Edge of Darkness Box Set

by Margaret McHeyzer

  “Have you spoken to him yet?”

  “Yeah, I said ‘hi.’” Her cheeks pink.

  “That’s it? You said hi? Nothing else?”

  “Oh my God.” She ducks her head down so her hair flings over her face, covering it. “He’s walking toward us.”

  Turning, I see Brad. “Hey Brad,” I say. “How are you?”

  He quickly glances at Kristen, whose face now is a lovely shade of candy apple red, then looks back to me. “I’m really good.” He shuffles on the spot, looking awkward.

  Brad’s not really my type of guy, I’ve never had a type I’ve drooled after. Until Zac. Now, he’s mighty fine. Brad can’t stop looking over to Kristen, and Kristen can’t even make eye contact with Brad. “So, Brad, what are you doing over summer?” I ask, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence between him, Kristen, and myself.

  “I’ve got a job at Target. Nothing really special. I restock the shelves, and whatever else they tell me to do.”

  “Which Target?” Kristen asks. Her face brightens as she stares dreamily toward him.

  “The new one in town,” Brad answers. He turns his body toward her, and she mimics his pose, essentially cutting me out. I’m okay with this, because it means she doesn’t need me here to help her along. I look over to the bar and see Zac still standing there, his eyes glued on me.

  Smiling, I give him a wink, to which he lifts his glass and gives me a nod. Cheeky.

  Slowly, I make my way over to the bar, purposely standing on the opposite side. I look around the room as I wait for the bartender, but I can see Zac out of my peripheral vision, still watching me. I’m stubborn, I’m not going to him. He can come to me if he’s interested.

  The same bartender comes over to me, already holding a soda. “Here you go,” he says as he places it on the bar.

  “I didn’t order a soda,” I say while I discreetly watch Zac.

  “Gentleman down the end of the bar, said you’d want it.”

  “Did he now?” I pick the drink up and turn to Zac, giving him a small nod of thanks. “I’ll have a water please,” I say to the bartender.

  The bartender eyes the soda, then turns to pour me a water. Zac smiles, and slowly walks over to me. “You’re a hard person to impress,” he says.

  “You think buying me a drink when the drinks are free would impress me?” I ask.

  He lets out a deep chuckle. “Touché, Miss…?” He waits for my name.

  “Hannah.”

  “Finally, I get a name to put with the beautiful face.”

  “Nope.” I shake my head at him. “Nope,” I say again. “That’s super cheesy, and I don’t fall for cheesy lines.”

  “Well, how about this?” He turns his body and leans both elbows on the bar. “I want to take you out to dinner. Next Saturday night. Dinner and a movie.”

  “Better than the cheesy lines.” I crinkle my nose. “But I’m busy.” I’m so not, but playing hard to get is totally fun.

  “You’re not busy. You just want me to beg,” he says, catching me out, damn it. “See, there you go.” He points to my face. “Your eyes give it away. And so does your smile.”

  Double damn it. “Fine, I’m not busy,” I admit.

  “Good, what time should I pick you up?”

  This is so much fun. “You don’t know where I live. And, I prefer it that way.”

  “Then you can pick me up,” he counters.

  “I don’t drive yet.”

  “How old are you?” His brows draw in together while his tone drops.

  “I should be asking you the same question. I don’t go out with old men.”

  “Old?” he quips. “I’m twenty-one.”

  “Ewww.” I scrunch my nose at him and pretend to gag. “You’re almost ancient.”

  He steps closer to me, and suddenly my cheekiness is overtaken by this strong, incredibly beautiful man in my personal space. I don’t try to move away, because truthfully, I like it. “Am I too old for you, Hannah?” he says in a low voice.

  His aftershave takes over the sane part of my brain. His mere presence does something to me. My stomach flips, then flops, then flips again. The aroma from his aftershave is something familiar, yet sexy as sin. It’s like a woody smell with an overtone of sweet spice.

  Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply. His scent is deeply attractive, so recognizable that I’ll never forget it. “You smell so nice,” I say aloud. My eyes spring open, and I’m momentarily shocked at what I said out loud. “Tell me you didn’t hear what I said?” I beg.

  “I heard it, and I loved it.”

  A burn rises inside me, slowly making its way up to my face. Although I can’t see myself, I know my face is turning a lovely shade of crimson. I’m such an idiot. “You didn’t hear anything,” I say as I step away from him trying to gain control over my dumb brain.

  “I did. Would you like me to repeat it, just to make sure?” Now he’s teasing me. I should be angry, but I can’t be. Self-inflicted stupidity. “It went something like this…‘You smell so nice.’ Does that sound familiar?”

  As quick as anything I retort with, “Well if you have to ask, then my point is proven. You’re way too old. Which means your hearing is on its way out. So, you actually heard nothing. Phew.” I wipe my hand across my forehead and pretending to the wipe sweat away. “Geriatric,” I mumble under my breath.

  Zac lets out a laugh, and in one smooth movement grabs my hand, and leading me out to the part of the deck where some people are dancing to the song the band is playing.

  “What are you doing?” I ask.

  He brings me in close to his body, his right hand on my lower back, his left hand holding mine close to his chest. “I want to dance.”

  “Maybe I don’t.” We sway together among the other couples. I take a moment to study his face, and notice a scar running about an inch across his chin. It’s faint, but it’s definitely there.

  Mr. and Mrs. Watson are dancing nearby and they both see us. They move toward us, and smile. “Zac, I see you and Hannah are getting along.”

  “She’s definitely something else,” Zac replies.

  “She’s part of this family,” Mr. Watson says to Zac in a warning tone.

  “I have no doubt.”

  “Good.”

  Mr. and Mrs. Watson keep dancing but this piques a question in my mind. “Why would he warn you like that?” I say to Zac.

  “When I was younger I got myself into some shit. I’m on the straight and narrow now. But it’s something the whole family holds on to, keeps reminding me about it.”

  “I’ve never heard them talk about you, so it can’t be that bad. What did you get involved with?” I ask. Curiosity is getting the better of me, but my walls are rising too. I don’t want to get involved with someone who’s trouble. That’s definitely not what I’m about. I want to be a teacher, and I can’t be if I fall in with the wrong crowd.

  “I was running with a bad group of people. Small crap. It could’ve potentially become much worse, but thanks to my parents and the rest of my family, I was pulled out of it before it got worse.”

  “Like what?” I push.

  Zac’s jaw tightens, and I can see by the faraway look in his eyes, he doesn’t want to talk about it. But at the same time, he’s chasing me, wanting me to go out with him. I need to know what kind of guy he is. “Just shit,” he says as he slows his dancing.

  “Right.” I pull away from him and watch as his features harden. “Thank you for the dance.” Turning, I walk over to Kristen, who’s hooked on everything Brad is saying. “Hey,” I say as I glance at Zac. He’s left the dance floor, and heading out through the house.

  “Zac’s into you, huh?” Kristen asks. She wiggles her brows, and bumps hips with me.

  “I’ll grab us a drink, what would you like?” Brad says to Kristen.

  “A Coke please.”

  “Hannah?” he asks.

  “Nothing thanks.”

  Brad smiles at Kristen. Her face brightens lik
e it’s the first time she’s ever seen the sun. “Oh my God. We’ve been talking about everything. He’s so cute. And perfect for me. Hannah!” She grabs hold of my hands and squeezes them with excitement.

  “I’m happy for you. Finally. Now you can stop fantasizing about him.”

  “Tell me…you and Zac huh?”

  “I don’t think so,” I say, not entirely convincing to her or me. “Your dad warned him that I’m a part of your family. When I asked him about it, he said he’d gotten involved in some stuff but wouldn’t tell me what the stuff was. He asked me out, but I’m not sure if I want to go.” I mean, I do, but not at the risk of my life path taking a turn for the worse.

  “He got himself involved with some people who were into petty theft and drugs. He was stealing stuff, but never got involved with the drug part. I think if his parents didn’t get involved, it would’ve been just a matter of time before he did get caught up with drugs.”

  “Does he still see them? The people he was hanging out with?”

  “Nah, he turned his life around. Studied hard to get into college, and now he’s working and going to college to become something like an accountant. How boring.” She rolls her eyes. “He was destined to become a statistic, but as it turned out, he really pulled it together.”

  “He asked me out.”

  “Go! He’s really nice. Girls go crazy for him for some reason. But since he straightened himself out, he doesn’t do anything. He just stays at home and studies. Go out with him. You’re both kinda the same. You know, nerds.”

  “Here’s your drink,” Brad says, handing Kristen a soda.

  I poke my tongue out at her for calling me a nerd. “I’ll go talk to him,” I say feeling bad for judging him before I knew the story.

  “Yeah, go find my nerdy cousin. Tell him I said he’s a dork,” Kristen shouts after me.

  I’d like to give her the one finger salute, but I doubt her parents would appreciate it.

  Heading in the same direction I saw Zac disappear, I make my way out to the front porch and notice how many cars are now here. I can see Zac sitting on the hood of a car. As I walk over to him, he sees me and puts his phone away before jumping off the car.

  “Sorry, were you busy?” I ask indicating his phone.

  “Candy Crush,” he says.

  “About what happened back there.” I hook my thumb over my shoulder gesturing to the party. “Kristen told me about what you went through. But, I judged you. And I shouldn’t have. For that, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s probably something that’s going to stick with me for the rest of my life. The low-life screw-up who was stealing shit.”

  I lean up against the car beside Zac and fold my arms over my chest. “We all deserve a second chance. Maybe some people want you to work for your second chance.”

  “Do you want me to work for it?” he asks.

  “I don’t know what I want,” I truthfully admit. “I’m studying hard because I want to be a teacher, and I can’t afford to screw anything up. Otherwise, all my hard work will be for nothing, so I have to be careful.”

  Hurt flashes across his face. “I get it.” He’s trying to hide his disappointment, but I can see it. “I get it,” he says again, this time straightening his shoulders. “Thank you for the dance, Hannah. You truly are the highlight of my night.”

  Something draws him to me. He has this alluring quality about him that’s raw and honest. “You can pick me up at six. And if you’re late, you can forget about another date.”

  “I won’t be late. Matter-of-fact, I’ll be early.”

  “Give me your phone,” I say to him holding out my hand.

  “You know, a please wouldn’t go unnoticed.”

  He’s not letting me get away with anything. “Please,” I say and rapidly blink my eyes at him.

  Zac clears his throat and looks away from me. “Yep, okay,” he says with a gravelly voice. Obviously, I’m affecting him. I like how I have this power over him. It gives me confidence and makes me feel alive on the inside.

  I type in my address, and when I finish, I give myself a call too. “You now have my address, and my phone number. But I won’t be calling you first. You have to make the effort.”

  “You’re a tiger, and I’m loving it,” he says as he reaches for his phone. He grabs hold of my hand, and his thumb strokes my skin, leaving a blazing trail of heat.

  I like this.

  I like him.

  Walking away from him, I’m smiling to myself. I’m not going to look all eager and like I’m a giant marshmallow. He has to work for it.

  My phone rings in my hand, and I automatically know it’s Zac. The giddy feeling in my stomach tells me he’s watching me as I’m walking away.

  “Hello,” I answer without even looking at who it is. I just know it’s him.

  “Watching you walk away is definitely a sight for sore eyes,” he says.

  My smile grows wider. “Then put your sunglasses on,” I respond and hang up on him.

  Hannah—one.

  Zac—zero.

  Chapter 3

  “Zac called me yesterday and wanted to know more about you,” Kristen says to me when she sees me at school.

  “Did he?” I smile as I shove my bag in my locker, take out my laptop and close the door.

  “So, tell me. What happened?” Kristen leans against my locker, and stares at me as she eagerly waits for the gossip.

  “Nothing to tell.” I shrug.

  “You already told me on Saturday how you two are going out. What else happened?”

  I turn to stare at her. “If you stopped talking about how wonderful Brad is, then you would’ve heard what I said.”

  Kristen’s face reddens. “Yeah, I know, all I did was talk about him. Sorry. But now I want to know about you and Zac.”

  “There’s nothing to know. He asked me out. I said yes. We’re going out this weekend.”

  “What about your parents? What are they going to say?”

  “I haven’t told them everything yet, but I told them a little bit last night. They said they’re willing to meet him and give him a chance.”

  “Your daddy will be standing at the door with a shotgun,” Kristen says with a laugh. “Actually, nah it won’t be him, it’ll be your mom. She’s hardcore protective of you.”

  I shrug again because truthfully, I don’t mind. Sometimes it gets in the way and becomes a bit much, but most times I don’t mind. I know that what she says and does isn’t to make my life miserable, but to keep me safe. “I have no idea where this is going to go. If I go out on the date with him, he might turn out to be a huge jerk.” I place my hand on Kristen’s arm and stop her walking. Suddenly, it hits me hard. “If it doesn’t work out between Zac and myself, does that mean you and I…” I point to her, then me, unable to continue with the sentence.

  “No way, girl. You and I are best friends for life. You’re stuck with me, through thick and thin. Ten years ain’t getting thrown away ‘cause it didn’t work out with my cousin.”

  “It won’t put you in a bad position? He is family.”

  “Yeah, he’s family, but so are you. Besides, I only see him like three or four times are year, you I see all the time. Oh my God!” she shrieks in the highest pitch.

  “What?” My pulse quickens.

  “If you marry him, you and I will be best friends and cousins.” She grabs hold of my arm and starts bouncing up and down. “Marry him!” she nearly shouts in my face.

  A few of the other kids walking in the hallway turn around and stare at us. “Great, now there’ll be rumors about me getting married. Thanks, Kristen,” I say, adding an eye roll.

  “Sorry,” she mumbles. “It just came to me, and I got super excited about it.”

  “Next time, don’t shout it. One…” I hold my finger up to her and continue saying, “I’m way too young to get married, and two…” I hold a second finger up to her, “We may not even work out.”

  “I know, but…”


  “No, ‘buts,’ no marriage talk. Let me date him first and see where it leads.”

  “You’re no fun.” She playfully pokes her tongue out at me and we resume our walk to class.

  “If you’re so into marriage, you should be marrying Brad.”

  “Trust me, in my mind we already are married. He just doesn’t know it yet. He will, one day. And we’ll have the perfect life. Two-point-three kids, white picket fence, a dog named Rex.”

  “A chauffeur named Charles and a house in the Hamptons. Right?” I purposely walk into her, throwing her off balance. “It’s okay, Dylan O’Brien is my husband too, he just doesn’t know it,” I say.

  “You’re a nerd,” she says.

  “I’m not the one with two-point-three kids. You are.”

  Kristen lets out a laugh just as the bell rings, telling us it’s time to get to our first class.

  Chapter 4

  Today was long. And by long, I mean tedious and boring. But I had thoughts of Zac to keep me company. Thankfully the end-of-day bell has sounded, and I’m walking toward my locker to get my bag so I can go home.

  There’s a history essay due at the end of the week, and I need to finish it. Crap, there’s also math homework and I still have that English essay to finish, too. Lost in my own thoughts of everything I have to do when I get home, I don’t even realize someone is standing in front of me until I collide with them. “Sorry,” I say as I look up to see Brad standing in front of me.

  “Hey, Hannah. It’s okay. You alright?” he asks.

  “Got a lot on my mind. What are you doing?” I ask as we slowly both walk down the corridor.

  “Waiting for Kristen.”

  “Oh, cool,” I say. A smile dances on his lips as the tops of his ears begin to turn pink. “I’m not sure where she is. I think she had gym, so she’s probably getting changed.”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  He looks down to his feet. I get a feeling there’s something he wants to say but doesn’t know how to. “Is everything okay?” I finally ask.

  “Um,” he murmurs and rakes his hand through his hair. “I don’t know if I should say anything or not.”