by A. P. Watson
Terayn moved in front of us, leading the procession back home. “I don’t touch things with eight legs and evil demon eyes.” When we reached the end of our steps, she turned to look at Jacks. “You’re joining us for a beer, right, Jackson?”
“Unfortunately, I have some business to take care of.” I was riding on such a high after the water gun fight, I completely forgot he had a date with Kate tonight. I suppose it wasn’t a lie though. He did have some business only she could help him with.
“Well, you at least have to take a picture with us. It’s another part of the tradition.”
Jacks glanced in my direction as if he expected me to answer for him. “We take a picture in our soiled clothes to commemorate the annual Crayola War,” I informed him.
“Who am I to break a tradition?”
“Excellent!” Terayn ran inside the townhouse and reappeared in less than a minute. She grouped the four of us, holding out her phone to take a quick picture. “Okay, everyone, smile!” Just before the flash went off, Jacks pressed his lips to my cheek.
I nudged him with my shoulder. “What was that for?”
“For inviting me today.”
“I’m glad you had a good time.”
“I did. I better get going though. I need to take a shower and get ready.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll call you later?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“Bye, chipmunk.” Jacks winked at me, slowly backing up in the direction of his car.
“Bye.”
He waved goodbye to Terayn and Ryan before hopping into his car and taking off down the street.
Reluctantly, I followed my roommates into the townhouse. We all needed a change of clothes before heading over to Miller’s Pub. No water gun fight was complete without a litany of beers. Just as I was about to disappear into my room, Terayn’s voice stopped me.
“He’s crazy about you.”
I shook my head. “You see what you want to see.”
“No, she’s not.” Ryan rounded the counter, moving to stand beside Ter. “He really likes you.”
“Then why did he just leave to get ready for a date with Kate?” I expected a witty reply, but both of my friends remained silent. I offered a half-hearted smile, quickly seeking refuge behind my bedroom door.
chapter twelve
eyes
FOUR WEEKS PASSED IN the blink of an eye. Those days were some of the happiest of my life. When I wasn’t dancing or hanging out with Ter and Ryan, I was with the man who gave me so many reasons to smile. Jacks and I spent practically every waking moment with one another. We went to dinner, watched movies, strolled through Jackson Park, and stayed up all night drinking wine and talking. In every single one of our conversations, I wanted to tell him about my past with Liam and the time I spent working at The Peel, but for some reason, the words never escaped my lips. Jacks had a beautiful opinion of me. He knew me as a phoenix rising from the ashes, not the distraught wreck I used to be. Maybe I was a fool to cling to this altered perception he had, but after everything I’d endured, I couldn’t help but feel my happiness was deserved.
My happiness was so constant, I didn’t even mind it was October 4th. If someone had told me twelve months ago I’d be excited for my birthday, I would’ve punched them in the throat. Usually, I spent my birthday working. Cleaning up vomit and peeling off your clothes for strangers was a small price to pay for the distraction my mind sought. As a kid, my birthday was the stuff of legends. A day when anything I wanted seemed attainable. But my childish dream was annihilated four years ago. I was supposed to work that night, but another tech at the hospital switched with me so I could spend my birthday with Liam. I assumed my surprise arrival at our apartment would thrill him. Instead, I caught Liam fucking his ex on the sofa in our living room. Happy birthday to me.
Now, I practically avoided the day like it was the plague. It held no illusions of endless possibilities anymore. Ter wanted this year to be different, though. She planned a small celebration with my closest friends. Terayn, Ryan, and Jacks were the only people I cared to be around today. And because the day was all about me, Terayn acquiesced to my idea of having the small party of four. Thank God, she did, because a seventy-five-person extravaganza was not my idea of a good time. But I also needed to placate my best friend somehow, so I allowed her to select my party dress. My only stipulation was for the dress to make me look like a lady. The satin, tea-length dress she chose was utter perfection. The sleeves hung low off my shoulders, and the pale green material fit tight around my waist and fanned out into a puffy skirt. I loved every single stitch of it.
I finished curling the remainder of my hair as Terayn refilled my champagne flute. We were primping ourselves in my bathroom and starting the party early. It was barely past four, but our second bottle of bubbly was almost gone.
“Jackson is going to die when he sees you in your party dress.”
I rolled my eyes and drained the fizzing liquid from my glass. “Not this again,” I groaned.
“Yes, this again! You’re in love with him, and tonight is the right time for you to tell him!”
“This is supposed to be an amazing day, not a foray into depression.”
“He is over the moon for you! I don’t know how you can’t see it.”
“I’m not going to risk everything Jacks and I have. He’s too important to me.”
“He’s not going to reject you! You don’t even see the way he looks at you, do you?”
“Ter, just drop it.”
“Ever since we were kids, you believed your birthday held a special kind of magic. You need to take back the magic Liam stole from you! Tell Jackson how you feel, and I promise, the magic you’ve been searching for will happen.”
I knew it was pointless to try and argue with her. Besides, she was right. I loved Jacks. Did I really want to stay on the sidelines for the rest of my life? I couldn’t let him slip through my fingers. One day, he would meet a woman who wasn’t afraid to express her feelings, and there was no way he’d pass up that kind of opportunity. “I’ll think about it.”
“You will?”
“I make no promises though. Let me see how everything goes tonight, and then I’ll think about telling him.”
She squealed so loudly, I had to clap my hands over my ears. “I’m so happy, I could burst!”
“Geez, woman! Being happy is fine, but not at that decibel.”
“Sorry.” She moved to stand behind me, her fingers combing through my hair. Her hands worked quickly, and soon enough, my long strands were twisted into a smooth chignon. I inched closer to the mirror in my bathroom, admiring her handiwork. “You look perfect.”
“Really?”
“Yes! Now go change into your dress!”
Terayn was already completely dressed. Her raven hair cascaded down her back in long curls, and the dress she wore was made of navy lace. She looked like a living, breathing Snow White. I rushed to my bedroom, instantly peeling off my bathrobe. I slid on a pair of lace panties and matching strapless bra before stepping into my dress. A pair of tan heels and my silver bracelet completed my look. When I emerged from my bedroom, Terayn nearly busted my eardrums. She screamed so loudly, I was sure the man living above us would be banging on our front door in a matter of minutes.
“You did good, Ter!”
She handed me another glass of champagne and motioned for me to spin around. “It’s such a lovely color with your complexion! Damn, I’m good!”
Ryan handed a glass full of amber liquid to Terayn. “She’s right. You look wonderful, birthday girl.”
“I just want to thank both of you for everything you’ve done for me. Y’all are my best friends and I love both of you.”
Terayn held her champagne flute in the air. “We love you too! To the birthday girl!” she cheered.
Ryan and I clinked our glasses with hers, repeating her toast. I downed the rest of my champagne in a single gulp. Bubbles fizzed all the way down m
y esophagus. Champagne always gave me the best kind of drunk.
The sound of Ryan’s cell phone ringing disrupted our gathering. He parted from us, answering the call.
He must’ve been talking to Jacks because he glanced at me as he spoke. “Okay, I’ll tell her to meet you outside.”
“Jacks is here?”
“Yep.”
“I’ll be right back!” I shoved my empty glass in Terayn’s hand and bolted for the door of our townhouse. I burst outside, only to find Jacks in a dark suit, standing at the bottom of our steps. “Jacks!” I jumped off the last step leading to the townhouse, giggling as he caught me in midair. “Terayn gave me champagne!”
“Did she?”
“Yes!”
He laughed as he continued to hold me. “I can tell.”
“Don’t you like my dress? I told Terayn to make me look pretty.”
Jacks set me on the ground. He took my hand, twirling me around. “If you were trying for pretty, then I’m afraid you overshot because the word doesn’t even do you justice.”
“Then what word does?”
“Breathtaking.”
I stood on the tips of my toes and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I like that one.” Confidence surged through my veins. I hugged him closer, the smell of his cologne seducing my senses. My attention dropped to his lips and I pressed my mouth against his briefly. The gesture sent him into a state of shock as he stared at me incredulously. “It’s okay, Jacks. Birthday kisses are allowed between friends.”
“Are they now?”
“Yep! That can be your present to me.”
“Are you sure? Because I would hate to have to return your present.”
“You got me a present?”
“Of course, I did, chipmunk.”
“Can I open it?”
“I’ll take you to it now. But first, you have to close your eyes.”
“Done!” I closed my eyes, placing my hands in Jacks’s. He led me down the sidewalk for what felt like a block before coming to a stop.
“Okay, open your eyes.”
I obeyed his command, my gaze settling on a car from my dreams. A massive pink bow was attached to its hood. “That’s a fucking car!” I tore my eyes away from the beauty in front of me to stare at Jacks.
“Actually, it’s your car,” he added.
“That is a 1968 Camaro SS!”
“I know. Do you like it?”
“It’s the most beautiful automobile I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“When I bought it, the entire frame was rotted out. I rebuilt it from scratch.”
I stepped forward, my fingertips caressing the copper paint. “You rebuilt a car for me?”
“Well . . . yeah.”
Tears welled in the corners of my eyes. “It’s too much. I can’t accept this as my gift.”
“Yes, you can.”
“It’s a fucking car!” I declared.
“Wren, look at me.” Jacks grabbed my hands, demanding my complete attention. “The paint matches your hair almost exactly. This car was made for you.” The tips of his fingers brushed my cheeks. “Please, don’t cry.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t remember the last time I was this happy.”
“Me neither.”
As much as I wanted to see the interior of the Camaro, I couldn’t resist hugging Jacks one more time. “Thank you . . . for everything.”
His palms slid along the curve of my back. “You’re welcome.”
“Will you take me for a ride?”
“I’d love to.” He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and opened the passenger door for me. I slid onto the black leather seat as he closed the door behind me. I tried my best to absorb every detail of the car’s interior, and it was simply pristine. I still couldn’t believe this car was built for me.
I watched as Jacks seated himself behind the steering wheel. “When did you buy the car?”
“Do you remember when we had brunch after our first date?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“I bought it the following Monday,” he confessed.
“Because I told you I sold my car to move here?”
“I just wanted you to have a car.”
“When did you find time to work on it?”
“On nights you were at work. I kept it at the old body shop I used to work at. The guys out there helped me with it.” Jacks revved the engine, and I swear the sound was music to my ears. “You can drive a stick shift, right?”
“Oh, I’m really, really good at driving a stick.” The confidence I’d gained from drinking, so much champagne kicked into full gear.
“You are going to be the death of me.”
“Good thing I’m certified to restart your heart,” I quipped.
Jacks beamed at me. “You are absolute perfection.” He shifted the car into gear, pulling onto the street. “What are you going to name her?”
I considered his question for a moment. There was only one name I wanted her to have. Harlow was the alias I used when I was a stripper. Those years were the darkest ones I’ve ever had to face. Dancing saved me, made me a survivor, and it was only appropriate to pay my respects. “Harlow.”
“I like it.”
“Show me what my baby can do.”
“Hold on.”
I braced my hands against the dashboard as the car lurched forward. Harlow slid along the streets like a siren, garnering stares from the pedestrians she passed. “She rides so smooth!”
“She’s better than my Corvette.”
“Agreed.” We rode along the crowded streets of Chicago. I rolled my window down, breathing in the city air. “This is the best birthday I’ve ever had.”
“And it’s not over yet,” Jacks stated mischievously.
“As much as I want to take a road trip in this car, we better head back to the townhouse. Ryan will have dinner finished by now.”
“I can make a road trip happen.”
“Not right now though. Maybe at the end of the month?”
“Deal.”
Jacks zipped in and out of traffic, driving until he parked in front of the townhouse. He jumped out of the driver’s seat and rounded the front bumper to open my door. I accepted his offered arm and we ascended the stone steps in unison. Apparently, Terayn had been staring at us through the front window, because she threw the front door open before we could reach it.
“Well, what did you think?” she asked, her voice dripping with anticipation.
My jaw dropped as I gawked at her. “You knew?”
“We were sworn to secrecy!”
Jacks shut the door as we crossed the threshold.
“It’s a 1968 Camaro SS!” I shouted.
Terayn jumped up and down, teetering dangerously in her heels. “I have no idea what that is, but it sounds wonderful!”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her. “It’s fucking amazing!”
“A 1968 Camaro is sex on wheels.” Ryan moved closer to Terayn, kissing her cheek.
“Oh, damn! Next time y’all talk about cars, please just put it in layman’s terms for me.”
“We will,” I promised.
“Good! And now you have to open your presents from Ry and me.”
“Oh my gosh, y’all didn’t need to get me anything!” The four of us walked over to sit on the couch in the living room. Space was limited, so I propped myself on Jacks’s lap. His hands held onto my waist, steadying me. Terayn stood to hand me what appeared to be a large canvas covered with a cloth. “You painted?”
“Yeah.”
“For me?”
“Open it and see.”
I ripped off the covering, tossing it to the floor. The painting stole my very breath away. It depicted a woman with copper hair illuminated by the light of the moon. Stars dotted the sky around her while a crown of flowers rested upon her head. A white nightgown clung to the curves of her body. She was running through a field of wildflowers, her hand outstretched as if she was searching for somet
hing. “Is this me?”
“You asked me to paint your soul, but I was inspired to paint your journey.”
“It’s so beautiful. I love it.”
One of Jacks’s hands left my waist as he reached forward to touch the canvas. “Terayn, you painted this?”
“Yeah,” she admitted softly.
“It’s incredible,” Jacks declared.
“Thank you.”
I touched the woman’s bright hair. In the distance, there was a row of trees. A bright light illuminated the tree trunks, lighting the woods from the inside out. Now I realized what Terayn meant by painting my journey. The woman was running through the darkness to the light.
“Can we hang it in my room?”
Ryan stood from the couch, lifting the canvas from my grasp. “Last week, Ter had me fix a screw in your wall to hang it from. All we have to do is hang the canvas on it.”
Terayn, Jacks, and I followed Ryan through the apartment to my room. He hopped on top of my mattress, hanging the large painting over my bed. The square canvas fit perfectly, and I took a few minutes to stand and admire Terayn’s talent.
“Are you sure you like it, Wren? If not, I can fix it.”
“No, it’s perfect. It’s exactly what I wanted.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
Ryan stepped off my bed, moving to stand in front of me. “Then that means you still have one more present to open.” He retrieved a small box from his suit jacket, placing it in the palm of my hand. “You forced Terayn to ask me on a date. Without you, I wouldn’t have the love of my life.”
My fingers lifted the lid slowly. A pair of pearl earrings rested on top of black velvet. “Shut the front door! They look exactly like—”
“Mine!” Ter held back her hair, confirming my suspicions. “I know how much you like the ones I have.”
“And I thought it was only appropriate for my girls to match,” Ryan added.
“I love them!” I plucked the jewelry from the box, fastening each to my ears. “Thank you so much! The painting and these earrings . . . it’s all too much.”
I took turns hugging Terayn and Ryan. At the moment, life was indescribably wonderful.
