Sway (12 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Where are we going?” I stared out the window searching for clues. Between the shops, restaurants, and other entertainments, nothing stood out.

Gage parked the car in a random parking lot. Most of the vehicles around us had surf racks on their roofs and colorful bumper stickers on dirty fenders.

“You’ll see.” He shot me a grin before stepping out of the car. I followed suit as he popped the trunk. Inside sat a bag of groceries and a sports bag. It reminded me of our first date at the park. Gage pulled both from the trunk before slamming the lid shut.

“Follow me.”

He paid the meter and then we headed out of the parking lot and across the street where the land ended and the ocean began.

“The beach, huh?” Not very original for once, although I never said no to the beach.

“You think that’s the big surprise? Give me some credit.”

“Where then?”

He grinned again and flicked his eyebrows up and down. A few minutes later, as we wound our way down to the boat dock, I realized this wasn’t about the beach at all.

Gage removed his shoes and stepped carefully onto a sleek silver and blue speedboat. “Welcome aboard!”

“Wow.” I knew nothing about boats, but this thing, with all its shiny dials and leather seats, was beautiful. “Is this yours?” I asked, wondering how he could afford it.

He shook his head. “Borrowed it.” He offered me his hand. I took off my sandals, holding them with one hand and grabbing him with the other. I stepped onto the boat, stumbling just a little.

Gage grabbed me by the waist. My stomach fluttered. “Told you I would always catch you,” he said before pressing his lips to mine.

The boat was more amazing than I could have imagined. The back seats raised to reveal stairs that led to a teeny living space inside. Leather couches, a bed, a bathroom, mini-kitchen and even a TV waited for us underneath. After Gage showed me around and stowed the food in the fridge, we went back up. He started the boat, the engine purring like a kitten as we slid from the dock. He pushed the gear forward and we hurtled out into the open water. We were in the middle of nowhere in a matter of seconds. The thing was fast.

I laughed in delight, my hair whipping around in a frenzy. Gage drove us around the ocean, speeding and doing donuts—anything that might make me shriek. The yachts and sailboats we passed were little more than a blur. We left behind us a long white trail that quickly disappeared, leaving no trace that we had ever been there.

After a while, Gage slowed the boat and then put it to a full stop. “Ready for lunch?”

“Definitely.”

“Inside or out?”

“Outside.”

I helped Gage bring up our lunch, a mixture of cold wraps, fruit salad and water.

“I would have brought wine,” Gage said, relaxing onto one of the chairs, “but I know you don’t drink it.” He swallowed half a wrap with one bite.

After a minute, Gage said, “I packed you a bathing suit. In case you wanted to swim.”

I blinked. “One of mine?”

“Nah. I bought you one.”

That was a first. “How do you know if it will fit?”

“It will. And if it doesn’t…” His look was full of suggestion. “No one can see you this far out. Except me.”

When I saw the bathing suit he bought for me—a neon pink, teeny tiny bikini—I seriously considered throwing it overboard. It was the kind of suit Beth or Lacey would wear, not me.

I popped my head out of the hatch and held the bits of fabric in the air. “I don’t think I can wear this.”

“Why not?” Gage frowned. “Don’t you like it?”

“It’s a little skimpy.”

Gage leaned his face close to mine. “It’ll look great on you.” He kissed me, a deep and passionate kiss that left me breathless. The kind of kiss that let me know he wanted me out of my clothes altogether.

I came back up a few minutes later in the bikini, completely self-conscious. Gage’s mouth dropped open.

“Wow. You look incredible.”

I sat on the bench and stretched out under the sun, closing my eyes against his lingering gaze. I felt a hand brush up my leg toward my thigh. My eyes popped open.

Gage smiled at me. “Hey there.”

I leaned in and brushed a chaste kiss across his lips. “How about a swim? Do you think the water’s really cold?”

His smile faded a little. “Probably.”

“I’ll give it a shot anyway.” I balanced on the edge of the boat, then dove in. When my head broke the surface, I gasped.

“Cold?” he asked from his leather seat on the boat.

“Oh yeah.”

He snickered. “Have fun then.”

“You’re not coming in?”

He shook his head.

I stayed in the water for about twenty minutes, swimming, treading water or just floating on my back. The bottom was unreachable and I soon grew tired. Gage helped me back into the boat, wrapping a towel around my shivering body.

“I’m glad you’re back.”

“Why didn’t you come in with me?”

He shook his head. “Too cold.” He rubbed his hands vigorously over my arms to help me warm up.

“Baby,” I teased.

“Guess I am.” He looked me in the eye. “I’m
your
baby.”

“Seriously?”

“Come on.” He laughed. “You secretly love it.”

“About as much as I secretly love piranhas and eating gigantic tubs of butter.”

“Butter does a body good.”

“You tried that one on me already. You got it wrong both times.”

“Guess I’ll have to come up with something better.” Grabbing me around the waist, he pulled me down on the bench beside him. He tapped a finger on his lips, pretending to think. “What about, ‘I’ve got a thirst, baby, and you smell like Gatorade’?”

“Please. I can do better than that.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Bring it.”

I let the towel drop and faced him. Looking up from under my eyelashes, I bit my lip, then let my mouth slowly spread into a sexy grin.

Making my voice all breathy, I went in for the kill. “If you were a booger, I’d pick you first.”

He paused. Then burst out laughing.

“Terrible!” he exclaimed.

“As bad as yours.”

“No chance. Way worse!”

I pulled my towel around my shoulders. “Why don’t you try being sincere for once?” I said, half-serious.

“I’m almost always sincere around you.” He wrapped me in his arms. “You bring out the best in me, Ava. You’re a lot like my dad.”

“I think that’s the first time I’ve been compared to somebody’s father.”

“Don’t be offended,” he said hastily.

“I’m not.” I rested my head on his shoulder. “From the way you talk of him, it sounds like he was a great man.”

“He was.”

The boat rocked, a gentle sway. I settled into him, draping my legs over his, trying to draw his warmth into my own body. Like a gourmet meal, I wanted to savor the feel of his skin against mine.

“Even though he was so busy, he always made time for me.” His fingers trailed back and forth over my leg. “Even when I was young. He would try his hardest to be at home at night so we could have dinner together, or help me with my homework. He didn’t want me to be alone.”

“What happened to your mom?”

“She left when I was little.”

I put my hand over his heart, feeling the steady rhythm beneath my palm. “I’m sorry.” I knew what it was like, how hard it could be to grow up without a mother.

“My dad never made me feel like I was missing out. Sometimes, we’d talk late into the night, even when I should’ve been in bed. He always had the best advice.”

His fingers skipped up my leg, over my hip and across my stomach. I reveled in the sensation, the trail of fire his touch left behind.

“I want so much to be the kind of man he was. I hope I can live up to that. I hope I can make him proud.”

“I’m sure you already have.”

He shrugged and looked away.

“Guess what?” I said, changing the subject, hoping to put a smile back on his face. “I got a job!”

His face lit up. “What is it?”

“I’ve been offered two teaching jobs, one at USC, and one at an arts high school in LA.” Much to my surprise, I’d nailed both interviews. Making the decision had been tough, but I was excited to have an actual job, hopefully the start of a career. I felt so adult.

The grin faded. “Teaching.” He said it like a curse.

I stiffened. “Yeah, teaching.”

“You took the USC job though, right?”

“Wrong.”

“You’re not serious. High school?”

I scooted away from him on the bench, withdrawing my hand from his chest. “I’m one hundred percent serious. I thought a lot about it. USC pays more, and I suppose it’s more prestigious. But it’s not where I want to be.”

He shook his head, his stare incredulous. “You’ve thought a lot about it? For what, five seconds?”

I stood abruptly but stumbled at the rocking of the boat. Turning away from Gage, I steadied myself on the back of the captain’s chair.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be…” His voice trailed off behind me.

Obnoxious? Condescending?

“I just don’t understand why. Teaching high school, it’s so…”

I spun to face him. “So what?”

His eyes darted as he searched for an answer. And then he squared his shoulders. “Unambitious. You’re better than that, Ava.”

Gage was insanely hot as always, but something new had appeared. Nothing had changed about him physically, but a different man stood before me. A man who cared more about status than merit.

Right then in Gage I saw the parts of Aunt Rose, and my Dad and Beth that I hated the most. The parts that had forced me away from them.

“Take me back.”

“Ava.” He stepped forward, holding his arms out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

“Just take me back.”

“No. I’m so sorry.” He tried to pull me into his embrace but I resisted. “If teaching high school is what you want to do then great. I’m happy for you.” He tilted my head up with one finger. “Honestly, I’m just worried that it will take you away from me. That we won’t be able to see each other as much. You ever hear how much overtime those people have to put in?” He leaned his forehead against mine. “That scares me, more than you know.”

His lips caught mine and though I was hesitant at first, I didn’t resist. The kiss tasted both fruity-sweet and ocean-salty. His arms tightened around me and he drew me down onto the bench and into his lap. My mind fought against the man I worried he might be, but my body had other ideas. It gave in to his touch. Our kisses sped up and his hands roamed over my back. Slowly, he started to lean over me, gently pushing me down onto the leather seats.

His skin was hot against mine, his hands trailing fire down my arms and over my hips. An ache spread from my chest to my stomach and lower, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, eager to bring him even closer. He burrowed his face in my neck, his tongue drew lines over my skin and I shivered.

“Ava,” Gage moaned.

Eric
.

I froze. My eyes popped open. His lips left my skin and he looked up at me in confusion.

“Sorry,” I managed while trying to find my own breath again. I put my hands against his chest and pushed him away.

He sat back, letting me go, his face unreadable.

I sat up, embarrassment covered me with an awkward burn. At least I hadn’t said Eric’s name out loud.

“What’s wrong?” Gage said behind me. His hand rested on my shoulder.

I didn’t want to turn around and look at him, afraid he’d somehow see Eric in my eyes. “Sorry. I just can’t—”

“Don’t worry about it.” He sighed, his breath tickling my shoulder. “Ava, please. Look at me.”

I turned around and slowly raised my eyes to his.

“It’s okay.” He gave me a tight smile. It didn’t seem okay. “Let’s go for a swim.” He went to the edge of the boat, struck a pose that made me laugh, and then back flipped into the water.

I hesitated. Thoughts of Eric swirled through my brain and I wanted to run away from them, and from Gage. Eric never cared about being low class. Eric wouldn’t disapprove of teaching. There was more to Eric than his fame. What about Gage?

Things I didn’t want to acknowledge tried to push their way to the forefront. Nervous panic settled in the pit of my stomach. I was stuck on a boat and had nowhere to go. Trapped and confused.

Gage popped his head out of the water. “Coming?”

I pushed all thoughts of Eric aside. My feet teetered on the edge of the boat. In that moment, I had no choice but to take the plunge. I just hoped that once I did, I would figure out which way was up.

Chapter Twenty-Four

On my way to my next orchestra performance, my phone rang from somewhere in my bag. I reached over to the passenger seat and dug inside, cursing that I’d brought my huge Chloe bag instead of one of my smaller purses. By the time I found it, I’d missed the call.

It was Aunt Rose. I hesitated, but finally decided I’d better call her back.

“Sorry,” I said when she picked up. “I’m driving and I couldn’t get to my phone in time.”

She spoke right over me. “Ava, I have wonderful news.”

“Oh?”

“I heard a rumor—”

Since when was a rumor wonderful news?

“Your boyfriend, Gage, was spotted having lunch with Jenny Fleishman!” She waited for me to react.

“Who?”

“Jenny Fleishman. The wedding planner.”

Something stuttered, but it wasn’t my car. “Um…what?” My brain couldn’t fit Gage and wedding planner in the same sentence.

“He’s going to
propose
!” Aunt Rose’s excitement bubbled through the phone. “I thought about not telling you, let it be a surprise, but I wanted you to be prepared.”

“Don’t you have to be engaged before you hire a wedding planner?” I said, my voice rising to panic levels.

“Oh, Ava. He’s getting a head start. He’s organized. That’s a good quality in a man.”

“He must have been with someone else. It’s way too soon.”

“It wasn’t someone else. She was bleach-blonde and had an enormous bosom. Clearly, it was Jenny Fleishman.”

I almost laughed. That description could fit over half the women in LA.

“Gage is head over heels for you,” she continued. “It’s obvious. I would give it a matter of days before he proposes.”

She couldn’t be serious. We barely knew each other. I didn’t know his middle name or his favorite book or if he ever learned to play an instrument. I definitely wasn’t in love with him, and I doubted he was in love with me.

For some reason, I felt my heart sinking. “No.”

“Sweetheart, he’s a great catch. Your mother would be so proud.”

I couldn’t have this conversation with her. Not now. It was like my universe had been tilted completely upside down. “Sorry, Aunt Rose, but I’ve gotta go.”

I hung up the phone and tossed it inside my bag. There’s no way Gage would propose so soon—I thought I knew him well enough to be sure of that. He must have been with someone else. Another woman or a friend, even another date. I stomped that train of thought. With my second performance looming, I couldn’t be stressing about Gage. My thoughts turned to Aunt Rose.

She was so gung-ho about Gage. Annoyance flared before I could push it away. I think she was just happy to be part of my life again, to have some semblance of control over it. It had been awkward between us when I first came back, and neither of us wanted that. She seemed to assume that resuming the role of surrogate mother would make things right again. Would take things back to how they used to be.

Your mother would be so proud
, she’d said.

My hands clenched on the steering wheel. Why on earth would my mother be proud? And really, how could Aunt Rose know what my mom would think of Gage in the first place?

* * * * *

I focused on my chicken tacos. Across the table from me, Eric had his arm around Lacey as she fed him French fries one by one. The replay of how I’d almost moaned Eric’s name while making out with Gage was hard to forget. Eric would probably get a big kick out of that if he knew—just another way to make my life miserable. My hands trembled and I tried not to spill
pico de gallo
down my top.

“Quit eating off my plate, Mari,” Charlie snapped as Mari dug her fork into his steak.

“Mine’s gross and I’m starving,” Mari whined.

“I told you not to order the sushi,” he said. “You hate sushi!”

“I like it from that other place.” She wrinkled her nose. “This stuff’s just nasty. Geez, you can’t share with your own wife?”

Charlie grumbled but didn’t stop Mari from using his knife to slice off a large chunk of meat.

“I think it’s cute that you share,” Lacey said.

Charlie grumbled again. “It’s not sharing, it’s grand theft sirloin.” Mari flashed Lacey a conspiratorial smile.

Lacey draped her arm over Eric’s shoulders. “You know what else is cute? You.”

I choked on my taco. Ducking, I put my napkin to my lips to avoid spewing lettuce and tomato across the table. When I finally managed to look up, I’d missed Eric’s reaction. He was staring at his cell phone, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Who is it?” Lacey’s eyes flicked from Eric’s face to his phone and back again.

“An email,” he said without looking up.

“From who?”

When Eric raised his head, I caught a flicker of annoyance before he smoothed it away. “An old friend. He wants me to visit.”

“Where does he live?” Lacey asked.

“Vegas.”

Her eyes brightened. “Ooh! We should all go! It’s been forever since I’ve been to Vegas.” Eric opened his mouth but Lacey was too quick. “Hey, Mari? Don’t you want to come too?”

“I’ve got to work,” Charlie broke in. Mari’s whole demeanor wilted.

“That’s a great idea,” I said. Eric’s eyes shot to mine but I focused on Mari and Charlie. “You guys should really go. When was the last time you went on vacation?”

“Um, never?” Mari grumbled.

Charlie dug his fork into the steak, his eyes like thunderclouds. “I’ve got a new game coming in and they want me to help with the development—”

He cut off under my glare. A few days after Mari had begged me to talk to him, I reluctantly pulled him aside. We had a long chat about how he couldn’t ignore his wife no matter how annoying she could be sometimes. In four years of marriage, he still didn’t realize she just needed love and attention. He could lessen her depression and sporadic hypochondria—all it took was a bit of his time.

The whole thing didn’t make me feel any better and I didn’t think he’d been any different since. At least, Mari hadn’t reported anything to the contrary.

“You guys should go,” I repeated. Charlie’s face softened. Mari waited on the edge of her seat.

“You’re right,” Charlie said, looking at Mari. “It’s a great idea.”

Mari squealed and pulled Charlie in for a noisy kiss. When they broke apart, he looked flustered but pleased.

“What about you, Ava?” Lacey asked. “You coming?”

“Um, no. That’s okay.” I avoided looking at Eric. “Two couples and me? I don’t think so.”

“Bring Gage,” Mari said. “Then we’ll be three couples.”

“Yeah, bring him!” Lacey put in. “You’ve been keeping him all to yourself and we want to meet him, don’t we?” She looked at Eric, waiting for his response.

Eric’s jaw went rigid and I wanted to laugh. “It’s a bit too soon for vacations together,” I said.

“That’s not what Aunt Rose says.” Mari waggled her left hand at me.

I shot her a look, hoping she’d get the hint to shut it. “It’s okay. You guys have fun.”

“You have to come! I can’t go without you!”

I wanted to ask Mari how my presence would be good for patching the holes in her marriage—they needed to work things out on their own. But then Charlie added his pleas to hers.

“Come, Ava,” he said. “We—Mari needs you.”

I sighed. If Charlie needed me, that meant Mari needed me.

“Fine.” It would be nice to have a small vacation before I started teaching in the fall. Mari whooped. “But only if Lexi will be my plus one.” I would not be the only single.

I glanced at Eric to see if he was upset that I was crashing the mini-vacay with his girlfriend, but he wasn’t looking at me, or anyone. He was focused on his phone.

“We should go tomorrow,” Lacey said. She started enthusing over what hotel we should stay in and how many bikinis she would bring. I studied Eric, wondering why he didn’t seem happy about the trip.

When he finally looked up, he put his hand on Lacey’s cheek, cutting her off mid-sentence. “You know, this might be a trip I should make on my own.”

Lacey drooped. “Why?” she asked, giving him doe eyes. Her voice lowered. “You don’t want me to come with you?”

The table went quiet. Eric put his other hand to Lacey’s face and leaned in close. “Of course I want to go on a vacation with you. But this won’t be all parties and good times. My friend is…seriously depressed.” Pain cracked his voice and my heart reached out to him.

“We could help cheer him up,” Lacey said. His hands dropped from her face and he ducked his head. “I want to be with you,” she whispered, so low I wasn’t sure if those were her exact words.

Eric gave her a sigh-and-smile. “Me too. It’s just an awkward situation and it might not be much fun.”

“What’s this awkward situation?” Mari butted in. I cringed. “Tell us, and if it’s really something we shouldn’t be part of, then we won’t go.”

Eric chewed his bottom lip. “Okay. Adam and Sam used to be in my band. Adam’s sister, Farrah, was engaged to Sam.”

There was something ominous in the way he said
was.

He took a deep breath. “Last year, Farrah got sick.” Eric ran a hand over his hair, his discomfort showing. “Cancer. Adam and Sam both left the band to be with her but it accelerated fast and she passed away only a month after they got home. She was only twenty-five.”

I wanted to reach my hand out and touch him. Comfort him. He was hurting, I could practically feel it seeping from his pores.

“I haven’t seen them since they left. We’ve kept in touch but… Adam says Sam hardly leaves the house. He won’t play music anymore.” He sighed in frustration. “I doubt there’s anything I can do, but I feel like I should be there. I missed the funeral because I couldn’t cancel the tour but now…”

No one knew what to say. Except Lacey.

“We’ll cheer them up.” She put her hand on Eric’s arm. “If you go alone, you might just sit around and join in their misery. If we all go, we can get Sam out. Get him to have fun again. I know we can.”

This was a decision Eric should make, not Lacey. He knew what would be best for his friends. He looked back down at his phone. Finally, he turned to Lacey. “I think you’re right. We’ll all go. It might even be fun.”

He glanced at me. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

Lacey bounced in her seat. “When do we leave?”