Blossoms of The Heart

by Khardine Gray

  Chapter 7

  Tai

  “Hey, Tai, want to come out for a drink?” Scott asked.

  “I’ll pass,” I answered.

  “You know what? You should just move in here, be right at home.”

  “Screw you.” I held up my middle finger to him and smirked.

  He acted like he didn’t work as hard as me. I knew he worked harder and pulled many all-nighters here at the center.

  He’d pulled a week of them only last week to work on the samurai. He and Kenny were the ones who first found our samurai friend. I accompanied them on the call out but it was them who made the actual discovery.

  We three were the most experienced that could have gone inside the cave. Scott and Kenny had the experience in knowledge but I was physically skilled, which was what made this gig perfect for me.

  I loved the package this job offered. The combo of using my brain and taste for adventure.

  “I’m just making sure you don’t turn into me.” Scott laughed.

  “That’ll never happen, man.” My chair scraped on the concrete floor as I moved it back to stand. “I’m too wild to be you.”

  “You know what?” Scott laughed. “I’m inclined to agree. Just don’t do what I do by staying in this place too long, although I couldn’t say that I’d blame you if our newest recruit was here.”

  Phoebe.

  I smiled and sat on the edge of my desk as Scott walked up to me, rucksack in hand.

  He ran his hand over the spikey ends of his blond hair.

  “You like her?” I couldn’t help the twinge of something that clenched my stomach.

  “Don’t act like you don’t.”

  “Known her for a while.” Talk about all my life minus the five years of my life prior to meeting her when she was three.

  “Kept that quiet.” Scott narrowed his gaze at me.

  “I’ve been busy.” The fuck. I’d spent the day going over the accounts, but I did it in the archives department. Just to make sure I got some work done. I didn’t want the distraction of Phoebe so I ran off like a pussy, retreating from the effect she had on me.

  “We don’t get women like that here much. How the hell could you have been busy with her around and here in this office with us.” He looked at me like I’d just said something truly ridiculous.

  It probably was given that I was me. The guys knew women always flocked to me. They also knew about Candace.

  “Just making sure I keep to myself while I consider my options with Candace.”

  He frowned. “Really, and how’s that working for you?”

  “Not so good.” Especially not today with my dick going hard every time I thought of Phoebe.

  “Well, it’s good you’re giving her a chance. Noble, I mean. Also puts you out of the running.”

  “Running for what?”

  “Well I’d hate to compete against you for the beautiful Phoebe. We all know I’d win but it’s the tension. We’re friends and we work together.”

  I stood and folded my arms. Yeah Scott was a friend, but I didn’t know what made him think there was any form of competition between us.

  More than that, I hated his interest in Phoebe.

  “Sure, whatever, man. Whatever makes you feel good about yourself. I know she’d like me more, though.”

  Scott’s green eyes flickered. “Oh yeah? Have you tapped that then?”

  I stepped closer and gave him a grin. The move was a little invasive, stepping close to his personal space.

  The smile on his face fell.

  “Tapped that?” I asked like I didn’t know what he meant. I didn’t like the reference in combo with Phoebe.

  “Oh come on, Tai, you know what I mean. Did you guys fuck around? I’m just gathering intel since you’re tied up.”

  “That’s for me to know, and I never said I was tied up.” I narrowed my gaze at him, but he didn’t take the hint that he should drop the subject.

  “I’ll take that as a no, and I’ll tell you what she looks like naked the first chance I get.”

  I had to restrain myself. To stop from grabbing him in his neck.

  He laughed and backed away towards the door.

  “You should see your face, lieutenant. I get the feeling the next few weeks are going to be a blast.” Scott chuckled. “See you tomorrow man.” He turned and waved then left the room.

  Fucking dick, I would show him, and the fuck I wasn’t tied down either.

  I simply meant I was being careful. It was respectful. No fooling around until I gave Candace an answer. I needed time and I didn’t want the issue forced.

  Unfortunately, I also couldn’t get Phoebe out of my head.

  I pulled out my phone and called Akito. I needed her digits, never could tell when I’d need to call her.

  He answered after the second ring.

  “Hey there.” His voice sounded groggy like he was half asleep.

  “Sorry were you sleeping?”

  “No, up worrying like I still have a teenage daughter.”

  “Why, old man?” He didn’t mind me calling him that. He laughed.

  “More like old fool tonight. Mitsuke took Phoebe out on the town. She told me they were going to some new club but I’ve never heard of it. Tai, Mitsuke is my girl but you know how crazy she can be. Phoebe isn’t like that.”

  Nope, she was the pampered princess. The sexy bookworm.

  “I know where she took her.” Had to be Bonkai, a funky little club on the edge of Tokyo. It was new and the sort of place Mitsuke would hang out. “Go to sleep—I’ll make sure they’re okay.” Perfect.

  “Really, are you sure?”

  “Positive. Hey, uncle, can you text me Phoebe’s number. Just in case I need it.”

  “Doing it now.”

  “Cool, thanks. Sleep tight.”

  “You’re an angel, Tai.” Akito yawned.

  I laughed and hung up.

  Me an angel. Yeah right. If he ever knew the dirty thoughts I had of Phoebe, he would never compare me to an angel. Demon was more like it.

  I smiled to myself. Scott thought he had one over me because I was supposedly tied up.

  Time to go see my cousin and her little sexy friend.

  I had the perfect plan.

  Phoebe

  Mitsuke took a sip of wine and grimaced, setting her glass back down on the table.

  It was nearly ten, I was now at least ten times more tired than I was earlier but damn, it was fun to hang out with her. And the club was cool. I liked the way they decorated the place with fluorescent pink, lipstick red, and sky blue colors.

  We’d danced for a little when we first arrived then retreated to this little booth to drink when her killer heels gave literally started killing her.

  Now it would be the drink.

  “Drink more. You have to,” she urged looking at my glass that was still full.

  “It tastes like shit.” I winced and did my best to keep my voice low.

  She didn’t want us to look completely stupid for ordering a five hundred dollar bottle of wine and not being able to finish it. Or have any. I hadn’t been able to get more than a sip past my throat. It would have been better if we just got shochu. I always loved the intense malt flavor mingled with the tang of alcohol. Definitely the best beer in the world.

  “How do you know what shit tastes like? Have you tried tasting shit before?” She giggled. I giggled too.

  It was that silly girly giggle that kept going forever. The kind that could have been about nothing and everything. Like being drunk but we weren’t drunk at all from the sip each we’d taken of the damn wine from hell.

  The giggling was just how we were when we got together.

  That was too long a gap for us.

  The wine was to celebrate us seeing each other again after eight months.

  I frowned when she pouted at me and then grabbed my glass and knocked back the whole thing.

  “Whogabaggabagga.” I gurgled. The wine made me do it. Thank Go
d the glass was small.

  Mitsuke burst out laughing, grabbing the attention of the hot guys who were sitting at the booth next to us.

  “Strong drink,” I told them with a little laugh. The cute blond one smiled at me.

  Mitsuke laughed some more. “I’m sorry. I forgot how crazy you could be.”

  “Me?” I pointed to myself. “Mitsuke, please let’s just get Diet Coke or something. I am actually thirsty.”

  “We can’t get Diet Coke now after ordering Côte du Rhône ”

  “Côte de blaeh, ble bleh.” I grimaced swallowing against the sharp taste that was still in the back of my throat. We both laughed again.

  “We’ll get you some water.” She signaled the waiter over and ordered two bottles of mineral water.

  “Tap would have been fine.” Again I spoke low.

  “Hey, stop cramping my style. Girlfriend, you are back in Japan and that is cause for the biggest celebration ever.” She nodded and raised her glass.

  I raised my empty one. “I’m in Japan. I’m not sure how I stayed away so long.”

  “Me neither, and I really wished that you didn’t.”

  “That’s going to all change.” We clinked our glasses and giggled some more.

  We looked good, really good. The black and white thing we had going on with our dress looked cool. We also both wore the matching Rhinestone necklaces Akito had gotten for us on our twenty-first birthdays.

  Mitsuke and I were destined to be friends. We were born a day a part. I could talk to her about anything, anything at all. I had a few friends back home but no one came close to her.

  Always, we did some sort of thing together on our birthdays.

  Eight months ago we met up in New York for a long weekend spa break. My poor body had welcomed the deep tissue massage I received from a Swedish masseuse called Hans. He’d told me there were more knots in my back than a macramé bracelet.

  It was the stress. At the time I’d seen Jason at a fundraiser and he had some bitch on his arm that kept looking at me.

  “I’m going to be here for a while.” I beamed.

  “Minimum six months?” she pouted. Doing her best impression of Joan Rivers on Fashion Police. Since Mitsuke had spent more time in the US than in Japan, particularly in her early childhood years when Akito and Rukia lived in San Francisco, she spoke with an American accent. She was also always in either LA. or New York because of her work.

  I laughed at the impression. I’d missed this. Her with her craziness, which complemented mine.

  “That’s what I was told. Minimum six months.”

  “Must there be a minimum? Can’t you just be here?”

  “Oh God, not you too.” I sensed conspiracy. Akito and Mitsuke trying to get me to stay in Japan.

  “What, me too?”

  “Your dad suggested I stay too, earlier.”

  She placed her hands on her heart and feigned innocence. Yup conspiracy indeed. “I can honestly swear I didn’t know he would ask you such a thing. But is it so farfetched. Imagine the shopping trips we could go on, and the men. Phoebe, I swear the men get hotter every day, and look there’s every kind of man you could meet in your life. All here,” she gushed, flipping her hand around.

  I wished that I could say she was wrong but she wasn’t. The guys in here were hot.

  “Men on the brain, Mitsuke?” I asked as if she didn’t always have men on the brain.

  “A little.” She chuckled.

  Mitsuke was model beautiful and could have her pick of the bunch. She was petite, stylish and owned her presence wherever she was. She was a fashion editor at Vogue, but could have easily been on every cover.

  “How was today? Please give me the exciting version.”

  “The whole thing’s exciting.” I beamed.

  “For you,” she said with emphasis. “Just try to remember that the whole getting excited over finding old pots and pans completely skipped me and was definitely not encoded in my genes.” Mitsuke shook her head, making the blunt ends of her straight black hair brush over her shoulders and settle in the crooks of her elbows.

  “Okay, exciting version. This is the kind of thing I’ve been waiting for, for a long time. It will definitely help put me back on my feet.”

  To that she smiled. “Yayy, see good things are coming your way already. And, I’m glad that you’ll have a break from that fucking prick.” Mitsuke could also make a sailor blush with her language. “Wish I could have seen you slap Jason, though. It’s so unlike you.”

  “I know.” I laughed at the memory of the shock on his stupid face.

  It really was so unlike me to do what I did. But the asshole deserved it.

  “He deserved it for what he’s put you through.”

  “Yeah, he did.” I grabbed a breadstick from the little bowl that had been placed in the center of our table and ate it.

  “Don’t you worry, Phoebe. I will take care of you and make sure you have the best time here. The first thing you need is a man.”

  Here we go. Day one. I wondered when she was going to start pestering me about getting a man.

  “I’m going to be too busy for men.”

  “Bullshit. You know it too. When was the last time you went on a date or had sex?”

  “Mitsuke.” I snapped my breadstick in half and glowered at her. Even though she lowered her voice, it was still loud enough for those close by or passing to hear.

  “What? It’s a natural question.”

  “How is that natural?”

  “Because the two are synonymous with each other. You’re telling me you’ve never had sex with someone just because you felt like it?”

  “Yes, I am telling you that.” My brows lowered. I would never judge a person, each to their own and all that, but I wasn’t as liberal with my body as Mitsuke.

  “Answer the question then?” The damn vixen pouted and gave me a crude smile.

  “Ugh. I can’t remember.”

  She frowned. “What do you mean you can’t remember?”

  “I just can’t remember.”

  I actually could. It was just after I saw her last. So eight months ago. I met Sam while I was running in the park. He was a surgeon.

  He seemed nice, but just a little too full of himself.

  I liked men who were more down to earth.

  He wanted to keep seeing me, but I told him straight that I didn’t think we would be a good fit.

  It reminded me how the dating world could be.

  Rough and tough. The glaze of meeting someone new was there but then it would fade after meeting them.

  That was the sad part.

  I kept thinking if I was going to date, bearing in mind my situation and all I’d been through with Jason, I needed to be with a guy that ticked every single box for me.

  If great sex was the highlight of my relationship then why not.

  But a down to earth personality was a must. That was one of the things that got to me most about Jason. We had nothing in common and never really talked.

  Down-to-earth types got me going, but probably got me in trouble.

  Like today with Tai.

  He was the most down-to-earth person I knew.

  I shouldn’t be thinking about him at all. I tried not to all day but he just kept sneaking out from the back of my mind and right there into the front.

  He looked really good today. What woman could resist a superhot ex- marine lieutenant who just happened to be staring at her like she was some sort of rare delicious dish?

  “How can you not remember?” Mitsuke shook her head again.

  The music got slightly louder and the lights around started flashing different colors, signaling the arrival of the late-night crew.

  It was still decent enough for us to talk we just had to raise our voices a little louder. Me dating was not exactly the conversation I wanted to be having now so I decided to embellish a little.

  “Yesterday.” Maybe that was too much of an obvious lie.

 
She frowned. “You had sex on the plane, or was that before you left home?”

  Damn, I forgot I was travelling most of the day.

  “Yes.” I held back in a laugh.

  “You liar, you can’t even make up a good lie.”

  “Okay fine, it was a long time ago.” I flicked my wrist, trying to talk it down like it didn’t matter.

  “Phoebe, how long?”

  I frowned. She wasn’t going to let up if I didn’t give her an answer. A better answer than I couldn’t remember.

  “It was just after I saw you last.”

  “Eight months?” she hissed.

  “Yeah.”

  “Phoebe.” She said my name in an exaggerated manner like she was telling me off.

  “Mitsuke.” I mimicked her.

  “God. I don’t know how you live like that. That’s going to change now that you’re here. I won’t stand by and watch you wither away into some… I don’t know prune.”

  I smiled. “Prune?”

  A sly expression played on Mitsuke’s beautiful face. “A new man is what you need.”

  “No.” I laughed.

  “Why? Why not? Phoebe, you’re beautiful, talented, and amazing. Don’t punish yourself. I would never do that.” She grabbed a breadstick and pointed it at me.

  “That’s because you’re Mitsuke Maderame.” And she had all the confidence that came with being her.

  Nothing was wrong with Mitsuke. She could meet a guy, have a relationship with him if she wanted to, and dream of the prospect for more. I, on the other hand, had limited options. I could do the first part, but getting to the relationship stage would mean telling whoever I was with that I couldn’t have kids.

  “And you’re Phoebe Walker. Look, sweetie, I know it’s hard. Remember, I know what’s happened to you, but that doesn’t mean you should swear off men.” Mitsuke shook her head and knitted her perfectly manicured fingers together.

  I sighed. “I’m not…”

  Something caught my eye.

  No… Someone.

  Tai just walked in to the club. He bumped fists with the bouncer and started talking to him.

  If I thought he looked good earlier that was just a taste of how good the man could really look.

  Earlier he’d worn a biker jacket. Now the true masterpiece was on full display in a white fitted long sleeved V-neck shirt that clung to his abs. It showed off every muscle on his mile-wide powerful chest and the peaks and valleys that ran along his torso.