The Ex's Confession

by L. C. Davenport

  “Very coincidental, him coming along just when you needed help. And he was going to kiss you. I could tell by the way he was looking at you.”

  Rebecca wasn’t so sure she would have minded it if Aaron had kissed her, but chose to keep that information to herself. “We’d better be going,” she said, pushing him away. “Like you said before, we don’t want to be late for the dance lesson.” She mounted her bike and rode back the way she had come, not looking to see if Elliot was following her.

  ***

  Cassie stuck her head out of her bedroom door as Rebecca trudged up the stairs. “You’re finally back! Come in here and tell me what you think of this dress.” She disappeared before Rebecca had a chance to say anything.

  Clothes were strewn everywhere in Cassie’s room. Picking up a shirt from the floor so she’d have somewhere to stand, Rebecca looked at Cassie. She was dressed in a shirt and skirt that didn’t match, even to her. “What’s happened to Haley?” she asked. “I haven’t seen her all day.”

  “Oh, she’s on the phone with Ben.”

  “Still? Why did she bother coming on vacation if she’s spending it all talking on the phone?”

  Cassie made a dismissive sound. “She was probably worried she’d be bored at home with Nicole here and Ben on the road. Leave her alone. She’s newly engaged, and you have to make allowances for that sort of thing.”

  “I guess you’re right. Didn’t you need help with a dress,” she said.

  “This one, on the bed.” Cassie plucked a red dress from its spot on a pillow and held it up to herself. “What do you think?”

  Rebecca shrugged. “It looks great,” she said. “But isn’t all of this a little fancy for a dance lesson? Most people will be in jeans and sneakers.”

  Cassie shook a finger in Rebecca’s direction. “That’s where you’re wrong. Locke told us to get dressed up when he and Nicole got back from their bike ride.” Cassie paused to hold the dress up to Rebecca. “Hey, weren’t Nicole and Elliot on the tandem when we left? What happened?”

  Rebecca grinned in spite of herself. “Nicole steered them into the lake somehow, and Locke went back to rescue them.”

  Cassie laughed. “Trust Nicole to ruin a perfectly romantic setting. I bet Elliot was thrilled.”

  Rebecca thought about the look on Elliot’s face when he saw her with Aaron. “Not so much,” she said.

  Cassie looked at her closely. “I think there’s more to the story than that,” she said. She cleared off a space on the bed and sat down. “What happened?”

  Shaking her head, Rebecca sat next to her. She wasn’t in the mood to talk about Elliot. “You’ll never guess whom I met,” she said, trying to deflect Cassie. “Aaron Sharpe.”

  “Isn’t he the guy Faye’s been trying to set you up with?”

  “One and the same. And I should have listened to Faye all those years ago. The man is gorgeous.”

  Cassie looked at her shrewdly. “Let me guess. Elliot came across you when you were flirting with Aaron and he got mad.”

  Rebecca looked at her in surprise. “How did you guess that? And I wasn’t flirting, exactly,” she added hastily.

  Waving her hand in the air, Cassie made a face. “Come on, Rebecca,” she said, standing back up. She started to take off her mismatched shirt. “You and Elliot have some sort of bad karma. If he had come across you two minutes earlier, would he have seen anything that would have irritated him?”

  “Probably not,” Rebecca admitted grudgingly.

  “You should just marry the poor guy and put him out of his misery,” Cassie said in a matter-of-fact voice. “Then you wouldn’t flirt, and he would sleep better at night instead of worrying about who you’re with.” She laughed at Rebecca’s shocked expression. “Never mind,” she went on, throwing the red dress in Rebecca’s direction. “You’re not ready to hear that. Go get cleaned up and put that dress on. I think it’ll look fantastic on you.” She propelled Rebecca into the hall and shut the door behind her.

  Rebecca stared at the door for a minute, thinking about what Cassie had said. Everyone seemed to think she and Elliot were meant for each other. Well, we might have been, she told herself fiercely, but not anymore. Especially not after his ridiculous outburst on the road. She turned on her heel and walked to her room, clutching the dress to her chest.

  Rebecca had half-hoped the dress would look terrible on her, but as she inspected herself in the mirror she had to admit, grudgingly, that Cassie knew what she was doing when it came to clothes. It was really unfortunate that this gift didn’t extend to other things, like the kitchen, she thought ruefully. It would make Michael’s life a little easier.

  She smoothed the dress over her hips and put on the shoes that had appeared on her bed while she was in the shower. How did Cassie do it? She had only brought one suitcase, after all. Maybe Michael’s bag was filled with Cassie’s clothes.

  Faint sounds of music drifted up the stairs as she left her room. Haley was alone in the foyer, talking quietly into the phone tucked under her ear. She waved at Rebecca before going back to her conversation. Knowing her sister and Nicole, it was likely to be a while before they were ready to leave, so she followed the music down the hall and into the library. She opened the door and had opened her mouth to greet Locke when she stopped in confusion.

  Elliot was sitting at the piano, playing a quiet song that she had never heard before. She turned to leave but in her haste she knocked her elbow on the door. The music halted and she froze when Elliot’s voice sounded behind her.

  “Please don’t leave.”

  She turned slowly to him, keeping one hand on the doorknob. “I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said quietly.

  He looked at her steadily. “Can we talk for a minute before it’s time to go?”

  Rebecca breathed in the smells of the library, letting the scent of books and sunshine wash over her. “Sure,” she said in resignation, and entered the room. Elliot patted the space on the bench beside him and she sat next to him, aware of how close his body was to hers.

  “You look very pretty,” he said after a long pause.

  Rebecca risked a glance up at him and saw a strange expression flit across his face. It was not one she could place. “Thanks,” she said. “Cassie picked it out.”

  A ghost of a smile on his lips, Elliot said, “She certainly has a talent for dressing you. You can tell her I said that.”

  “I will.” They lapsed back into silence.

  Rebecca was beginning to wonder if he had anything to say, after all, this had been his idea. Finally, he spoke. “I’m sorry I overreacted this morning,” he said, running a hand through his carefully combed hair. “I seem to have a habit of walking in on you at inopportune times.”

  “Cassie says it’s bad karma,” Rebecca said. Her fingers itched to pat his hair back in place.

  “She does, does she?” Elliot looked bemused. “I guess it does sort of feel that way. Anyway, I’m sorry. I hope your knees are better.”

  Rebecca smiled down at the piano keys. “I’ll be fine.”

  Elliot shifted uneasily on his side of the bench and cleared his throat. “I had a question for you, actually,” he said, taking a deep breath. He ran his hand through his hair again, and then looked her in the eye. “Have you been reading my columns?”

  The question hung in the air. Rebecca stared back at him, not knowing what to say. Just tell him, her inner voice scolded. What’s the worst that can happen?

  “Elliot!”

  His head jerked up so quickly she could hear his bones creak. “Nicole,” he said in a resigned voice. “What do you want?”

  Nicole looked from Elliot to Rebecca and back again. “Am I interrupting something?” she said. Her tone was casual, but there was a glint in her eye.

  “No, that’s all right,” Rebecca said hurriedly as she stood up. “I was just...”She floundered for a word that wouldn’t sound awful.

  “Talking,” Elliot said smoothly. “We were just waiting f
or everyone to get ready to leave.”

  “We’re ready now,” Nicole said sweetly. Elliot stood to follow Rebecca out of the room and caught hold of her hand when Nicole flounced away. “Don’t think you’re off the hook,” he warned. “I still want an answer to my question.” He smiled at her briefly. “I’ve learned to be very persistent.”

  When they arrived at the Shaw family house, there was just enough time to greet Locke’s parents and thank them for letting so many people intrude on their lesson. “Our pleasure,” Mr. Shaw said. “We’re always glad to have more students. Go into the dance studio; we’re about ready to start.”

  The Shaws stood them in a line along the mirrors. Rebecca knew most of the basic moves but it was a good refresher, and she concentrated on staying away from Elliot and his questions. What should she tell him? She had no doubt that the question would come up again; Elliot seemed very intent on getting her answer.

  She glanced up and caught his eye in the mirror. He smiled faintly before turning his attention back to the class. He was a good ballroom dancer, Rebecca noted absently. Maybe he had taken lessons here before.

  After a while the Shaws told everyone to find a partner. Elliot looked at Rebecca before allowing Nicole to lead him to the center of the room, leaving her with an older, slightly bald man who appeared delighted to dance with her. He chattered throughout the dance, not noticing when he stepped on her toes. He only stopped talking when Locke rescued her at the end of the song after putting a CD in the player.

  She smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks,” she said. “He was a pleasant guy, but I don’t think my feet will be the same tomorrow.”

  Locke grimaced in sympathy. “That’s a risk you run in these classes,” he said. “It’s worse when you know what you’re doing and your partner doesn’t. When did you learn the waltz?”

  Rebecca laughed softly. “My mother made me take lessons in junior high,” she said. “She wasn’t a very proper person but she felt it was important for us girls to know a few of the dances. Cassie was a pretty good dancer,” she added, looking at her sister trying to show Michael how to execute a turn without causing bodily harm. “How she ended up with Mick, who has two left feet, is beyond me.”

  Locke turned his head to watch the other dancers as they spun around. “Haley looks like she’s having fun,” he commented, cocking his head to where Haley and a teenage boy were dancing. The young man was quite obviously thrilled to have his arms around an older, attractive woman. “But I don’t think Nicole knows how to waltz,” he added, trying not to laugh. “Elliot’s a good sport, and he’s not a bad waltzer, but Nicole is giving him a run for his money. Maybe I should rescue him.” He twirled her around one more time before taking his hand off her waist and sliding through the throng of enthusiastic dancers. A moment later Elliot was at her side.

  “May I have this dance?” he asked, holding out his hand.

  Without saying a word, Rebecca placed her hand in his and he pulled her close. Elliot gazed down at her as they started the familiar steps. “I didn’t know you danced,” she said in a bemused tone.

  “I don’t,” he said and then laughed. “You mean this? I can get by, but I’m no Fred Astaire. Locke brought me here one summer and convinced me to help lead the classes.”

  “You’re a very good dancer,” she said.

  “So are you.” Elliot stopped them by the large picture windows at the end of the room. They were far enough away from everyone that they could speak in relative privacy. “I never received an answer to my question,” he said softly.

  Rebecca just looked up at him.

  He cleared his throat and tightened his grip around her. “Have you been reading my columns?”

  You knew this was coming. Just get it over with and tell him. She opened her mouth. “I–”

  “Elliot! Look! I haven’t stepped on Locke’s toes for at least three minutes!”

  Elliot swore under his breath but didn’t let Rebecca go. “That’s great, Nicole,” he said absently.

  “That’s the end of our lesson for today,” Mr. Shaw called from the center of the room. “Thank you all very much for coming. Next week we’ll focus on the foxtrot.”

  Elliot’s gaze didn’t waver from Rebecca’s face, even when Nicole pulled him away to show him her new dance moves. Locke sauntered over to Rebecca and gazed out the window with her.

  “You and Elliot seemed to be having a very intense conversation,” he said. “Is everything all right?”

  Rebecca put her hands behind her back to keep herself from fiddling with the hem of her dress. “Yes, everything’s fine.”

  Locke looked at her, curious. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  Rebecca shook her head to clear it. “He wants to know if I’ve been reading his columns.”

  Locke whistled under his breath. “He’s not messing around, is he? What did you tell him?”

  “Nothing,” she said. “He’s asked twice now, and both times Nicole has saved me from saying anything.”

  “You’re going to tell him the truth, aren’t you?”

  Rebecca sighed. “Yes, I am. I think I just need to get it over with.”

  Locke nodded in agreement. “You’re right,” he said. “You’ve both dragged this on way too long. We’d better get going,” he said in a louder voice. “If we wait much longer, we’ll miss the light.” He gave Rebecca a significant look and led her out of the studio, Nicole and Elliot trailing behind them.

  The wind was starting to pick up when they reached the boat. “I’ll see you in a few days,” Locke told his parents. Mrs. Shaw pulled Rebecca aside before she left. “Thanks for talking to Locke,” she whispered in Rebecca’s ear. “I think the worst is finally behind him. Elliot tells me all the credit belongs to you.”

  Rebecca glanced over at Elliot, who was studiously avoiding her gaze. He seemed to be waiting for her. “I don’t think I’ve done all that much,” she said, “but you’re welcome anyway.” Mrs. Shaw caught her in a quick embrace before handing her to Elliot. “I’ll see you later,” she said and wiped her eye on her sleeve. Rebecca smiled at her and let Elliot help her aboard.

  Everyone was engrossed in their own activities; Haley was on the phone, Michael and Cassie were talking quietly in a corner, paying no attention to anyone else, and Locke was focused on the waves steadily building around them. Rebecca headed for her spot next to Locke but was stopped when Elliot grabbed her arm. “Sit back here with me,” he said. “We still need to finish our discussion.” Rebecca sighed and turned to follow him, but not before she caught the look on Locke’s face. It said, quite clearly, ‘Don’t mess this up.’

  She sat in the back of the boat, Elliot at her side. They were both silent until the mainland had disappeared from view. Then Elliot started to talk.

  “You know, I never really planned on being a newspaper columnist. When I graduated from Northwestern I was going to be a news writer. Then I was hired by the paper in Joliet and a week later their columnist quit out of the blue.”

  “What happened then?” Rebecca asked when he stopped talking.

  “He asked all of the newest employees to submit a personal essay. No more than three hundred words to see if we could work under a word limit and the next day I was reassigned.” Elliot laughed softly to himself. “I haven’t actually ever done any investigative reporting,” he confided.

  “Do you regret it?”

  Elliot stopped to think. “No, I don’t think so. I’m not so sure I have what it takes to make it as a real-life reporter. The softer stuff suits me just fine.”

  Rebecca wondered if she was the ‘softer stuff’ he was referring to, and contemplated being indignant. She wasn’t soft. Was she?

  “Rebecca, I have to know.” Elliot had turned very serious. He took her hand in his and breathed in deeply. “Have you been reading my columns?”

  This is it. No one can interrupt us. She looked him steadily in the eye. “Yes, I have. Every one since you started at the Tribune.”r />
  A look of tentative hope crossed Elliot’s face and he grabbed her other hand, pulling her close to him. “Then you know… You know how–”

  “Elliot! Look! I’m that guy from that movie!”

  “That’s nice, Nicole,” Elliot said with a touch of irritation.

  “No, look! I’m that guy in Titanic!” Nicole’s voice was desperate and shrill.

  Elliot slowly swiveled his head around and then froze, his mouth hanging open in shock. Then he let go of Rebecca and sprang to his feet. “Nicole! Get down from there!”

  “I’m queen of the world!” Nicole crowed. She was standing on the side of the boat, her arms held wide and her hair flying in the wind. “Come on, Elliot,” she said, “come and hold my hand now!” She turned slightly to grab Elliot’s offered hand.

  He was almost to her when she lost her balance. To Rebecca, watching horrified from the back, it all seemed to happen in slow motion. Elliot’s hand held out, Nicole’s look of panic when she realized something tragic was going to happen, and then the sickening thud Nicole’s head made on the side of the boat before she fell into the water.

  For a split second everyone stared at the empty spot where she had been. Then, with the exception of Locke, who hadn’t noticed anything, they all started yelling at once.

  Rebecca jumped to her feet. “Elliot, take off your shoes.”

  He looked at her blankly. “What?”

  “Take off your shoes! Are you still a good swimmer?”

  Comprehension dawned on his face and he jumped over the side of the boat almost before she finished speaking, his shoes sitting abandoned next to her feet. “Haley! Call 911. Tell them to meet us at the dock.” Haley, white with panic, pulled her phone from her bag and started dialing.

  Leaning over Locke’s shoulder, she placed her hands on his shoulders before speaking quietly in his ear. “Nicole’s in the water. Can you turn the boat around?”