by S. L. Scott
When her body relaxes—the anxiety, fears, and tears subsiding—she looks up at me, her smile struggling between pain and happiness. “I love you so much my heart hurts.”
“Mine too, baby.” It’s the truth.
We lay down, my arm acting as her pillow as she snuggles into my side. The beauty that surrounds not lost in the emotions of the moment. The soft wind blows and the nearby trees rustle in the breeze. The gentle sounds of the water caress the sand, and distant seagulls call to each other. After a while our breathing levels, and I whisper, “I can never leave you either. I love you too much for that.”
I feel her cheeks move up in a smile on my arm then her breathing deepens. Her body relaxes with mine and we fall asleep under a full moon in paradise.
39
Evan
I wake with a start, unaware of where I am. But a deep breath of relief escapes me when I realize I’m holding Mallory. All those same sounds that lulled us to sleep last night signal our whereabouts now. I turn and look at Mallory’s contented face as she rests with ease next to me. Looking into the distant water, I see the start of an amazing sunrise.
“Mallory.” I gently nudge. “Mallory, wake up.”
“Mmmm,” she hums, slowly squirming to life. Her eyes flicker open as reality sets in. “We slept out here.” It’s more a statement of amazement than a question.
I sit up, helping her up next to me. My voice is still groggy with sleep, but I say, “Yes, we did. I guess we were both more tired than we thought.”
She rubs her eyes and in this most innocent of movements, my heart lurches when I remember that in one month I won’t get to appreciate such a simple act.
She looks up at me, her lids still heavy. “I didn’t sleep much the night before, you know, after the party.”
“Neither did I. At least we got a few hours last night. I want to watch this sunrise together and then I’ll take you home.”
She nods, leaning back against me for support.
“Can I ask you something?” I’m kind of worried about her answer.
“Yes.”
Staring ahead, I ask, “Why didn’t you call me back yesterday?”
“Oh, um, my phone is dead since I haven’t been home, so I couldn’t charge it. I tried to call you, but… well, I don’t have your number memorized since I have it programmed into my phone. Then I used Sunny’s phone to call Zach, but he didn’t answer. I left a message for you to call me back.”
“I didn’t get it. I would’ve called you if I had. I’m sorr—”
“No.” She scrunches her nose and looks embarrassed. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m sorry about the party and I’m totally humiliated by how I acted. I drank to help me calm down from how Kelly made me feel and ended up being buzzed and not thinking logically. The time apart may have been painful, but it served a good purpose. It gave me time to sort through the events on my own and realize how much I screwed up for believing her over you.” She looks into my eyes, and says, “I regret so much, starting with going to the surf contest. I need you to know that I only went to help Johnny and Sunny out. When I was there, my thoughts cleared and it was so obvious. Noah wasn’t a friend to me if he could say all the things he did. I was so stupid.”
“No, you weren’t. He’s just an asshole.”
She smiles then continues, “I think he was genuine at first, but I became something else to him, something he wanted to win away from you. He even told me that yesterday before you showed up.” Her face is anguished. “I only went to the luau to tell him I had him figured out and that’s when things got out of control. I guess you saw how it went down from there.”
“We don’t need to rehash what we did wrong, but when Zach told me you went to the luau… I can’t lie. It hurt that you were celebrating with him.”
“I feel I owe you so many apologies, and I do. I’m so sorry. I should have talked to you first. At the time, I felt it was the only opportunity I had to tell him off. Going there was selfish, but it also showed me who Noah really is.” She briefly looks away, lowering her gaze to the ground. “I saw a person I didn’t know at all and if you wouldn’t have shown up when you did—”
Something dark comes over her. When she looks up at me, I ask, “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Don’t worry. He was handled and I learned I’m stronger than I thought I was,” she says. “I’m tired of talking about him.” Taking my hand, she brings it to her chest, holding it tightly. “The only thing that’s important now is that you know I love you, Evan, and I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. That won’t happen again. I promise.”
I nod and then kiss her head, needing to be satisfied that this has tested us and now it’s clear where we stand—firmly at each other’s side.
We gather our stuff, dusting the sand off us and the blanket before going back to the car. I wait with the passenger’s side door open for her, but she stops before getting in. “I’m glad you brought me here. This feels good again. What about you? How are you feeling?”
“Seems like a lot of bad stuff has happened on this island, but it’s where I felt I needed to be last year. My heart doesn’t feel as heavy today,” I say, kissing her on the forehead when all I want to do is kiss her on the lips. She slides into the passenger seat and I drive her back to Sunny’s.
After stopping the engine, I wait, unsure if I’m invited in or not. She gets out, but stops to duck back in and ask, “Coming?” She doesn’t sound unsure at all.
I jump out, knowing she wants me with her. Inside, she empties her pockets onto the table and plugs in her phone. Turning back to face me, she smiles, and says, “I have to be at work in an hour. We have to clean the place from top to bottom before we open today. Will you stay with me until then?”
I sit on the couch, resting my forearms on my knees. “I’ll drive you.”
She tilts her head and the smile on her face is so sweet and sincere that I sit upright and smile in response. “So, us, we’re all good, right?” she asks.
I gulp before walking to her, relieved she’s feeling the same and still wants to be a part of us. I bring her into me, engulfing her frame against mine.
Her arms have already made their way around me, but she doesn’t move, not even to breathe. When she finally looks up at me, she’s deep in thought. Her eyes in that moment are darker than I’ve seen, her pupils wide, taking me in, pulling me into their depths. She drops her gaze, hiding her face against my chest and says, ‘I love you and that’s enough for me.”
“I love you, too, Mallory.”
“I know you do. I knew all along.” She sighs then asks, “Did I screw us up?”
“No,” I reply, tilting her chin up so she has to look at me. “It’s not that. I don’t want to hurt you and I feel like that’s all I know how to do.”
She laughs softly. “You know how to give love, Evan. I just don’t think you know how to receive it.”
“I think the same could be said of you.”
“What a pair of fools we make.”
“Fools in love.”
“Yes, fools in love.” She walks into the bathroom, starts the shower flowing, and comes back. “Maybe we should start over.”
“I want to be with you.”
She gives me that smile that pierces my soul with its beauty and then says, “I know. I also want to be with you, but maybe we should live for now and not worry so much about what’s next.”
I step closer, taking her by the hips, and say, “Have fun in the present?”
“Yes. We can stop worrying about tomorrow and live for today.”
I don’t really believe that either of us is capable of this, but I agree in theory so nod. “Can I still tell you how much I love you? I mean now that I’ve yelled it so the whole island knows, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop myself from saying it. You’ll probably get sick of hearing it. Besides, I like the way the words taste on my tongue.”
“And how do the words ‘I Love You’ taste, Evan?”
“They taste like you.”
A huge smile appears, and she says, “Then never stop saying them because I will never get enough of hearing that.”
“I hope not because I’m going to be saying it a lot.” I press my lips lightly against hers and whisper into her mouth, “I love you.” Our mouths meld together and I deepen the kiss, opening, allowing our tongues to greet each other.
She presses her hands against my chest, slightly pushing until our lips agonizingly separate.
“I still need to shower the beach off of me and probably brush my teeth. You wanna join me?” she asks, her expression full of sexy innuendo.
“If I do, I can promise two things. You’ll definitely not be getting clean in there and you will be late for work.” I grow hard waiting for her response and say a silent prayer for this to go my way.
She rubs her hips against my erection, and says, “I know we weren’t apart that long, but I miss the feel of you. I want you, Evan. All of you. I want to feel you inside me.”
“I want you more than you know.” I place my hand on my chest right above my heart. “This is the tip of the fire that burns inside of me. Only for you, baby.” She melts into me again as we continue kissing.
But then she stops as my hands wrap around her middle. “Wait, we can’t. I promised Alana I would be there ready to work and I don’t want to disappoint her.”
“Okay,” slips from my lips, yet I feel anything but okay about letting her go.
“Do you hate me?” she asks, shyly looking up at me from beneath her lashes.
“No, I can’t hate you, but I might be disliking you a lot around noon when I can’t walk because I’m in so much pain down here.” I reference my cock.
She laughs as if I’m kidding with her.
“C’mon, it won’t be that bad.” She looks at me dreamily and the playfulness disappears as she says, “We always have tonight.”
“Yes, we do, but what if we’re really quick?” I pull her hips against mine, making her feel what she does to me. Nuzzling into her hair, I take a deep breath, thankful I get to do this to her then smile at the thought of what I plan to do to her later tonight.
Pushing her toward the bathroom, I smack her ass. “Go shower before I give you no choice, sexy.”
She giggles then runs off to the bathroom.
I walk back to the couch and sit down, but I’m uncomfortable so I adjust myself.
A minute later, she peeks out from behind the bathroom door. “I love you.” She pauses then asks, “You sure you’re okay?”
I could answer that in so many ways, but I keep it simple. “I’m fine.” But really, I’m elated, unattended boner or not. I’ve got my girl back and that trumps everything.
When I drop her off at Big Kehones, and we kiss briefly, saving everything for later. With that in mind, I smile, knowing the best part of a fight is the making up part and that’s coming tonight. I start to harden at the thought of our reunion.
I go home and crash until early afternoon when Kate comes in and demands that I spend time with her and our parents. I’ve made peace with my dad, but haven’t seen my mother since I barged into their room telling her to fuck off. I need to face her and deal with her head on. So I grumpily climb out of bed and get dressed again. Kate makes a pot of coffee and I join her with a cup on the back step.
She eventually stands and without looking back down at me states, “I’m going to work for Ashford Holdings.”
Surprised by her announcement, I stand up in shock. “What? When’d you decide that?”
“I was offered the job graduation weekend.”
“Does Murphy know? I thought you…loved him and all that stuff?”
She turns, now surprised by my question. “I do love him, Evan. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”
“But he’s here. Does he already know?”
She looks back out at the view. “Yes, I told him the day I came back to the island.” Her tone turns defensive. “I can’t help the location of the job. It’s in New York. We always knew that’s where the family business would stay rooted.”
Rubbing my forehead, I try to process this new information. “I didn’t think you wouldn’t work for dad. I guess I thought that maybe you were changing your mind on some things since you met Murph. You told me before that this relationship is different.”
“Liam has another semester—”
“Liam?”
“Yes,” she says, putting her hands on her hips. “His name is Liam.”
“I know his name is Liam, Kate. He’s my best friend. But since when did you start calling him Liam?”
She rolls her eyes. “As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, Liam only has one more semester of school left. I need a job now and I’ve been planning to enter the family business since I was ten. You know that’s why I got my business degree. I’ll admit that he’s made me triple guess my decision, but it’s not rational for me to give everything up for someone I’m dating.” She leans against the small house. “I’m thrilled you’ve found Mallory, but you two have more time to figure stuff like this out since you’re both still in school.”
“She’s leaving though.” I say, suddenly remembering I’m supposed to be focusing on the present not the future, but I can’t because I want her and I’m pretty sure she wants me.
Kate adds, “She’s only going to school and would never cheat on you.”
“I’m not worried about her cheating. It’s kind of pathetic, but I worry about other guys being there when I’m not.”
“Ahhh, you’re jealous. You’re afraid if you’re not there twenty-four seven that some other guy is gonna hone in on her. Well, lil bro, they might, but it would be immature of you to move up there only to keep that from happening.”
“I guess dad talked to you about my job offer?”
“They talked to me about it in May, but he told me this morning that he finally spoke with you.”
“You’re thinking I should take it?”
“It’s four months, Evan. It’s great experience and decent money.”
I walk a few feet, tucking my hands into my pockets and stare out into the ocean.
“If it’s meant to be, it will be,” she says before turning and walking around to the main house. “C’mon, let’s go be a family for a little while.” She waves me over, hoping I’ll follow. I do, but begrudgingly because I need to settle some things with my mother.
A cheese and fruit tray is set up with a pitcher of lemonade on the table and I walk by, helping myself. My mom pokes her head up from her lounger in the sun next to the pool. “Good afternoon, Evan. I’m glad I got to see you today.” She smiles and her face looks years younger with the simple gesture.
Laying down on the chaise next to her, I lean back, studying her for a moment. My stare is more intense than I intend, so I look away before stating, “Mallory’s important to me. You can’t treat her like that anymore, especially if you want me in your life.”
She sits up, her legs sliding over the side so she can face me. “I didn’t realize it was that serious.”
“You didn’t realize? I think you did and I think you saw an opportunity when Kelly came knocking on your door.”
Her hand goes up to shield her eyes from the sun, and she says, “Kelly is quite an ambitious girl all on her own.”
I stand up, pointing an accusing finger at her. “I’m not going to take your shit, Mother!”
My dad, who has been wading in the pool nearby threatens, “Calm down, Evan. You won’t speak to your mother like that. She’s only concerned about your future.”
I look at him in disbelief. “You’re kidding me, right? She almost ruined my relationship with the only person I’ve actually cared about and you were right there encouraging her.” I know I’m supposed to show respect for my elders and all that, but I’m stunned that he can stick so close to his moral code in situations like this. I look back at my mother. “Mallory and I are stronger than that disaster
the other night.” I sit back down, fully realizing we are. I’m breathing heavily to relax myself because if I don’t, I’m gonna fucking punch something—in through the nose, out through the mouth, in through the nose, out through the mouth.
Kate interjects, “Evan is right, Mother. Mallory’s a great person and she’s really good for him. He’s changing. You need to recognize that it’s because of her. She makes him happy.”
“Kate, sweetie, it’s like that boy you’re seeing. He’s a great guy, but he’s not your future. Your future is in New York, not this island and certainly not with a—”
“Don’t do this!” Kate yells. “Don’t ruin the happiness we’ve found! Please. Please don’t.”
My dad hops out of the pool, grabbing a towel and wrapping himself up, and goes to Kate, bringing her into a hug. “It’s okay, honey.”
“No, it’s not. I feel like I’m having to choose between my family and my boyfriend and it makes me feel terrible that I might choose him instead.”
We all remain quiet as she cries on dad’s shoulder. My heart breaks for her and then I get angry… again. “You’re doing this to us. You’re not allowing us to be happy. Kate will do—”
“That’s enough, Evan,” my mother says. “We’re obviously not going to see eye-to-eye on this, so we just need to drop it. I want to have a pleasant afternoon with my children before I leave.”
Kate’s head pops up. “When are you leaving?”
“I’ve decided to fly back with your father tonight. I don’t like him being all alone in New York,” mother says, pulling her cover-up on over her suit. She cares. That shows how much she cares. She’s likes to be there for him, always in support of him. Her kinder, more caring side that I’ve seen in the past, though rare, is showing.
I can’t help but rejoice inwardly that I can have Mallory back in my bed tonight. This revelation produces a smile that’s hard to hide.