by L A Cotton
Her expression turned serious as she said, “You’re serious, aren’t you? About trying to win me over?” I gave her a little nod. “I don’t want to play games, Trey. Not with you, not again.”
“I’m not playing, I promise.” God this was bad timing. I didn’t want to do this here, now. But the way she was looking at me... it gutted me.
“What do you want from me?” The words came out shaky as if they physically hurt her to say.
“You, Kiera. I just want you.”
“I—”
“Order twenty-one,” someone shouted, cutting the tension between us like a knife. Kiera used the opportunity to turn her back on me and grab my order. She bagged it up and placed it on the counter and went to get Dad’s coffee.
“Here you go,” she said refusing to meet my eyes.
“Kiera...”
“Not here, Trey. Please.” She stepped back from the counter, putting more space between us, keeping her eyes on anything but me.
“You can run, you can hide, but this—us—we need to deal with it eventually.”
Her eyes finally lifted to mine, but Kiera didn’t speak. She pressed her lips together in an act of defiance. But that was okay. She could be stubborn, she could try to keep fighting me, but I was stubborn too.
And I wasn’t going down without a fight.
“HI, HONEY, GOOD DAY at the lot?” Mom said as I dropped down onto one of the stools.
“It was... work.”
“Trey, can you at least pretend to be interested? Your father is so excited to have you with him for the summer.”
I grumbled, “Yeah, whatever,” under my breath, but Mom cut me a hard look, one I hadn’t seen since my high school days. “Despite what you may think, your father loves you, Trey. He just wants the best for you.”
“And if working at Berrick’s Automotives isn’t what’s best for me?” I glared back at her.
She let out an exasperated breath. “So what is the plan? Because every time I ask, you don’t have an answer. Working for your father is honest work, and one day the business will be—”
“Mom, I love you, I do. But you need to realize I’m twenty. I’m not the kid I was back in school. I know college is important, I know I need to figure out a plan for when I graduate. But I have time.” I still had two years for fuck’s sake. “Maybe I’ll realize the family business is the way forward, or maybe I’ll realize I need to find myself trekking through the Himalayas, but I need to make those decisions. Me. After Callie...” I dropped my head, running a hand over my hair. When I lifted my eyes again, Mom was watching me. Waiting. I had to give her some credit. She didn’t railroad our conversations; she said her piece and let me say mine. Unlike my old man.
“Go on,” she said around a warm smile. “I’m here. I’m listening.”
“I never wanted to be with Callie,” I admitted.
Mom’s eyes grew wide, her lips parted on a quiet gasp. “But why would you... oh, I see.”
“Yeah. Dad was so pissed last year when he found out I’d been benched, and they were threatening to kick me out. I was acting out, I know that. And I couldn’t stand the way you both looked at me, like I was a disappointment. Believe it or not, Mom, I’ve only ever wanted you to be proud of me, but sometimes, the expectations... well, let’s just say I don’t handle the pressure very well. Anyway, when he threatened to cut me off, I knew I had to change something.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I never—”
“It’s okay, Mom, I get it. I’m your only kid. You want me to achieve great things. But I was in a bad place, I had some stuf...” I tamped down the urge to confess everything to her. “Callie took an interest in me and I knew it would earn bonus points with Dad if I was seeing someone of her... pedigree.” God, I sounded like a fucking idiot. But keeping all this bottled in for the last year had been hard work. And if I wanted to truly move on and earn Kiera’s trust back, maybe it was time I started being honest with the people closest to me.
“Do you know what he said to me when you found out about Callie?” Mom shook her head, but her eyes said she had a good idea. “He looked me in the eye and told me he was proud of me.”
“Trey, I’m sure he didn’t—”
“It doesn’t matter, the damage is done. I could never be with someone like Callie and deep down, I’m sure he knew it was only temporary.” I’m sure my old man knew it was only a matter of time before I screwed things up with her.
If only he knew the real story.
“I know I screw up a lot. I know I’m not the driven, focused son you hoped I’d be. But I’m me, Mom. And do you know the real kicker? I met a girl, one who doesn’t give two fucks if I’m going to be the next James Timson or play for the NBA. She doesn’t care if my idea of a date is burgers and fries in my truck, or if I drunk dial her at two in the morning. And I let her slip through my fingers because I was too worried about what everyone else would think.”
“She sounds very special,” Mom said, and I was sure she had tears in her eyes.
I should have known she would have homed in on the part where I said I’d met a girl. Mom was a romantic at heart. It was, I’d realized a long time ago, the only possible reason she could have put up with my old man for as long as she had.
“She is.” I swallowed over the giant fucking lump in my throat.
“Well, I hope the two of you figure things out and I get to meet her one day, Son.” She gave me a sad smile.
“Me too, Mom.”
Me too.
Chapter 20
Kiera
“We’ve really got to stop meeting like this.” Trey grinned down at me as I organized the salt and pepper mills on the shelf underneath the counter.
“Fourth time this week. You’re persistent, I’ll give you that much.” Brow arched, I stood up and brushed my hands down my apron.
“What can I say? When I set my sights on something, I go after it until it’s mine.” His eyes darkened and my heart did a little flip.
Damn him.
Every day, without fail, Trey had dropped by the diner and every day he made some veiled remark about us. And every day I told him what I told him the day before: I needed time. It wasn’t as simple as him walking back into my life and deciding he was ready to be with me. Not after everything that had happened.
Besides, in less than eight weeks, I would be moving to San Diego, sharing a dorm room with a girl called Lucy. I’d gotten my room assignment just yesterday, accompanied by an email address for my new roomie. I couldn’t deny the thought of sharing myself, my life, with some stranger, filled me with a deep sense of dread. But hopefully she was normal. Hopefully she wasn’t a judgmental asshole and wouldn’t take one look at my appearance and decide I didn’t fit into her idea of the perfect college experience.
“What can I get you, Trey?” I asked, my patience wearing thin for his games, even if secretly my heart fluttered every time he walked through the door.
“I’ll take two coffees, an iced tea, and three turkey subs. Hold the mayo for—”
“Paulie, got it. No chili fries today?”
“No, he’s on a diet.” He leaned in closer, whispering conspiratorially. “I think there may be a woman involved.”
“I think you have far too much time on your hands.”
Trey grinned, digging out his wallet and sliding me thirty dollars. “Keep the change. I’ve got to use the bathroom.” He started toward the corner of the diner.
“Too much information,” I called out, earning me a couple of glances from customers.
“Someone has it bad,” Kerri, the head waitress, sang as she passed the counter.
“Oh, I don’t—”
“I’m not talking about you, sweetheart.” She flashed me a knowing smile, her eyes flicking to Trey’s disappearing form. “Look at that ass,” she mouthed before attending to one of her tables. Just then, the doorbell jangled, and a group of kids walked in; trailing behind them was a face I hoped never to see again.
&
nbsp; Remy Barton.
This was not good.
They headed straight for the biggest booth tucked away in the corner of the diner, but when Remy noticed me, his eyes glinted, and he headed straight toward the counter. I eyed the bathroom hoping Trey didn’t choose this precise moment to resurface.
“Little Kiera Lessinger, what a surprise.”
“Remy,” I said curtly.
“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” His brows quirked up.
“We’re not friends,” I replied through gritted teeth, wondering what I did wrong in a former life to deserve this kind of torment.
“No, you’re right, we’re not friends,” he lowered his voice. “But we were something once. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
Tears of frustration stung the backs of my eyes as I inhaled a deep breath.
“Everything okay here?” Kerri appeared at my side, glaring at Remy as if she sensed he was bad news.
“Just saying hello to an old friend,” he said as if his words weren’t laced with a threat.
“Well, we have work to do, so why don’t you join your friends and I’ll be right over to take your order.” She flashed him a saccharine sweet smile and Remy smirked.
“Whatever you say.” He held up his hands and backed away slowly. Fuck, what did I ever see in him?
Remy was a creep—the worst kind. He loved every second of making me squirm.
When he was out of earshot Kerri leaned in and whispered, “You’ve got to watch out for ones like that.”
“Oh, trust me, I know all about guys like him.”
Trey chose that exact moment to leave the bathroom. His eyes narrowed on Remy as he made his way back to his friends and I held my breath. “Who was that?” he asked the second he reached the counter.
“No one.” I shook my head, forcing a smile but the way Trey’s brows bunched told me he didn’t believe me. But to my relief his order was up before he could push the issue. “Three coffees; three turkey subs, one with no mayo; and one iced tea. Here you go.” I shoved the bag toward him and got his drinks.
“Go out with me,” he blurted out, and my eyes widened.
“Trey...”
“I know, I know. You want time, but I’m done waiting.”
“Is that right?” Irritation flared beneath my skin. “And if I’m not ready?”
“Give me a chance.” He smiled and it was so warm, so genuine, I felt myself get pulled in. “One chance. If you’re still not feeling it afterward, I’ll walk away.”
Why did that idea fill me with panic?
I didn’t want Trey to walk away... but I wasn’t ready to jump in with both feet either.
Was I?
“One date,” he said. “That’s all I’m asking.” He glanced around and, when he was satisfied we didn’t have an audience, he added, “Kiera Lessinger, will you go out with me?”
My heart beat wildly in my chest, my palms clammy, tucked into my apron. It would be so easy to say yes, to believe he meant it this time. That he was all in. But what if he hurt me again? I wouldn’t survive.
“Kiera,” he lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “It’s you. It’s always been you.” His eyes glittered silent promises at me. Things I’d always wanted to hear from his lips.
“Don’t make me regret this, Trey,” I whispered. I won’t survive you again.
His eyes lit up, his smile infectious. “You won’t, I promise. I won’t screw things up again.”
I wanted to share his enthusiasm, but Remy caught my eye over Trey’s shoulder, his hardened glare cutting right through me. A violent shudder worked its way through my body as I was transported back three years ago.
“Kiera?” Trey glanced behind him and then back at me. “Who is that guy?”
“N- no one,” I said. “You should go. You’re going to get me into trouble. Besides, your dad will be waiting for his coffee.” And from the snippets of information Trey had fed me about his father, Mr Berrick wasn’t the kind of man you kept waiting.
Trey searched my face for another second before scooping up the bag in one hand and the coffees in another. “Thanks. I’ll speak to you later.”
It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t answer. Something told me Trey wasn’t going to let this date thing go, and deep down, part of me wanted to go out with him.
Part of me wanted to give him another chance.
He left the diner, but not before looking right at Remy. The two of them locked in some weird pissing contest. But as the door closed behind Trey, I realized, the second he had reappeared from the bathroom I’d felt relieved. Safe, even. And now he was gone, I felt like I was waiting for Remy to strike. Because this was all a game to him.
A sick and twisted game I thought I’d escaped years ago.
WHEN I GOT HOME, I was bone tired. I’d agreed to work a double shift, but my muscles were paying the price. All I wanted was a hot shower and my bed, but when I saw Remy’s car in his mom’s driveway, dread pooled in my stomach.
I rushed inside the house, locking the door behind me. “Is that you, sweetheart?” Mom’s voice called out from the bathroom.
“It’s me, Mom.”
“I’ll be right out. There’s leftover pizza in the refrigerator.”
“I’m good, I ate at the diner.” If I had to look at another pizza or burger, or fry for that matter, it would be too much too soon.
Kicking off my shoes, I dug out my cell phone and dropped it out of the counter just as it vibrated.
TD: Tomorrow at eight, be ready.
Me: I’m working the afternoon shift. I don’t get off til seven-thirty
TD: I’ll wait
Me: Has anyone ever told you too much persistence reeks of desperation?
TD: I’ll take my chances
I smiled, I couldn’t help it, as I tapped out another reply.
Me: Goodnight, Trey
TD: Until tomorrow
My smile grew. I was in trouble.
So much trouble.
“How was work?” Mom came up behind me.
“The usual. I need a shower and then an early night.”
“I know you want to save some money before college but don’t work yourself too hard, okay? It’s your last summer before I lose you. It’d be nice to spend time together.”
“Sure thing, Mom,” I gave her a half-smile, grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, and headed down the hall to my room.
“I’m proud of you, baby,” she called. It was beginning to be a thing with her, and I didn’t know how to feel about it. I knew she was proud, but I also couldn’t help but feel like her own guilt over everything made her act this way. Either way, it was exhausting constantly trying to decipher her motivations.
My cell bleeped again and I half-expected to see Trey’s name, but it was my brother.
Kyle: How do you feel about a birthday party?
Me: No!
I didn’t want anything that involved me being the center of attention. Absolutely not.
Kyle: Wrong answer, Sis. Rebecca already reserved The Coastal.
Me: Well make her unreserve it
Kyle: And hurt her stepmomster feelings? :(
Ugh. It was like talking to a brick wall.
Me: You can have the party... I just won’t be there.
Kyle: Consider it killing two birds with one stone. It’ll be your eighteenth and leaving party all rolled into one...
Me: It’s still a no. Good try though
Kyle: We’ll see! I’ll be home next week
Me: I can hardly wait...
Kyle: You love me really
Me: You wish
With a frustrated sigh, I threw my cell phone on the bed, following it down onto the soft mattress. I didn’t want a party. I didn’t want any fuss at all. But I knew I was fighting a losing battle now Rebecca was involved. The woman was relentless. Her and Laurie had almost planned every detail of the wedding... the one not happening for another two years. Poor Mrs. Davison, Laurie’
s mom had hardly gotten a look in on the decision-making process. And as her bridesmaids, me, Lo, and Summer were just there to look pretty and agree with Laurie.
I hated weddings; not that I’d ever been to one.
But the idea of being on show like that, all eyes on me. Ugh. No thank you.
My cell started ringing and I cussed Kyle under my breath, but when my eyes saw Trey’s name, my heart skipped a beat. “Hello?”
“Hey,” he sounded sleepy.
“You do know you’ve crossed into stalker mode now, right?”
The rumble of his laughter filled the line. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I sat up, folding my legs in front of me.
“Because I realized where I know diner guy from...”
“Diner guy?” Laughter tumbled from my lips. It was a lame attempt at deflecting, but I didn’t want to do this. Not now. The fact Trey even recognized Remy after all this time was astounding. He’d seen him once, standing at my window.
“Kiera...”
“Trey...”
“Has he been coming around a lot?” His voice was strained.
“He’s back... in town. I’ve seen him a couple of times. I don’t know why he was at the diner today.” Brownie’s was in Wicked Bay. But then so had the Prom after party and Remy had showed up to that.
“I don’t like it,” Trey said. “If he’s sniffing around—”
“He isn’t sniffing around.” I lied. “He’s just, I don’t know... being his usual asshole self. I can’t believe you remembered him.”
“Kiera.” My name left his lips on a gentle sigh. “I remember everything about you.”
Oh.
“You don’t need to worry about Remy, Trey.”
“I’m not worried about Remy. I’m worried about you. What that asshole did to—”
“Don’t, please don’t.” I curled my fingers into the bed sheet. “Remy is in the past.”
“Okay.” He conceded. “But if he gives you any shit, I want you to tell me.”
“Okay.” Another lie. I didn’t need Trey fighting my battles, especially not Remy-shaped ones.
“Goodnight, Kiera.”
