Heart Waves

by Danielle Sibarium

  Heart Waves

  First printing, 2012

  Copyright © 2012 by Danielle Sibarium

  Cover art copyright © by Andrew Gioulis

  Cover photograph copyright © by Andrew Gioulis

  Book design by Andrew Gioulis

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

  The persons and events portrayed in this work of fiction are the creations of the author, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Published by: KFR Communications, LLC

  148 Hawkin Rd

  New Egypt, NJ 08533

  Publisher’s Note: The author and publisher have taken care in preparation of this book but make no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information contained herein.

  Print ISBN-13: 978-1475143201

  Print ISBN-10: 1475143206

  Printed in the United States of America

  www.kfrcommunications.com

  For my very own Computer Geek, Alex.

  I love you now and forever!

  Acknowledgments

  I would like to thank all the people who have influenced and encouraged me through the years, friends and teachers from elementary school through college. Thank you to members of the writing groups I have been in past and present, you have always nudged me forward when I stared in the eyes of self-doubt. Thank you to the members of the Jackson Writer’s Group for encouraging me to take the next step and helping me to fine tune and tighten my work. Thank you to my beta readers for reading and being vocal with opinions and suggestions. Thank you to Kelly Kanis for editing and keeping me true to my characters. Most of all, thank you to my husband for always believing in me.

  Chapter 1

  Lies. Lies. Lies. He was covered in lies. They oozed off him like slick, goopy slime. As if I didn’t already know Steve couldn’t be trusted. I always thought of him as a pompous ass, especially after our one and only date.

  But that was years ago.

  Steve wouldn’t meet my eyes. I hadn’t spoken to him since my freshman year of high school. I wondered if it he even remembered me. I remembered him all too well, Mr. Captain of the baseball team with the perfect smile. The thought of his cold, wet lips and octopus arms still made my skin crawl.

  Regardless, he looked past me, around me, like I wasn’t good enough to look at. I could feel his apprehension so I knew I’d get him. I’d get him good. Call him out for being the jerk he was and embarrass him in front of his friends. I just needed to concentrate.

  I closed my eyes, focused on blocking out the music and clarifying the image in my mind. I fingered the gold bracelet interpreting the words and images flowing from it.

  “You just came back from someplace warm,” I declared.

  With a snide look on his face the muscle-bound jock shook his head and spoke skeptically to the crowd of onlookers, “Like most of the country isn’t warm in July. This is bogus,” he chortled, still trying to best me.

  He thought his wise cracks were enough to intimidate me, to make me feel stupid and insecure so I would shut up. He wanted to end it here and now. Better to make me look bad before it went any further. Not going to happen. Not tonight. If I had to be miserable, so did he.

  “I see a beach and water . . .”

  “Hard one. Like we don’t live at the Jersey shore.”

  “Not here.” I said a bit forcefully. “The water is clear blue, so it’s not in this state.”

  “Oooh,” I heard someone jeer. “She’s onto you.”

  “Shut up,” Mr. Macho snapped at his buddy while reaching for the bracelet I wasn’t ready to release. “You probably told her.”

  “You’re there with a beautiful girl,” I continued. “Long blonde hair. Her name begins with the letter E.”

  “You were with Emma?” A petite brunette bellowed while pounding her fist into his arm.

  “Busted!” someone shouted before bursting into a fit of laughter.

  “You don’t believe this bull do you?” He pleaded.

  With tears in her eyes, the girl rushed off, “You’re a shit!”

  Steve snatched his bracelet and rushed after her, “Shari, wait. I haven’t seen her in months. She must be a friend of Emma’s or my shit-head friends are playing a joke. When I find out which one of you set this up . . .” the rest of the threat trailed off.

  “That’s what you get for two timing,” I called watching him push through the sea of people. If he didn’t remember me before the reading, he’d never forget me now. I brought my hands together, “All right, show’s over.”

  A few moans and grumbles, then suddenly I could breathe. A wave of relief washed over me as the oppressive group surrounding me thinned. My right eye burned, and the aching in my head had already begun. I knew I had to stop before the sharp blinding pain ensued.

  I turned and looked for my best friend Grace. No sign of her. I shook my head. I didn’t even want to come to Mike’s stupid party, let alone be the entertainment, but she insisted.

  What exactly she found appealing about Mike was beyond me, but Grace had been crushing on him all through high school. She would do just about anything he asked; only before tonight he never did.

  Earlier in the day, while life was still bliss, we were just two best friends lying in the sun with lemon juice in our hair (Grace’s attempt at natural highlights) listening to music. When Mike sauntered over poolside to extend the invitation, Grace turned into groupie girl, and it took her approximately one second to accept. I was biding time until I could convince her to leave.

  “One more,” the voice caught me. Stopped me dead in my tracks. For a moment the room went silent, the people disappeared. All that existed was the soft soothing voice.

  “C’mon, please.” He spoke again, and I wished he’d never stop talking so I could forever hear the sound of his melodious voice.

  Before I could refuse, a small, gold ring was placed in my hand. I stood frozen, feeling as if someone connected a live wire to my heart. White electricity surged throughout my body.

  I looked up to see what creature bore such exhilarating energy. His soft, golden-brown eyes captivated me. They were alive with laughter and mystery. I closed my eyes, barely able to focus and stroked the ring with my thumb. I took a deep breath, taking in the scent of his cologne. Fighting the sudden lump in my throat, I blurted out, “Romeo and Juliet.”

  “Excuse me?” He smiled confused.

  “It’s like Romeo and Juliet,” I recovered, tracing the diamond chip initial on the ring. “You believe you are in love.”

  “She’s my Juliet?” He asked with a suspicious look.

  “No, she’s your Rosalind,” I felt the need to explain, hoping to keep him nearby, “the girl Romeo thought he loved. Remember though, it was unrequited.”

  “Really?” He asked egging me on, seeming to enjoy the conversation.

  “Yes,” I continued with a nod, “then he met Juliet, and Rosalind turned into nothing more than a distant memory. I’m sure you know the rest.”

  “Do you know who my Juliet is?” he asked with a smile. “Have I met her yet?”

  “Yes.” I answered.

  “Hmm. Someone I know.” He looked around the crowd mischievously, a delicious smile on his lips, “Will we get married and live happily ever after?”

  I shook my head sadly. “No.” I paused a moment, and found my breath. “You’re going to break my heart.”

  I reached for his hand, his strong, warm hand, and took hold of it. I didn’t want to ever let go. I pl
aced the ring in his palm, closed his fingers around it, turned and walked away.

  Chapter 2

  I plopped down on the back porch steps. I couldn’t believe what a fool I’d made out of myself. Grace called me “Ice Queen,” the stupid name Mike gave me, because I never let anyone get under my skin. I always controlled the situation. And never, never lost my head.

  Except for now.

  I sat with my face in my hands, trying calm the sudden tumult within me. I needed a moment of tranquility, to push him out of my mind. I wanted to forget about the mysterious guy who made my heart race and made me feel alive.

  I didn’t notice the form standing next to the back door. I had no idea he stood in the shadows, until he cleared his throat.

  I turned startled.

  “Did I upset you?”

  Upset me? Was he kidding? How could I tell him the sight of him, although unsettling, was uplifting, inspiring? Or that in seventeen years I’d never felt anything remotely close to this sudden, intense attraction, and had no clue how to handle this. And the mere fact he stood so close had me totally and completely befuddled, unable to think clearly or string together a coherent thought.

  “No.” I ordered myself to calm down. “I didn’t know you were there.”

  “I can go back inside if you’d like,” he motioned toward the door.

  “It’s not necessary,” I tried to sound nonchalant, like he had no effect on me. Besides, if he went inside I would be tempted to follow and that would definitely leave me at a disadvantage.

  He sat on the step next to me and any pretense of nonchalant went out the window. I kept my eyes focused on the water in front of us, feeling my pulse race beneath my skin (acutely aware of his proximity), and how easy it would be to reach out and touch him.

  I looked for something to talk about, anything to shift my attention away from how much I wanted to press myself against his body and kiss him. I needed a safe topic with no hidden innuendos. A soft, familiar sound seemed to wake me from the dreamlike trance he held over me. The one thing I could always count on for peace and tranquility: the gentle waves lapping against the ramparts of the waterway.

  “The bay is beautiful, isn’t it?” I asked braving a glimpse of him.

  “Incredible,” he answered with a sly smile. “The water’s deceiving though. It looks calm and peaceful, but it can sweep you away in a moment.”

  Like his presence did with me.

  “Speaking from experience?”

  He shook his head, “Just making conversation.”

  An awkward silence lingered.

  He took a deep breath, “So what does it take to get you to smile?”

  “Is that why you’re here? To make me smile?” A girl could hope.

  “You’re the one with the answers, you tell me.”

  “Answers? Hardly,” I snickered. But I could think of nothing else to say and turned my attention back to the ocean.

  “I’ve done it again,” I heard a hint of sadness in his voice, and wanted to make better whatever troubled him.

  “What exactly is that?”

  “I’m not sure. Upset you? Frightened you?”

  “Yeah. Right.” I answered as if the idea was ridiculous.

  “Then why’d you run and hide out here?” he asked sipping from a large red plastic cup.

  “Why do you care?”

  “I’m a lover, not a fighter,” he winked, his eyes gleamed.

  I looked away, a reaction to the jittery feeling I got looking in his eyes.

  “It leaves me feeling bad when girls flee from me,” he teased.

  “So this happens often?”

  “Only when the moon is blue.”

  “Then don’t sweat it,” I patted his knee with my hand, a warm tingly feeling running from my fingers up my arm. I wondered if he felt it too. Our eyes met again. I wanted to look away, but instead got lost in his stare. I reminded myself to exhale while searching for my voice, “Just a plain, old moon tonight.”

  “Good,” he chuckled, “I don’t like to think only minutes of speaking to me is enough to send you running. It usually takes much longer than a few minutes.”

  I laughed. “I thought we already settled this,” I took a deep breath. “You startled me. That’s all. Otherwise you don’t frighten me.”

  He raised an eyebrow, “Then what does frighten you?”

  “Life, death, everything in between.”

  “A flair for the dramatic, huh?” He leaned in to me and gently bumped my shoulder with his own, sending a heat wave through my body, through my heart.

  “What happened to the easy questions, like what’s your name?” I asked.

  “Reece Walton.”

  He extended his hand, waiting for mine, I hesitated, afraid of his overpowering energy and how it unraveled me. I took a deep breath and then gave in.

  “It’s nice to meet you Reece.” He paralyzed me with his relentless grip. I tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t allow it.

  “Not until I get yours,” he said, his brown eyes penetrating mine.

  “Jenna,” I answered.

  “Just Jenna?”

  I nodded, “I’m an enigma.”

  “Yes, you are.” He gave another heartwarming smile, before another awkward silence hung between us.

  “That was pretty cool, what you did with the jewelry. How’d you start?” He asked releasing my hand.

  “It’s a long story.”

  “I’ve got plenty of time,” he smiled.

  I rolled my eyes. “I took chemistry last year. When we should’ve been learning about moles and valence electrons, my teacher was doing handwriting analysis on the class.”

  “So you went head to head with her?” he joked.

  I shook my head. “A few of us formed a study group. We got off topic and I joked saying I could give better readings than she could. I picked up a pen and said what I felt about its owner.”

  “And it worked?” He asked sounding skeptical.

  I nodded. “I’ve always had feelings. I sort of knew things as a kid. I could sense a good day from a bad one. I’ve been able to predict winning lottery numbers just before the balls came up.” I explained. “I just used whatever was available, a pen, a piece of jewelry, something with energy on it, closed my eyes and said what I felt about the owner. It’s just interpreting the energy on the object.”

  “Want to give it another try?” He offered me his ring.

  “Nah.” I shook my head and tried to create space between us. “If I do it too much or too long, I get killer migraines.”

  He nodded, then elbowed me playfully, “You like me don’t you.”

  “What! Where did that come from?”

  “Avoiding the question, that confirms it.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” My face got hot. I felt like a fish out of water clinging to life, “If this is you putting on the charm, you’ve got a lot to learn.”

  “You volunteering to teach me?” He asked.

  Reece inched closer to me again making it hard for me to think. Or breathe. His lips were closing in on me, getting closer every moment. I held my breath, until I couldn’t take anymore and turned away.

  “I think your girlfriend is better suited for the job,” I answered remembering how this whole thing started.

  “Ouch.” He pulled back.

  “Speaking of the lucky girl, shouldn’t she be missing you?” I asked, annoyed he tried so hard to lead me on, when I knew his interests lie elsewhere.

  “Nah,” he looked away as he swirled the contents of his cup. He took a long swig. “We broke up.”

  I shook my head in disbelief, “So naturally, even though you’re pining away over her, you’re here looking to hook up.”

  “Is that a crime?”

  “A crime? No.” I sighed deeply, “A stupid guy thing, yes.”

  “How’s that?”

  “You’re flirting with me, when I know full well you’re completely hung up on her.” I spoke indignantly.
Being on the offensive with him came easier, more naturally for me.

  “Is that so?” he retorted.

  “Deny it. I dare you!”

  “First of all,” His voice had a harsh edge to it. “I didn’t know it was a crime for feelings to linger.”

  “Of course it isn’t.”

  “By the way, does it look like I’m having the time of my life?” He asked spitting back the attitude I threw his way.

  “No. But…” I hoped he wouldn’t see how much his last comment stung.

  “And,” he interrupted, “It doesn’t seem like you’re against flirting with me.”

  “Me?” I felt the heat of embarrassment flush over my face. My cheeks were going to start smoking from being so over heated.

  “Yes you. You began the flirtatious behavior, I just continued it.”

  “I started it?” He certainly did have a lot of nerve.

  “You’re going to break my heart,” he said in falsetto.

  My cheeks blistered with embarrassment. I was unaware I’d spoken those words aloud. “I was joking. I was just . . . joking with you,” I tried to explain.

  Silence fell between us as he stared at the water. Reece glanced at me again, and took on a softer tone, “For the record, she dumped me.”

  “Sorry. I guess I jumped to the wrong conclusion.”

  The back door burst open with urgency. A striking young man emerged with big blue eyes open wide, his cheeks round and ruddy.

  “Hey man, we need you in here.”

  “What’s up?” Reece asked.

  “Brandon’s wasted. He’s completely out of control,” the mystery guy from the party called.

  “Be right there,” Reece turned back to me, a sad smile on his face, “Got to go,” he said taking my hand in his and bringing it up to his lips for a gentle kiss. “It was nice meeting you Just Jenna.”

  I opened my mouth. I had to say something, to stop him, to keep him with me for another moment, but no sound could escape before Reece’s friend interrupted, “Come on!”