Sway (23 page)

Chapter Forty-Three

It was time to tell Eric the truth. Time to ask him for a second chance. No more excuses. No more fear. If I wanted him back, I’d have to fight for him. I picked up my phone and dialed his number with shaking fingers.

“Hello?” His smooth baritone filled me with both fear and courage.

“Uh, hey,” My heart was in my throat, making the easiest words difficult.

“Ava?” His voice seemed to lift a little. At least I hoped it had. “I’ve been meaning to call you.”

“About what?”

“I, uh…” He cleared his throat. “How are you? I wondered, you know, after the party the other night.”

“Oh. I’m fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” I sat on the edge of my bed and stared at my feet. The teal on my toenails had already begun to chip. “It was embarrassing, obviously. I mean, with all those people watching.”

“Hmmm,” he said—an agreement. “I thought maybe…”

“Maybe what?”

He cleared his throat again. “Well, you were together, weren’t you? Learning the truth about him—”

“No!” I flushed at my outburst, forced my voice to relax. “I ended things with him a while ago. He just couldn’t take the hint.”

Nothing but silence on the other line.

“Really, it just made things easier. I felt bad before for breaking up with him. Finding out about Lexi and Shelby… I don’t care now. I don’t have to care.”

“He’s an idiot,” Eric said.

My toes tapped on the wooden floorboards. “We’ve all been idiots at one time or another.”

“Yeah.”

More silence.

“So why did you want to call me?” I asked, anxious to change the subject.

“I have a favor to ask.” He paused. I began to pace the floor of my bedroom. “I wrote a new song and I was wondering if I could play it for you. See what you think.”

That was not what I was expecting at all. “Of course.”

“I want to make sure it’s not crap before I go into the studio with it.”

I snorted. “Since when has anything you’ve written been crap?”

“Clearly you don’t remember my first original song?”

I hesitated, thinking back.

“I even sang it for you.”

I snapped my fingers. “That one about the fedora!”

He groaned. “You do remember.”

“How could I forget? I don’t think you took that hat off our entire sophomore year.”

“What can I say? I was going through a gangsta phase.”

I snickered. “Gangsta? I think you mean gangster.” I pictured Eric in a pinstriped suit with wide lapels, wearing a black fedora and aiming a Tommy gun at his enemies. “More like mobster in the twenties.”

His laughter echoed through the phone, filling my whole body with warmth. “Actually, more like Marlon Brando in
Guys and Dolls
. Gambling gangster instead of the killer kind.”

“He was pretty smooth in that movie.” In my head, the Tommy gun disappeared from Eric’s hand, replaced with dice and confidence. That suited him better.

“Back then, I had this fantasy,” he said.

I stopped pacing. “Of?”

“I was Sky Masterson. And you were Sarah.”

“Sarah Brown?” I asked with disbelief. “That missionary lady?”

“Yeah.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “All sophomore year, I thought I could seduce you like Sky does to Sarah in the movie. Make you fall in love with me.”

My heart revved. “For real or for a bet?”

“No bets.”

“Then why?”

“It’s what I wanted.” After a pause, he added, “It was just a silly fantasy.”

I didn’t know what to make of that. We were silent for a few moments. I walked to my window and looked out at the beach below.

“It’s funny because it ended up the opposite,” he said. “You seduced me. Without even trying. You made me fall in love with you.”

I gripped the closest thing I could find, my hand wrapping around my leather desk chair and holding tight.

“When I realized that, I stopped wearing the fedora because I didn’t want to be Sky Masterson anymore, or anyone else. I wanted to be me, with you.”

Oh. My.

Eric cleared his throat. “Why did you call?”

My throat felt thick. “Um… I can’t remember.”

“So will you listen to the song?”

“Of course.” My voice cracked. I tried again. “Of course I’ll listen to it.”

“Do you mind coming here? Today? Maybe by then you’ll remember what you called me about.”

“I can be there by three.” That would give me enough time to shower and put on something besides yoga pants.

“Great.”

“Okay then.” I hung up the phone, staring at it blankly, my mind empty. Then I threw the phone on my bed and rushed for the shower. If I was going to make a declaration of my undying love, I needed to look amazing. I couldn’t waste one second.

* * * * *

I arrived in my old neighborhood fifteen minutes early. I pulled into the cobblestoned driveway of Kellynch, letting the car idle while I tried to calm my rampaging nerves. A glance in the mirror assured me that none of my makeup had smudged and I didn’t have any stray bits in my teeth or unwanted objects coming out of my nose.

I stepped out of the car, tugging down my tank top over my skirt and adjusting the necklace at my throat. I stared up at my childhood home, overcome with a weird kind of déjà vu. I shook it off and went to the door. I took a few deep breaths before pressing the ringer.

Eric opened the door, a huge grin crinkling his eyes. My heart pumped faster. It had been so long since he’d smiled at me like that.

“Thanks for coming.”

“No problem.” I followed him into the marble foyer and through the house toward the music room.

He stopped suddenly. “This is really weird. You, me, in your house. It’s all backward.”

It really was, and yet I didn’t mind.

He ran his hand over the back of his hair. “At first, I didn’t even want to come here.”

Just as I thought. My hand twisted the bracelet around my wrist.

“I see you in every room.”

I froze. His gaze was direct, piercing. It caught and held me, sending fiery heat over my entire body.

Eric looked away, running his hand over his hair again. He turned and headed for the music room. My lips parted in surprise, but I followed.

The music room was light and airy, with long windows stretching over the entire back wall and white filmy curtains in between. The walls were a deep yellow that turned gold in the sunlight. Shelves of music books lined one wall. Two white leather chairs sat in one corner. The only other objects in the room were the instruments. My mom had collected them. There was a guitar, a violin and a cello on stands. A set of drums in another corner. A decorative table covered in instrument cases—a flute, a piccolo, and a clarinet. A painted white table held a saxophone, a trombone and a trumpet, all shiny brass. And in the middle of the room, the focus piece. A glossy white Steinway grand piano, the only instrument used regularly.

Eric sat at the piano and then tilted his head toward me where I still hovered in the doorway.

“You miss it, don’t you?”

The music room was my favorite in all of Kellynch, and the memories it held were precious. Looking at Eric was like stepping through a doorway into the past. Eric at the piano, us alone in the room, the way he beckoned to me. It all felt achingly familiar.

“Every day for eight years.” It wasn’t the only thing I’d missed.

Remembering that I had feet, I decided to use them. As I got closer to the piano, the picture changed. I was no longer in the past, no longer seventeen, and neither was Eric. He looked even better than he had back then. I longed for him more than I ever had before.

“Ready?” Eric asked.

I leaned my body against the piano and nodded. Part of me wanted to sit next to him, take up my old place, feel his body move while he played. But my desire to see his face while he sang won out.

“I think I’m going to call it ‘Sway’.”

His hands hovered over the keys. He took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling. And then the notes started to pour from his fingers, the music filling the entire room.

I can’t be silent anymore

I must speak, you must know

I’m half in agony, half in hope

You pierce my soul

Tell me you still love me

Tell me it’s not too late

Give me one more chance

Let me sway you

Back to me

My whole body began to tingle. My knees felt weak. His words burned my ears. I gripped underneath the piano, my hands holding tight to stop myself from collapsing to the floor.

I give myself to you again

My heart is more your own

Than when you broke it years ago

You pierce my soul

Tell me you still love me

Tell me it’s not too late

Give me one more chance

Let me sway you

Back to me

Eric didn’t look at me while he sang—his eyes were on the keys. His voice danced along my skin leaving droplets of sweat behind. My breath rose to his crescendos and fell at his descents.

Don’t say I forgot you

Don’t say I never loved

There’s no one else but you, babe

You pierce my soul

He finally looked at me. I was frozen—locked in his song, his voice, his gaze, as tightly as if he was squeezing his arms around me and holding me in place.

I’ve been weak, I’ve been resentful

But I’ve never been inconstant

I think and plan for you alone

Can’t you see and understand?

Tell me you still love me

Tell me it’s not too late

Give me one more chance

Let me sway you

Back to me

The way he was looking at me, singing to me, begging me, I knew. The song was for me. It was a wish, a plea that I come back to him. As if there was any other option. As if I wanted anyone else but him.

Give me just one word

Give me just a look

Give me one more chance

Let me sway you

Back to me

You pierce my soul

Let me sway you

Back to me

Sway you

Back to me

A few more notes and it was over, the last chord echoing quietly through the room. We stared at each other in silence, both frozen in our last position. And then he was up, off the piano bench and standing in front of me in one fluid movement.

He reached out and cupped my face. “Well?”

Tears stung my eyes but I didn’t want to cry. Not now. Not when I was so happy.

“You could never be too late. I haven’t stopped waiting. I would wait forever.”

Eric started breathing faster, his own nervousness finally breaking through.

“I never stopped loving you.” I barely managed to choke out the words. I inched my body closer to his, my head tilting back. “I made a mistake. I regretted it a second after it happened. But…” But he hadn’t let me take it back.

“No, I was afraid. I was so terrified that your family would tear us apart piece by piece. I couldn’t run, so I pushed you away. I made the mistake.” He shook his head. “I tried to move on, to forget you. But it has always been you. I love you. Then. Now. Always.”

My lips met his. He kissed me, hands lightly resting on my hips. Then he pulled back, far too soon. My heart filled with dread at the crease between his eyebrows.

“I hate to ask this, but I have to.” He searched my face. “Are you sure? I mean, really sure?”

“Yes, you bozo!” My eyes flashed, I clenched my jaw. The tears were gone, replaced with fierce determination. My hands grabbed his shirt in fistfuls and held on tight. “Nothing, and no one, will change my mind.” I yanked him closer. “Ever.”

It was all he needed. His mouth crashed onto mine. His hands squeezed my hips, pressing me into his body. His heart pounded underneath my fists. I let go of his shirt and wrapped my arms around his neck, drawing him closer, wanting to feel his heart beat against mine.

It was even better than I remembered. I forgot myself, the past, all the mistakes and heartache, and just reveled in his kisses. Kisses that were mine again. Kisses that I would never give up.

Later, much later this time, he pulled back, both of us left breathless.

“Ava,” he said at last. “I love you.”

I smiled.

Chapter Forty-Four

I wanted to disappear into Eric’s world and forget my own completely, but that wasn’t possible. I had a family I cared about and loved. A family I hoped would be just a teeny bit more supportive this time around. So I put them to the test—inviting my family and Eric’s for dinner at the beach house.

Our relationship seemed as natural to most as it did to us. Richard and Sophia, and Adam and Britt shrugged it off as if they assumed we’d gotten back together weeks ago. But then, they were Eric’s family, not mine. The Elliots would be a harder sell, or so I thought.

To everyone else, Beth pretended like she’d been the first to know. To me, she said without malice but perhaps a hint of jealousy, “You get everything.”

Lacey’s shock was only momentary with Sam there to clear things up. Only Mari put up a fuss, probably more for her own benefit than ours. Charlie put a stop to it when he announced that he’d booked a vacation for just the two of them to Mykonos.

Later, when Lexi caught us kissing in the kitchen, her only reaction was, “Nice.”

We broke apart just as she was snapping a photo on her smartphone.

I pressed my lips together, trying not to let the taste of Eric’s mouth distract me. “It was until you interrupted.”

She arched an eyebrow at me. “We’ll talk later.”

So far, no one seemed to have a problem with the news. But there was still my dad, and Aunt Rose.

After dinner, Dad walked into the living room where we were all visiting, cell phone in hand. “It pays to use face cream. I’ve always said.” The way he sat in his chair was like a king bestowing us, his subjects, with his magnificence.

We waited.

“No one’s going to ask?” He looked tremendously disappointed.

“I will,” I said. “Why does it pay to use face cream? Except for the obvious reason, of course?”

He glared at me. “The obvious reason is the most important! Wrinkle prevention. What could be more important than that?”

I held back an eye-roll.

“It’s all thanks to my cream that I look this good. And now, I get to share it with the world.”

“What do you mean?” Beth asked.

He stared around the room, drawing the moment out. “Behold, the new face of Botticelli for Men face cream.”

My mouth dropped open. “No way! That’s great, Dad!” Sounds of congratulations floated around the room. Beth planted a kiss on his cheek. Dad beamed.

Aunt Rose and I exchanged a glance. We both knew what this meant—more money to pay off his debts and getting Kellynch back sooner.

“I’ll be in magazine ads, commercials, the works. Who knows, maybe I’ll even get back on TV.” As Dad began to tell us how he’d landed the contract, I put my empty plate on the floor and then settled into Eric. He wrapped his arm over my shoulders and pressed his cheek against my head. Aunt Rose’s eyes met mine. She smiled. It was a smile of relief.

“If any man should advertise face cream, your dad is the man,” Eric said into my ear.

I smiled up at him and he took the opportunity to peck me on the lips.

Dad’s words faltered. He raised an eyebrow. I held my breath.

He nodded.

My whole body relaxed as I let out the breath I was holding.

A few minutes later, Dad focused on Eric. “So, what’s next for you? Planning to go back on tour?”

I gaped. Since when did Dad know anything about Eric or his band?

“A new album first,” Eric replied. He concealed his own surprise well but I could tell he was just as shocked that my dad was acknowledging his presence.

“I have some new songs in the works,” Eric continued. “Another tour in a year or so.”

“I should get that in writing,” Sam said.

Adam snorted. “If it’s sooner than a year, there will be a mutiny.”

“When you start the new tour, I hope you don’t plan too many stops.” Dad shifted in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. “I don’t like being away from my daughters for long, especially now that I have Ava back.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Eric said while I tried not to faint.