Drawn To You (Paloma's Edge)

by Shaw, Robin

  ***

  Mariska had asked me to come into her parents’ house when I parked in front. I’d told her to tell them that I said hello. They didn’t like that I was one of their daughter’s best friends. I didn’t think they’d change their tune in the near future, so I hadn’t expected Mrs. Landry to welcome me inside. A morir soñado and buttered jelly toast were on the table.

  “How are you doing?” Mrs. Landry asked with the same lilt to her voice that Mariska had. If Mariska took after her mom twenty years from now, few people would believe that she was in her forties.

  “I am doing well. How are you?”

  “If Mariska went to college at Jefferson I’d be happy as a clam, but life seldom affords you what you want.”

  “If I were locked up in my room all day and night, then you’d be happy,” Mariska said “And that ain’t happenin’!” She walked into the open space of the kitchen and kissed me on the cheek. “Tell me if I made the morir soñado okay.”

  “If you were locked up in your room all day and night, you wouldn’t meet your future husband. How could I be happy about that?” she asked rhetorically and tilted her head at me. “You look well, Beth. You take care.”

  I smiled at her. “Likewise.”

  Mariska curled her mouth ruefully as her mom exited the kitchen. I gulped down the morir soñado and sent her an approving nod. “Sorry I left you alone with her for long. I had to tinkle.”

  I waved my hand at her as I bit into my toast. Mrs. Landry hadn’t seemed like she couldn’t wait to get me out of her household like she had in the past. I guess she wasn’t worried about my having a wandering eye, because Mr. Landry wasn’t here. She thought that Cindy and I were one and the same. I surveyed the kitchen and viewed Pete’s drawings on the refrigerator, but I didn’t hear any sounds.

  “Where’s Pete?”

  “At a play date.”

  “At someone else’s house?”

  Mariska laughed. “Dad’s at the house with Pete’s friend’s parents as we speak.”

  I lifted my head. “Uhhh.”

  ***

  Mariska looked out of the passenger window while I drove her to the car into Anderson’s dealership, the only car dealership in Franklin Parks. I’d bought Betsy online and only passed by here a handful of times. Jake had taken Mariska in order to help her select a car when she’d saved up enough money for it. Brianna had already informed Mariska that Pierce had gifted me with my Ford Focus Sedan when I’d told her about it. And Mariska had been so happy for me. She’d taken in the smooth leather interior and the car smell like I had. Jake was spending the day with his dad and his brothers. I hadn’t seen Jake or Mariska in two weeks. Jake valued being with his dad and brothers whenever he could, and I admired that he’d never denied it.

  “How’s Chase?” Mariska asked. “He’s the only one I don’t text.”

  “He’s good. He had to change his number because someone kept calling him but not saying anything.”

  She exhaled a harsh breath. “Childish antics. And has it stopped since?”

  “Yes, but we’ll find out soon enough if it’s gonna happen again, because weeks before the last prank calls, it’d started.”

  “Is it an ex?”

  “He’s never had a girlfriend.”

  “Doesn’t mean one of the girls he’s hooked up with doesn’t have his number.”

  I shrugged. “Possibly, but he told me that the number he had before was new. And he doesn’t talk to anyone in Vermont.”

  Mariska was quiet for minutes, and when I drove into the dealership, I turned off my car and peered at her. “Say it.”

  “Jake doesn’t like him.”

  “Tell me something that I don’t know.”

  “I don’t like that Chase closes himself off from you.” After a beat, she continued. “You guys are…closer now, and I know I made that stupid-ass panty-dropping comment, but maybe Chase isn’t telling you what you need to know because he recognizes that you wouldn’t be with him otherwise.”

  Mariska had made some points, and as much as I didn’t want to be like Cindy, I’d made few demands with Chase to tell me about his family or his life back in Vermont besides the fact that he was estranged with his family. I couldn’t fathom not wanting to be with him. I didn’t want to consider not being with him.

  She opened the door to my car as a balding man in a button-down shirt and a crooked purple tie smiled at us.

  “Hey, Mariska. I see you got a friend with you today. Where’s Jake?”

  “Out with the guys,” she answered with a smile. “This is Beth.”

  He offered me his hand and glanced at my car. “I am Jeff, co-owner of Anderson’s Dealership.” He returned his focus to Mariska. “Can’t believe Jake wouldn’t wanna see you in your new car today. He done low-balled my salesman.”

  Putting on one of her charming smiles that had gotten us out of trouble when we were little, she said, “Jake negotiated a fair price.”

  Aside from the mileage, there was no indication that Mariska’s silver Hyundai Accent was a used car. The interior was in mint condition. When she drove us back to the lot for one last test drive, a tall man with longish dark brown hair drew my attention. I didn’t know why. He was in a loose-fitting gray shirt, worn light-wash jeans, and black boots. His muscular upper body, lean waist, and bulky legs were so familiar to me.

  Mariska snapped her fingers close to my face. “I was talking to you.”

  “Sorry.”

  I got out of the passenger seat and closed the door when Mariska called my name. A deep line marred her forehead. The guy was talking to another employee at the dealership. When the guy with the longish hair spun around, my heart skipped a beat.

  “Ohmigod. He looks almost exactly like Chase,” she managed to say in a gasp. “Beth! He’s coming over to us.” Her voice sounded frantic and I could see why; he was unsmiling, and nothing about him was approachable like with Chase.

  I didn’t do anything but stand there. I’d heard that everyone had a doppelganger. Jake was a freaking doppelganger, but this had to be a relative of Chase’s. There was no mistake. They had the same body, the same stride. However, his cold demeanor would send warning alarms to the most sensible women and a thrill to others. The only major difference this guy had was a different nose and longish hair. Okay, so they weren’t identical. But they were pretty damn close.

  “Hey,” he addressed me when he advanced. Was he taller than Chase? Broader, even? How was that possible? If he had a scar on the right right side of his face, it’d be easy not to notice that their noses were different. “Do I know you from somewhere?” I wasn’t aware that Mariska was by my side until his hazel eyes zoomed on her.

  “N-no,” I stammered. “I confused you for someone.”

  “Know anyone named Chase?” Mariska asked, and I really wanted to shake her. She knew that I wasn’t going to ask this dude outright about Chase. He could have been dangerous, and despite the tightness in my throat, I didn’t want him to know anything about Chase. There was a reason Chase wasn’t talking to his brother, or cousin, or whomever he was.

  His face flattened. “How do you know my brother?” He took a step forward when the employee he’d been talking to with the name Mike on his nametag placed his head on the guy’s shoulder.

  “Hunter, you scaring off the ladies? We need the business.”

  Hunter’s wide and heavy shoulders dropped and he shook his hand. Mike’s expression questioned if we needed him to intervene more or not, but I wasn’t scared of Hunter. All of sudden, I felt numb. Not hurt. Not foolish. I didn’t know how I should have felt.

  “We’re catching up,” I lied, and Mike examined us for a split second and departed, chuckling like he’d hear the story from Hunter later on.

  “I don’t think we should be talking to him,” Mariska tried to say evenly.

  “Then you shouldn’t have mentioned Chase,” I muttered underneath my breath.

  Something ignited in his eyes. “I
s Chase okay?” His voice broke and Mariska cast me an anxious glance.

  “Yes. Sorry for staring at you. You remind me so much of him.”

  A smile touched his lips. “Even from behind.”

  “Jeff is signaling me over,” Mariska said to me. “Hunter, we have to go.” He took my arm and with an urgent look on his face, pleaded with me not to go with her.

  “I’ll be right in,” I told her.

  “Bethany,” Mariska said with a sigh, and walked over to us again. She got in his face, but I could sense the fear in her rigid posture. “Hunter. If that’s even your real name. I’ll be watching you. There’re cameras here. And I’ve got the police on speed dial.”

  Hunter looked at her impassively.

  “Go. Sign the papers.”

  Mariska obeyed and I flicked my gaze back to Hunter.

  “Do you really know Chase or are you…um…someone he just kicked it with?” He raked a handful of his hair back and I saw some of the wrinkles on his forehead. His voice was exactly like Chase’s. It was unnerving.

  “I am his girlfriend. And are you his brother?”

  “Girlfriend?” he asked with a pucker between his eyebrows. I crossed my arms. “We’re twins. I am older by thirty-five minutes. We’re actually fraternal.” He brought his hand behind his back and I took a step to the side and in the direction of the office, creating more distance between us. He handed me a card. Written on the card was, Lasting Impressions Tattoo Studio, Hunter Lovell, Artist and three phone numbers. “I gotta go. My personal email and cell are on the back of my business card so you can reach me. I want us to meet up before you tell Chase that you’ve seen me.”

  ***

  Chase

  Beth and I had had a short conversation on the phone last night. She’d stayed in her hometown for the whole day and most of the night. I hoped that she’d enjoyed her visit with Mariska. But she’d been aloof when we’d talked. I’d gotten my questions answered, but it had been like pulling teeth. Since I had some free time in my schedule, I drove to the Paloma Hotel. Unlike weeks ago, I wasn’t apprehensive about going inside.

  Mrs. Clark opened the door to HR, smirking at me. “She’s still at her cubicle and hasn’t gone to lunch yet,” she told me in a conspiratorial tone.

  I thanked her and went to Beth’s cubicle. Fresh-faced, with her hair tied by a red ribbon, she was as breathtaking as always.

  With a surprised expression, she jerked her gaze to me, and she didn’t seem happy to see me at all. My gut was right; I’d upset her somehow and I needed to fix it. I didn’t want to entertain the thought of what my life would be like if she didn’t want anything to do with me.

  “Hey, Chase,” she said, and stood up.

  “Hey. Come with me to the break room for a sec?”

  Some of the females whispered as we left. The few males in the department used to joke that they had to do more work because I’d distracted the women.

  There were a few employees in the break room but none were at the small table in the back that I’d seen Beth sitting at before. I craved her so damn badly.

  “Babe,” I whispered, and held her hands, but she didn’t grasp onto mine as we sat beside each other on the table. “Talk to me.”

  “I can’t talk to you here.” Her gaze traveled around the room and I nodded.

  “I’ll take you out to lunch. You always eat here—”

  “Nancy made my lunch. I don’t wanna go out now. I’m gonna eat and get back to work if you don’t mind.”

  I kissed Beth, but her lips went slack, so I took the hint.

  I hauled myself to my feet and cupped her chin. “I love you. You know where to find me.”

  Her beautiful blue eyes widened and I left her to eat her lunch in peace.

  ***

  The following day, I picked up Nancy from the Pruitts’ house for a late lunch. The house had been empty; she’d insisted that I was allowed in their home, but it’d been weird for me after all that had happened. We’d scheduled lunches four times already but when Mr. Penverick had referred me to associates of his and they’d contracted me for a very involved project, I’d jumped right in. Nancy had been understanding and had told me never to pass up an opportunity to do some work, but I could’ve squeezed her in my schedule sooner.

  The waiter served our main courses and I could tell that Nancy was looking at me before I gazed at her. “Is your meal okay?”

  “Are you okay?” she asked me.

  I nodded and chewed another piece of my French toast. She began to eat her vegetable salad, but she kept studying me. “It’s Beth. She seems ticked off with me and she won’t say what it is. And I tried to talk to her last night.” I sighed heavily, and I understood that Beth may not have feelings for me like she had days ago, or weeks ago.

  Nancy reached over and placed her hand over mine. “You’re afraid of losing her, aren’t you?”

  I let out a dry laugh. “I told her I loved her.” I shook my head. “The look of horror on her face was priceless. You can’t fake that.”

  She settled her hand on the edge of the table again. “Did you tell her what you thought she wanted to hear?”

  “In the moment I thought I should tell her, but it isn’t any less true.”

  With a glint in her olive green eyes, she sipped some of her drink. “And you’d do it all over again if you had a chance to do it over?”

  I gestured with my hands and slightly lowered my head .

  “Did you think she’d say it back?”

  “I hoped that she would. I had my doubts that she’d say it, but I wanted to tell her.”

  Her face reflected deep understanding. “If something needs to be repaired in your relationship, the work has to come from you and her. It’s not just about hard work. It’s about working smarter together, so that your entire relationship doesn’t become this gargantuan effort.” She gave me a half-grin. “It’s how my husband of twenty-two years and I made it last before he passed away.”

  ***

  Pierce raised his chin to me when he saw me sitting at the counter. Nico had put out our scotches on the rocks seconds ago and Pierce looked like he really needed to take a load off. He took his blazer and balled it up. Seamus had recently cut his hair but it didn’t look like he had combed it. We just swigged our drinks and he exhaled harshly. My lunch with Nancy earlier had given me insight into her younger self. She’d fallen in love when she was young too, and her husband’s name was Demetruis. She and he hadn’t had children of their own, but they’d helped raise his nieces. When she’d said that I was someone she would’ve been proud to introduce to her husband if he were alive, I felt honored. Nancy was the only older adult who I wasn’t self-conscious around. She didn’t let me hide from myself. I didn’t want to hide from her, but there were still things I wouldn’t talk about with her because, as crazy it sounded, it would mean that I’d have to have a conversation with myself that would most likely result in Beth never speaking to me again. It was enough that I didn’t feel like she wanted me like she used to.

  “Hey Nico,” Pierce said, and he held a finger in the air. He signaled him to send two more scotches on the rocks, and I hadn’t drunk half of mine yet.

  It occurred to me that we were sitting on the same stools Beth and Cassidy had been on when she’d came out for her first night in Paloma’s Edge. Man, I missed having her lush body on me. I’d had to do two hundred one-handed push-ups to tire myself enough to doze off last night.

  “What’s up?” I asked him as put his glass back on the counter.

  “Cassidy did the waterworks act at family therapy today and Dad fell for it until the therapist redirected the focus to the rest of us. She’d made Cassidy’s manipulative patterns noticeable without calling her out on it.”

  I motioned with my head. “So Cassidy couldn’t complain about everyone attacking her.”

  He swigged another glass of scotch that Nico had quietly served him. He shook his head. “I’ll go for four more sessions ’c
ause I promised Mom, but if Dad doesn’t get his head out of the fucking clouds and Cassidy doesn’t finally admit you and her never were, I am not gonna talk to Dad unless it’s about work.” He paused and twisted his lower face. “I wanna wash my hands of Cassidy, because she is one hot mess who attracts trouble. I can’t protect her. I’d only get mixed up in her in shit.”

  “Hmm…” It sounded like he was running away from his problems, but who was I to tell him that? A fucking hypocrite is what I would’ve been. So I sipped some of my drink and let the taste wash over my tongue. Pierce had good reasons for wanting space from his dad and Cassidy.

  Chase cut his gaze from the wall to me. “And why are you in the doghouse? It looked like you and Beth would be in that honeymoon phase forever and a day.”

  “I’d thought we’d be in that phase a while longer.” I heaved in a breath. “Where are Joel and Rylan, anyway?”

  A wicked grin touched his lips. “They’re at a party for the upcoming seniors.” He shot me a meaningful look. “Beth wasn’t been herself today and since Jake and Mariska assured me that they were all tight as ever, that leaves you.” Pierce put three hundred dollars on the counter. He eyed Nico until he collected the money. Pierce slapped my shoulder and followed a tall, voluptuous blonde out of the bar. At least my boy had someone to keep him warm for the night despite her being a Mona lookalike.

  Chapter 15

  Bethany

  I had the hardest time keeping my hands from trembling in the small coffee shop that Hunter had asked me to meet him at in Little Havana. Jake and Mariska were at a table three feet away from me. We’d arrived early. I hadn’t heard the end of it when Mariska and I had told Jake about Hunter almost a week ago. Jake had told me to break it off with Chase, but I ignored his request.