Authors: Tracy Cottingham
“Sorry I’m
late,” Cassie flew in through the doors of La Hacienda, flung her backpack
under the table, and sat down in a rush. Wes and Gunnar were already
there and had already done away with the first order of chips and salsa.
“You guys suck,” she sighed, picking through the last of the broken bits at the
bottom.
“That really hurts, Cass.” Wes pulled the bowl from out from under her lips and
tossed it at Gunnar who help it up in the air. Magically, one of the
waiters they had known for years took the empty one and replaced it with a
brand new one. “Walla,” Gunnar put the bowl back in front of her.
It was always like that with them, Cassie smiled. They were the Three
Musketeers when things were going well, the Three Stooges the rest of time, and
that day they had showed up at her house had changed her life forever. All
three of them were competitive so instead of her school work suffering, they
actually made it a challenge to see who would end up with the highest GPA on
graduation day. Between that and movie nights, and long talks until the sun
came up, Cassie was really happy. “So what’s the big news?” She sat
forward in her seat.
“I got a full ride for college,” Gunnar blurted out. “Now I can really
become a pilot instead of just dreaming about it.” Gunnar bit his bottom lip
when Cassie started jumping up and down.
“I am so happy for you,” she yelled and held up her hand for a high five.
“Gimmie some skin,” she closed her eyes and waited for the sting. When
nothing happened she opened her eyes and looked at Wes and then to Gunnar who
were not looking quite as excited as she expected. “Or not?”
“Tell her,” Wes kicked Gunnar under the table.
“You tell her,” Gunnar kicked him back.
“It’s your scholarship.”
“It’s yours too.”
“Wait,” Cassie held up her hand. She looked at Wes and then back at
Gunnar. “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?”
“Wes got into school in Idaho,” Gunnar spoke quickly, like he was tattling.
“Well Gunnar’s flight school is in North Dakota.”
Cassie wasn’t hungry anymore. “But that’s so far away, and nowhere near one
another.” She couldn’t believe this was really happening. She had
gotten into business school at UCLA and thought for sure that Gunnar and Wes
would be right behind her. “I’m sorry but I’ve gotta go,” she grabbed at
her bag by her feet and fled back out the door as quickly as she’d come in.
Gunnar found her right where he knew she would be. She was so incredibly
beautiful to him, but any time he tried to show her how he felt she shut him
down. In fact, they’d had that conversation so many times, the one where he
would put himself out there little by little, hint that his feelings for her
ran deeper than friendship and she would dodge and weave until he gave
up. He was tired of having to pretend, tired that he was never able to
hold her hand, or kiss away her smiles or her tears, and he wanted to want
someone who wanted him back the same way. But the look on her face, so stricken
when she heard he was leaving, gave him no choice. He had to go after
her, like he always did. He had make it better, or at least try.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he tried to lighten it up.
“Cut the crap Gunnar, you knew I’d be here,” she looked down at him from the
ledge of the lifeguard tower and back out to the ocean before her.
“Of course I knew you would be sitting at tower twenty two with your feet
dangling over the edge waiting for the push and pull of the water to make you
feel better.” He walked around, hiked it up the ramp, and plopped down
beside her. “From your grumpy reply you haven’t been here very long
though.” He got the raised eyebrow for his efforts, but also the tinniest
hint of a smile playing at the edge of her lips.
“No, I have not been here nearly long enough to handle the news I just got.”
He saw the tears spring to her eyes but she swiped them away before they could
fall. “Well,” he sighed, “I guess we better talk about it then, instead
of running away.”
“I didn’t run away,” she snapped, “I just couldn’t breathe and sit there
anymore.”
He reached for her hand, and she quieted down. She laced her fingers
through his and flipped their hands back and forth and back and forth.
“How could you do this to us?”
And there it was. “Cassie, I tried to stay closer to you,” he stopped her
movement and waited until she looked at him. “I tried everywhere around
here and I couldn’t get enough money to get it done. North Dakota is the
only school that gave me a full ride.”
“You could get a loan or something,”
“Did you really just say that?”
She knew how petty she was being but she couldn’t imagine a day without him in
it. “No,” she breathed. “That was some other spoiled girl who’s used to
getting her way where you’re concerned.”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I can’t imagine not being
near you on a daily basis either.”
“How do you do that?”
“What?”
“Know exactly what I’m thinking.”
He tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. “Because I feel exactly the
same way.”
He looked into her eyes and knew he could melt there if she’d just let
him. His heart was pumping so hard he was sure it was going to bust out
of his chest. He knew the answer would be no, ‘cause it was always no,
but just this once…maybe…He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. His
hand cradled the back of her head and when she didn’t push him away he deepened
the kiss, letting his tongue glide along the edge and explore the wonder that
was her.
“Oh God Gunnar,” Cassie groaned and pulled back, and covered her mouth with her
hand where his lips had just been. “What are you doing? You know I
have a boyfriend.”
Gunnar thought of Jake and he felt sick. “I thought you were finally done with
him?”
A guilty look crossed her face. “I was, but he came over last night and
apologized”
“You have got to be kidding me,” he ran his hands through his hair and tried to
get ahold of himself. “He broke up with you because you wouldn’t
sleep with him, and he let everyone else know about it. Why would you
stay with someone like that?”
“Gunnar, you know the answer to that, and we have agreed to disagree on this,”
Cassie couldn’t help but get defensive.
“No Cass, I did not agree. I don’t care how sorry he is, the guy is a weasel
who keeps hurting you over and over again, and you keep letting him do it.”
“We have been going out for a year, Gunnar. Those feeling don’t just go
away!”
He stood up, needing to put some distance between them. “No Cassie, you have
been making up and breaking up every other five minutes for a year now, and
crying on my shoulder every time he treats you like dirt. That is not a
relationship, that’s a lie.” He saw the hurt in her eyes but was too angry to
change course. “It’s a lie you tell yourself so you don’t have to admit that
you picked the wrong guy.”
“Here we go,” Cassie stood up as well. “What you’re really saying is that
I didn’t pick you.” She swallowed anything else that threatened to jump
from her lips but she could tell by the look on his face that she’d gone too
far.
“You say what you want but you know you kissed me back, and you know how right
this is. You’re just too big of a coward, and I never expected
that.” He walked back down the plank.
“Yeah, were so right for each other that you’ve decided to move half way around
the World to go to school.” She hated the sight of his back walking away
from her. It reminded her of how short the time they had left really
was. In less than two months they would graduate, and then he would be
gone for real. “What are we supposed to do with that?” She was having trouble
breathing again.
He stopped finally. “Well, I was going to ask you if you would go with
me, but then I kissed you,” his face softened. “And you kissed me back,
and everything fit… for a second anyway.”
“I can’t go with you Gunnar,” she ignored the kissing part, and how amazing it
felt, and all of the things he said that blew her away. He was right, she
was a coward. “My life is here.”
He looked disappointed with her, as if she’d fallen from somewhere she never
belonged in the first place. “I figured you would say that. But I
had to try.”
“I’m sorry,” she spoke out into the night air. She felt empty and alone,
with only the gentle swelling of her lips to remind her of his perfect
kiss. “I’m so sorry.”
********
The growl of
Cassie’s empty stomach was hit by the sweet smell of food when she walked in
through the front door, almost making her forget she was furious, and was there
to crash a meeting. She hadn’t eaten since the early morning meal on the
train, and she was so hungry she nearly grabbed the basket of fresh chips and
salsa off the waiter’s serving tray and had at it right there in the middle of
the lobby. Food first, anger later she decided, licking her lips in
anticipation as she followed the direction those chips were headed. She
could have stuck to her new motto as well, if the waiter hadn’t stopped in
front of a small table nestled in the left hand corner of the room, and set
that delectable salsa down in front of a man she knew all too well.
Her own good advice to herself flew straight out the window, though, when a
small boned, well jeweled hand of a dark hared beauty leaned half way across
Gunnar’s lap to dip her chip, and smile coyly before bringing it to her cherry
red lips to eat.
“Ah, there you are,” she called out, walked up behind Gunnar, and placed her
hands on his shoulders. “I’m so glad I found you. See, I was afraid
I was going to miss such an important business meal.” She clasped her hands
together instead, and held on tight, so as not to give into the overwhelming
urge to strangle.
She caught the look of confusion on Mr. Nakamoto’s face, and watched Gunnar do
his best to explain. “I’m sorry, introductions are in order,” he smiled
graciously, but his eyes tore into her. She had seen that look from him
before, the one that nearly shouted at her to behave. “This is Cassandra
Lumonte,” He used her maiden name. “She’s the owner of Leisure Time, but
as I explained earlier, I came in her place since she’s in the process of
moving back down here.”
“It’s so nice to meet you,” she bowed her head forward first to the elder and
then to the daughter, “I’m so lucky Gunnar can step in and handle these
arrangements without my...needing to be around.” She was so close to saying
what she really felt, but he nearly pushed his seat over backwards and caused
her to lose her footing behind him when she paused. Something about how intense
he was being along with her desire to stay in one piece made her decide to play
nice, at least in front of a potential client.
“Will you excuse us for a moment?” He stood quickly, and urged her to go
with him, pressing his fingers into her back as he moved her forward. She
tried to roll her shoulder and slough him off, but that only got her a hand
wrapped tightly around her arm, mandating an immediate trek to the restrooms.
“Whatever it is you
think
you are doing, don’t!” He released her
so quickly she almost fell into the men’s room.
She turned and threw her finger at him. “If I were you I would be a lot
less demanding, and explain yourself.”
“What is there to explain?” He grabbed the end of her finger and forced her to
get it down out of his face.
“Maybe you didn’t understand what I was trying to tell you back in Oregon, but
just in case you didn’t get it the first time, I will not allow you to run my
company without me!”
“You should have thought about that before taking over a month to get down
here.”
“Well excuse me for needing more time to completely pull my life apart at your
request.”
“People are starting to stare,” he whispered angrily, seemingly ignoring all of
what she’d just said.
“I don’t care if a reporter for the Los Angeles times is sitting out there
getting enough material to do a cover article on all of the problems cropping
up over at our new business.” She said she didn’t care, but she did lower
her voice. “I also don’t care how much your hatred for me makes you Hell
bent on ignoring the things I have a right to say, but you and Wes are way out
of line here.” He tried to talk but she wasn’t having any of it. “I
am perfectly capable of running this company on my own, but we are in a
partnership now, so I am more than willing to deal with the fact that I can’t
just act alone in any decision I may see fit to make. Why can’t you at least
give me the same courtesy?”
“Mr. Nakamoto is a close personal friend of
mine.
If we are lucky
enough to get this deal, it will not be based on business, it will be based on
his trust in who I am, and my word. That’s it.” He threw up his
hands in disgust. “No secret plans, no backhanded stab, just a deal I knew
that I personally could pull together, that would be great for the company,
that’s all. The fact that didn’t seek to talk to you first, as I was
ordered to do, shouldn’t be the primary gripe here.” He stepped back into
view when she tried to look away from him. “And another thing.” He
pointed his own finger this time. “You playing the wronged, petulant
child is getting old Cassandra. If we’re going to be partners you had
better get one thing straight. I don’t play by your rules. I made
that mistake with you once, a long time ago, and I will never make it
again. Even if it does go against your moral code of ethics.”
“It’s obvious you usually stick to the flying or you’d know it’s not just my
little code.” She shook her head disapprovingly. “It’s how the
whole business world usually works.”
His face remained impassive.
“Suit yourself.” Cassie decided she was done fighting with someone who
was obviously too blinded by his own prejudice to admit when she was right.
“You just remember that you wanted it this way. Three chiefs and no
Indians is how we’ll play it for now, just don’t expect me to run any of my
decisions by you either.”
“Fine by me.”
Cassie shook her head. “I guess I’ll see you back at the office then,”
she turned to leave.
“I don’t think so,” he offered in that same arrogant tone that set her last
nerve on edge. “I won’t be back for at least a couple of days. I’ve
got to do whatever it takes to close this deal.”
Cassie thought about the beautiful young woman back at the table. “Oh I
bet,” she snorted, and turned to walk away.
“It’s not like that,” he grabbed her wrist, but gently this time.
“I have a feeling with you it’s always just-like-that.” She looked down at her
hand just as he dropped it. “What exotic location do you just have to go to so
you can take one for the team and get this deal closed?”
He hesitated a moment too long.
“And I prove my point,” Cassie turned to leave but she couldn’t help shaking
her head at the shy little boy who had become such a ladies man since the last
time she’d seen him.
“Disneyland.”
She stopped. “What?”
“My exotic location is Disneyland.”
“Are you serious?” Cassie tried to keep a tight lid on the emotions that
came flooding back to her.
“Hardly,” he placed one foot against the wall and leaned back. “Mr. Nakamoto is
holding his annual shareholder’s meeting at the Disneyland Hotel this year so
his daughter can get to see one of America’s favorite places. He’s asked
me along to escort her around the park during the day while he’s busy. I
promised him I would show her a good time.”
“And we have
come full circle.” She couldn’t believe he could stand there and talk to her
about that place so casually. She decided that if he could do it so could she.
“One things for sure, that little beauty out there is one of the few young
ladies I’ve ever seen that could turn eating a chip into an erotic experience
so maybe the location really won’t matter that much.”
“I aim to please.”
“Oh Gawd. I’ll be leaving this time for real,” she flicked her hand and
started to walk away again.
“You could always come along. You know, to check up on me. Make
sure I don’t get any more juicy business deals going without your permission.”
“I don’t know,” she threw back over her shoulder, cursing her voice for
shaking. “The last time we were there it didn’t turn out too well.”
“Maybe your answer will be different this time.”
“I just may go,” she ignored him. To...keep an eye on things, as you
suggested.”
“I’ll be sure to book a room then.”
Cassie’s eyes flared. She couldn’t believe he went there.
“In the company name, for you, of course.” He laughed at her obvious
misinterpretation as if she were a child.
“You think you’re clever,” she bristled. “But you’re going to know sooner
than you think how it feels to have someone make important decisions that
directly affect you without your knowledge or consent.” If he was fazed
by her threat he didn’t show it. “Then we’ll see how well you handle
it.” She made a bee line for the front door, ignoring the angry cries of
her growling stomach, and her racing pulse till she got out the front door. She
had to get herself far away from Gunnar Roswell and their past. She had
thought she could just start over and move forward, but every time she turned
around their history pulled her back in, and by the time she got back to her
car she was drowning.
********