Time Exposure (Click Duet #2) (Bay Area Duet Series)

by Persephone Autumn

  I reach for my wallet and she follows my every move. Behind my license, I retrieve a folded piece of yellowing paper with tattered edges. After a deep breath, I set it on the table and slide it to her.

  Cora’s red-rimmed eyes study my face. Her eyes dart between mine. Her lips press in a firm line and wobble side to side. And her chin continues to tremor as she reaches for the paper. Fixing this is not enough. I need to make it up to her every day of forever. And I will. I swear I will.

  She sniffles and nods. “You know I will. But you have to tell me everything. No more secrets.” She holds up the paper. “What’s this?”

  Before I answer, the server delivers our food to the table and cuts off our conversation. Cora tucks the paper in her pocket and I know she will read it when she is alone. Read the last letter she sent me, smudged with her tears and mine.

  I stare down at the basket. I have no clue what I am about to eat, but I pick it up and bite down. An odd texture licks my tongue, but tastes weirdly like pulled pork. I shrug and continue eating while Cora giggles across from me. At least my eating brings a smile to her face. A smile is a smile, and I will call it a step in the right direction.

  A few minutes pass before I wipe my hands clean and lean back in my chair. “I sold my house in California. Currently, I’m sleeping on Micah’s couch until I find my own place.”

  Cora sits quietly across from me. Questions flit over her face, but she doesn’t ask a single one. Her mouth opens and closes. This happens a few times before she finally speaks. “Oh. What about your mom?”

  I love how she worries about my mom, now that I moved away. “She’ll be okay. I think she was surprised it took me so long to move back. We argued so much the first two years out there. She expected me to run away and hitchhike back to Florida.” The idea was given serious merit, but was ignored after the reality of how far I wouldn’t get settled.

  Cora nods and I continue. “When I got back to California, I sat down with Mom and discussed my plan to move back. Told her about the photo shoot with you. Also told her my time out west should have ended years ago. She was more than understanding and offered to help me in any way possible.”

  “I miss your mom,” Cora says.

  I lean forward and lay my hand on her knee under the table again. “She misses you, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if she visits soon, now that I’ve moved away. She’ll probably wait until I have a place.” I sip my water, allowing a few breaths to pass before I speak again. “Alyson and Layla have been dealt with also.”

  I don’t miss the way Cora flinches when I say Layla’s name. The way her lips curl for a split second. But she collects herself and responds as if she had no reaction. “Uh, I’m not sure what to say.”

  “There’s nothing to say. I’m only sorry you were on the receiving end of their jealousy. The moment I got back to California, I reviewed my contracts and sought out a new agent. After I finished my final shoot with Layla, I fired Alyson and told Layla I never wanted to see or hear from her again. It went about as smooth as expected.”

  “Gavin, you didn’t have to do that. Not for me.”

  Although her words tell me I didn’t need to make such a drastic change in my life, I don’t miss the way her body sags in relief. The small shift in her demeanor speaks a thousand words her lips won’t. Ease slips into her expression and I know what I did was the first step in the right direction.

  “Yes, I did. But not just for you, I did it for myself also. Too many nights have passed since I set out to come back to you. When I started modeling, it was to earn as much money as possible so I could fly back to Florida. To you. I hadn’t spoken to you in over a year, but not a day went by where my goal changed. Being with you has always been my endgame.”

  She scoots back in her seat and her knee shifts out of my reach. Her elbows rest on the table as she lays her forearms toward me. Palms up, her hands rest as an open invitation for mine. As eager as I am to lay my hands on hers, to feel her warmth, to connect with her intimately, I don’t rush this. I slowly withdraw my hands from under the table and place them in hers. Beneath my palms, her fingers trace steady lines along my skin.

  I close my eyes and surrender to my senses. How her soft skin faintly brushes my palms as she trails her fingertips there. Subtle hints of her frankincense and gardenia scent wisp in the air and flutter in my nose. A small hitch in her breathing as she continues to reconnect a bond once severed. The shiver down my spine and fast-growing bloom of heat in my chest as it all swirls together.

  God, I want to kiss her. More than anything.

  When my eyes reopen, Cora sits across from me slack-jawed. So fucking beautiful.

  No matter how much time has passed, she is still the only woman I see. The only woman I want beside me. Today and every day that follows. Cora is it for me. And I assume the same holds true for her. Because she has never moved on from us either. Not fully.

  “Gavin, how did she go from being your friend to your fiancée?” I don’t miss the way Cora says she with distaste on her tongue. But I don’t blame her. No doubt I would feel equally as disgusted if the situation were reversed.

  “Layla wasn’t getting as many callbacks or opportunities for shoots. My career, on the other hand, was booming. Alyson sat down with the two of us and threw out the idea of us “being engaged.” Of course, it would be strictly for publicity reasons, but I still wasn’t keen. Alyson said we would cut it short after Layla was seen enough times with me. But every time I brought it up, Alyson told me to wait another month. That some brand was on the fence of signing Layla. And I obviously bought the lie every time. From the get-go, something didn’t sit right with me when it came to Layla, but I ignored it. I’ll never be so naïve again.”

  I curl my fingers into hers and stare at our hands a moment. The reality of my naïveté is a punch to the gut. How much time was stolen from me because of it? Countless months and years. All because I had tunnel vision—Cora standing in the light at the end. Alyson and Layla—both who knew about the woman in Florida, but not who she was—took advantage of me. Of my eagerness to return to her. They played me. And I had been the damn fool falling for every line and promise.

  “After my last shoot, I had an interview scheduled with The Heart of Hollywood. Millions of eyes would see or hear my interview. I blasted the truth to everyone. About Alyson and Layla. How my engagement was a ruse to garner attention for Layla and her lackluster modeling career. And then I told millions of people about you. About us. How I ran into the love of my life and instantly decided I was moving home.”

  Across from me, Cora gasps. For a completely different reason, her eyes pool, soften. Her lips tremble. And I can’t take it anymore. No longer able to stay on the opposite side of the table, I rise and slide into the seat beside her. She watches my every move as she bites her lower lip.

  “Gavin,” she whispers.

  I frame her face with my hands and brush away a fallen tear. Leaning into her, my lips a breath from hers, I tell Cora the words only meant for her.

  “I love you. Only you. Always.”

  And as badly as I want to kiss her, I resist the urge. With all the shit I have put Cora through, I won’t fuck this up. I want her to want to kiss me. Want her to initiate. Need her to be the one who moves us forward. No matter what, my heart is hers. Always has been. Always will be. But I crushed her heart all those years ago. And I will wait however long it takes for her to be ready for us. For me.

  Cora wraps her hands around my forearms and grips them like it’s her last breath. Her gaze unwavering as her watery green eyes stare up at me. “I love you, too.” She pinches her eyes shut and wetness slips between her lashes to my fingertips. I wipe them away, then lift my lips to her lids and kiss them each with reverence.

  “I know it will take time, but I vow to make us whole again. Whatever I need to do to fix us, I will. Without you, nothing else matters.”

  She attempts to nod, but my hands keep her face hostage. We both laugh a mo
ment, and I am certain we look like lunatics. But as long as Cora is with me, I don’t give a damn what people think of me. With her by my side, I can be anyone.

  After I drop my hands, I switch to a more serious tone. “Go out with me. On a date. Please?”

  Cora reaches up and cups my cheeks, scratching my jawline before her hands fall to my chest and rest over my heart. “What if we go out with everyone? Obviously, you know Micah and Shelly, but I would love for you to get to know Jonas and Erin better. They’ve been there for me when I needed them. They’re family. And I really want you to be comfortable with them.”

  Hanging out with everyone else isn’t exactly what I had in mind for a date with Cora, but I will take every moment she grants me. If this is important to her—Jonas and I being friendly—I will set aside my jealousy. Jealousy over the fact that this guy has spent more years with her than I have. Although their relationship is strictly platonic, I am not blind to the way he looks at her. Maybe time with him is the perfect idea. For both of us.

  “Okay, let’s go out with everyone. When? Where?”

  She claps and fidgets in her seat. “Yay! I’ll talk to Shelly and we’ll figure everything out. Then you’ll be the next to know.”

  Her happiness is infectious. It lures me in and holds me captive. And I stay willingly, a prisoner of her heart. Whatever it takes to make my girl happy, I plan to do it. Because seeing her smile brightens the darkest skies.

  After I pay the bill, we walk back to her car hand in hand. Our stride is leisure. Our voices absent. And it is absolute perfection. When we reach her car, I spin her around and wrap my arms around her. I rest my chin on the crown of her head and gently rock side to side, shutting my eyes and relishing the weight of her body pressed to mine. Her arms snake around my back and squeeze me tight. I don’t want to let her go. Not now. Not ever.

  I kiss her hair, release my hold on her and run my hands down her biceps. “Call me when you get everything sorted out with Shelly.”

  She tips her head back and meets my sunglass-covered eyes. “I will. Promise.”

  I step back and play with a strand of her hair. “I love you. See you soon.”

  God, I don’t want to walk away, but know I need to. Cora needs to have control over what happens with us. What happens next. Unbeknownst to her, I have put my life and the future of us in her hands. My fitful heart and restless soul sit nestled inside her. This time around, she makes all the decisions and I make none.

  “I love you, too.”

  As soon as she says the words, I pivot and walk away. Her eyes singe me as I amble down the sidewalk, away from her and into the unknown. But there is no other place I would rather be.

  Seventeen

  Cora

  It feels as if I am in grade school again as I stand outside the entrance of Dave and Busters. Bright orange and yellow paint coat the brick exterior. A large, angular metal awning hangs over the entrance. The automatic doors whoosh open then glide shut. The action mesmerizes me briefly until Shelly comes up behind me, bouncing like an adolescent.

  What is it about an arcade that makes you feel twenty years younger? Who knows, but whatever it is, I love it.

  Shelly unlocks her phone and scrolls through her text history. A moment later, she assures me everyone should be here in the next ten minutes.

  We loiter near the entrance, steering clear of patrons coming or going, and get lost in our cell phones. Shelly zones out in social media land while I check my email. A few minutes later, Erin and Jonas walk up.

  We are catching up when I spot Micah and Gavin getting out of an all-black Range Rover. Black paint, pitch-black tint, blacked-out logos. All. Black. Although I only see Micah on occasion, I know this car isn’t his. This must be Gavin’s car. And the idea of him owning an all-black custom vehicle has me smiling like an idiot.

  When they approach us, Micah rolls his eyes at me and I laugh. Micah and I will never share best friend status, but we will always be family. Not only because of my friendship with Shelly, but also because of Gavin. Micah will just have to learn to live with me being around. He is the grumpy big brother I never had and I am the annoying little sister he wished he didn’t have.

  Gavin steps up and encircles me with his arms, kissing the top of my head. A charm of hummingbirds takes flight in my chest, wings fluttering rapidly and stealing my breath. The more Gavin inserts himself back into my life, the less I want to resist him. Part of me recalls the last time we were in this place—inseparable—and what life was like when he left. That part of me keeps the barrier I have built around my heart upright. Solid. Impenetrable.

  Or so I keep telling myself.

  When I got home from St. Pete and emptied my pockets, the worn paper mocked me for hours. Until I unfolded the creased edges and saw what he gave me. What he had stashed in his wallet. My letter. The last letter I wrote him. On our anniversary, six months after he left.

  Seeing that letter again stirred up more than a decade’s worth of emotions. But the fact he kept it, tucked it in his wallet, said more than words ever would.

  He promises to repair every cut and scrape and rift between us. And I believe him. But I need evidence. And until I see the proof with my own eyes, I still can’t expose myself fully. Not yet. Not until I have absolute reassurance he will stay.

  After we load up our gaming cards and purchase drinks, we wander through the arcade and scope out all the games. Micah heads over to the virtual reality area while Shelly, Erin, and Jonas go toward the classic arcade games. As soon as Shelly decided we were coming here, my first thought was Skee-Ball. Not only was it my favorite arcade game to play. It also happens to be Gavin’s favorite.

  “Skee-Ball?” Gavin asks. He cocks a brow up in challenge.

  “As if you need to ask.”

  One of our many rendezvous years ago was to a local arcade. We would play Skee-Ball for hours. Not for tickets, but for bragging rights. Gavin won more times than I did. But when I did win, I rubbed it in his face for weeks. Whatever tickets we won, we handed over to children nearby.

  Tonight would be no different. Minus the tickets.

  I have been here with Shelly and Jonas several times over the years. And I have broken some high score records. Not that I plan to give this statistical information to Gavin. But my Skee-Ball game is strong. So strong, I am willing to bet money he hasn’t played since the last time we played together and can add another Skee-Ball trophy to the shelf. Which works great for me.

  We step up to the lanes and swipe our cards. I glance over at him and feel a little cocky. “You ready to get your ass handed to you?”

  He throws his head back and laughs, his entire frame shaking. “Who’s handing it to me? You?”

  “Not sure how good your game is, but I’ve been practicing.” I pop an eyebrow and give a snide smile.

  “Have you now?” The balls roll down the chute and clunk together. “What makes you think I haven’t been practicing?”

  I pick up a ball and shrug. “Call it a hunch.” Then I face the lane, swing my arm back and release the wooden ball. It rolls up the lane with perfect precision and flies into the 100-point hole. With pride lighting up my face, I face Gavin again and shrug again. “Whatcha got, Hunt?”

  “Oh, it’s on, baby.” Gavin smirks and lines up to shoot the ball. But I zone out. Molecule by molecule, my body comes alive. Warmth blossoms in my chest, spreading its petals open like the roses Gavin sent me. I get lost in the intimacy of this moment. Of his term of endearment for me. In the banter and ease with which we slip into it like second nature. How being beside him feels right on so many levels.

  As much as I want to ease into a life with Gavin, it won’t happen. Because that is not how things have ever been between us.

  From the first day we met, under our tree, we were destined for more. We slipped into friendship easier than anyone else. Our friendship morphing into best friends was inevitable. We loved spending time together and laughed without effort. Everyone said t
hey knew we would start dating. It was only us who didn’t see it happening. Not until that day at the beach over Thanksgiving break.

  Our first kiss. The most amazing and memorable kiss of my life. The kiss that started it all.

  From that moment forward, I never wanted to kiss another person in my life. My body sang for Gavin. Hummed with hunger and lust and love. No one else has lit my soul on fire like Gavin. And no one else ever will. When one person holds the key to your heart, no other key will ever unlock it. Gavin has always been my key.

  Watching Gavin beside me, my heart swells like a hot air balloon—hot and combustible. All the old feelings I buried for thirteen years assault me in the middle of the arcade. Hit me like a hammer to the chest and leave me breathless. I want to yell and cry, cheer and sing, throw myself at him and crush him in my arms. He tosses another ball up the lane, oblivious to my never-ending stare down, and scores another forty points. He glances up at my score and notices it hasn’t changed since my first roll.

  Gavin rotates his head and drops his gaze to mine. “You okay, baby?” There it is again. The familiar endearment I love rolling off his tongue. And the flutters that come along with it.

  Fuck. They’re coming. The back of my eyes sting as I nod. I swallow down the expanding boulder in my throat and work to answer him. “Yeah, I’m good.”

  He sets his ball down and steps up to me, running his fingers through my loose strands. “What’s wrong?” Bending his knees, he comes eye level with me. “Talk to me.”

  I swallow again and tip my head back, batting my lashes. No crying, Cora. No more tears. Not even happy tears.

  “Just remembering us. This.” I gesture to the lanes. “How things were before. How comfortable and easy it is to be with you.”

  He stands tall and peers down at me, his thumb dusting over my bottom lip. “We’ve always had this effortless connection. Do you know why that is, baby?”