The Edge of You

by Theresa Dalayne

  Maya did that for him. She somehow made him a better person, giving him a glimpse into what it would be like to have hope for the future.

  The warmth of her tongue brought him back from his thoughts. Her smooth legs brushed against his body, making him need her that much more. She smiled softly against his mouth as he slipped on the condom and rested between her legs. Maya’s hot breaths made his head spin. She curled around him and moved her hips, gasping at the sensation of him inside of her.

  Jake’s muscles trembled. Her warmth consumed him. He moved inside of her, making Maya lick her lips and moan. Her eyes fluttered shut as she whispered his name. “Jake.” She curled her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer. He followed her lead, and buried his fingers in her hair, gently curling his hand around the strands.

  With his other hand, he clenched the blanket, trying to get a grip on who he was before this. Before Maya.

  ***

  Jake woke the next morning to the sound of his buzzing alarm. He fumbled his fingers over the buttons until it quieted.

  Maya rolled onto her side and draped her arm across his chest. He hadn’t slept that well in years. Granted, he’d only gotten in a few hours, but it was an awesome few hours.

  Jake carefully slid out of bed and put on his shorts and a T-shirt. He leaned over Maya and pressed a kiss onto the back of her shoulder before quietly slipping out the door, into the kitchen.

  He paused when he noticed Beth standing on the linoleum floor, a cup of coffee cradled in her hands. “I’m surprised you’re awake.” She sipped the hot brew and blinked at him with puffy eyes. “I wish I weren’t. Especially after being kept up all night.”

  Jake rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh…yeah.” He didn’t think they’d been loud, but maybe he was wrong. He poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter. “Were you comfortable?”

  “Until I was woken up by all the damn noise coming from your room. What the hell did you do to her in there? It sounded like you two were shooting amateur porn.”

  Jake nearly spit out his mouthful of coffee. He coughed, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

  She shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong. Maya seriously needed to get laid. But next time maybe you can warn me so I can buy some earplugs.”

  He couldn’t suppress his grin. He must have done something right.

  “So. Jake.”

  He froze with the mug pressed against his lips. When a woman said his name like that, it was never good. He lowered his cup to the counter. “Yeah?”

  She slid a knife out of the block on the counter and clenched it in her hand. “I’m about to do the whole ‘best friend thing,’ but with a twist.” She grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl and clenched it in her hand.

  Jake stared at it, and then swallowed. That didn’t sound good.

  “In case you didn’t know—which I don’t expect you to—Maya isn’t the type to go sleeping around.” She picked a banana out of the fruit bowl and pointed to herself with it. “That’s my job, and I’m fine with admitting that. I like to have fun. But Maya’s different. So.” With one swift jerk, she cut the banana in half. “If you so much as rub her the wrong way, I will personally fly up here and kick you in the fucking throat. Capeesh?” Jake’s eyes widened as he nodded. Beth flashed a smile. “Good.” She extended half of her banana. “Want some?”

  He glanced down at it and shook his head. “No.” He cleared his throat. “No, thanks.” He lifted his cup of coffee. “This is good for me.” She shrugged and tossed the knife in the sink, the banana on the counter, and bit off a chunk in silence. A question was poking at him. “What’s the twist?” he asked.

  “Hm?” She raised her eyebrows while chewing.

  “You said you were going to do ‘the best friend thing, with a twist.’ What’s the twist?”

  Beth took another bite of banana. “The twist is,” she said with a mouthful, “I’ll actually do it.” Beth turned and walked toward the hall, winking at him as she passed. “I’m going to shower.”

  Okay. Maya’s best friend was a psycho.

  He sipped his coffee.

  Good to know.

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Maya

  In Jake’s living room, Maya tilted her head, examining the progress she had made on her painting.

  Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she struggled to figure out what was missing. It was almost there, but something was…off. Something she couldn’t put her finger on.

  She took several slow, backward steps, analyzing it from across the room. Then it jumped out at her. She moved back to her canvas and loaded her brush with more paint. The highlights weren’t right. It needed more seafoam green and yellow.

  With a few more brush strokes, she placed the finishing touches, and then smiled. That did it.

  Her project was done with—Maya glanced at the clock on the microwave—nine hours to spare. Now she just had to let it dry for a few hours, and then deliver it to her art professor, Mr. Stuart. He’d bring it to the art show, where her work would be scrutinized and judged by every person in the room.

  She swallowed against a dry throat.

  What if her painting stood out for all the wrong reasons? Worse, what if people laughed at it? She’d seen it happen before at more prestigious art shows than this. Connoisseurs would whisper about the artist’s lack of technique, or the over use of it. Not enough color, not enough depth. The artist needed to pay more attention to detail, or it was obvious the artist toiled over the project, adding too much detail in an attempt to perfect the piece, only to ruin it in the process. Someone always found something wrong with at least one of the pieces. She just hoped it wouldn’t be hers.

  Beth moved behind her and examined the painting. “Wow. That’s…”

  Maya waited for her best friend to respond, which she did—with silence. For Beth, that spoke volumes.

  Maya glanced at her over her shoulder. “Do you like it?”

  Beth nodded, and pressed her fingers over her lips.

  Maya’s brows furrowed as her friend’s eyes fill with tears. Beth gently nodded, and a tear spilled onto her cheek. “It’s your best yet.” She sniffled and scrubbed the tear from her face. “Really.” She looked at Maya. “Gracie would be so proud.”

  Maya’s throat ached. “Thanks.” Her bottom lip quivered as she forced a smile.

  In the light beaming through the charm, she had finally been able to see what the canvas was meant to be—Gracie’s angelic face, painted in a whimsical style with ghostly lines. Her vivid green eyes welled like endless pools, and strands of weightless hair floated around her as if she were submerged under water.

  It was only appropriate.

  “So.” Beth composed herself and walked into the kitchen. “When are you picking up Prince Charming from work?”

  “He texted me earlier today and said he’d be done at seven. I’m just glad he didn’t mind me taking his car for the day.” Maya joined her in the kitchen and rinsed the paint out of the bristles of her brush. Green and yellow swirled down the drain.

  “Have you tried to call your parents at all?” Beth asked.

  Maya paused, and then shook her head. “No. And I’ve decided that I don’t want to talk to either of them. Not for a while at least.”

  “Maya.” The way Beth said her name made Maya sigh. “No one’s family is perfect,” Beth continued. “Yours just happens to be a little more screwed up than average. You have to make the best of it.”

  “I did, when I moved from California to this damn island. That was me giving up my life to be with them, and it wasn’t good enough.” Maya turned off the water and set her paintbrush on the counter to dry. “Nothing’s ever going to be good enough, so what’s the point of trying?” Maya glanced down at her paint-stained pajamas. “I need to go change and drop my painting off at the college. My art professor will be there until three.”

  Maya headed to the bedroom to change, but paused when she reached th
e doorway. “Oh.” She turned back toward Beth. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t threaten Jake’s life anymore, thank you.”

  Beth shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Maya pursed her lips, knowing damn well Beth was aware of exactly what she was talking about. “But you know if I did,” Beth said, “it’s only because I love the hell out of you and don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  Maya’s softened her tight lips and pointed a finger at Beth. “No more. Deal?”

  Beth smiled. “Sure. If I knew what you were talking about.”

  “Good.” Maya walked into Jake’s room, gathering up the jeans she’d left there the night before. After scooping her pants off the floor, she paused, considering Beth’s advice.

  Damn Beth for making her feel guilty all over again.

  She slipped her phone out of her back pocket and scrolled down her contact list to her dad, then pressed call.

  It rang just once before it went to voicemail.

  She pulled the phone away from her ear. Did he ignore her call?

  She jabbed her finger on the end button.

  It was stupid to think he’d take the time to talk to her. He was probably at work—as usual—and wouldn’t be home for the next few days. Typical. But at least she didn’t have to feel bad for not trying. She did her part. Now he had to do his.

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Jake

  Jake followed Maya and her friend into his apartment. His muscles ached from climbing up and down tall, metal ladders with the cold biting at his fingers. Hauling materials and laying down heavy tar—not to mention the fact he stunk to high heaven—stripped him of every ounce of energy he had left. But it was work, and he was grateful for that.

  “Did you finish your painting today?” he asked as he stripped off his hoodie and tossed it on the couch.

  “Yup.” Maya placed his keys on the table. “And I turned it in to Mr. Stuart before I picked you up, so we’re all set for the art show.” She turned toward him, wringing her fingers. “I hope it’s good enough.”

  Jake stepped toward her. Maya crinkled her nose, but didn’t pull away. He chuckled. “I’ll go shower.”

  She nodded. “Good idea.”

  He made a pit stop in his bedroom to grab some clothes. His phone rang. He groped in his pocket and pulled it out, flipping it open without reading the caller ID.

  “Hello?”

  “Jake.” Marco’s tone made him tense.

  “Yeah. I’m here.”

  “I, uh…I have some news.”

  Jake froze. “Okay.” He couldn’t bring himself to sit, so he just stood, his feet rooted to the floor.

  “Your mom had another seizure. This one was bad.”

  Jake turned and leaned his back against the wall. “How bad?” He gripped the phone harder. “What happened?’

  “I picked her up to get some food, like you asked. She said she had to piss, bro.” His began to talk faster. “I mean, what the fuck was I supposed to do? I couldn’t follow her into the fucking bathroom.”

  “Marco. What happened?”

  “I went to get some eggs and shit. When I came back to find her, there were people crowded around the bathroom. Fucking paramedics and shit. I almost pissed my pants, bro. She was in bad shape.”

  Jake pushed down the sick feeling rising in his gut. “Is she okay now?”

  “She’s in the hospital. The doctors told me she needs this surgery. Now. They have this new thing they can do. The doctor said it’s not invasive, and she can go home pretty fast.”

  “But…I don’t have the money yet. I just got—”

  “It doesn’t matter, bro. They said either she gets the surgery, or she’ll probably die. But there is some good news.”

  “Good news is good,” Jake said more to himself than Marco. The last time he talked to his mom, she sounded fine. She was laughing, asking him about school. Now she was dying. It didn’t seem possible.

  “I set up an appointment with the dean of the hospital. He looked over your mom’s medical history, and since her case just turned urgent, there’s this charity fund from this place called The Brain and Spine Foundation, and the dean said they would cover the copay.”

  Jake stood up straight. “No copay?”

  “No. But…” Fuck. There was always a ‘but.’ “You’ll have to be here to take care of her. The hospital won’t risk doing the surgery and sending her home alone.”

  Jake shook his head. “I…I just got a job. A dependable one. And that construction job over there’s not available anymore.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you, bro. I can’t do it. The extra money you send for helping your mom is good and all, but I gotta work as many hours at the restaurant as I can get. You have to come.”

  Jake clenched his jaw, his mind racing, grasping for a solution. But the only solution was the obvious one, and that meant leaving Kodiak for good. “When do they want to do the surgery?”

  “Tomorrow morning. They’re prepping her tonight.”

  “And how long will they keep her?”

  “They said seven to twelve days after the surgery is done. You gotta be here to pick her up and sign the release forms.”

  Maya cracked open the door and smiled at him. “Hey. I’m going to order some pizza. Cheese okay?”

  Jake managed to force a nod before she shut the door, leaving him alone again. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He whispered harshly, balling his fist. It took everything he had to stop himself from punching a hole in the wall.

  “I wish I could have called you with better news, bro.”

  Jake paced. “Okay. Call me when she gets out of surgery. I’ll start to get my shit together over here.”

  “Will do. I’m sorry I can’t do more.”

  “No.” He dropped his head. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”

  “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  Jake snapped his phone shut. He shifted his weight, attempting to contain his panic at the idea of losing his mom. He’d lose Maya for sure. Either way he was completely fucked.

  He swung open his door and walked into the living room to find Beth and Maya on the couch with a movie on pause. Maya patted the empty seat beside her. “We were waiting for you to start the movie. Pizza should be here soon.”

  Jake couldn’t manage to move from where he stood. After getting the new job, he was sure things were looking up—going right for once. He should have known better.

  Maya sat up straighter, as if she sensed something was wrong. “Everything okay?”

  What the fuck was he supposed to say? The truth would crush her. He shrugged and sat beside her. “I’m just tired.” Fuck. He was such an asshole.

  Maya rested her back against his chest. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her. “Well, you can relax with us. Some food and a movie will do you good after such a long day at work.” She played with his fingers and glanced up at him with that shy smile that always drove him crazy. “And then maybe some dessert.” She tilted her head and brushed her lips over his.

  It was hard not to pull away.

  She didn’t seem to notice his mood, or maybe had just chalked it up to being beat to hell. She pressed play on the remote and the movie started.

  Jake worked his jaw while watching the TV, not really paying attention. The smell of Maya’s shampoo teased his senses, bringing back vivid memories of the night they spent together.

  He turned his head to avoid the scent.

  He should have known better. Nothing would go his way. Not even when he found something he actually wanted to fight for.

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Maya

  Maya smoothed her hands over the flowing black fabric of her dress. She turned to the side and analyzed her reflection in the full-length mirror. Her hands quivered. The top mesh layer stretched over her chest and shoulders. Rays of sun beamed through Jake’s bedroom window, making the black jewels on her dress glitter.

  It might not hav
e been a two-piece business suit, but as far as little black dresses went, it was the best she had. She’d picked it up at an antique clothing store in California on a whim. When she plucked it off the rack, it reminded her of the fifties, with it’s A-line skirt and the way the fabric flared out around her hips, teasing her skin.

  The bedroom door opened. Jake stepped inside and stopped short. His gaze scanned her body, from her newly honey-brown died hair to her black, strappy heels. He raised his brows. “Wow.”

  She frowned. “I look like a nun.”

  He shook his head. “You look like anything but a nun.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “You changed the color.”

  “Yeah. I figured I’d go with a more natural look. Do you think it’s too dark?”

  He shoved his hands in the pockets of his dress pants and lowered his gaze. “It’s perfect.”

  He’d been acting so strange since yesterday. Somehow…off. “Is everything all right?” She stepped toward him. When she leaned forward and kissed him, his lips weren’t as tender as the night before.

  When she pulled back, he nodded. “Yeah. Fine.”

  The coldness behind his gaze said otherwise. But it was obvious he wasn’t ready to talk about it, so she wouldn’t push. “So, you really think I look okay? Do I look like an artist?”

  He smiled, though it seemed a little sad. “You look beautiful.”

  Maya tilted her head. “Jake…you’re starting to worry me.”

  “Hey, Maya!” Beth shouted. “A little help?”

  Jake seemed relived to move off the topic. “That’s what I came in to tell you.” He pointed over his shoulder. “Your friend needs help buckling a strap…or something.”

  She searched his face for an indication he was going to talk to her—tell her what was eating at him—but found none. “Okay. We should be leaving in about ten minutes.” She slipped into the hall.