“Still don’t want to go to the after-party?” Tessa appeared at his side, her expression teasing.
He glanced back over at them then turned to Tessa. “Sure, let’s go.”
Her expression lit up. “Really?”
“Yeah, really.” Going to a bonfire would be much better than lying in bed, unable to think of anything other than Judy spinning around the dance floor with Dustin McGraw.
An hour later, he sat next to Tessa on a large piece of driftwood in front of the blazing fire. She snuggled up to him and pulled on the blanket wrapped around their backs.
All Gary could think about was Judy dancing with Dustin. Every time he closed his eyes, that was what he saw. Every time he opened his eyes, that was what he saw.
Some guy blared music and someone else passed out bottles of beer. Gary shook his head, not wanting any.
“You sure?” Tessa asked.
“Yeah.”
She pouted but didn’t protest as she opened her bottle. “Bottoms up!” She guzzled half her drink then offered it to him.
He shook his head.
“You’re no fun.” Tessa frowned.
“I can live with that.”
“Come on, Gar. Live a little.” She shoved the bottle into his hand.
“No, thanks.” He gave it back to her.
Tessa grumbled but then finished off the bottle.
Gary took a deep breath and brushed some snowflakes from his pants. That must’ve given her an idea, because suddenly her hand was squeezing his leg just above the knee—and moving up.
He jumped to his feet. “I need to get back home.”
She glared up at him. “You’re not at all what I expected!”
“You shouldn’t have expected any different!” Gary stormed away.
Just before he reached the parking lot, the sounds of crying stopped him in his tracks. He spun around until he saw her.
Judy. She sat curled up next to a rosebush, crying into her hands.
Chapter 6
A range of emotions ran through Gary—everything from worry to fury. He had half a mind to find Dustin and punch him in the face. Repeatedly. But first, he needed to take care of Judy.
“Judy?” He kept his tone soft, not wanting to startle her with his anger.
She looked up and rubbed her eyes, smearing makeup. “Gary?”
“What’s the matter?” He sat next to her. “Why are you here alone?”
Judy sniffled. “Dustin brought me here. I just thought it’d be roasting marshmallows and singing carols, you know. But it wasn’t.” She shuddered.
Sweet, innocent Judy. He loved that about her, but his stomach twisted as he knew he wouldn’t like where the story was going.
She wiped her eyes again. “I’m stupid, and you’re here to witness it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just what I said.”
He struggled to keep his emotions off his face. “You’re anything but stupid, Judy. Don’t even let yourself think that. What did Dustin do?”
She only shook her head.
Gary took a deep breath. “You don’t have to tell me, I have a pretty good imagination. Want me to find him and have a talk with him?”
“No. It’s probably my fault. I gave him the wrong signals.”
He put his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “You did nothing wrong. Do you hear me? Nothing! He should’ve kept his grubby paws to himself.”
Judy looked away. “I just want to go home, but I didn’t drive.”
“Where is that jerk?” Gary looked toward the bonfire but couldn’t tell if Dustin was there.
“Don’t worry about him. I already chewed him out.”
“I’ll chew him out with my fist,” Gary muttered.
“Why do you care so much?” There wasn’t accusation in her tone, like he’d have thought.
“He hurt you.”
“I’m fine.”
Gary shook his head. “You’re crying.”
“I’m upset, not hurt.”
“What did he do, exactly?”
She looked away. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“That guy needs his face rearranged.”
“No! I just want to forget about it. He had too much to drink, and he stopped once I got mad at him. It’s over.”
“You can’t just forget about something like this!”
Judy narrowed her eyes. “I can, and I will. I just need to figure out how to get home. I don’t even have change to call Lynda on the pay phone. She was smart and went home after the dance ended.”
“I’ll give you a ride.”
She shook her head. “Do you have change?”
“Just let me drive you. Do you really want to make Lynda drive when I’m right here, offering you a ride?”
Judy scrunched her face. “I still don’t know why you care.”
Because I never stopped. He took a deep breath. “I hate seeing you like this. You don’t deserve this.”
“What about Tessa?”
“I’m sure she’s already sucking face with some random guy.”
Judy lifted an eyebrow.
“She’s not my date. We just danced together, then came here. Nothing more. I’m ready to go home. This isn’t really my scene.”
“Oh.”
An awkward silence hung in the air. Gary wanted to ask why she’d sent his apology letter back, but it wasn’t the time for that. “Will you please let me drive you home?”
She nodded, a look of defeat covering her face.
At least she’d agreed, even if she hated the idea of being in a car with him.
Gary helped her up, and they walked in silence to the parking lot. He wanted to put his arm around her or take her hand in his, but he kept his distance. Then he glanced over at her, and their gazes met. The sadness in her eyes crushed him. He wanted to do whatever it would take to replace the spark they used to have when she looked at him.
Memories of sweet kisses ran through his mind. What he wouldn’t give to press his lips on hers and take away every bit of sadness and regret from her. To fix everything, to right the wrongs forced upon her—especially the ones he’d inflicted.
If only he could go back in time and undo his mistakes. Take back that awful fight, the one he couldn’t even remember the details of. Take back storming out of the state and wishing she would have stopped him at the airport. No, he should’ve been the one to turn around and chase her. Fight for her.
But there were no take-backs in life. Those were for kids when they were playing games that had no real impact on anyone’s lives.
Gary unlocked the passenger door and held it open for her, then he rounded the hood and climbed into the driver’s seat. Before starting the car, he insisted they exchange phone numbers so he could check on her later.
The car ride was quiet, and his mind wandered. He was determined to find a way to make things right. To win her back if possible. Maybe with Dustin out of the way, he stood a chance.
That was the entire reason he’d returned to Enchantment Bay, after all.
Chapter 7
Judy caught sight of her reflection in the side mirror as Gary pulled to a stop at a light. Her makeup was smeared and her hair messed up. Not only that, but now Gary had seen her like that—crying by herself at the beach, no less.
If he didn’t think she was a loser before, now he surely had to. He seemed so irritated. She’d definitely ruined his plans for the night, though he wouldn’t admit it.
Why had she gone to the dance in the first place? It had been a bad idea, but between Nichole and Amy bugging her to go and Gary returning to town, she’d given in. The only good thing about all this was that finals were over. She wouldn’t be up all night studying. Instead, she’d be in bed, tossing and turning, regretting her decision and bemoaning the fact that Gary now thought less of her than ever before. There was no way she would get any sleep after all that.
“Is this the right building?
” Gary’s voice pulled Judy from her thoughts.
She looked outside the car and nodded. “It’s the one. Thanks for driving me.”
“I’ll see you to your door.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know I don’t have to, but I want to make sure you get there safely.”
“I’m sure Dustin’s still at the beach, but thanks.”
He got out of the car then walked around to open her door.
Judy held back a sigh. Why was he doing this? Did he really think she was that pathetic? At least she was almost home, where she could bury herself under her covers and hide from the world.
She climbed out of the car, ignoring his outstretched hand, then marched toward the apartment building, standing as tall as she could.
Gary caught up with her and stayed at her side. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You were pretty upset back there.”
“I appreciate your concern, but it was just a bad date. Nothing more.”
“Just a bad date? He—”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Judy opened the main door and headed for her apartment.
“Okay, but he shouldn’t get away with that. I’d be more than happy to have a talk with him.”
“No, I will.” Judy’s breath hitched. Did she really just say that? Now she would actually have to face Dustin. Her stomach knotted.
Gary turned to her, his brows raised. “You will?”
“Yes.” She nodded vigorously, her resolve growing. She’d show Gary Hunter that she could take care of herself. “Tomorrow, after I’ve had a good night’s sleep. By the time I’m done with him, he’ll not only apologize, but he’ll never do anything like that ever again to anyone else.”
“Okay, then. Sounds like you have it under control.”
“You’d better believe it.” She sounded a lot more confident than she felt, but somehow talking to Gary made her feel like she could do anything.
He smiled proudly. “You’re quite the girl, Judy.”
She turned away and stopped walking. “This is my place.”
Gary met her gaze. Neither said anything. Peering into his eyes made her heart race. She wanted to ask what he was thinking—not only right then but also back when he’d left and every moment since then. But they were no longer a couple, and it wasn’t any of her business now.
Judy cleared her throat. “Thanks again for bringing me home.”
“I’m glad to help. And Judy…”
“Yes?” She struggled to breathe under his intense stare. Her throat went dry. Was he going to say something sweet? Answer one of her many questions?
Gary hesitated. “Have a good night.”
Disappointment washed through her. “You, too.”
More awkward silence. She finally dug her keys out of her purse and unlocked the door. They exchanged goodbyes, then she stepped into her apartment, closed the door, and leaned against it. She took some deep breaths to calm her racing thoughts.
“You okay?” Lynda peeked out from her bedroom.
Judy nodded. “Crazy night.”
“The after-party? Was it any good?”
“You didn’t miss anything.”
She yawned. “It didn’t really sound like my scene. I’m happier here, reading my novel.”
“You’re the smart one.” Judy hugged her sister then went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Though it had been a week, her hair still startled her every time she caught sight of it. It was shoulder-length, so not super-short, but it was so much shorter than it’d been her whole life—waist-length.
Once she settled into bed with her own book, her mind raced, not letting her focus on the story. The whole night ran through her mind. Everything had been fine until they’d left for the beach. She and Dustin had fun dancing, not that they were likely to have another date. Or that was what Judy had thought. But then he’d forced himself on her, kissing her and not stopping when she tried to walk away. She shuddered at the thought. At least he’d stormed off once she made a scene.
Then she’d realized she was alone without any change to call anyone. Not that she wanted to tell anyone what had happened—least of all Gary, but he was the one person who knew. Her face burned again, and she pulled her pillow over her head.
How would she ever face him again now that he was back in town for good?
Chapter 8
Judy sipped her hot chocolate and tried to focus on It’s a Wonderful Life. Her mind kept wandering. Mostly to Gary’s intense eyes and heart-stopping smile. He would probably laugh at her if he knew how much she kept thinking about him. The more she tried not to, the worse it was. If she didn’t think about their recent interactions, then her mind conjured up memories of their time together from before.
Long walks along the beach, milkshakes shared at the diner, sweet stolen kisses, secrets shared. Her mind raced from one recollection to the next.
Lynda stuck a candy cane in Judy’s hot chocolate and plopped next to her. “This is my favorite movie. Mom will be so upset we’re watching it without her.”
“Or she’ll be pleased as punch that we’re watching it together.” Judy swirled around the candy cane and tasted the chocolate-minty goodness.
“True. She’ll probably gush that her girls are so close.” Lynda beamed. “I was thinking we should decorate the apartment for Christmas.”
“Are we having anyone over?” Judy asked.
“We don’t have to make it nice for guests. Why do we need a reason other than our enjoyment?”
“Good point. You don’t want to go all out and get a tree, do you? We’re spending Christmas Eve with Mom and Dad, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, but we can still get a little one, don’t you think? Whenever we go to chop one down, there are always scrawny ones nobody gets. I always feel bad for them.”
“Sounds good to me.” Judy finished her cocoa and put the mug on the coffee table.
“Really?” Lynda hugged her.
Judy squeezed her. “Building our own traditions now that we’re on our own.”
Lynda bit her lower lip. “Um, about that…”
“What?”
“Well, Clyde and I are engaged. I’m not sure where we’ll be in a year. Maybe married and already starting our own traditions?”
Judy stared at her sister. “You really think so? So soon? Have you set a date yet?”
“He was talking about that,” Lynda squealed. “He wants a summer wedding.”
“I’m so happy for you!” Judy threw her arms around her sister. “You’d better get busy planning!”
“I know! But are you going to be okay when we get married? Will you find someone to rent the apartment with you?”
“Amy and Nichole have been bugging me to rent their house with them. They want to kick out their roommate because she’s so loud and messy.”
“A house? You won’t miss me at all!” Lynda laughed.
“Of course I will. You’re my sister.”
“Well, we’ll worry about that as soon as we’re married and moved out. Nothing set in stone yet.”
They watched the rest of the movie in silence, though Judy still had a hard time concentrating. Now she was thinking about Lynda getting married. Her sister was already engaged, and Judy didn’t even have a prospect for a boyfriend. Mom and Dad would really be on her case once her sister tied the knot.
When the movie ended, Lynda wiped tears from her eyes and gathered the empty mugs. “Do you want to go to the tree lighting in the square? They’re lighting it at dusk, so we should leave soon if we’re going to go.”
Judy glanced outside, and sure enough, it was getting late. She’d slept in, making most of the day disappear before she even woke. “Sure. I’ll have to get dressed.”
“Or you could go in your jammies. I’m sure no one would mind,” Lynda teased.
“Right.” She got up and went to her room to find something warm to wear. It wasn’
t snowing, but there was a dusting on the ground which hadn’t melted, so it was bound to be cold outside.
An hour later, she and Lynda were bundled up and ready for the tree lighting. Judy stepped out into the hall.
“Oh, I forgot my gloves.” Lynda ducked back inside. “I’ll be right back.”
Judy spun around and came face to face with Dustin.
He froze when he saw her. “Uh, hi. Going to the tree lighting?”
Her stomach twisted in a knot. She marched over to him. “How dare you act like last night didn’t happen?”
“What do you mean?”
She glared at him. “You know exactly what I mean. At the beach.”
“You were at the after-party?”
Judy slapped him across the face. “Don’t pretend to have forgotten! Listen to me, and listen good. When a girl says no, that means no! She’s not teasing, and it’s not a game or a challenge. Got it?”
He held his face where she’d struck him. “Okay. Lighten up.”
“Lighten up?” She glowered at him. “No! I’m serious. It’s not a joke. Don’t ever do that to anyone ever again.”
“Fine. I need to go.”
Judy stepped aside, not sure if she’d gotten through to him. But at least she’d said what she’d needed to and hopefully he’d think twice about ever acting like that again.
“What was that about?”
Judy spun around to see Lynda locking their door. “I just needed to set him straight about something. Let’s go.”
Her sister arched a brow but didn’t say anything.
“Do you want me to drive?” Judy asked.
“It’s only two blocks away. We can walk.”
Judy shivered just thinking about the chilly temperature, but the fresh air would probably do her some good.
When they arrived at the square, Judy’s racing heart had finally returned to normal. Just in time to see Gary standing with Wes and Andy. Then her pulse drummed again.
She stood behind Lynda, hoping Gary wouldn’t see her.
But then their gazes locked.
Bayside Mistletoe Page 3
