Twisted Perfection (10 page)

Della

    
It was a simple question. Sweet, really, that he’d even care. Had anyone ever cared about such trivial things concerning me before? I had never been asked such personal innocent questions. But he’d asked about my teacher and all I could see was my mother.

Sit here Della. Don’t look out the window. You have to do this work. To be smart you need to read Shakespeare. He will remind you how dangerous the world can be.

     I shook my head to clear the memories. I couldn’t do this here. Not now.

It’s dark out there Della. Bad things are in the dark. Lock your windows and doors and stay tucked in tight. The monster under your bed will hear you if you get up.

     No momma. Go away.

“Della, don’t go outside again tonight. The bad is out there waiting on you. Stay with me. Your brother worries about you. He doesn’t want you hurt. Be safe in your bed.”

     “Della, are you okay?” Strong arms were pulling me close. I went willingly. I needed away from her. I didn’t want to remember that night. I knew I would if she stayed in my head too long.

    
“I’ve got her. Move.” Woods’ voice sent warmth through me. I was breaking free from the memories. They weren’t taking me this time.

    
Cool night airbrushed my face and I realized I was being carried. I took a deep calming breath and the tightness in my chest was gone. Woods had brought me out of it. I hadn’t been left to remember alone.

    
I blinked several times and my eyes came back into focus. The darkness was gone.

    
Woods sat down on a bench along the beach boardwalk and kept me firmly in his lap. “You’re back,” he said simply.

    
I nodded. I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want to tell him what had just happened.

    
“Good,” he said simply and brushed my hair out of my face with his free hand. He still held me cradled against his chest with his other.

    
“Thank you.”

    
Woods’ mouth was in a tight line.  He was concerned. I’d scared him. I started to sit up and he held me tighter. “You’re not getting up until you tell me something.”

    
My stomach knotted up. I’d never told anyone other than Braden and she knew why. I couldn’t tell Woods. I didn’t talk about it.

    
“You don’t have to tell me why that just happened. But does it happen often?”

    
This wasn’t a fair question. Telling him the truth without telling him about my past would only make him think I was crazy. Maybe I was. No one was sure yet. I could be… she was crazy. I could be too. It was my greatest fear, that I’d snap one day too. Just like she had. I wanted to live life because if that day came I wanted to have lived once.

    
“They’re triggered by certain things,” I told him and moved to get out of his arms again. He let me go this time. I was grateful and yet wished he had fought to hold me longer. Because I needed affection from someone after I had these episodes. It helped me recover quicker.

    
“I triggered it?” he asked.

    
I shrugged and looked out at the gulf instead of at him. His question had triggered it. I wasn’t going to tell him that though.

    
We sat there in silence for a few minutes. I knew his mind was running through all kinds of possibilities and none of them would be accurate.

    
“I want to know you, Della. I don’t want to stop asking you questions. Next time maybe you can ask me questions that you don’t mind me asking you. That way I won’t ask the wrong thing.”

    
He wanted to know me. My chest felt like it might burst.  Tears stung my eyes and I blinked them back. I couldn’t cry on him now. “Okay,” I replied hoarsely.

    
Woods’ hand reached over and covered mine, holding it firmly in his. He didn’t look at me. His eyes stared straight ahead at the waves crashing on the shore. When his fingers threaded through mine I let him.  That simple touch was all I needed.  Being here with him pushed back all the darkness. All the pain and sorrow was forgotten. I was okay. It felt good.

    
“Woods? Is she okay?” Bethy’s voice called out and we both turned to look back at her walking out of the club and toward us.

    
“She thinks you had too much to drink,” Woods said quietly beside me. I had forgotten about what everyone else thought of me.

    
“I’m fine,” I told her as she walked up to us.

    
“Oh thank God. I was sure I’d made you sick with those lemon shots. They can be fierce if you aren’t used to them.”

    
“She just got overheated. That mixed with the alcohol. The cool air brought her around,” Woods explained for me.

    
Bethy’s relief was all over her face. “Thanks Woods. I can stay with her if you want to go back inside.”
     Woods’ hand tightened around mine. “No, I’m good right here. I needed a break too.”

    
Bethy looked worried but finally nodded and went back inside.

    
Once she was gone I glanced up at Woods. He was watching me. “Thank you for your help tonight. If you hadn’t stepped in that could have been really embarrassing.”

    
Woods’ frown was etched with concern. “I’m glad I was there. What’s bothering me is the fact that you’re traveling all alone. What happens when you’re by yourself and this… this happens. Who helps you then?”

     No one. I managed.
“I normally get away before it hits me hard and I deal with it.”

    
Woods pulled my hand closer to his leg and instead of saying more or arguing with me about that being a bad idea he turned his attention back to the dark water.

Woods

    
“You need to get back into Jace’s party and I think I’m going to go back to the condo. I’m tired.” Della’s soft voice broke into my thoughts.

    
I wanted to keep her here with me so I could watch her and make sure she was okay. But I knew that wasn’t an option.

    
“I’ll drive you. Grant and I will get your car back to the condo for you later.” I wasn’t letting her drive back alone tonight. For my own sanity I needed to see her safely inside.

    
“You don’t have to do that. I’m okay. Really I am,” she argued letting go of my hand and standing up.

    
She might be okay but I wasn’t. “I’m driving you,” I repeated and stood up to tower in front of her. “Please. I’ll worry all night if you don’t let me.”

    
A smile touched her pink lips and she nodded. “All right. Thank you.”

    
I touched the small of her back because I needed to touch her somehow. The connection reminded me that she was fine now. I led her to my truck and helped her get in on the passenger side. The memory of throwing her inside once before only served to make me even more obsessive to keep her safe.

    
She wasn’t mine and she never would be but that didn’t change the way I felt. I’d become possessive of her. I wanted her safe and happy. Tonight had scared the shit out of me. Something wasn’t right with Della. The desire to fix it for her was strong and impossible to ignore. What could have happened to her to make her withdraw like that? She’d been completely unresponsive. Like she was just checked out.

    
Once I was inside the truck, I glanced over at her to make sure she was buckled up. Seeing her tonight was going to haunt me.  I wasn’t sure how the hell I was supposed to move on after that.

    
“Thanks for your help tonight. I hope I didn’t freak you out too bad,” Della said glancing over at me.

    
I needed to respond but what did I say?
You’re welcome and you completely fucked with my head?
I couldn’t say that but I needed to say something.

    
“I’ll always help you but I’m not going to lie to you. After tonight, I’m concerned. I don’t want to drop you off and leave you alone in that damn condo. I want to take you back to my place and take care of you.”

    
I chanced a quick peek at her before looking back at the road. She was biting her bottom lip nervously.  She didn’t say anything right away. I waited for her to say something. Anything. But she remained quiet. I tried not to think about it and that was proving impossible. I was never going to get the image of her face out of my head.

    
“I have to learn to live on my own. Live without help. That’s why I’m on this road trip. I need to find myself and make a life for me…” she trailed off before finishing.

    
Who told her she needed to figure out how to handle this by herself and what the fuck had happened to her to make her like this?

    
I reached over and grabbed her hand with mine.  “Call me. Anytime. If you need someone, call me.”

    
She nodded. Her hand flipped over in mine and she squeezed it. “Thank you.”

    
I pulled in front of Tripp’s condo wishing I’d taken a longer route. Della slipped her hand from mine and opened the door.
     “I had fun dancing,” she said before stepping out of my truck and closing the door behind her. I waited until I saw her safely inside the condo before pulling away.

                                                                  ***

     My mother had called me three times already this morning. I had promised to come to their beach house for a Sunday lunch with the Greystones and apparently she didn’t trust me to show up. When my cell phone started ringing in my pocket I intended to ignore it. I was on my fucking way to their beach house. She needed to back the hell off.

    
The fact it could be Della had me caving in and pulling out my phone. Jace’s name lit up the screen.

    
“Hello.”

    
“Where are you?”

    
“Going to my parents’ beach house for lunch. Why?”

    
“Because I came by your office and you weren’t there. I thought maybe you were playing a round of golf.”

    
“No. Not today.”

    
Jace cleared his throat and I knew there was something more he wanted to say. This wasn’t just about me playing golf.

    
“I, uh, I just talked to Tripp. He’s on his way home. I think it’s because of her.”

    
Her being Della.
Shit.

    
“Okay,” I replied not sure what he wanted me to say.

    
“They’ll both be staying in his condo.”

    
I hadn’t thought about that. Della sharing a condo with Tripp? Hell no.

    
“I don’t think I’m okay with that,” I said through clenched teeth.

    
Jace sighed heavily. “Come on. Man. You’re engaged. You can’t have her. If Tripp wants her you know he’d take good care of her. Just back off and let him have his chance. This may bring him home.”

    
Images of Della’s perfect naked body splayed out on a bed for Tripp made me want to go grab him and slam him up against the wall. She was mine. No, she wasn’t. Dammit all to hell!

    
“I need to go,” I growled before hanging up and chunking my phone against the car door while I let out a frustrated roar.

Della

     The lunch shift was brutal on Sundays.  I thought that only in Macon, Georgia did everyone with a pulse attend church. I was wrong. This was a southern thing. At exactly12:05pm, the floodgates opened and every table in the dining room had become full with a wait at the door.

    
I had wondered why I hadn’t been put on the lunch shift for Sunday before now. This explained it. This was ‘pros only’. I leaned against the wall in the kitchen and pushed the fallen hair out of my face. Somehow we’d survived. The last table was just finishing up and paying their tab.

    
“The only good thing about Sundays is the tips. I swear I’m gonna quit every week when it’s over. Then I count my money,” Jimmy said with a wink and pulled out the roll of money he had tucked in his pocket.

    
“That was crazy,” I agreed.

    
Jimmy chuckled. “Yep. Good thing is, it’s over. You can go home.”
     Home. Tripp’s condo wasn’t my home. And today I wasn’t sure I was staying there any longer. I hoped my tips were really good because I might need to pack up and hit the road. Tripp had called last night to let me know he was headed home to visit. I didn’t know if that meant he wanted me to move on out now. Or if he was expecting us to share the condo.

    
I had bad dreams and many nights I woke myself up screaming. Sharing the condo with Tripp didn’t sound like the best idea. But leaving Rosemary didn’t sound appealing either. I liked it here. I liked Bethy and Jimmy and I liked… Woods.

    
“Girl stop frowning. It’s quitting time,” Jimmy said in a teasing voice as he walked by me and tossed his apron into the dirty basket.

    
I managed a smile and nodded. “I think I need a nap,” I replied and took off my apron too. I wouldn’t be getting a nap. There was a good chance that Tripp would be there when I got back. If not he would be later today.

    
“I got a hot date. No time for sleeping. See you tomorrow morning,” Jimmy called out as he left the kitchen.

    
I followed him. Once I was outside the clubhouse, I pulled my hair out of the bun I’d twisted it up into and let it hang free. It was giving me a headache. I wasn’t used to having my hair pulled back so tightly.

    
The sound of a car door slamming caught my attention and I turned around to see Woods’ truck parked in his reserved space. His fiancée was stalking around the back of the truck with fire in her eyes.

    
“Just one meal, Woods. Really? You can’t play nice for one goddamn meal? What is wrong with you? Am I that abhorrent to you that you can’t even be civil to me in front of our parents?”  Her loud shrill voice carried across the parking lot. This was not my business and I needed to get in the car and leave. But I couldn’t. My eyes were locked on Woods as he stepped out of the truck. He looked annoyed.

    
“You got what you wanted. You, and our fathers, won. I caved in and agreed to this. But I don’t want it. I will never want it.” The bored tone in Woods’ voice was almost too low for me to hear. If I hadn’t been so focused on him I might not have heard his hard reply.

    
“Really? Well, then you don’t have to have it. Because as much as I want this thing     between us to work and as much as I want a husband who will be an asset to the Greystone name, I do not want to live with a man who hates me. I can do better than that. I’m a fantastic catch, Woods Kerrington. I don’t need you,” she spat out. Her body was trembling with anger.

    
I felt sorry for her. She was right. No woman deserved this. The unmoved expression in his eyes looked annoyed if anything.

    
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ve just had a lot on my mind today. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did at lunch. My dad pushes my buttons the way no one else can. What I said and how I acted was not because of you but because of him.”

    
My heart hurt. The flash of sadness in his eyes had only been there for a moment but I’d seen it. I wanted to hug him and make the sadness go away. But I couldn’t. He wasn’t mine to hug.

    
An elegantly manicured hand rested on his arm. The rage that had caused her to tremble just a few seconds ago was gone. Her shoulders had relaxed and her body was leaning toward him. Her voice was no longer loud enough to carry over the parking lot and I didn’t hear what she said. I only saw the acceptance on Woods’ face as he nodded. Her arm snaked around his and they walked inside the clubhouse together.

    
I opened my car door and tried hard not to think about the makeup sex they were probably going to have in his office. I couldn’t think about it and remain calm. My attraction to Woods was a door I needed to close. He was a friend only. The bitter taste in my mouth as I drove away and headed toward the condo only got stronger. I knew how it felt to be touched by Woods.

     A familiar Harley-Davidson was in the space beside mine. Tripp was here.  I had to decide what I was going to do and fast. Maybe he would ask me to leave. Maybe I wouldn’t have a choice.

    
I made my way to the door of the condo and started to unlock the door when I decided it was probably better to knock. I wasn’t staying here alone anymore.

I knocked and waited.

     Tripp opened the door almost right away and his friendly smile turned into a frown. “You got a key. Why’re you knocking?” he asked, stepping back and letting me in.

    
“Well, you’re home now. I felt weird walking into your place without knocking.” I replied. This was awkward. I needed to leave.

    
“Me coming home to visit doesn’t change anything. You have a key, your stuff is here, you can come and go as you please. Don’t let me being here bother you.”

    
So he wanted me to stay? I hadn’t expected that. Not really.

    
“I was thinking I might pack up and hit the road. I’ve made enough money to get me further than Dallas this time.”

    
Tripp tilted his head to the side and lowered his eyebrows as he studied me. “You leaving because I’m here?”

    
Yes. “No,” I replied instead.

    
“Why don’t I believe you?”

    
Because I was lying. I shrugged.

    
Tripp let out a sigh and closed the door. “Come on blue eyes. You and I need to talk and I want to do it while drinking a beer and looking at the Gulf.”
     I followed him as we walked down the hall and into the kitchen. He stopped and grabbed two beers out of the fridge then turned and tossed one to me. Luckily, I caught it. Tripp nodded his head toward the French doors leading out onto his balcony overlooking the water. I stepped outside first.

    
“Have a seat,” Tripp said as he came up behind me. The warmth of his body was startling and I quickly moved to sit down in one of the chairs sitting around the patio table.

    
Tripp smirked at me as if he could read my mind and took a seat in the lounger stretching his legs out in front of him and leaning back. “God, I’ve missed this place. Not the people in it but the place itself.”

    
That was odd. Everyone I’d met missed Tripp. Did he just mean his parents or did he truly not miss anyone here?

    
“You enjoying it here?” he asked, turning his head to look over at me.

    
“Yes. It’s a nice place,” I answered truthfully.

    
He grinned. “Yeah, it is.”

    
“Why are you in Dallas then?” I asked. I’d heard from everyone else why Tripp had left but I didn’t know the whole story.

    
“My parents wanted me to be someone I wasn’t. I wanted freedom. So I left. I couldn’t be free here.”

    
But he had come back.

    
“I won’t be here long. The need to travel and experience life will get to me soon enough. I resigned at the bar. I’m positive Jeff is screwing the newest bartender. I can’t keep working for that man. Besides, Dallas was getting old.”

    
Was this his way of telling me I could stay? I wasn’t sure I wanted to. He didn’t know me. I didn’t know him really. If I stayed here he’d learn more about me than he probably wanted to know.

    
“I should be moving on along anyway. I’ve enjoyed staying in your place. It’s really nice.”

    
“Are we back to this again? I didn’t come here to run you off. I don’t want you to leave. At least not yet. You’ve only been here a few weeks. Enjoy the coast a little longer before you head out. I promise I’m a good roommate. I don’t snore and I don’t drink out of the milk carton unless it’s almost empty and I’m finishing it off.”

His teasing tone made me smile. It was time I was honest with him. I couldn’t
lie my way out of this one. He’d think I didn’t like him and I couldn’t let him think that. Not after he’d been so kind to me.

    
“My leaving isn’t because I’m worried you’ll be a bad roommate,” I began and stopped. What did I say here? How did I explain this without sounding crazy?

    
“Good. Then there’s no problem,” he finished for me. That wasn’t true, however.

    
“Yeah, there is. I’m the problem. I’m not exactly easy to live with. I… I might not snore but I have bad dreams. They might… No, they will wake you up. I also have anxiety issues. I can hide it but if we’re living together then you’re going to end up seeing me at my worst. I, I’m just not… living with me isn’t something anyone wants to do. Trust me. I need to just be on my way.”

There I’d said it. He could read between the lines.

     Tripp sat up from his reclined position and put his feet on the ground. I watched as he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees and staring at me. I swallowed nervously. I didn’t want to answer questions about this. If he made me remember too much then I’d show him exactly how insane I could be. I started to count sheep in my head. It helped fight off other thoughts.

    
“If that’s the case then you don’t need to be living alone anyway. How are you supposed to deal with that shit all by yourself? You’re not,” he paused and pressed his lips together tightly. I could tell he was choosing his next words with a great deal of care. “I’ve got my own demons. Ones that I keep tucked away. We’re a pair you and me. Both of us not ready to stay in one place and wanting to explore the world. I think we could be really good friends. It’s why I gave you the keys to my place and sent you here. Who says we have to travel alone? I’m tired of being alone all the time. Why don’t we let this be a trial run? We both stay here a couple of weeks and see if we can put up with the other one.”

    
I let his words sink in. Responding to that was hard. I hadn’t been expecting it and I wasn’t sure what I thought about it. He wanted to travel around together? Didn’t that seem intimate? We barely knew each other. But then if we shared a condo for a few weeks we’d know each other much better and he would be very sure that he couldn’t deal with my crazy shit by then.

     
I wasn’t going to overthink this. “Okay. Deal,” I replied.

    
A slow smile spread across his face. That would all change really soon. Possibly tonight.

     “Also, warning.
Jace is happy I’m home. He’s coming over tonight and he’ll bring friends. I hope that’s okay.”

     Things around here were about to get a lot more social. I needed to adjust.