Life After Taylah

by Bella Jewel

  “What happened?” he asks, lifting himself onto the counter beside me.

  “Liam stopped by.”

  He sighs. “Shit.”

  “Something like that. He wanted money again, Kel.”

  “Did you give it to him?”

  “What do you think?” I whisper. “He didn’t storm out of here disowning me for no reason.”

  “You did the right thing,” he says carefully.

  I turn to him. “Did I? Because it doesn’t feel that way. I’m the only family he’s got and I turned him away. What if he gets hurt, Kel?”

  He shakes his head. “He’s not in that kind of trouble. He’s just after drug money.”

  “And now I haven’t given it to him. What will he turn to, to get it?”

  He takes my hand, tugging me closer. “Avery, are you going to be happy giving your brother money to support his drug habit just so he won’t go elsewhere and maybe get himself into trouble?”

  “No,” I murmur.

  “He’s got a problem, a problem only he can deal with. You’re not his mother, Avery: you’re his sister. You have to stop treating him like he’s your child.”

  I drop my head. “Is that what I’m doing?”

  “Hey,” he says. “Look at me?”

  I lift my head and look into his translucent eyes.

  “You’re doing the best you can. You’re trying to love him and support him, and get him on the right track. It’s a beautiful thing but it’s not your job. He’s a grown man, making his own choices. What he needs right now is a sister, not a mother. Show him you support him no matter what; show him he can turn to you. Keep refusing him money and let him make his own mistakes.”

  “I worry about him. Everyday I worry that he’ll get himself tangled in something bad.”

  “And it won’t be your fault,” he says, giving me a strong, determined stare. “Because he’s a grown man and he can make his own choices.”

  I feel tears in my eyes but I shove them away. “You’re right. I know you’re right.”

  “It’s what I’m here for.” He grins. “Now, you’re going to stop eating that ice cream, right? I’m almost sure Lyn won’t appreciate it if you waddle into the studio.”

  I laugh. “No, I’m sure she won’t.”

  “Aside from Liam, how have things been?”

  I feel my cheeks heat, because I know Kelly won’t be happy if he knows I’ve spent time with Nate. I don’t want to lie to him, but I’m not about to openly admit it.

  “Pretty good,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “I’ve been dancing and keeping to myself.”

  He rolls his eyes. “Boring.”

  “Hey,” I say, shoving his shoulder. “I don’t see you doing any better.”

  “Actually,” he says, crossing his arms. “I have had some . . . rather interesting things happening.”

  “Oh?”

  He grins. “Okay, so, each morning I’ve been waking up and doing my usual surf.”

  I roll my eyes. “Well of course.”

  “Let me finish,” he continues. “The past few mornings I’ve noticed my boards are messed up outside the house.”

  I narrow my eyes. “You live on the beach. There’s this thing called wind.”

  He shoves me playfully. “Ha ha. No, it’s more than that. They’re wet and sandy, like they’ve been used. I can’t quite figure it out, because if it were for the sake of stealing whoever it was wouldn’t put them back. It’s a damned mystery.”

  “Maybe you have an admirer that steals your boards in the night and rolls around on them, imagining they are you.”

  He stares at me with horror clouding his expression. “You’re seriously whacked.”

  I chuckle. “Hey, don’t judge. You’re a famous surfer who happens to be extremely attractive. There are fans out there—some of them crazy. There’s no telling what a lust-filled female will do . . .”

  He rolls his eyes and jumps off the counter. “Are you one of my fans, Avery?” he says, wiggling his brows.

  “Dream on,” I snort. “I think I like my dog more.”

  He gapes, hand shooting up to press against his heart. “You wound me. Even after that kiss?”

  I make a gagging sound.

  When I was about seventeen and Kelly was just over twenty, we went out to a party. I was in my rebellious stage, therefore, I drank a great deal. That particular night I drank so much I could hardly walk. Kelly took me home after a great deal of effort getting me into a cab. We got home, I decided he was hot and that I would like a taste, and so I went in for the kill.

  It was the worst kiss of my life.

  And Kelly is a great kisser.

  There was a lot of messy tongue action and a whole lot of inappropriate groping—plus there was far too much drool. I passed out before Kelly even had his hand up my top. I won’t lie; Kelly had an attraction to me, too, at the point, so therefore was all in for the messy fondling.

  “Hey,” I say, wagging a finger at him. “You went right in to second base with that horrible kiss.”

  He shrugs. “You’re hot, I liked you, I was also drunk and I figured why not? The kiss was off-putting, don’t get me wrong, but shit . . . I was a young dude. I wasn’t going to say no to all that.”

  He points to my breasts and I cover them. “Don’t pay out on the breasts, dude.” I laugh. I was blessed with a tall, lean figure but I also got whacked with breasts. Not huge, but certainly not small either.

  “We corrected the kiss,” he points out.

  I smile and blush. We did correct the kiss. We tried it again two nights later when we could face each once more. The kiss he gave me then, outside my front door, was breathtaking. There were tongues, and soft caresses, and a whole lot of sexual tension. Then Liam caught us, threw a fit and we decided at that point it was better we remained friends, and here we are. It was the better choice, of that I’m sure—but boy, was I disappointed for a long time.

  I mean, it’s Kelly—that should say it all.

  “It was a good correction,” I admit.

  He wraps an arm around me.

  “Hell yeah it was.”

  I smile.

  Kelly always makes me feel better.

  CHAPTER 7

  AVERY

  “He wants us all there. It’s his birthday,” I say to Jacob a week later, as I’m pushing towels into a bag.

  Kelly invited us to his beach cabin for a birthday gathering. I want to go; it’s been a while since I’ve been to the beach just to enjoy time with my friends. Jacob is fussing because he doesn’t want to attend. The beach isn’t his scene. Snort. The only scene he has is upper class fuddy-duddys with sticks shoved so far up their asses they’ve got splinters on their tongues.

  Besides, I go with him to all of his gatherings, so he can just damn well come to mine.

  “You don’t have to stay long,” I add in, putting a pair of sunglasses on top of my head.

  “An hour, max,” he mutters, turning to me.

  He’s wearing a long-sleeved shirt, trousers and a tie. Who wears a tie to the beach? Honestly? I don’t bother to argue. He doesn’t know the meaning of the word fun and to be honest, I’m tired of pushing him in a direction he’ll never take. I grab the car keys off the counter and throw them at him before turning and walking out the front door.

  “Attitude,” he mumbles.

  I smile to myself.

  We get into the car and the entire journey out to Kelly’s beach cabin is quiet. He’s brooding, no doubt praying his phone will ring to get him out of it. It doesn’t, much to his utter horror. We arrive and I can see a fire crackling down on the sand. I smile, stepping out of the car the moment it stops and inhaling the smoky, salty scent surrounding me. Even though it’s late afternoon, the fire just adds to the scene.

  “I’ll meet you down there!” I say, swinging my bag over my shoulders and giving myself a quick check in the mirror.

  I’m wearing a pair of denim cut-offs with a light-yellow bikini. My ha
ir is down and flowing around my shoulders in loose, natural curls. The salt will only make it better. I pull my sunglasses on, throw my flip-flops in the car and start towards the fire.

  I see Kelly right away, standing next to Liam and a few of their buddies. Kelly notices me first, and a big grin appears on his face. He’s shirtless and his completely ink-free body is glistening in the sun. He’s already been swimming. I beam and throw my arms around his neck when I reach him.

  “Happy Birthday!”

  He swings me in a circle. “Thanks Av.” He grins, setting me down. “Did you bring Jacob?”

  I pout.

  His grin widens.

  “I guess that’s a yes?”

  “Don’t even get me started.”

  He laughs. “Put your stuff down, have a swim, eat some food and drink.”

  “I plan to.”

  “Avie!”

  I turn at the sound of Macy’s voice, and I see her bounding up the beach towards me. Her long, blond hair flows out behind her. She’s wearing a tiny bikini that’s pink with big blue polka dots. I lift my eyes and see Nate behind her with who is, I imagine, his wife. He’s wet, shirtless and it’s very hard for me to keep my mouth closed.

  Nate has one of those bodies, the one that every woman can’t help but glimpse at because it’s breathtaking. His eyes meet mine, and in the sun the green looks like two stunning crystals. I turn my gaze away quickly, staring at his wife. She’s tall and slim, almost too slim. Her dark, raven hair is down around her shoulders. As they get closer I see she’s got pale skin and big, blue eyes. She seems drawn out—but I can tell even then that she’s a very attractive woman.

  Something thumps into my knees and I tear my eyes away and look down to see Macy grinning up at me.

  “Hello princess,” I say, ruffling her hair.

  “Are you coming swimming, Avie?”

  I nod, smiling. “Soon, I just have to unpack my bag and get a drink.”

  “It’s soooo fun!” she cries, rushing past me.

  I watch her go with a soft expression and then turn back to Nate and his wife. He’s still looking at me, his eyes intense. I find it hard to meet them, so scared I’ll look at something that isn’t mine. I wish he’d put a shirt on.

  “Avery,” he says in a silky, smooth tone when he stops in front of me. “Didn’t know you were coming.”

  I shrug, trying to avoid the daggers being shot into my head from his wife.

  “Kelly is my best friend. Of course I was going to come.”

  He tilts his head, studying me.

  “And who is this?” his wife asks in a sugar-sweet tone.

  “This is Avery, Liam’s sister,” Nate says, his voice seeming to harden just slightly. “Avery this is my wife, Lena.”

  I reach a hand out, and she takes it. She squeezes a little too hard, but I keep my warm smile.

  “Nice to meet you, Lena.”

  “He yours?” Nate says, nodding his head.

  I turn and see Jacob coming down from the car. My cheeks heat and I want to cover my face and die of shame. He’s wearing a straw hat. A straw hat. With his professional get-up. And he’s almost tiptoeing over the sand, hopping because he doesn’t want to get his trousers dirty. Oh. My. God.

  “Um,” I choke out. “Yes.”

  “Oh, he’s your husband, then?” Lena says, her tone lightening. Now I’m not considered a threat, I suppose. Not that I entirely blame her for being protective. If my husband looked like Nate, I’d be the same way.

  “Um, soon-to-be,” I murmur. “I suppose.”

  “Avery!” Jacob barks. “Don’t bother carrying anything, will you?”

  He’s got his hands full and I do feel a little guilty.

  “Excuse me,” I say to Nate and Lena before rushing towards Jacob.

  “Who invited the fuckin’ stiff?” Liam barks.

  I drop my head down with a deep sigh. It’s not news to me that Liam hates Jacob but he doesn’t need to be such an ass about it. I try to keep calm, though. Jacob is a grown man and I need to stop interfering and treating Liam like I’m his mother.

  “Hello Liam,” Jacob says, straightening his back. “It’s nice to see you.”

  Kill me now.

  “Perhaps for you,” Liam snorts. “Ain’t nice for me.”

  I drop my head into my hands.

  “He’s charming.”

  I shiver all over as a voice whispers in my ear. I spin around and see Nate, grinning at me. Damn him. It’s not funny.

  “Don’t even, Nathaniel,” I say, wagging my finger in his face. “I can hurt you.”

  He winks and steps past me, extending his hand. “Nathaniel Alexander, I’m Avery’s BFF.”

  I want to die in shame.

  “BFF?” Jacob asks, taking his hand and shaking it.

  “You know? Best Friends Forever. Or fo’ life—either way works.”

  Jacob narrows his eyes and I want to sink into the ground. “Funny,” he mutters. “She’s never mentioned you.”

  “Oh,” Nate says, turning to me with an expression of pure shock. “You didn’t tell him about me? Was it because I lick-windows? Jesus, Avery, it was a once-off.”

  I bite my bottom lip, trying to stop myself from laughing. I can’t see Nate’s wife, but I’m sure she, too, wouldn’t appreciate his joke.

  “Your name is familiar,” Jacob says, ignoring Nate’s outburst.

  “I ride motocross.”

  Jacob’s eyes widen and he turns to me. “You went to a motocross race the other day?”

  Oh shit.

  “Yes, Nate happened to be riding in that one. It was rather lucky.”

  “It was a nice surprise,” Nate says, watching me with those eyes again.

  “Hmmm,” Jacob mumbles. “Well, I’m going to set up this shade so I can get out of this God-awful sun.”

  “You don’t want to come for a swim?” I say, watching him retreat.

  “Hell no.”

  “Of course not,” I mutter, turning to Nate, “Are you pleased?”

  He grins at me, big and beautiful. “Completely.”

  I shake my head and finally crack a smile as he walks off. I undress and go for a quick swim before joining everyone around the fire as the sun begins to set.

  “So, Avery,” Lena says. “What do you do?”

  “I’m a dancer. I’m studying to teach.”

  “Oh, what kind of dancing?”

  I cross my legs and balance my light beer in my lap. “Ballet.”

  She nods, pulling Nate’s hand into her lap. He stiffens, noticeably. I pretend I don’t notice.

  “Avie is going to teach me how to dance,” Macy cries, leaping up and spinning in a circle.

  “Is she now?” Lena says. “I didn’t even know you’d met Avery before.”

  “I did. I saw her at Daddy’s race.”

  “Oh, right,” Lena says, getting a guilty look on her face.

  “She can dance so pretty.” She claps. “Show me, Avery!”

  “No.” I laugh. “I can’t dance in the sand.”

  “Course you can,” Nate says, his voice low and husky. “Don’t let the child down.”

  “We’d love to see it,” Lena says.

  “Go on, Avery,” Kelly grins. “Show us what you’re doin’ lately.”

  “I can’t dance on the sand,” I say again.

  “Doesn’t have to be fancy, just show us,” Liam mutters.

  Because Liam has asked, I find it hard to turn away. I take another sip of beer and I get up, shoving the sand as flat as I can with my foot. There’s no way I can dance nicely on it, but I’ll do it for the sake of silence. I do a basic few twists, turns and sweeps. I close my eyes and spin, doing the best I can, mostly focusing on my arms. I bend my knee, and soar up, letting my leg stretch out behind me. Then I spin and stop, bowing.

  “Ta da!”

  “Yay Avie!” Macy claps wildly.

  “You got good, girl,” Kelly says. “Fuck, you look damned fine doing that
.”

  “Dude, that’s my sister,” Liam says, punching Kelly in the shoulder.

  “Don’t mean I can’t look.”

  “She’s taken,” Jacob says, straightening.

  Kelly gives him a once-over and smirks at him. “That wouldn’t be hard to change. Come here, Avery, darling, I want another birthday hug.”

  I bite my lip to stop from laughing. Kelly loves to stir Jacob, and I must admit I enjoy it. I step over the log I was sitting on and give Nate a glance. He’s watching me . . . again. His expression is unreadable; I can’t quite make it out. It’s intense, though, a look I’ve never received from a man before.

  Kelly’s arm snakes out and curls around my waist, pulling me down onto his lap. I laugh as I go down. I circle my arms around his neck and ruffle his golden locks with my fingers. “You’re horrible,” I say near his ear.

  “I can’t help it. He pisses me off.”

  “Avery, can you please join me at the car for a moment?” Jacob says, standing.

  I sigh and get off Kelly’s lap. “Can’t we just speak down here? I don’t want to walk back up to the car.”

  “Fine,” he mutters, taking my hand and pulling me out of the group. I can feel a lot of eyes on me as he pulls me to the side, probably not even far enough away for them not to hear.

  “What are you doing?”

  I shake my head. “Having fun.”

  “You’re flirting!” he snaps, curling his fingers around the top of my arm and pulling me close. “And I don’t like it.”

  I try to jerk my arm away, but he holds it firmly. Asshole Jacob is out, and Asshole Jacob tends to get a bit rough. He’s never hit me—I don’t think he’d dare—but he handles me quite roughly.

  “Let me go, now, Jacob.”

  He growls but his arm drops. “We’ll talk about this at home. We are going now.”

  “No,” I say, firmly.

  He leans in close. “Don’t start with me, Avery.”

  “I’m enjoying my friends and I’m not going. You can do absolutely nothing to make me. If you want to go—then go.”

  He takes my arm again, his fingers pinching into my skin.

  “Best you get your fuckin’ hand off her arm, right now,” Nate suddenly growls.