Only One (4 page)

I held onto her as long as she let me, trying to think of ways we could be together. Alabama wasn’t terribly far, but it wasn’t necessarily close, either. I just knew I didn’t want to lose her now that I finally had her. But Belly always had her own mind and her own reasons for doing things. I should have known what she was up to the moment she slipped through my window.

The lone tear that slid down her cheek when she thought I wasn’t paying attention told me everything I needed to know. She was done with me. I kept questioning everything about that night, about why it took me leaving for her to come to me, but then I decided to chalk it up to Belly wanting me to be her first before she moved on with her life. Just as it should’ve been.

“Belly, what are we gonna do? I’m leaving in six hours.”

She rolled over to her side of the bed and started to get dressed. “I can tell you what’s going to happen. You are going to be an amazing quarterback and we’ll see each other for every holiday, and we’ll keep in touch every day.”

I pulled her back down, kissing her all over.

“Cole, stop teasing. I gotta go before your Mama realizes I’m here.”

“What about you?” I shook her, teasingly. “What are you going to be amazing at? Besides being with me, because that was amazing.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I have to get away, Cole. If I don’t do it now I’ll always wonder if I could’ve made it out there.”

“What are talking about, Belly?” I asked more nervously, wondering what she had up her sleeve.

“I’m going to move out West to see if I can make it as an actress. Maybe get an agent and waitress or something until I get a chance at something better. I don’t know. I don’t have it all figured out yet.” I could tell she was trying to convince me that she had a plan, that she believed it could work, but the uncertainty was still there.

“I thought you were kidding when you told me last year that you wanted to try acting. You should be going to some fancy school for taking pictures. This isn’t like you, Belly. You love it here or at the beach house. And what about me? California--fuck are you serious?”

“Taking pictures isn’t going to pay the bills someday. I’ll figure something out. And Cole, you’re going away for four years, I can’t sit here and miss you. I need to try to do something for myself.”

I pulled her down on top of me and kissed her lips, willing to say anything to keep her close to me. “Fuck that! I’m going to marry you someday. I want to give you the world, Belly, and for you take beautiful pictures of whatever you want. That’s what you should do. You’re so good at it.” In her house or my room, or my living room, every wall held her photos. Black and whites and color prints of anything that she thought worthy of capturing while looking through that photo lens.

She smiled. “We’ll see about that, Cole Lucca.” She paused to kiss me quickly. “I need to go.”

I sat up. “All right, but you are not climbing down that tree. I’ll get you out the front door.”

The sun was just getting ready to rise once we were outside, and the weather was warm already. “I’ll call you as soon as I get to school and we’ll figure everything out. Don’t make any crazy decisions without talking to me first, okay?”

She glided her hand down the side of face and smiled up at me. “Go get ‘em, Cole Lucca.”

“Belly, I said okay?” I questioned again, not letting go of her arm until she agreed.

She smiled wide. “Okay.” She turned and hurried down the drive.

I watched Belly until I couldn’t see her figure anymore. The worst feeling came over me, and I knew before she took that last step out of my vision that that was Belly’s goodbye to me. And, even though that was the best fucking good-bye any man could ask for, I’d consider taking that night back in a second if it meant getting her to stay with me forever. After finally being with the girl I loved my whole life, how could any other woman ever compare?

At first we still remained close, talking every day, until one day it just stopped. She stopped calling or answering when I reached out to her. I gave up trying, which surprised me. But my dad always told me that there was no use holding on to someone who was already long gone. And Belly was 3,000 miles long gone.

I resented her for it, but over time I learned to accept that night for what it was, two people who loved one another enough to be together in the most beautiful way possible. She gave herself to me and I to her, and after all this time it was still the most amazing night of my life. Sadly, even though I resented her for a while, she stayed on my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about her no matter who was lying next to me. Annabelle Wood’s love would haunt me forever.

I jumped out of bed to get dressed, knowing that I was going to need to see her before the party at her parents’ house tomorrow. I couldn’t imagine seeing her face for the first time in three years with Hannah beside me. I didn’t know if I was going over to warn her for myself or for her. But the one thing I did know was that I was going to see my Belly for the first time and I couldn’t wait to get a look at her.

Annabelle

I was out in the barn my Daddy and Uncle Jason converted into a small living area a long time ago, when I heard the familiar roar of his Jeep pulling into the driveway. It was the night before my parents’ yearly Memorial Day celebration, and I was not expecting to see him until the next day, which made me more nervous as to why he’d shown up. I’d know the sound of that engine anywhere. His beat up black Jeep was old even when he was back in high school. I thought about hiding, but realized it would do me no good to keep avoiding him like he was the anti-Christ. I’d been home for almost a month without worrying about running into him around town. But now he was finally home for the summer from Alabama to work for his daddy.

“Annabelle, are you in here?” His deep voice, sexy as ever, yelled out. As always, I instantly felt that pull.

I came out of the makeshift bedroom, not sure what to expect, but I almost fell over when he looked at me like no time has passed at all. His eyes raked down my body from head to toe before he moved in closer.

“Hey,” I whispered and waved.

He smirked, but kept coming toward me. “That’s all I get, a hey?”

Cole picked me up and squeezed me tight before putting me back down. “You look good, Annabelle. How ya been?”

I knew I looked healthier. I’d put on a couple pounds since I got home. My mama and daddy had been watching me like a hawk. They backed off some once I started to show them the old me again.

I shrugged. “Fine. How about you?”

“Fine,” he answered.

We kept up this very uncomfortable conversation for a few more minutes before he walked past me and into the bedroom. “You staying in here?”

“Yeah, I like the privacy out here. It’s home, for now.”

He sat on my bed. “I heard you’ve been back to the beach a few times at that fancy ass house. Must be nice.”

I nodded. “It’s a great spot for taking photos and all. I guess you know I left California and came back home?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I heard.” Cole paused and glanced all around before he stood back up. “Listen, Annabelle.” He sighed heavily, his voice strained and edgy as he turned his ball cap backwards. “I don’t know what happened, and I don’t even care anymore, but I’m glad you’re doing something you love. I’m sorry about Hollywood and all that.” Cole touched some old books sitting on the shelf. “Look, I just wanted to come out and see you before tomorrow, seeing it’s been a long time, and I’m bringing someone to the party. I want to make sure that it’s all right with you.”

I slapped him playfully, but inside a little piece of me was dying. “Of course it’s fine to bring her over, Cole. I can’t wait to meet her.” I lied, hoping he’d believe that I wasn’t still harboring feelings toward him anymore. Truth was, I loved him the same as I did when I walked away three years ago. A small part of me had hoped he was single, that someone else hadn’t claimed his heart. Stupid, stupid girl! I should’ve known.

I would have probably come back or begged him to come to California to visit me ages ago, if there hadn’t been for that one huge-heart crushing hiccup. It was twelve weeks into my new life when I got a call from Sara Jenkins, one of my best friends all through school, telling me how she and Shannon McDermott went down to Alabama to catch a game and see Cole. It turned out Cole must’ve forgotten pretty quick about his love for me, since Sara told me all about Cole and Shannon going at it like rabbits that night celebrating the great game he had.

I’d never been so crushed in my entire life. We had talked all the time on the phone. Cole confessed that he wanted to make us work somehow, even with the distance. I had agreed wholeheartedly, even though I knew long distant relationships just didn’t work. When I heard what he did, I was done. I refused to move home without making myself so famous he’d regret what he did to me that night. And it made me wonder how many other times he’d fooled around on me those first few months that we promised to be with no one else.

After being friends all of our lives, I knew I was doomed once I looked into his big, blue eyes, so I avoided peering up. And even though I blamed him for being with Shannon that night, it was entirely my fault for not letting him get his say in and the lame attempts to try and wipe him from my heart. Hell, it was all my fault. It was my decision to move away from my family and him. It was my decision to never come home and try. But it still hurt.

Pretending not to love him or to forget about him never worked before, why would it now? Even as hard as I tried, how could it? I’d moved on, knowing it was in my best interest at the time. I just wished I’d chosen more wisely. Aaron Kane had been a persistent pain in my ass ever since I left him and came home with my uncle. He’d been in contact with me, begging me to come back, professing his love for me. Roles had come up that he knew I wanted more than I wanted to breathe, and he was starting to dangle them like a carrot in front of a rabbit’s face. And, oh, how I wanted to take that bait.

I knew if I had begged Cole back then, or called him up after all the time that passed and told him about how Aaron was treating me, he’d have up and come to be with me and given up on his own dreams. I’d vowed, even though he crushed me, to never to take away that light that shone in his eyes whenever he talked about football and Alabama. I had always been good at one thing, and that one thing was breaking my own heart to make sure Cole followed his dream.

He followed me to the television room. “I was hoping we could do something together tonight. Hannah’s back with Mama and I told her I’d be awhile.”

“Sure. What did you have in mind?” When I looked up our eyes locked and held.

He stared and shook his head like he was confused all of a sudden. “I don’t know, Annabelle. We could go grab a beer and talk. It’s been a real long time, and it’s just good to see you again. I’m afraid if I don’t grab a few minutes now you might disappear and I won’t hear from you for three more years.”

“I guess I deserved that,” I admitted.

Cole started to pace, so I handed him a beer from the fridge that Daddy kept in the old room of his in the barn. “What the fuck happened to you? I thought we were going to be something after that night?”

Okay, guess he’s not waiting. He’s jumping right off that bridge and taking me with him.

“Stuff.”

He guzzled his beer down, but kept his eyes trained on me. “
Stuff
? That’s all you’re going to say to me? I fucking loved you. I wanted to give you the world, but all I hear you say is stuff. Anything, Annabelle, I would have done anything to make it work! Even if it meant waiting four years for you.” He was mad and I didn’t want to fight. This was the first time we’d been together since I’d come home, and I didn’t want it to be like this.

“Maybe going out for a beer isn’t a good idea, after all. I’m kinda tired.” I wasn’t a fool and I knew the moment Cole set foot in this barn he wanted to hash this out, but I’d hoped to make it through one beer and a few laughs first. I should’ve known better. “See yourself out.”

I started to walk back to the bedroom, but he clutched my elbow, bringing me to a halt. “No way. We’re doing this, Belly, whether you want to or not. I left my girl at home so I can get some answers from you, seeing you’re finally home with the family, for once.” He stopped to study me for a second. “Do you have any idea how many times I wanted to come find you and force you to listen to me? Do you? I drove all the way to damn Texas before I turned around. Hell, I haven’t even told Hannah about you, or us,” he shouted.

“There is no us, Cole.”

“I’m painfully aware of that, Annabelle.” He slammed his beer onto the table.

I shook my head, trying to grasp what he was admitting. “Why didn’t you keep driving to see me? It could’ve made a difference.”

He shook his head. “Nah, it wouldn’t have kicked the stubborn out of you. The one thing that stopped me from coming was the fact that I thought I couldn’t bear to hear you tell me to my face it was over. Hell, I knew it that one night we were together, but to hear you say it out loud was something I just couldn’t deal with.”

“I’m so sorry, Cole.”

He snickered like I was joking and not being honest. “You’re sorry. That’s nice, Annabelle. You fucking wrecked my heart, but hey, at least I got one little sorry ass apology out of you, right?” Disdain weighed in each word.

“Get out, Cole.” I seethed. As happy as I was to see him after all this time, I couldn’t stomach hearing the obvious hurt in his voice anymore.

“Be more than happy to, once you tell me every little thing.”

I turned away, wrapping my arms tightly around my waist, refusing to look at him again. “Why is this so important to you?”

“Let’s just say it’s closure, and I need it to really move on with Hannah.” Cole spun me around until my hands pressed up against his chest as he held tightly to my biceps. “She’s a good person, and she deserves all of me, not just this half-assed version I’ve been giving her, just in case you change your mind.”