“What?”
“This summer, have you drank with anyone?”
“Emma.” His tone was frustrated.
“Wait. Don’t get mad at me. You guys drink all the time and I’ve drank twice since I’ve know you and…”
“Baby…I’m not mad and I certainly don’t want to fight. Listen to me. You’re home in a week. Please wait to make a decision about us until we see each other.”
My bed was spinning and I felt sick. “Fine,” I said squeamishly. “We’ll talk later.”
“Thank you. Get some sleep. And don’t do anything stupid either.”
Too late. “Bye.” I slid the phone shut, closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep.
The sun was bright the next morning and I felt better than I thought I would. I didn’t get up right away. After cracking my door to hear the ocean, I crawled back in bed. A picture of Zach and me at Mt. Shasta sat on my nightstand and I studied it…my smile…his smile. I’d always thought his smile had been a God given gift to me. But the same smile was in all the pictures with Jaycee. Was he really that stupid not to see what was going on?
My summer track record wasn’t exactly clean…a kiss from Grant…one incredible one from Austin…losing my virginity to Zach. I’d already made up my mind. Zach would never know about my night with Austin. Grant had been an unrequited crush for so long that when he became interested, I almost felt an obligation to be with him. But…Austin…he was right…where had this come from? I stretched my aching body full of desires as far as I could. My mom had discussed the birds and the bees with me more times than I liked and we talked about hormones and protection. But, never in all of our conversations did she address the aching…the desire to want to be with someone physically, that my body seemed to be transitioning through. Confusion filled my mind as I thought about Zach and Austin. I knew I loved Zach, there was no question about that. But, what I didn’t understand was my body’s response to Austin. His warm kiss, his soft hands…my body tingled now remembering.
Was this what the guys went through with every girl on the beach? It didn’t make sense to me though. How could they be with just anyone? Having Austin’s hands on my body was one thing, but a random stranger…ugh…Paul’s face flashed before my eyes. My hands instantly covered my face trying to block his image, and I decided it was time to get up.
Downstairs, Mom and Dad were on the sun porch.
“Well, I’d offer you breakfast, but it’s noon.” Mom smiled.
“Sorry.” The sun was bright.
“It’s a beautiful day. Don’t miss it.” Dad added.
“Late night?” Mom asked.
I shook my head. “No. Austin and I ate the cake I made and hung out. It was fun.”
“Is there a reason your clothes didn’t come home with you?” she asked working me over with her eyes. My dad’s concentration left the newspaper and found me.
I thought quickly trying to come up with an answer then rolled my eyes. “It rained on us. When I went into his house…we were drenched so he gave me some shorts and a shirt and he laid the clothes by the door but I forgot them. Please, Mom. Austin’s twenty.” I cringed as the words came out because I didn’t have a problem with the age. I measured their response.
Mom grinned. “There’s four years between me and your dad.”
“Katie.” My dad’s tone was indiscernible and I casually glanced at him looking for more which came verbally. “You were nineteen when we met. Big difference.”
“Two things, Emma. First of all, Daddy and I are going to Portland for a play with the Taylors tomorrow. They would like to spend the night. Are you OK with that?”
“God, Mom. You act like I’m a baby. I stayed alone on spring break. Yes I’m fine with that. Won’t Ryan be back?”
“He and Grant should be back any time,” My dad chimed in.
“OK. I’ll firm up those plans. Secondly, you had a delivery this morning. It’s in the mailbox.”
My heart sped. Flowers? A bus ticket home? Jaycee’s head on a platter? I chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Dad asked.
I shook my head and turned around bolting for the door. Outside, I lunged from the porch and took five long steps to the mailbox. I opened it and a key was inside. My parents stood on the porch smiling at me. I didn’t get it. Four connected rings on the base of the key.
“What is it?”
My dad pointed his coffee cup in the direction of the driveway where Austin’s Audi was parked. The key in my hand was to the Audi? I hadn’t gotten anything from Zach…it was from Austin.
“He gave me his car?” I asked stunned.
“Well,” my dad said coming down the steps. “He wanted to just give it to us. But, your mother and I wouldn’t hear of that. So we made him an offer.”
“This…is my car?”
“It’s a fast car and I don’t like that,” mom spoke up. “So if I ever see you speeding, you will lose it.”
“I’m not going to speed. I swear.” I got inside and began fidgeting with all the buttons and gadgets then cracked my door. “Can I drive it up to his house and say thanks?” There was no way in hell I was saying thanks. Was this payment for skinny dipping? Was I some sort of charity case?
My dad shrugged.
“Buckle up!” Mom shouted.
I turned the key and it purred to life. I smiled at my parents and headed down the street…pissed.
Once in his drive, I parked next to a navy Saab. I never came in the front and his parents weren’t supposed to be home until later today. I tried the front door and it opened.
“Hello?”
No answer.
“Are you up?” I yelled jangling his keys as I walked.
“There you are, babe,” he greeted rounding the corner.
“Babe? Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?” I gritted through clenched teeth, then a breathtaking brown-haired girl followed him around the same corner. My eyes fell to the floor as she glared at me. Austin leaned in and kissed my forehead. “I knew you wouldn’t be happy that she was here. I missed you. This is Libby an old friend. Libby, this is Emma. My girlfriend.”
Chapter 26—Truly just sick…
He winked at me as he smiled but he could tell I wasn’t happy.
“I missed you too,” I whispered deciding to play along.
Libby shot daggers in my direction and it was difficult not to be absorbed in her beauty. She was everything I wasn’t…long brown hair, tan, tall and curvy. Full beautiful lips. “Does she always greet you like that?”
I could tell immediately, she didn’t think I was good enough for him. I knew that to be true.
“Libby was just leaving. She stopped by this morning with muffins.” His arm held my waist and he brushed my freshly washed hair from my make-up-free face.
I reared my shoulders back. “Look, Libby. Thanks for thinking of Austin. But…I’ve got him taken care of.” I patted his abs. “If you don’t mind leaving him…us alone. We don’t need the phone calls anymore either.” There was more truth than I understood to my words. I never wanted her to bother him again.
Her lashes were long and as she blinked, the truth of my words digested. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize there was someone else.”
She made a beeline for the door.
“Well. There is and we are very happy. Good-bye.”
She took one long look at Austin who kissed the top of my head. “I am sorry,” she whispered then closed the door.
Instantly, I was in Austin’s arms and he spun me.
“Circles are not good,” I said holding on to his biceps.
“Em. That was perfect. I truly think it’s over. She got it. I could see it in her eyes.”
I smiled. “She was beautiful.”
“Well, like they say…beauty is only skin deep.”
He gripped my cheeks between his palms and stared at me. Then his hands slowly tightened into fists and fell to his side. “Why’d you come?”
&nbs
p; I held up the keys though my anger diminished. “The car, why did you do that?”
He shrugged walking into the kitchen. “I couldn’t do the family health or the cross country so I thought the car was good.”
“You did the kiss, though. You didn’t owe me a thing.”
He ignored me. “Check this out. With the check your dad wrote, I donated it to charity, here’s the receipt.” He slapped it down on the countertop and smiled. “We can check off three things on our list!”
I shook my head. “No, Austin. Charity work isn’t throwing money at them. We have to actively do something for charity.”
“NO. That’s not what we said.”
“That’s what I meant. And do you know how that makes me feel? The money my dad gave you went to charity? We don’t need your pity.”
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Now, check this out,” he said clutching my hand in his and going out onto the deck. “See that.”
“The sun?”
“No. The cliff.”
“Absolutely not. I am not ready to do this.” Adrenaline shot through my body thinking about it and my hands started shaking.
He clapped his hands. “You’re driving us to Ecola Park and we’re facing our fears today. Let’s go.”
“Austin. I haven’t even eaten breakfast today. It’s not a good day to do this.”
His arm wrapped my neck in a choke hold and he tugged me back in the house. “It’s probably best that you haven’t eaten. We’ll eat afterward. For you, there will never be a good day.”
I followed him reluctantly feeling nauseous. I picked up a muffin hoping that putting food on my empty stomach might help.
“Don’t eat that,” he warned.
“Why?” I asked tossing it back into the basket.
“I’m trashing them. She’s dangerous.”
I sniffed my fingertips but they smelled like cinnamon.
Austin laughed. “Are your folks home?”
I nodded.
“Go home. Make sure it’s OK if we hang out then call me.”
I dragged my feet knowing what the day held in store. The only positive was I got to drive my new car but that would inevitably remind me of a skinny dipping night of unforgettable kisses.
Once we got to the park, Austin had mapped out a small hike we were taking to get to the cliff. I didn’t feel a hundred percent to begin with and really believed today wasn’t the day. He said the cause was the wine flu…I couldn’t disagree. He’d put a small packing box in the back seat and told me it was for once we got done. The trip up wasn’t near long enough.
The trail was sandy and narrow and slightly uphill as we climbed to my death. The fear inside of me grew with each shaky step. I was winded only after a short walk and the warm sun felt good to my face. Austin followed me closely for the most part and I think he took my lead by not talking knowing I was anxious.
Through the clearing, the blue sky was visible and we were close. The faint sound of the waves was audible, and as much as I loved the sound, I didn’t today. Austin touched my back and I flinched.
“What?” he asked.
“Don’t touch me. Not up here.”
“Emma. Let’s stop. We don’t have to do this. ”
I shook my head and kept walking. “No. We’re here. Let’s just do it.”
He stayed quiet for the rest of the walk. So did I.
Once the edge of the cliff was in sight, a sweat broke out along my hairline. My heart couldn’t beat much faster without being in a full blown arrhythmia; I could feel the force of my pulse in my throat. Austin walked ahead of me now never slowing his stride. He wasn’t afraid. I watched as he neared the edge then stretched his neck to see down below. I froze and wasn’t sure I could go further.
Austin rotated around and stared at me. He was too close.
“Please. Take a step or two this way,” my voice quivered as I literally begged.
He smiled and took three steps away from the edge then held out a patient hand. I answered by shaking my head.
“I can’t.”
“Yes. You can. If you don’t trust yourself then trust me.”
He closed the distance between us and took my hand. My eyes pled with him not to make me do it. He gripped my wrists behind his back and walked in front of me. All I could see was his back and his step was steady and slow.
“Emma.” It was more of a verbal caress than a word. “We’re here. Take a deep breath.”
“I think I need to sit down.” My knees shook wildly.
“OK.” He moved to the ground slowly and I crouched behind him. He twisted around facing me and lifted my chin. “You are doing great. I’m going to sit beside you and we’re going to look out. OK?”
I nodded halfheartedly and he positioned himself next to me taking my hand. The gripping fear was unbearable as I gazed out unable to decipher where the sky ended and the water began. The two shades of blue blurred together at the horizon and I tried to focus on that rather than the steep cliff a few feet away.
“You doing alright?”
“Is this close enough?” I asked. “Do I have to stand-up?”
“You can do anything you want. I’m so proud of you.”
“Will you help me stand?”
He hopped up and slowly pulled me to my feet. My equilibrium shifted enough that I held onto him extra long. Without tilting my head, I forced my eyes to look down, knowing this was as good as it was going to get. “I think I’m good.”
Mission accomplished. Check 3!
Back at the car, I breathed in and out and he seized my body in an overpowering bear hug.
“Check another one off!” He shouted.
“It’s your turn. Where do we find a spider?”
He held up his finger. “I got one from the pet store in Cannon.”
“They carry spiders?”
“No. But they ordered me one. It’s in the box.”
“In the car?”
He nodded.
“Austin! How long has it been in the box?”
He shrugged. “Only a day and a half.”
I opened the door, took out the box and opened it. The black furry spider lay in a heap on the bottom of the box. “Damn it Austin. It’s dead.”
He peeked in the cardboard, tossing it around and the tarantula popped onto its legs.
“Oh shit!” he yelled dumping the spider out onto the sandy surface. His foot stomped down trying to squash it.
“Austin. No!”
He resembled something close to a jumping bean as he flailed about crushing the arachnid.
My eyes shot daggers at him. “You killed the frigging spider! You made me lean over the edge of a cliff and then YOU killed the spider.”
“I’m sorry. That didn’t happen the way I had planned,” he laughed.
“You are such a weenie.”
His whole body shuddered as he stepped around the black fuzzy lump on the ground. “God. Did you see that thing? It jumped! I had to kill it to protect you.”
“Oh, my hero,” I laughed and he threw his arm around my shoulder.
“Let’s go grab some lunch,” he said. “All that work made me hungry.” He kicked sand on the black mound as he walked past.
By the time we ate, swung by and looked at tattoos at a parlor in Seaside, drove home where I dropped Austin off, the guys had built a fire on the beach. I had no messages from Zach. Ryan and Grant had been MIA for a couple of days so I ventured down to the beach.
“Hi guys.”
“Hey, Runt. Where have you been?” Ryan asked.
Grant offered a friendly smile but was obviously still punishing himself for the incident with Paul. I knew he felt responsible and shouldn’t.
“Where have I been…where have you two been? I’ve missed you guys. I’ve gone two whole nights without being on the beach.”
Grant moved his feet, an unconscious gesture and I sat.
“How are you?” he whispered. And what he meant was, ‘how are you dealing
with the Paul thing?’
I smiled. “I’m fine. Really.”
He yanked on my hoodie pulling me into his chest. “I love you. You know that.”
“I love you too?” I said grinning. Things felt right between us again.
“How are you and Zach?” he whispered.
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
His lips were close to my ear. “He’s right for you, Em.”
My eyes snapped up to his. This was huge. “What?”
“Zach. He treats you right. He wouldn’t hurt you.”
I smiled at him then saw Austin stroll up, brows raised, beer in hand.
“Hey, Austin,” Ryan said.
“Grant. You’re right about Zach. But you did nothing wrong. Don’t blame you for Paul,” I whispered.
The grimace that crossed his face was painful.
“You will always be my first love.” I kissed his cheek. He hugged me tightly and we chuckled.
The flicker of the firelight ricocheted off Austin’s face and occasionally, his eyes would flash to mine with a hint of our secret in the depths of the dark brown irises. We hung out for a while until I yawned two consecutive times in a row. I didn’t want to leave without talking to him and disappointment rolled over me as I didn’t see a solution. I watched him as he talked to Ryan about the Audi.
“I’m out of here.” I stood.
“Want me to walk you up?” Grant asked.
I glanced at the house then back to him. It was a clean shot. “I’m OK. But thank you.”
“Emma,” Austin said.
I breathed with relief.
“I have that pan of your mom’s. You want to grab it?” he asked with a wink.
“Sure. But let’s hurry ‘cause I’m really tired.” I bit my lip warding off the smile that was coming.
We’d only taken about twenty steps. “Are they watching us?”
I casually glanced behind us. No one was looking. “No. Why?”
“Just wondering what Ryan’s thinking.”
“If I know Ryan at all, he’s not thinking.” I giggled. “We’re just walking anyway.”
His hands were deep in his pockets and he nodded.
Finally...One Summer (Just One of the Guys) Page 17
