Centaur Rivalry (Touched Series Book 3) (16 page)

“I’m a friend.  My name’s
Katherine, what’s yours?”

“Bill Blankenship.”

Katherine squatted down, both her elbows rested on his open window.  I could hear her perfectly through Gage’s open window.  “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Bill.  I’m sorry, but yer gonna be in big trouble.”

“Big trouble, and why’s that?”

“Because ya lost Jessica Baker.  Roscoe Baker is gonna be furious with you.  It’s a good thing you work as a state trooper because you won’t be an enforcer much longer.”

“What are you talking about?  She’s right there.”  His finger pointed directly at me.

“That’s not Jessica Baker.  Jessica just hopped in one of the eighteen wheelers headed for Montana.  Didn’t cha see her?  Were you too busy reading messages on your phone ta notice?”

“Look,
Katherine, or whoever you are.  Jessica is right there in the back of that truck.  I’m not sure what you’re trying to pull, but drop it or I’ll have you hauled in for interfering with police business.”

“Right.  I thought Jessica had blonde hair?  The woman in the back se
at of this truck has jet-black hair.”

Officer Bill’s eyes stared at me through Gage’s open window.  He squinted several times as a look of panic started to show.

Katherine didn’t let up.  “Jessica Baker’s only twenty-three, the woman in the back seat is at least forty.”

Bill rubbed his eyes with both hands
, then his head jerked toward the interstate, then back to Katherine.  “Summabitch!  Which truck?”

Katherine
gave a relieved smiled, “I’m not sure – it had Montana tags and was really dirty.”  The Centaur flicked the switch for his lights and siren and roared out of the parking lot in the direction we had come from.  As soon as his car was out of sight, Katherine collapsed against Gage’s truck.  Daniel jumped out of the back seat and caught her before she could hit the ground.  I got out of my side and ran around to where Daniel was supporting Katherine.

“How did you do that?”  Daniel asked.

“I can hide Centaurs, but I remembered my mom talking about how she was able to make Centaurs see things that weren’t there.  I’d never tried it before.  It’s a good thing he was a Centaur – that never would have worked on a human.”

Drake, Brent and Cami had all gotten out of the truck just in time to hear
Katherine’s explanation.  She turned toward them, “One of you is going to have to drive to Omaha.  That wore me out.  I need to recharge.”

Smiles erupted in all directions.  We needed to get out of here and quick. 
Katherine didn’t know how long her “suggestion” would work, but she was confident he’d be able to remember where we’d pulled off, and since he had been following Gage’s rental, the license plate would be on his dash camera.  We hoped all the cops would be more interested in looking for a phantom semi with Montana tags instead of trying to piece together who I was with.

(Camille, Airport in Omaha, Nebraska)

Drake parked Katherine’s truck in long-term parking.  Gage returned his rental.  Drake and I found a shoe store where he bought something to cover his toes.  We all met at a coffee shop inside the terminal.

Brent had intended to take off on his own, but
after much prodding, Daniel convinced him to go to Las Vegas with the other three.  I didn’t know what to make of Brent.  This morning he had seemed pleased that his Centauride hadn’t changed her mind and his betrothal was intact.

Brent
had feelings for Katherine, too – that was obvious from their interaction, or lack thereof, on the drive here.  Maybe he was mad at himself for comforting a human, or Lapith, or whatever.  He had always seemed to take the “no touching” policy to the extreme but had been openly affectionate with Katherine in the tunnel last night.  Every time Daniel did anything remotely flirtatious with Jessica, Brent looked like he would explode.  I wondered if Brent had a thing for all three women?

We had twenty minutes before our plane boarded. 
Now might be the last time I could talk to Daniel for a while.  The last time we were in an airport together I’d pretty much accused him of doing something awful to Drake.  In my defense, I had just flown in from Florida, and Daniel was being super secretive – but deep down I knew he’d never hurt me like that.  As I stood up from the table, Drake stood up on reflex, but I motioned for him to sit back down and looked toward my best friend.  “Daniel, can I talk to you for a minute?”

He glanced across the table at Drake then stood up.  “Sure.”

Drake looked like he was ready to protest, but this wasn’t something that was up for discussion.  It was my goodbye to Daniel; I needed to do it on my own.  We started walking toward baggage claim, and I thought of all the times it had just been Daniel and I in the world.  My friend, my cheering section, my rock – Daniel.  Daniel was so much a part of me, could I tell him goodbye?

As we approached the escalator toward the first level of the airport, Daniel took my hand.  It was warm and strong
.  I missed the comfortable friendship we’d shared for so many years.  He squeezed my hand gently and asked, “You’re sure about all this?”

“Am I sure about Drake?”  He nodded and without
hesitation I answered, “Yes.”  Words escaped me.  There was so much I needed to say.  I wanted him to know that no one would ever replace him.  Every happy memory of my childhood was tied to him.  The woman I’d grown into had a lot to do with our friendship.  Nothing.  I couldn’t force any of the words out of my head.

“I still think he’s a loser.”

“I know you do.  But could you try to be happy for me?”

It was colder downstairs
as the frigid temperatures tried to force their way in from the outside.  Daniel kept looking out the revolving doors.  I could read his thoughts without even trying.  He wanted more than anything for the two of us to go home, to hit a “reset” button and go back in time.  I’d had the same wish many times in the recent months.

“I’ll always be here for you, Cami.”

Emotion threatened my eyes.  “I’m counting on it.”

Steel arms wound around me and crushed me into him, his voice
leaking the pain he felt, “He loves you.  Not as much as I do – but he loves you.”

My body ached
.  It wanted the easy friendship we’d shared for so long – not professions of love or promises to stay in each other’s lives.  It wanted volleyball on the beach, snow skiing at Big Bear, surfing in Carlsbad, and movie premieres in Hollywood.  All the time we shared, none of it was wasted.  It was a part of me I’d carry with me every day for the rest of my life – but they were memories.  Reality seeped in that Daniel, too, would soon be just the memory of a life that was never to be again.

I gripped him hard around
the neck and buried my face into the crook of his neck.  “I’ll never forget you,” were the only words I could choke out.

“Me either.”  He loosened his arms from around me and arched his back away from me, giving me one last long look at his face.  “If you need me, just call.  I don’t care if it’s twenty years from now.  You call me.”

I nodded as a tear rolled down my cheek.  “Ditto.”

Daniel released me completely from his embrace, looked at his watch and said, “You need to get back.  Your plane boards soon.”  Daniel took my hand and
led me back to the escalator.  I couldn’t see through the tears and stumbled onto the first step.  His arm caught me, righted me, and a gentle hand  wiped the tears off my cheek.  “Stop it, or I swear I’ll take you back to Cali right now.”

M
y smile stretched wide against hot cheeks.  “And face Pops after all this?  No thanks.  I’m staying as far away from your dad as I can.”

Daniel laughed, hard and loud, “Yeah, good call.  He hates you as much as he does me.”

For the first time I understood why his father never wanted me in Daniel’s life.  All the times he found things for Daniel to do around the house so he couldn’t meet me, or refused to let me talk to Daniel when I called the house – I got it.  I finally knew why he wanted us apart.  “He never hated you.  He just didn’t want you to get hurt.”

When w
e emerged at the top of the escalator; I could see Drake watching us from the table where we’d left him.  Daniel leaned down to my ear, his voice like gravel against it, “It was worth it.  All of it.  I love you, Cami.”  Daniel’s lips brushed my cheek in a final wordless goodbye.

Drake
was at the other end of the hallway, but through our betrothal connection, he shared my pain, the ache in my heart.  Drake felt me coming apart at the seams, but made no move in my direction.

My words were hollow, I didn’t believe them as they tumbled over my lips, “This isn’t goodbye.  We’ll see each other again as soon as all this Lost Herd stuff is over.  Drake and I’ll find you.”

Daniel led me by the hand back toward the others.  I didn’t mean to, but listened into his thoughts:  he didn’t believe me.  He was sure we would never see each other again.  I wanted to argue with him, stop him in his tracks and tell him this was just for a few weeks, but I couldn’t.  If we failed in convincing the Centaur Council – this might be the last time I’d ever see him.

As we approached, Drake stood up from the table and began walking to meet us halfway down the hallway.  When Drake and Daniel stood eye to eye
, it was Drake’s voice that broke the awkward silence.  “Thank you for everything.  I promise you, I’ll never let anyone hurt her.”

Daniel let go of my hand.  His hand cupped Drake’s shoulder, “I know.
  Love her enough for both of us.”  His gaze fell on me, “Goodbye, Cami.”

That was it.  Daniel walked away and didn’t give us a second look.  I kept watching to see if he’d look over his shoulder – he didn’t. 
I wanted to run back to him and tell him we’d be back, we were going to make it, everything would be over soon.  I didn’t.  I watched him walk away.  My feet wouldn’t move no matter how hard my heart protested.

My childhood
left with him.  Images of bonfires on the beach, hot chocolate on the ski slopes, sharing a tube behind a ski boat with the wind blinding us – everything I loved about being young walked away.  My lungs emptied as my voice screamed down the hallway, “Daniel!”

He stopped. 
Hundreds of sets of eyes looked at me, but he didn’t turn back.  He stood in the middle of the hallway as people dodging him headed to their gates.  The statue of a man refused to look at me.  He was letting me go – giving his blessing to go on without him.  “
Turn around, Daniel.  Please turn around,
” I begged him.

Seconds passed, my eyes fixed on his back.  He straightened his shoulders and continued walking away.  That was our final goodbye
, and my body wanted to shut down.  It was Drake’s strong hands that kept me from collapsing as he pulled me into his chest.  Drake let me implode in his arms – he didn’t say a word.

We said our goodbyes
to Brent, Jessica, and Katherine and promised each other we’d meet back at this same coffee shop in two weeks –
if
it was safe.  Brent had seen my goodbye with Daniel.  He swore he’d stay with Daniel until he heard from us.  For anyone who didn’t show up back here in two weeks, the others who did would work out a plan to help them.  Something inside told me two weeks from now, no matter what happened in Africa, Daniel wouldn’t be here.  He’d go to Vegas with these three, but I wouldn’t see him again.

We
had all come together just over twenty-four hours ago.  Finding Katherine and Jessica had been an amazing coincidence.  If Drake hadn’t have found Katherine’s motel when he was on the run from Cameron’s house, I hate to think what would have happened to us – to all of us.  I was grateful to them and hated that we were parting ways, but Jessica didn’t have her passport with her, and she wasn’t too keen on leaving the United States.

Everyone believed the eight of us traveling together was too much of a red flag for any Centaur who saw us. 
I was ready to make the vision Drake had pushed to me last night a reality.  It broke my heart to tell Daniel “good-bye,” but it was time to start my life with Drake.  Thoughts of sun and sand had consumed my thoughts throughout the drive.

The four of us
went through security and walked up just as boarding began for our flight.  Bianca and Gage sat two rows in front of us on the plane.  Despite Gage’s ribbing about the free upgrades, the tickets Drake purchased were all first class.  It didn’t take long to settle into our seats because Drake and I didn’t even have a carry-on, just a magazine I’d picked up from the newsstand at the airport.

The stewardess asked if we wanted drinks while the remainder of the plane boarded.  Without missing a beat
, Drake ordered two mimosas.  She handed us our champagne flutes.  I’d never been much of a drinker, but Drake urged, “Relax, Cami.  We’re almost there.  Short of the flight being hi-jacked, we’ll be on the beach in time for breakfast tomorrow.”  He clinked his glass with mine as the image he’d given me last night played in my mind again.

I took a deep breath
and enjoyed the champagne sweetened with orange juice.  The stewardess took our flutes just before take-off, and the flight turned out to be uneventful.  Drake pushed the armrest up that separated us; he held me the whole time, gently stroking my hair.  The sensation was calming and lulled me into a restful sleep.

*****

When we landed, it was early morning.  Customs was a breeze.  I’m not sure the agent even looked at my picture before stamping my passport.  We waited by the luggage carousel for Bianca and Gage’s bags to arrive.  Drake leaned up against the brick wall, and pulled my hand to his lips.  “We’ve got five days before we leave for Centauride.  You still up for a wedding on the beach?”

A smile erupted,
“Just the four of us?”

“Well, and someone who can officiate.”

My heart pounded loudly in my chest.  This was it.  Everything I’d wanted was finally going to be mine.  “I’m in.”

Drake’s smile
grew.  “We’re not going sky diving.  I was expecting a little more of a heartfelt answer.”

I stood on my tippy toes and whispered in his ear, “The wedding isn’t the activity I’ve been dreaming about since I met you.  It’s just a means to an end.”  I leaned back
from his ear to watch his reaction.  “Better?”

His wide smile was gone. 
Drake’s eyes smoldered and, instead of answering me out loud, it resonated in my head.  “
You won’t be disappointed – with any of the planned activities.
”