Beautiful Misery (The Beautiful Series) (3 page)

Once my shorts were buttoned and I was upright in my seat I looked out the window
to the street light bouncing off the passing cars. “I really should get back to my dorm and study. Do you mind dropping me off there? I can get my car tomorrow.”

Bray
started his truck and didn’t say anything until he was on the road. “Sure. I should probably go home and try to sleep for an hour or so anyway.”

When he pulled up to my dorm I all but jumped out of his truck. As I was closing the door I said, Bye, Bray.” Not waiting for his response I shut my door and walked up the steps to my dorm.

W
aking up the next morning I went to grab my purse so I could take my birth control.

Shit!

I was in such a hurry to get out of Bray’s truck I forgot my purse. Looking across the room I saw that my roommate, Laney, was awake. Looking at my alarm clock I saw that it was a little after eleven. Hopefully Bray was home from work. I had three hours until my test. I needed to get my purse and I needed to study.

“Lans
, can I borrow your car for a few minutes. I forgot my purse last night and don’t have my keys.”

Laney
didn’t take her eyes off her book as she said, “Sure. Keys are on my desk.”

Hop
ping out of bed I grabbed her keys. “Thanks, you’re a doll. Be back in twenty.”

She
grunted and waved as I shuffled out our door.

Making the five minute drive to Bray’s apartment I tried telling myself this wouldn’t be awkward.
It was a simple hookup. A hookup I want to forget ever happened.

Pulling into Cambridge Heights parking lot I parked ne
xt to Bray’s truck. Luckily it was a single building with a list of the tenants and what apartment they were in. Looking at the list I found Bray.

EDWARDS, BRAYLON
  APT. 3B

I slowly walked up the stairs to the thi
rd floor. The carpet was old and worn, the walls were yellowed from smoke or maybe it was the low lighting? The air was thick with old smoke, and a hint of marijuana. Kinda creepy.

Looking to the left I saw
3B
on the second door. Rolling my eyes at how pathetic I was feeling I took a few steps toward the door and knocked.

“Coming.” I heard a female voice call from inside.

The door opened and a gorgeous blonde stuck her head out. She pursed her lips, looking me up and down. With a bitchy attitude asked, “Who are you?”

I can have an attitude too, bitch.

“I’m Cobie. Who are you? I was looking from Bray. Is he here?”

Blonde bimbo bitch
let a sly smile take over her face. “He sure is, but he can’t come to the door. He’s a little wore out from last night and this morning. I guess I was just too much to handle.”

Ugh.
Seriously? Peeking my head around her I saw my purse sitting on the kitchen bar. Could this chic be anymore slutty?

“I’m sure you were
too much sweetheart, right after I was. I left my purse in his truck last night after he fucked me. And trust me honey, I was done with him and his teeny weeny last night. He is all yours. I just want my purse. So, if you would excuse me that would be great,” I said sardonically.

Pushing passed the
girl I grabbed my purse off the counter and smirked at her dumbfounded face as I walked out the door and jogged down the steps.

Me-1

Blonde Bimbo Bitch-0

Oh my fucking God. I knew Bray was a man whore but that was a little much. He has sex with me then picks up some other girl and has sex with her
, too. Now I see why my brother never wanted me around him. He was disgusting.

I stomped into mine and Laney’s
room. “Guys are douche canoes!”

Laney
snorted, “I could have told you that.”

“I’m going to take a shower and wash this nastiness off. Study when I’m done? I have a few hours before my final.”

Laney nodded. “You know it.”

I jerked my shower bag off my desk and went to shower off Braylon Edwards and his dirty dick.

3

Gage

M
ine. This place was mine.

I wanted to call Jenna. I wanted to let her know I did it. But I wouldn’t call.
I wouldn’t put myself through that. She wasn’t mine. This wasn’t her dream, well not anymore. Growing up we always talked about the bar we would open in Fairhope when I was the big football star. But, now this dream was mine. Not ours. Her dreams were with Larkin. And, my dreams…my dreams were with…

M
e.

I had no one to share this with.
I was alone. I was surrounded by hundreds of people, but still it felt like I was on my own. It felt like I was standing in the middle of an empty stadium screaming at the top of my lungs with no one around to hear.

I had always thought when
all my dreams came true they would be with Jenna. And, at one point just a few years ago that was true. Now, I avoided her calls, text, and emails. I had to. I had to distance myself. Jenna was the one girl I had always loved and always would. I would never get over her. She was my one.

But, I wasn’t hers.

Walking to the middle of the large, empty wood floor I sat down. I was the NFL’s leading Quarterback. I had women chasing me. Men wanted to be me. To the outside world I had it all. To the world I was everything. To me, I was
nothing.

Lying back, I crossed my arms behind my head and stared at
the plain white ceiling. I had three weeks to get this place in shape and have it ready for opening night and Evie’s birthday.

I had a lot to do in those three weeks
. First thing, building a deck over-looking the ocean and the large piece of beach I now owned. Jenna and I had it all planned out. With or without her I would bring our childhood dream to life. This place would be turned into an oasis of ocean.

“Gage? You here bro?” Dylan’s voice carried in through the open door
.

“Inside.”

I closed my eyes and heard Dylan’s heavy footsteps getting closer.

“Why the hell you layin’
on the floor like a two year old? Shit, are you drunk already? It’s barely noon asswipe.” His voice raising with anger.

Dylan may be five years younger than me but these days he was just as big as I was with a go-to-hell attitude and
a no filter mouth. The kid was badass, even if he was my little brother. He had been by my side since Jenna walked away from me. He had sat and listened to me night after night. He had watched me go through woman after woman. He had watched me drink my weight in alcohol. He was a pain in the ass but I was thankful my brother had been around.

Keeping my eyes shut I tilted my head in the direction I heard Dylan’s voice coming from.
“Chill. I’m just thinking,” I said.

“About…” Dylan trailed off.

“The bar.” I opened my eyes and sat up, leaning back on my arms.

I could see Dylan visibly relax as he took a few steps toward me. “This place is pretty kickass. I’m proud of you.”

My brother has told me a lot and said many things to me but he has never told me he was proud.

“Thanks, man,” I said, a little shocked.

Dylan grabbed two chairs from a table off to the side of the dance floor and brought them to where I was sitting on the floor. “Get your ass up and sit in a damn chair.”

Using the chair, I pushed myself off the floor and
fell back into the cheap wooden chair.

Note to self:
order comfortable chairs for this place.

“I know you have always wanted to own this place and play in the NFL. You worked your ass off and you are the top quarterback in the league. Now you can add business owner on top of that. Pretty damn good for only being twenty
three.”

Shrugging I said, “I guess. It would be better if I had someone to share i
t with. This being alone shit is for the birds.”

“Man, she’s gone. She’s happy. When will you realize that? Sitting around being depressed and feeling sorry for yourself is doing nothing.” My brother slapped my shoulder and continued, “If I was in your shoes I would be living it up and embracing the lifestyle you have. You’re only twenty three and sitting on top of the world. It’s not your time to settle down and be a family man yet. Maybe in ten years but not now. One day you will find that girl that will make you realize Jenna wasn’t –holding his hands up he air quoted-
“the one” you thought she was. There is a girl out there for you, relax. You have plenty of time to find her. Until then have fun trying them out.” Dylan stood from his chair and shoved it back across the floor before walking out the door.

I wish I could believe him. I wish he was right. But, he wasn’t. There wasn’t another girl out there for me. Jenna was the one, my only. No other girl could ever
compare to her. Why even try? My life had become one night after another of drinking too much and waking up to another girl I wouldn’t remember the following night.

Yeah, I’m on top of the fuckin’ world.

“
Y
ou’re really going to paint the walls dark grey? Won’t that make it dark in here?” My mom asked, her face scrunched up.

Exhaling loudly, I said, “Yes, mom. But, you will see very little of the wall.” I held up a round blue light and placed it on the wall. “These will be coming down the wall. I have blue and green lights and these moss ball looking things to put sporadically on the wall. Don’t worry mom. It will look good. Jenna and I have had this planned out since we were twelve.
”

Pursing her lips my mom slowly nodded. “If you say so. It sounds like it’s going to be a hot mess. Maybe you should take some advice from your mom. You and Jenna were just little kids when you had all these plans. Maybe you should change it up. You need to stop letting her have so much control.”

How the…? How did my mom just turn this into some damn therapy session?

Speaking through clenched teeth I said in staccato, “Mom. I’m. Doing. This. Not. You.” Grabbing the dark grey paint I walked to the opposite wall. “This has been the plan for over ten years and that’s how it will be.”

Tapping her stiletto covered foot my mom huffed. “Fine then. Do what you want, this is your place. But, when it comes out looking ridiculous don’t come asking me for help.”

My mom and I had never had a great relationship and I didn’t expect her to love this idea but she could at least respect it. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask for anything. And you’re right this is my place. Key word being, my. I will do what I want and if you don’t like it then don’t come. This is something I planned out with someone I love and I plan on carrying that out. I want her to walk in here and see that I never forgot what we planned. So, if you would excuse me I have painting to do.”

Yanking her purse off the chair she turned and stomped away. “I wish you the best on this place, I really do. But, Gage, I think you’re doing it for all the wrong reasons. It won’t make her come back to you.” My mom pushed the door open and walked out.

I wasn’t doing this for the wrong reasons. I was doing this because it had been my dream since I was little. I knew I wouldn’t get Jenna back. She told me herself she didn’t love me like I love her. Maybe one day, eventually I would accept that. Until then I would throw myself into my bar and football.

I spent all day painting all the walls grey. When I was just about finished Dylan came walking in.

Grabbing a paint brush he asked, “Need some help?”

Shaking my head I said, “Nah. Almost finished. What do you think?”

Dylan stepped back, looking around he said, “It’s dark but I like it. You’re still putting those light on the wall, right? I think that will look badass. Especially when you add in those moss ball do-dads.”

Pointing to the boxes stacked in the corner I said, “Yep. Just have to paint the ceiling silver then I can hang the lights on the walls. I found the hanging glass beads for the ceiling. Once I replace the normal lights with the light blue once it will look like water is hanging from the ceiling.”

“Your ideas sound crazy but I think I like them.” Dylan dropped his paint brush on a chair and grabbed the silver paint. “Got a ladder here or should I just use a chair?”

“In the kitchen.”

We spent the night in comfortable silence painting.
It was nice having my brother by my side. For the first time in a long time I didn’t feel so alone.

“
S
o you’re putting saltwater aquariums on the floor. How does that work? Doesn’t that require a filter?” Dylan stood staring at the large rectangular glass aquarium on the floor.

“It will all be under the floor. Since the building is on stilts I can do a lot more with very little demo needed. I always wanted aquariums in the wall but then I thought of this idea. They would serve more than one purpose. Great conversation starter, could be used as a table, and easy decoration.”

The place was coming together. The walls were painted with the lights and moss on them. The ceiling was silver and the small glass beads were hanging from it. Dylan and I had the light gray leather benches in place and screwed down. We had spent the morning putting the metallic tiles on the wall and setting up the tall bar tables.

With only one week left before opening night I was feeling the stress. I still had so much to do. I never expected Dylan to step in and help me like he has.

Shrugging Dylan said, “It will be unique. Never seen an aquarium on the floor before.”

“I want this place to feel like an ocean oasis. I had to have fish, somehow. After we get these all setup I have a guy from Saltwater Sandy’s coming out to get the water and fish setup. He said after he got everything going it would be simple to take care of.”

Dylan was starting to bend over when he suddenly stood straight and said, “Shit! What about the staff? You have been so busy getting the place ready you forgot about hiring people.”

I tried to hide my laugh when I said, “Got it covered. I hired a manager right after I got back from New York. She has been filling positions the past few weeks. I met with her the other day and all that’s left is two bartending positions. She said she had a few applications to look at and would hopefully have those spots filled by this weekend. Don’t worry little brother, I have thought of everything.”

Dylan laughed. “You really are superman, aren’t you?”

“Not quite. Now let’s get this finished. We still have a lot to do. Including naming this place.”

Smirking, he said, “Well…I have been thinking about that. What do you think about Wet Spot?”

I was still half bent over
when I busted out laughing. “You know what? I think I like it. Sounds sexual.”

“Uh huh.” Dylan helped me carry the last aquarium across the floor and sit it in place.

“Wet Spot. That’s the name. While the guy from Saltwater Sandy’s is here I’m going to drive over to the tee shirt printing place and have them make up shirts for the staff.  I was thinking black shirts with silver writing. Think that would look good?”

Squinting his eyes a little Dylan was silent for a minute before saying, “As long as the girls have tight shirts I couldn’t give two shits what they look like.”

Rolling my eyes I said, “Simmer down. I’m going to call the guy to come out with the fish then run across town. While I’m gone will you set the barstools along the bar and bar tables? Then tonight we can set the silver tables by the benches.”