Amy takes them up a set of stairs that lead to a large master bedroom. It is the only room upstairs and its ceilings dip with the pitch of the roof along the sides of the room. A large king-size bed is set up along with tall armoire, dresser with floating mirror and two bedside chests of drawers. The furniture is dark oak and solid. Amy squeals and takes Mac’s hand to drag her over to another small room that Gabe hadn’t even noticed. Double shit. A walk-in closet. Mac must be in heaven. He recalls her cramped one bedroom apartment. And, there’s nothing Gabe can say negatively about this place in front of Parker and Amy. Where is Parker?
They find Parker outside on the back wooden deck, which spans the length of the house. He is lounging in one of the two wooden Adirondack chairs that are set up, with his feet propped up on the deck railing. Five large maple trees provide ample shade in the back yard, their large branches reaching toward the sky like fingers stretching to the heavens, their young leaves still bright green.
“How much are you asking for this place and how much land were you planning to sell?” Mac asks. She’s definitely interested. Gabe inwardly cringes.
Mac discusses the specifics with Parker and Amy. They plan to include an acre of land with the sale of the home. Parker gives her the details of all of the updates that he had the contractor perform on the house, which Gabe admits is impressive. Mac asks if they would consider a lower offer and after considering the number she throws at them, Parker and Amy agree. Gabe cannot believe what just happened. Right in front of him. Mac just made an offer on this house. The offer was accepted. He could do nothing to stop it. In addition, Mac says she will pay cash for it. Parker says he will meet with his attorney this week who will call her with a closing date. All of the information on the property history, deed, taxes, etc. has already been completed by the attorney, so closing should be quick. Wonderful.
Aislin explains that her lease runs out this Sunday and Parker agrees to push the deal through a.s.a.p., with his attorney’s cooperation. In the meantime, Gabe offers to let Mac store her belongings at his place, and stay in his guest bedroom. Mac gushes excitedly over the cottage the entire way back to Huntington. Gabe wonders if she realizes what rural life is like. It’s not like you can walk down the street to the store. She doesn’t even have a car. That is something they will have to remedy. He mentions it to Mac and she asks for his input on a new SUV. The two decide to go car shopping next week. Despite his desire to be happy for her, sadness creeps into Gabe’s heart. He will miss her. He loves her like a sister. Just like a sister. Only like a sister, he repeats to himself over and over and over thinking that the more he says it, the more his heart will come to believe it. A brother who will kill Jaxon if she ever licks his dimple again.
One thing is for certain, if Mac moves, Gabe will be visiting his cousins a lot more often.
Chapter 5
Aislin had been busy since she arrived back at her apartment. She’d finished packing and had been in contact with Parker and Amy Harrison several times regarding the closing on the house. Closing would take place in 13 days. Having only a few days left on her lease, she had decided to take Gabe up on his offer to store her things at his apartment week while she is in between homes. Aislin doesn’t stay in Gabe’s guest room, though. She opts to stay with Ella, the two spending as much time together as possible, before Aislin moves a little further south.
Since returning home, Aislin hadn’t heard anything from Ty at all, which didn’t surprise her in the least. What did surprise her was finding him on her porch Wednesday evening when she arrived home from Gabe’s. The two had gone car shopping at several dealerships on Tuesday and Aislin thought hard about which vehicle would best suit her needs. She had decided on a new white Honda CR-V and had purchased it Wednesday morning. As she pulls forward into her parking space, she notices a very familiar, shiny black Charger parked a few spaces down.
Maybe his new girlfriend lives here. She snorts at the thought, squares her shoulders, grabs the few bags of items she had purchased at the mall and heads up the stairwell to the third floor. Rounding the corner to her apartment, she freezes. Ty is sitting beside her door with his elbows propped on his knees, his hands on his forehead. Having heard the plastic of her bags crunch with her movements, he looks up and over at her. Aislin’s heart thumps wildly. She certainly hadn’t expected this. Hadn’t wanted to see him again. Ever. She thinks about what to say, but ultimately decides to ignore him. She carries herself down the hall, just past Ty, and digs out her keys. Ty stands and looks at Aislin with red-rimmed eyes. Has he been crying? Aislin’s heart clenches at the thought.
“Baby, can we talk?” he rasps.
Aislin finally unlocks her apartment door and stops, looking at the floor. She tucks her hair behind her ear and turns to look at his gray eyes. They are welling with tears. Never having seen Ty cry before, she silently nods toward the doorway, a silent order for him to come in. Figuring they need to finish their goodbyes, and say anything left unsaid, she tells him to sit on the couch while she takes her bags back to her room.
She closes the door to her room and locks it, backing up against it for support. Taking her cell phone out of her pocket, she texts Ella.
Aislin: Ty is here. He’s been crying so I invited him in.
Just FYI.
Ella: WTF? Don’t let him in your apartment! Are u crazy?!
Aislin: Ty would never hurt me. I think he just wants to talk.
Ella: B there in 10.
Ella: U don’t have to come over. I’m fine.
No response. Great. Knowing that Ella will blow in with all the tact of a tornado in a trailer park in about 10 minutes, Aislin decides to try to get Ty to talk and get him out of here before she arrives. She sits beside Ty on the couch. He looks her over.
“You look good, Ais.” She has never seen him look like this. Dark bags hang under his eyes. For the first time, she can see where his wrinkles will one day sit. She had imagined running her fingers over those lines as she admired them as they grew older together.
“Thanks. Ty, why are you here?” she sighs.
“I miss you.” He holds her gaze and she knows he is sincere. Unfortunately, it’s too little, too late.
“I really don’t know what you want me to say. You broke my heart, Ty. I trusted you with it and you tore it out. I can’t trust you again. I won’t.”
Ty threads his fingers together, leaning his elbows on his knees. He nods. “I just want you to know how sorry I am. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant for any of it. If I could take it back, I would. I love you, Aislin. I was stupid and jealous and...such a dick. I’m so sorry, Ais.”
Aislin swallows the thickness forming in her throat and blinks away the tears that are starting to form. Ty loves her. Deep down, she knows that he does, but also knows that it wasn’t enough to keep him from cheating the moment they had an argument.
“I love you, too, Ty. But, it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t enough for you. I really think you should go now.”
Ty nods slowly and looks at her as if he is memorizing every feature of her face. He moves to stand up, when the front door flies open. Tornado Antonella has touched down in Huntington, West Virginia. She gives Ty a seething look and stalks toward him.
Poking her long red fingernail in Ty’s chest, she yells, “You piece of shit. What makes you think you can just weasel your way back into her life? Huh? You broke her, Ty. You chose some nasty skank over Aislin. Look at her!” Ella points a fire-engine red fingernail in Aislin’s direction, the other hand propped on her jutted-out hip.
Ty complies, jaw clenching. Aislin knows he wants to shout back, but so far is holding his tongue. His eyes are trained on Aislin’s. “I know. I lost the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And, I’m sorry. Aislin, I’m so sorry. I hope we can at least be friends.” With that, he steps around Ella and out the door, closing it quietly behind him.
“Well,” Ella huffs, “at least he knows it.” Aislin is reeling. She can’t believe it.
This was her Ty. The one who didn’t cheat. The one who was sweet and who loved her.
Three weeks after making Parker and Amy an offer on the house that sat at the edge of their property, Gabe and Ella help Aislin load all of her belongings into her new car and Gabe’s truck and the three head south toward Mingo County—toward Aislin’s new home. Aislin and Ella in the new CR-V and Gabe in his Tacoma, leading the way. She had met the Harrison’s and their attorney Friday morning to close on her house and left with the keys to her cottage. When they arrive, Aislin takes Ella for the grand tour and when Ella gives her approval, Aislin smiles, her heart soaring and proud to own her first home. No one had questioned where she got the money to purchase her home. Maybe they’d assumed. If they had, they would have been right. Declan had a life insurance policy. Actually, he had two. Those benefits in addition to the funds in his bank accounts, came to Aislin when he passed away. Even in death, he had taken care of her. Aislin smiles thinking about how her brother’s memory would forever be tied to her first home and car.
Gabe carries each box into the house, allowing Ella and Aislin to unpack the contents and get it settled in. Aislin had offered an additional sum of money to purchase the furniture in the dwelling as well, so the contents of her apartment that could be shoved into cardboard boxes are the only things she unpacks today. Ella takes the kitchen items, while Aislin hangs and arranges her clothes in the closet and dresser, makes her bed and arranges her bedroom.
As the morning had turned to afternoon and faded into evening, Gabe left to get settled in Parker’s guest house. Ella and Aislin are left to get ready for the party at The Barn tonight that is being thrown in honor of “new neighbors,” Aislin and Jeremiah Stone. After their showers, the girls take their time getting ready for the evening. As Aislin searches her closet for something to wear, Ella bounces into the room from the shower wrapped in a fluffy white towel. She rummages through her small red suitcase and smiles when her fingers land on the target.
“Aislin, I got you something,” she sings.
“What?” Aislin pinches her brows together in confusion.
“You are going to be one sexy bitch, Ais!”
Ella pitches the garment at Aislin, who manages to catch it in midair. Ella’s smile stretches forth like that of the Cheshire cat and before she even unfolds the dress, Aislin knows she is in trouble. Made of royal blue silky satin, the dress is strapless and looks like it would hug every curve a woman possesses. Aislin’s eyes grow wide. It is beautiful, she admits. She grabs her white strapless corset that she had to wear with a bridesmaid’s gown from a friend’s wedding last year and a pair of satin white panties and squeals as she heads to the bathroom. Ella fishes her own dress out of the bag. A pink cotton baby doll dress with spaghetti straps and full skirt that hits just above her knee.
Aislin places soft curls throughout Ella’s dark brown hair and in return, Ella uses a flat iron to make Aislin’s long auburn hair, arrow straight. Aislin pulls on a pair of black velvet peep-toe pumps as Ella straps on a pair of chunky wedges whose straps are pearly and the same pink color as her dress. Deciding that their hair, make-up and dresses look fabulous, the two take off to pick up Gabe on the way to the party.
Gabe climbs in the backseat and while scrolling through his IPhone, and robotically compliments the girls on their beauty. But, it isn’t until they exit that he is rendered speechless. He emerges from the CR-V before Aislin and turns around to say something to her. The look on his face brings a pink blush to Aislin’s cheeks and she suddenly feels hot. She waves her hand back in forth in an attempt to fan herself.
“Gabe, were you going to say something?” she asks innocently. His mouth is hanging open as if he were about to speak, but nothing is coming out. He remains silent for a moment, his eyes raking over her before he answers.
Letting out a breath, Gabe says, “Wow. Mac, you look beautiful.” A huff and a string of curses later, Gabriel rakes his hand through his hair.
“What’s wrong?”
“Shit, Mac. I’ll be lucky if I’m not locked up after tonight. I’m going to be lucky not to wake up in jail tomorrow morning.” He shakes his head and gives her a sideways grin.
Aislin answers with a giggle and pulls him by the arm toward the barn. She latches her other arm with Ella’s and the three head inside, and straight to the bar. Aislin is thankful that this dress hits just below her knee. Now, if only the top of the strapless number stays up, there will be no wardrobe malfunction.
The three friends are enveloped by the crowd, but quickly find Parker and Amy sitting together at a high-top table near the bar. Gabe agrees to remain sober so that the trio arrived home safely and Aislin can have fun at her welcome party. As Adele’s smoky “Someone Like You,” fills the air, Aislin’s smile slips from her face. The song, which had been one of her favorites, immediately reminds her of Ty—that she doesn’t have him anymore and maybe never did in the first place. Her heart aches and she decides that she needs some fresh air. Fast. She tells Ella that she will be right back and makes a beeline to the back door.
Stepping outside into the descending darkness, Aislin tries to catch her breath. She leans against the white metal structure, grasping her chest, desperately trying to fend off the tears that threaten and sting her eyes. She is so upset that she doesn’t even notice someone standing nearby.
When she feels someone grab her shoulder, she flinches, inhales sharply and steps back, wide-eyed. He had scared her to death.
“Mac? Are you okay?” he asks, cocking his head sideways and lifting his hands as if surrendering.
“Yes. You scared me. Sorry. I didn’t know anyone was out here.” She exhales slowly.
Jeremiah looks at the darkening night sky and then back at Aislin. “No apology necessary. I just came out to get some air. It’s a bit stuffy in there with all of the people.” He smiles, earning a small smile back from her. “Are you upset about something?”
“Yes. I needed some fresh air, too,” she admits, sheepishly.
“Want to talk about it? I’m a good listener?” He smiles. His icy eyes pin her, but the smile doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Not really. I just wanted to clear my head for a minute.”
“Well?”
“Well what?” she asks, pushing her hair behind her ears.
He laughs, his deep baritone filtering into the evening breeze. “Is your head clear now? Would you like to go back inside?”
She consumes a deep breath and then takes the elbow he offers and the two head back to the party being thrown in their honor. Ushering Aislin inside, Jeremiah asks her to dance. A slow, hypnotic rhythm flows from the speakers and Aislin agrees. The pair travel to the center of the dance floor. Grasping hands together, Jeremiah uses his other hand to grab her waist, guiding her fluid movements back and forth in a slow circle. Aislin’s other hand rests on his shoulder. As they move together, Jeremiah talks about his new home and his business that he runs from there. He handles finances for several wealthy individuals around the country, but refuses to name-drop. Aislin immediately respects him for keeping his word to his clients and maintaining his integrity. She knows it would be easy for most men to use such information to impress others—especially women. Maybe Jeremiah isn’t a pig. Huh. I was beginning to think that all men qualified.
The two find each other smiling and laughing during their conversation. Both are avid readers. Both enjoy hiking and swimming. Several songs later, the two had developed the beginnings of a friendship, though the way he looked at her at times made Aislin wonder if he was interested in more. She wasn’t sure that she was ready for any kind of a relationship so soon after Ty and moving here. Deciding too much was going on in her life, she decided to push those thoughts aside and enjoy the evening and a newfound friendship.
Gabe finds Aislin at the bar waiting in line to order a drink. Aislin notices how the sleeves of his light blue button-down shirt are rolled up, revealing sculpted muscular forearms. She chastises herself for such a
thought, looking away as heat floods her cheeks. Scanning the room for Ella, she finds her on the dance floor with a handsome, young man that she doesn’t recognize. Aislin smiles as Ella works her charms on the poor fellow. The Italian minx strikes again. Ella’s eyes meet hers and the two smile at one another. Ella wiggles her fingers naughtily.
Gabe orders their drinks and ushers Aislin to an empty table. Aislin sips on her strawberry daiquiri slowly, savoring the cold, fruity beverage and the way it feels on her tongue. Gabe must notice, Aislin decides, because he stares at her mouth as she drinks through her straw.
“Want some?” she offers, holding her glass out.
Gabe clears his throat before he gruffly answers, “No.”
“Oh, sorry. I thought you were looking at my drink.”
“No. I was, but no. I don’t want a drink. It’s just that you seem to be enjoying that drink a lot and I’m a guy, Mac.” He grins, looking away embarrassed.
“Oh, sorry. I do love the taste.” She grins at him, and begins licking her straw seductively, while she watches him shift uncomfortably in his seat, while shaking his head and grinning.
“Are you enjoying your Pepsi, Mr. Church?” she smirks, teasing him about his sobriety.
When her drink is empty, Gabe leads Aislin to the dance floor. The two dance and laugh. Another daiquiri later and the pair head back out. The Black-Eyed Peas “I Got a Feelin’” fades into a throwback of Britney Spears’ “Slave for you,” and Aislin turns on her sexy. Ella finds Aislin and the two begin their sultry seduction—Ella of her new friend Toby and Aislin of Gabriel.
The two guys watch intently, barely moving as the two girls grind on one another before they turn their attentions back to the boys. Aislin gives Gabe a sexy half smile as she slowly makes her way to him. She pulls him close and puts one of his knees between hers as the two grind together. Cat calls ring out all around and Aislin smiles seeing that the crowd as stopped to watch her and Ella dance. Aislin turns her back to Gabe and slowly grinds into him, feeling his arousal grow. She is surprised for a moment that he would be attracted to her, but the warm fuzzy buzz she has reminds her that he’s just an all-American male—of course he would respond if a girl dances with him this way. She and Ella trade partners and she begins to dance with Toby.
Devil Creek Page 5
