“Thought we could have some fun before you start ordering us around like a big shot,” Murphy Ross announces. I remember her well. She was in the academy with me and we both started at Ocean Pines together. A few other faces are familiar like Dan Keribo, who was my favorite co-worker back when I started. So good to see him again. And Ronan Green. He’s a few years older than me and was already a firefighter when I started but unlike Dan, he was far from my favorite. You always haze a probie a little bit, but Ronan was relentless and a total dick. He gives me a nod and a smile, but it’s insincere. I ignore him and make a point of introducing myself to the co-workers I don’t know yet.
A few hours later, the party is going strong and I’m enjoying every minute of it, as long as I don’t look at Terra and the boyfriend, who’s name I have inadvertently found out is Tom Kowalewicz. I overheard him introduce himself to Murphy and Ronan. Later, as the party is winding down and I’m grabbing a lobster bomb—Lucy Hawkins’s famous homemade appetizer—off the food table, Tom walks right over and introduces himself. I pop the bomb in my mouth, wipe my hand on a napkin and give his hand a shake, firmer than I need to.
“I thought I should say hey since, you know, this get-together is for you and we’ve never met and Terra talks about you all the time,” he says with a friendly smile. “I’m an associate professor of social sciences over at Darby College in Portsmouth. That’s in New Hampshire.”
“Yeah. I know where Portsmouth is. Grew up in Ocean Pines,” I explain. I toss a smile at him hoping it takes the edge off my words. “You’re dating Terra?”
He nods and shrugs. Shrugs?
“Yeah. For a while now. Long distance,” he explains. “We’re both super busy. I have work and she’s got this place to run and school and between that and my cycling club commitments and her doctor’s appointments it’s been hard. Which is too bad because she’s a great girl.”
Why does it sound like he’s breaking up with her as he talks about her? Is that my wishful thinking? He makes eye contact. He has to look up to do it, but that’s normal. I’m six-four, tallest guy in the room tonight, and most nights. Tom is probably about five-nine. “Someone like Terra is worth it, though.”
He nods. Slowly. “Sure. Yeah. Of course. But the lupus thing… it’s tough.”
I officially do not like him.
“Tough on her, you mean?”
Before he can respond the devil herself is in front of us. “Why are you two talking?”
“Umm.. because we haven’t met yet because you haven’t bothered to introduce us,” I tell her and she snaps her head up to glare at me.
“Tom Kowalewicz, my boyfriend, meet Jake Maverick, best friend of Logan and Finn,” Terra says cordially. “I’m tired. I’m heading home now. You coming Tom?”
But Tom isn’t looking at her or paying attention. The front door has opened and two people have walked in. “Is that… Abbott Barlowe?”
Terra swings her head around. “It is.”
“Like the Abbott Barlowe? Who plays for the Boston Eagles?” Tom is fangirling so hard I’m almost embarrassed for him.
“Yeah.” Terra’s tone is hard and cold like stone but Tom doesn’t notice.
“You know him? How did this never come up? Can you introduce me?”
“Nope,” Terra answers, and finally Tom looks at her. He’s visibly startled by the hardness in her chocolate eyes. “Because that blonde he walked in with is his sister and my ex-best friend and I’ve exiled the whole family. But Jake here might be able to help you out. Since it’s his party, and she’s his ex-girlfriend.”
Terra storms off toward the doors to the deck that overlooks the dock. Tom doesn’t follow. Jerkoff. I’m about to turn around and follow her to explain I definitely didn’t invite Aspen or Abbott when Abbott calls my name. “Hey bud. I’m leaving tomorrow for training camp but I had to swing by and say welcome home.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Abbott shakes my hand and actually pulls me into a hug. Abbott and I were never close. He’s a good guy and everything, we just don’t gel. He was closest to Declan growing up, but they don’t really talk anymore. Of course they didn’t have the colossal blow-out fight that Terra and Aspen had. Speaking of … my eyes land on her. “Hey Aspen. How are you?”
I lean down to give her a hug because it’s expected. She hugs me back. “Oh you know…”
Tom clears his throat. I pull away from Aspen. “Have you guys met Tom? He’s with Terra.”
Tom immediately starts talking to Abbott about hockey. I back away and turn to make my way out to the deck. Aspen’s voice calls my name. “Jake! Can we catch up for a sec?”
“Yeah. In a minute. I have to do something,” I call back and make my way to the deck doors. I’m worried Terra won’t wait for her man to stop gushing all over Abbott and just leave by herself, and I don’t want to miss her.
Out on the deck Terra is leaning against the railing. It’s still unbelievably warm outside and humid. My clothes start to feel clingy as soon as I step outside, and there’s zero breeze. I notice for the first time she’s wearing a long-sleeved sweater over her cute dress. “Aren’t you melting in that?”
She nods, keeping her eyes on the inky black ocean churning in front of us. The moonlight is slicing a perfect silvery line down the middle of the water. It’s really pretty and I realize how much I missed this, the tranquility of the ocean.
“So take off the sweater.”
“Nope. I’m good,” she replies firmly. It makes no sense but I don’t push her.
“So Tom…” Now she looks at me, her expression anxious. “How’d you meet?”
“He gave a guest lecture at my school. I attended and asked him a couple questions afterward and he asked for my number,” Terra replies. There’s no awe in her voice. No excitement or sweet nostalgia as she recounts the tale.
“How old is he?”
“Thirty-one.”
“Wow. Older than Deck,” I say without thinking.
“Let me guess, you think he’s too old for me,” Terra says but doesn’t stop talking so I can answer the question. “I mean if you thought a junior was too old for a freshman, this must be totally unacceptable to you. Tom was already in college when I was a freshman. Gasp!”
“You’re feisty tonight,” I remark and wink at her before growing serious. “And I don’t think he’s too old.”
“Age was one of your excuses not to touch me when we were in high school,” Terra replies, turning her eyes back to the ocean.
I laugh. “Okay well, if we’re following the stupid things we said when we were teenagers, then why aren’t you and Tommy boy married with twins named Chuck and Blair?”
She swings her head back to stare at me. The freckles on her nose are gleaming in the moonlight and it’s fucking adorable. I want to cup her face and run the pad of my thumb across them. “You told your family you wanted to marry by twenty and have twins and name them after those Gossip Girl characters, remember?”
“I was thirteen and an idiot,” Terra replies. “I don’t actually want kids now. And marriage is a big maybe … and I’m not talking with Tom, I’m talking with anyone.”
I love the Tom part of that revelation but not the anyone part.
“Oh, so you’ve changed, but I haven’t?” I cock an eyebrow.
“Maybe you did but how would I know?” she asks softly after a long pause where we just stare at each other. “You didn’t keep in touch.”
Ouch.
“And that’s exactly why I’m out here,” I lean on the railing too, making sure my forearm rests against hers. I can’t feel her skin through that damn sweater, unfortunately. “I’m trying to catch up with you. I’ve missed you.”
“What?” I can’t decide if her tone is shocked or offended.
“I missed you,” I double down. “I thought about you a lot when I was in King’s Rock.”
“Okay…” Now she sounds cautious. Like she’s expecting a punchline or a backhanded compliment.
I laugh. “This isn’t a set up for a joke or something, Tink. I mean it. You were on my mind a lot.”
“Over three entire years?”
“Yeah.”
“And you didn’t call? Email? Visit?”
“No. I didn’t.” She’s got me there. “I’m sorry about that. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to but I just… needed some space.”
“From?”
“This town. My past. My own demons,” I reply and those dark eyes of hers are locked onto mine. So piercing, so fabulously intense. Terra doesn’t look at you, she looks through you. I love it and am terrified of it at the very same time. Always have been.
“You can’t leave your demons behind,” she reminds me in a calm, confident voice. “They follow you.”
“Sometimes you need to go somewhere else to realize that,” I explain and she just nods, like she gets it. “I’m sorry I didn’t keep in touch.”
“So am I.”
That tiny confession sends a ripple of warmth through my chest. I need to remind myself she’s taken. So I say, “Tom mentioned your lupus. How is it? Are you doing okay?”
The soft smile that had been flirting with her mouth, disappears. “Tom mentioned it? Why?”
“I… I don’t know he just did,” I say, wondering what the hell is up with her. “Said you had a lot of doctor’s appointments.”
“He’s talking to you? About my doctor’s appointments?”
“Look I’m not trying to start a fight between you two,” I say and want to feel worse than I do, but the fact is I don’t like him. I didn’t like the way he talked about her like she wasn’t fucking amazing and perfect and better than he could ever deserve. Her eyes glint in the moonlight. Her hair looks thicker than it has in the past and it’s loose and skimming her shoulders except for the couple strands kind of stuck to her cheek because of the dewy humidity. I want desperately to brush them away. “You look great, Terra.”
“I do?”
“Yeah. Beautiful actually.”
“Hey Jake!”
Aspen. Fuck.
“Oh. Hey Terra,” Aspen says, and I hear her heels clicking on the wooden deck as she approaches. “How have you been?”
“I’ll leave you two alone to get reacquainted,” Terra says, and just like that she’s gone, scooting by Aspen and back into the party.
“Tink, wait!” I call and her steps slow. I turn to Aspen. “Can I talk to you in a minute. I haven’t finished with Terra.”
“Honestly, Jake, it’s fine,” Terra argues, glancing at us from over her shoulder. “I told you earlier, I’m exhausted and heading home. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”
Terra continues on through the deck doors into the party. Aspen stands awkwardly a foot and a half away. I turn to face her, exhaling loudly as I lean back on the railing.
“Why do I get the feeling I was interrupting something?”
“Because you did,” I reply, bluntly. “Did you know she’s dating that douche canoe trying to kiss your brother’s ass?”
Aspen smiles, but even in the dim moonlight I can tell it’s not her usual smile. Aspen is hard as nails and passionate. Everything from her smile to her laugh to the way she speaks is no holds barred. But not tonight. Tonight she’s reserved, uptight. “I knew she had a boyfriend. I mean, she didn’t tell me but I heard she had met someone who was from out of town. And Mrs. Green told me he’s rich. Family money. They own camp grounds all over New England or something. It’s Ocean Pines, Jake. People can’t fart without someone talking about it.”
“Yeah … I didn’t miss that,” I reply.
“You know we’re lucky no one’s talking about what happened with us…” Aspen says, her voice significantly lower than it was a moment ago. She walks closer, basically taking over Terra’s position, against the railing next to me. Her blue eyes are so pale they look almost white in this light as she stares at me, willing me to know exactly what she’s talking about. “You remember that … right?”
“Aspy I was drunk but not that drunk. Of course I remember,” I reply. “And thankfully no one was hanging out in the Wagon Wheel Motel parking lot at four a.m. that night so they didn’t see our unexpected walk down memory lane.”
“Yeah… we were discreet. I’m still kind of amazed out of all the bars in Scarborough you walked into the one I was working an undercover case in,” Aspen says in awe and something in my stomach tightens uncomfortably. If she starts talking about fate or something… But then her expression gets serious. “And just for the record I’m still on the same page I was then. It was a one-time thing.”
“No strings attached,” I agree. It’s what I said then, before we got naked, because there was no way I was doing it if we weren’t both emotionally on the same page. “So we should probably stop talking about it.”
“Sure thing. After I tell you this one thing,” She turns to face me. Her expression is serious. “I’m pregnant. Full disclosure, there’s a fifty-fifty chance it isn’t even yours. But I’m telling you because … well there’s a fifty percent chance it is, and even though I won’t ask a single solitary thing of you financially or emotionally, I thought you should know. Because like we said earlier, it’s Ocean Pines, and people will start talking when I start showing, so that means you’ll find out eventually anyway.”
I … what? She did not just say … She can’t be. Is she? Oh my God this isn’t a joke. “Okay. Great. You know. Tick that one off my To-Do list,” She starts to walk away. I reach out for her but miss. I’m moving like I’m up to my neck in quick-drying cement “Oh, and tell anyone and I’ll kill you. This is my news to share, okay? Thanks! Later Jake.”
“Aspen, wait!”
“No. Later, Jake.”
She disappears back inside. My eyes follower her through the plate glass window as she weaves through the remaining guests to the front door and then out, where she disappears from view.
Holy shit. What the hell just happened?
3
Terra
Tom is more handsy than I would like in the back of the Uber – AKA Jay’s nineteen ninety-nine Toyota Corolla. He’s tipsy and affectionate. This should be every girl’s dream, I think for the hundredth time. But I have never been one for PDA.
To be fair Jay has probably seen worse. He is literally the only Uber driver in Ocean Pines. No joke, you pull up the app and you’ll always only get his little icon, parked at the trailer park he lives in. Luckily he’s a great, reliable driver with his eyes always on the road and not glancing in his rearview at his passengers. Still, when Tom kisses my neck I pull away. “Busy night tonight, Jay?”
He shrugs. “Not especially. I guess for Ocean Pines it’s been a little busy. Mostly people coming and going from Jake’s little welcome home bash.”
I nod. “Yeah there were a lot of people there.”
“He’s a popular guy,” Jay replies. “Even got Abbott Barlowe to make an appearance. That says something.”
“You drove him to the restaurant?”
Jay shakes his head and he turns left onto my street. “No. But I drove Aspen home from the party. She was fighting with Abbott on her phone the whole ride because I guess she wasn’t supposed to leave without him. Anyway, she was upset about more than that. No idea what though.”
Huh. Aspen left before I did? It took me about twenty minutes to say goodbye to my family members and peel Tom from Abbott but I assumed Aspen would have still been outside with Jake.
“We have arrived at your destination,” Jay declares in a robot voice like he’s a human GPS as he pulls to the curb in front of my building, which is an old, massive Victorian house that was converted into apartments in the seventies.
My apartment is on the top floor, accessed by a very long staircase on the side of the building. The outside of the house, which was constructed in 1881 when Ocean Pines was founded, is weathered blue-gray shingles with white-framed windows. There’s only five apartments in the whole three story building and I
’m the only one on the top floor and the only one with a balcony, tiny as it may be. I have enough space for a suspended rope chair and a tiny table which is all I need. And if I stand up as tall as I can and look to the right, I can see the ocean on a clear day. The males in my family and Tom complain about the sloped ceilings because it’s technically the attic, but at five-foot-three, that never bothered me much. Lately it’s the stairs that bug me. So much climbing and I’m always exhausted. I dread them even now, just thinking about them.
“Jake have a good time?” Jay inquires as we unbuckle our seatbelts.
I nod. “Yeah. I guess.”
Jay chuckles. “I heard he won some big fancy medal over in King’s Hill or wherever the hell he was.”
“King’s Rock,” I correct. “It’s on the border with New Brunswick Canada and yeah, he saved a baby in a big fire when he was actually off-duty. He was given the medal of Valor. Youngest firefighter in the State to receive it in the last forty years.”
“Wow. Who would have thought that fucked-up little orphan kid would turn into a hero?” Jay says and he means it as a compliment but it bugs me. Still, I know Jay is essentially a good guy so I bite my tongue and nod as Tom opens the door, climbs out, and reaches out his hand to help me. I wave at Jay, who calls out, “Five-star ratings are always appreciated!”
Jay drives off. He doesn’t have to be so nice. The town doesn’t have a taxi service, so it’s Jay or walking. It’s adorable how seriously he takes customer service and how his Corolla is always immaculate. By the time we make it all the way up the staircase to my apartment I am beyond exhausted and fighting the urge to pant from exertion. I’ve only been on dialysis for nine weeks now but I swear my body feels like it’s been ten years. Oh God, I can’t even imagine what I’ll feel like if I’m actually still on it in ten years.
The last thing I would want right now is sex, even if I didn’t have a serious topic to discuss, but it’s clearly the only thing Tom wants. He is lifting my hair and kissing the back of my neck as I lock the apartment door behind us. I turn around and face him, placing a palm on each side of his handsome face. “Tom, I’m wiped out. And… I kind of think we need to talk about some stuff.”
The Fall We Fell: A Small Town Friends-to-Lovers Romance (Ocean Pines Series Book 1) Page 4
