“Dude, you know it.” He bobbed in his seat.
Any fear I had that he was going to pursue me had vanished. This was a kid without a care in the world, or one ounce of focus.
“Thanks for the help. See you soon.” I waved as I dashed to my car. I had calls to make to the Hattman and Jones office, research to do on their hiring practices, and a story to finish before five. If Janet was happy with me earlier today, this was going to make her ecstatic.
* * *
I filed my story right before deadline. It was nice not to scramble. I had three stories in the books today.
As I was packing up to leave, Janet’s door opened.
“Strickland, stop by on your way out,” she barked.
“Okay.”
I turned off my computer and clipped my bag closed. I tapped on her door, and opened it slightly.
“Have a seat,” she directed.
I took one of the two chairs facing her desk. Her office was cramped. She barely had enough room to make the turn from the door into her leather chair. There was a tall, skinny window on one side, the other the window to the reporters’ world.
“You’ve had quite the day,” she mused.
“Yes. A busy one.”
“First there was the commissioner’s press conference, followed by the trailer park feature, and now the scoop on the resort contractor. I’d say it’s taken three months, but you’ve finally found your groove here.” She smiled at me.
“I’d like to think so.”
“My philosophy is when something is working you don’t interfere with it. I want you on everything and anything to do with the resort development. I don’t know how you got that Aiden Thomas interview, but get another one. Dig into Hattman and Jones. Track down more residents who will be displaced. Everything. All of it. It’s your baby.”
I looked at her, unsure of what to say.
“If you think there is something with the Costas story, go after it. Follow your instincts. They seem to be right so far. I shouldn’t have held you back earlier today.”
“My instincts?”
I thought about what damage my instincts had done. They had betrayed me. I had fallen into the arms of a serial player. Lulled by his insanely piercing eyes and his deep voice. Seduced by his hands and his lips. My instincts told me I could trust him with my secret. I had thought if he held me it meant he was listening. He cared. What I knew is that my instincts were total crap. I couldn’t trust Aiden. His agenda was clear.
“Yes, those go-getter, follow-the-story instincts. Your writing is strong. I wouldn’t have hired you otherwise, but since you’ve been here I’ve seen how you’ve struggled with what story to chase, what angle to write. You’ve got those instincts. The past week proves it. Turn out more pieces like you have, and I’ll let you write whatever features you want.”
“Are you serious?” My mouth had to be agape. I reminded myself I was in a meeting with my boss and tried to rearrange it into a smile.
“Have a good night, Strickland.” She dismissed me quickly. Janet wasn’t the type of boss to sit around after work and chat. She had too much on her plate.
“You too.” I wiggled out of the seat and maneuvered to the door. “Thank you, Janet.”
“Just keep bringing it.”
“I will.” I closed the door behind me.
I walked to the car, my feet barely touching the asphalt. I wasn’t going to think about the subject or how long I would have to follow the resort story. If I could give Janet what she wanted, then I could focus on something other than Aiden’s grand resort. I smiled. Suddenly, the sun didn’t feel blistering, and the steering wheel was bearable. I turned the radio up to seven and let my hair blow in the wind as I steered home.
* * *
I didn’t consider myself a beach novice, but I had never been to a bonfire party. Maybe tonight would be the first of many. I held up a pair of cutoff shorts and then a sundress. I opted for the shorts and a shirt with a wide collar that hung off my shoulder.
I fastened a pair of hoops on my ears and grabbed my bag. I was already running late. I sent Kaitlyn a quick text. I didn’t want her to leave without me.
Five minutes later I parked in front of the Dune Scape office. I tried to pretend it didn’t bother me. Who was I kidding? My eyes were fixed on Aiden’s door. My heart beat rapidly when I walked closer to his staircase. I didn’t want him to walk out and see me, and yet at the same time he was all I could think about.
I shook my head. The light was on. He was probably buried over a stack of financials. Or worse, he had someone with him.
Kaitlyn waved from the top of the boardwalk. “Hey, you made it!”
“Yes. Sorry I was running late. I didn’t really know what to wear.”
“That is perfect. It’s still hot on the beach even when the sun goes down. Cole’s already there helping Cal and Aaron get set up.”
“Is it a lot of work?”
She shook her head and I followed her steps onto the beach. We sank into the sand. Kaitlyn immediately shed her flip flops and carried them in her hand. I did the same.
“The guys collect driftwood and save it for nights like this one. I hope you ate.” She looked over her shoulder at me. “No food, only beer and some lime drink Sasha makes. I have no idea what’s in it, but it’s my favorite.”
“I had something before I left my apartment.”
“Good.” She pointed to the cottage next to us. “That’s where Cole and I live with Grayson and the twins.”
I took in the blue beach house. It looked like an ideal place to live with the man you were madly in love with. There was no doubt they were crazy about each other. “It’s cute. I’d love to see inside some time.”
“Definitely. The front room is crammed with baby stuff, but I’d love for you to come over one night. Grayson and the little ones are hopefully sleeping. We have a sitter for the night. Do you watch Hiatus or Zombie Island?”
“My DVR is overwhelmed with both,” I admitted. What else did I have in the way of a social life?
“Awesome. Cole barely tolerates them. It would be fun to have someone watch them with me. TV night this week?”
“I’m in. I can bring the wine.”
I could see the beginnings of a small flame as we walked closer. The sand was still warm between my toes. If I dug deep enough with my heel I would graze over a cool patch. There was a small circle of people scattered next to a line of coolers.
“I’ll introduce you to everyone. By the time you leave here you’ll know half of South Padre.”
“I need to meet people.” I said it with more sadness than I intended. “I should have relationships beyond my TV, right?”
Kaitlyn laughed. “Come on, drinks first.” She tugged me toward the cooler.
Within seconds I had a red cup in my hand and was sipping Kaitlyn’s favorite drink.
“Okay, you have to meet Cal and Aaron. Cal is married, but Aaron is single. Again.” She whispered the last word.
“All right.”
I didn’t come to the bonfire to meet guys. I wouldn’t admit it out loud, but Aiden had wrecked my interest in dating for a while. When I fell asleep I could still smell his skin, feel the warmth under my hands, shiver from the look in his eyes. He wasn’t easy to forget no matter how much I wanted to stop missing him.
“Carolina, who is this?” A lanky guy, with round eyes and a high forehead stepped toward us.
“Aaron, this is Veronica. She just moved here.”
“Nice to meet you. Are you one of Kaitlyn’s friends from back home?” He tipped the corner of his Stetson. I realized I was meeting an authentic Texan.
“No, we only met last week,” I explained.
“Who do we have here?” A guy almost a head shorter than Aaron slung an arm around the cowboy’s shoulder.
“Cal, meet Veronica.”
I smiled at him. He was cute and athletic, but if I had my stories straight, this was the guy Kaitlyn said was married. �
�Nice to meet you. Welcome to our little part of heaven.”
He tipped his hat. I was starting to think there was a kind of guy I had been missing out on. The hat trick was nice.
I couldn’t help but blush. They were sweet. “Thanks. Glad I could make it tonight.”
“Have either of you seen Cole?” Kaitlyn scanned their faces. “He said he would be here before me working on the fire.”
“Oh yeah,” Aaron offered. “He should be back in a sec. He and Aiden went to bring another cooler of ice. No one brought ice.” Aaron started laughing. It quickly turned to a snort. “None.”
Kaitlyn looked at me. It was probably written on my face. I was analyzing my escape routes. There was no way I was staying if Aiden was on his way back here.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know he would be here. He usually stays home and works,” she protested. “Shit. I’m sorry.”
I handed my cup to her. “It’s okay. He’s family and he lives here. I’ll just go before things get awkward.”
“Good lord,” Aaron slapped the top of his head. “What is it with pretty girls and Thomas boys?”
I looked at him, not sure I understood what he referenced, only picking up on his frustration.
“Thanks, Kaitlyn. Really. Maybe another time when he’s out of town?” I suggested.
“You don’t have to go. I’ll text Cole and see where they are. Maybe he changed his mind.”
I considered it for a second. But I knew it wasn’t right for me to stay. I didn’t want to see him and the longer I stayed the more I risked that happening.
“Come on, girl. Stay for one song.” Aaron shoved the red cup back into my hand. “If Aiden gives you any trouble I’ll take care of him.”
I stifled a laugh. The most Aaron could do to Aiden was wrinkle his clothes. The lean cowboy was lacking the muscle and shoulders. I looked around the circle. Whether I wanted it to happen or not, it had become awkward. They were waiting to see how I would handle the situation.
“Okay. I’ll stay and finish my drink.” I looked at Aaron. “And for at least one song.”
He looked happy. “All right. Now you’re talking.”
I wanted to stick next to Kaitlyn. “Did you text Cole?” I asked.
“He didn’t answer.” She scrunched up her nose. “Sorry.”
“Calford?” A girl with dark hair shuffled through the sand. Her eyes landed on Cal, and he tossed her in the air as if she were a feather. She started giggling.
Kaitlyn leaned toward my ear. “Sasha. They’ve been married less than a year, but it’s like a constant honeymoon. I apologize ahead of time if they make you want to vomit.”
I laughed. “It’s fine.”
She wasn’t kidding. Cal’s arms were wrapped around Sasha, while her legs hooked against his waist. They seemed oblivious to the rest of the party.
“I’ll introduce you in a minute.”
“Yeah, I’ll just wait on that one.” I turned away from the couple. “I’m going to feel the water. I’ll be right back.”
I walked toward the surf. There was enough light from the bonfire to illuminate a path to the waves. I felt the water splash around my feet. It tickled at first, but I sunk into the wet sand when the waves pulled hard with the current.
I sipped the drink. The lime drink reminded me of the margaritas in San Antonio. The night of tequila shots at Hank’s. The lime tasted too much like Aiden’s lips. I closed my eyes, wishing for a second I could let the waves pull me out too. I could float on top of the swells. My body listless and light, carried by something stronger than me.
My hair blew across my face, but I kept my eyes closed. I didn’t want to open them and face the party. I wanted to imagine for a few more minutes what it would feel like to let go of everything and wash out to sea.
Fifteen
Aiden
“There is a hell of a lot of ice in this cooler,” Cole grumbled.
He held one handle, and I lugged the other over the sand. It shuffled under our feet, making a path to the fire pit ask if it had been formed by a couple of sea turtles.
“Can’t drink warm beer though.” I nodded at him.
“Oh no. Not doing that.”
We had to make two stops before we had the cooler full. We weren’t the only ones in search of ice on Friday night. It had been a long time since I had gone to one of these parties. They always had a good time on the beach. Music. Drinks. Pretty girls. Someone usually ended up in the ocean before the night was over. It was the other side of the coin—the life I lived that wasn’t a million-dollar penthouse, or filled with cover models at cocktail parties. Here there was a realness hard to capture in the rest of my life. No champagne. No celebrities. It was friends. Family. No pressure and no demands.
We dropped the ice cooler near the end of the row, as the crowd parted for us. The chatter quieted the closer we got. Something was up. No one was dancing, and it looked as if they had forgotten to throw wood on the fire.
“Hey, you’re here.” Kaitlyn smiled, but I could see it. She was hiding something.
Cole examined her. He could see it too. He glanced at me. “Something happen while we were gone?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I might have screwed up. A little.”
Aaron traipsed over. “Kaitlyn’s not the one who screwed up.” He was always puffing out his chest where Kaitlyn was concerned. I didn’t know how Cole put up with it.
“Technically I did. Sorry, Aiden,” she apologized.
“Just tell us what’s going on,” I suggested.
She looked over her shoulder. I could see from where we stood there was someone down by the waves. I thought it might be a girl. I recognized the silhouette of long legs. What the hell? I started to lay into Kaitlyn, but she was already scrambling.
“I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight.” Her eyes darted in my direction. “And she’s leaving anyway. I didn’t want you not to come, and she didn’t want you to have to leave. She’s leaving.”
“Darlin’, darlin’.” Cole put his hands on her shoulders. “You are talking a mile a minute. Who is here?”
But I knew. She didn’t need to say her name or explain how it happened. I took off for the water.
“Aiden, wait.” Kaitlyn tried to follow me, but Cole pulled her back in the circle.
“Let him go,” he instructed.
I didn’t know what I was going to do. I only knew I had to see her.
The music died down the closer I got to the surf. The fire bounced shadows off the water. Her silhouette was still. I stopped before I was close enough to touch her. She was staring ahead. Maybe at one of the ships sailing by. The wind kicked up and my body seized involuntarily when I smelled her shampoo. Her long hair danced all around her.
“Ronnie?” I called her name. “Veronica.”
She turned around as if she had been expecting me to call her name. “I’m leaving. I swear I didn’t come here to crash your party. Kaitlyn didn’t know you would be here.”
“I know. She stopped me at the top of the beach.” I paused. “Second time today this has happened.”
“Second?” Even in the dark I knew the confused look on her face.
“I saw you earlier at the press conference.”
“You were there and you didn’t say anything?” She threw out the accusation.
“You were working. I was working.” I wasn’t going to tell her what seeing her did to me.
“Right. Because uncomfortable isn’t fun, is it?” She started to walk up the beach away from me.
“Hey, I thought we were talking.” I jogged to catch up to her.
“I’m going to tell Kaitlyn goodbye and head home. I don’t know what to say to you, Aiden.”
“How about something that doesn’t make my head spin?” I glared at her harder than I intended to. She had me switching emotions faster than the waves rolled in.
“Your head? Are you saying I’m throwing mixed signals?” She sounded incredulous.
&n
bsp; “Just tell me what in the hell happened in San Antonio, Ronnie. Can you do that?” I stopped huffing for a second to calm my voice. “Let’s not argue about it. Let’s not get mad. I want the straight, honest truth.”
“Which part? The part when I confided in you and told you things I’ve never told anyone, and then you kicked me out with a fucking credit card the next morning. Because that’s the part that really sticks out to me,” she fumed.
I scratched my head. “I told you I had a business meeting. Two to be exact. How could you be mad at me for that? I made sure you were taken care of.” Was she seriously mad about that?
She stormed farther down the beach. “I can’t do this. I’m angry. I can’t talk about it without getting angry. I can’t look at you without wanting to claw your eyes out.”
“That sounds a little harsh, sweetheart.” She had walked past the bonfire party. This part of the beach was completely dark. I had to step closer to try to see her face.
“I’m serious.” She spun to face me. “I’ll leave. You can go back to the party. We don’t have to do this.”
“We need to do this. I don’t play games. If this is some kind of game to you, the fun is over, I’m out. When I saw you this morning and then down by the beach again tonight, I thought I needed to say something. Try to apologize for something. Although I don’t know what had you so pissed.”
“You. You had me pissed,” she seethed.
“Because of the credit card? What about the stunt you pulled? I called. I texted. I had the damn bellhops looking for you. Do you know what it felt like when I thought you were missing?”
“Missing? Why would I be missing?” she hissed.
I threw my hands in the air. “I don’t know. Maybe because you had just told me a horrific story about how your sister is on the run.”
“You thought I ran?”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t know what I thought. I only knew I couldn’t find you. I thought you were lost or someone took you.” I sat on the sand. “Saying it out loud sounds damn ridiculous.” I laughed.
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