Blue Colla Make Ya Holla (69 page)

“All good things I hope,” he says with a wink. Leaning down he presses a kiss to my cheek. “I didn’t expect to see you until Friday, Ainsley. Truly, it is my lucky day.”

“Hello Elliot,” I reply, forcing a smile.

Sliding into the booth beside me, Elliot wraps an arm around me, possessively. I should be pleased that he is interested in me. Elliot Becker is not bad looking. His sandy blonde hair and green eyes, mixed with his lean, tan body make for the perfect surfer boy looking package causing all women to fall at his feet. All women, except me.

To me, Elliot is just a part of everything I have grown to hate. This life. The lies, the secrets kept behind closed doors of the insanely extravagant mansions of people who believe true happiness can be bought if the price is right. All the things I was desperate to escape every day while I was away at school, yet were all waiting for me the moment I got back.

“I was thinking that I could come pick you up and we can ride to the club together. It would give us some extra time to talk,” Elliot asks, scooting closer to me. His breath reeks of onions and has my appetite fading fast.

“Excuse me, Elliot, I need the restroom,” I say, hoping he will let me out of the booth.

His manners win out; causing him to stand politely and offer me his hand. “Of course.”

Pushing to my feet, I manage to get around Elliot without touching him. Making my way out of the gazebo, I head toward the large French doors that lead inside when I hear a voice that has me spinning in my tracks.

“This is not fucking happening right now.” The words escape my lips then something slams into the back of the head. Hard. The room spins as my body falls to the concrete patio.

Ainsley

‡

S
pots dance in
my vision as the familiar face hovers over mine. “Are you okay?” His voice washes over me, making memories surface that my heart can’t handle. “Shit, don’t move. Let me have a look.”

“Promise me you’ll love me forever…”

“Forever is just where we begin, Ainsley.”

His forever was a damn joke…

“Adam?” I ask in disbelief, pushing back the memories and all those empty promises he spouted years ago. I can’t let them come crashing back, they’ll only continue to destroy me.

Just his name on my lips causes a shiver to run down my spine. Everything about him, even in high school, screamed bad boy. Forbidden, and yet, I was completely fascinated. Part of me envied how he took no shit from anyone, but even more, I wanted him.

You had him too, Ainsley.

I did and just one taste of him had me coming undone, and that’s the problem. He hooked me, then threw me back, yet the hook is still embedded. I want him with an ache that in four years, has never ceased. I just learned to live with it while living without the love I had grown to need. The pain of missing him, of losing him, is throbbing as if it were a freshly cut wound now with his hands cupping my face.

Nothing you can do about it, Ainsley. He got what he really wanted from you and walked away.

“Yeah, it’s me.” His fingers run along my forehead. My heart is beating so rapidly, I know that he has to feel it too. “You okay? That waiter didn’t see you when he swung the doors open.”

“I… I… I’m fine,” I stammer as he lifts me into a chair.

Remembering that I am in a dress, I scramble to right myself before I end up on social media news feeds across the world as the next ass flasher. Squatting down, Adam pushes up his sunglasses and I get the first glimpse, in over four years, of those blue eyes that used to render me speechless in high school. I study his features. The black hair that used to curl over his collar is shorter now, no longer hiding his face. A goatee now frames that intense jawline that I always preferred studying instead of my books.

My eyes drift downward to his hands as they settle on the chair on either side of me. The tribal ink on his arms is only visible from his elbows down to his wrists, though I know it runs all the way up to his shoulders and spans his back.

“You don’t look fine, you’re all flushed,” Adam whispers, slipping my glasses from my face. Reaching up, he tucks my hair behind my ear and I have to resist nuzzling into his palm. I look up into his eyes, unable to help being sucked into the vortex that is Adam James. That shy, sexy smile plays across his lips and all of a sudden, it’s like not a day has passed. I am seventeen again and Adam James only has eyes for me.

“Ainsley, what’s going on?” Elliot’s voice breaks the moment.

A growl rumbles up from Adam’s chest as he pushes to his feet. Turning to face Elliot, Adam’s eyes harden. “Becker.”

“James,” Elliot says, shoving past him. “Darling, are you alright? Should we call an ambulance?” His hands cup my face, but I feel nothing like I did moments ago when Adam was touching me. My body rejecting anything to do with Elliot, my heart forcing my eyes up to meet Adam’s. He almost looks pained, but the moment I think I see it, it’s gone.

He shoves down his sunglasses, denying me his eyes, as he smirks. “You gonna make it, princess?”

My blood boils at hearing him use the name I was taunted with growing up. Shoving to my feet, I glare at him. “Don’t call me that, Adam,” I bite out, angry with him for trying to hurt me.

Hasn’t he done that enough?

His smile only widens, “Why, I think you fit the bill perfect, baby.” His endearment is cold and causes Elliot to wrap an arm around me, pulling me into his side. “Look at you, livin’ the dream life. All that’s missing is the tiara; but hey, I’m sure Elliot won’t keep you waitin’ on that too long.”

Just as he intended, his snide comment is a direct hit. The words sting, tears threatening to fall any moment. I won’t let him see me cry again. Never again will I give Adam James one single tear. The man who I spent four years missing, loving, needing, has just lumped me in with everything that I refuse to become and it does more than hurt.

It pisses me off.

“You’re such a bastard, Adam.” Pushing out of Elliot’s grasp, I shove by Adam and storm into the building.

Tables and faces are a blur as I shuffle by, hurrying to the bathroom. The moment I am inside, I slide down the back of the door until my ass hits the tile floor. My manners forgotten entirely as I let the tears flow freely now that no one can see me fall apart.

I gave that man a piece of my heart and soul and he threw it back in my face. I shared my hopes and dreams with Adam. He knew everything I wanted in life, and so much more, none of which had anything to do with Elliot Becker or the standards my family expected me to live up to. He knows me better than anyone and he is using it to hurt me.

Swiping the tears angrily, I stand and right myself. Stepping up to the sink I splash some water on my face and erase the remains of my breakdown. Staring at my reflection, I mentally prepare myself to explain the incident to my mother since I know Elliot has gone straight back to tell her everything.

Blowing out a breath, I yank open the door and come slam into a hard chest. “Lose somethin’?”

Shuffling back, I look up and see Adam watching me carefully. Extending his hand, he holds out my glasses. “Yes, I did,” I reply, reaching out to take them.

“No ‘thank you’ for your knight in ripped Wranglers?” Adam asks, in mock horror. “Why, Ainsley Carter, your mother must be so proud!”

“You don’t know anything about me, Adam,” I ground out, reaching for my glasses but miss when he yanks them back.

“Oh, I don’t, huh?” Stepping closer to me, Adam closes me in between him and the wall. Leaning down, his lips nearly touch my ear as he chuckles. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m the only one who will ever know the real you. It’s a shame you let her die, she was beautiful.”

“You’re a bastard,” I breathe, as the tears threaten again. Why is he tormenting me?

Leaning back, Adam winks at me and hands me my glasses. “Enjoy your lunch, princess. I better get back to the office,” he says before shoving down the hall and out the rear exit of the restaurant.

After taking a moment to catch my breath, I head back out to the table where my mother sits impatiently tapping her fingernails on her wine glass. “Ainsley, what on earth has taken you so long?” she asks the moment I sit back down at the table. “Elliot says you had some sort of accident.”

My eyes fly to Elliot, who nods as he sips his lemonade. Looking back to my mother, I nod. “Yes, I wasn’t paying attention. I’m fine, really.” My hand runs through my hair, making me wince when I brush over the bump starting to form already.

She studies me for a moment, but eventually nods. “Well, leave it to you, Ainsley, to make lunch at the Grille suspenseful and entertaining.”

*

By the time
we’ve eaten, my head is throbbing, but not from the bump. My mother hasn’t stopped talking about all the plans for the next few weeks. “Now that you’re home, dear, we have to get the ball rolling. You and Elliot can begin dating properly so you’ll be officially engaged by summer’s end. We can have a beautiful wedding planned by next spring,” she offers, making my stomach knot painfully. “Elliot’s mother found the most wonderful photographer to do the announcement photos. I’ll let her bring you up to speed on Friday, but we’ve already set up an appointment for September so that we can announce your engagement in all the papers. Your wedding will be the biggest event this town has seen in years.”

Standing to leave, I have to lock my knees after all the ‘wedding’ talk. Elliot’s hand finds the small of my back as we walk out to the parking lot. I attempt to walk faster, but he keeps up with my pace. “This will work so much better, if you stop fighting it, Ainsley,” Elliot says when we reach my mother’s car.

“Why are you going along with it?” I ask, unable to believe that he actually loves me.

Blowing out a breath, he shoves his hands in the front pockets of his dress pants. “Who knows you better than I do, Darling? I mean, we’ve known each other all our lives,” he shrugs. “Besides, I don’t get access to my trust fund until I’m married and I know you won’t bleed me dry.”

Shouts and banging draw my attention to the roof and I spot Adam watching us, a hammer in his right hand. His face is emotionless as he stares at me, nothing like it used to be.

Elliot’s eyes follow mine and he nods. “That explains running into him here,” he grumbles, and I bristle.

“That he’s working?” I ask. “He’s lived here all his life too, Elliot. I’m sure he’s eaten here before.”

His eyes widen, “That’s not what I meant, Ainsley.”

“No, I know it isn’t what you meant, Elliot. That’s the problem.”

“You would think you’d be a little less sympathetic to his lot in life after what happened between you two.”

My fists ball at my side the second the comment leaves his lips and I see fucking red. Few people really know what happened between Adam and me, other than the Beckers, but the fact that Elliot is throwing it in my face has me ready to erupt like a volcano right here on the sidewalk. Damn the passersby, damn the whole fucking world, because everywhere I turn someone is judging me today.

That’s not fucking okay with me.

“You know, Elliot—”

“I am so thankful we got out of there before that started back up.” My mother’s voice interrupts our conversation. “Unbelievable racket. Just the thought of having to listen to that makes my head hurt.”

“I’ll see you later, Ainsley,” Elliot croons, placing a light kiss on my cheek before opening the door for me.

“Lovely to see you, Elliot,” my mother says opening her car door.

Climbing into the car, I don’t look at Elliot. Manners are the furthest thing from my mind right now. All I can see is Adam pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it behind him before grabbing a piece of plywood. My mouth suddenly goes dry, all my rage is forgotten while my eyes lock on his jean clad thighs and how his tool belt hangs loosely around his hips. I can’t help watching every move he makes, shamelessly. His wide shoulders and back, tanned from working in the sun, the muscles flexing with every move he makes. Memories of how that body once felt against mine, skin on skin, floods back making me shudder.