by Jillian Dodd
And crying.
He grabs me again and pushes me against the wall.
He's strong, but I know I can take him if I have to.
"I don't want to hurt you, Aiden."
He looks like he's going to try to kiss me, but he pulls me into a tight hug instead. Just like he did that night outside my dorm.
Which makes me cry harder.
"You've got to tell me why you're crying," he whispers. "Stop trying to deal with it all yourself."
"Let go of me."
"Will you tell me?"
"Yes."
He lets go of me, so I grab my phone, scroll to a photo, and hand it to him.
"This is why I'm leaving. I can't take having one more person I care about threatened. Zoom in. Look closely at his head. He's in danger because he said he loved me. I can't be seen with you. I can't be with you if you won't promise me!"
Aiden plops down on the bed and studies the photo. "That's horrible," he finally says. "You'll seriously leave if I don't promise?"
"Yes. In all situations regarding the stalker, security, and safety, it's imperative that you do exactly as I say. Not what you think you should do."
He frowns but says, "Fine. I promise to defer to you regarding those issues."
"You always ask me if I trust you, but do you trust me, Aiden? Aside from the stalker issues, if I have an acting career in the future, you'll have to trust me. You'll have to believe me over the tabloids. Because they will say that I'm having an affair with my costar. That our chemistry is amazing. Or that I'm doing my hot bodyguard."
"Will you always tell me the truth? From now on?"
"Yes. In fact, speaking of hot bodyguards . . ."
"Do you have one of those I don't know about?"
"Actually, yes. Coach Steele. Cooper. He was brought in after the Miami incident."
"You've told a lot of lies."
"Surprisingly, I haven't told that many, and I've only lied when absolutely necessary."
I dig through my purse, pull out a little journal, and hand it to him. "It's my Lie List."
When he finishes reading, he looks up at me and smirks. "So, you did recognize me as the goalie that day in the cafeteria, huh?"
"Out of all the lies I've told you, that's the one you're focusing on?"
He pushes me down on the bed, lies on top of me, and talks into my neck. "You liked me."
"I didn't know you."
"Still," he says, his lips kissing slowly down my chest.
"You were too cute for your own good." I move my hands down his back, loving the feel of his weight on top of me.
"Now that I have you under my control," he says with a charming grin. "I'll ask you about the other lies."
"Like what?"
"My name is on the list more than anyone else's."
"That's because you ask so many questions."
"Tell me who Garrett is."
"Garrett Smith. He owns a personal security firm. The best in the industry."
"Damian hooked up with groupies and skinny dipped with my sister? Those weren't lies to protect your identity."
"Those were little white lies. Like when you told me I was beautiful even when I was really a crying, snotty mess."
"That wasn't a lie."
I roll my eyes at him. "Uh, huh. Whatever."
"Aberly/Abernathy and Fritz?"
"Abby and Tommy. Damian almost spilled the beans."
"When you said you saw your uncle. That's when you went to the club and danced? Then, the next week, the girl got murdered and you went back?"
"Yes."
"I told you that you would fight back. I shouldn't have said that. I had no idea."
"I'm going to continue to fight back."
"Just know that I'll help in any way you'll let me."
"That's what I don't think you understand, Aiden. You've already helped me more than you know. All the times you've listened to me when I was having a meltdown. Your hugs. The sunsets. They all helped me prepare."
"Prepare?"
"For the showdown. It happens in every story. You know, the battle. The fight. The climax. Do or die. I needed my time at Eastbrooke to figure out some things. To figure out myself."
"I think--" he starts to say, only to be interrupted by my phone ringing.
I grab my phone off the nightstand and look at the caller ID.
"It's Cooper. I need to answer." I hit accept and say, "Hey, Cooper."
"What time is brunch?"
"I haven't heard from Riley yet, but let's plan on eleven-thirty."
"Sounds good. I assume since I didn't hear from you that Aiden took the news well?"
"Yeah, he did. Have you talked to Garrett? Do you know if things were contained?"
"He's my next call."
I end the call and peek at the clock. "I suppose we should get ready."
"I'm gonna go hop in the shower," Aiden says. "Care to join me?"
I glance at the clock again then say, "Definitely."
Meet me at the beach.
Brunch
Cooper knocks on our door five minutes before we're supposed to meet Peyton, Damian, Ariela, and Riley for brunch.
Aiden answers the door as I run the brush through my hair one last time and gloss my lips.
"So, what did Garrett say?" I ask Cooper as we're walking down the hall toward the elevators.
"So far, so good. There were a few students who made mention of it, but his computer gurus immediately sent them messages with viruses. As soon as they opened them, Garrett's team got control of their accounts and deleted them. They were up for a very short time. We still have two teams on Vincent, watching him. Just to be sure."
"Is the school calendar something the public can view?"
"No," Aiden says. "You have to log in to see it, remember?"
"Oh, yeah. So he wouldn't know that we're out for Christmas break."
"That's why we're watching him," Cooper says.
My phone buzzes with a text.
Tommy: I just got the revised script for this week. Would you like to get together tonight, have dinner, do a read-through?
Me: I would love that. I'll have Cooper with me. And Aiden too, if that's okay.
Tommy: Aiden is the God of All Hotties?
Me: You better not call him that.
Tommy: How about Goah for short?
Me: Not funny.
Tommy: I'm at Matt's apartment. You remember the address?
Me: Yes. I'm having brunch with Damian. He's staying there this week, I think.
Tommy: That's right. Him, his girlfriend, and her parents. Hmm. Might not be the best place to rehearse.
Me: I have an idea. Have Allan drop you off at Grand Central Station. If you're being followed by someone, they won't be able to park quickly enough to follow you. Unless there are two of them.
Tommy: There's just one guy.
Me: Get dropped off at the main entrance. Cooper will text you where to meet him. He'll make sure it's safe to bring you to my loft.
Tommy: You have a loft?
Me: Yeah. I bought one at the beginning of the school year so I'd have somewhere to go when we didn't have school and on weekends and stuff. I needed a home base.
Tommy: You needed a home. We never even thought of that.
Me: It's okay. The loft is sort of a secret. Garrett wanted it to be a safe place for me to go if I needed to run. Leave school. That sort of thing. I'm really excited for you to see it.
Tommy: I can't wait.
Damian and Riley are already talking animatedly when we get to the table.
"Coach Steele," Peyton says, "what are you doing here?"
"Um, he's sorta my bodyguard."
The look on Peyton's face is priceless. I can tell she's thinking exactly what I thought when I first met Cooper. He can guard my body anytime.
"So he really was teaching you how to fight," Peyton states.
"Yeah, so I can protect myself."
We take our seats, or
der brunch, and then Damian starts in. "Okay, so we switched the song for the video. This is a really fun, upbeat song called 'Meet Me at the Beach.'"
"Let's hear it," I say. "Then we can brainstorm about the video."
Damian sings quietly.
"Sun shining on your face.
Ice cream at our favorite place.
Blonde hair blowing in the breeze.
Baby, spend your summer days with me.
Laying in the sand,
Drinking, getting tan.
Kissing in these heat waves.
Got my Ray-Bans.
Laughing, holding hands.
Crashin' on the beach for days.
I'm thinking 'bout . . .
Venice and Malibu
It's only me and only you.
I love it; you're all I really need.
Baby, meet me at the beach.
Cotton candy, Ferris wheel,
Crazy love is what I feel.
Blasting out our favorite tunes,
Late nights sneaking in your room.
Moonlight on the shore,
Always wanting more.
You light me up like a bonfire.
You make me hit the floor.
That's what lips are for.
Summer nights, we're getting higher.
I'm thinking 'bout . . .
Venice and Malibu
It's only me and only you.
I love it; you're all I really need.
Baby, meet me at the beach.
When it's just us.
I feel the rush of every ocean wave.
And after a kiss,
I never imagined it as good as this.
I'm thinking 'bout . . .
Venice and Malibu
It's only me and only you.
I love it; you're all I really need.
Baby, meet me at the beach."
"Oh my gosh, Damian!" I screech. "That's adorable! I love it! Venice and Malibu. It's only me and only you. It's so cute!"
"I love it too," Peyton agrees. "It makes me want summer to start now."
"It kinda reminds me of an old Beach Boys song. Like an endless summer."
"So, what did you have in mind for the video?" Riley asks Damian, getting back to business.
"Well, that's just it. I'm not sure. It's not like we can film on the beach here in New York in the winter."
"We'll have to make our own beach," Riley says. "Wait, I know!"
"What?" Ariela asks. I can tell she's loving watching Riley's creative process. And that makes me happy. I want him with a girl who knows how gifted he is.
"When we were at the Hamptons this summer, my mom, Grandma, and aunts were watching these old surfer movies from the 60s."
"Frankie and Annette?" I ask. "I love those. They were so bad they were good. The romance was sweet, but the special effects were horrible. It was so obvious they weren't actually surfing."
"That's exactly what I mean. Let's do it like that. Kitschy. Funny. Retro cool."
"I love it," Damian says. "We want it to be something different than your typical party on the beach, spring break crazy video."
"The song reminds me of your date in the play," Aiden adds. "The one that never seems to end."
"You're right," I say, squeezing his hand under the table. "Only, this is the summer that never ends."
"You had rolling backgrounds for the play," Riley says. "There was a beach, an amusement park, even a big moon. All we'd need is surfboards mounted on springs. Do you think the school would let us borrow the sets?"
"We could rent or buy them from the school," Damian says. "We have a budget."
"Money talks," Riley replies. Then he turns to Cooper. "Do you have the dean's number?"
"I do. Would you like me to make a call?"
"Yeah. We'd need to pick them up this week," Riley says. "That way when everyone gets back in town, we can start shooting."
"That's cutting it pretty close," Damian states.
"We can do it," Riley says confidently.
"What about you, Keatyn? Can you do it?" Damian asks me. "Please."
I glance at Cooper, who shakes his head no at me.
I think about it for a second.
I'm not sure how it will all work out, but a promise is a promise. And let's face it. My original plan has unraveled and gone to shit. Might as well start on a new one.
"Yeah, I'm in."
Stranglehold hugs.
7pm
I'm waiting by the door for Cooper to get back with Tommy. It feels like it's been forever since I've seen him.
The second he crosses the threshold, I leap into his arms and hug him with all my might.
He hugs me back then says with a laugh, "You and Gracie give the same stranglehold hugs."
I try not to cry, even though I feel like it. My emotions are so everywhere.
I finally let go of him, turn around, and sweep my arms out. "So, this is it. My loft."
Tommy looks around, taking in the wood floors, brick walls, and arched ceiling beams. "The architecture is amazing, Keatyn. How did you find it?"
"I think it found me. I just happened to go online and saw it was for sale. It'd only been on the market for a few days. Aiden," I say, as he walks into the living room, "this is Tommy. Tommy Stevens, this is Aiden Arrington."
Tommy gives me a look. One that makes me think he's going to say something like I thought his name was the God of all Hotties.
But, fortunately, he shakes Aiden's hand instead. "Nice to meet you, Aiden. Keatyn says you've been a good friend to her at Eastbrooke. With everything she's been through, you don't know how much her mother and I appreciate that."
"I've just recently learned the extent of all of that. And you're welcome, sir. She means a lot to me."
Cooper, who made sure Tommy got here without being followed, jabs my side with his elbow, then raises his eyebrows and smirks at me like I should be embarrassed.
But I'm not.
I'm totally melting.
I smile at them both and say, "Come see the kitchen, Tommy. We'll get you a drink, show you the rest of the place, and then we can get started."
With a drink in hand, I give Tommy the tour. Cooper and Aiden stay in the kitchen, discussing what we're going to have for dinner.
I show Tommy the bedrooms, including the one he'll be sleeping in tonight. Cooper figured it'd be easiest, since we'll be working late.
"Which one is Aiden's?" Tommy asks teasingly.
I point to one of the bedrooms. The one where Aiden has been keeping his clothes. "He has a bunch of clothes in that one, Dad," I tease.
Tommy narrows his eyes at me and I spill my guts.
"Fine. He's sleeping in my room. But--"
"But what?"
"We haven't yet."
"Haven't had sex yet?"
I nod my head.
Tommy's eyes narrow further and he tilts his head. "Interesting."
"Why is that interesting?"
He shrugs. "Just is. You love him, don't you?"
"I do love him. I wanted to tell him after the dance, but then everything blew up. It's hard, Tommy. My life is so uncertain right now. I know you don't want to hear it, but things with Vincent are coming to a head. I can feel it. There's a real possibility that . . . it might not go well."
"Then you should tell him soon."
"But that doesn't make sense. I'm trying to make this easier on him. I don't know what will happen when it's over."
"Keatyn, no one knows what's going to happen. That's why you have to live life to its fullest, whether you have a stalker or not. That's why you make sure the people you love know you love them. So, if you get hit by a bus tomorrow, they will have known."
"I've been trying to protect him."
"You shouldn't. He loves you."
"How can you tell?"
"He laid out his feelings for you when he shook my hand. Men appreciate directness. Fathers appreciate it. It tells them the guy isn't just messing aroun
d." He looks at me and laughs. "Or not messing around, in this case."
"Tommy! That's not funny. Why don't I show you the upstairs?"
"Changing the subject doesn't change anything."
"I know," I say with a laugh.
When we get to the top of the stairs, Tommy sees our Christmas tree.
"You even have a tree. How did you buy the place and furnish it all from school?"
"I had a lot of help. Sam, the guy who handles my money, took care of all the financial details. Garrett introduced me to a great interior designer who totally got my style. We talked on the phone and emailed pictures back and forth. Garrett installed the security. Really, my job has been to fill up my closet."
"I noticed it looks like your closet at home."
"After dad died, Mom sold our house. She did one movie after another and said we didn't need it because we'd never be there anyway. We were always on location somewhere. Even when she filmed in L.A., we leased a different place with each movie. When you let us move into your house, I finally had a place where I could leave my stuff and it'd be there when I got back. You did more than just become my stepdad, Tommy. You gave me a home."
"A home we basically kicked you out of after you were almost kidnapped."
"I left because I wanted to."
"Doesn't really help with the parental guilt," he says, running his hand through his thick, dark hair and taking a closer look at the tree. "Did the designer do the tree too? All the ornaments are things you love."
I smile broadly. "No, Aiden surprised me with all that a few weeks ago."
Tommy studies the tree some more. "He knows you well."
"All the ornaments have meaning. Like, to us."
Tommy chuckles and shakes his head. "You've known him for four months, and you have enough to fill a whole tree?"
The lights on the tree blur as my eyes fill with tears.
Because we have.
So many of my Take my breath away moments have been with Aiden.
"Why are you crying?" Tommy says quietly, moving to my side.