As I watched him walk away, I asked Kari if I was doing the right thing. My head said yes and my heart said no.
Just as Kari started to back out, we both jumped at a loud rumbling and looked to find the source. That’s when I saw Tristan, my Tristan standing beside an idling motorcycle. He strapped on a helmet, swung his leg over the side and kicked it into gear, driving away in a cloud of dust.
Kari gave me a look as if to say, what the fuck? I could only shake my head, feeling like I didn’t really know the true Tristan after all.
“Kari, I don’t know what to do. I’m so in love with him, but if I give in, will it always be like this? I mean...you know, he’s never once told me he loves me. Will he ever tell me that he does?” I pulled my hair back into a ponytail before the wind tangled it up. Kari’s hair was straighter than mine and tangles weren’t a problem for her. I loved driving along the Pacific Coast Highway with the top down and half wondered if Tristan would blow past us on that Harley.
“Gin...I’d say you were a little harsh, but hey, what do I know?”
“You knew he was coming and you didn’t tell me. How’d you know?”
“I knew.”
“How?”
“God, Gin relax. I talked to him on Skype. He told me he wanted to surprise you. I said okay, no big deal,” Kari huffed.
“What else did he say?” I was getting annoyed at her curt answers.
“He said he wanted to see you and apologize and he asked if I could get you to the beach where you guys went the first time he was here. I told him I’d try. That was about it.”
“Oh em gee! You talked to him and watched me cry for months and didn’t even tell me? Since when is he more important than I am? I can't believe you! And you call me your best friend?”
“You are my best friend. This doesn’t change anything.”
We pulled up into the driveway and I got out of the car and stomped my way up the steps into the house. Kari yelled out, “I only talked to him three days ago, it’s not like I knew forever!”
I was already inside my quaint little house. I loved my sanctuary, clean, bright and decorated in different hues of green and white. It was so refreshing after a hot day at the beach, like today. I tromped through the house into my bedroom and threw my purse on the bed, grabbed my robe and headed into the bathroom for a quick shower.
I had sand everywhere, my bathing suit, my toes, my butt crack, I even felt it in my teeth. I loved the beach but sand could be pretty annoying. I stepped into the shower and thought about the two stupid fights I’d just had. One with a boyfriend and one with my best friend. I sure wasn’t at the top of the list of people to hang out with today. I usually wasn’t so hot-headed, but the whole Tristan coming back thing and Kari not telling me had my nerves on edge. I washed my hair and shaved all the necessary spots, thinking at the very least I’d apologize to Kari. Maybe I’d even go see Tristan tonight and see if he wanted to talk things over.
I really hoped we could get things settled once and for all. I was pretty sure I was in love with him, but I wasn’t sure how things would work out, especially with the Atlantic Ocean between us.
After the shower, I wrapped my hair in a towel and threw on my robe. I needed to find Kari, not a difficult job in our small house. She was right where I’d thought she’d be, watching TV waiting for me to get out of the shower. We lived in an older house so she had to wait until I finished showering before she could shower or the water pressure was so low, no one got clean.
“Sorry, girl, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” When she looked up at me, I knew what an amazing friend she was and I’d been extremely selfish to go off on her like that. It seemed I’d been selfish a lot lately.
She patted the couch beside her, “Come sit.”
“You’re sandy”
“And you’re wet, come sit.”
I squeezed in beside her, we weren’t the skinniest of girls but we made it work. I loved Kari, she was the best friend anyone could have and she was wise beyond her twenty-four years. She’d had a harder time in life than I did. Her parents weren’t wealthy by any means and she’d had to work for everything she had, whereas I had a lot given to me. My mom and dad lived in a rich little suburb outside Kansas City and had practically adopted Kari as their second daughter. She had a hell of a time explaining to them why I was in England. Apparently, my dad almost had a heart attack while Mom thought it was the most romantic thing anyone’s ever done.
Kari’s parents were somewhere in Washington. They hardly ever spoke and hadn’t even bothered making it to her college graduation. That’s where Mom and Dad had met Kari and fell in love with her instantly. We’d been a family ever since.
“Gin,” she started, “I know how much you love him. I totally understand. Maybe I fucked up, maybe I didn’t. I thought you’d be happy to have him here, a big surprise, and I’m sorry as well. You mean more to me than some long-legged, hot, sexy, richer-than-God Englishman.”
I laughed. She had a way with words. I cocked an eyebrow and asked, “You see that Harley?”
“Sure did. His hotness level just went up about a thousand fucking degrees.”
“Right?” I pulled the towel off my head, drying my hair with it and just that little bit of effort had me exhausted. “I’m knackered.”
Kari looked at me in surprise. “What did you just say?”
“I said I’m knackered. It’s an English word for being tired. I’m just bloody knackered.” That made us both laugh and I got up from the couch and added, “The sun and rich boy drama have taken their toll on me, so I think I’m gonna go take a nap. I just wanted you to know I’m sorry for being such a bitch.”
“Yeah, bitches aren’t cool. Unless it’s me. Then it’s all right.” She smiled and I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a big hug. “I love you girl. Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Yeah, yeah, go take a nap. I need to shower. Chuck’s coming to get me after a while. We’re going to the boat parade.”
“Newport?”
“Yeah, dinner and dancing. Some fancy schmancy stuff.”
“You really like him, don’t you?”
Kari scrunched up her face. “Ehhh...he’s alright. Not marriage material, but he’s fun to go out with.”
“Good, you don’t need to be thinking about marriage anyway.” I walked toward my room and paused, “Care bear?”
“Yeah?”
“Did he happen to say what hotel he’d be staying at?” It hurt to ask her. I didn’t know if I wanted to see him, to start the whirlwind all over again.
She looked over and smiled a wicked little smile. “Regency Place? Regent-?”
“Oh great, that’s the place he stayed at last time. Sure hope his dad isn’t there, too,” I scoffed.
“I don’t think he is. I think Tris came over to the States alone.”
“Cool, I’ll see ya in a bit. That sun wore me out.”
“Okay honey, sweet dreams.”
Chapter 3 — Tristan
When I got back to the hotel room, I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. Angry? Upset? Depressed? I thought for sure, Ginny would’ve been happy to have seen me again on the beach. I’d spent days dreaming about how she’d run into my arms as I walked toward her, barefoot in the sand. Almost the entire flight over to LA, I’d imagined her in that gorgeous swimsuit, the very same one she’d worn on our first date. I pictured myself ripping it off her, my mouth on hers, showing her how much she meant to me. I thought maybe she’d be a little upset, but I never expected her to yell like that.
I sat on the edge of the bed wondering what the hell I could do to win her back. She’d made it very clear that she didn’t give a shit that I was back in town. It seemed like she wasn’t even bothered about making time for me, either.
Although it was one of the biggest suites in the hotel, it suddenly felt tight and claustrophobic. I briefly considered raiding the mini bar but decided that for what I needed, mini wasn’t going to cut it.
I ran my fingers through my hair, changed my shirt to something more presentable and glanced at my reflection in the mirror.
The past couple of weeks had certainly taken their toll. Of course, I’d always had pale, English skin but I now saw a pallor that surprised me. Eighteen-hour days, worrying about Ginny, flights halfway around the world…it was catching up to me.
I shrugged it off and took the elevator down to the hotel lobby, which had both a bar and a restaurant within its cavernous atrium. Apart from the Continental breakfast this morning, I hadn’t eaten all day, but still couldn’t stomach the thought of a big meal. Although it was probably a little self-destructive, I decided drinking on an empty stomach would probably be the fastest way to get where I wanted to be .
As I sat at the dark mahogany and gold bar, sipping a whiskey from a crystal tumbler, her words echoed through my head.
‘You’re just a fucking rich guy who thinks he can treat people like shit.’
Is that what she really thought of me? After everything we’d been through, is that what it really came down to for her?
The logical part of my mind told me I’d fucked up, I’d made the wrong choice but I couldn’t deny what my heart was saying. I’d fallen for her, and despite all the difficulties and bullshit between us, I wanted to make it work.
My mind was busy with all these thoughts when a small, cold hand slipped over my eyes from behind.
“Guess who,” a voice whispered in my ear. She hadn’t even needed to speak. I knew it was Vanessa by the unique floral, vanilla perfume she always wore.
“Hello, Vanessa,” I said in a flat voice.
“Oh, you’re so good!” She released my eyes and bounced to my side, hand lingering around my neck. I hated to admit it, but she looked radiant. The California sun had certainly done wonders for her complexion. She wore an emerald green cocktail dress that hugged her slender frame, and blonde curls tumbled down her shoulders.
“I suppose I should’ve known you’d be here. Armstrong uses the same hotels in every city.” I’d been so preoccupied with getting to Ginny it hadn’t even occurred to me that Vanessa might be staying at the hotel, as well.
“Mind if I sit down or are you waiting for your…girlfriend?”
I clenched my jaw as she emphasized that last word, but chose to let it go. I wasn’t in any mood to fight and wasn’t even sure if I could call Ginny my girlfriend any longer.
“Go ahead; it’s a free country as they like to say here.”
Vanessa gracefully slid onto the high barstool and crossed her thin legs toward me. After she ordered a white wine, she smiled. It was beautiful and devoid of any emotion, much like her.
“I tell you what, California suits me to a T. Gorgeous weather, beautiful people, fashion. I don’t know why anyone would ever want to live back in grey old England.” She swirled the wine in her glass before taking a sip.
“It’s funny. People have these things called homes. It’s where friends and family live, you must’ve heard of those before, right? Most people don’t revolve their entire lives around material gain and superficial shite.” I spoke to her without looking at her, staring straight ahead at the lit display of alcohol.
“Come on, Tris, can we just stop this bitterness? You know me, I know you. Can’t we just have a drink for old times’ sake?” The sincerity in her voice startled me. I turned to see her holding out her glass for a toast. I hesitated for a moment, and then clinked my tumbler against it.
“Fine. I’m in a foul enough mood as it is,” I grumbled.
I’m not sure if it was the whiskey or if California had genuinely softened her, but before long I found myself laughing and actually enjoying her company. She was just as flirty as ever, touching my arm as she spoke, tossing her hair over her shoulder. I knew what she was trying to do and for some reason, I didn’t stop her. It felt good to actually be wanted by someone.
“Do you remember that trip we took to Ibiza?” she said with a giggle.
“Which time?”
“The time you got completely pissed and decided you wanted to go and swim in the sea?” She started laughing hysterically, barely able to finish her sentence. I felt a broad grin spread across my face as I remembered what she was talking about. “You stripped right down, in the street, tossed me your clothes and ran starkers right into the sea.”
I laughed. “It seemed like a great idea at the time. You should’ve joined me.”
“Maybe I will next time,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes at me.
She was bad for me. I knew it, and I wasn’t going to fall for her charms again. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings and luckily, before I even had the chance to let her down easy, a dark skinned man in a suit appeared behind her.
“Sorry, Vanessa. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting for so long.” He placed his hand on her shoulder in a familiar way and I noticed she tensed when he touched her. Who is this bloke? Then he nodded toward me, “Nice of this guy to keep you company.”
Vanessa’s eyes widened as she looked at him, and then me. “Tristan, Santos is the new North American manager your dad hired and Santos, this isn’t just some bar fly. This is Tristan Armstrong, your boss’s son.” I hated to admit but I liked the way she said my name, full of importance and weight.
Santos looked me up and down before sticking his hand out. “Tristan Armstrong? Well then, it’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. I’ve heard a lot of things about you, all good I hasten to add.” He flashed a big smile as he said it, but he didn’t appear to be sincere. “I’m Santos Luna, and this is about the time I stick my big foot in my mouth.”
“No need, really. How were you to know? Oh, and please don’t call me sir, I hate it,” I replied, still watching Vanessa’s reaction to this smarmy tosser. Was he some sort of poser? And my dad hired him?
He looked like he could’ve been a high paid hit man in that suit; broad shoulders, square jaw, sparkling white smile. There was just something about him that rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was the way he was touching Vanessa. Or the way her nipples hardened under her dress, or maybe the way she gasped when he placed his hand on her shoulder that got me worried. I was slightly drunk and feeling not only competitive, but maybe a little protective toward her as well.
As we finished our round of drinks, my third glass of whiskey, Santos attempted to guide Vanessa away to the restaurant. “You must be starving. Let’s put a little meat on your bones.”
I sniggered into my drink knowing that’s the last thing Vanessa wanted. I knew he’d just sealed his own fate.
“What a charming offer, Sir, but I think I’ll just order room service,” her words came out icy and unfeeling.
I saw his eyes darken and I knew there had to be something going on between the two of them. Could have been work, an office romance, anything but I sure as hell didn’t want to be in the middle of it.
Santos glared at Vanessa, then the darkness in his stare faded and he wished us both a good night. I felt a swell of pride that I’d managed to beat the suit, but when I glanced at Vanessa, I wasn’t so sure I was happy with the prize.
“Tris honey, why don’t we get you upstairs? You want me to help you back upstairs?”
Ginny’s beautiful face flashed through my mind, her eyes looking up at me, her warm smile. But just as quickly, I remembered her yelling, angry and hurt. My heart ached but I groaned and pushed it away, nodding to Vanessa.
“Yeah, that’d be great, cheers.” With a sly smile, she slipped her thin arm around my waist and guided me toward the elevators. She was talking endlessly about work, about parties she’d been invited to, but I wasn’t taking any of it in. I was operating on autopilot, wanting whatever kind of release I could get from the pain, however brief. If I’d paid any attention to the wretched words pouring out of her mouth, I wouldn’t have been able to continue.
The door slid open and she led me inside. I closed my eyes and leaned against the back of the elevator. As she pressed the button for the penthouse su
ite and the doors closed, I heard someone in the lobby shout, “Oh, hell no!”
Struggling to open my heavy lids, I asked Vanessa, “What was that?”
“What was what, darling?”
‘That yell, that voice? It sounded just like Ginny.”
“Oh darling, that’s how all Americans sound.” She snuggled against my chest, looking up at me and I had to look away. “I’m so glad this is happening, Tris. I knew you couldn’t stay away from me.”
I was looking for some type of release, a way to take my mind off Ginny, my father, the company…all of it. Vanessa just made it worse. I hated the way her bony body poked into mine. Mike used to call her a sack of antlers and after touching and experiencing Ginny’s lush curves, I was ruined. I couldn’t get the image of her big, peachy arse out of my mind. Ginny…what have I done?
As the elevator doors opened and Vanessa started leading me to my room, I shook my head, clearing it of the whiskey-induced fog.
“I can’t do this,” I whispered at first, my voice slurring slightly.
Without looking at me she replied, “Of course you can, Tris. This is exactly what you want. Where’s your key?”
“No,” I repeated with more force. “I won’t do this. You may have caught me off guard, but I know what I want and it isn’t you. Now go back to your own suite. If you leave now you might still be able to sink your claws into Santos.”
She slowly turned to me, her eyes icy and calculating. I’d seen that look many times before and knew what it meant. Trouble. Why couldn’t I just get rid of her and fall into my bed, forgetting the whole day?
“Tristan Armstrong, I’ve had enough of this little back and forth. I’m a patient woman but my patience is wearing very, very thin. It’s been fun for a while but we both know where we’ll end up. Our families are connected, there’s no escaping it.”
“Just because your dad invests in the company doesn’t mean—”
Oceans Apart 4 Page 2
