“It’s nothing.” She shakes her head.
“Bull.” I hit her with a mischievous smile. “Something happened. Spill.” I adjust my position on the bed slightly so that I am facing directly towards her.
“It’s really not a big deal.” She shrugs. “We kissed the night of the Halloween party.” I can’t help but laugh at how she says it. Harlee is usually balls to the wall, says what she thinks, and makes no apology. I’ve never seen her like this before.
“But then I saw him again after that and well, we may have slept together.” She drops her face into her hands.
“What? When?” I ask in shock over her confession. I had no idea any of this was going on.
“Five days ago.” She hits me with an apologetic look.
“And you’re just now telling me?” I blurt.
“I thought you’d be upset. You know because this thing with Decklan is so new, and I was afraid maybe you thought I’d screw it up by getting mixed up with his friend.”
“Are you kidding?” I crinkle my forehead in confusion. “Gavin is not Decklan. Whatever happens between the two of you is solely between you and him. Besides, I think it’s awesome,” I tack on.
“Well considering I haven’t heard from him since then, I’m not so sure.”
“Is that why you were asking if I had heard from Decklan?” I ask, finally piecing together the dots.
“I called the bar earlier and Gavin answered.” She shakes her head like she’s ashamed of her actions. “I don’t have his cell number but I gave him mine.” She tries to explain. “Anyways, I asked him if he wanted to hang out, maybe grab a bite to eat, and he told me he had to cover the bar tonight. When I suggested maybe coming up to keep him company he completely shot down the idea which obviously made me question if he was really telling me the truth.”
“Only one way to find out.” I grab my cell, scrolling through my contacts until I find the number to Deviants.
Pressing send, it rings three times before Decklan answers.
“Hey.” I blush slightly in spite of myself.
Just hearing him over the phone sends my heart galloping inside of my chest.
“Hey.” I can hear the smile in his voice as he responds.
“I just wanted to call and make sure you weren’t going stir crazy.” I laugh, picking at the blanket on my bed.
Considering it’s a Wednesday night and from what I have gathered they are pretty slow through the week, I figured this was a justifiable excuse for calling.
“Well, I probably would be if I didn’t have Matt here talking my fucking ear off.” I can tell by how he says this that I’m not the only person he’s saying it to.
I laugh when I hear Matt, one of Deviants part-time bartenders, yell something in the background.
“Shut the fuck up,” Decklan responds, though I have no idea what he’s responding to.
“Just tell Gavin to entertain him.” I laugh, getting the information I need without actually having to ask for it.
“I would if his ass was here.” I hear Matt again in the background. “Dude shut up or I’m going to cut your ass off and send you home,” Decklan warns.
“That’s surprising.” I ignore the side conversation going on with Matt and focus on the purpose of my call. “I thought he never left.” I laugh, throwing Harlee a quick glance who is clearly listening to every word and is not very pleased to hear Gavin isn’t there.
“He rarely does, unless there’s a woman involved.” His response causes my stomach to twist slightly, being the last thing I want to tell Harlee.
“Good to know.” I laugh it off. “Well, I’m gonna let you get back to it. I just wanted to say hi.”
“Okay.” I can once again hear the smile in his voice. “I’ll call you later.”
“You better,” I playfully warn.
He waits for my response, laughing lightly on the other end before finally ending the call.
Dropping my cell down onto the mattress in front of me, I don’t have a chance to say even a word before Harlee pushes off her bed.
“I fucking knew it. That fucking liar.” She paces the room, clearly trying to reign in her emotions.
“Maybe it’s not what you think” I interject.
“Bullshit.” She spins towards me. “What did Decklan say? Where is he?” she asks, seeming to already know.
“He didn’t say specifically,” I answer truthfully.
“But he’s not there right?”
“No,” I confirm.
“See, I just don’t get it. If he doesn’t want to hang out with me why not just say that? Why lie to me about having to cover the bar?”
“I don’t know.” I hate that I can’t find something else to say.
“Fuck it.” She throws her hands up. “He wants to play that way, fine. Two can play that game.” She crosses towards the closet, ripping the door open the moment she reaches it.
“What are you doing?” I watch as she shuffles through her clothes, finally pulling out a pair of jeans and a skimpy black top, throwing them across her bed.
“I’m going out,” she answers like it should be obvious. “His actions have made it very clear what he wanted from me. I’m not about to sit around and mope over a man who clearly just used me for a piece of ass.” She slides off her long sleeve t-shirt and tosses it onto the floor.
“Where are you going?”
“Angel and Jess are hitting up Metros tonight. I think I’ll join them.” She slides off her jeans, having absolutely no shame about stripping in front of me. “You should come with us,” she tacks on.
“No thanks. I’ve got to work on my project tonight. At this rate I’m never going to complete it on time,” I say, referring to the self-portrait that I’ve been working on for nearly a week and have started from scratch on three times now.
“Suit yourself.” She flips her long blonde hair over her shoulder as she turns, disappearing into the bathroom.
Shaking my head, I push off of the bed and slide on my shoes before crossing the short distance of the room. Slipping on my jacket, I grab my bag from the floor before pushing open the door and stepping into the hallway, closing it quietly behind me.
There are so many things I would rather be doing tonight, but time is not on my side right now. With my school and work schedule, I’ll be lucky if I can manage to turn in something even remotely acceptable.
At least, the labs are open twenty-four hours a day, and I can spend as much time as I need trying to finish it. I have flown through all my other assignments with next to no issue, creating some of my best work in the three short months I’ve been here, but for whatever reason I can’t seem to pound this one out. Every time I try I just end creating some generic piece that looks like I just slapped a sloppy picture of my face on the canvas, and that’s not the point.
It’s not about painting my face or my physical appearance at all for that matter. It’s about painting myself as I see me, from the inside out. Problem is, I’m not sure that I know what that me looks like anymore.
Chapter Sixteen
Kimber
“What are you doing here?” The surprise in my voice is clear.
I can’t help the wide smile that stretches across my face at the sight of Decklan. His incredible body dressed in his usual fitted t-shirt, dark jeans and black leather jacket, his messy hair falling haphazardly in front of his impossibly handsome face.
Oh dear Lord, please help me. I swear he gets better looking each time I see him as if that were even possible. Just the sight of him makes my legs tremble slightly beneath my weight.
I had no idea he was coming out this way today, let alone that I would find him standing outside waiting for me to get off work.
“I missed you.” His statement causes my chest to constrict tightly as I cross the sidewalk to where he’s leaning casually against his bike just outside of Lovett’s.
“Well, here I am,” I tease.
Grabbing the front of his shirt, I pull h
is face down to mine. The moment our lips meet the same familiar tingle surges through my body. It starts at the point of contact and slowly spreads until I can feel the effects of him everywhere.
He slows my advances, smiling against my mouth just seconds before he pulls back and stares down at me with those incredible gray eyes of his.
“Do you have a couple hours free? I want to show you something.” He runs the pad of his thumb along my chin causing me to take a sharp inhale.
“Of course,” I agree instantly. “But should I change?” I gesture to my long black top and skinny jeans, partnered with a pair of black flats.
“You’re perfect.” He drops another brief kiss to my lips. “Besides, it’s only going to be us.” His eyes twinkle mischievously.
“What are you up to?” I hit him with a curious look, not able to contain my smile.
“You’ll see,” he promises, turning to retrieve his motorcycle helmet before depositing it onto my head.
****
“Where are we?” I look up at Decklan who only gives me a wide smile and winks before tangling his fingers with mine and pulling me towards the back of the old brick building in front of us.
“Just come on.” He laughs lightly, quickening his pace.
I have no idea where exactly we are, but considering we drove for only a few short minutes to get here I’d say we aren’t that far from campus. We are surrounded by at least a handful of other buildings that seem to be set up similarly; all the same, dingy two story brick. There are intersecting sidewalks that connect to form almost a circle around the buildings.
If I had to guess, I would say they are all part of the same thing; similar to a college that is made up of several different buildings only much smaller than that. Despite the fact that it’s mid-afternoon, the entire area seems to be completely vacant. Then again it is Sunday, perhaps it’s just closed today, whatever this is.
Decklan drops my hand just as we reach the back entrance, pulling a set of keys from his pocket and inserting them into the lock without once looking in my direction. I watch him curiously as he pulls open the large steel door, gesturing for me to enter.
The moment the door latches closed I find it near impossible to see anything and my eyes have trouble adjusting from the bright sun outside to the dim interior.
Decklan once again takes my hand, pulling me towards the far wall of what appears to be a large open space. Nothing really comes into view until he flips on a light, and the entire room comes to life in an instant.
I gasp, my mind still trying to process what exactly it’s seeing. Paintings, sculptors, sketches; there is art everywhere. Every wall and empty space of the room is lined with them, stretching from floor to ceiling, tucked in corners; it’s like a book lover walking into the most exquisite library they could ever imagine. The view in front of me is absolutely breathtaking.
“Decklan.” I barely manage to speak his name, my eyes tracing every inch of the large room.
It appears as though this room is the only room, the entire building opened up into one incredible space.
“What is this place?” I finally glance in his direction to find him studying my reaction.
“The S. Hartley Art Gallery,” he says. “This is where Tim Porter brought Rosie on their first date.” A smile spreads across his face.
“But how?” I start, remembering the dinner at the Porters when Gavin’s mom told me the story.
“Tim frequented this gallery for years, bringing Rosie back here every year for their anniversary. The original owner of this gallery passed away just six months after Tim. At the funeral, his daughter gave Rosie a key, said she knew how much the gallery had meant to Tim and she wanted Rosie to be able to visit anytime she wanted. I may have asked to borrow that key,” he tacks on, his grin deepening.
“I don’t know what to say.” I turn, slowly making my way to the far left wall. There’s everything here; abstract, surrealism, expressionism. Each one is more beautiful than the one before it.
“Do you like it?” Decklan finally speaks after a long moment.
“Are you kidding?” I spin to find him standing directly next to me. “It’s incredible. All of it.” I gesture around the room.
“Rosie said most of the pieces here aren’t worth much; painted by students, freelance artists, people whose names that you would likely not recognize.”
“But that’s what makes it so brilliant,” I interject. “The most beautiful pieces are created by an artist who paints for themselves and not for money.” I turn, continuing into the room.
It’s not lost on me the magnitude of this moment. I find it hard to believe that Decklan would do something so personal, so incredible, for just anyone. The thought leaves me with a tight feeling in the pit of my stomach and makes it damn near difficult to breathe.
Glancing to my right, I catch sight of him, his gaze turned upward as he studies a rather devastating piece in front of him. It’s of man, his hands stretched outward as if reaching for something he can’t grasp. Dark clouds swirl through the background, the pain so apparent on the man’s face it’s almost like looking at a live photograph. His emotion seems to jump off the page at you.
“Amazing isn’t it?” I step up next to him, entwining my fingers with his.
“I don’t know much about art.” He shrugs, his eyes not leaving the piece in front of him.
“You don’t have to know much about art to feel the emotion the artist is trying to portray.” I squeeze his hand, pulling his attention to me. “Thank you for this.” My words are barely above a whisper. “Truly.”
“You’re welcome.” The corner of his mouth pulls up in a slow smile just moments before his lips meet mine, the kiss slow and lingering.
The contact causes my insides to burn; my body coming to life under his touch, his kiss. It’s at this moment that the truth becomes undeniably clear. I love him. It’s sudden and powerful and scares me to my core, but I can’t resist it. No matter how badly I want to...
****
“You okay?” Decklan nudges my shoulder with his as we make our way from the small diner where he took me to dinner after leaving the art gallery.
“I am.” I smile up at him, taking his hand when he offers it.
“You’ve been quieter than usual,” he observes.
I hadn’t really realized this fact until now. I guess I’ve just been so preoccupied with my realization earlier this evening that I didn’t even notice. All I can think about is where I go from here, my future, what it would look like with Decklan or worse, without him.
“Sorry. Just tired I guess.” I give him a sweet smile. “I’ve been in the lab for the last three nights trying to finish my final project of the semester. It doesn’t help that Harlee wakes me up at the crack of dawn every morning either. I think I just need to sleep for like two days straight.” My excuse is not completely untrue.
“You could always stay with me for a couple of days.” He raises his eyebrows suggestively.
“Yeah, because I’m sure I would get tons of sleep that way.” I laugh, shaking my head.
“What are you saying?” He fakes offense, his laughter abruptly cutting off as he stills beside me, his grip on my hand tightening.
“What...” My words fall off before I have a chance to finish, my eyes following Decklan’s gaze to the man and woman exiting the restaurant just up ahead to our right.
I recognize him the moment his face comes into view. Trey.
It’s clear to see he’s spotted Decklan as well, veering in our direction almost instantly.
“Well, well, if it isn’t my little brother.” Trey steps directly in front of Decklan on the sidewalk, a lengthy brunette attached to his arm, the pair all but blocking our path. “Had I known you were in town I would have invited you to join us.”
“Somehow I doubt that.” Decklan’s voice is tight, his gaze narrowed.
“You’re probably right,” he sneers. “You’d likely drink the bar dry and then tak
e home a waitress or two. Oh, wait.” His gaze turns to me, and I spot the recognition that crosses his features almost instantly. “You already found your waitress for the night it would seem.” His eyes dart between the two of us.
“Trey Taylor.” He extends his hand to me. “I believe we met a few weeks ago.”
“Kimber.” I force my voice even.
Taking his hand, I shake it lightly before pulling away. For whatever reason Decklan is not a fan of his brother, which means neither am I. I don’t even have to question it. I don’t know what the deal is with these two but regardless my loyalty stands firmly on this side.
“Kimber,” he repeats back. “This is Anita, my fiancée.” He introduces the brunette on his arm.
“Fiancée?” Decklan doesn’t try to hide the surprise in his voice.
“Yes, well perhaps this wouldn’t come as a shock to you if you actually called your family once in a while. How long has it been since you’ve spoken to Mom?” I can feel the judgment bleeding from every word he speaks.
“That’s not any of your fucking business.” Decklan seethes, clearly trying to contain the anger I can see starting to boil slowly below the surface.
“Actually, it is my business,” Trey protests. “She’s my mother too, and if you think I’m going to just stand by and not say a word while you break her heart all over again, you’re dead wrong.”
“No one is breaking her heart.” Decklan tries to act unaffected by his brother’s comment but I can see it carries more weight than he’d likely admit.
“Is it not enough that she lost Conner?” Trey spits.
My mind immediately tries to piece together what they’re talking about, but I can’t ever remember him mentioning anyone by that name.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” Decklan threatens, his grip on my hand falling away.
“Don’t I dare what, speak the truth? Just because you don’t want to admit it to yourself, doesn’t make it any less true. I tried to tell Mom to let you go, that she was better off without you, but do you think she listens to me? All she wants is for you to be in her life, and you can’t even give her that. Not even after you...”
Crazy Stupid Love (Crazy Love #1) Page 13