“Wow. When you said snacks I was thinking chips and French onion dip,” he teased.
“Puh-lease, never! I made the dolmas myself. It’s my mom’s recipe, well my sitti’s really.” He knew that was what she called her maternal grandmother, who was Lebanese. Trey’s father side was Eastern European. It was no wonder Trey was so exotic looking. Ian was some innocuous mix of caucasian.
“This looks amazing. I just hope I don’t get too full to eat the ribs.”
“Ian, I’ve seen you eat. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“Come sit with me, help me eat some of this. The shrimp can wait.”
He could tell she was mulling it over because the side of her mouth was crunched up.
“Let me just put these back in the fridge.” She turned off the grill and went back into the house.
When she sat beside him dusk was falling,There was a smooth buzz in the air—the hum of air conditioners, the chirp of insects—the symphony of summer. The air was warm and humid, causing Trey’s curls to cling to her temples.
“It’s really nice out here,” Ian said. Both of their feet were resting on the edge of the table.
“Thanks. I can’t take credit for the greenery. I don’t have much of a green thumb, but luckily it was already here, so all I have to do is remember to water everything. I did add the deck—well, me and my dad.”
“You built this?” Ian asked. She nodded. “Wow, is there anything you can’t do?”
“Yes, but it’s a short list…And don’t be so impressed with my carpentry skills. My dad did most of the work. He’s an amazing woodworker. He made that rocking chair over there.”
“I thought he was a doctor?”
“He is, but I think he went to med school to please his parents. He would’ve been just as happy making furniture and building things…Don’t get me wrong he loves being a pediatrician. My mom would have been happy no matter what he did. She thinks he’s the best man on the planet.” Trey’s face took on a dreamy quality when she spoke about her parents.
“It’s nice that you’re close to your parents.”
“Yeah, they’re pretty cool and I’m the only child, so they tend to think everything I do is fantastic. Even with the bar tending, they always tell people how hard I work to put myself through law school. They’re never embarrassed that I sling drinks.”
“Well, I’m with them, you’re pretty fantastic.”
“Hold that thought until you’ve tasted my cooking.” And with that she pushed off the couch and went to get the shrimp.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“I guess cooking isn’t on that short list, because that was delicious,” Ian said, stretching his back to ease the fullness of his belly. He’d eaten every bite, including the roasted corn on the cob and orzo salad she made as sides. “I haven’t eaten that much since…lunch.” They both laughed. It was true he had a hollow leg. He figured one day it would catch up to him. He ate healthy most of the time and worked out, so he couldn’t give good genetics all the glory.
Trey stood to clear the plates.
“Let me help with the dishes at least,” Ian pleaded.
“Nah, I’m just gonna clear the table and leave them for tomorrow.”
“What? You’re not going to clean everything right now?” Ian put his hand to his chest.
“Hey, I can leave it. I might wake up in the middle of the night with the shakes, but I can leave dirty dishes in my sink…most likely…probably…okay, maybe I’ll just give them a quick rinse.” He laughed and pulled the plates from her hands.
They had the kitchen cleaned in no time.
Trey opened another bottle of wine, but they both agreed they were too full for dessert. Trey said she would eat some for breakfast. “And maybe tonight before I go to bed…You wanna watch a movie?” she asked, as they walked into her living room.
“I’d rather talk than watch a movie.”
She smiled. “Me too.”
“I like that,” Ian said, referring to the song playing quietly in the background. “And I like this,” he said lifting his glass, the deep red liquid sloshed.
“Well, I’m not sure who that is, I’d have to check my playlist. As to the wine, it’s one of my favorite Zins. Bold and spicy, like me.” She winked and walked over to her iPod. “It’s the Broods if you really wanted to know.”
“Well, you have good taste in wine and, thankfully, in music, too.”
“I’m glad you approve, now I can finally release that chip on my shoulder.”
“Sure gonna miss your sarcastic ass.”
“And my ass is going to miss, you too—wait—that didn’t come out right.” They both laughed.
“It was good, wasn’t it?” Ian joked.
It was true, but it was also a relief—being able to joke about the “incident.” Before it was just something they didn’t mention, like if it was never brought up then maybe it never happened.
They sat in a content silence, listening and sometimes singing along with the music.They were on opposite ends of a large, slate colored sofa. Trey had her legs tucked underneath her, facing him, and Ian had his feet on the table, his shoes long abandoned. Ian wasn’t sure how long they sat there before Trey spoke.
“I hate to bring it up, but when’re you leavin’?” Her voice was soft and tentative.
He knew exactly how she felt.
“I guess next week sometime.”
“Would it be pointless to ask you to stay? I mean, Austin is so much cooler than Dallas.”
“I do love it here…but I love my house and all my friends are there.”
“Not all your friends.”
“Well, that’s true. I’ll miss Lucas and Viv. The crew at the Royal, my friends at work. Rory…but I’ll miss you most of all, scarecrow.”
That earned him a toe kick in the knee.
“Be serious,” Trey whined.
“Nevah!”
“I know you’ll miss me, and I know, that you know, that I’ll miss you too.”
“And I know, that you know, that I know, that you know, that I’ll miss you.” His exaggerated twang was met with an eye roll. This time he moved his legs in time to dodge her toed attack.
“Jackass…never mind, I won’t miss you. You’re aggravating and pompous.”
When she tried to get him again, Ian grabbed her foot and tickled.
“You know you love me,” he teased, as she writhed and squeaked.
“Stop, please! Stop! I’ll do anything.”
That got his attention. He stopped tickling but kept hold of her small foot.
“Anything?”
Trey stilled, then nodded with her lip between her teeth.
“Things just got interesting,” Ian said. He was half kidding, but the way her chest was rising caught his eye, not to mention her ample cleavage that was now in view. Her foot was soft and her toes painted a bright blue. He wasn’t sure what came over him but he pulled her foot towards him. The rest of her followed and the slide across the couch made her dress slide up her thighs.
This was a bad idea. This was a very bad idea.
They’d just got past the weirdness of their last encounter. But had they really? He couldn’t speak for her, but he had a feeling they’d both been acting their asses off.
He’d just been laying in Rory’s sheets that morning. That fact alone made him a complete asshole. But it was too late, his rational brain had been taken over by his cock and once that happened…
He pulled her until she was straddling his lap, all thoughts of bad ideas and other women’s beds evaporating. Their lips touched and they pulled away, testing the waters. That one touch of her mouth sent sparks into his limbs. Trey made a humming sound when his tongue twisted with hers and his hands held her hips. He was getting so rigid it was almost painful, but it was a good pain. A pain only release would cure.
But he wouldn’t get relief, not this time.
“Stop, stop,” Trey said, sliding off his lap and moving away from where he sat panting.
She put her hand to her mouth and sobbed, it was brief and tearless.
“I can’t. I just can’t do this again. I just got over the last time you touched me like that. Well, still not over it, really.”
“What’s wrong? I want this, Trey.” He stood up and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at his face.
“No…no, you don’t. You want right now and I can’t be that for you. I’m too invested.” She tried to pull away but he held firm. Whatever battle she waging with her tears, she lost at that moment.
“Please don’t cry, Trey. You know what you mean to me. It’s just—”
“Rory?”
“Well, yes and no. I care for her, but it wasn’t going to go any further.”
“Did she end it?”
“No. I think she…”
“She fell for you too? Well, I’ll be damned…I guess you’re more her type than I thought.” Trey gained her composure and straightened her dress. “Look, Ian, you’re leaving and we had a great night. Let’s not complicate things further .”
“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” Ian pleaded.
“Oh, but it is…at least for me.” The last part came out just outside a whisper.
“Oh god, please don’t look at me like that. I don’t need your pity…ha, pity” She looked at the ceiling and laughed—it was full of self deprecation. “You asked me if I’d slept with you out of pity. Remember?” He nodded grimly. She pressed her hand into her chest. “It was out of pity…but for me. I wanted you so bad, from the first time you walked into the bar. So you see, you took pity on me. I think I’m in love with you, Ian.”
His hand tensed with the impulse to brush away the solitary tear that trickled down her cheek. But he couldn’t move — too stunned by her confession. Was he really so oblivious? What occurred to him is that maybe he knew all along, but chose to ignore it.
“You have nothing to say?” she asked.
Ian stood silent, not sure what to say that wouldn’t come out like some placating bullshit.
She wiped her face with the side of her hand and took a deep breath.
“I just couldn’t let you leave without knowing…so now you know and I feel like a complete idiot.”
“No, don’t feel like that…Thank you for telling me.”
Thank you? What a fucking asshole—if he could’ve kneed himself in the junk he would have.
“Um, you’re welcome? You know what, just leave please.”
“Trey…”
“Just go!” she shouted. He knew anything he said at this point, besides a declaration of love, would only make things worse.
He walked to the front door and pulled it open a crack. “Well, thank you for the amazing dinner. Can I see you before I leave? Please?” He put all the pleading and puppy dog into his eyes he could.
“Sure, Ian. And I’m not mad at you. Well, not really. I’ve just never been on the unrequited side of things and it sucks is all.”
“Well, I have and I know it does.” He smiled and he got a small grin in return.
He decided to leave on that note, not so much a high one, but just above shitty.
Sleep hadn’t come easy and it seemed like he’d just closed his eyes when his phone rang beside him.
“Huh-llo.”
“Whoa, you sound like shit.”
“Thanks, Mads.” He cleared his throat a couple of times hoping to loosen the gravel.
“You tie one on last night or were you just tied up?”
He could practically see her eyebrows wiggling.
“Neither. I spent the night alone and had a lousy night’s sleep. Did you just call to harass me or is there a purpose to your early morning call?”
“Early? Dude, it’s eleven.”
“Oh, shit. Really?” He pushed himself up and focused his bleary eyes on the screen. Sure enough it read 11:05.
“What happened?” Maddie asked.
“Nothing, I just couldn’t get to sleep. Guess I have a lot on my mind about the move home and everything.”
“Uh-huh, okay…Well, Pinocchio, I called to see how the your big night went.”
“It was great.” He filled her in on the high points.
“I’m so sorry I missed it.”
“You feeling better?”
“Yes, thank God! I was able to eat a cracker around three yesterday afternoon.”
“You must be stuffed.”
“The good news is I think I lost like four pounds.”
“Oh, that makes all the hurling worthwhile…I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Me too. These past few days have been rougher than a sandpaper thong.”
“Ouch.”
“Exactly…So you coming home next week?”
“Yes. I think I’m gonna head out in the next few days.”
“Can you tell me an exact arrival time?”
“Why?”
“No reason.”
“Madeline.”
“What? I just wanted to make sure the place was clean when you arrive. That, and I wanted to make sure the glass was replaced by then…And the fumigator is coming on Monday morning.”
That woke him up.
“Glass? Fumigator? What the fuck, Mads?”
“Ha ha, just kidding…Bet you’re feeling spry now.”
“You are such a pain in the ass.”
“Duh…So you breaking some hearts when you leave or what?”
Ian had better get the coffee going. This story was going to take a while.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ian decided to meet Rory for a late lunch. She’d done a show last night and hadn’t rolled out of bed until noon.
“So, this is my fair thee well lunch, huh?” She leaned back in her chair. They were underneath a large yellow umbrella at Rory’s favorite Thai restaurant. Her eyes were covered by a pair of large brown sunglasses and her bright hair was braided to the side. Her bare shoulders looked smooth and her cheeks flushed from the heat, despite the shade.
“I am leaving, so I guess you could say that.” He smiled and grabbed her hand. She was special to him. They’d bonded on a deep level and she was someone that would leave her brand on his heart for sure.
Rory squeezed back then grabbed a spring roll and tore it in half. Ian got nervous because she was staring at her plate, suddenly fascinated by the carrot slivers poking out of the crispy shell.
“Ian…”
Oh no, here it comes.
“I just wanted you to know that getting to know you has meant a lot to me. I feel lucky to have spent this time with you, however short.”
He let out a breath. “I feel the same way….this didn’t end up as casual as it started, did it? But, I’m not sure how anyone could keep it casual with you, Rory. You’re a force of nature.”
He wanted to say that if he were staying things might be different, but he wasn’t sure if that was true. He felt like it was ending as it was supposed to—with love and gratitude. And it was a kind of love. Aurora Monroe was one of a kind.
“How is Trey handling your departure?”
“She’s okay with it, just a little sad, I guess.” Ian hid his surprise at the question.
“That girl has it bad for you.”
Ian shook his head. Denial had worked for him so far. So he decided to stick with that theme. It was his best option.
“You keep telling yourself that. I see how she looks at you…and how you look at her if we’re being honest. It’s like you two have this magnetic pull, a tractor beam.” She spread her arms out wide then brought them together until her fingertips were touching. “After the opening I realized there was no competition—I was out-womaned. But I wanted one more night with you, so I took it.”
“I’m glad you did.” He smiled, then it fell away. “Maybe you’re right…but I’m leaving, so it doesn’t matter anyway, right?” It should have felt weird—talking to Rory about Trey, but it wasn’t.
“I could care for her, I do care for her…it’s just…oh
hell, I don’t know what the fuck is going on. I think it’s just best to roll out.”
“Ian, maybe you should take the advice you gave me…barefoot, my friend. And sometimes you have to let the sun catch you. You chase it too long…you’ll be left behind only to watch it slip over the horizon.”
“I’m gonna miss the shit out of you, Rory.”
She laughed and took a long sip of her iced tea.
“Of course you will, man. I’m cool as hell.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ian found himself looking in the rearview mirror for the tenth time in so many minutes. It was pure habit. He could almost hear Ruby’s panting—see the tilt in her head when she knew she had his attention. The tongue draped out of the side of her mouth and soulful eyes.
He figured that was why he had an ache in his chest. He rubbed roughly up and down his sternum, hoping to alleviate some of the pressure. It didn’t help, in fact it just made his skin feel like it had an Indian burn…sorry, Native American burn.
When he was a kid he and his buddies would twist the skin on each other’s arms, each hand going in the opposite direction. The kid who could last the longest without yelping would earn some serious bragging rights. It was hard to be stoic when what little hair you had on your arms felt like it was being ripped off. Especially if Patrick Timmons was doing the twisting. He had freakishly large hands for a ten year old boy.
Ian could only assume that was what getting waxed felt like. How women did it to their beavers was beyond him.
So here he was…heading back to Big D with no dog and an ache in his chest. Austin was a distant speck on the horizon. He had several things on his mind. One of which was the confusing goodbye he’d had with Trey just that morning…
He’d just boxed up the remnants of his pantry and his favorite coffee mug that read, “architects:keeping it erect.” His sister could hardly contain her laughter when he opened that beauty one Christmas morning.
A sturdy knock reverberated through the quiet of his apartment as he placed the box by his suitcases. He’d already said goodbye to Lucas, Viv, and the kids. Rory the day before that. He was surprised at how his eyes had misted as he watched Rory’s golden-red mane walk away.
Chasing the Sun Page 11
