Cash continued, "a couple of suits came to one of my shows and asked to talk to me about a gig."
I was so involved with Cash’s voice and his story that I didn’t even realize what flavor my drink was. Listening to him felt like catching yourself nodding off, so I opened my eyes wide and paid attention, hoping I didn't look like a weirdo.
"The interview turned out to be a recruiting interview. They decided my power wasn't going to be useful to them and let me go home, but they forced me to sign a contract. They threatened my family and insinuated that they would simply take me if I didn’t sign. I didn’t want to put my mom and dad through that. They were struggling enough as it was. My dad worked nights at a security company and supported my mom after she lost her job.”
“So what’d you do?” I asked.
“I ran away.” I felt the ache open up in him. He missed his parents, but there was a resolve about him that took over. “I weighed out all my options and figured it’d be better for everyone in the end if I just left. I saw Glitch again as I was leaving my interview and we just stuck together. It felt like fate."
“What about the rest of you?" I asked, looking toward Charlie and Dozer.
Cash grinned and said, “Charlie came next."
I felt her blushing before I saw it. "I caught them scamming tourists in San Francisco with one of those shell games," she said gleefully, nostalgia running through her.
"Charlie outed us in front of everyone at the pier," Cash said, smirking.
"Headset and I were struggling, so Cash and Glitch helped us out and they haven't been able to get rid of me since."
"And Dozer?" I asked. Maybe a little backstory would help me place him.
Dozer was staring quietly at Charlie as she cleaned Headset’s face with a paper towel. The little boy struggled against her, trying to duck her hand, but he was unsuccessful. Dozer’s emotions toward Charlie were warm, affectionate, and attentive. It made me smile. They were good for each other. At least they would be when they acknowledged the connection they shared.
"Dozer saved my life," Charlie said, as a warm glow spread through her body.
"Nah," he shook his head and avoided looking at anyone. "Like they say, I was just in the right place at the right time."
"Headset got away from me and went darting across a street. I chased after him and almost got clipped by a car."
Dozer's whole body was tense with our attention fixed on him.
"What about before?" I asked.
Dozer's nervousness dissolved into caution for some reason, and I felt a wall come up inside of him. "I was traveling around, avoiding college. I grew up in Colorado."
I could tell that was all I was going to get from him. That little light in my brain that switches on when something is wrong, was flashing at me.
"I was already kind of a nomad, myself. I decided to stick with these guys." Dozer smiled at Charlie, then immediately looked away, preoccupying himself with making Headset another s'more.
"I think we found each other for a reason," Charlie gushed.
"So, that's the story of us." Cash grinned and poked the fire, sending glowing embers into the sand. He took in the group in its entirety. He loved them whole-heartedly and would do anything to keep them safe. “We started off further down the coast in camp sites or cheap motels. I’d go into whatever town was nearest and sing to get as much money as I could. It paid well, but not as well as here. Eventually we found the Lair, and we've been here ever since.”
"I love our crazy life," Charlie gushed and hugged Headset.
“What about you, Liv?” Dozer raised his eyes to mine.
“Dozer, she said she doesn’t want to talk about all that family drama.” Charlie came to my rescue.
They’d all shared things with me. I felt like I owed them a little piece of myself.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll share.” I cleared my throat. “Well, I was in Riverside the last few years. ACT pretty much monitored my whole life, so I took classes at the local college and kept my head down.” Everyone stared at me with expectant smiles. “Compelling, I know.”
“Liv, it’s fine, you don’t have to share,” Charlie assured me.
“There’s not much to tell. I’m pretty boring.”
“No hobbies?” Dozer asked.
I wrapped myself tighter in Cash’s jacket, feeling the cold seeping into me again as the wind picked up.
“I really liked doing calligraphy.” I bit my lip and tried to think of something less lame that I liked. “And painting, but nothing realistic. Mostly shapes and brush strokes and colors.” I shrugged. “Oh, and I play a mean game of chess.”
“There you go. That’s cool,” Charlie said, grinning.
My attention was drawn back to Cash. A tiny smile curved on his lips. Quiet amusement surrounded him.
“Headset didn’t eat all the chocolate again, did he?” Glitch was suddenly around the fire, shaking off like a dog.
"Watch it, Glitch!" Dozer raised his hands to shield Charlie and Headset from the cold spray of water.
"Sorry." Glitch grinned devilishly as he wrapped himself in a towel.
Charlie handed over the last chocolate bar. Glitch gratefully accepted it, and then took a seat next to us and warmed up by the fire.
“What are you guys talking about?”
“Liv was telling us a riveting story about her calligraphy skills,” Cash said, smirking.
“Nerd.” Glitch chomped down on a molten hot s’more and I felt it burn my tongue.
“Ouch!” we both said in unison. I shoved him away from me and he tried to shove me back.
Charlie, Headset, Dozer and Cash laughed, watching Glitch and I slap fight.
“Okay, guys. I have an early morning and a twelve-hour day ahead of me tomorrow. I’m going to call it a night.” Dozer stood and stretched. The construction company he worked for got a bid to build a new hotel by the beach, so Dozer was putting in extra hours.
“I’ll bring you some lunch. I wanted to head into town anyway and pick up a few more work books for Headset.”
“Awesome.” Dozer smiled at her warmly and I felt heat rise to my cheeks.
Charlie started to get up too. She lifted Headset into her arms and cradled him as he struggled to stay awake, his sticky fingers clutching the marshmallow bag.
“I’ll take those.” Glitch grabbed the bag and Headset let out a tiny squeak of protest, but fell limp shortly after.
“I got Headset.” Dozer pulled him effortlessly from Charlie and grabbed her folding chair, too.
“Goodnight,” Charlie said, illuminating Dozer’s path back to the Lair with a flashlight. Glitch, Cash and I sat around the fire until it died down. I mostly listened as they debated the cliffhanger ending of the last season of some zombie show. When the fire had no more warmth to give and the logs were ash, we gathered up our blankets and Cash buried what was left of the fire.
“There’s this art show downtown this week. I was going to head down there and check it out tomorrow if you want to join me. Since you’re all about shapes and colors and all that.” Cash smiled and stared at his shoes as we walked, nervousness radiating from him.
“I’d like that.” I felt his unease stirring around inside me, and realized there was something more behind it.
“Cool. We’ll leave around ten and maybe meet up with Dozer and Charlie for lunch after?”
“Yeah, sounds like a plan.”
As we reached the Lair, Glitch zoomed up to his room, but Cash lingered in the family room with me.
“For the record, you’re not boring,” he said, smiling softly. When his eyes met mine again, I felt something. It moved through my body slowly, warming my chest and moved outward to my limbs. It didn’t fade away, either. It stuck with me for a while, sitting in my heart. It was gentle excitement that pulsed through my veins. Once I realized what it was, I realized it had been there for a while, slowly building.
Cash had feelings for me.
I didn’t say
anything. I couldn’t just then. He’d left me literally speechless. The weird part was that he knew it. He knew what I could do, that I could feel it. He’d been disguising it for a while, but he wasn’t even trying anymore.
“Goodnight, Liv,” Cash said, his smile turning into a grin.
I nodded and managed to say goodnight before turning and stumbling quickly up the stairs.
I lay in bed and thought about what I’d felt from him. I convinced myself it was a fleeting crush. They happened all the time. I was new to the group, and a woman. That’s usually all it took for men. It was natural he’d have a passing interest in me. I’d just ignore it until it eventually faded. I closed my eyes and tried to put it out of my mind.
Chapter Seven
The exhibit was a collection of local artists that specialized in different mediums ranging from paint on canvas to huge sculptures. Cash led me through, taking my hand now and then to guide me to his favorite pieces. He was always quiet, but there was something different about it. He was being careful not to talk to me, but was still attentive, making sure I didn’t miss a single thing that he found awe inspiring. It was amazing how much I learned about him without having spoken a single word to one another.
There was an uninhibited boldness about him that was incredibly attractive, and I couldn’t decide if I felt that way or if he was projecting it. At the same time, there was still a cute awkwardness to him, and nervousness that laced everything he said to me. He seemed happier than I’d seen him before, and it only got better. The excitement that pulsed inside him grew hotter until he simply glowed with it as we walked through the displays.
His emotions were all over the place, but it didn’t feel chaotic. It flowed like river water, crashing over the rocks when he saw something new. It got still and deep as we sat quietly admiring a watercolor collection. It felt like a waterfall when we reached the back of the warehouse, where his favorite artist set up shop. There was a wall of lit shelving that had dozens of glass sculptures. When his eyes grazed over each different piece, I felt his pulse quicken and wonderment swirled around inside of him. There was a particular piece of wavy glass that depicted volcanic lava spilling onto the ocean. It was beautiful, but when Cash looked at it, his whole body lit up like a firework.
“This one is your favorite.” I smiled and bumped his shoulder with mine.
“I guess it is.” He smiled back, pulling his eyes from the glass to meet mine. “What do you think?”
“They remind me of my sister,” I said softly, as my eyes wandered over the glass. “She makes art like this.” I couldn’t hide the sadness in my voice, but it wasn’t just sadness about what had happened between us. That could have been fixed if I hadn’t left, if I hadn’t given up on her.
“I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“We aren’t close. We got separated for a long time and things just haven’t been right for reconciliation. There's too much old hurt getting in the way.
Cash understood. He didn’t have to say it. His eyes softened and he took my hand. My heart picked up and I couldn’t tell if it was his or mine that started the race, but they were both pumping fast and strong. It was a brief, gentle squeeze to let me know he was there for me. Before I could analyze it, he pulled away and we moved on to the next display.
I thought the day would be weird, but it felt comfortable in a way. I knew he harbored certain feelings for me, and I didn’t want to entertain or encourage them, but he was so confident. His emotions were so fluid that I honestly couldn’t tell if maybe I’d misread what I'd felt from him. Maybe he was just that kind of guy. He hadn’t tried anything or made the awkward push to express his feelings to me.
We got to a display of iron sculptures that moved in the wind and made beautiful patterns as light passed trough the holes.
“This is really cool,” I gawked.
"It’s crazy, right?" He beamed. "Expression is amazing to me, how so many different art forms can express a single feeling."
We watched the metal turning like a snake, coiling over and over as the light shifted through the cutouts, and filled the room with pinpoints of dancing light.
Standing in that room was amazing. Everyone that looked at the piece felt awed, but it touched them all differently. A couple next to us looked mesmerized, with their fingers interlocked. I felt this warmth and security as they held each other, watching the spinning metal. A man across from us was bubbling over with inspiration. It spilled out of him like a fountain, but outwardly, he just stood there, emotion hidden from everyone but me. This little kid was pulling away from his mother to get closer to it. The wonderment in his heart radiated outward and made me feel like a child again; like everything was new and possibilities were limitless. I held onto him as long as I could, but my focus kept getting pulled away.
A woman circled the room. Her attention wasn’t on any of the pieces. I felt her curiosity stinging me from the time we walked into the warehouse. She was tall and slender with a platinum blonde pixie cut that framed her face and light eyes beneath dark brows. Her gaze would wander around the artwork, but would always find its way back to Cash and I. I started to feel uneasy.
“Hey, lets go check out the landscape photography,” I said, looping my arm in Cash’s and leading him from the woman. She didn’t follow. My heart slowed and I focused on the images. Cash didn’t seem to pick up on my discomfort.
There were a few black and white panoramas of New York that drew Cash’s attention immediately.
“Remind you of home?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He craned his neck up and took in the huge picture of the Brooklyn Bridge.
“Why’d you and Glitch leave?”
“I made a lot of money singing there and Glitch fit right in with the bustling city life, but it was too easy to track us there. We drew too much attention. ACT has a pretty big base there.” His nostalgia was twisted with sadness. “Plus, I couldn’t risk running into my family.”
I’d forgotten he’d run away from them to protect them.
“They wouldn’t understand why I was cutting them out, and they wouldn’t have it either. My dad would have locked me in the basement.” He laughed. “Family is really important to him.”
“And to you. I can tell.” I gave him a squeeze like he’d given me when we talked about Mia.
He didn’t say anything, but I felt it. I felt this incredible love surging up through him and quickly being pushed down again.
“Tell me about them?” I asked, wanting to know where those feelings were coming from.
Cash looked at me for a minute, debating something, and then gave in and looked back at the photos. “My mom is the coolest chic in the world. She used to take me on all these little adventures. We’d go hiking, biking, and fishing when we could get out of town, but on normal days we’d just take walks around the city. We’d people watch. She taught me to appreciate people, and all the little things they do. We’d go to the fish market or the farmer’s stands and she’d explain to me how things work and how important everyone is to the big picture. That’s why I love these huge aerial images of the city. There are hundreds of thousands of lives all working together to create this.”
His voice was like a craving. I struggled to listen to what he was saying rather than what it was making me feel. I focused on his emotions, pushing mine away. It was easy to do. He was brimming with them when he talked about his mother. He painted the picture of this beautiful soul who saw more than face value. I loved that, and I loved feeling the way he felt when he remembered her. I'd never had that.
“She sounds like an amazing woman,” I said, studying Cash’s expression as his mind drifted back to better times.
“She had it all figured out. What was important, anyway,” Cash said with a nod and a huge grin.
“Your dad?” I asked, not wanting the emotions he was giving off to slip away.
“He was a hard worker. There was a lot more to my dad, but that’s what I remember most about him. H
e worked really hard to make sure we had food on the table and a roof over our heads. It was important to him that we…” he paused, searching for the right words. “Not necessarily that we didn’t want for anything, but that we didn’t need for anything.”
“Sounds a lot like you,” I said, smiling at him. When his eyes caught mine, he stared at me for a moment, and I felt something inside him shift. It was warm and bright. It felt like he'd just realized something.
“Thanks,” he said. I could tell it had taken him by surprise, like he never thought of himself like that. The whole picture that was Cash was suddenly so clear now. He was patient to the point of being saintly, he put family above all, and wasn’t ambitious the way most people were. He just wanted the Nomads to have everything they needed and be happy. It was simple and beautiful.
"Uh, Liv?"
"Hmm?" I responded dazedly, still caught in his pull.
I felt Cash's hand atop mine, lifting it from where it rested. Slowly, I realized where my hand had been. It was planted firmly and boldly on Cash's upper thigh. My other hand? Looped around his belt.
Cash flushed bright red and I felt heat rising in my cheeks, but that was all me. Mortified, I jumped backward and covered my face, staring at him through my fingers.
"I am so sorry, Cash. I can't believe I did that."
He laughed and rocked backward on his heels, his hands stuck in his pockets.
"It's fine. I shouldn't have been going on like that."
"No, It's not your fault. I just..."
"It's totally my fault, Liv. Don't worry about it."
I groaned and couldn't stop smiling, embarrassment gushing through me. Cash moved closer again.
"I said it's fine," he reassured me. Then his eyes shifted from mine and moved behind me. “I don’t want to scare you, but I think we’re being followed.”
I knew instantly that he meant Pixie Cut.
“I saw her too.”
“I think we’d better get going.”
I nodded.
Cash and I quickly made our way back to the entrance of the warehouse. It didn’t take long to confirm that Pixie Cut was indeed tailing us. She moved from exhibit to exhibit, not bothering to even pretend anymore.
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