Erica took a drink from her own bottle, but the once-crisp, effervescent liquid had warmed to room temperature. “But?”
“After that moment you two had, it wouldn’t surprise me if he showed up.”
“Please.” She picked at the label on her bottle, but she couldn’t deny the flutter in her stomach at the thought that he still might come.
Lindsay leaned her elbow on the bar. “You had another moment this morning. Right before you rejected him.”
“I didn’t reject him. I had to help Brian with his ad.”
“And did Brian really need help?” She eyed her over the beer as she took a swig.
Erica peeled the small label from the neck of her bottle and smoothed it onto the bar. “He tried to pretend like he did.” But the way he’d kept leaning over her, trying to guide her hand on the mouse, brushing his shoulder to hers every time he pointed at the screen…he obviously wanted something from her, though she didn’t know why. Well…she had a pretty good idea, and the reason sat sour in her stomach like expired buttermilk.
“Look at you. Two men chasing after you.”
Erica smoothed the hair down the side of her face. “Men don’t chase after me.” They occasionally tried to conquer her, assuming she’d be an easy lay due to low self-esteem. Preying on the weak. Only, Erica wasn’t weak.
“Apparently, they do.” Lindsay rose to her feet. “I’m going to mingle. You coming?”
“I don’t think I’m going to stay much longer. You have fun.”
Lindsay shuffled away, and Erica focused her attention on the musician. He had a nice voice, though he sounded a little throaty. But he couldn’t have been more than nineteen. His voice would mature when his body did.
Her mind drifted to Gage and the way his body had matured. She could tell by the way his clothes fit he was pure muscle beneath all that fabric. When she’d hugged him, his body had been hard, but his embrace was warm and soft.
“What are you smiling about?” Brian attempted to sit on the stool next to her, but he missed, landing half a butt cheek on the cushion and tumbling off before catching himself on the bar.
“Jeez, Brian, we’ve only been here half an hour. How much have you had to drink?”
He clutched the edge of the bar and slowly slid onto the seat. “I snuck out of the office early. Did a few shots with Toby before everyone else got here.”
“Nice.” She focused on the big label of her beer bottle, picking at the edges with her fingernails, loosening the paper from the glass.
“Listen, Erica.” He grasped her hand, pinning it on the bar. “I think you should reconsider going to dinner with me.”
She tried to gently tug her hand away, but he pressed it harder into the wood. “You do, huh?”
“Yeah. I mean…a girl in your condition isn’t going to get many offers.”
“In my condition?” She yanked her hand from his grasp. “What condition is that, Brian?” She knew exactly what he was talking about. He never could look her in the eyes without his gaze traveling to the side of her face, lingering on her scar. But if he was going to be an ass and point out the obvious, she wasn’t about to make it comfortable for him.
He fidgeted in his seat. “Well…I mean…you do a pretty good job at hiding it, but that scar…What happened to you?”
“None of your business.”
“Look, all I’m saying is that you should consider yourself lucky you found a man who’s willing to look past it to see the real you.”
A flash of anger ignited in her chest. This wasn’t the first time she’d heard that line, and she would never fall for it again. She crossed her arms. “You’re not looking past it, Brian. You’re looking right at it.”
Gage parked his Jeep at Molly’s Place and marched toward the door before he could talk himself out of it. The bar swarmed with people, most of them young professionals like himself. Unlike himself, they mingled and laughed, chatting with each other about nothing important. Most of these people were nothing more than shallow acquaintances. He shook his head. He’d rather have a few close friends he could talk to about important stuff than fifty so-called friends he hardly knew.
He spotted Erica on a barstool, and his stomach fluttered. But the butterfly sensation quickly turned sour when the guy sitting next to her took her hand. Tall, dark hair, attractive. This must’ve been the dude she had lunch with. And it looked like their working lunch had turned into a lunch date.
Lindsay stepped beside him and nudged his shoulder with hers. “Go talk to her.”
He shook his head. “She’s busy.”
“That’s Brian. He’s got a new girlfriend every month. Believe me, she’s not interested in him.”
The look on her face was one of annoyance. And when she jerked her hand from his grasp and crossed her arms, the guy had obviously said something wrong. Gage sauntered toward them, but they were both so engrossed in their conversation, neither seemed to notice him.
“Come on, Erica.” The guy slurred his words. “With a face like that, you’re not going to do any better than me.”
Her gaze hardened. “I’ll pass.”
“I’m sorry, baby.” The man clutched her arm. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you need me. And I know you want me.”
Gage placed a heavy hand on the man’s shoulder. “Leave the lady alone, man. She said she’s not interested.”
The guy swung around and swayed as he focused on him. “Who the hell are you?”
Erica hopped out of her seat and stood next to Gage. “Brian, this is my friend Gage.”
Brian stood. “Hey.” He cast a glance at Erica. “Man to man…tell her the truth. As ugly as she is, she should take what she can get.”
The heat of anger seared through Gage’s chest as he pulled his arm back and landed his fist squarely against Brian’s jaw. The man spun, landing face first on the bar and catching himself before he could crumple to the floor.
Someone gasped, and the people closest to them backed up, making room for the possible fight about to ensue.
Brian turned back around, rubbing his hand against his face. “What the hell, man?”
Gage shook his hand out, his knuckles stinging where the skin had made contact with Brian’s tooth. Starting a bar fight was a dumb move that could land his ass in jail, but it would be worth it. The guy deserved more than a busted lip for saying that about Erica.
“Come on.” Erica tugged on his arm, and he followed her toward the exit, the crowd parting for them as they passed. She pushed open the door and dragged him onto the sidewalk. As she whirled around to face him, he braced himself for the tongue lashing sure to come.
But as her gaze caught his, she smiled. Then she laughed. “You didn’t have to hit him.”
He clenched and unclenched his fists. How could she be so casual? How could she brush off such hateful comments? “No one deserves to be talked to that way.”
She smoothed her braid over her shoulder. “I’ve gotten used to it.”
He gritted his teeth, flexing his jaw as he tried to quell his anger at the asshole who insulted her. “You shouldn’t have to get used to it. It’s wrong.”
“It happens. Come on.” She took his hand and led him around the side of the building.
The anger began to flush from his system, but the feel of her soft hand in his kept his pulse racing. “Where are we going?”
“To the patio. I owe you an apology.”
They cut around the back corner and climbed three steps to a concrete landing. Two wooden picnic tables sat side-by-side on the small rectangle, and a deep irrigation ditch stretched out behind the restaurant, separating it from the neighborhood lying fifty yards away. Off to the west, the sun hung low against the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of red and orange.
She sat on top of one of the tables, resting her feet on the seat, and patted the space next to her. “Sit with me.”
“I didn’t know Molly’s had a patio.” He climbed onto the table and settled next to her, sitting
so close, his shoulder brushed hers.
She didn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned into him and took his hand in hers again. Just like she used to do in high school. “I don’t think it’s open to the public. I found it by accident when I was looking for the restroom.”
“Oh.” He stared out over the water, holding her hand and letting the warmth of her touch calm his nerves. He was still pissed at the way Brian had treated her, but if she could let it go, he could too.
She rested her head on his shoulder, and the scent of her hair stirred in his senses, unearthing bitter-sweet memories he’d buried long ago. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you when I moved back.”
He continued staring at the water. Though he wanted say it was okay, deep down, it really wasn’t. If he was honest with himself, he’d admit he was hurt. His best friend ran away and basically disappeared for ten years. Then she came back and didn’t bother trying to contact him. And now, here she was sitting with him, holding his hand like they were kids again. Like the last ten years never happened.
When he didn’t respond, she squeezed his hand. “In my defense, I haven’t called anyone. Well, besides my dad.”
“So, none of your old friends matter anymore? You run off and get a taste of Hollywood, and now you’re too good for us?” He tried to pull his hand into his lap, but she held on tighter.
“No, Gage. That’s not it at all. I…” She sighed. “I failed in Hollywood. Miserably. Just like I fail at everything, but this was worse.”
He looked at her. “You don’t fail at everything.”
“Everyone told me not to go. I was a stage actress. New York was where I was meant to be. But Carter wanted to be in the movies, and he convinced me I could be in the movies too.” She laughed dryly. “Me. With this.” She gestured to her scar.
“Erica…”
“I remember you, especially, not wanting me to go, even though you only mentioned it once. You told me Carter was using me, and you were right. After we got there, I learned quickly that Hollywood is all about beauty. I went to a few auditions, and they wouldn’t even let me speak. They took one look at my face and told me there wasn’t enough makeup in the world to make my skin look normal in high definition. The stage is much more forgiving than the screen.”
Her eyes shimmered, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”
She shook her head. “I should have come home then, but I stayed for Carter. I got a barista job and supported him while he went to audition after audition. After a while, I took out a loan and went to college to get this stupid graphic design degree because I failed at my dream. Years went by, and it was too late for me. I couldn’t go to New York; I had student loans and credit card bills to pay. So I stayed. And stayed.” She swallowed hard, looking out over the water, and his heart ached for her.
She’d been trapped, living her life for someone else’s dream, going through the motions, but not really living for herself. She’d overcome it, though. She’d gotten out, and she hadn’t failed.
“And then, one day, it happened. Carter got cast in television series.” She folded her hands in her lap. “He came home and told me he’d finally gotten his break, and if he was ever going to make it big, he couldn’t be seen with a freak on his arm.”
Gage stiffened. “He said that to you?”
She nodded.
The anger he’d felt in the bar barreled through his chest with a vengeance. Where did these guys get off thinking they could treat another human being this way? Especially someone as vibrant and kind as Erica. “After you supported him for ten years, he called you a freak?”
“And he left me. He moved in with a woman from one of his acting classes. I think he’d been seeing her for a while. He’d just stayed with me because I was paying the bills.”
“Oh, Erica.” He wrapped his other arm around her and squeezed her tight. “I always thought Carter was an asshole.”
“You were right, but I didn’t listen. He was the only guy who ever paid me any attention, so I thought he was the best I could do.”
He blew out a hard breath. She really had no idea… “He wasn’t the only guy.”
She pulled from his embrace. “Yes, he was.”
He held her gaze, willing her to understand so he wouldn’t have to say it out loud. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her how he felt back then, and it wasn’t any easier now.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the words seemed to get stuck in her throat.
He sighed and looked out over the water.
She followed his gaze. “Well, if you ever liked me, you didn’t let me know.”
He’d wanted to so many times, but then she’d started seeing Carter, and… “Would it have made a difference?” He leaned his elbows on his knees.
“No, I guess it wouldn’t have.”
Which was exactly why he’d never told her. Not outright, anyway. He may have been a kid, but he hadn’t been an idiot. “You needed a friend. I was happy to be that for you.”
She stared straight ahead. “And now?”
“What do you need me to be?”
Biting her bottom lip, she turned to him, her gaze dancing around his face, lingering on his mouth a moment before returning to his eyes. “I don’t know.”
He nodded and stared out at the water. They sat side by side, silently watching the sun dip behind the roofs of the houses across the way. As the palette in the sky faded from red to purple, she finally spoke. “How’s your family?”
“They’re all good.”
“Your mom? I saw a man there when I visited my dad a few times.”
“That’s Steven. He’s a cop. They’re going to Cuba in a few weeks, I hear. Abigail and Becky are both married with kids, Chelsea’s engaged, and Deanna has had the same boyfriend for two years.”
“Sounds like everyone’s happy.”
“We are.”
Sighing, she laid her head on his shoulder. “I missed you.”
He had to laugh at that. “No, you didn’t.”
She lifted her head and cast him an accusing glance. “Yes, I did.”
“If you missed me, you would have tried to contact me when you came back. My number hasn’t changed since high school. Our parents are neighbors. I’m not that hard to find.”
“But I told you why I didn’t call. I was embarrassed. I didn’t want you to know how bad I’d messed up.”
“When have I ever judged you?” He couldn’t mask the disappointment in his voice. He’d always been her safe place. The person she could tell anything. What happened to her over the years to make her lose faith in him?
She lowered her gaze to her hands. “You haven’t.”
“Why would I start now?”
“I’m sorry.”
He fisted his hands on his knees. Damn it, he still had feelings for her. Could he rein them in and be her friend again? Or should he tell her? See if she possibly felt the same.
She took his hand again, uncurling his fingers to slip her palm into his. “I did miss you, Gage. I just didn’t realize it was you I was missing.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“From the moment I left, I had this awful ache in my heart that never went away. I thought I was homesick for ten years, but then, when I came back, the ache didn’t go away. I started spending more time with my dad, but that didn’t help. Being back in Michigan didn’t feel right either. And then I saw you. Sitting here next you, talking like we used to do…I finally feel like I’m home again.”
A strand of hair fell out of her braid, and he tucked it behind her ear. “I’m glad you’re back.”
“Me too.” She looked at him with a strange intensity…a look that sent his heart racing.
He cleared his throat before he could do anything stupid like give in to the overwhelming urge to lean over and kiss her. “I guess you’re not going to the reunion?”
She let out a dry chuckle. “So everyone there can know what I failure I am? No, thanks.
”
His heart ached at her words. “You’re not a failure. Your life is moving in a different direction than you planned, but you’re making the most of it. There’s nothing wrong with changing course.”
A tiny smile tugged at her lips. “Thank you for saying that, but, no, I’m not going to the reunion. Are you?”
“Didn’t plan to.” He’d considered enduring the shallow small-talk, cheap drinks, and ten-year-old pop music on the off chance she might’ve attended. Now that she worked in his building, though, he could avoid the whole ordeal.
The door behind them clanked open, and a cook in a dirty white apron dragged a trash can out the door. “Hey, you guys can’t be out here. Staff only.” He pointed to a sign above the door.
“Sorry, man.” Gage hopped off the table and held his hand out to Erica. She took it, and they strolled to the parking lot together.
“This is me.” She pointed to a dark gray Saturn. “I better get home.” She opened the door, but hesitated to get in. Instead, she turned and pulled him into a hug. “It was good talking with you again.”
Damn, she felt good pressed against him. “Yeah, it was.”
She touched her lips to his cheek, a friendly gesture she’d done many times when they were kids. But this time, she didn’t pull away. Her mouth lingered near his jaw, her breath warming his skin. She pulled back ever-so-slowly, her nose brushing against his cheek as her lips neared his own.
His heart pounded in his chest. She glanced into his eyes and lowered her gaze to his mouth. Leaning toward him, she brushed her lips to his. Softly. Cautiously, as if she wasn’t sure kissing him was the right thing to do. She pulled back slightly to catch his gaze, and then, cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him again, this time, like she meant it.
The taste of lime on her lips made his head spin, and he fought the urge to crush his body to hers and kiss her harder. He’d let her take the lead for now. Rushing her into something she wasn’t sure she wanted was bound to backfire.
She inhaled deeply and pulled away, a smile curving her lips as she looked into his eyes. “Hmm.” She lowered her gaze and blinked up at him. “That was nice.”
“Yeah.”
To Free a Phantom (Spirit Chasers Book 3) Page 4
