Sweet Surrender

by Rebel Wild

  “Don’t get too sentimental. Reagan hasn’t said yes yet.”

  “We’re talking about that girl who was at dinner last night? The one who made Mom cry tears of joy because she saw all that sappy ass love you two were spewing out? The girl who now has Dad wrapped around her little finger because she loves his beloved son so much, he just might get a wonderful daughter-in-law and those grandkids he’s been bugging us both about. Yeah, that girl’s going to say yes.”

  “Sit down,” I tell Alex when he gets up to go back to work. “Order some dessert.”

  “What the hell for?” He follows my glare. “Well, speaking of the little devil,” he says when he sees Reagan walking in with Baylis and Ace Barnes. They’re placed at a table on the other side of the room.

  “Sit down,” I tell him again.

  “Like she can see us from way over here,” he says, but he sits down anyway. Like clockwork, Reagan looks our way. “Whoa,” he says when her eyes find mine.

  I’m impressed as I watch her work and I can tell that I’m not the only one. Ace Barnes is liking whatever it is Reagan’s suggesting to her.

  And Baylis is liking it too. A little too damn much.

  “I don’t trust that fucker,” I tell Alex.

  “He seems friendly enough.”

  “That’s my point, Captain Obvious. He’s too damn friendly.”

  “Dude, you’re one territorial asshole. You’ve got it so bad, bro. Hurry up and put that ring on it.”

  “Will you shut up,” I tell him, covering my mouth with my hand. “She can read your lips.”

  “From way over here?” We look at Reagan and she smiles knowingly at us. “Oops.”

  Unfuckingbelievable.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “I can’t believe you agreed to go to this party,” I tell Reagan as I drive us over to my parents’ house.

  “I think it’s going to be fun,” she tells me. “And I’m looking forward to meeting your sister.” So much for the girl who was all nerves at the thought of spending time with my family. I smile to myself. “What are you grinning about?”

  “Nothing,” I laugh my answer.

  She’s dressed in a modest, strappy-sided multicolored swimsuit and a cover-up with matching flip flops. She looks damn good in this car. She made a large container of ambrosia salad earlier and it’s in the back seat so I have to drive like a damn snail to keep it from sliding.

  We have yet to announce our engagement to either of our families. Thanks to my big mouth brother, I had to change my original plan. I remember when I came home from work that day I had lunch with him and found her in the bedroom. The moment she saw me her face morphed into the goofiest grin I ever saw.

  “You read his lips, didn’t you?”

  “Whose lips?” she said and I scowled at her.

  “You know damn well whose lips. My idiot brother’s.”

  “I may have read something about a ring and putting it on it.”

  “Damnit, Reagan,” I complained as I sat on the edge of the heavy dresser in our room. “I wanted to do this right. I wanted to talk to your dad and get his blessing, which is going to be awkward as hell, since I’ve never met the man and I wanted to get the ring and the right words.”

  “Well, you haven’t officially asked me yet,” she said, wrapping her arms around my neck.

  “That’s true, I haven’t,” I grumbled, wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her into my arms. “But, when I do, you will say yes?”

  I waited with bated breath for her answer.

  “Yes, I will.”

  “You will? You will say yes?”

  “I will. When you ask me.”

  I smile again now at the memory as she eyes me still curious to what I’m grinning about.

  I’ve already designed the ring and, on my invitation, her family’s coming down tomorrow to spend some time with us. Once I have her father’s blessing, I’ll inform my family as well. I swore Alex to secrecy. If he breathes a word of this to anyone, I will castrate his gossiping ass, but he was right about one thing. I am hell-bent on protecting her.

  She told me that fucker Baylis called her a good girl. She mentioned it when I asked how it came about she was in the meeting with him and Ace Barnes. She said it was condescending, but in no way did it make her feel uncomfortable. I was ready to start interviewing people for his position, but she turned on the guilt trip saying how horrible she would feel if he lost his job over such an insignificant thing. If it happened again, she’d bring it to his attention.

  I promised her I wouldn’t fire the fucker. I also promised her I wouldn’t confront him about it, but I never said I wouldn’t make Jim do it. I made damn sure he reminded our designer how he’s to conduct himself around women in the workplace, especially mine. Jim briefed me of the action he took and I was satisfied enough to let it be. I have yet to take Alex’s advice and tell her about how drastic things will change for her once it becomes public knowledge that she and I are getting married. I’m just not ready to burst our bubble yet.

  Dora lets us in and the party’s in full swing. I lead Reagan to the backyard and there are people everywhere. They’re lounging at the poolside, at the food tables and the Tiki hut bar, playing around in the pool and dancing to the music being played by the DJ.

  Myra spots us at about the same time I spot her, nearly jumping up and down when she gets a look at Reagan.

  “That’s her, isn’t it?” Reagan asks as Myra comes rushing toward us in a bikini that I’m not thrilled about. It looks two sizes too small.

  I don’t even have time to answer Reagan before she is being pulled out of my arms and into my baby sister’s.

  “Hi, Reagan,” she says while she waves to her dramatically and I shake my head at her response to her being deaf.

  Reagan smiles and waves back with the same sweet vigor. Myra gives her the fruity drink she has in her hand and pulls her away from me.

  “Hey,” I call after them.

  “Don’t worry, I just want to show her off. Oops, I mean show her around,” Myra yells back. Reagan looks back at me and smiles amused at the ball of energy that is Myra Dixon.

  “Women,” Rudy, Myra’s boyfriend, says as he comes to stand next to me and watches them go.

  “What about them?”

  “Oh, well, you know… nothing really,” he shrugs, chugging the beer he’s holding. I look him up and down before walking away. I can see why dad doesn’t like that idiot.

  Knowing Reagan is in good hands with Myra, I go in search of the parents. Dad’s sitting at the island in the kitchen while Mom’s spooning Reagan’s ambrosia into serving dishes.

  “This is excellent,” Dad says to me as he finishes up the sample of it Mom gave him. He reaches for another but she smacks his hand.

  “Save some for the guests,” she scolds him. “Where’s Reagan by the way?”

  “Myra snatched her away from me,” I tell her, as I kiss her hello.

  “Well, you’re never going to get her back now,” Dad jokes, and Mom laughs.

  “Dora, have the staff serve these to the guests please,” Mom says, giving her one of the large silver servers. Staff members soon come in to retrieve the other two. She shakes her head at Dad as he gets up to follow the ambrosia trays. “How are you two getting along?” she asks me once we are alone.

  “Amazingly,” I tell her. “I’m on cloud nine.”

  “Your father and I like her very much. She’s a lovely girl and she compliments you well.”

  “Is that a nice way of saying you don’t think she’ll put up with my bull?”

  “Oh, stop it,” she laughs, swatting my arm. “Someone has to keep you in line and I know she’s the one.”

  “I can’t argue with that.”

  “Of course not. Now, go on and enjoy the party. I need to track you
r father down before he eats his weight in food.”

  I grab a mixed drink and toss the tiny umbrella before going outside. I land on the patio just in time to see Mom join Dad, Alex, And Myra chatting it up with Reagan. Mom hugs her and they stay with their arms around one another’s waists for a moment as Alex and Myra go on about something. It strikes them all funny as they start to laugh. Judging by Dad’s sour expression it must be something about him.

  Reagan traces an R in the air with her hand and Alex, being more familiar with her gestures knows she means me. She salutes to mean her dad and shakes nervously. Alex is now laughing his ass off and he shares my nervousness about meeting her dad with the rest and I roll my eyes as they laugh. My face matches my dad’s but I can’t help but be touched by the scene of all of them enjoying each other’s company and Reagan being so comfortable with them.

  “I saw that,” I tell her when I approach and she pokes her lip out guiltily and kisses me an apology.

  “Awww,” Myra says in response to us.

  “May I have my girlfriend back, please?”

  “I guess,” Myra pouts as I take Reagan away.

  Myra’s so great. She reminds me of Chloe. I can’t wait until they meet. They’re going to hit it off. She introduced me to her friends. They were polite, but not as genuine as Myra. I could sense they were feeling awkward around me. I was left out of the conversation they were having. It reminded me of how it was at my old school before I transferred out. One blatantly gave me the stink eye when she found out I was Reed’s girlfriend. She probably thought I wasn’t good enough for him. She looked at me with her nose turned up like I smelled. Myra caught on and pulled me away. She tried to fix it by telling me she was just jealous of how beautiful I was.

  “Her parents spent a fortune on plastic surgery and she’s still ugly,” she said.

  Now, being here with Reed, I take off my cover-up and put it on one of the lounge chairs before he and I jump in the pool. We play around a little bit before Myra and Alex join us. A game of pool volleyball gets started. It’s girls against the boys and of course, we girls win. I don’t like to brag but I played a mean game of volleyball in high school.

  “You want a drink, baby?” Reed asks me as we get out of the pool to towel off.

  “Something with strawberries in it, please,” I sign.

  He goes over to the bar hut while I make myself comfortable on the double lounge chair. A woman comes up next to him while he’s ordering my drink. She’s a gorgeous, leggy blonde that seems friendly with Reed. She takes a very strong stance while she’s talking to him and I don’t find it appealing for a woman. I’m sure Reed doesn’t either.

  I dismiss it as maybe being something about business. Although, I’m almost certain she doesn’t work with us, and then why would she be at Myra’s party if she did? Alex goes over and her demeanor completely changes. Her stance becomes awkward and dare I might say… submissive.

  She lowers her head to Alex as he approaches her in full Dom mode but he lifts it back up with his finger and I can tell he’s scolding her about it. He obviously doesn’t want her acting that way here and that’s when it hits me. It’s the one who still hangs around. The one who introduced BDSM to Reed and is now Alex’s submissive. She’s just pretending to be one for his affections because that woman is no submissive. Reed notices me watching them. He gets my drink and brings it back over to sit with me as she looks on. I catch her eye and smile, hoping my face isn’t giving away my thoughts.

  “Wow, thank you,” I say when Reed hands me a large, elaborately made strawberry daiquiri with whipped cream topping and a beautiful plump strawberry decorating the side of the glass.

  I take a sip and moan at how good it is before I put it down. She’s still eyeing us so I make a point of feeling up my man and marking my territory. He takes my chin and turns my head getting my attention away from her and back on to him.

  “I know what you’re doing,” he says, smirking at me. He’s completely thrilled with my catty behavior.

  “What?” I ask innocently as my hand still roams seductively up and down his chest and over the tattoo on his shoulder.

  He just laughs and shakes his head, kissing me to help me bring home my point to her before settling me down next to him.

  “That’s Hillary. She’s Alex’s girl and we were talking business,” he says.

  “I didn’t say a word.”

  As long as it’s not Sarah on Saturday, I don’t care who she is.

  I take a few more sips of my drink and it starts to go to my head so I set it back down again and snuggle up with my back turned to Reed so he can spoon me. I smile as he runs his fingers up and down the length of my neck and just like always, it knocks me right out.

  The party’s starting to wind down. I see mom scanning the yard. She looks our way, smiling at us lounging away from the crowd. She looks at Myra and Rudy in the jacuzzi, then Alex and Hillary making out next to the bar before settling back on us. I know it’s because she’s never seen me so close to a girl before. Normally I’m not one for an audience, but this time, I don’t mind. I decide to just ignore her and focus on my girl.

  Reagan, who had been sleeping on her side, turns to cuddle into me, wrapping her arm around my waist, trying to pull me close to her. I slide over to accommodate. I kiss her forehead, brushing her hair back off her face before I move down to caress her shoulder.

  I see Dad out of the corner of my eye, rushing up behind Mom. He circles a strong arm around her. I frown in worry when he wipes at her eyes until she hits his chest for laughing at her. I’m guessing he’s teasing her for being sentimental again. I shake my head before closing my eyes to try and relax.

  I must have dozed off because I wake to Reagan pressing her lips close to my ear.

  “I have to pee,” she says and I nod my head, feeling her get up to go to the lady’s room.

  I don’t know how long I nodded off again, but I wake to see Reagan standing poolside with Myra and Hillary. Whatever the hell Myra’s friend’s name is, says something to them. Myra frowns, looking furious at her. Reagan looks uncomfortable and I know that bitch has said something about her. She clearly thinks it’s okay because Reagan can’t hear whatever the shit is that’s coming out of her mouth.

  Myra and Hillary certainly hear it and they defend Reagan. I don’t know what they say to her but she walks away before I can get over to where they are. She stomps past Mom who has witnessed the little exchange just as I have and is pissed. Mom goes after her and I have a strong suspicion she won’t be invited back here again.

  “What happened?” I ask, walking up to them.

  “Jealousy,” Hillary explains and my sister agrees.

  “I’m sorry, Reagan,” Myra says. “I didn’t even invite her. She’s just a straight-up bitch.”

  Reagan waves it away, letting her know that it was no big deal.

  Later, I pulled Myra to the side. She told me what’s-her-face said she didn’t know what I saw in Reagan. That there’s no way we’ll last when I become embarrassed taking her out in the public eye. I try to brush it off and enjoy the rest of the party but it’s ticking away in the back of my mind. I last about another hour before I’ve had enough and we say our goodbyes and promise to get together again soon.

  We make the drive back from my parent’s house. Reagan sits quietly looking out the window while I silently fume. Her feelings are hurt and I’m beyond pissed about it. I should have known better than to take her around Myra while having that damn party with her fake ass friends.

  “Reed, will you please calm down?” Reagan asks as I storm into the living room.

  “I will not calm down,” I tell her. “The nerve of that bitch.”

  I heard her bragging to Myra once about going to LA to start acting. I’m going to call in some favors and have that bitch blackballed from every agency in Los Angeles. She’s going
to be lucky if she can find work doing greasy spoon commercials in Ojai. Who the fuck does she think she’s messing with? No one insults my girl.

  “It’s not the first time someone has said something like that to me and I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

  “I don’t have to fucking put up with it and you don’t have to fucking take it.”

  “No, but I don’t care what she thinks. Her opinion of me isn’t important. What bugs me is that she’s right in a way. People will most likely talk.”

  “Who gives a shit?”

  “You should. Your success depends heavily on your brand and your image is everything. You’re selling an ideal lifestyle: fun in the sun, extravagant living with champagne wishes and all of that.”

  “What the fuck does that have to do with us?”

  “Everything. Deaf girls aren’t ideal. What are the people you do business with going to say? Who you’re involved with has a lot to do with your reputation.”

  “Then they’re going to fucking love me.”

  “Reed, let’s be sensible about this. How’s it going to be when our relationship goes public and you have social events you’re obligated to attend. How’s that going to work with me?”

  “Reagan, it will work the same way it worked today. We’ll hire an interpreter if you want. I can interpret. You can’t let that one jealous bitch ruin things for us.”

  “I’m not. This has nothing to do with her, but only that she opened my eyes to certain things we’ve ignored. I just think we’re jumping the gun on a lot of things without thinking them through to their conclusion. You’re dating a girl that’s hearing impaired and I’m dating a man who can hear. A man who’s been on covers of teen magazines and women’s sexy calendars. We can’t just pretend like it’s not our reality.”