“In Cleveland?”
“Yes. I didn’t want to leave grandma alone. She’s getting old, you know.” I licked a smidgen of honey from my finger.
“I remember your fascination with architecture. You always had your sketchpad with you, always drawing the people and places around you. Do you still sketch?”
“Yup.” However, I had stopped drawing people a long time ago. Almost four years to be exact. But he didn’t need to know that.
“You do know architecture isn’t in its best shape right now, right? Getting a well-paying job will be hard.”
“I know, but I love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.” When we were kids, Rachel, Sophie, Faith, and I played dolls all the time, but the truth was, they played dolls while I sat beside them, drawing the dolls’ houses, complete with façade and floor plan.
“I’m glad you like it that much.” A grin spread over his lips. “I saw the flowers.” I groaned. “So, you have a boyfriend there. Want to tell me about him?”
“Nope. I really don’t want to talk about that.” I spread honey over another cracker. “Tell me about you. I know you’re studying biology at the University of South Carolina. Why didn’t you go away?”
He looked up at the stars, and I thought he wouldn’t answer. “The truth is that I couldn’t do that to Mom. She already suffered too much when you left. I didn’t want to add to that. Then when Dad became ill, I knew I had made the right decision. I’ll stay here with her.”
That was surprising. Jason had been nothing short of selfish when he was younger. He had changed, and apparently, my absence had triggered it. Once more, I realized I wasn’t a factor in this family. They had their routine and their lives and their purposes, all without me.
I finished eating and stood. I was picking up the crackers and the honey, when I heard the sound of a car and loud music approaching. Luna jumped from the seat and went to the fence to bark at the car.
I glanced at Jason and found him watching me with big eyes.
Slowly, I turned to the street and saw as a black Mustang reduced speed. The music turned down, but the car didn’t stop. It drove by and away.
“Sorry, I thought you would be asleep. He was coming by to talk.” Jason stood, his cell phone in his hand. “I’m gonna call him and meet him outside.”
I remained frozen to the spot. I couldn’t escape him. Every place I went, even in my house, he was there.
At least I hadn’t been sent to the Habitat for Humanity site again. However, it still boggled my mind. Ryan wasn’t one to volunteer for a charity. What was he doing there?
Jason descended the porch steps and started around the house, but he stopped and turned to me. “He was pretty messed up, you know, about what he did to you. If he could take it back, he would. And after what Dad did to you at the Main Square … I had to hold him back. Luke, Ethan, and I had to hold him actually, because I wasn’t strong enough. He would have killed Dad if I let him. I wanted to kill Dad too, but, well, not in the literal sense. My way of protesting was not to speak him for over a year. It would have lasted longer, if he hadn’t started to feel ill. Anyway—” He glanced at his phone. “—I thought you should know.”
Jason disappeared down the path beside the house, leaving me stunned on the porch.
***
Ryan
I turned down the volume and parked my car on the next block. Through the rearview mirror, I glanced at the house on the corner. If Jason didn’t come in one minute, I would leave.
Shit. How was I supposed to know she would be up and outside at this hour?
Well, thinking back, she had been outside plenty of times at this hour. Even later.
Jessica and I had been together for only a month, but it was an intense month. We got together almost every night. Some nights, I would sneak into her bedroom and we would talk while she sketched me, or we would cuddle and watch a quiet movie on her TV. The highlight was the end of the night, when we kissed until we fell asleep in each other’s arms. Other nights, she would sneak out and we would go for a ride, either in my car or on my street bike. We only took the car if it was raining or cold, otherwise the bike was the first option. I loved how she hopped behind me, how she squeezed my hips with her thighs, wound her arms around my waist, and rested her head on my shoulder.
Better than that was when I let her drive. Then I could press my body to hers, touch her waist, her belly, her legs, smell the delicious wild rose scent of her skin and her hair. I got hard every single time she was in front.
One night, she was driving along a deserted highway, going fast. Her hair whipped back in my face. After a long sniff, I pushed it aside and admired the smooth skin of her long neck. I leaned into her, brushing my lips on her delicious skin while one of my hands cupped her breast, and the other slid around her inner thigh.
Surprised, or overcome by the sensations, she gasped and jerked the bike to the side. For a moment, she lost control and the bike skidded. I reached forward, making her lean over the gas tank, and grabbed the handles. I was able to steady the bike, but I decided it was time for a break.
“Sorry,” she whispered, turning around over the side. “It was your fault though.”
I chuckled. “No, it wasn’t. Prove it.”
She scooted closer and wounded her legs around my waist. “Let me show you what happened.” Slowly, she slid her hand around my neck and brushed her warm lips on my skin. I hissed. “There was more.” She nipped at the soft spot between my neck and shoulder while snaking her hands down my body until she cupped my erection. I stilled, afraid that if I moved, I would wake up from this magnificent dream.
A knock on my car window shook me from my memory. Jason stood on the sidewalk beside my car with Luna on a leash.
Shit, I had been out of it for how long? I dragged a hand over my face and unlocked the doors.
“Hey,” Jason said, sliding into his car. He left the door open, so Luna could stay near him.
“Couldn’t you have texted me that she was out with you?” I asked.
Jason patted Luna’s head and shrugged. “This town isn’t that big. You two can’t avoid each other for the next two and half months.”
A knot pressed down on my eyebrows. “Two and half months?”
“Yeah, she’s staying for the entire summer.” Jason stared at him. “Why, did you think she was moving back?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t know what I thought.
My life hadn’t been easy these past four years, but things had gotten a whole lot more complicated.
“I think she has a boyfriend up there,” Jason said. A bucket of ice water poured over my head. That was how that sentence hit me. I was shocked. Not that Jessica wouldn’t have a boyfriend. She was too pretty to be single, but by the jealousy and anger that rose within me. “She got flowers and a heart-shaped card today.”
“Good for her,” I said through gritted teeth.
Jason pointed to the clock on the dashboard. “What about your curfew?”
“I drove by Mike’s house. His car was in the driveway and all the lights were off. I guess I won’t be caught tonight.”
Jason shook his head. “You’re playing with the law, man. Don’t do that.” Jason got out of the car and leaned over the door. “Just go home before he decides it’s time to check on you.”
“I’m tired of this shit,” I muttered, gripping the wheel with too much force.
“I know, man, I know. But it’s only four more months. Only four. That’s nothing compared to what you went through already.”
I had been through hell and back, and even though Jason, Luke, and Ethan knew all about it, they hadn’t lived it. They would never understand.
“You’re right,” I said, just so the conversation would end. I was tired of arguing. I glanced at the house behind us. “I hope she doesn’t give you shit for meeting me here.”
“Oh, don’t worry.” Jason smiled, but it wasn’t his truest grin. “She was giving me the silent treatment until a few minutes ago. A little shit here and there won’t make a difference.”