Текст книги "Let Me In"
Автор книги: Michelle Lynn
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Текущая страница: 19 (всего у книги 19 страниц)
Chapter 2 – Present Day 25 years old
The plane dips down and both of my hands clutch the armrests. I have never liked flying but I am extra on edge this trip. I don’t want to go back home but I have no choice. My brother has decided to finally marry his college sweetheart, Lindsey Jacobson.
Don’t get me wrong. I love Lindsey and I couldn’t ask for a better sister-in-law. The problem is that they planned a week-long wedding extravaganza and, like every other wedding of the Bigs and Littles over the years, everyone is involved. Therefore, I’m not only spending a week with Jack and Lindsey and their wedding party, but I’ll also be seeing Bryan, Mackenna, and, from what I heard last night, Trent.
A hand squeezes mine gently. “It’s alright sweetie, just some turbulence,” Ian Fisher, my best friend, says quietly.
“I know. I hate flying,” I say. Ian and I became best friends our senior year of college when we worked together at the rec center. We both lusted over the same guy but unfortunately for me, the object of our mutual affection swung Ian’s way, not mine.
I made Ian take a week off work to come with me, and since he already knows most of the people, it will make things easier. I need him there with me to face everyone again.
“It’s going to be fine Maddy, just relax.” Ian looks at me, squeezes my hand, and then goes back to reading his magazine. We both know he isn’t talking about the flight, and we also both know that things won’t be fine.
The plane lands five minutes early. I am torn with wanting to get off or not, but I know I have to. Ian and I make our way to baggage claim and he stops on the way to get one of the luggage carts.
“Why do we need that?” I ask sharply.
“For our bags. I can’t carry them all,” he snaps back to me.
“How many bags to do you have?” I met him at the gate this morning so both of us had already checked our luggage.
“I don’t know,” he says, tilting his head down to look at me.
“Oh God, you probably have more than me,” I gripe.
“Probably. Now help me pull this through,” Ian says, yanking at the cart corral.
“Here, let me help,” a deep voice says from behind us.
I see the tanned forearm easily guide the cart out of the corral. My eyes roam upward, taking in a firm bicep, strong shoulders, and when my eyes reach the face attached to all of the above, I gasp.
“Hey Madgirl, long time no see,” Gabe Basso says, smirking at me.
“Gabe,” I say stunned. I’m not ready to face him so soon.
“I know, I caught a break at work in order to get here early.” His eyes leave mine, focusing on Ian. “Hi, I’m Gabe,” he says, extending his hand out toward Ian.
Ian looks as dumbfounded as I probably do, but puts his hand out to shake Gabe’s.
“Sorry, Ian this is Gabe Basso. Gabe, this is Ian Fisher.” I motion my finger back and forth between the two of them.
“Nice to meet you,” Ian says.
Gabe nods his head to him. “What baggage claim are you guys at?” he asks.
“Five, you?” Ian takes charge of the conversation, since apparently I have been struck mute. If I am this bad in front of Gabe, how will I make it through everyone else?
Gabe’s eyes shift to me and I see the concern in his eyes. “Six,” he answers. “Is anyone picking you guys up?” he asks, still looking at me. I can’t believe how much he looks like Trent, or more accurately, how much Trent looks like him.
“I rented a car. I didn’t want to rely on anyone for rides the whole week,” I say, divulging more information than necessary.
“Do you mind if I hitch a ride? I was going to catch a cab, but since you guys are here....” he says, his sentence trailing off.
“Sure, no problem,” I say with a shrug.
The three of us walk over to our respective baggage claims. I can see Gabe’s has already started moving, but ours is still quiet. A minute later, Gabe jogs over to us, holding a garment bag in his hand.
Although it’s only June, Gabe is already tan, which I assume has to do with living in Florida instead of the Midwest. I’d heard that Gabe moved down there after college with a couple of buddies, going in together on some real estate deals. I also heard that he’s doing pretty well for himself, especially for only being twenty-eight.
My bag is the first to come off, and I hope that’s a sign that this week won’t be too bad. Ian is waiting next to his cart; he has pulled off two bags already and is going for a third. His matching plaid faux designer-print luggage is a set of five and I assume he brought every piece.
“How much luggage did he bring?” Gabe asks, motioning his head toward Ian.
“I have no idea, but I bet he comes home with even more than he brought,” I say, smiling.
“I guess he’ll be prepared for whatever is going on. From what Doug told me, it’s going to be quite a week.”
“Yeah, I haven’t heard much of anything,” I respond, raising my shoulders and looking down at my feet.
“Knowing Jack, I’m sure he’s planned a fun time.”
“That’s my brother, party planner extraordinaire,” I say, smiling back up at him, noticing how perfect and white his teeth are.
“I’m looking forward to it; it has been a killer summer. All of our houses are booked for the season and we have been working like crazy getting everything ready. It was all I could do to get the time off,” he explains. “How about you, Maddy? What’s the decorating business like?”
“Hard to get into. I do most of my work for free, just to get my foot in the door. I tried to work as an assistant for another decorator, but they just want to boss you around and do their personal errands,” I confess. I have actually thought about switching careers lately, but I don’t want to go back to school.
“Yeah, I have heard that. I had a friend who graduated in fashion design and she had a hard time too.”
“What happened? Did she finally break through?” I cross my fingers, praying his answer is ‘yes’. I could use some hope to continue with my dream.
“Unfortunately, no. She ended up getting married to some investment banker she met and now lives in Connecticut with two kids,” he says, giving me a lopsided smile.
“Oh,” I murmur, deflated. I knew going into design that few people were able to really succeed in it, but since it’s my passion, I went for it anyway.
“But,” he says, nudging his shoulder with mine, “she wasn’t half as talented as you, Madeline Jennings.” He smiles down at me sweetly.
“Thank you,” I grin back, “but you have never seen my work.”
“Yes, I have,” he answers. Before I can question him further, we see Ian coming over with his cart overflowing with luggage.
“About time, Ian.” I turn around, towing my suitcase behind me. Suddenly, I feel my suitcase jerk to a stop behind me.
Gabe is there grabbing it. “You might as well take advantage of the cart,” he says, taking the suitcase from my hands and placing it on the cart. Ian huffs as though it is too much to push, but Gabe and I both chuckle as we walk to the rental car counter.
As soon as we get there, the young boy behind the counter motions for me to step forward so I walk over to him. I am surprised to see Gabe step up next to me.
“Can I help you?” the young kid asks.
“Reservation for Madeline Jennings.” I place my ID and credit card on the counter.
“Okay, we have you down for a compact this week.” The kid moves to take my ID and credit card, but a hand quickly covers them both.
“Can we upgrade to an SUV?” Gabe asks.
“What?” I ask, raising my eyebrows at him.
“His luggage isn’t going to fit in a compact,” he says, pointing to an exhausted Ian who is making his way over to the rental car place with all of the luggage in tow.
“We will have to strap it to the roof. I can’t afford to upgrade,” I admit, nodding to the young man to continue with the previously agreed upon transaction.
“First of all, I don’t think a compact has a rack you can strap luggage to,” he says, laughing. “Second, I would never make you pay. Let me get an SUV, and we can share it all week. We will be going to the same places anyway,” he adds, awaiting my answer.
I bite my bottom lip, contemplating my options. “I can’t let you do that, Gabe. Not to mention, the reason I’m getting a rental car is so that I don’t have to rely on anyone this week.”
He pulls out his wallet, handing the kid his ID and credit card. “Go ahead and book us an SUV and put both of our names on it.” He grabs my credit card and hands it back to me. “You can keep the truck and come get me when we are doing something,” he says with finality.
Did I miss something? Since when is he in charge of me? The problem is, I knew Ian’s luggage might be a problem. I guess I will just go ahead with Gabe’s plan and then drop the truck off later for him to use. I don’t need or want his charity.
We lug all of Ian’s bags onto the shuttle van that will take us to the rental car lot. When we arrive, Gabe makes me pick out the SUV we are going to use. Of course, Gabe doesn’t just get a regular SUV; he has to get a full-sized one. I pick a nice blue Chevy Tahoe, but it is huge and I don’t really want to drive it. After living in New York for the past two years, I’ve gotten used to not driving, and to go from taxi cabs to this monster of a truck is too much for me to take. When Gabe tries to give me the keys, I tell him to keep them.
Gabe raises his eyebrows, but begins loading the SUV with luggage. When the last bag is in the back, I am astonished to see that it is jam-packed with luggage. Does he always have to be right?
We head down the freeway toward our town, which is about an hour outside of Chicago. I can’t stop nibbling on my lower lip. I don’t know what to expect when I get there. I have heard Gabe’s phone buzz a few times with text messages, and I wonder who they are from.
By the time we pass the sign “Welcome to Belcrest: population 1,531”, my lip is raw and I am starting to sweat. I can’t believe I am back in the one place I swore I would never return.
“Holy shit. You weren’t kidding when you said you came from a small town,” Ian remarks from the backseat.
“Belcrest is small but mighty. Right, Madgirl?” Gabe playfully nudges me with his elbow. That is how the football team has always been described, ‘small but mighty’. We’ve never had as many guys as the other teams, but we were still state champions five years in a row when my brother and Gabe played. By the time I graduated, the run ended.
I remain quiet, nervous about seeing everyone. We pull up to Gabe’s house, which still has the same white porch with hanging flower baskets. I get out, stretching my legs and Mrs. Basso comes walking out with a chocolate lab behind her. Dixon passed away when we were in high school and they got a new pup, Kisses, which was affectionately named by Mrs. Basso. She said she was outnumbered for years and it was time she had a girl around the house. Since all of the boys were pretty much out of the house by then, there wasn’t really a fight.
“Gabe, it’s so good to have you home,” she says, embracing him in a tight hug.
“It’s good to be home, Mom,” he responds, squeezing her back. I know he has always had a close relationship to his family, unlike me. “Anyone else here yet?” he asks.
I freeze, not wanting to know whether or not Trent is here.
“Doug is out back with your dad,” she says and then turns towards me, doing a double take. She looks back and forth between Gabe and me, though whether she is confused or upset, I can’t really tell.
“Madeline?” she asks curtly.
“Hello, Mrs. Basso,” I say.
“I assumed you would be in town this week,” she says, coming over to give me a brief hug. Cold compared to how she used to hug me.
“Why are you guys driving together?” she asks, seeming irritated.
“We ran into each other at the airport and thought we would share a rental car this week.” Gabe tosses the keys in my direction.
Catching them, I hear Ian clear his throat behind me.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Mrs. Basso this is my friend, Ian. Ian this is Gabe’s mom, Mrs. Basso,” I motion back and forth.
She eyes him up and down. “Please, call me Wendy,” she says, extending her hand.
“Nice to meet you…Wendy,” Ian says, shaking her hand.
“Alright then, let’s go,” I say to Ian. “Nice to see you again, Mrs. Basso. Gabe, let me know if you want the car.” I turn around before either one of them can say anything, heading back to the driver’s side of the blue monster.
“Wait, Maddy!” Gabe calls, jogging over to me.
“What’s up?” I say, trying to keep the impatience out of my voice.
“I don’t have your number. Give me your phone,” he demands.
I dig it out of my purse and hand it to him. He programs his number and then calls himself. After he hands it back to me, I see that he stored himself as the ‘Hot Basso Brother’.
“Nice,” I smirk up to him.
“It’s not my fault my brothers got stuck at the shallow end of the gene pool.” He holds his hands out, waiting for me to disagree. I don’t.
We pull out of the driveway from the place that I once considered my home, and I want to cry for all that has happened between me and the Bassos. I promised myself that I wouldn’t let myself get dragged into it again. I see Mrs. Basso giving Gabe the third-degree, probably about why he would show up with me, and I watch him shaking his head back and forth.
“She’s a trip,” Ian says. “What is her problem with you?”
“She used to be nice. I was like a daughter to her,” I say, staring at the road ahead of me.
“What happened?” he asks.
I don’t answer. I don’t want to talk about it. I can’t tell him that I took something from her that I could never replace.
LOVE ME BACK IS AVAILABLE
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The Perfect Distraction by Melissa Rolka
Excerpt
Marco arrives promptly at seven and even comes up to my dorm room to get me. I’m dressed casually in jeans and a fitted black long-sleeved V-neck. Quinn answers our door and he gives her a hug hello and asks how she is. I come out from behind my closet door and his mouth opens slightly. His eyes travel from my head to my toes.
“Wow… You look really good.”
I instantly blush and try to keep my eyes level before I say, “You can thank Quinn. She works wonders with a little make-up.”
He moves towards me and gives me a light hug and says, “I beg to differ. It’s just you.” He looks more handsome than usual dressed in jeans and a light blue and white striped button down collared shirt. His dark blond hair is fixed neatly, which show off his hazel eyes. Suddenly the small room feels over consumed with the three of us standing.
As we are heading out, Marco says to Quinn that we’ll probably see her later at his house. Quinn never mentioned anything, which is unlike her. It never occurred to me that maybe she was seeing Reed. This thought sends a rush of jealousy through me. Silly I know considering that Quinn has no clue of my crush and that I am being escorted out with a handsome guy for dinner. I push these ridiculous feelings of jealousy aside for the time being and focus on Marco.
He takes me to a small pub off campus in the Historic Third Ward. We order burgers and he has a couple beers. Our conversation flows easily and there are no awkward moments. He asks about my day and says he’d like to come play tennis with me one day. We talk about our plans for our break. I tell him about my trip with my dad and brother. He asks about my mom. I don’t lie, but I don’t open up about the subject and simply reply that she is in California right now. He tells me about some of the accounting practices he would like to work for after graduation in May. I never tell him to apply to one of my dad’s because I remember how my mom would always say you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure.
In the bar area there is a pool table and some dart boards. Marco tells me to pick my poison. I laugh because I have not played either before. I decide on pool.
“Well, lucky me; I’ll get to teach you.” He winks at me before grabbing a stick for me.
“Hey, maybe I’ll have beginners luck.” He laughs at that and comes up behind me to show me how to break. The close contact races my heart and gives me a small flutter in my belly.
It takes me a few tries to get the hang of using the stick, but after a bit I think I have some of that beginners luck. I’m not winning, but I’ve been able to claim a few in the right pockets. As I’m bent over the table and stretched across, I hear Marco let out a low whistle threw his teeth. I turn my head slightly to give him a squinted look and purse my lips tightly.
“No distracting me,” I tease.
“Trust me I am not the one doing the distracting, Kate. It’s the view I have from over here that is very distracting.” I roll my eyes at him and let out a giggle.
As the game continues, so does the flirting and I find that I am enjoying it. Of course I lose, but he promises to help further my skills in the future. We leave the pub with his arm around my waist. I’m teasing him that I bet I will beat him next time we play because I’m a quick learner. As we reach his car he opens the passenger door for me and once I’m seated he plants a soft kiss on my cheek. I can’t help but bite the corner of my bottom lip out of nervous habit and keep my eyes down.
During the short drive to campus he tells me that his roommates are having some people over. He asks if I want to come back with him. It’s early and I am really having a fun night. The smile I receive after I agree is endearing.
After we park Marco’s car on the street we start to walk towards his house. It is obvious that it is a smaller crowd tonight just by the sheer volume coming from the house. We begin to walk up the steps to go in through the front door, but he stops me by grabbing my hand. I turn to face him and am able to look at him eye level because I am one step up. He moves his hand that is free towards the pocket of my gray wool pea coat and tugs me closer. My mouth is only hairs away from his and my breathing is fast. I fight the urge to bite at the bottom corner of my lip because I feel butterflies from my belly up to my heart. He doesn’t say a word. His eyes are locked on mine and the suspension is killing me. It’s almost as if he is waiting for me to make the next move towards kissing. Time seems suspended and then he moves in closer and presses a soft kiss on my lips. It’s sweet and gentle. Before he can move in again, I back myself up another step. He smiles at me and moves his hand from my coat.
He moves in front of me and opens the front door all the while holding my hand. The front room that is normally the dance area is lightly lit up with table lamps that are on end tables. There are two large old mismatched couches that are occupied. The TV is on, but no one seems to be watching it and music fills the air. I see two of his roommates with girls in between them on the blue couch that is backed up against the front window. To the right is a southwest patterned couch pressed against the wall with three guys and a couple girls wedged in there that are either sophomores or juniors. I say hello and one of the girls says that Quinn is in the other room playing poker. There are a couple others that I don’t know hanging around.
“We have a keg in the kitchen. You want a cup?” Marco asks.
“Sure.” I smile at him as he leads us through the dining room past the table of seven playing poker. Out of the corner of my eye I see Reed with a girl to his right sitting closely and Quinn to his left.
“Have you played poker before?”
“Nope, I haven’t, but I love card games.”
As he is filling our cups he says, “Alright go on in there and grab a chair. I’m going up to get us some change to play.”
I head back in to the dining room and immediately see Blue Eyes lock with mine. Reed is dressed casually in a long sleeved puma t-shirt and jeans. He is holding his cards up towards his face and his hair has fallen over his eyes partially. He gives me a tight smile and gestures to a chair across the table with his eyes. It’s quiet as cards are being laid on the table, but then Quinn who is sitting to the left of Reed and another guy whose arm is around the back of her chair yells out, “Whatever!”
I giggle because it is obvious that Quinn has lost this hand. Then Reed is moving all the change to a pile in front of him. He looks at Quinn and says, “Better luck next time kid.” Of course he adds in a wink.
“Kate! How was dinner?” Quinn asks and Reed raises his eyebrows as he waits for my answer.
“Good.” Somehow everyone at the table is looking in my direction. Luckily, Marco makes his way over and I’m not forced to bare an interrogation.
As Reed is dealing the cards again for Texas Holdem he asks, “How did packing up go?”
Instantly, I see Marco looking at me in question. I simply answer, “Good, I’m all set.” I smile at Reed and avoid the questioning look Marco is giving me.
Marco decides to have us play as a team since I have never played before. After a few hands he lets me start making the calls. Before I know it, I’ve become familiar with “the turn” and “the river”. I win a hand or two and this gets Quinn fired up. The guys at the table give Marco some crap about bringing me to the table to take their money. We joke about it being beginners luck.
After a few cups of beer I get up to head to the bathroom. Marco asks, “Do you remember where it is?”
I laugh and say, “Yes, I’ve only had a few this time.”
Once I get up there I have to wait because it is being used. I look across the hall and see Reed’s door to his bedroom open. It is clean and his bed is made like the last time I saw it. I don’t see the picture of him with the girl that was on his nightstand this time though. Two girls come out of the bathroom giggling. The one flips her long auburn hair and says, “Ah, look there is Reed’s room, wouldn’t that be nice to wake up in there?”
Girl number two says, “You wish!” They head down the stairs and I laugh to myself as I head in to the bathroom. I can’t deny that I may have been thinking on the same line.
I open the door and see Reed across the hall leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets and a leg crossed over the other. His head is hung slightly low, so that his eyes have to peek through his hair to see me. Crap.
“Hey Kate.”
“Hey,” I smile slightly.
“Did you enjoy your time alone with Marco?”
I’m desperately trying to remain calm and not show my nerves. Before I answer he takes a step closer leaving me in the doorway of the bathroom. I try to gain some wit before responding.
“Yea, are you enjoying poker with Quinn?” I can’t think of anything clever to keep up with our normal insinuating and flirtatious conversations.
He scoffs at this and runs his hand through his hair. Now he has moved closer and his arms are on both sides of the door frame to the bathroom. I’m trapped and I’m not sure that I mind it. My mouth is parted and my breathing has become erratic. Oh God. I’m mesmerized by his lips right now as he licks his top lip. He moves to the side of my right ear and whispers, “Hmm, is that what you think...” He lets out a breath in my ear and slowly moves my hair off my shoulder. “You can breathe, Kate; I’m not going to kiss you… yet.” And then moves around me into the bathroom and starts to close the door forcing me into the hallway.
The rest of the evening is spent drinking and playing cards. I try to avoid eye contact with Reed at all costs even when he speaks to me directly. Marco stays by my side the whole night with his arm around my shoulder or a hand on my thigh. Throughout the night I see Quinn’s (well, and a few of the girls) bold attempts to get Reed’s attention, but I never see any physical contact. However, the other guy Quinn sat next to has been affectionate towards her. She flirts back, but it’s hard to tell if she is interested in him.
It’s past one in the morning and Quinn and some of the other girls are ready to head out. I decide to head out with them. Marco seems slightly disappointed by this and tries to change my mind to let him walk me back, but I insist on leaving with them. I see Quinn hug Reed goodbye, but it seems friendly and fast. I quickly head back to the dining room to grab my coat. As I turn to head back to the front room, I am confronted by Reed.
“Have a good trip.” A small smirk spreads across his lips before he says, “I look forward to seeing you tan.”
“Thanks…” The alcohol has worn off and I’m feeling a bit shy by his forwardness.
“I’ll be at tennis the Saturday before school starts.”
“Ok, see you then. Bye Reed.” For some reason the fear of Marco seeing us having this conversation has me eager to leave. I catch one last glimpse of his blue eyes and feel a burning sensation pitted to my core.
“Bye Kate.” I start to head to the front room and feel saddened by the finality of this goodbye.
Then I see Marco waiting by the door for me and I smile at his handsome face. He walks out onto the porch with us as we begin to leave. Quinn and the other girls walk down the steps to wait for me on the sidewalk. My mind is buzzing with confusion. How can I have feelings for two guys? My feelings for Marco seem clouded because Reed seems to always be in the forefront of my mind. Marco is attractive, smart and fun. I like him, I really do. I even had butterflies a couple times tonight, but I can’t lie. When I thought Reed might kiss me upstairs I had something much bigger than butterflies… maybe birds.
“I had a great time tonight, Kate. Can I call you after your vacation?”
“Of course, I’d like that.” I’m not lying.
“Thank you for dinner and teaching me how to play pool and poker.”
“Sure, I liked teaching you.”
He moves closer to me and his hands snake around my waist. Slowly his lips touch mine. Then his tongue gently opens my lips and begins to dance with my tongue. Instantly, I feel a wave of butterflies in my belly. I kiss him back without hesitation. The smell and taste of cinnamon consumes me. He pulls back and plants a brief peck on my cheek. He tells me to have a good trip and that he will talk to me when I am back.
Synopsis for The Perfect Distraction
When Katherine “Kate” leaves for her freshmen year at college, a grounded and stable piece of her is missing. She pushes away the ghosts of her past, determined to start her college life single, carefree and distracted.
Throughout high school Kate was reserved and shy, with little experience. Now, on her own, with little holding her back, Kate is ready to branch out. She bonds with a tight knit group of friends and even starts casually dating. What starts out as innocent flirting on the tennis courts slowly turns into a friendship and eventually something more complex. Reed comes into her life giving her the distraction she craves more than anything; but is she ready to give her heart away so easily?
Things get complicated when Kate’s ex-boyfriend and first love continues to pursue her. Kyle deeply regrets breaking her heart when he left for college the year before and is now on a mission to reclaim her. Kyle’s persistence and relentlessness is nothing short of obsessive. He will stop at nothing to win her back and prove his love.
Kate finds herself torn between her past and the unknown of the future. Her determination to stay distracted may just be her downfall or the beginning of something new and wonderful.
Where to get The Perfect Distraction
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Distraction-Book-ebook/dp/B00FJ6EY8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382055383&sr=8-1&keywords=the+perfect+distraction
Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18338181-the-perfect-distraction
Social Media for Melissa Rolka
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