Текст книги "Can't Let Go"

Автор книги: Michelle Lynn

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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

HAVING SOME TIME to kill, I walk around the gallery and admire Ryland’s paintings. Ryland busies himself, sorting through some new framed ones that he just completed.

“I can’t believe this one hasn’t sold,” I say, pointing to ‘Unfixable’. I love everything it portrays so much, I’d contemplated making an offer.

His head raises, and then he gets to his feet. Meeting me in front the painting, he rubs the back of his head and then gazes at for a few seconds. “That’s my wife,” he reveals.

“Oh, Ryland, I had no idea you were divorced.”

“Widower,” he clarifies, his eyes still fixed on the painting. My heart plummets that he’s so young to lose someone he obviously loved from the way his eyes stare at the painting with so much affection. “I’ve had offers, but I just can’t part with it.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologize for his loss and for embarrassingly prying into his life by asking about it.

“She suffered,” he pauses. “I’m glad she’s no longer in pain.” He turns to me, giving me a tight smile that never reaches his eyes. It’s the first time I’ve seen Ryland so melancholy and sadness washes through me that I brought up the subject that elicited his mood.

I touch his shoulder, and he steps a little closer. “Never take a day for granted, Chrissy.” He turns around and disappears behind his office door.

Fifteen minutes later, Dex strolls in with low slung jeans, his heavier jacket, and hat flipped backwards. I’m not sure I’ll ever get tired of ogling his body. “Keep looking, baby. I don’t mind,” he cockily spouts, and I roll my eyes.

Closing the distance, he kisses me hello. “Let’s go,” he urges, nodding his head toward the door.

“Hold on.” I open the drawer to retrieve my purse, and hem and haw if I should tell Ryland I’m leaving. The way he left, I feel like he needs his space. “Give me a sec,” I hold my finger up to Dex and steadily walk to Ryland’s office. Giving a quick knock, I quickly say, “I’m leaving, Ryland. Have a good night.”

“Good night, Chrissy. See you Monday,” he hollers through the door, and my shoulders slump a little, wishing I never would have said anything.

Coming back out, Dex is mindlessly picking up pens and putting them down in the holder, stopping as soon as I turn the corner. “Ready, baby?” he asks, straightening up and holding his hand out for me.

Dex is unusually giddy the whole ride home, and I keep looking out the corner of my eye at him, wondering what’s so great. He parks the truck, and I wait until he comes around to open my door. I begin to walk to the back door and he follows a few steps behind. “What do you want to have for dinner?” I ask him, tossing a glance over my shoulder.

“I don’t care. I’ll order something in,” he casually answers.

Unlocking the door, Dex holds the screen door open for me. We walk through, and I drop my purse on the table, continuing my way to the stairs. “Let me just get out of these clothes.” I start jogging up the stairs. My feet stop at the sight of a single yellow rose on the landing with a note attached to it with a ribbon. “Dex!” I call out, but he doesn’t answer. Unfolding the card, I find his handwritten inscription.

I hold it to my chest, my heart growing for Dex that he was the first to give me a flower. I’m about to walk downstairs when I catch a pink rose lying at the top of the landing. Quickly stomping up the steps, I grab it and flip the card open.

I clasp the two roses in my hand, my heart fluttering everywhere. Eager to see if there’s more, I search out a purple rose hanging from above my door. Untying it from the ribbon, I inspect the card.

My hand cups my mouth, and my heart soars with a little more love for him, if that’s possible. I open my door and lying on my bed is an orange rose. Jumping on the bed, I grasp it and fling the paper open.

Tingles ignite, thinking about Dex and I in the bedroom. The bathroom door is open, and I spot a trail of white rose petals along the floor. Flicking the light on, I discover a note in the middle of the floor with one rose. Picking it up, I read the note.

Looking down, I take a deep breath and find the path turns red. Hanging on Dex’s bathroom door, a red one is positioned similar to the purple one on mine. Itching to reach him, my feet race to the door, taking it down, I go to the note.

All of the roses bundled in my hand, I turn the knob, anxious to see his face. When I open the door, “The One” by Static Cycle begins playing, and Dex starts walking toward me. It was the first song we ever danced to, at his mom’s wedding. Two of the bouquets I made at Lily’s this week sit on the nightstands.

Tears break through and I wipe them from my face, waiting for him to reach me. With every step he takes, my heart expands for this boy-turned-man in all the years I’ve known him. “Thank you,” I say softly.

“One more gift.” He pulls a box from behind his back. A large, rectangular box wrapped in silver paper with a white ribbon and bow tied around it. My mouth dries as he leads me over to the edge of the bed. Nodding his head for me to open it, he turns down the music slightly.

My fingers slip under the tape and lift the paper up. Discarding the lid, I place it on the bed and tear through the tissue paper. Dex at my side, I give him one more glance before finishing. Finding a Western t-shirt, I smile. Picking it up, I hang it across my chest. An envelope at the bottom of the box alarms me. Staring over at Dex, he only nods his head at me. My hands shake as I pick it up and cross my finger over the seam. I pull a slip of paper out of the envelope and read Cashier’s Check, and then my eyes flicker to the amount. It drops out of my hand.

“Dex,” I sigh and shake my head, “I can’t.”

He bends down, picks it up off the floor and then places it in my hands. “You can, and you will.” Placing my hand over my mouth, tears stream down my face, and I shake my head. He’s already given me more than I could ever give back, I can’t accept his money as well. “We’ll figure out the rest after this runs out.” He presses it into my hands.

“But—” I argue.

“But nothing. Chrissy, this is your money as well as mine. Gambling took so much away from you; allow it to give back in some way. You deserve it.” I sit for a few silent seconds debating it in my head. “Say something,” he urges.

Realizing this is my time to thank him and stop pushing him. “Dex! I love you.” I crawl over and straddle his body on the bed. “Thank you so much.” I bend down and kiss him on the lips. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I graduate,” I say.

Shaking his head amused by me, he places his hands on either side of my face, holding me steady for a second. Staring into my eyes, that love I’ve become so familiar with boring into my own, he breaths in and out. “Marry me?” he asks. “I’m not asking for today or tomorrow, but just someday.”

“YES!” I exclaim and sprinkle kisses across his face.

A Month Later …

SITTING IN THE white folding chair with kids running around the tables screaming, “You’re it.” Adjusting my tie, I loosen it from around my neck and unbutton the top button of my shirt. With my jacket long gone already, I’m finally more relaxed.

Chloe stops at my table and sits down next to me. “So, Uncle Dex?” she questions, and I give her my full attention.

“Yeah, Chloe?”

“When will you have a baby?” she asks, and I cock my eyebrow at her question.

“I don’t know. Probably not for a while,” I tell her, and she frowns.

“Why so sad?” I ask, and she shrugs.

She leans in, and I follow suit. “I don’t know, I overheard Kailey talking about someone having a baby in their belly,” she whispers.

“What?” My body straightens in my chair from her peeking my interest.

“Yep. But I guess it’s not you, so I’m on to my next suspect.” She hops off and runs across the yard to Grant, who’s holding Addy in his arms. I practically spit out my beer when his eyes bulge and his mouth gaps open with Chloe’s question. Then his head adamantly shakes back and forth.

“What’s so funny?” I feel her hand on my shoulder, and she squeezes. Grabbing her hand, I swing her around and position her on my lap, where she belongs.

She has no idea how my body reacts every time she comes into my sight. She’s gorgeous in her silver, satin gown that flows over her body. Her hair pulled up off of her neck. I place my lips on the back of it, and she melds into me a little more. “Are you pregnant?” I whisper, and she turns around, narrowing her eyes.

“Shut your mouth. Don’t wish that on us.” She pushes her head back, and then returns. “Yet,” she corrects, and I laugh, happy I’m not the only one that sees a little one in our future.

“Okay, so I’ll take that as a no,” I clarify and she nods her head up and down fast a few times.

“Definitely … nooo.” She makes it abundantly clear. “Why are you asking?” She swings her arm around my shoulder, and her breasts push against my chest, making me want to go try for a baby right now, or at least practice.

“Chloe said she overheard Kailey talking about someone having a baby in their belly,” I divulge, and her eyes pop out and she shrugs.

“Really? I haven’t heard anything.”

We look out to our friends. Brady and Sadie wrapped in each other’s arms while he feeds her a piece of cake. Grant and Jessa, peering over at the stroller with their arms around each other’s backs. Lastly, Trey and Kailey. Her dress swishing side to side as she makes her way to her groom. He takes her in his arms, and she laughs when he dips her and then plants a kiss to her lips.

“Huh … I wonder who it is then?”

“Me too. But, I assure you Mr. Prescott, it’s not us.” She kisses my lips, igniting the fire that only she can put out.

“Whenever you’re ready, just let me know.” I wink, and she slaps my arm.

“You just want to practice,” she infers, and I tug her closer.

“Let’s go now. It’s not our wedding,” I whisper, and she shakes her head, but I tap her ass to get up. She stands, and we’re about to escape when we hear a guy scream. “No? Serious?”

Both of us turn our heads around and then amusedly look at each other. “I guess we know who’s going to be a daddy,” I say, and our eyebrows raise at one another.

MY ARMS OVERFLOWING with plastic bags of groceries, I sigh at the sight of Chrissy straddling Dex in the kitchen chair. Their lips locked and his hands half way to her tits. “Have some respect, this is Mrs. Fletcher’s home,” I interrupt them, and Chrissy laughs, pushing back from Dex’s embrace.

“Do you need some help?” Chrissy swings her legs from across his lap, earning a groan from Dex. When she wipes her mouth of his left over saliva, I debate if moving my ass in with them was a huge mistake.

“Nah, I got it.” The jars and boxes slam on the table when I release them from my grasp.

“Sounds like it,” Dex comments and grabs a beer from the fridge. Twisting it open, he returns to his seat, watching Chrissy and I unpack the bags and put the food away.

“You could help,” Chrissy says, but Dex shrugs.

We moved out of Brady’s two weeks ago when Mrs. Fletcher offered us her place. She was looking for renters, since her new permanent residence would be in Salt Fork Lake, and offered it to us. With Brady and Sadie’s upcoming nuptials, we all knew it was time to part ways, if even just across the street. It’s bad enough that Sadie and Chrissy both teared-up when Dex walked the last box over. Chrissy’s phone and our doorbell ring incessantly, although, I’m fairly certain Sadie has a key, even with my persistent disagreement on that topic.

When I leave Chrissy to cook dinner since it’s her turn, I disappear into the garage. I have a race tomorrow night to prepare my Mustang for. Once in the silence of the garage, I absorb the melancholy feeling that usually overtakes me when I start working on the car. The memories of times long gone, too hard to forget. The laughs, the razzing, the companionship that was built alongside souping up cars when I was younger. Then it abruptly stopped and I couldn’t pick up a wrench without flinging it into the drywall. The heart wrenching and loneliness suddenly replaced the self-fulfillment of it all.

When I received that call while on the road with the Beatskulls and Krypto, it was the second call in my life that veered me down a different path. The difference with this one was, it was a better one. A brighter one that held a future with it.

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t get some calling from God and I’m not becoming a monk, but it had been a long time since I felt cared for. That she wanted to see my face, wanted to hear my voice. Wanted us to mend our relationship and forge ahead after everything that happened. That I wasn’t the forgotten one left behind to fend for myself.

Cutting my ties with Beatskulls and Krypto fueled the rumor mill and since my reputation wasn’t stellar, people chose to believe what they did. Not like other people’s impression of me has ever mattered, well, not since everyone turned their backs on me years ago.

Shoving my phone into the iPhone player, “In the End” by Linkin Park blares from the speakers and I slide under my car to tweak the throttle, remembering my first race. How intimidated I felt, but instantly faked my confidence and learned how quickly people believe the persona you portray. Have I taken it over the top over the years? Maybe.

The music lulls and my phone dings from a text message. Sliding out, I wipe my greasy hands on a towel and toss it on the chair. My thumb swipes across my screen and a small smile crosses my lips.

Mom: You’ll be there tomorrow, right?

Me: Yeah. Ten o’clock.

Mom: See you then. Love you.

Me: Love you too.

It’s short and sweet, but more than we’ve had over the years so I’ll take it. Just as I’m about to put my phone back into the player, a black Infiniti pulls up the driveway. Cocking my head, I leave the safe confines of my garage to see who’s visiting. Figuring it’s one of Mrs. F’s friends, I wait patiently for them to climb out of the vehicle. What I don’t expect is a pair of long legs to step out first.

Eager to see the rest of the body attached, I cross my arms and plaster my cocky grin in place. By the time she fully divulges herself, I’m staring at what might be the hottest piece of ass I’ve seen in a long time. Skin tight jeans and snug t-shirt cover up a body I’d love to reveal in the naked form for my hands to manipulate. Her hair a wild mess of brown curls, and her face so adorable and innocent, I curse myself for the dirty thoughts that just crossed my mind.

“Hi,” she says.

“Hi,” I respond, giving her a head nod, always remaining my arrogant self.

“Is Chrissy here?” she asks and I wonder if this is some school friend of hers.

“Yeah. Is she expecting you?” I ask, not moving from my stance and I can see her shuffling her feet and biting her lip, obliviously uncomfortable.

“Um … yeah,” she answers.

“Right this way,” I swing my arm over to lead her to the back door. “Are you in a class with her?” For a reason I don’t even know, I make conversation to make her feel welcomed.

“Yes.” She answers and from how near her voice is, she’s right at my heels.

“So, you guys are studying or something?” I ask, keeping the conversation going.

“Um … no … I’m here to take the spare room,” she admits and I spin around, causing her to run smack into my chest. My hands fly out to grip her arms and I hold her firm a few inches away. Her eyes blink a few times, gaining her balance before stepping back away from me.

“Roommate?” I question because we had talked about not being able to afford the house, but no one had actually said for sure we were getting another roommate, let alone a girl … a girl that I’ll want to fuck every time I see her.

“Um … yeah,” she says and my heart beats faster with the thought of seeing her in skimpy pajamas or better yet catching her out of the shower. Her wet skin as the water droplets fall down her body. Damn, get yourself together.

I’m positive she’s freaked out by my imagination of her naked body for my taking that thankfully, Chrissy emerges out the door. “Paige!” she exclaims and I allow this gorgeous creature’s name to roll off my tongue. “This is Rob.” Chrissy gives me a thumb motion and then grabs her hand and swipes her away from me.

Venturing into the kitchen, I try to appear as though I’m just here for a beer. The footsteps upstairs igniting an urge to follow, if only to stare at her ass while she walks in front of me. Dex saunters into the kitchen, smirk in place. “What’s up man?” He grabs a beer and twists it open, flinging the top into the trashcan.

“I didn’t know we were getting a roommate.” I mention and he shrugs.

“You knew we couldn’t afford it. We have the space so might as well get a few more.” He’s right on one account, especially if it’s Paige.

“I could have gotten a guy or two,” I remark and Dex laughs.

“Hell no. I’m getting too damn old for a bachelor party, not to mention, I don’t need Chrissy yelling every time your friend leaves the toilet seat up.” He laughs because Chrissy’s the coolest chick I’ve ever known and I’m pretty sure she’d never do that. But my friends would cause rifts for sure if they moved in. “This one seems nice,” he says, flipping through his phone. “Oh, dinners in the fridge. Chrissy made you a plate,” he reminds me.

“Thanks.” I stand back up and pull out the foil-covered plate Chrissy left for me. Opening the drawer, I pull out a fork and venture back to the table. “What do you mean this one? Have there been more?” I can’t help but feel out of the loop.

“Yeah, Chrissy’s had a few come and look all week. Some don’t want a co-ed situation, others she’s not so hot on.” He never glances up from his phone.

“When do we get a say?” I ask, piling a fork full of food into my mouth.

Dex chuckles. “We don’t man.” He confirms my suspicions.

“I like this one,” I tell him and he raises his eyes to me and arches an eyebrow. “What?” I ask.

“If you like her, she’s off the list. We don’t need any complications here.” His attention focused back to his phone.

Chrissy comes down with Paige five minutes later and I lean back in my chair with my beer in my hand, as though she might be more compelled to take the room if I come with it. Chrissy scrunches her eyes at me and Paige glances but disregards me immediately.

“So, are you interested?” Chrissy asks Paige and her vision darts to me and Dex before looking at Chrissy.

“Um … yeah I think I am,” she answers and I sit up a little straighter.

“Okay, we’ll let you know then.” Chrissy shuts her down and I tilt my head. What is she thinking?

I stand and spot Chrissy’s eyes on me the whole five steps it takes me to reach them. “If you like the room, it’s yours Paige,” I tell her and Chrissy’s shoulders deflate and Dex swings around in his chair, shocked by my actions.

“Really?” Paige excitedly asks, looking at Chrissy whose mouth is ajar and currently giving me a death stare.

“Sure,” Chrissy agrees and Paige hugs her.

“Thank you so much.” She digs in her purse and pulls out a checkbook. Scribbling a few things, she tears it off and hands it to Chrissy. “Here’s the first month’s rent and security deposit you mentioned.”

Chrissy takes the check from her hand and stands there speechless.

I go to the drawer and take the extra key out of the drawer. “Here you go, Paige.” I hand it to her and she grabs it from my grip.

“Thank you.”

“Move in whenever you want,” I tell her and Chrissy moves to say something, but I cut her off. “We’re all happy to have you,” I say, wrapping my arm around Chrissy’s shoulders.

Chrissy pinches my back and I squirm to the side. “Yeah, welcome Paige,” she says.

We wait for Paige to leave after discussing she’ll move in tomorrow at some point. I curse myself since I won’t be around, but happy to know she’ll be nice to come home to.

“What the fuck, Rob?” Chrissy swears and I laugh because it doesn’t happen very often.

“Why weren’t you guys consulting me?” I ask, washing my dish off in the sink.

“Because of what just happened. You only selected her because of her looks,” Chrissy argues and Dex watches the show from the table.

“So?” I ask.

“So, we need someone long term, not for you to fuck them and then they move. I don’t want a revolving door of roommates.” Chrissy continues her rant as I place my plate in the dishwasher.

“It won’t be. She’ll want me again after she’s had me once,” I assure her, but she smacks me across the back of the head.

“Hey now,” I warn and face her, noticing how upset she really is. “All right, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made the decision for all of us. But you seemed excited for her to be here,” I comment and she cocks her head.

“I am. I like Paige … A LOT. She overheard me talking about needing a roommate and asked, otherwise I never would have offered. I want to keep her as a friend and I have a feeling if she moves in here, that won’t happen.”

I grab her and wrap my arms around her, earning a disgusted look from Dex. “Don’t worry, I’ll be a complete gentleman,” I assure her.

“Doubtful,” she murmurs and shakes her head. She knows me all too well.