Drawn To You (Paloma's Edge)

by Shaw, Robin

  “What can I get you?” Millie asked with a corner of her lips quirked up. She was very pretty and had a soft, yet raspy voice I wouldn’t have understood if it were already loud in here.

  “A Sprite, please.”

  “Do you know what Bri wants?”

  “A virgin piña colada.” The corners of her mouth tugged up. “That may change over the course of the night.”

  “Coming right up.”

  Uncle Anton had taken me to the Paloma today. It was a really quiet ride. Aunt Deborah was very unhappy with him. In the kitchen, he’d tried to touch her arm but she moved away from him. Pierce hadn’t spent the night. And Chase had been gone. No one had said his name last night or today at all. I’d had a very weak moment hours after we’d had dinner; I’d gone into his room and had been surprised that it’d been locked. He’d clearly moved out. I’d thought that he’d hung out with one of the boys or had gone on a date and would have returned. It’d been an unnerving experience for me to digest when Brianna had told me that Chase was staying with she and Gavin. She was surprised that I hadn’t known. I was happy that he was still in Paloma’s Edge, and yet I was angry with him at the same time.

  “No morir soñado tonight?” I slid my gaze to the side, and Rylan took Brianna’s seat. His dark hair shone from the lights and he flashed me a wide smile as another bartender placed our drinks on the counter.

  “No. How’d you know that was my drink?”

  “I pay attention.”

  “You’re back so soon?” Brianna asked, and sat on the available stool next to me.

  Rylan grimaced. “Hey, Bri. Yeah, Dad was trying to make me stay for the whole weekend but it was just so he could show me around. His new girl was like a fucking second skin. We hadn’t had the chance to talk one on one. She’d been bitching about her feet hurting when we’d visited his alma mater. I hadn’t wanted her with us, but I’d told her that if she’s gonna walk around with us she couldn’t wear six-inch heels. But did the silly girl listen? Nope. She’d been trying to look cute. ”

  “He’s still dating girls our age?”

  It looked like Rylan ground his teeth. “I’d suck it up and be happy for him if I knew it was something real. Maybe age is just a number. But Dad’s, what? Sixty-six now. His mid-life crisis should’ve passed by now. The admissions counselors thought his girl and I were a couple.”

  “Yikes,” Brianna said.

  “And how’d your dad react to that?” I asked.

  “He pulled her to his side and squeezed her ass. Real embarrassing. And offensive.”

  “You do have some tacky girls with you most of the time,” Brianna said drolly.

  “Bri, this girl was in another class of tacky. My dad’s new girl doesn’t compare to the girls Joel and I hang with.”

  Brianna put her thumb up sarcastically and Millie came down the other side of the counter.

  “Oh, shit!” Rylan said, jerking his shoulders back. “You finally did it.” He made a gesture for her to move around and she complied. “Millie, that’s hot.”

  Her face broke out into a smile. “I went to Lasting Impressions Tattoo Studio in Little Havana. The guy who designed this tattoo was gonna do it for me, but he was booked. It looks like I’ll never meet him and thank him for designing it. When I saw it, I knew this was the one I wanted.”

  “And the way, the end of the dragon’s trail is in a swirl at the nape of your neck is perfection.”

  “Mom didn’t think so.”

  Rylan chuckled. “Most moms wouldn’t. Other girls couldn’t pull off the tat like you do. ”

  “It doesn’t overwhelm you,” I agreed.

  A deep flush stained her face. “Thank you, guys. You compliment me as much as Jared does. Now, I’ll refill your drinks. What can I do you for, Rylan?”

  Rylan heaved in a sigh. “A Long Island ice tea.”

  “And, uh, can I get a regular piña colada?”

  Mille tittered at Brianna and started on our drinks at the middle of the bar.

  Joel and some girls strolled towards us. I recognized Maude and Amberlynn from earlier in the week. Amberlynn was in a silverfish latex dress that she clearly couldn’t breathe in, and Maude’s legs looked like they never ended in her stilettos and short, sparkling gold dress. Maude kissed Brianna and I on the sides of our faces and Amberlynn ignored us.

  “Why’d she fuck up herself with that tattoo?” one girl with badly done eyelashes said, and the rest of the group looked at Millie. “She used to be pretty.”

  Joel’s smile faded. “No one asked you for your opinion. Everyone in my family kills it.” He popped up his collar. “People would be staying the same shit about you underneath that cake of makeup on your face.” He brought his hand around Maude’s waist and walked towards the middle of the bar, where Millie was making drinks and talking with other patrons.

  Amberlynn pivoted. “Eleni! Milagros is his cousin,” she barked. “You’re lucky he didn’t tell you to leave.”

  “Yup,” Rylan concurred.

  “How was I supposed to know? You can’t tell me she doesn’t look like a—”

  Rylan stood up as he cut Eleni off and took twenty dollars out of his pocket. “The guards up front will get you a cab.

  The girl blinked repeatedly. “B-but—”

  “Nothing,” Amberlynn interrupted, and the other bartender put our drinks on the counter. “I’ll wait for a cab with you.” Eleni followed Amberlynn up front.

  A minute later, Joel and Maude stood by Brianna with tall glasses of beer in their hands.

  “How you girls doing tonight?” He batted his eyelashes at Brianna, who shook her hand, and Maude giggled.

  “We’re doing good,” Brianna answered. “Emilio is holding the empty booth for you all.”

  Joel turned his head and gestured “five minutes” to Emilio from across the room. “No rest from the flight, huh?”

  “Nope. Pierce picked me up. I dropped my stuff off at home, and showered. He’s staying with me for the rest of the summer. By now, his essential possessions should be at my house.”

  My mouth opened a little and I closed it. “Maude, can you take your friends to the table and introduce them to Emilio for me?” Joel asked her.

  Nodding, she gave him a light kiss on the check and gestured for her friends to go with her.

  “Dang, Mr. Pruitt and him got into it?” Joel asked.

  “Pierce told me that Chase got kicked out and fired because of Cassidy. He told his dad that he was in the wrong.”

  Joel narrowed his eyes at me. “Yeah, Mr. Pruitt’s got it all wrong.”

  My heart pounded in my chest. “Uncle Anton fired Chase because he found out that he was sleeping with Cassidy?” I asked.

  “Chase says it didn’t happen,” Joel answered.

  Rylan lifted his shoulders. “But who knows if that’s really true?”

  Joel grimaced at Rylan. “We gave into Cassidy like most guys, but you haven’t seen how she trips when she doesn’t get what she wants,” he responded to Rylan, and then he shot me a pointed look.

  Rylan took his Long Island ice tea and went by Joel’s side. Amberlynn headed to their table and signaled them over. “Come with us,” Rylan said.

  “We’ll take a rain check. We’re gonna hit the arcade,” Brianna replied.

  ***

  “You almost got the second highest score! Way to go, girl!” Brianna cheered as I hit the flippers aggressively.

  I felt myself beam at the news. I didn’t look up at the scores from the display mounted on the wall above because it’d break my flow. I was feeling competitive tonight. I needed some kind of release from the events of today. My thoughts and feelings were all mixed up.

  “You’ve got ten tokens left. I know you wanna give it another go.”

  She handed me my five tokens and I slid them into the slot. All of the colors came on as I pressed the buttons on the side, but used the flippers to get the balls to strike every target possible. I wasn’t as fast as I�
�d been the first six times. My last ball hit the drain. I threw my hands up in defeat, but felt really good. I’d played one game after another. Mariska and Jake would’ve been surprised that I’d hit most of my targets in my first two games in under forty seconds. Brianna had timed each of my games.

  “Any other game you wanna play?” Brianna asked me.

  “How about we take a breather by the speed-racer motorcycles and see in a few,” I answered.

  “I know I acted weird when we first met at the thrift shop,” Brianna said. “And it wasn’t because we were there, because many folks go there. I was surprised that you acknowledged me. But when we spent time together I learned that you’re not like Cassidy. You don’t have a stick up your ass.”

  Many people didn’t like Cassidy. I’d seen it from Brianna’s and Rylan’s body language earlier. Joel had been very direct with me, but I’d come to expect that from him since our chat on the beach about Chase and I. I’d spoken with Cassidy, but I hadn’t talked to Chase. Even when Cassidy and I had gone to the Paloma bar and restaurant, I’d talked less and had listened to her more. I’d had no intentions of talking to her about Cindy and how I ended up here. And fortunately she hadn’t brought it up, but I had a feeling that she had been eager to address it. I trusted Pierce and I really didn’t trust her, but I didn’t know why. What if Chase had been telling me the truth? And if so, why had she made up a lie that’d resulted in Chase being kicked out and losing his job? Had he lost his friendship with Pierce as well?

  “You’ve been dying to tell me that you don’t like her since we were at the thrift shop, huh?”

  The corners of her lips tugged up. “Pretty much. I am gonna get another piña colada. Sprite, right?”

  I nodded. “You’ve had four piña coladas already. How hasn’t Millie noticed?”

  “Millie stepped out for a smoke break. And the boys haven’t been watching me.”

  Brianna jumped off of the motorcycle and I went back to the pinball machine, running my hands against the metal flippers when Chase opened the curtain wider for Brianna and they exchanged pleasantries. He was gorgeous in his navy blue t-shirt, light hoodie, and premium blue jeans that hung off his narrow hips and made his torso look wonderfully longer. The muscle on his hip that I knew lead to a V shape in his navel area was clear as day through the fit of his shirt. I knew how solid his chest and legs were. Last night, only harsh words and an interruption from outside could have broken the scant space between us that had crackled with ceaseless energy.

  ***

  Chase

  “Beth.” I closed the curtain. Bri had mouthed that she’d try to ensure that no one came into the arcade section. People were more focused on having good drinks and securing a bedmate for the night than playing some old games. I had the same urges as everyone else coursing through my veins, but I reeled them in. Meaningless sex had been a habit for me, after all. However, only Beth would do now. The stern way she was studying me conveyed that there’d be no funny business between us for now. Or, God forbid, for a longer period of time.

  “Hey, Chase,” she said, trying to be casual. “What brings you by? I thought you weren’t gonna come here.”

  I missed that husky quality her voice had when we no one else was around us. I bet she didn’t notice, or she’d try to change it.

  “So, you wouldn’t have come if you knew I’d be here?”

  “I would’ve come regardless. I’ve heard a girl can freely let her hair down here.”

  I gesticulated toward her beautiful hair. “By all means, don’t stop on account of me.”

  “You answered my question with a question,” she told me dryly.

  “I came to you like you said I could when I needed to talk.”

  The vacant look in her eyes was replaced with warmth she was fighting to hide, much in sync with the sound of her voice. My cock twinged as I perused the swell of her tits from the scoop neck of her black sleeveless top. Her hair was in a loose ponytail with strands of loose curls lying on her shoulders, but it didn’t cover the birthmark on her right shoulder that I’d zeroed in on when I’d first seen her in a tank top.

  I walked over to her, remaining five feet away. Midnight blue eyes seduced me with every intake of her breath. She leaned back against the machine as if there was nowhere else she could go. Her nipples strained against her shirt. Goose bumps formed on her arms and I felt the air conditioner kick in.

  I took off my hoodie and opened it up. “It’s chilly in here and I am warm.” I could’ve just given it to her, but I wasn’t an honorable guy. I wanted her to have something that would remind her of me, and I wanted her in my personal space when she put it on. I wanted guys to see her wearing my hoodie. I was working toward being the only friend of hers who had the benefit of having her in my arms like I had the night before. It was unfair to think I could have any claim over her, but I was greedy.

  Swallowing, she walked towards me. Some pain and contentment warred within her as she put her arms in the sleeves of my hoodie. She wanted to believe me, but it was hard to fight what masqueraded as fact. I was about to zip it up for her when she brushed my hands off and did it herself. It was an impulse on my part that had only been brought to my awareness when she stopped me.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “I. Never. Ever. Wanted. Cassidy.” I punctuated each word. “She’s been hassling me and I should’ve done more than I did to stop her.”

  Shivering, Beth crossed her arms. “Cassidy doesn’t have to hassle guys.”

  “It’s easy to assume that I am one of those guys who have a stupid fascination with her—”

  Beth cocked a brow and interrupted. “You’ve never done anything with her? Hmm?”

  “Never.”

  “Then how come you didn’t do something proactive? Go to Pierce? Go to Mr. Pruitt? Heck, go to Aunt Deborah, since she’s been the only person who I’ve seen put Cassidy in line.”

  For some reason, I flinched and took a step back. Beth began toying with the zipper of my hoodie, but her gaze bore into me, daring me to hedge.

  “I ignored Cassidy because I thought she’d back off. She came on strong a lot, and there were days when she didn’t bother me. I knew Mr. Pruitt wouldn’t believe me. And I don’t know about Pierce. Still don’t, actually. I shouldn’t have been afraid that Mr. Pruitt would think of me as nothing, because today he made that clear. I wasn’t only a charity case to him, I was just a means for him to mold Pierce into whoever he wants his son to be. I wanted to hang on to what I had with your uncle and Pierce. I wanna see what can come of us. Don’t tell me some part of you hasn’t felt like you could have something with me.”

  Beth fluttered her eyes closed, and when I thought she was going to let silence build between us, she said, “I won’t, because it’s true. And I’ve never wanted a guy to know everything about me. I mean, who really wants that? Apparently, me.” Slowly, she opened her eyes. She was asking me not to mess with her head, and her lip curled in a tired smile, and she continued. “I refuse to fall for the dream, to fall for who I dreamt you to be. I may have been dreaming last night. Or you may be keeping it real with me—”

  “Hey, guys.” Millie shyly smiled. Her head popped up between the curtains. “Sorry to interrupt.”

  “It’s okay,” I said, looking at the clock. “I should go check on Brianna. She should’ve been back with our drinks, but I guess she got sidetracked.”

  Millie let out a nervous laugh. “Gavin is waiting for you up front, and he can’t leave his post because the other bouncers are inside,” she told Chase. “And I’ll take you to Bri.”

  ***

  Bethany

  The smell of cigarette smoke, alcohol, perfume, and sweat assailed my senses when I followed Millie to where Brianna was. Older men with beer-stained shirts tucked in and their distended stomachs hanging over their jeans had women on their laps. Emilio gave me a grateful look from behind the counter.

  “Try to speak real low,” Millie said, and sh
e took me to a table that had a “reserved” sign on it. Brianna’s eyeliner was speared and from the puffiness underneath her eyes, she’d been crying.

  “I will,” I whispered to Millie.

  Millie started for the counter.

  “Hey, Brianna,” I said softly. “Let’s get outta here.” I reached for her arms and she linked hers with mine.

  “But we just got here,” she muffled loudly through one hand covering her mouth.

  “We’ll come back another night. It’s getting late.”

  I felt her unsteady movements as I held her up. Chase came between us and hoisted her up. She looked like a baby with his wide frame and large arms supporting her. “Did you win her back?” she slurred, her green eyes losing focus.

  Ignoring her, Chase gave her a smile when we passed the door. “Take care of my sister,” Gavin said.

  I briefly touched his arm. “We’ve got her. It’s getting more…active in there. I doubt Brianna would want to keep you from work. I promise that we’ll take care of her.”

  He titled his head at me but he had a hard time not watching us as we headed towards the parking lot.

  ***

  “My phone’s on now,” Chase said as he transferred Brianna to me and I opened the bathroom door of Brianna and Gavin’s home. “I’ll make some broth for her. You need anything?”

  “Uhhh,” Brianna groaned, and brought her hand to her ear. “Keep it down!”

  “I’ll text you,” I murmured and he took a steady breath, closing the door behind us.

  Taking my scrunchie off, I gathered Brianna’s hair in my hand and hiked it up at the crown and put it into a bun.

  “I…think I am gonna…”

  I put the toilet seat up and she fell to the floor, hurling into the toilet violently. Then I went to the cabinet, took a disposable mouthwash cup, and filled it with cold water. On my knees at the sound of her empty stomach, I ran my hand up and down her back.

  “Drink it,” I ordered when she pulled up. Veins bulged in her forehead. Her eyes brimmed with tears and her nose ran a little. She complied and I got some toilet paper for her and patted it on her face.