by E. L. Todd
I stared at the key then closed my palm around it. “I don’t know what to say…”
He gave me a fond look. “Don’t say anything. The happiness on your face is more than enough.”
I hugged him again. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
He held me for a while before he pulled away.
“Sorry to interrupt…” My mom came out of the front door, smiling. “But I wanted to see your reaction.”
“Mom, I love it,” I blurted. I ran to her and hugged her tightly. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, honey.” She hugged me back. “I know it’s a little extravagant but—”
“A little?” I laughed.
She chuckled. “Okay, it’s ridiculous. But your father convinced me after talking about it for months.”
“Well, I love it. I haven’t seen it but I know I will.”
“And your dad likes their security system,” she explained. “I think that had a lot to do with it.”
I laughed and pulled away. “That doesn’t surprise me.”
My dad put his arm around my mom then smiled at me. “This is an exciting time for you. I know you’re going to have quite an adventure.”
“Yeah…” I tried to stay positive even though I was dying inside.
My parents both knew it. It was clear in their eyes.
My mom hugged me again. “You’ll be okay, Honey. I admire you for what you’re doing. Your love is selfless, and the fact it is makes it true. You will find your way back to one another.”
I clung to her. “Thanks, Mom…”
My dad hugged me too, making a group hug. “We’re always here.”
“I know that too…”
My parents held me while we listened to the music from inside the house.
Roland came out of the front door. “What a soap opera…”
I pulled away and tried to hide my pain.
“Seriously, it’s always The Young and The Restless with you guys,” Roland said. He came to me then reached into his pocket. “I wanted to give you something. It’s not as good as Dad’s gift so don’t expect anything ridiculous.”
“You got me something?” I asked in surprise.
“Hold on, don’t get too excited.” He pulled out a thin, long box. “Here you go.” He handed it over.
I eyed it for a moment. “Is something going to squirt on my face?”
“No,” he said with a smirk. “But that would have been a good idea.”
“Is it going to be a practical joke?”
“Just open it,” he said in annoyance.
My parents watched our interaction, staying silent.
I opened the box and looked inside. There was a bracelet inside made of white gold. A large pedant was in the center, thick and long. I was shocked he got me jewelry, and I was even more shocked by how nice it was. I picked up the bracelet and read the engraving.
Although annoying, ugly, and stupid, I still love you.
From your handsome, awesome, and amazing brother, Roland.
I laughed after I read it. A grin stretched my lips and I couldn’t stop smiling. A good laugh was what I needed most. My brother gave me more than I realized. “Thank you.” I pulled him in for a hug and embraced him. “I love it.”
“Did you not read it…?”
I laughed. “I did. And I hear your voice every time I do.”
He patted my back and pulled away. “I’m glad you liked it. It’s straight from the heart, especially the ugly part.”
“Well, we share DNA…”
“But we aren’t identical.”
My dad watched our interaction. “At least you guys are getting along…for once.”
“It’s a nice change,” my mom said.
Roland put the bracelet on my wrist. “Don’t get used to it. It’s just a one-time thing.”
“I’m sure…” I gave him a playful grin.
His eyes turned serious. “All kidding aside, I’m proud of you.”
“I’m proud of you too.”
“For dropping out of college?” he asked incredulously.
“No. For chasing your dreams.”
He slugged my arm in a gentle and playful way. “You know, you’re pretty cool…sometimes.”
I slugged him back. “I guess you are too…every now and then.”
“I wish I had a camera,” my mom whispered.
My brother realized this was getting too emotional and heavy. “Let’s go inside and drink. It’s boring out here.”
“Sounds like a plan.” My dad patted Roland’s shoulder as he walked with him. They were the same height and looked eerily similar. My mom and I looked like sisters, according to everyone who met us. She and I walked side-by-side back into the house.
My heart felt a little lighter, a little less painful. With my family, I could do anything.
Even this.
***
Slade scrunched up his face and started to mimic Cayson. “Look at me, I’m the valedictorian. Okay, everybody, we need to loosen up even though we’re a huge congregation of nerds.” Then he acted like he moved his tassel over. “Hooray!”
Conrad laughed hard even though it wasn’t that funny. He was just drunk.
Trinity was laughing too. “Don’t tease him!” But she kept laughing.
Cayson took the taunts in stride. “Other people seemed to like it.”
I kissed him on the cheek. “I, for one, loved it.”
“Thank you, baby.” He gave me a quick kiss then pulled away, his hand on my thigh.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Slade asked. “I’m your best friend.”
“Because I knew you would be a dick,” Cayson argued.
“I would not,” Slade said.
Everyone gave him a look that said, “You just did.”
Slade caught on. “But I’m teasing you because you didn’t tell me.”
“No,” Cayson said with a laugh. “You were going to make fun of me either way.”
Slade shrugged. “I guess you have a point.”
Cayson’s sister, Clementine, sat beside him on the couch. She turned to me. “How does it feel to date the biggest nerd on campus?”
“Amazing.” I gave him an affectionate look, refusing to side with everyone else and tease him.
Clementine rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what you see in him…”
Cayson nudged her in the side. “You’re the one who wanted me to dump Jasmine because you thought she wasn’t good enough for me.”
“She wasn’t,” Clementine argued. “All she cared about was make up and hair.” She cringed. “It never would have worked out between you.”
I hated talking about Jasmine. I wish she would disappear from our lives, at least from our conversations. I rubbed Cayson’s arm, feeling the muscle and strength underneath. “The fact Cayson is so built exonerates him from being a nerd.”
“No, he’s still a nerd,” Slade said. “And always will be.”
“Okay, stop picking on Cayson,” Roland said. “It’s his night too.”
“Thank you,” I said to Roland.
“I didn’t defend him for you,” Roland hissed. “He’s my friend.”
Cayson drank his glass and finished it. “Are we getting shit-faced tonight?”
“Duh.” Slade tapped his glass against Cayson’s empty one.
Silke rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you guys aren’t going to be there next year.”
“Me too,” Conrad said sadly.
Roland clapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll still see each other all the time.”
“Get a room,” Clementine snapped. “If you weren’t related people would think you’re together.”
“If we did gay porn, we’d be millionaires,” Conrad said. “You’re just jealous we’re so good-looking.”
“Yeah…that’s it,” Clementine said sarcastically.
We spent the evening drinking in the living room with our graduation gif
ts in the corner. Our parents were drinking as much as we were, and laughter came from the kitchen area in loud echoes.
“Let’s play tag,” Slade said.
Trinity looked at him like he was crazy. “What?”
“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Slade said.
“We just graduated college,” I said. “We’re adults now.”
“All the more reason to act like children one last time,” Slade said. “Come on, we used to do it all the time when we were little.”
Ever since we could run, we played hide and seek on the property in the dark. We had the beach, trees, and house for cover. The only thing off limits was the inside of the house. We had a lot of good memories doing it. “I’m in.”
Roland shrugged. “Let’s do it. Playing while we’re drunk will make it fun.”
“Okay,” Trinity said. “Who’s it?”
“Let’s do it in teams since there are so many of us,” Slade said.
“Not it,” Conrad said immediately.
“Me neither,” Roland said.
Clementine put a bottle on the side then spun it. “The mystical bottle of wisdom will select the worthy candidates,” she said in a mysterious voice. She spun it and it landed on Trinity.
“Damn,” Trinity said with a sigh.
Slade pointed at her and laughed. “Loser.”
“How does that make me a loser?” she demanded.
“You just are,” Slade said.
Clementine spun it again and it landed on Roland.
“Fine,” Roland said as he rolled his eyes. “Hurry up and hide.”
“Face the TV and wait two minutes,” Slade instructed.
“Two minutes?” Roland hissed. “No, you got one.” He looked at his watch. “And it starts now.”
We all scattered and headed to the back door.
“What are you guys doing?” Ryan asked with slurred words.
“Hide-and-seek,” Conrad said as he ran out.
“Oh.” Ryan shrugged and turned back to Mike.
We ran outside past the patio and pool until we reached the grass.
“Scatter!” Slade shouted.
Cayson grabbed my hand in the dark then led me away. Unable to run in my heels, I kicked them off and abandoned them against the wall.
“Where are we going to hide?” I said in a whisper.
“I don’t know.” He led the way through the darkness then turned around the side of the house. “How about the shed?”
“Wouldn’t that be an easy target?” I asked.
“But it wasn’t built when we used to play and it’s hidden by the willow trees. They probably won’t even think of checking it.” He took my hand and forced me to run.
I tried to keep up and not laugh. The alcohol was making me giggle like crazy.
“Shh.” He pulled me around the shed and we leaned against the wall. He looked at his watch. “Okay, it’s been a minute.”
We could see the end of the beach from where we stood and the willows swayed in the breeze. We could hear the leaves shake and flutter on the wind. I leaned against the wall and caught my breath. My dress moved up my thighs but I didn’t bother adjusting it since Cayson was the only one who could see me.
He listened intently.
Then we heard a scream. “No, you have to tag me!” It was Clementine, and judging how tired she sounded, she was running.
“They are on the other side of the pool,” Cayson whispered.
“They’re never going to find us.” I leaned my head back and stared at him.
He came in front of me then put his hands on my hips. He pressed his head to mine. When I looked up, I saw his eyes and the dark sky behind him. The stars were bright and powerful, shining with their glory that was ten thousand years into the past. It reminded me how short time was, how quickly things changed. Cayson was with me now, but it wasn’t forever. He would leave my grasp, making me as lonely as a swaying willow tree.
I heard him breathe over the light breeze. He was listening for someone’s approach, but he was staring at me as he did it.
Staring at the outline of his face in the dark made my heart convulse. Tonight was a memory I would have to hold on to as the years passed. My heart would ache but I would remember this moment, the way he looked at me. I suddenly forgot about the game we were playing and just concentrated on him.
My hands moved up his chest and to the side of his face. Then my fingers wrapped around his neck, getting a good hold on him. I pulled his lips to mine and gave him a gentle, wet kiss.
His lips responded to mine, moving slowly. The wind moved passed my legs and tickled the back of my neck. His breath was noticeable in the dark. My hands clung to him, refusing to let go. Whenever our bodies were combined, I felt at peace. It was where I belonged, my soul latching onto his. Cayson had loved me for so long, a lifetime’s worth, but I only cherished him for a short time. I wished I’d noticed him long before.
Our kiss became more aggressive and our tongues touched each other lightly. His breath came into my mouth, lighting me on fire. I knew he felt what I felt, the insatiable need to feel me. Perhaps he was buzzed, or perhaps he understood the elated feeling I felt. But our minds seemed to be connected in that moment, and instead of playing it safe or cool, Cayson wanted to be dangerous.
He grabbed my ass and lifted me, holding me against the shed. Tools and lawn equipment was inside, the stuff our landscapers used when they came every Friday. My legs wrapped around his waist and I anchored him to me. He pressed himself into me, his slacks touching my panties under my dress.
The kissing became more intense and we devoured one another. My heart was bleeding from the pain, from the longing. I’d never loved anyone the way I loved him, nor had I known someone so wonderful and beautiful. He was everything I wasn’t. He was everything I wished I could be. And he was everything to me.
I undid his slacks and pulled them down slightly, fishing out his cock. He didn’t object to what I wanted like he normally would. He seemed to need me the way I did.
He slipped inside me, feeling my wetness. A quiet moan escaped his lips while he rocked into me. He held me in place, thrusting me into the side of the shed while he moved into me.
I continued to kiss him, keeping my moans quiet so no one would interrupt us. I wanted this to last a lifetime, to last as long as possible. I memorized the feel of him, the smell of him. His kiss was purposeful and desperate. He clung to me like he’d die if he let go. I could feel his heartbeat through his chest, strong and powerful. Mine synced to his as we made love under the bright stars of the sky. We forgot about everyone else but us. We were the only ones in the world. It was quiet and peaceful, like the universe had bowed down just to give us this moment.
He continued to move inside me, hitting me just the way I liked it. When I came undone my nails dug into him, needing something to do to keep quiet. He pressed his mouth harder into me, silencing my moans.
He rocked into me slowly until he reached his high. He thrust into me a few more times, emptying inside me. I bit my lip while I felt him, loving the warmth that spread throughout my body.
When he was finished he didn’t pull out right away. He held me against the shed, his lips still pressed to mine. He gave me a final slow kiss before he pulled his lips away. He buried his face in my neck and held me close. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
My heart caved in and shattered into a million pieces. My lungs collapsed, no longer useable. Everything inside me suddenly froze. It became silent. The wind seemed to die and time had stood still.
Unable to speak, I clung to him, memorizing this moment so I could cherish it later. I kept him close to me, making sure my face was hidden.
So he couldn’t see the tears as they fell down my face.
Chapter Sixteen
Skye
Trinity and I got out of the car then headed into the house.
“God, I feel so sick,” I said.
She patted my back. “
I do too.”
We walked inside then moved through the crowd.
“Is Slade coming?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said. “What about Cayson?”
“I told him I was with you. I think he’s doing something with Roland.”
“Okay.” She sighed and looked ghostly pale. “It’s not too late. You can change your mind…”
“Trinity, he even blatantly told me he wouldn’t change his mind no matter what I say. If I break up with him, he’ll just follow me. He needs a strong reason to leave.”
“Okay, okay…” She looked like she was on the verge of tears.
I was equally heartbroken.
“Now what?” she asked.
“I just need to find someone. I’ll text you when I want you to come in with Slade.”
“Okay.” She scanned the crowd. “Who are you going to pick?”
“It’s got to be someone good-looking otherwise it won’t be believable.”
“And you need to act drunk,” she said. “Otherwise, it won’t make sense.”
I eyed a tall built guy in the corner. He had short hair and tattoos up and down his arms. “What about him?”
“He doesn’t seem like he has any morals…”
“Okay. I guess it’ll be him.” It really didn’t make a difference whom it was.
“Okay.” Trinity gave me a big hug. “I love you, girl.”
“I love you too.” I held her tightly before I pulled away. If I thought about it too hard, I’d chicken out. “I have to go…”
“Okay.” She stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest, watching me.
I walked across the room and headed to the guy standing alone with a beer in his hand. He was over six feet and reeked of sex. It was clear he’d been around the block a few times. “Hi.” I stared up at him, hoping he’d take the bait.
He looked me over, not being discreet about it. His eyes zoned in on my chest before they moved back to my face. “Hey.”
“You’re cute,” I blurted. I was never very good at flirting.
A cocky smirk spread across his face. “You too.” He put his beer on the table and gave me his full attention. He glanced at my chest again.
“You want to see them?” I asked.
He cocked an eyebrow, clearly wondering if it was trap.
