascent. Trisha knows that wall inside and out.

  Oh, no, not The Ascent. Effie’s heart sank.

  Trisha straightened. She threw up her hands like a boxer about to enter the arena. “Who’s in? Your money’s best placed on me.”

  People started calling out huge sums.

  Bryant snapped at a nearby waiter, “Get someone to document this, now.”

  Effie caught Zander staring at her. She didn’t want him to look at her. She wanted to shrink from the room and disappear, never laying eyes on him again.

  “Don’t do it,” he mouthed. “Please. I’m begging you.”

  “I have to,” she said, her heart crumbling. Tears stung her eyes. “For you.” He’d done so much for her already. Who cared it he had other girlfriends?

  “Okay, everyone. Make your way to Rock Nirvana. Where’s Logan?” Bryant said, clearly relishing the attention. “Logan?”

  “I’m in the back,” Logan called. “The Rock’s closed. It’s 11pm.”

  “Make some calls. I’ll rent the whole space at a premium. This competition is on.” Bryant grinned, triumphant.

  That’s when Effie escaped.

  Chapter 30

  Effie

  Effie, desperate to get out of the limelight, sped for the exit. After removing her stupid heels, she weaved through the unruly crowd, pushing and shoving her way toward the front door. Along the way, she knocked over a tray of glasses a waiter balanced in one hand.

  The glasses landed with an explosive clatter, shattering into jagged shards.

  “Oh, shit,” the waiter said.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Effie said, still in flight. Spying the cat-eyed staff person who took her coat, she called, “Miss. Miss. I need my jacket.”

  The cat-eyed woman nodded. She turned to look behind her and said something to the pimple-faced teen who had presumably hung the wrap.

  The teen returned and handed the coat to the cat-eyed woman.

  The cat-eyed woman handed the coat to Effie. “Here you go.”

  Effie took it and bolted out the front door.

  The night air wafted around her, cool and fragrant, scented with night-blooming flowers. She had no idea where she was headed. Bits of gravel stabbed her stockinged feet. She made her way onto a cushy, damp lawn and kept going. She didn’t know where the car had been parked. She only wanted to escape.

  “Effie! Wait! Where are you going?” Zander called from behind her.

  Her pace increased.

  He swiftly caught up to her, seizing her upper arm.

  “Go away. I can’t be here. I don’t belong. You should be with Trisha,” Effie blurted, dropping her shoes, then pressing her palms to her face. The dream of being in a real relationship with Zander King fell to the ground like shattered glass.

  “What? Why would I want to be with that bitch?” He gripped her upper arms.

  “Because you love her.” Tears began falling down her cheeks.

  “Effie, stop. Look at me.”

  Blinking back tears, she lifted her gaze to meet his. “It’s obvious you have deep feelings for her.”

  He scoffed. “What, like rage and hatred? I’m sorry I ever met her.”

  “What do you mean? There was so much feeling on your face when you looked at her. And she’s still not over you. The way she looks at you…” Effie shuddered. “Maybe you still sleep with her. It’s none of my business, but….”

  “Effie,” he said. He spoke through gritted teeth, his breathing fast and shallow. “The last thing on the planet I ever want to do is sleep with Trisha Banks. Why would you think that?”

  Effie shook her head. I found her lingerie in your pantry…under your bed. The memory sent ice picks of pain shooting through her veins. She grabbed Zander’s wrists for support. “I’m an idiot. Tonight…it felt like a fantasy. It felt like we were a couple…like we were together. But we both know the terms of the contract. At the end of the summer, I’m to disappear. No contact. And you’ll end up with someone of your caliber…your income level. And that woman won’t be me.” A horrible ache split her insides, as if something was being ripped from her heart.

  Zander threw up his hands, fingers splayed. He paced in a tight circle before coming to a stop before her. “Effie, stop…I’m not looking for a wealthy woman. Before I went to that party, I wasn’t looking for anyone. I still have scars from Trisha Banks.”

  Veins thro
bbed in Zander’s neck as he studied her. “But then I met you.” His brown eyes softened, beckoning her to fall into them.

  Her body leaned forward of its own accord, as if she might just dive back into the fantasy of being with him.

  “There’s a good reason I worded the contract the way I did,” he said. His gaze became impenetrable, causing her to jerk away.

  “I’m sure there is,” she said, dully, her heart solidifying into a wall of ice.

  “It’s not you. It’s me. You’ll thank me one day.”

  “How can you say that? Are you some depraved individual? A serial killer?” A short laugh burst from her throat.

  A sheen of sweat covered his brow.

  Effie blinked. “You’re scaring me, Zander. What aren’t you telling me?” She took a step back.

  He drew in a long breath. “I’m trying to protect you,” he said. “You can’t go through with this competition.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

  “What?” She scoffed. “Trying to protect me from being shown up by an experienced climber? News alert. I already know I’m going to fail.”

  “Good God, Effie, that’s not what I’m thinking. You’re a good climber. And Trisha only thinks about her appearance. I doubt if she’s as good as she says she is. Frankly, I’m stunned to hear she climbs.”

  “So, back there…what she said about you being too busy to show her how to climb…was that true? You seemed hurt when she said that.” Effie cast her gaze away from him. “Like it was true, and you’d been busted.”

  He answered in a voice so strained and tight she barely recognized it.

  “We had a fucked-up relationship.” Zander grimaced. “It was partly true that I brushed her off the one time she asked for my help. I had a competition the next day, so it wouldn’t have been a good time to show her anything. But, she stormed away before I could say ‘let’s make a date to climb’ or anything like that. And, to be honest, I never longed for her to be a climbing partner. I had loads of proficient friends for that.

  “We never did anything outdoors except pose for pictures. She hated my outdoor world…the fact I had other friends…activities I adored that had nothing to do with her. She criticized me all the time. We fought, and fought, and fought.” He bit out the words. “She was jealous of the time I spent doing something I enjoy. And, she usually griped about the dirt, her nails, and how the sun would dry out her hair if we even stepped foot outside. I’m surprised to hear she’s trained with Bryant.”

  He let out a heavy sigh. “And you said I looked stunned. More like betrayed. First, to accuse me of not being there for her in front of all those people…” He shook his head. “And, then to find out she’s done The Ascent with Bryant, of all people. There’s got to be an angle to her training.”

  The angle is you, Effie worried the belt of her coat, fumbling with it.

  “I’m sorry I accused you of wanting to be with her. I…” She shook away thoughts of I want to be with you, and I want you to want me.

  Zander reached out and placed his hands on her upper arms.

  The contact felt tentative…light…like he might disappear into the bank of summer fog descending from the hills.

  “Effie. I don’t want to be with Trisha Banks. You were the only person I could see tonight. The only one.” He leaned down and brushed her lips with his.

  Zander pulled out of the kiss. His gaze bore into hers, penetrating and deep. “But the contract…” He hesitated, appearing to search for words. “I don’t trust myself to be with anyone. Not after what I went through with her.”

  His words drew longing from her. Give me a chance, she wanted to scream. I’m not her.

  The murmurs of the crowd filled the air.

  He glanced at them and turned back to her. “These people want a show, you know. You’re not going to do it. The Ascent is hard.” His dark gaze bore into her.

  “I know it is, but I want to try,” she whispered.

  “No. It’s too great a risk.” He wrapped her in his arms and held her close against his warm, solid torso.

  She wished she could melt into him and disappear. But she knew she had to step up to the plate. “You said you had to come to this party tonight to not show weakness. I probably won’t win the competition but think how it will look if I don’t at least try. You’ll be there to belay me, right?”

  “Of course, but…”

  She gently pushed away. “But, nothing. I have to do this. Tonight you’ve been able to reconnect with your past. Let me give you this, too. You matter, Zander. You matter to me.”

  “You don’t know what she’s capable of.” His chest heaved a ragged breath. “I can’t let you compete against her.”

  Determination solidified like forged iron in her belly. “Zander, there will be people everywhere. If she’s as worried about her image as you say she is, I doubt if she’ll pull something in front of them. I’m doing this. For me, as much as for you. You can’t stop me. I’m doing this,” she said again.

  Zander’s shoulders fell away from his ears. “Effie, I…I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say you’ll get the car and take us to Rock Nirvana.” She fixed a steely gaze on his dark eyes.

  “Hey, King, are you in or have you and your plaything bailed?” Bryant yelled from somewhere near the house.

  Effie stepped away from Zander. She cupped her hands around her mouth and said, “We’re in, asshole. We’ll meet you there.”

  When they arrived at Rock Nirvana, the well-lit parking lot was packed with Mercedes, BMWs, Teslas, antique roadsters, and more.

  Effie gulped, staring at all the people pouring from their vehicles.

  “You sure about this?” Zander said, putting the car in park.

  “Absolutely. I’ve never been more certain.” She flashed a fierce glance at Zander. “Let’s go.” She pushed open the door and swung her legs out of the vehicle.

  “My money’s on you, babe,” a skinny guy with a bow tie said to her as she slid from the Lexus.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “Especially if you climb naked.” He grinned.

  Effie cringed. Oh. That guy.

  “Not happening,” Zander said, rounding the car to stand beside her. “Now, move along and be a good little spectator.” He waved his hand at the bow-tie guy, then turned back to Effie. “Let’s get your gear and climbing clothes. I’ll grab my workout clothes.”

  She smirked, tugging on his lapels. “You might look good belaying me in such a sharp suit.”

  He scoffed. “And I might not be able to do my job properly in this too-well-fitting-to-move-properly outfit.”

  They retrieved their gear out of the trunk and strode toward the front door, pushing through the crowd.

  Logan stood at the entrance, a ring full of keys in his hand. He fiddled with the keys to find the right one. Then, he turned to Effie.

  “You’ve got this, girl. Smooth and steady. The overhang’s a bitch but not so bad if you approach it from the left side,” he said, in a low voice.

  “He’s right,” Zander said, putting his warm hand on the small of her back. “Approach from the left. There’s a hard to find handhold just over the rise. It’s not obvious. Most people search for the obvious. Use your fingertips to sense it with a delicate touch. You’ll know when you find it. It practically vibrates with excitement at being discovered.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Logan said, fitting the key in the lock. He twisted it open. “I know that one. You’re right, Zander.” He opened the door, turned, and yelled, “I need to get the room set up, lights on and all that. Hold tight for a minute.”

  He ushered Effie and Zander in and locked the door behind him.

  While Logan scurried about, Zander tugged Effie into the climbing area. They studied the overhang, the same way they studied every climb, mapping out her route.

  “As you climb toward the overhand, you’re going to step, steady yourself, then swing your hips against the wall to prepare for the next step. It�
�s step, swing, step, swing, traversing upward sideways until you get to that red and blue hold. See it?”

  She nodded.

  “Keep your center of gravity close to the wall so you can put the weight on your feet. Remember your backstep.”

  “Backstep, center close to the wall. Got it.” She hugged her arms against her belly, jitters of excitement dancing through her.

  “Now, this is important. When you get to that edge up there, it’s important that you hook your heel over the edge, then pull yourself over. Beginning climbers forget their feet once they’re over the lip, relying on arm and finger strength. If you do that, you’ll fail for sure.”

  “Heel hooks. Don’t forget my feet.” Effie nodded again.

  The din of voices rose, letting her know the crowd had been let in.

  Her belly did a couple of flip-flops.

  “Your arms are going to be fatigued once you’re over the edge. Give yourself a rest against that big hold. Use a kneebar technique.”

  People surged into the room.

  “Kneebar. Got it. I’ve got to go get dressed,” Effie said, glancing at the crowd behind her anxiously. She chewed the inside of her cheek.

  Zander placed his hands on her upper arms, brushing up and down. He looked intently into her eyes. “You’ve got this.”

  “I’ve got this,” she parroted.

  “I’ll be right here,” he said.

  He looked as nervous as she felt.

  “Thank you,” she said, “for believing in me.”

  “You’ve got this,” he said, again.

  She picked up her bag and scurried into the women’s room. There, she swiftly removed her dress and coat, shoved them into a locker, and donned her climbing leggings and sleeveless top. She sat on one of the benches near the lockers to put on her shoes.

  As she tied them, Trisha sashayed through the door, coming to a stop when she spied Effie. Her hair had been combed back into a neat ponytail and she no longer smelled like a distillery. She wore different clothes than at the party like she had showered, dressed, and a team of experts had applied her makeup to perfection.