Austin turns and walks down the hallway and I stand, still unmoving, trying to decipher what the hell happened tonight.
When I can finally move, I walk inside straight for my bedroom and crawl into bed. After sending a quick message to both Cheyenne and Preston letting them know I am home, I am fast asleep.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Ughhh.” I let out an audible groan and put my feet on the floor. Maybe a shower will help wash away the insane guilt that is flooding my conscious. Why the hell did Austin have to kiss me?! And WHY did I like it? His lips were warm and familiar like nothing had changed.
The long hot shower and was finally helping to clear thoughts. Maybe I’ll cook up some pancakes for the crazy night owls. It must have been three-thirty in the morning before they stumbled home. I hope Becka was able to enjoy the rest of her birthday after my confrontation with Satan.
“Good morning sunshine.” Cheyenne said from under a blanket on the couch.
“Well, you’re up early, did you already eat?” I asking, knowing damn well she passed out on the couch, yet again.
“Technically speaking, I’m still in bed.” She was pulling off her blanket, revealing last night’s party attire still snug tight to her small frame.
I could barely contain my laughter. “Oh honey, you are a disaster!”
“Yeah, yeah. So, speaking of disaster…I wonder how the princess’ face looks this morning. Jesus, Mike Tyson, you want to explain what happened?”
“Seriously, I have to hear this.” Becka had emerged from her dungeon with her arms stretching above her head wearing a t-shirt, backwards might I add, and light blue sleep shorts. This was enough for me to know they must have had one hell of a night after I left. The sight alone had me back in a fit of laughter. Both girls just looked at each other and shrugged it off as if they looked completely normal.
“You two are seriously my favorite people on the planet. I am glad to see I did not ruin your birthday night in any way, shape, or form. I wish I could have stayed. I’m really sorry.” I looked over at Becka and gave her an apologetic smile.
“Ahhh, forget about it. I’m more concerned with what the hell happened. Spill it sister!”
I took a deep breath and quickly replay the confrontation in my head.
“She crossed a line. I came out of the stall and went to the sink. When I looked up, she was standing behind me. She started running her mouth saying how she couldn’t understand why Austin was ever hung up on me, yada yada yada.” I took a sip from my coffee and continued my story as the two girls watched with intent and excitement knowing the ending.
“I obviously wasn’t going to just stand there and listen to her so I called her a bitch and turned to leave. Apparently, she wasn’t done yet, so she pushed me from behind which knocked me forward. I saw red, turned around and punched that bitch like it was my J-O-B. That’s it, then I walked out and left her on the floor. I was so mad. I am not the type to fight, but I was drunk and she pushed me over the limit. And then to say that it was because I was jealous of her! Ughh!” I was getting angry all over again.
The girls looked at each other with a smile and as if they had practiced last night, they spoke in unison. “Daammmnnnnnnn!” This made me giggle and I was back in a good mood.
“Oh man I wish I was in there with you! I would have definitely thrown in a swift kick to the ribs!” Chey always did have a little violent side to her.
“Dang girl, sorry you had to deal with her, but hopefully it taught her a lesson.” Becka was usually a little more rational in a situation much like myself.
“Yeah, it’s crazy. And crazy didn’t stop there.” I lifted my cup to my mouth half way, also wanting to tell them about the kiss. It was eating away at my guilt and I didn’t know what to do.
“Whoa, wait a minute…what else was crazy about last night. Didn’t you just walk straight home.” You can always count on detective Chey to dig deeper.
“Yeah, I did, but not alone. Austin caught me outside and wanted to talk. He said I shouldn’t walk home alone, which I was fine, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. We had a nice walk to the house and talked about a few things. He told me how mad Alison was that he took my side and that she ended it.”
“What? That’s awesome! For Austin anyways. He needed to leave that bitch in the dust a long time ago.” Becka seemed happy about the news.
“Hell yeah!” Apparently so did Chey.
I wasn’t sure where I stood with that piece of information. I’m glad he is not with someone who makes him unhappy, but at the same time I feel bad and partially to blame that he is now alone.
“Anyways, we talked about how he met her and he told me about their relationship. He misses me and misses our friendship. Then we get to the apartment outside the door, he leans in, plants a hot wet kiss on my lips, turns around tells me he loves me and walks away.” Not realizing how fast I was talking, I took a deep breath and paused with my eyes wide awaiting their response. SILENCE. Really? From the peanut gallery with a million opinions? They are staring at me stunned, but not for long.
“Sawyer. What do you mean he kissed you? Did you slap him? Do I need to punch him in the balls?” Chey asked, her irritation apparent.
“O-M-G!” Was all that Becka could manage. Both still staring at me waiting for further explanation.
“I know I know, and yes. I did kiss back.” I lowered my head into my hands. “And, I liked it.”
“Of course you liked it! Its familiar and you have a history and a love connection, but what about Preston!” Cheyenne was right. What the hell am I going to do?
“Ughhh…it’s all too much. I love Austin; I always have and probably always will. This kiss is causing more confusion than I thought possible. I don’t even know how to feel right now. I am still mad at Austin for how our relationship ended and the way he treated me afterwards. And Preston is so different and so amazing. I do not want to lose Preston. I don’t even know where we stand or if it will be anything, but the way it feels right now makes my heart race. I love hanging out with him and I miss him when we are not together.” I take a deep breath. “This makes my head hurt. Do I tell him?”
“Not if you want to keep him around.” Becka makes a good point yet I feel like it’s wrong.
“Yeah, technically, you two aren’t exclusive just yet so you didn’t cheat on him. If you really like Preston and want to see where it goes, than give it a chance. Austin will always be special to you no matter what. But he doesn’t deserve your happiness right now. Preston has been the one making you smile. Give him a chance to be your someone special.” I was surprised at how right Cheyenne was. It was really good advice and that is why I loved her.
“Preston doesn’t need a chance to be special, he is so much more than that. I should call him right now and see what he’s doing today.” I headed for my room to grab my phone and as I reached the doorway I heard it vibrating on my nightstand.
“Hello”
“Good morning champ. How’s the hand?” His voice always made me smile.
“It’s fine, I iced it last night, woke up and it was good. Just a little bruised.”
“Well I’m sorry it got crazy, thanks for letting me know you made it home safely. I wish I could have been there for you to walk you home. I felt like shit the whole night, but I am glad I was still there to drive the girls home at closing. They were tore up last night!”
I giggled. “Yeah you should have seen them this morning.”
Both girls heard me and whined from the living room. “Hey, that’s not nice!”
“Anyways, want to grab lunch?” He read my mind. I didn’t get a chance to make the pancakes since our story telling session.
“Heck yeah, I’m starving.” I ran my hand over my growling stomach. The mention of food made it even worse.
“Great, I’ll be there in fifteen. Oh, and wear jeans.”
“Uh, ok. See you soon. Bye!”
I learned not to question his lack of details f
or our dates and pulled out a pair of jeans from my closet. I made my way out to the girls to tell them I was leaving, when we all heard an engine rev up. It kind of sounded like a motorcycle. Not a Harley, but a street bike. I don’t remember any of our neighbors owning a bike so I peered out the window. Down in the parking lot was a sight that could make a grown woman squeal. Preston pulled off his helmet, standing next to a Suzuki GSXR. I might need to change my panties. Sexiest. Man. Alive.
“Who is it?” Chey called from the fridge.
“Just some hot guy on a bike who is here to pick me up for lunch.”
“What! No way, I thought he drove a truck!” Becka jumped off the couch and made her way to the window with Cheyenne close behind.
“Hot Damn!” Chey squeezed my arm.
“Ouch crazy, lay off. He’s mine.” I grabbed her hand and backed away from the window to get my purse. I could hear my phone buzz letting me know he is here.
“Gotta go, girls! See you later on.” I opened the front door to head out but peeked my head back through. “Or maybe you won’t.”
They both laughed and I closed the door behind me. I was taking my time so he wouldn’t notice the over excitement I was feeling, and my way to where he was parked.
“You ready to go?” he said like it was no big deal. “Hope you’re not scared of bikes, I promise I will be safe.”
“Scared? Not a bit. I trust you. Where are we headed?” I figured I’d ask now knowing once we got on there was no chance for conversation.
“I thought I would take you back to the diner we had our first da- dinner at.” He had slipped up and made me wonder about what he thought of our relationship. We were dating, but was it something he wanted to make exclusive? He was a tough read, but today, I was determined to figure all this out.
“Sounds good, let’s go.” I reached out my hand for the helmet and he unbuckled a second one from the side clip and handed it to me. It was dark blue with white decals, and surprisingly, it matched perfectly to my white tank top and navy and teal hoodie. He helped me on and wrapped my hands around his waist.
“Just give me a squeeze if you need me to slow down or anything, okay?” he patted my hands.
“Okay. I’m sure I will be fine.” I smiled. I had a thing for speed. Whether it was on a go-kart, four-wheeler, or even the back of a horse. I love the feeling of having the wind rip through you and the silence of noise it caused. He turned the key and the sound filled the space. With one more look back, he closed his visor and I followed suit. I tightened my grip around his waist and leaned a bit forward. He revved the engine and we were off.
The whole ride to the diner was far different than the first. I wasn’t nervous this time and was enjoying the comfortable silence that the bike allowed. It made me forget about last night and helped me push Austin to the back of my mind; for now at least.
We pulled into the diner and hopped off locking our helmets to the side clips.
“Wow that was so much fun!” I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face.
“Glad you liked it. It was too beautiful outside to take the truck today.”
“Oh, I loved it. You never mentioned you had a bike.”
“Yeah, I guess it just never came up.” He shook it off and grabbed my hand to lead me inside. We sat at the same table with the same waitress as our first time here.
It was a fairly quiet lunch and I can’t help but wonder if he is thinking about last. It doesn’t seem like the right time to bring it up, so I continue to just keep up the small talk. We chatted about the usual stuff and the upcoming weeks of school and holidays.
We finished our lunch and headed back outside to the bike.
As he handed me my helmet and reached for his, he looked up at me with a hopeful smile. “So, I was wondering if you would like to come back to my house, watch a movie and hang out.”
Who could resist those eyes? “Yeah, that would be great. I’d love to.”
“Alright, let’s get out of here.”
I climb on behind him and get comfortable with my arms stretched around his waist. Dust stirs in the parking lot as we speed away and the white noise gives opportunity for my mind to wonder. We really need to talk about last night. Does he care that I fought a girl over an ex-boyfriend? Well, that’s not the reason, but I am sure that is what it looked like. Maybe he really trusts me and doesn’t care about my past. Trust. Yikes, I kissed Austin last night. The guilt is rising up in my throat and I’m thankful we can’t talk right now. I need a minute to push away these thoughts and relax. The rest of the ride I managed to keep my mind on other things like school, work, and the paper I completely forgot about and was supposed to finish today.
Meanwhile, we had turned into a neighborhood and up the drive way of a craftsmen style home that looked to be about five to ten years old. It was tan with brick red trim. The front yard was well manicured and the back was fenced in. This seemed like a really nice place for a college student to be renting and he never mentioned having roommates.
“Home Sweet Home.” He called out as the engine turned off. We both climbed off and I admired the landscaping.
“Preston, this is beautiful. The owner must take good care of it, or is the lawn something you have to take care of in the lease?”
His smile grew wide and I sensed a feeling of pride. “I am the owner. This is my house. I bought it a few years back from an older gentleman who was looking to short sale.”
“This is your house? That is crazy, you are so young.” I was in disbelief, but also in awe. He was so mature and seemed like he really had a handle on his life. It was a major turn on.
“My grandfather passed away and left me some money. I didn’t want to blow it on dumb things so my parents talked to me about investing. I put some in a CD, bought this house, and I am able to pay for college without any student loans.” He said it as if it were the easiest decisions he ever made.
“Wow that is amazing. Your parents must be proud.”
“Yeah, they are. Except for when I bought the bike. Well my mom anyway.” He shrugged and smiled.
“Ahh, yeah I could see why that might not make her too happy.” I pointed my thumb backwards at the bike behind me. “Safety and all.”
“Yeah, but she warmed up to it. I took all the driving classes and promised her I would always wear my helmet. She even let me take her for a ride around the neighborhood one day.” He smiled wide and I could tell him and his mother were close.
“That’s awesome. Well, let’s not just stand out here, I want the grand tour!”
“Absolutely, gorgeous. Right this way.” He led me to the front door and unlocked the deadbolt. It was bright from the natural lighting; the furniture was modern and most likely straight out of an Ikea showroom. The entire house was clean and it reminded me the first time I saw his truck and how nicely he took care of things. There was no doubt in my mind that the rest of the house was just as immaculate.
It was a three bedroom and two bath home. Not too big in square feet, but the high ceilings and layout showed otherwise. His bedroom was something I really took in. The walls were tan with a dark green accent wall behind his bed, which was very masculine. The furniture was dark and his bed was platform style, sitting close to the ground. I loved it. The master bathroom was bright and included a walk in closet and jetted tub. I instantly imagined us both sitting in there with candles and wine.
“What is it?” He must have noticed the slight smile that had spread across my face at the thought of the tub.
“Oh nothing, just thinking of how nice a bubble bath would be.”
His eyebrow arched and he gave me wicked smile. “We might be able to arrange that.”
I just smiled and he led me through the rest of the house. You can tell there were upgrades, especially in the kitchen and the back yard. He had a cobblestone patio, fire pit, and a grill. It was the perfect backyard for a barbeque.
“It’s so nice out tonight.” I admired the dimming sky as the sun set on t
he tree line.
“Want a drink? We can sit out here for a bit if you like.” He offered.
“That sounds great, how about wine? Do you have any Riesling?” I recently began enjoying a glass of wine to end my days after school. Becka started that tradition.
“Coming right up, make yourself at home.” He turned and headed for the kitchen and I found a spot on a cozy love seat. He returned with two glasses and a remote control. Handing me my glass, he set his down on the side table and pushed a button as sound grew from the speakers mounted throughout the patio.
“This is just what I had playing earlier, did you want to hear something in particular? I can put on whatever you like.”
“This is perfect.”
We sat and enjoyed the music for nearly twenty minutes with light conversation; merely chitchat. We got silent for a moment and I knew it was time. It had gone too long without being brought up, and I want to clear the air.
“Preston, we need to talk about last night. I need to explain what happened”
“Ok, I’m all ears.” He picked up his glass and took a small sip putting all his focus on me and what I wanted to say. It was making me nervous.
“It’s not what it looked like. I was in the bathroom and she was standing behind me at the sink. She started talking shit and I tried to leave. As I turned to walk out, she pushed me from behind so I turned around and hit her. Not my most lady like moment, but she started it.” I paused and rebutted. “That sounded childish, but it’s true. She was running her mouth about Austin and me and then she crossed the line.” I was starting to get worked up and Preston could sense it.
He reached for my hand. “Sawyer, I believe you. I’ve spent a lot of time with you and not once did I take you for someone who goes around starting fights in the bathroom. I was on your side last night too, but it’s my workplace and I had to act accordingly.”
Picking up the Pieces Page 11