Foretell (13 page)

“You know, Spencer, I may just like you yet.”

I smiled, feeling warm all over. “You didn’t like me before?”

I figured he’d feed me some quick-witted line about how I mostly annoyed him, but instead he surprised me with the truth. “You lied a lot when we first found you. I’m not a big fan of liars.”

I winced shamefully, remembering the countless number of times I’d lied in front of Rex. “Not to excuse myself or anything, but I’ve been forced to lie a lot throughout my life.”

He stared at me a long moment. I held my breath, feeling like he was searching for something. Finally, he said, “You have a few redeeming qualities. Your passion for art, being one of them.”

His words broke the tension. “Gee thanks, Rex,” I replied laughingly.

We both flinched at the way his name sounded rolling off my lips. It smacked of familiarity. Thankfully, he couldn’t see the heat rising to my cheeks.

“Go on,” he told me after a moment. “What else is on this list? Have you told me your number one already?”

I shook my head. “Not saying.”

“Why not?”

“Cause you’d just make fun of me. Probably make your infamous gagging sound on me too.”

“Ah,” he said. His amber eyes lit up by the moonlight. “I know what it is.”

“No, you don’t.”

“
L’amour
,” he breathed. “You’re such a female.”

My eyes widened. He’d guessed my number one! I don’t know why, but I was mad at him for guessing correctly. I didn’t want Rex knowing my inner psyche so well.

I scowled. “Just because your heart is as tiny as the Grinch’s doesn’t give you the right to judge mine.”

“On the contrary, I think it’s sweet. And where do you get off comparing me to the Grinch? I’m neither green nor furry. And my heart is a normal size.”

“I’ll bet.”

He took my hand and placed it over his heart. I felt the tiny thumps beneath my fingers. I felt the muscles expanding and contracting within the panes of his chest as he breathed in and out.

My breath wavered, catching in my throat. The lines in his face grew darkly serious. His eyes turned into seductive burning coals, a fiery hunger building within them. Something passed between us within that moment. I could feel the wanting expand inside Rex. His desire practically seeped from his skin.

He wanted to kiss me.

I would have known, even if it weren’t for the curse. He stared at my lips, possessing them with his intentions. I still couldn’t breathe, wondering if he would act on his desire. Of course, I already knew how he could have what he wanted. The answer frightened me because it was so easily available. All he had to do was steal his kiss. I wouldn’t protest. My own mouth longed to learn the curves of his beautifully sculpted lips.

As if lightening struck him, Rex turned away from me. He brushed the moment away, removing my hand from his chest and giving it back to me. “You see?” he asked carelessly. “My heart beats.”

He yawned and stretched out on our makeshift blanket of coats, closing his eyes.

A mixture of regret and relief flooded over me. I let out an unsteady breath.

I glanced over at Rex to see he was falling asleep. He looked so peaceful. The tense area of his brow was flat and smooth. It made him appear much more handsome than he already was.

I sighed.

Part of me wished I could curl up in the crook of his arm and rest my head against his shoulder.

I shouldn’t, of course. He was Rex, the critic, the jackass, and let’s not
forget
the hopeless, heartbroken man who longed for another woman.

Rex’s shoulder was much too complicated.

I couldn’t resist temptation though, and snuggled up to him anyway. I breathed in the smell of evergreen soap. Though complicated, his shoulder was actually very perfect. It was as if my head were meant to fit exactly there.

I stared up at the stars again, noticing a shooting one soaring across the sky. I’d never seen a shooting star before. I closed my eyes superstitiously, and made a wish.

Please let this moment last forever.

I startled, feeling Rex pull me closer, resting his cheek on top of my head. I felt Abby at my side, too, finally worn out and settling down.

I knew I should probably go back to the RV, but I wanted to enjoy this for a while longer. Ten more minutes, I said to myself, yawning sleepily.

Just ten more minutes with Rex, Abby and the stars.

I woke up in the RV, tucked underneath the comforter in my bed, warm and comfortable. I stretched in languor, fine, except for a dull ache in the back of my head.

I looked around, confused. The last thing I remembered was falling asleep on the dock.

With Rex.

With my head on his shoulder.

He probably woke up and found me like that.
How.
. .awkward.

I wondered if he brought me back here from the lake. I didn’t remember walking back. Did Rex carry me? It was kind of a long way to haul a sleeping person. Maybe I did walk back and just don’t remember it happening.

I held my hands to my temples, thoroughly confused. I was a heavy sleeper, but once I was awake, I was awake. And I didn’t drink that much champagne.

I heard some soft noises coming from the kitchen. I sat up groggily, and Abby stretched beside me. What time was it? I wondered.

I ventured into the kitchen, finding Lina, stirring a pot of what looked like more of the white goop. I shuddered at the reminder. Hopefully, she wouldn’t ask me to eat it again.

“Morning,” she greeted me, smiling. Lina remained so effervescently cheerful. It seemed like she couldn’t be put in a bad mood.

“Good morning,” I replied.

“Where’d you disappear to last night?”

I had no idea how to answer her. I couldn’t tell her the truth-that I fell asleep by the lake with Rex, could I?

No, definitely not.

“What do you mean?” I asked innocently, then steered the conversation back towards her. “Where did you disappear to last night?”

Lina giggled, as if she had some naughty secret. “It’s a long story. I ended up teaching some of the groomsmen how to dance, and they were so drunk, falling all over themselves. Anyway, I got in really late.”

I smiled. “Sounds like you had a good time.”

After escaping Lina and her breakfast offer, I threw on some sweats and running shoes. I took Abby out for a run to explore the hiking trails.

I ran for miles, into the heart of the forest that spooked me last night and past the lake where Rex and I fell asleep underneath the stars. I ran until my heart beat frantically, until beads of sweat poured down my face, until I couldn’t feel my legs or run another second.

I dropped to the ground, feeling the delicious state of exhaustion I craved.

Abby panted at my side. Though she’d been enjoying the exercise, she’d grown tired-a rare occurrence for the hyper pup.

After our run, I showered and made my way back to the RV. I swung open the door, finding Rex there, lounged on the sofa. He was reading a newspaper, looking as if he were waiting for someone. His amber eyes met mine as I walked in.

I held my breath. I didn’t want to be the first one to speak. If I had to begin this conversation, I would fail, stumbling through some inarticulate monologue he would never understand.

Thankfully, he spoke first.

“You’re finally back.”

“You were waiting on me?” I asked casually.

“Yes. And you took long enough, by the way. The first time Lola and Gabe trust me enough to babysit a person and I thought I lost you. That would’ve been tough to explain.”

“Babysit?” I asked, confused. “Where is everyone?”

“Gone. Lina went to pick up Zetta from the airport. Lola and Gabe didn’t think it was safe for her to go alone, so they went with her.” Rex leaned over to pet Abby, who was extremely happy to see him. “Where have you been this whole time?”

“I went for a run.” I said this slowly, wondering why it felt as if I were explaining myself. I moved to the kitchen sink, filling up a bowl of water. I set it down on the floor for Abby, but she didn’t move, too busy being scratched by Rex.

I eyed her dubiously, the traitor.

“About last night,” Rex began.

Oh, no, I thought frantically. He was actually going to bring it up
.

My heart hammered a million beats per second. My mind screamed, sending subconscious messages,
please
don’t go there
!

“And about your bucket list,” Rex continued. The sound of his voice crystalized through the loud buzz of my thoughts. “I want to show you something. Come with me.”

Immediately, my confusion took root.

What was he up to? What game was he playing?

He eyed me up and down. “You might want to put a swimsuit on.”

I stared at him as if he were crazy. “It’s like, fifty degrees out and you want me to put a swimsuit on?”

He shrugged. “Just wanted to make sure you were prepared.”

“Prepared for what?” I asked pointedly.

“Patience,” he said wryly, “is a virtue. One that you’re clearly lacking, babe.”

I ignored his attempt to berate me. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”

He looked me over again, clucking his tongue. “Well then, you’ll have to do,” he allowed, then grabbed my hand. “Let’s go.”

Rex dragged me out of the RV. If I didn’t know any better, I’d guess he was enthusiastic about whatever it was he wanted to show me, which made me even more curious.

He brought me down the trail that led to the lake, hurrying me along. Earlier, when I’d run beside the lake, no one was around. But now there were tons of Irish Travelers occupying the area.

They were playing in the lake. Loud music radiated from somewhere. Someone sped past us in a jet ski, and another group of people migrated around the dock. I squinted, trying to see what they were doing. I watched as someone tethered a rope to the back of a miniature speedboat. The boat took off while the person stood up, holding onto a rope with a handle and sliding onto the water with a thin board beneath their feet.

“They’re wakeboarding,” Rex explained.

“Yes, I know what wakeboarding is,” I replied, not sharing the fact that this was the first time I’d actually seen it done in person.

I watched as the boat took a sharp turn. The person on the wakeboard lost their grip and tumbled into the water.

“Ouch,” said Rex, who was surveying the scene. “That was a nasty face plant.”

“The Irish are clearly insane,” I surmised, considering my overall experience with them so far.

“Don’t speak so soon because you’re up next.” He grinned devilishly.

Slowly, I asked, “What do you mean I’m up next?”

“Come on.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me in the direction of the docks.

I shook my head emphatically. “There’s no way I’m doing that. I’ll kill myself!”

“Come on Spence, this was on your bucket list.”

I looked at him like he’d gone off the deep end.

“I don’t ever remember telling you that wakeboarding myself into an early demise was on my bucket list.”

“No, but you did say parasailing was on it.”

“So?” I asked. “What’s your point? That has nothing to do with wakeboarding.”

He shrugged. “It’s close enough. Now come on.”

I dug my heels into the ground as he tried to pull me. “I don’t want to do it, Rex. You can’t make me.”

He swung around to face me, gripping me by my shoulders. “Spencer, are you going to spend your whole life living like a scared little baby, or do you want to try something that’s actually worthwhile?”

I stood there, baffled, with no idea what to say.

The crazy man had a point. I bit my lip, debating. Could I actually attempt something like this?

“Come on, babe,” he cajoled me sweetly. “Stop living in your sister’s shadow. Try something new for a change.”

I groaned, and knew I was caving to his pressure. He knew exactly what to say to push my buttons, which made me wonder why he was pushing my buttons in the first place. What was his angle?

I decided not to mull over his strange behavior. Instead, I pointed my finger at his chest. “I’ll do it. But if I die,” I said warningly, “this is on your hands. And I will come back to haunt you, Constantin.”

“I don’t doubt it for a second,” he replied, grinning.

I breathed heavily as Rex shoved me down the docks. The travelers greeted him, offering a bottle of beer from a nearby cooler.
Guinness, of course.

No one waited for me to prepare myself. Two of the wakeboarders buckled me into a life jacket and placed the handle into my unsteady fingers.

This was happening much too quickly.

I looked back at Rex, fear protruding from my wide eyes. He gave me a little salute, as if to say that everything would be okay.

“Okay, lass,” said one of the Irish men. “You’re gonna have to keep your body facin’ the boat. And whatever you do, don’t let go of the rope. You’ll fall for sure, understand?”