Finding Storm

by Samantha Towle

  I press my lips together and pout. “Well, I was going to have something sweet too, maybe cake …” I let that pout turn into a smile.

  His hand reaches out and tucks some stray tendrils of hair behind my ear. “I’m sure I can manage something sweet.”

  His fingers linger a moment before moving away.

  I don’t even think he realized that he did it. Did he?

  But I’m realizing and … holy shiz!

  The way he just touched me. That’s intimate, right? Or am I being a total numbnut and reading that wrong?

  But the way he’s been looking at me …

  And I know he was thinking about kissing me earlier, back at the B&B.

  Maybe he likes me.

  Or maybe he just wants to fuck you.

  Probably the latter.

  We’ve known each other for the smallest amount of time. He’s only passing through town. Nick is not here to stay.

  And you don’t do one-nights.

  Although I’m starting to revise my thoughts on that.

  Shallow as it sounds … he’s really hot. But I like him too. He makes me laugh.

  And I mean, really, what kind of damage could a one-night stand do to me? Hopefully, the good kind of damage from being thrown around by the big guy.

  Seriously though, the worst that could happen is I’d have a couple of orgasms because Nick looks like a-couple-of-orgasms kind of guy, or is that my wishful thinking? Nah, he definitely looks like he wouldn’t leave a girl unsatisfied. And after, I’d feel a little sad when he was gone.

  But that’s it.

  My heart wouldn’t get hurt.

  I’d be fine.

  And I’d have one hell of a memory to think about when I was forty and still single.

  I lead the way over to the counter, Nick following, and wait behind the person being served.

  Pen’s green eyes keep flicking to Nick as he peruses the pastries. She looks like she has a nervous tic. I’m dying to laugh. I know this is killing her.

  I can practically read her thoughts …

  Holy shit, he’s hot. Who is he? Has Stevie finally gotten over her dry spell? God, he’s hot.

  And a little more about him being hot.

  I’m grinning to myself.

  One of Pen’s colleagues, Gary, comes over to serve me. “Hey, Stevie. What can I get you?”

  Pen’s going to be pissed that Gary beat her to us.

  “I’ll have a blonde, vanilla-bean, coconut-milk latte and a confetti sugar cookie, please, Gary. Nick?” I say.

  When he doesn’t respond, I turn my eyes his way.

  The way he’s looking at me with total amusement curving his lips has me saying, “What?”

  “That’s quite a drink.”

  “Well, I’m quite a girl.” I imaginary flick my hair off my shoulder.

  He’s staring at me behind those sunglasses he’s still wearing. I wish I could see his eyes. Know what’s in them as he looks at me.

  Then, he nods. “That you are.”

  He pulls his eyes from me, and I allow myself to breathe.

  Holy shiz!

  “I’ll take an Americano and a slice of pumpkin loaf, please, man.”

  “For here or to go?” Gary asks us.

  “Stevie’s staying,” Pen calls out, answering for us. “And I’ll bring them over to your table.”

  Laughing, I say to her, “Do I get a say?”

  “Nope.” She smirks.

  Her eyes go to Nick again before coming back to me, and her eyebrows lift in question.

  I just shrug, smiling, giving away nothing.

  She’s totally going to grill me about him. And she won’t be shy about asking questions in front of him either. Diplomatic Penny is not.

  “So, I’m taking it, the redhead is your friend Penny,” Nick says as we take our seats across from each other at a table close to the back of the shop that he led us to.

  I usually like to sit by the window and watch the world go by. But I don’t mind sitting where he wants to.

  “Yep,” I answer.

  “How long have you been friends?”

  “Since kindergarten. Aside from my family—well, Pen is my family too—she’s the best person I know.”

  She’s witty, smart, awesome, and she totally gets me.

  We’re very similar in traits as well as looks. Same-ish height, except Pen’s got an inch on me. Same build, slim with boobs and an ass. The only difference is, I’m blonde, and Pen is a redhead. I tan, whereas she’s pale. She has freckles on her face and shoulders that she hates, and I’m totally envious of them.

  “So, Nick Slater”—I put my elbow on the table and prop my chin in my hand—“do you always wear sunglasses inside?”

  Really, I’m just asking because I don’t like not being able to see his eyes. They’re so damn pretty.

  He shrugs. “Bad habit, I guess.” He takes them off, putting them on the table.

  I notice the first thing he does after removing them is glance around the room, almost self-consciously. Then, he angles his body, giving most of his back to the rest of the room. He also seems really uncomfortable.

  Huh?

  Not that I’ve known him long, but he seems to be a confident guy, and this seems out of place for a confident person. This is more the action of a less than confident person. Maybe a person who doesn’t like to be in social situations.

  Maybe he’s not comfortable in social situations, and he uses the glasses as a crutch.

  I feel bad all of a sudden.

  “I was just teasing about the sunglasses, you know. You didn’t have to take them off.”

  “No. You’re right. Only pricks wear sunglasses indoors.” He smiles, but it’s not his usual smile. It seems a little forced.

  “Pricks. And famous people,” I point out.

  “Yeah. Those too.”

  Pen appears at our table a second later, tray in hand.

  “That was quick,” I say to her.

  She shrugs. Puts the tray containing our coffees and food down on the table.

  Then, she sits down on the chair next to me.

  I’m not surprised at all.

  Penny hasn’t seen me with a guy … well, since my douche-bag ex.

  This is a big deal even if Nick and I are only friends. Not that she currently knows that. Or knows that I would like to climb him like a tree.

  “You on your break?” I ask her.

  “Nope. But I can spare five minutes to chat. I’ve missed you.”

  I’m grinning because I know, even if this place was packed to the rafters and she was rushed off her feet, she’d still be sitting here right now. And miss me, my ass. She saw me yesterday. We had lunch together.

  “You saw me yesterday,” I reiterate my thoughts out loud just to wind her up.

  “Yesterday was yesterday. I need my Stevie fix every day.”

  Grinning at her, I reach for the sugar to put in my coffee. “Aw, you love me.”

  “Bitch, please. You know I do. Now, aren’t you going to introduce me to your new friend?” She gestures to Nick, whose eyes are on me. Not Penny.

  Huh.

  I’ve always thought of Penny as the prettier of the two of us. I think that because it’s true. She’s like a young Julia Roberts in Steel Magnolias.

  Gah. I love that movie. Makes me bawl every single time I watch it. When Shelby dies … I choke up, just thinking about it.

  “Penny, this is Nick Slater. Nick, this is my bestie, Penny Parrish.”

  “Nice to meet you,” he says.

  “Nick you say?” Penny’s looking at him with serious curiosity. More than he’s a hottie curiosity.

  Huh.

  “Yep. Nick.” He picks his coffee up and takes a drink.

  “Hmm,” she murmurs. “You look really familiar though. Like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

  “I get that a lot. I have one of those faces.”

  “Nick’s from LA,” I tell Penny, feeling the need to i
nterject.

  Her eyes spark with something. “LA you say?”

  “Mmhmm.” Nick nods. He’s pulling apart his pumpkin slice with his fingers now. Putting a piece in his mouth, he starts to chew.

  “What brings you all the way out here?” Penny asks.

  I can see that Penny’s questioning is making him feel uncomfortable. She can do that sometimes—make people uncomfortable without meaning to. It’s just because her intrusive nature doesn’t have an off switch. She means absolutely no harm. She’s just similar to Gran in that way—nosy.

  “Vacation,” I answer for him. “His car broke down. I went to tow him. He’s staying at the B&B.”

  Her eyes come to me. There’s a definite smile in them. “And now, you’re having coffee together.” That translates into, Are you also having sex together?

  Pen is always on me to start dating again. I’m twenty-four years old, and I’ve dated one man my whole life. I wouldn’t even know where to start. And I don’t think I want to.

  The thought of having a man in my life again, giving someone else the power and opportunity to squeeze my heart to a pulp …

  Er … no, thanks.

  Pen says, if I don’t want to date, then I should at least give my coochie to a man every once in a while. Keep it alive. According to her, if I don’t, it’s going to shrivel up and die, and when a coochie dies, there’s no reviving it.

  I used to think no … but meeting Nick has definitely got me thinking other things.

  Thinking maybe Pen is right about the sex thing.

  Who are you, and what have you done with Stevie Cavalli?

  “Pen!” Gary calls. “Need you!”

  “Christ almighty.” She sighs. “Coming!” She gets up from her seat. “I’ll call you later,” she says to me. Meaning she’ll call me as soon as her shift here is over, so she can grill me about Nick.

  I might not answer her call, make her sweat it a bit.

  Not knowing the full details will kill her. Not that there’s a lot to tell. It’s not like anything has happened with Nick.

  Except the I think he was about to kiss me thing earlier. And the hair-tucking thing a few minutes ago.

  “Nice to meet you, Nick.”

  The way she says his name catches my attention. It was definitely pointed.

  Wonder what that was all about?

  I glance at Nick, but he’s watching Pen as she walks away, a furrow in his brow.

  Huh.

  If I didn’t know better, I’d think they’d met before.

  But if they had, Pen would have told me.

  Although she was questioning if she did know him from somewhere.

  Weird. It’s not like Pen’s ever been to LA. And Nick hasn’t been here to Lake Havasu before, so I can’t see how they would have met.

  Nick’s eyes move to mine. He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “You’ve not eaten your cookie,” he says.

  “What? Oh, yeah.” My eyes go down to it before coming back up to his face. “Make me a promise before I do?”

  His eyes twinkle. Like literally fucking twinkle. “Sure.”

  “Don’t tell Gran I ate a cookie before dinner, or she’ll kick my ass.”

  He chuckles. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  Smiling, I pick my cookie up and take a bite of the sugary goodness, enjoying the feel of the sprinkles dissolving on my tongue.

  The friend made me.

  I could see it in her eyes. She recognized me, but she couldn’t figure out where from. Won’t take her long to realize.

  For fuck’s sake.

  I was enjoying my anonymity. Actually enjoying it is putting it mildly. I was fucking loving it.

  I like Stevie not knowing who I am. Just having her get to know me. The real me.

  Part of me thinks it won’t matter to Stevie when she finds out who I really am, but then who really knows for sure?

  I didn’t think my family would keep something as big as what had really happened the night Jonny died, but they did. So, Stevie could completely change the way she is with me when she finds out I’m Storm Slater.

  I probably should just tell her. Get it over and done with. Before her friend tells her. But I’m a selfish bastard, and I want to keep riding this Nick wave and enjoy having her treat me just like I’m any other regular guy.

  I’m not ready for the disappointment I’ll feel if she turns out not to be the person I think she is.

  The kind of person who won’t give a shit whose son I am, what I do for my job, or that my life details are a regular in the tabloids.

  I’ve had enough disappointment today to last me for a while. I’m not in the mood for more.

  It’s crazy to think that, this morning, I was in LA, doing an interview, finding out a long-hidden secret, and feeling like my world was about to fall apart. And, tonight, I’m in a B&B in Arizona, spending time with this crazy, beautiful girl who makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.

  Life is strange at times.

  And ain’t I glad for it?

  And for whoever was looking down on me today when they put Stevie in my path right when I needed her.

  Maybe it was Mom’s doing.

  I’ve barely thought about what happened while I’ve been with Stevie. She seems to take the bad shit right out of my head. I can honestly say I haven’t laughed as much as I have with her in … well, ever.

  She makes me laugh like no one ever has before.

  She’s fucking awesome.

  We got back to the B&B a few minutes ago after leaving the coffee shop. Stevie had us singing Whitesnake songs all the way home. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to listen to “Here I Go Again” without thinking of her terrible singing.

  She totally crucified the song.

  And here’s me, smiling at the thought.

  Who would’ve ever thought the sound of terrible singing would have me grinning like an idiot?

  But everything Stevie does makes me smile.

  Dropping my bags on the bed, I kick off my boots and pull my jacket off, tossing it next to my shit on the bed. Taking my new toothbrush, toothpaste, and shower gel, I go into the bathroom and turn on the shower.

  I parted ways with Stevie downstairs, so we could both freshen up before dinner. It’s the first time I’ve been away from her since I met her.

  And, weirdly, I’m eager to get back to her.

  Go figure.

  I strip off my clothes and step under the spray, turning my face up to the water.

  Finishing in the shower, I turn it off and wrap a towel around my waist. I brush my teeth. When I’m done, I dry off, leaving the towel in the bathroom.

  I dress in the pair of jeans I bought and a white T-shirt.

  Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I get my cell out of my jacket.

  Palming it, I stare down at the black screen.

  I’ve kept it off all day. I only turned it on when I had to call the garage. Turned it straight back off again.

  I know there’ll be a bunch of messages and voice mails on there.

  I’m just not ready to listen to them yet.

  My parting words to Jake, Tom, and Denny echo in my ears.

  “As far as I’m concerned, the three of you are as dead to me as Jonny is.”

  It was a shitty thing to say.

  I feel like a total prick for saying that. I didn’t mean it.

  I was just mad as hell.

  I’m still mad.

  But I can’t bring myself to talk to them yet.

  I know I will at some point. But not today.

  And it’s not a conversation to be had over the phone. I’ll have to go back and face them at some point.

  But that day isn’t today.

  It’s not like I can leave anyway.

  My car is here.

  I can’t go anywhere until she’s fixed.

  Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Slater.

  It has nothing to do with Stevie or the way she makes yo
u feel when you’re around her. Or the fact that you want to nail her.

  Okay. I could leave anytime. I could get a rental and drive back and have my car sent to me when she’s fixed.

  But I like being around Stevie. Like the way she makes me feel when I’m with her.

  I’m not ready to leave that feeling quite just yet.

  And, honestly, I think the break from LA will do me good.

  I do need to let the boys know though.

  I’m sure the news of me assaulting that journo has hit the press. The boys are probably wondering what the fuck is going on.

  I turn on my phone and wait for it to come to life.

  The screen lights up, and it instantly starts buzzing in my hand with incoming messages.

  I don’t look at them. I swipe the screen up and go to the Call app. I hit Raze’s number, put the cell to my ear, and wait for it to connect.

  He answers on the second ring. Raze never answers his phone that quick. He must be worried.

  “Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been calling you all day. Cash and Levi too. You hit a journo, man. What the fuck happened?”

  I sigh. “I didn’t hit him. I just … roughed him up a bit. It was a setup. He told me stuff … about Jonny. Goaded me. He wanted me to hit him.”

  “Jake called, looking for you. He didn’t tell me anything. But it’s all over the news. The video of you and the journo. The stuff about Jonny … I’m so sorry, man. I can’t believe Jonny knew about you. That’s fucked up. You okay?”

  “Getting there.” I sigh.

  “Where are you? Come to mine. We’ll sink some beers, talk it through.”

  “That’ll be difficult … I’m in Arizona.”

  “The fuck!” He chuckles. “What the hell are you doing there?”

  “I went to TMS Records, saw Jake, Tom, and Denny … it didn’t go well.”

  “Fuck … I can imagine,” he says low.

  “After that, I got in my car and just started driving. Somehow ended up in Arizona.”

  “Well, get your ass back!”

  “Can’t. My car broke down.”

  “No fucking way.”

  “Yeah. It’s in the garage as we speak.”

  “Where are you now then?”