She turned.
“I’ve got time to take a tour,” he said, ripping off his helmet. “I’ll park my bike and will be right in.”
“Yes, I thought so,” Adele said thoughtfully. “Come, Elle, there’s much I want to show you.”
“B-but how?” Elle blustered, following behind her. “How did you know we needed a place to practice? And how did you know I needed a job? And the words on the paper … they magically appeared.”
A mysterious smile curved the older woman’s lips. “A lady never divulges her secrets, dear.”
Elle started wringing her hands. “But—”
Adele held a finger to her lips. “Shh … come.”
* * *
By the time eight o’clock rolled around, Elle was swimming in chocolate … literally! A woman of her word, Adele had taken Elle and Rush on a tour of the building. She’d explained that she wasn’t using the attic at the moment, so they could practice there. The attic was at least three times larger than Rae’s garage and much nicer. Elle couldn’t believe their good fortune, but Rush wasn’t convinced. “But won’t the noise bother the customers?” he had asked. “We really appreciate your help, but we don’t want it to hurt your business.”
Elle couldn’t believe her ears. Adele was offering them a place to practice … a solution, and Rush was throwing a monkey wrench in it!
Adele smiled. “How thoughtful of you to be concerned with the customers.” She gave Elle a censured look.
Elle rocked back, stunned. The sting of embarrassment crept up her neck. Adele had read her thoughts … she was sure of it!
“Most people would be worried about themselves, but you …” Adele turned her full attention to Rush, giving him a glowing look, bordering on adoration. “My dear boy, you’re just as kind as Merek said you were, but you need not worry yourself with the noise. I’ll take care of that.”
“Who’s Merek,” Rush had whispered in Elle’s ear when Adele wasn’t looking.
“I haven’t the slightest,” Elle whispered back. Later, in private, she would have to explain her aunt’s eccentricity, although she herself was having a hard time figuring out her aunt. How was she supposed to explain her to anyone else?
After Rush left, Adele turned to Elle. “Let’s go to the kitchen, and I’ll show you how to pour chocolate.”
It was on the tip of Elle’s tongue to apologize for her earlier thoughts, but then she realized how ridiculous that would be. They were thoughts, for goodness sakes!
Adele patted her on the hand. “No need to worry. No one is perfect, dear.”
Words couldn’t express the confusion she was feeling over Adele, so she just shook her head.
“By the way, how’s his mother doing?”
“Ms. Porter?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know his mother?”
Adele flashed a cryptic smile. “We go way … way back.”
Elle made a face. “Really?” She paused. “I don’t think she likes me very much.”
“So, you’ve figured that part out, huh? Smart girl.”
“What?” She shook her head. She’d expected Adele to say something soothing like, Of course she likes you, dear. How could she not? But to flat-out agree with her? It was unnerving to say the least. “I don’t understand … what do you mean?”
Adele looked at the ceiling. “Oh, puddle wax! Here I go again, saying too much.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t you even start with me, Merek!”
Merek? That’s the name Adele had mentioned earlier. “Who’s Merek?”
Adele’s face turned cherry red. “Oh, drats!” She clenched her fists. “Enough talk! We’ve got work to do.”
And so they poured chocolate. They poured at least a hundred molds each of milk, dark, and white chocolate, totaling over three hundred molds. And they did it all in the midst of Adele running back and forth to wait on customers. Elle let out a grateful sigh when the last bowl was washed and the counters wiped clean. Adele removed her apron the minute the cuckoo clock chimed eight o’clock. “Time to close up shop for the day.” She motioned. “Come, and I’ll show you how to close down the register.”
That’s when Elle felt a flash of panic. How was she going to get home? She’d completely forgotten about that. She hated to ask Adele, but asking her was better than asking Sera. She cleared her throat. “Um, would you mind giving me a ride home?”
“Why of course, dear, but I don’t think that’s going to be necessary.”
“It’s not?” Elle said, dubiously.
“No.” Adele gave her a mischievous smile. She looked toward the door. “I’m thinking that you would rather him take you home.”
Elle looked at the closed door and then through the lace curtains to the empty porch. Who was Adele talking about? There was no one there.
“Merek?” she asked carefully. She was beginning to think that Merek was a figment of Adele’s imagination.
Adele looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Merek?” She laughed. “Not hardly. Merek doesn’t drive. I’d wager that Merek couldn’t drive a car if his life depended on it.” She looked at the ceiling. “Isn’t that right?”
Elle was sorry she’d asked. She certainly didn’t want to encourage Adele’s strange behavior. “If you don’t mind taking me home, I would certainly appreciate it,” she began again. The last thing she wanted to do was to walk home in the dark.
“No, dear, he’s going to take you home.” She spoke slowly as if she were speaking to a small child that was slow to understand. There was no talking sensibly to her aunt. All it did was annoy the heck out of her and frustrate Adele. “Okay,” Elle said, “I’ll get him to take me home.” Great! Now she would have to walk home for sure.
Adele gave her a quirky look.
“What?” Elle blurted. The woman could be so exasperating!
She winked. “Wait for it … wait for it …”
The door opened, and Elle about fell onto the floor when Edward walked in.
He looked surprised and a little embarrassed when he saw Elle standing behind the counter. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“I was just … um … I mean …” He shifted nervously. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Yeah, I just started working here today,” she explained. “This is my aunt, Adele.”
Adele extended her hand. “Hi, Edward, it’s nice to meet you.”
He shook her hand and then looked thoughtful. “How did you know my name?”
She smiled. “Castle High’s notorious quarterback. Your reputation precedes you.”
“Oh.” He pulled at the neck of his t-shirt. “Thanks.”
Elle looked sideways at Adele. “I didn’t know you followed football.”
She shrugged. “I don’t.”
“Okay,” Elle said, not sure what to make of that comment.
Adele looked at Edward. “I’m guessing you stopped by to buy my lovely niece some chocolate. Am I right?”
Edward’s eyes went big, and he turned about ten shades of red. “Yeah … um … I guess I was planning on getting Elle some chocolate.” He shoved his hands in his pockets.
It was Elle’s turn to be surprised. He was getting her chocolate? Did that mean he wanted to get back together?
Adele motioned at the case. “So, Elle, what kind of chocolate would you like for Edward to buy you?”
Elle wanted to crawl under the floor. Was Adele trying to make things uncomfortable? “I really don’t need anything.”
“Well of course you do,” Adele said, reaching for a box. “You love the white truffles.” She started placing truffles into the box. “And these nut clusters are to die for.”
She looked at Edward, sizing him up. “And you … you strike me as the peanut brittle type.”
Edward’s jaw dropped. “I love peanut brittle.”
“Yes, I know.”
He looked stunned. “You do?”
Adele nodded. “Alridy then. I’m going to throw i
n some chocolate chip cookies and cream cheese brownies for good measure.” She closed the box and started punching in numbers on the register. “Your total is $16.75.”
Edward pulled out his wallet and handed her a twenty.
“$3.25 is your change.” She handed him the money and turned to Elle. “You’re free to leave. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yes, see you then.”
“Tell Rush and the other band members that they can start moving their things in tomorrow.”
Elle saw Edward’s jaw tighten at the mention of Rush’s name. She fleetingly wondered if Edward even knew she was part of a band.
“Edward will give you a ride home … since he was headed to your house anyway.” Adele looked straight at Edward. “Won’t you, dear?”
He had a deer-in-the-headlights expression. “Uh … yeah … sure …”
Elle hurriedly grabbed her stuff, before Adele could say any more crazy things to Edward.
* * *
“Nice car.” Elle took in the sleek lines of the yellow and black refurbished Mustang.
“Thanks,” Edward said nonchalantly, but she could tell that it was his pride and joy. “It’s a 1969.”
They drove home in silence, and all the while, Elle was trying to figure out what it was that Edward wanted to talk to her about. She kept waiting for him to broach the subject, but he didn’t seem nearly as bothered by the silence as she did. Finally they pulled up in front of her house. When Edward didn’t make a move to speak, Elle reached for the door. “Well … thanks for the ride.”
“Wait.” He turned in his seat so that he was facing her. “I know things have been tense between us ever since homecoming.”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“Look, I’m sorry I wasn’t able to escort you onto the field.”
“You ran off the field and left me standing there, Edward. I felt like a complete idiot.”
“I know.” His jaw tensed. “Coach Harris was being a real butt. I tried to tell him that you were waiting for me to escort you, but he said I had to choose between the team and you. I didn’t know what to do, so I … ” He shook his head, unable to continue.
“You chose the team,” she finished for him. The comment was a punch in the gut.
“Yeah … I … the team’s counting on me to carry them through the season. I’ve got so much invested in it … I didn’t have much of a choice.”
“I see.” The words came out harsher than she’d intended for them to. While a part of her understood his dilemma, the other part—the larger part—was still hurt. It had felt like a betrayal.
He clenched his fist. “I just want things to be right between us again. We’ve been together since junior high.”
She didn’t realize they’d been together that long. Funny, she’d never thought to ask. Then again, she and Edward hadn’t exactly been on speaking terms lately.
He gave her a pleading look. “I care about you, Elle.” He scooted closer to her, and she could see the sincerity emanating from his eyes. She felt herself soften. “I want another chance. A chance to make things right between us. Will you give me that chance, Elle?” His voice grew husky, and his eyes went to her lips, causing a tingle to run down her spine. He touched a strand of her hair. “Will you give me that? Will you give us that? We’re good together.”
Her heart picked up a notch as she sought for the right words. What did she want? At the moment, she didn’t have a clue. She studied the lines of Edward’s face, trying to figure out why she felt like she owed him something. Maybe it was because they had been together so long. All of those years before the accident, they’d been together. He was everything a girl could want—a football hero and very handsome with his even features and mop of blonde hair that was longer in the front so that it occasionally flopped down over one eye. He was … she sought for the right word to describe him … comfortable. Yes, that was it. Being around Edward felt safe and comfortable. He didn’t release the torrent of emotions in her that Rush did, and that was a good thing. Maybe she should just let him kiss her, then everything would be back to the way it was before the accident. She leaned in and parted her lips. Edward gave her a small smile and leaned in to meet her halfway. The instant before their lips touched, she saw him. “Rush,” she muttered.
Edward jumped back like he’d been slapped. A furious expression twisted over his face. “What did you call me?”
She shook her head. “No! I meant that I see Rush, sitting on his front porch—watching us.”
Edward glared out the window. “What does he think he’s doing?”
“Probably just sitting on his front porch. I mean, he does live there,” Elle said, even though she knew better. Even from the car, she’d seen the black look on Rush’s face in that moment before she almost kissed Edward. She could feel the condemnation radiating like a beacon. It stripped away her defenses, leaving her exposed and vulnerable.
“I need to go,” she said.
“No, I’m gonna go knock a plug out of that big shot right now! He’s gonna learn that he can’t get away with kissing my girl on the field.”
Panic fluttered in Elle’s breast. She grabbed his arm. “No! Please don’t!”
Edward stopped and looked at her. She could see suspicion creeping into his eyes. “You care about him, don’t you?”
“No!” she scoffed. “I can’t stand the guy!”
He studied her. “You sure about that?”
“Of course I’m sure,” she slung back, her eyes blazing. “The only reason I was on the field with him to begin with was because you weren’t there.”
“You know he’s trouble, right?”
She looked him in the eye. “I told you, I don’t care a flip about him.” The words cut through her lips and hissed around her. You lie! her mind screamed. Why do you lie?
“Good, because he got kicked off the team this summer because marijuana was found in his duffle bag.”
An invisible fist started squeezing her heart. So the rumors were true. “He means absolutely nothing to me.” She lifted her chin.
He relaxed at that, and she felt a surge of relief that left her feeling exhausted. He slipped an arm around her neck. “Come here,” he whispered.
Her eyes went wide when she realized he was going to try and kiss her again. The thoughts of him kissing her with Rush watching, horrified her. She leaned back. “Um, I need to go.”
Disappointment clouded his eyes. Reluctantly he removed his arm. She put her hand on his cheek to soften the blow. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
She shrugged. “Just … thanks.”
A ghost of a smile flittered on his mouth, causing his features to lighten. There was a boyish innocence about him that only added to his attractiveness. “Hey, my dad’s having a little get-together on Saturday evening. Do you think you could come?”
She mentally reviewed the upcoming weekend. She would have to work at The Chocolate Fountain, and the band would probably be practicing. It would be tight, but she could make it work. She looked at his hopeful expression. “I would like that,” she finally said.
This time, he gave her a real smile. It shot an arrow of warmth through her. “Good. I’ll see you tomorrow at school.”
She smiled back. “See you tomorrow.”
“Hey.” He reached for the box. “Your chocolate.”
“But you didn’t get to eat the peanut brittle.”
“Save me some.”
His intimate tone closed the distance between them, and she felt a connection. “I’ll do that,” she said, closing the door. She waved to him as he drove away.
She shot a scathing look in Rush’s direction as she walked up the steps. He returned the look with a hateful glare of his own. He’d flat-out lied to her about football. He hadn’t quit the team, he’d been kicked off. He told her he’d been unjustly accused of something. Right! The most frustrating part about the whole thing was that she did care about him. She just hadn’t realized
how much she cared … up until the moment she was denying it to Edward. That’s why it would never work between them. They were both deceivers! She went inside her house and slammed the door shut. But try as she might, she couldn’t shut out the image of him, sitting on the steps with those intense blue eyes fired in her direction. At the moment, she didn’t know who she hated the most—Rush or herself.
Chapter Fourteen
The Sting of Betrayal
Sweat poured down Rush’s face, stinging his eyes, as he punched the bag again and again with all of his might. He punched until he was spent, but nothing could ease the anger that was eating him from the inside out. It was starting all over again, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Elle was playing him. She was up to her old tricks—sending him mixed signals while dating Edward. If she’d not seen him staring at her from the porch, she would’ve kissed him. A few short hours ago, she was cuddled up against him on the bike, and then she was in the car with Edward—about to kiss the jerk!
He punched the bag again, thinking how he would like to punch Edward’s pretty face a time or two. For the life of him, he couldn’t see what Elle saw in Edward, aside from the fact that he was passably attractive, the quarterback, the principal’s son, wealthy, and popular. So, she liked him for all of those superficial reasons, and that’s because she was just as shallow as Edward. She and Edward were an item when he moved to town, so why should things be any different now? How many times had she promised him that she would break things off with Edward? It was always the same old story. This time, he wasn’t going to fall for her tricks. This time, he would be strong. An image of Elle, sitting on the roof, her long hair blowing in the wind, flashed through his mind. She’d looked so lost and vulnerable, and then she’d given him that silly truffle. His heart wrenched. What was it about her that consumed him so? From the moment he laid eyes on her, it was like some invisible force was pulling them together. He felt as though he’d loved her for a lifetime … maybe longer.
He gave the bag another swift jab, yanked off the gloves, and leaned his forehead against it, his breath coming in gasps. He’d hoped the punching bag would help him vent his anger, but nothing was working. He looked at the bike. A fast, hard ride would do the trick.
Banished: Book 1 of The Grimm Laws Page 14
