Darkness Lurks by J.L. Drake
Chapter Three
I woke up feeling upset about my relationship with Seth. He must have felt it was a mistake to take it to the level we had. My stomach churned with disappointment. I got ready for school, quickly shoving my arms through my dress. I glanced in the mirror, looking at my short white dress, with pink heels that matched the pink belt.
I shrugged. It was cute. It would do. Seth wasn’t in the kitchen. I guessed he had a later shift, so I grabbed a bagel and left, hating how things were between us. I almost wished it hadn’t happened so I could have my friend back. Why did humans consistently make this mistake? Friendship was better than nothing at all.
After my morning classes, I went to the library to study. Seth texted me a few times to see where I was. I sighed, not answering. I didn’t care if that made me bratty. I just wasn’t in the mood to respond. I closed my book and tossed my pen aside.
“Hey,” Scott quietly said, coming up behind me, “you leaving?”
“Yes, I’m meeting Erin for a bite at The Goose. Do you want to come?”
“Sure.” He helped me pack up. He held the door open for me as he told me a funny story about his professor. Then I heard my name being called. I turned to see Seth and Garrett standing next to their squad car.
Scott looked at me, puzzled. “You know them?”
I walked over, and Scott followed. Seth stepped forward. He seemed much larger than Scott when they stood side by side.
I swallowed the ball of anxiety crawling up my throat. “What’s up?” I hoped my voice sounded steady. Seth had sunglasses on, but I could tell he was staring at Scott by the way his jaw was flexing.
Garrett leaned in, swooping me up in one of his big bear hugs. “Hey, beautiful.”
I stepped back, smiling at Garrett. No matter what, he was always such a sweetheart to me. “Scott, these are my friends, Garrett and Seth.”
Scott smiled slightly. “Nice to meet you.” He turned to me. “I’ll see you at the pub. Take it easy, guys.”
I nodded. Seth looked at Garrett, then caught my hand and pulled me over to the side.
“What’s going on?” I asked, confused.
“I need to talk you.”
I felt a flash of anger. “Oh,nowyou want to talk to me? Okay, go ahead,” I snapped in a sarcastic voice.
He pressed his lips together. I could tell he was surprised by my mood.
A call came out over the radio. He tilted his ear to one side. “55 Charlie, 10-18, need your assistance,” the dispatcher said.
Seth clicked his radio. “10-4.” He sighed. “Shit, I have to go.”
I stepped back. “Yeah, well, see ya,” I said as I walked away.
I arrived at The Goose to see Erin and Scott waiting for me.
“What did your friends want?” Scott asked, pulling out my chair for me.
“What friends?” Erin asked as she dipped a pita chip into some hummus.
Scott leaned in. “Her cop friends.”
Erin shot me a look. “What did Seth want?”
I shrugged. “How should I know? He got a call before I could find out.” It bothered me that Seth came to my school to talk to me when he could just do it at home. What the hell was going on with him? I decided to push it out of my mind and enjoy my company for the evening.
***
Lasko
I squinted as I saw her walking out to the parking lot withhim. He was clearly in love with her. He was hanging on her every word. He even had the nerve to touch her elbow as they laughed together. I was still fuming about Scott when I saw him move his seat closer to Emily when they were in the pub earlier.
I decided I needed to give Emily a little reminder that I was still out there, and still watching. I lifted my beer can that was wrapped in a brown paper bag to my lips and downed the rest of it in one swallow. I tossed it in my back seat and opened another.
***
Emily
I waved at Scott as I pulled my keys out of my purse and unlocked my car. I stopped a few feet away when I saw a card resting under my wiper. I looked around and reached for the envelope. As my fingers pulled the white card out, a shiver ran up my spine.
In the skinny typed print were the words:
You’re making me angry again, Emily.
“Oh my God!” I whispered, debating what I should do next. Could this be him? Or was it just some sick joke?’ No. No one else knew what he had said to me. No one but the attacker could have known what words to use.
I shoved the card into my purse and quickly hopped into my car, locking the doors. Ice water ran through my veins, freezing me from the inside out. I turned up the heat, but nothing made my muscles relax.
I reached for my phone, debating whether or not I should call Seth. After a few calming moments, I decided just to go home. I didn’t need any more attention than I was already getting. Rear mirrors, side mirrors, front windshield—I repeated those actions the whole way home, convinced he was behind me.
I flexed my fingers as I released my seatbelt. They were sore from the death grip I had had on my steering wheel. I nervously went for the door handle, telling myself it was only twelve steps to my door.
Thankfully, Seth was already home, and the door was unlocked. I nearly toppled forward trying to get in. I slammed the door behind me, locking it. Then I closed my eyes as my head fell back against the door with a thud.
“Are you okay?” Seth asked, standing up from the couch.
“Yeah,” I whispered as I quickly walked upstairs to my room. I ran a hot bubble bath and undressed, pulling my hair up out of the water’s reach. I dimmed the lights and slipped into my deep, claw-foot tub. The water instantly soothed my tense muscles.
I reached over for the remote and turned on some soothing music. Lying back, I closed my eyes and breathed in the light scent of jasmine. My day was running through my mind when I heard a soft knock. I looked over and saw Seth, his arms up and his hands hooked on the top door frame. I leaned my head back, not saying anything.
“Can I talk to you?” he said quietly. I didn’t move. He went on. “It’s about the guy who attacked you.” My stomach sank. I had hoped he was going to talk about us.
“He’s…”
“…still watching me,” I finished for him. He came closer, looking confused. “My purse,” I said, pointing at the bathroom counter.
He picked it up, opened it, and pulled out the little white note.
“When did you get this?” he snapped.
I looked back at the wall. “Tonight. It was on the windshield of my car.”
He read it again. “Were you going to tell me?”
I wanted to.
“You haven’t been talking much,” I said.
He looked at me, hurt. Then his face changed back to his stern ‘Officer Connors’ persona. “I need to call Garrett.”
I nodded. “Yup.”
He pulled out his phone. “Does this not scare you, Em?”
Yes, more than anything, but when I talked to him about it, I felt like an ice cube. It was like I had pushed all the pain and fear in a box and tucked it neatly away in the back of my brain where everything was filed just so.
“What do you think is making him angry?” he asked, staring at the note and then at me.
Oh! It just hit me. First Jacob at the beach was flirting with me, and now… “Scott,” I whispered.
Seth’s eyes narrowed. “The guy you were with this morning?”
“Yes,” I answered, but I was lost in my thoughts. This crazy guy must have thought Scott liked me. Did that mean Scott was a target too? I shuddered.
“Emily, why Scott?” Seth looked like he wanted to shake me.
“Because we’ve been hanging out a bit. Maybe he thinks we’re dating?” Seth’s jaw flexed, but he quickly recovered.
“I see.” He closed his eyes. “Come on, Garrett!” He ended the call and tried it again. “Why do you have to be so goddamned stubborn, Em?” He held up the note. “You should’ve called me the moment you got this. I would have come for you. This is a big deal!” He closed his eyes. “I get that you had a hard upbringing with your mother…and I know you lost your father early, but you need to let people in. Let us help you. You can’t do everything by yourself. You could get killed!” He quickly turned. “Finally, Garrett! She got a note.” He walked angrily out of the bathroom.
His words stung. I didn’t need to hear him yell at Garrett about me. I slid down in the tub until my head was under the water. I could only hear my heartbeat.
I wasn’t going to deal with this tonight, so I went to bed after my bath, though it took a long time to fall asleep.
I left early the next morning. I didn’t want to run into Seth. I was doing well in my classes, and I enjoyed them when I could focus. My friendship with Scott seemed to be growing nicely. That made me a little nervous, but I couldn’t tell him why.
I decided to invite some of our friends back to my place for a party to kick off the end of the first week of school. Erin came over early and helped me get ready. By eight that evening, people started arriving. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Scott was talking to me and flirting a bit. We sat at the patio table with Erin and her boyfriend Alex and some other people.
“Officers,” I heard one guy say, nodding politely. Seth was staring at me. He and Garrett both had on jeans and black Orange Police Departmentt-shirts. I ignored him and kept talking to the people at the table. After a little while, I noticed people’s drinks were getting low.
“I’ll go get us some more beers,” I said. I needed a break from Scott, who had become increasingly flirty since the guys’ arrival. Seth was leaning against the counter and talking to a girl who had arrived with some of Alex’s friends earlier. I reached into the fridge and grabbed a few beers.
Scott came in and took one from me. “Thanks, hon.” He never called me hon. I was sure he was only doing it because Seth was staring at me. Scott took my hand possessively. “Come on.” He led me back outside.
Erin pulled a quarter out of her pocket and stood up at the table. “All right, folks, here’s what we’re gonna do.” She poured us all a shot of rum. “All you’ve got to do is bounce this quarter into your cup, and the person to your right takes their shot. If you miss, you drink yours.”
She slid the coin to Alex. He missed and happily grabbed his shot. He passed the quarter to me, I bounced it, and it went in. Scott laughed at me and took his shot.
I leaned in close to him. “Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you I’m awesome.”
Erin burst out laughing, and I followed suit. Erin filled Scott’s shot glass to let him take his turn. The quarter made it in. Lauren, the girl next to him, took her shot. She bounced hers in, too. Brad took his shot and then missed. He took another drink. Erin got hers in. “Sorry, honey,” she said to Alex.
This continued for three more rounds. Alex didn’t get his quarter in one time, and I wondered if he were missing on purpose. At the end of the game, Erin and I high-fived. We had both played this game many times and had practiced so we could beat the guys.
Garrett was talking to a few people, clearly enjoying himself. Seth came out and joined him after a bit. He had changed into a black dress shirt that wasn’t buttoned up all the way and a pair of shorts. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbows. He looked ridiculously good, although I pretended not to notice. Mindy, the girl he’d been talking to, followed him around like a shadow.
***
Seth
I sipped my beer, watching Emily in what could only be described as the world’s sexiest dress. Her hair brushed her breasts. The way she flipped it away from her face made the air smell like her strawberry shampoo. It was damned intoxicating.
I was beyond frustrated that I couldn’t go over and wrap my arms around her. She deserved someone who would treat her right and love her wholeheartedly, not some arrogant ass who couldn’t wait to get her behind closed doors. I glanced over at Scott and bit my tongue hard. Case in point.
Sarge’s words kept running through my head.It’s easier to protect someone when there aren’t feelings to get in the way. My heart ached for Emily. I wished I could tell her how I felt, but I knew she wouldn’t understand. I knew I was hurting her by pushing her away, but what else could I do?
I gritted my teeth as I watched Scott shifting closer to her. My grip on my bottle tightened till my knuckles went white. Garrett bumped his beer to mine as he walked past, heading over to Emily’s table. I let out a sigh, knowing my partner would make his presence known soon.
***
Emily
I smiled as Garrett sat down next to me, clicking his beer to mine. I knew what he was doing, and I welcomed it. He was watching out for me and being a loyal friend to Seth.
I felt someone wrap his arms around my neck and give me a kiss on the cheek. “Pete!” I cried out, delighted. Pete had been one of my best friends for a long time; I was the first person he came out to when he realized he was gay.
“Hello, love.”
I kissed him back. “Hey, hon.” Pete glanced around, looking oh-so-good in jeans that hung off his hips and an open dress shirt that showed off his perfect stomach. It was always sad to see the disappointment on women’s faces when they discovered he preferred men, although he did like to toy with the women first. Pete loved attention no matter where it came from.
“Where’s your sexy roommate?” he whispered in my ear. I laughed. Pete loved that I hung out with good-looking men. He claimed that was why he was still friends with me.
“He’s talking to a chick over there.” I tilted my head.
Pete put his hand on his chest very dramatically. “He let you be ten feet away from him?”
I smiled. “No, no, he sent my other body guard.” I put my arm over Garrett. The guys were known for being pretty protective of me, especially when we were out.
Pete returned my smile. “Oh, of course. Good evening, Officer O’Brian,” he said seductively.
Garrett raised his drink to him.
Scott was looking at me funny. “Seth and Garrettlivewith you?”
“Nope, just Seth,” Garrett interrupted with a hint of joy in his voice. I shot him a look, but I was really happy he’d said it.
“Whatever, Garrett, you basically live here, too.” Erin grinned, listening in on our conversation.
Pete looked down at my dress. “Oh my God! I love your Prada!” He made me stand up, checking me out. “Damn, girl!”
I blushed, looking down at my black dress. Pete leaned close to my ear. “If this doesn’t get his attention, I don’t know what will.” He shot his eyes over at Seth, who was watching us. Then he sat down in my chair and pulled me onto his lap. I wrapped my arm around his shoulders, crossing my legs. “Sigh, if only you were Kevin Bacon,” he teased me.
“With an ass like his, me, too.” I laughed.
Scott leaned over. “For what it’s worth, I like your ass.”
I blushed as Garrett snickered under his breath.
I turned to Garrett. “Are you implying I don’t have a nice ass?” I called out to him, smiling and waiting for an answer. When it didn’t come, I kicked him in the leg to prompt him.
He laughed. “That’s a Seth answer.”
Erin’s eyes glowed with an idea. “That’s true. Hey, Seth?” I shot her a look of death. Seth came wandering over.
“Yeah?”
I looked down at the table, waiting for this embarrassing show to be over.
“Garrett thought you should answer a question for him.” I looked at Pete and shook my head. Seth looked confused. Erin moved to his side.
“You think Emily has a nice ass, right? ’Cause apparently Scott thinks so.” I wanted to die. I glanced up at Seth after a moment, feeling all eyes on us.
He gazed back at me steadily. “She knows the answer to that.”
Okay, by then I was sure I was blushing all over because I was thinking about our kitchen encounter the other day.
Erin let out a laugh. “That’s what I thought. Why don’t you join us?” Erin had always wanted me and Seth to get together, and she was nervous about Scott getting in the way.
Pete turned to me. “All right, my love, I need to go mingle and get myself something to drink.” I stood up, and he checked me out again. “Love the dress, love the shoes, and love the ass.” He winked and left.
Seth sat down at the table across from me. I felt Scott slide his arm around my chair again. Mindy came and sat down next to Seth.
“Are you working tomorrow?” she asked him. He shook his head.
“I was thinking maybe we could meet at Huntington Beach?” Seth’s glance shot to me. She followed his line of sight. “Maybe we all could go,” she said, shrugging and looking at everyone at the table.
Scott turned to me. “That would be fun.”
I felt a punch to my stomach. The last time I had gone to Huntington Beach, things hadn’t ended so well. I looked at the guys, then back at the table. My panic was rising by the moment.
Seth spoke up. “Why don’t we do it here at this beach?” he said, pointing his bottle toward the open ocean.
Mindy’s face lit up. “Perfect!”
I let out a sigh.
“Let’s meet up at noon?” Erin suggested. Everyone agreed.
People started leaving around 2:30 a.m. Erin and Alex stayed in one of the guest rooms, Garrett took the other, and Pete took the couch. I went out on the patio and started cleaning up the bottles when I saw Mindy and Seth still talking at the table. Seth looked up.
“Oh, sorry,” I murmured, feeling my stomach sink further. I turned around to see Scott standing in the doorway. He walked over to me and kissed me on my closed lips. I felt a shock run through me. He moved away and smiled. I forced a nervous smile back.What the hell was that?
“I’m going to crash on your patio swing. That cool?”
I nodded and stood there stunned as he walked away. I felt so many things, but mainly what was going through my mind was that Scott was not the guy I wanted to kiss me.
I heard Mindy saying goodnight to Seth and saw their reflection in the window. He side-hugged her, and she looked a bit disappointed.
“See you tomorrow,” she called out to me.
“Bye.”
I went back to cleaning up the bottles. Seth came up to my side, helping me collect the red cups.
“You okay?”
“Always.” I walked inside, dumping trash in the waste bin. Pete was passed out cold on the couch, his arm tossed over his chest. I tugged a blanket out from under his feet and draped it over him. I started upstairs with Seth close behind me.
I headed over to my dresser and pulled out a long top. Seth came in and closed the door behind him. I slipped off my heels and was reaching for the zipper on my dress when I felt Seth’s hand clasp mine, moving it out of the way. His other hand swept my hair up off my neck, holding it off to the side. His hips pushed into my lower back as his lips hovered just above my shoulder.
My neck pulsed as the warmth of his breath traveled down to my chest, making me forget everything. I felt the tug and drag of the zipper as he slowly brought it down. My entire body hummed with desire. I fought the urge to step back and press into him. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but I didn’t want him to stop, either. His hands slid inside the dress and peeled it off my shoulders and down my hips. Then he let go, allowing it to fall to the floor. He offered a hand as I stepped out of the dress, but he didn’t let go as he spun me around to look at him. His expression was unreadable.
I shook my head. “Seth, you’re only here because Scott kissed me.”
I slid my hand out of his, grabbing my tank top and pulling it on as I headed to the door and opened it. I stood waiting for him to leave. His jaw flexed as his eyes darkened. He quickly crossed the room, raising his hand above my head and closing the door. His hand dropped. He entwined his fingers in my hair and pulled gently so I’d look at him.
“You’re wrong,” he whispered. He leaned in, staring into my eyes, waiting to see if I was with him. I glanced down at his mouth and licked my lips. My breathing was heavy.
He growled as he lunged into the kiss. My legs went weak as he took over my body. He pushed me against the door. His hands slid down my shirt to my bare legs and back up under it. I had no willpower when it came to him.
I made quick work of his shirt, pulling off one shoulder at a time as I used his solid body to stabilize myself. He grabbed one of my legs and pulled it to his hip. He pushed his body hard into mine.
He started a trail of kisses down my neck to my collarbone. My nails ran down the length of his back, and I heard him moan into my shoulder. His hand slid down my thigh, grabbing my behind.
“I do love your ass,” he grunted. His eyes closed as if he were trying to control himself. My stomach flipped as my body reacted to his. He wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up. “Wrap your legs around me, baby.”
I did, and he carried me over to my bed and set me down gently. I shifted back as he pushed himself between my legs, placing some of his weight on me. He leaned the rest of his weight on one hand, the other running along my side.
I arched my back, pressing myself into him, wanting him to be closer. There was a flicker in his eyes as he dove back down for another passionate kiss. I squeaked as his tongue forced itself against mine. He smelled good, like a mix of spice and alcohol. His tongue matched the actions of his hips, sending me over the edge.
Then I felt his body go stiff. He pulled away, closing his eyes again. He reached into his pocket for his phone and his jaw tightened. “Shit,” he huffed. Then his gaze dropped down to mine. “I have to go.” He ran his hand through his messy blond hair. “I’m sorry, Em,” he groaned. He shook his head, standing up and looking for his t-shirt. “I shouldn’t have—I mean—” He stopped himself. “There are some things we need to discuss—”
It felt like a rubber band had snapped me in the heart. I actually rubbed my skin to ease the pain. I rolled onto my side and stumbled to a standing position. “Your mind games are enough to drive somebody nuts, Seth.” Jesus! He was killing me.
He came up to me. “It’s not what you think.”
I moved away from his touch.
His phone buzzed again.
“You have to go, remember?” I reminded him in a hurt voice. His face looked torn as he moved past me, leaving me to pick myself back up.
***
Seth
I pulled on my shirt and walked to my bedroom where Garrett was waiting. “This better be good.” I scratched the back of my neck and let go of my sexual frustrations.
Garrett was sitting on the side of the dresser. He looked stressed out. “Riggs just texted me. They found the truck driver. He was up north. They are bringing him in, but apparently he didn’t report it because someone followed him to his rest spot, slashed his tires, killed his dog, and left it to bleed out in the passenger’s seat.”
I shook my head. “Jesus Christ, now he’s really going to talk!” This was getting dangerous, fast. I needed to keep clear-headed.
“Have you spoken to her about coming in? About how important it is that she tells us everything?”
“No, but I will.” I let out an unsteady breath. This was going to be hard. I hated to make her relive such a traumatic experience, but if it was this guy who did that to the trucker, we could have a real psychopath on our hands. Who knew what else he might be capable of?
***
Lasko
I turned the volume knob up on my stereo. I stood naked in front of the mirror, admiring my long, skinny body and running my hands along my pasty flesh. Bach’sCello Suite 1 Preludefilled the tiny motel room. Classical music soothed me.
I opened a small, metal box and carefully pulled out a tiny blade, setting it on the counter. I then lifted the lid off a container and took out a large cockroach. Its legs wiggled back and forth as it tried to get away. I held it down on the counter with my index finger and brought the blade to its back. I started sawing slowly, relishing its terror. I stopped mid-way through, moving to its antenna and chopping it off like you would cut a hunk of meat. I flipped the insect so it was now on its back and continued sawing until it was split in two. It was a beautiful sight. My finger dragged in the cockroach’s juices. I brought it to my tongue and licked it clean, swirling the liquid in my mouth as if it were a fine wine.
The sound of my neighbor screaming in delight and pain reached me. I flickered my gaze up to a picture of Emily taped to the mirror. I pulled it off and walked back into the living room area, pushing the chair up against the wall so I could feel the vibrations from the neighbor’s bed. My fingers slid across and unlocked my smart phone and started to type.
Lasko: Get me something used.
Hank: Consider it done.
I reached down, closed my eyes, and pretended the screams were Emily’s.
***
Emily
“Emilyyy.”
I woke with a jerk and looked around, seeing I was in my room alone. I rubbed my head, wishing I could get his face—well, the part of his face I had seen—out of my mind. I heard the sound of people talking outside, and it was pleasant to know I wasn’t alone.
My skin felt sticky. Yuck, it was hot out already. I groaned at the idea of having another California heat wave.
I went to the window and saw Pete, Alex, and Scott throwing a football around. Yes, it was nice having people nearby. I peeled off my tank top and kicked my panties at my dresser as I headed into the shower. I changed into a black and silver bikini and jean shorts.
I met Garrett coming out of his room. “Morning, Em.” He had changed into his swim shorts. “It’s stupid hot out.”
I laughed at his choice of words. “I know, hey?”
Garrett opened the front door and darted out, joining in the game. I leaned out over the porch railing; Erin waved her hand over her face and mouthed the word, “Hot.” I nodded, agreeing with her.
“Hey,” Seth said from behind me. He was sitting on the porch swing.
“Hi.” I didn’t turn around, but I heard the creak of the swing as he stood and came up next to me. He was wearing shorts and nothing else, which wasn’t helping me ignore him very well. He handed me his coffee. “Thanks,” I muttered, taking a sip. We both had a dangerous obsession with caffeine.
Scott stepped on the railing in front of us. “Good morning, how are ya?” he asked me, ignoring Seth.
“Good.”
He put his hand on mine. “Come play.”
I leaned back “I will. I just need to eat something first.”
He nodded, and I left them on the porch in search of breakfast.
As I walked into the kitchen, I heard a buzzing noise. I picked up my phone and saw an unknown name and number. I let it go to voice mail.
It buzzed again, same number. This time I answered it. “Hello?”
It was silent.
Okaaaay…I got a bottle of water and an orange, then sat on the counter and started peeling the orange. Seth came in, grabbing a water.
My phone started buzzing again. “Hello?” I snapped. There was a breathing sound. “Who is this?” Nothing. “Whatever,” I muttered, hanging up.
Seth looked at me questioningly. I shook my head. “Someone must be pocket dialing me.”
He took the phone from my hand and started looking through it. I hopped off the counter, pulling my hair off the back of my neck. I stood in front of a fan, letting the blades push cool air across my skin.
Seth reached for a bottle of tequila. He poured himself a shot and then poured more in a blender, adding ice and some mix. I went over to watch. It looked refreshing. He cut up a lime and looked at me.
Okay, let’s play.I reached for the salt. Then I leaned in, took an ice cube, and slid it up the side of his neck. I sprinkled a little salt on his neck. He reached for a piece of lime, his eyes glowing with amusement. Standing on my tippy toes, I pressed my warm body into his.
His skin felt hot. I ran my tongue slowly all the way up to his ear, then reached back for the shot as he slid the lime into his mouth. I tossed the shot back, not breaking eye contact with him.
He leaned over me as he bent his mouth down to mine. My tongue slid across the lime playfully. The corners of his mouth went up, and his eyes flashed me a wicked look. Then I carefully bit at the lime, not touching him with my lips. He gingerly let go of it. I pulled it into my mouth and sucked it, letting the tart liquid tease my taste buds.
Tossing it on the counter, I moved in inches from his lips and let my cool breath roll over his senses. A smirk escaped my lips. His eyes went wide. I could tell he was fighting his feelings—I just didn’t know why.
“Hey, all, you put the lime in the coconut. Gotta love morning margaritas!” Pete sang in his velvet voice as he walked into the room. I smiled and turned on the blender. Then I grabbed a bunch of glasses and poured the mixture into a big pitcher. Pete walked out, still singing, leaving Seth staring at me.
“Coming?” I asked.
“That’s not fair.”
Just barely touching his skin, I reached over and ran my finger along the top of his belt. I pulled slightly on his belt buckle and looked up. “You started this, remember? But you also thought it was a mistake.” I picked up the tray, turned, and walked out.Pffff! Chew on that! I heard him mutter something under his breath, but I couldn’t make it out.
Eight years ago, my dad had built a huge deck on our beach with a built-in barbecue, stereo system, and lights. There was a fire pit down on the sand with brown lounge chairs and bright orange cushions surrounding it.
My parents loved to host parties—frankly, my parents just loved to party. They were always being pulled out to big benefit events. I figured this was the way my dad blew off steam. I remembered the long nights of being dragged out to boring parties where people would throw a disgusting amount of money around. Thank God my dad felt the same way I did. We would spend our time playing poker or making fun of the insane dresses women wore. I felt a twinge of pain in my gut. I missed my dad terribly.
Erin and I laid out our lounge chairs and started to put on some tanning oil while Pete and Alex decided what music to play. Seth passed out the drinks. I noticed Scott talking to Garrett. Garrett didn’t seem too interested in what he was saying.
“Hey, guys,” I heard Mindy say as she came down the little path to the beach with a trail of friends. She went over to Seth and gave him an awkward hug. Then she started telling him a funny story…well, at least one she thought was funny.
Erin looked at me. “Nice that she thought to bring some more people.”
“Whatever.” I shrugged, downed my drink, and desperately wanted another.
“Sooo, Scott?” she asked carefully. “What’s his deal, anyway?”
“Just friends, Erin,” I said, and moved to stand up.
“Yes, but does he know that?” she whispered after me as I walked over to the table where Seth and Mindy were talking. I sighed as I quietly poured myself another drink. Scott came up and started talking to me about school. Garrett caught my eye and grinned. I smiled back. Then he started walking forward with thatlook.
“Oh no, no way!” I shouted raising my hands. Scott backed away from me as Garrett got closer.
“Just give in, Emily,” he said, with a loud laugh.
I started to walk backward. “Seth!” I yelled and looked to him for help.
“You know it has to happen, Em,” Seth said cheerfully as Garrett moved closer to me.
Mindy shot me a dirty look from the other side of the table as I moved behind Seth and grabbed his waist. “Seth, help me, the water is cold!”
He just smiled and turned a little so Garrett could grab me. Traitor.
“Garrett,no!”
He scooped me up, tossed me over his shoulder as he ran into the water, and pulled us under. I came up to the surface to find him laughing hysterically.
“You’re so mean!” I splashed at him.
He ducked to shield himself and then put his arm around me. “You know you’re my most favorite person in the world.” I gave him a shove, but he still had a firm grip on me, so we both ended up going under again. When we got back on the beach, Garrett let me go, still laughing as I trudged toward my chair, looking like a soaked cat.
“Serve and protect, my ass,” I hissed at Seth. He grinned as he came over and wrapped a towel over my shoulders.
“Water warm?” he asked innocently. I shot him a glare. Mindy stepped a little closer, and I was sure she wanted to know what we were to one another.
“I think your girlfriend is waiting for you.” I leaned my head in her direction.
He sighed. “She’s an…interesting…girl.”
Erin came up to us, holding the empty pitcher. “Oh, here.” I took it from her hands. “I’ll go make some more.”
Erin looked at Seth, then shifted her eyes at me.
“Erin!” I hissed in embarrassment. This girl had no shame.
“What?”
I gripped her arm. “We’ll be right back.”
“You’re killing me,” I mumbled when we were out of hearing range.
She tossed her hands in the air. “What’s it going to take for you guys to just admit you should be together?”
I rolled my eyes, wanting to tell her about the two hot encounters, but in the end I decided not to jinx it. I wrung out my hair and finger combed through it the best I could. When we got to the house, I noticed the patio door was partly open and slightly off its track. We exchanged puzzled glances. Maybe someone had arrived late? I took a step toward the door and looked around. “Hello?”
“Maybe we shouldn’t.” Erin’s voice was unsure. I stepped into the kitchen and picked up Seth’s baseball bat when I heard a noise like footsteps coming from upstairs.Ahhh…
Erin clutched my arm. “You heard that?”
I nodded. “Go get the guys.”
She shook her head, her eyes pleading with me. “Come with me.”
“Don’t let the others know, just the guys. Go!” I whispered loudly. She hesitated and then turned and ran.
I gripped the bat tightly as I leaned over, snatched my cell, and slid it in my bathing suit bottom. I gently pushed open the door that led to the living room. I looked all around. Through the window, I saw Erin in a full out sprint down the yard.
My heart was racing so loudly I had to strain to hear anything else. I turned to the stairs and peered up.What the hell are you doing?I screamed to my braver—or stupider—side. But I didn’t stop. It was like my mind knew better, but my body kept going. I took a deep breath and moved up the stairs.
I had to be careful as the water dripped down my legs, making the wood stairs slippery. I heard a noise like a thud. I was almost to the top when the step creaked, the sound echoing off the walls. My lungs froze.
Erin waved at me through the top window, frantically trying to get me to come back down. I pointed forward and mouthed, “My bedroom.” Her face dropped, and then she shot me a look of panic. I kept going. I had that bat ready to swing. I walked slowly down the hallway, my fingers trembling, and each step felt like lead. I peeked in the first door. Nothing. I passed the doorway. Suddenly I felt a hand go over my mouth. My adrenaline pumped into overdrive.
“Stop!” Seth whispered in my ear. I nodded, feeling my heart pound out its aggression on me. He had his gun drawn; I turned to see Garrett behind him. Seth grabbed my waist and slid me behind him and shielded me from whatever was in there.
Garrett hissed, “Go downstairs.”
I nodded, feeling a huge sense of relief that they were there. I slowly went down and stayed with Erin in the kitchen, neither of us saying a word.
A few minutes later, they returned.
“We checked every room. There’s no one here. Are yousureyou heard something?” Seth asked.
I looked at Erin. “I…I thought so. Maybe we were wrong.”
Erin folded her arms. “I don’t know. Maybe it was Penny?”
I shook my head. I was unsure, but I had that same horrible knot back in my stomach—something felt off. I went over to the counter and started to make the margaritas. I needed something to focus on, something to do with my hands. Erin went back to the beach; Garrett got a beer and stood outside, making sure Erin got back to the group all right.
Seth came up next to me. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” He was pissed.
I turned and looked at him.
“No. I just, I-I don’t know what came over me,” I said, attempting to clear my head. “I don’t.” I looked down at my hands, and they were shaking. Seth leaned over, reached for my arm, and pulled me into him. I rested my forehead on his chest.
“God, baby, you’re trembling.”
I nodded, trying to calm myself. My phone rang loudly, which made me jump.
Seth picked it up. “It’s that number again,” he muttered. He put it through to voicemail, tossed the phone back on the counter, and then nuzzled his nose in my hair. “It’s okay, baby, I got you, but we need to talk,” he murmured. I closed my eyes and let his wordsI got yourepeat over and over in my head. I wanted to stay like this forever. It was safe.
“Emily?” Scott said. He and Mindy were standing in the doorway. I flinched as my head whipped over to look at them. “What’s going on?” Scott asked.
Seth didn’t let go right away, not until I slowly stepped back, running my hand over my wet hair. Seth dropped his arms heavily to his sides. Garrett slipped through the door and rolled his eyes at the two intruders.
“Nothing.” I stepped back. “It’s just some jerk who keeps pocket dialing me.”
Seth handed me my phone and gently squeezed my hand. Mindy had a pissy look on her face. I cleared my head and forced a smile. “Thirsty?” I held up the margarita pitcher, but my voice didn’t match my fake smile. Seth leaned back against the counter and let out a long breath.
Scott smiled at the look I gave Seth. I’m sure he thought I was mad at him. “Yes, very thirsty.”
I turned to the other three. “Coming?”
Mindy moved toward to Seth. “Yeah…Hey, you think you could give us a minute?” she hissed at me.
Garrett went wide-eyed and mouthed, “Wow,” to me. He grabbed the pitcher, and I tried to hide my laughter as the three of us walked away.
When we made our way back to the beach, Pete came up to me, dancing. Scott moved over to some friends. He still hadn’t gotten used to Pete’s ways.
Pete led me to the table, the whole time shaking his hips. “Okay, love.” He clapped his hands together. “On today’s menu are red, green, and blue Jell-O shots.”
I decided on blue, letting the smooth, rubbery square roll down the back of my throat. I did four. Hell, I was only going to be twenty-two once, right?
“Wow!” They hit me fast. Pete turned up the music. “Hurt Like Mine” by The Black Keys came on. He was a fantastic dancer. He had moves for days. After a while I went over to the table and did a few more shots.
Garrett came up to me. “Open your mouth and stick out your tongue.” I did, knowing it was bright blue. “You having fun?” I could tell he wasn’t sure if I was okay or not. I wasn’t sure, either, but the shots seemed to help.
“Always having fun.” I handed him a shot as I saw Mindy come down the path, looking upset. “Uh-oh,” I said and pointed over his shoulder. She walked past us cursing about something, grabbed her stuff, and left just as quickly as she had arrived.
Seth came over, shaking his head. “Dude, that girl is crazy. She practically had me picking out drapes!” I handed him a shot and tried to suppress my smile. He took it willingly. “Cheers.”
I noticed someone was running along the beach. As he came into view, I recognized Travis.
“Great setup you have here, Emily,” he shouted over the music. “Have fun.” He waved and continued. I waved back, but sensed both guys watching me.
“Convenient time for a run,” Garrett muttered to Seth, who nodded in agreement.
I laughed. “You two are unbelievable. He runs twice a day, give the guy some credit. Besides, he’s only trying to be a friendly neighbor.”
“All I’m saying is that you heard someone in the house, maybe up in your room, and fifteen minutes later this guy comes running down the beach. Convenient,” Seth said, and gave me his best ‘Officer Connors’ stare. I rolled my eyes at them. They had to be kidding.
“Travis wouldn’t hurt a thing.”
“Said the spider to the fly.” Seth raised an eyebrow.
Later that evening, I lit the fire pit and sat down on the sand. I ran my hands through my hair, still wavy from the salt water. I leaned against a chair and smiled when I saw Pete coming.
He sat by me with his guitar and bumped my shoulder, flashing me one of his pearly-white smiles. We had known each other for so long that he knew what I thought before I did. His parents had been good friends with my father for a year before my dad died and Pete’s father left his mom.
Pete had been crushed. He never forgave his father for the hurt he caused his mom, and they never saw him again. When my father died, Pete was there every step of the way, even when I tried to push everyone away. I would always be thankful for him.
Seth moved over to the chair I was leaning on and put his legs on either side of me. Scott, Erin, and Alex joined us while Pete strummed a few chords.
He turned to me. “Remember last summer when we did karaoke at the pub in Fullerton?”
“Mmm…hmm.”
His grin got bigger and he started to play the song “Give in to Me” by Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester. He started to sing in his velvet country voice.
We both sang our parts. I had to admit I had missed this with Pete. We sounded good together. Well, he made me sound good.
“Such a pretty song,” Erin said as she snuggled up with Alex on the sand.
Seth played mindlessly with a piece of my hair.
“I didn’t know you could sing,” Garrett said to me as he took a seat next to Seth.
I laughed. “Not really. Pete and I just like to play around.” We listened to Pete play some more songs, and I chimed in here and there.
Scott moved down by my side. “The guys and I are going to head out. I’ll see you Monday?”
“Yes, for sure, drive safe.”
He turned his ball hat around and leaned in for a kiss on my cheek. “Night, hon.”
Really not liking this nickname, Scott.
“Emily, I hear your phone going off,” Alex said, holding up my phone.
“Who is it?”
He looked down. “Unknown number.”
“Never mind.”
He came back over.
Seth leaned forward and hovered over one shoulder. “How many times has that number called you?”
I shrugged and turned to him. “It’s nothing. No one is there. Just a wrong number.”
Pete was in the middle of a soft tune. I leaned back and rested my head on Seth’s leg. The fire was soothing, and the alcohol hit me hard. My eyes soon closed.
***
Seth
I stared into the fire, deep in thought, when I heard Pete’s voice. “I think you lost her.” He leaned forward and saw Emily’s eyes were closed. I gently pulled her up on my lap and rested her head on my chest.
“What?” I asked as I shifted lightly and took in Pete’s expression.
“I don’t get it. You’re clearly in love with her, but you won’t act on it.”
I looked down, brushing the hair out of Emily’s face. “It’s…complicated.”They won’t get it.
Pete snorted. “What will really be complicated is when she finally gives up on you and moves on to someone else.”
I looked up at the fire, knowing he was right.
Pete stood. “Just do me a favor. If you’re not going to tell her the truth, let her go. She deserves to be happy.” He tapped his beer to mine and walked off. I hated that he was right.
Garrett sighed. “You’re not the only one who would be losing her.”
I cleared my throat and took a sip of my beer. I knew he was right too. I wanted Emily all to myself, but would giving in to my feelings make me selfish and reckless? I leaned down and rested my cheek to the top of her head, listening to her slow, even breaths as she slept peacefully in my arms.
“Garrett, those phone calls…”
“Yeah, I know. Tomorrow we better get on it.” We exchanged worried looks.
