“That’s rather ironic.”
“Well, you seem to have the one thing she wants.”
“What? A pulse?”
“A pedigree. Like a puppy.” She cocked her head in amusement. “That’s one scary stalker-girlfriend you’ve got.”
“Protect me?” he pleaded in mock horror as they headed in opposite directions.
~~~
CHAPTER
FIVE
Allie ran swiftly along the beach, enjoying the chill of fall in the air. It was just over a month since she’d arrived on Kelleys Island and the leaves were a riot of colors. She loved her new home and its illusion of stability, but she didn’t trust it to last. She was more herself here than she’d ever been before and she didn’t want loose that. But something loomed over her like a dark cloud—an ominous storm that threatened to destroy everything.
She slowed to a walk when she neared the shady grotto nestled at the base of a massive cliff. A winding flight of steps rose from the sand up to Aidan’s palatial home along the ridge. He really did have a pedigree, with a trust fund and a panoramic view of the city across the bay.
She could hear the peaceful vocals of Miserere a 9 on the surround sound and she paused to watch him. He was texting, a slight frown creasing his brow. It was noon in Germany, and he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to check in with his old girlfriend.
“How’s Wendy?” She dropped to her usual place beside him on the stone sectional covered in brightly colored cushions. Everything in the grotto was carved right from the limestone rock. Even the huge dining table was a slab suspended from the ceiling. The fire pit was formed right into the floor where flames crackled cheerfully this morning, but dark black soot marred the low ceiling where a fire had recently burned out of control.
“She’s good.” His grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “And awfully curious about you.”
“How so?”
“Coffee?” He slid a mug across the table.
“Ahh, the nectar of my people.” She settled back comfortably against the cushions. “But I’m not so easily distracted. Why’s your old girlfriend curious about me?”
“She wanted to know if you were hot,” he snorted in a very un-Aidan like way.
“Um?”
“You’re more her type than I am.”
“Oh.” Allie giggled as Benedictus filled the air. “Feeling depressed this morning, are we?”
“I happen to like choral music. It helps me think.”
“What’s on your mind?”
“I need to know exactly when your sixteenth birthday is.”
“Halloween. Why?”
“You were seriously born with that orange hair on Halloween?”
“Orange?” She glared daggers at him.
“Is that a date you picked or is it your actual birthday? We don’t know when Sasha’s is, so we let her pick her own when she was little.”
“It’s my real birthday, but you still haven’t answered my question.”
“Just want to make sure we have enough time for party planning.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“You’ve met me, right? I hate birthday parties. Mom always invited a bunch of random kids I didn’t even know. She gave up when I punched a kid for making fun of me because I didn’t have any real friends.”
“You have real friends now, but you seem determined not to accept it. I know you’re happy here, but why does that scare the hell out of you?”
“I will allow that blatant attempt to distract me, but if you throw a party, don’t be surprised if I don’t show up,” she said. “To answer your question, I am happy here, but it can’t last. I didn’t want to get attached, but it’s too late for that. It would break my heart if I had to leave now.”
“Your parents promised. No more moving.” He draped his arm around her. She shivered as his fingertips grazed the back of her neck.
“Yeah, well, I’ve never known a world where we don’t move.” She pulled away. Allie always reacted strongly to his touch. If she were honest, she craved it. They were so drawn to each other and shared an amazing connection, but she didn’t want to encourage anything more than friendship. He felt differently, but his intensity made her nervous.
Aidan caught her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his. “It’s just us, Lex. If I’m affectionate, it doesn’t have to be weird. I can see you aren’t into me like that, and that’s okay … for now.” His smirk was arrogant, as usual. “I’m happy to have you as my best friend,” he added in a softer tone.
“Aidan, it’s just—” But he ignored her protests and tucked her securely under his arm.
“You’re still afraid you’re going to wake up one morning and have to leave again?”
“That’s my life. It’s inevitable.”
“You need to get over that constant fear or you’re never going to be happy.”
“I thought Quinn was your best friend?” She switched to a safer topic.
“Sure, but there’s always an awkward wall between us. It’s not like that with you. Our relationship is … you let me be me. And I’ve never had that.”
“I’ve always felt so disconnected from everyone around me,” she said carefully, not wanting to say too much to give him the wrong idea. “I don’t feel like that with you. It’s nice.”
“And comforting.” He absently stroked her hair. “Most kids our age are so exhausting and immature.”
“Immature? Really? Aren’t you the guy who took the school bus out for a joyride with your football buddies after the last away game? And didn’t I hear something about racing trains? Not to mention you have half the girls in school begging for your attention with that fake Aidan crap.”
“It’s an act, Allie. Surely you can see that by now?”
“But why? Fake Aidan’s an idiot. I like this guy.” She shoved him playfully. “But why does he only show up when we’re alone?”
“Back atcha, Lex. You hide behind your humor and sarcasm with everyone else, but you’re real with me. And you’re not so scary.” His eyes twinkled mischievously.
“Could be if I wanted to,” she muttered, a little unnerved by how clearly he saw her.
“Of that, I have no doubt,” he laughed.
~~~
“You’re disgusting!” Sasha shrieked as Aidan rummaged through the fridge.
“Dude, you do stink,” Allie added in amusement.
“Football practice got messy.” He stuffed half a club sandwich into his mouth. “I might have tackled Vince a few times just for fun.”
“Aidan!”
“The guy’s a douche.” He shrugged. “Want to stay for dinner? You can finally meet our parents.”
“Sure.”
“Shouldn’t you be discussing that with me?” Sasha hissed.
“Uh, I can just go home, Sash,” Allie said.
“Crap!” Sasha’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “I just meant … I … er, how does she do that?” She glowered at Aidan as he tried unsuccessfully to stifle his laughter.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m just not surfing the same channels as you guys,” Allie sighed.
“Hey, it’s my turn to cook this week.” Aidan shrugged out of his muddy shirt. “Want to help? You can just watch, uhh … I’ll do the actual cooking.” Since he was her unfortunate partner in their Culinary Arts class, she didn’t blame his caution.
Allie took a moment to admire his tattoos when he grabbed a clean shirt from the laundry.
Did they change? Something was missing…
“See something you like, sweetheart?” He grabbed her around the waist.
“Yeah, the tattoos.” She gave him a shove. “They look different than I remember.”
“Work in progress. I’ll show you the plan sometime. I was thinking you might draw my next one.” He quickly pulled the clean shirt over his head before they headed down to the grotto kitchen.
She sat at the bar and watched as he pulled several trays from the fridge: steaks marinated
in something that smelled wonderfully Mediterranean, chicken and beef kabobs with onions and brightly colored peppers, ribs and chicken.
“That’s a lot of food for five people.”
“Er…when it’s my week to cook, I like to do it all at once. How do you like your steak?”
“Just short of mooing.”
“That’s my girl!” He grinned in approval.
Allie heard a rush of white noise and looked around in alarm. She got that creepy feeling a lot these days, but never so strongly.
“Relax, it’s just my mom,” he said. But Allie didn’t think he meant to say it.
Allie’s eyes widened at his blatant acknowledgment of her feelings. She stared at him in surprise, but his only response was his typical arrogant grin.
“Dinner smells wonderful, son, but I see a lot of meat and very few vegetables,” his mother said as she and Sasha joined them.
“Hey, the kabobs have fruit, peppers and onions.” Aidan draped his long arm around his petite mother. Allie noticed how she flinched, as if her son’s touch bothered her somehow. It was such a familiar reaction, it didn’t register right away that it wasn’t in response to her.
“Just like your father.” She smiled, all traces of her discomfort gone, but Allie saw a flicker of sadness cross Aidan’s face. Without thinking, she reached for his hand and he gently squeezed her fingers in silent affirmation of her offer of comfort.
“Allie, I’m delighted to finally meet you!” His mother was dazzling in her exotic Egyptian beauty. “Please call me Naeemah.”
“Th-thank you.” She stared at Aidan uncertainly.
“Aidan Loukas McBrien! Front and center! Right bloody now!” his father called from the steps above.
“Coming, Da!” Aidan winced. “I know I’m in trouble when the Scots comes out.”
“What’d you do this time?” Allie giggled at his use of the Scottish endearment.
“Brought an unruly redhead home for dinner.” He winked as he rushed up the steps to meet his father.
“Come on girls, let’s see if we can find something green in this kitchen. The boys will be along shortly. I’m sure Aidan will have some fabulous excuse for whatever it is he’s done this time.”
Allie laughed. His mother sure wasn’t fooled by his charm.
“Sorry, Nae.” She heard the subtle Scottish burr when Aidan and his father finally joined them. Allie’s heart skipped a beat when he turned his attention on her. She glanced at Aidan, her confusion written all over her face, but he just gave her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze.
“Allie!” She looked up to see an all too familiar smile. “Greggory McBrien, it’s nice to finally meet you.” He winked.
“Oh no. There’s two of you.” She glanced between father and son who looked nothing alike, beyond their mischievous smiles, yet they shared some elusive quality she couldn’t place.
“I’m starving, let’s eat.” Aidan hefted two full dinner plates onto the table. Naeemah arched her brow at her ravenous son as he slathered an absurd amount of butter on a tiny dinner roll.
“How did you come to be with your adoptive family?” she asked.
“I was abandoned in a hospital waiting room in South Africa,” Allie said. “I was only a few hours old, but I was placed with my parents immediately and the adoption was finalized not long after.” She forced a smile. She didn’t like talking about the circumstances of her birth.
“Aye, family isn’t always about biology,” Gregg said. “We’re the epitome of the melting pot, but we make it work.”
After dinner, Allie sat quietly listening to her friends, but she couldn’t concentrate. She felt like Aidan was trying to tell her something—something he had no intention of putting into words.
As she slipped into the bathroom, she heard Naeemah and Gregg talking in the study below, their voices carrying up through the vents.
“How could this happen?” Naeemah asked.
“…must be making excuses,” Gregg said.
“What can we do?”
“…have to be careful…”
“…can’t overwhelm her, she is… see her touch him?”
“…might finally have someone.”
“Allie!” Sasha rapped loudly on the door. “We’re going out for coffee!”
Allie finished drying her hands, trying to hear over the ruckus.
“Come on, let’s get out of here!” Aidan shouted.
She caught his gaze when she stepped into the hall and knew he saw the questions in her eyes.
“Relax, Lex. Take a deep breath and don’t overthink it.” Aidan grabbed her hand and she felt a wave of calm wash over her. Sometimes he had the most remarkable effect on her.
“Alright, but seriously, drop the Lex crap already.”
~~~
CHAPTER
SIX
“If I hear ‘I don’t date Cliffton girls’ one more time, I will punch you in your whole face.” Allie rolled her eyes. She was walking to Physics with Vince, which had become their habit after lunch.
“Can you reach that high?” He grinned down at her.
“Har, har, funny guy. I was not hinting for a date.”
“I know. And trust me, you’re about as much of a ‘Cliffton girl’ as I am.”
“So come to the party at North Shore Beach this weekend? It’ll be fun.”
“Well, I guess we could try the friend thing. I don’t think I’ve ever been ‘just friends’ with a girl, but I suppose I could give it a shot.”
“I’m honored.” She sneered.
“I’ll come to the party.” He took an unnecessary step closer. “But something tells me ‘just friends’ is never going to work.”
~~~
“Come on! Let us plan a big party?” Sasha begged as they wandered down the beach early Saturday evening. Allie saw familiar faces everywhere: people from town, neighbors, and kids from school. Tiny bonfires dotted the sand in the growing darkness, and there was a festive atmosphere of anticipation for the live music and fireworks to come later in the evening. It was all so neighborly, and such a foreign concept to her.
“Seriously guys, I know like ten people, so keep it small if you expect me to show up.”
“Sure.” Chloe’s promise was not convincing.
“Hey, Allie!” Vince called. “I knew you were a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl.” He nodded appreciatively at her casual, non-Cliffton attire.
“You actually came!”
“Promised, didn’t I?” He fell in step with her as Chloe and Sasha melted into the crowd.
“Come on, there’s a volleyball match about to start.” He grabbed her hand. It felt nice; comfortable and exciting at the same time, but safe. With Vince, everything was exactly as it appeared.
“I played volleyball at my school in New Zealand,” she said as they took their seats near the pit. She inched a little closer when she felt his hand at her back.
“You’ve moved a lot. Should I be worried?”
“It seems we’re staying here for good.” She rested her hand on his knee. “Maybe I’ll play for Cliffton this spring?”
“How is it that one who travels so low to the ground can play sports with tall people?”
“I’m stronger and faster than I look.”
“Well, you and Sasha play like you’ve been partners for years. It cracks me up when you two sneak the ball down the court and the other team hardly notices.”
“You’ve been to my games?”
“Every one I can.” His hand closed over hers.
They slid so easily into their comfortable banter and silly flirtation, Allie knew “just friends” was doomed.
“Let’s eat. I’m starving,” she said when the game ended.
He absently slipped his hand into hers as they made their way over to the vendor booths.
“You have mustard on your face.” He laughed when she swiped at the spot and missed.
“Here, I got it.” He wiped the corner of her mouth with his thumb. The
ir eyes met briefly and he looked away, as if he just realized their whole evening had been a date, which was exactly what he hadn’t intended it to be.
“Don’t freak out,” she whispered playfully.
“I should go check in with my friends.”
“Aw, you freaked out,” she teased.
“Did not.”
“Did too. See you a bit later?”
“Of course.” He smiled as he left in search of his friends.
“So how’d it go?” Sasha asked before Allie had taken a step.
“Seriously? Where did you come from?”
“You’re sitting here, where they keep the food, and you don’t expect to see me?”
“Good point.” Sasha was always hungry.
“Come on, music’s about to start.”
The band was taking the stage just as they found their seats. Allie did a double take when she saw Aidan join them on stage.
“Is he seriously about to sing?” She cringed.
“Don’t worry, he’s actually good,” Quinn said.
Allie cheered with the crowd. He was amazing and he’d chosen one of her favorites. A perfectly tortured lyric with an angry rhythm that totally suited him.
“How did I not know he could do this?”
“He’s shy,” Quinn said.
“Yeah, I’ll buy that for a dollar,” she said dryly as she watched him trade the guitar for his violin.
She expected him to play a classical piece but was blown away when he played along with the rock band instead.
“So how’s it going with Vince?” Sasha asked when Aidan left the stage after his last set.
“Pretty good. The friend thing isn’t working, but he seems determined not to get involved.”
“Where is he anyway?”
“Ahh, I just saw him with some hot blond,” Graham said.
“Ow! Chloe, that hurt!” he growled, rubbing his arm where she hit him.
“It’s alright, Chlo, we’re not really together.” But Allie felt like the one who just got punched.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Sasha insisted.
“You’re probably right.” She left her friends to search the crowd. It didn’t take long to find him with the strikingly beautiful college girl attached to his hip. Tattooed, with silvery blond hair, her arms snaked around Vince’s neck. Allie watched in dismay when she kissed him, running her fingers through his hair in a very familiar gesture. She turned away, refusing to let a stupid boy ruin her night.
Immortals of Indriell- The Collection Page 4