Drawn To You (Paloma's Edge) (9 page)

As I stood up, I said goodbye to Mrs. Clark. She swung her gaze between Chase and I before she returned to what she was doing at her own desk. My other co-workers swiped their cards at the same time Chase and I were leaving. I cast a brief glance over my shoulder. They quietly walked behind us and their gazes fell on Chase’s rear. Walking past the lobby, we said bye to Brody, who shook his head at my co-workers. When we reached the employee parking lot, they dispersed. Based on my pay rate, I’d definitely earn enough money to get a good used car soon.

Chase’s
face broke out into a big smile on our way to the house. “I can drive you to the Paloma and take you home most days. I work four to five days a week. I get Tuesdays off.”

“My sche
dule is Monday through Friday. I’ll be able to afford a car with my pay rate soon and I won’t have to depend on everyone so much.”

A shadow fell over his features. “You can depend on me to take you wherever you need to go whenever I can do it.”

“You’re very nice, Chase.”

“No, I am really not. You m
ake me wanna be, though.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because I know you’d help me out or someone else out if you could.”

I wasn’t altruistic at all. I felt good about myself when I made someone else’s day
run smoother. There were people in Franklin Parks, like Mrs. Muldoon, Francine, and Steve, who had been truly been kind to me, especially when it’d been an unpopular decision, and that resonated with me. At my cleaning job, I’d driven my co-workers to the houses, offices, and to their homes when I could. In turn, when Betsy had stopped working, they’d driven me to and from some of my jobs and back on campus.

“And how do you know that, Chase?”

He knitted his brows thoughtfully. “I had a meeting with my coach last week. On my way to the athletics building, I saw you waiting for the bus and you gave this guy back a wad of cash he dropped that you could’ve easily pocketed. You did it because it was the right thing to do. I promised myself that if I came back from my meeting and you were still there, I’d drive you to wherever you needed to go.”

My heart skipped a beat. I hadn’t thought anyone
had been aware that the man had dropped his money or that I’d returned it to him. There was no way I was gonna steal that man’s money. He’d been so shocked and thankful that he’d offered me fifty dollars, but I hadn’t wanted his money. Taking what wasn’t mine was a line I hadn’t wanted to cross. A line that I hoped I was never in a position that to give any serious thought.

“I didn’t think anyone saw me. Why didn’t you say anything when you first saw me?”

“I don’t know, Beth. I didn’t think I’d see you again. And I guess I didn’t wanna freak you out.”

I nodded in understanding. Now it made sense why a look of familiarity had flitted over his face when I’d looked up at him as I closed the door to the house I’d lived in since birth.

And all too soon, we were at the Pruitt home.

Chase lifted his shoulder. “It wasn’t your actions that made me take notice of you in the beginning.” Unbuckling his seatbelt, he reached over to me so that our faces were inches apart. He unlatched my seatbelt. “It was hard to look away and go to that meeting.” He barely settled his soft and full lips over mine. “Very hard.”

And then he pulled away and I felt the heat of a blush rising over my face. He’d initiated the contact and a sudden, desperate need to connect my lips with his threatened to overtake me, but I couldn’t give in. If I did, I wouldn’t know how to stop. I wanted him too much for my own good as it was.

Chase

I missed three calls from an unknown number while Pierce and I had been setting the table. My phone wasn’t supposed to accept unknown or blocked numbers. I
hadn’t had this number for long, so it could’ve been someone trying to call the person who'd had my number before I did.

Mrs. Pruitt and Nancy had just taken out the roasted chicken and all of the freshly cooked side dishes when Mr. Pruitt came into the kitchen, washed his hands
, and kissed his wife like none of us were there. They did that sometimes. I’d caught them making out in the mornings about four times. Pierce scratched his head and focused on the floor. I thought it was pretty funny to see him squirm a little. I guess I’d feel a little grossed out if I had to watch my parents make out. Acting like her aunt and uncle weren’t making out, Beth entered the kitchen in another one of her tank tops and enticing skirts, a complete contrast to how covered up she had been earlier today.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No, dear. Have a seat,” Nancy said in a spritely manner and sent me a half-grin. She was by the door when we’d come into the house. She probably thought that Beth and I had made out or had sex from the way she looked at us, but we hadn’t done anything—yet.

Beth peered
at Pierce and then at me, and we got on our feet up and pulled the seat for her.

“This chair is free,
Noodles. Cassidy should be down in a few.”

Beth sat down between us and released a rush of air. She smelled like mild vanilla and honey, and it made me think of tunneling my fingers through her blow-dried hair. I wondered if the sweet smell was her shampoo or soap that she lathered on her body.

“Thanks, Porkchop.”

Mr. Pruitt kissed his wife one more time
and Pierce groaned, making his mom laugh heartily.

“When you’ve found the right woman, you won’t ever want to stop kissing her.” He gave Pierce a pointed look and then spanked Mrs. Pruitt on the rear. I
trained my eyes on Beth because the only ass I wanted to watch as I spanked, grabbed, and massaged it was hers.

“TMI,” Pierce said
.

Mrs. Pruitt gathered her hands together. “
Anton,” she said with a dry laugh, “we’re embarrassing Pierce.”

He pulled her to him and whispered something into her ear that made her really laugh and swat the kitchen towel on his arm. She disengaged from him and joined Nancy in bringing the food to the table.

Beth queried, “Are they always…so…”

“Touch and grabby?” Pierce supplied the rest of the question. “No, but they
get carried away sometimes. I’ve gotta get the image of them out of my head.”

Beth
patted his shoulder in sympathy and shot me a cursory glance. Cassidy made a production of coming down the stairs, and Mr. Pruitt gazed at her like she was an angel.

“Dinner looks wonderful, as always
.” Cassidy trotted towards Mr. Pruitt and gave him an air kiss on his cheek. And then she came around the table again, sitting beside me. Usually Nancy and Pierce sat beside me, but Nancy wasn’t finished serving all of the food. I wanted to switch places with Pierce, but if I did I knew Cassidy might make a show, act like I was ostracizing her.

“How did everything go in Miami,
Father?” Cassidy asked Mr. Pruitt like she really cared. The only topic that mattered to her was whether or not he’d keep supporting her while she did nothing all day.

He took a seat beside Mrs. Pruitt, who just finished serving his plate. “We’re getting there. A little behind schedule. Nothing new in construction,” he answered with a sigh. “And I heard today was successful. Not one customer complaint or mishap.”

“Yeah, it’s really unheard of,” Pierce commented as we served ourselves.

“It is,” Mr. Pruitt said.

“Have you spent any time with Bethany?” Mrs. Pruitt changed the subject. “Cassie took her to our bar,” she explained to Mr. Pruitt.

“You should follow Cassidy’s example,”
Mr. Pruitt scolded.

“Too bad that Cassidy bounced with some guy and Rylan had to bring her home when she took Beth out. That’s real nice, al
l right. ”

Beth swallowed uneasily. “Cassidy asked me if I was fine with Rylan driving me here and Pierce said we’d hang out in town next week,” she interjected.

Mr. Pruitt grimaced at Pierce, and Mrs. Pruitt placed her hand over his. “You need to be careful. Did Pierce even know the guy that you were with?” Mrs. Pruitt asked, the alarm in her voice evident.

“No, I didn’t know who the guy was,” Pierce interjected. “I had a gathering at my penthouse and Cassidy invited all these people I didn’t know.”

“Are you guys done attacking me?” Cassidy dramatically shot up from the chair and stalked off. Even Nancy couldn’t refrain from rolling her eyes.

“Get back here!” Mrs. Pruitt shouted. Beth rested her hand on my thigh. She was trying to be supportive, but she didn’t know yet that it was best for her to stay out of their disagreements. This was the second time I’d seen the Pruitts have an argument. Minutes passed by and Cassidy returned to the table
with a sulky expression. “We’ll have a talk later, young lady. And you’re not going out tonight. I don’t care that you’re twenty-two. When you act like a brat in our household, we’ll treat you like one.” She waved her hand at Cassidy’s meal. “Now finish your dinner.”

“Perhaps if you weren’t off with that girl, you would’ve kept an eye on your sister. She
’s older but you’re her brother,” Mr. Pruitt remarked.

“Lay off me, would you?” Pierce stopped eating and pushed his chair back. “I do my best. She needs to be responsible for herself. And while you don’t like Mona
—she has a name—I go to work and put in 110 percent. What I do during my free time is my business.” He rose from the table. “Sorry, Mom…Nancy.” He was quiet for a beat. “Dinner was delicious.” He acknowledged Beth and I with a rueful look before he was gone.

“Pierce has a point,”
we heard Mrs. Pruitt softly tell her husband, but he wouldn’t hear it.

“Debbie, his point was that he’s not willing to protect his sister while I work my butt off to do right by this family.”

***

Pierce
’s jaw was tight and his usually fair complexion was flushed from frustration and hurt that he’d never acknowledge. I didn’t think I’d seen Pierce this upset since Mr. Pruitt had told him that he’d have to pay rent. Pierce had been trying to get his own place for the summer, but rent was really expensive. Most places had wanted him to sign a six-month lease. At his parents’ house, his room was size of a small apartment. The only thing that each room didn’t have was its own kitchen. It was hard to resist nice living quarters; however, he liked being around Nancy and his mom more than he cared about having a spacious room.

I
excused myself and went after him. Mrs. Pruitt thanked me and Mr. Pruitt finished eating his dinner. And Cassidy had had a shit-eating look on her face. I’d texted Beth and told her not to worry. I didn’t want Cassidy to involve Beth in her antics or to be manipulated by her. I knew that I was the outsider, but I didn’t think Beth had any idea that Cassidy would’ve handed her over to any guy she knew so that she could have private fun. Cassidy didn’t care about Beth and I didn’t have the heart to tell her to be mindful of her cousin. How would I look? Like an asshole who was trying to mess up her relationship with her family.

Emilio, one of the waiters/bartenders
, served Pierce a mug of beer on the house. “Women troubles?” he asked.

Pierce gulped down almost half of the thick beer and set the mug back on the counter as he heaved in a br
eath. “No. Just my know-it-all dad.”

“That sucks,” Emilio said. “It’ll blow over. And then you two will bu
tt heads again.”

Pierce nodded and
drained the rest of his beer. “Yeah. Same shit. Different day. Thanks for the beer, Emilio.”

Emilio took the mug and greeted new customers.

Joel and Rylan came in by themselves, which I think was best because Pierce didn’t seem like he was in the mood to be courteous to their lady friends.

“What’s up, Joel?” I raised my chin to him. “Rylan.” We
bumped fists as he sat by me and Joel convinced some girl to sit on the other side of the counter.

“Chase.”
A deep line creased over Joel’s forehead as he eyed Pierce warily. “You must be real pissed to drive all the way over here.”

“I was.” Pierce raised his shoulders indifferently. “What do you guys wanna drink?”
He looked at us.

“Get me a
black Russian,” Rylan answered.

“Light beer,” Joel said.

“I’ll stick with another club soda and lime,” I told Emilio, who huffed out a laugh at Pierce’s disappointed frown.

“We’ll have scotch on the rocks
some other time. Tonight, I’ll be your designated driver.”

Pierce con
ceded with the tilt of his head. “On second thought, I am not gonna drown myself in beer tonight. Dad would expect me to fuck up, cause a scene, and have to be driven home. One more beer and I am done.”

Joel
gave Pierce’s back a light slap. “Good thinkin’.” He cleared his throat. “The girl with the strapless dress has been lookin’ at you. You gonna dance with her?”

I followed Joel’s gaze
to an attractive woman with blond extensions wearing shorts and a tube top.

A slow grin
crept over Pierce’s face as he shook his head. “Go dance with her, Joel,” he encouraged.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Pierce sipped his beer and gave an appreciative nod. Rylan took Joel’s seat. “If you need some space from your dad, you can crash at my place. I know you don’t like sleeping in your penthouse.”

“Thanks, Rylan. But I am sleeping in my room tonight. I am not even dropping by Mona’s. I pay rent and might as well use my room to sleep sometime
s.”

“True.”

By the time Emilio handed us our drinks, La Floridita was packed. The recorded music that played the same songs came to an end. On the makeshift stage at the center of the room, the small curtains opened up. Bright blue and yellow lights glinted off of the old wooden floor. A handwritten sign on the wall that said Tainted Virtue, an indie rock and country band who had recently signed a major record deal, was taped to the wall. Everything came to a halt. I’d seen their bookmark on Beth’s night desk and immediately I’d known that she was a fan. I’d listened to their music since fans posted videos online of them singing at bars in Florida and Georgia. And last night, I’d purchased tickets to their concert at Double Dulce in Miami, an exclusive club.

Three females attempted to jump on the stage as the lead singer, Ari came on stage first
, but three of the bouncers stopped them. Hollering, one female got physical with Gavin, who worked at La Floridita. Ari was six feet tall and he had fine black hair with streaks of red in it, and a multicolored shirt that was ripped in the front to look like someone put their nails through it. I didn’t know how he moved around so much with his leathers so tight, but there was no doubt that people loved it. I bet Beth’s favorite band member was him or Renner, who was not as tall and wasn’t classically attractive, which I guessed was her type because she liked me. Renner had shaggy, inky black hair and a small piercing on his eyebrow and another between his nostrils. He used to have more facial piercings when they’d first started out six years ago, but he’d kept the eyebrow and nostril ones recently. He had a loose vintage t-shirt and torn jeans.

“Hey, Pierce! You know anything about Tainted Virtue being here tonight?” Rylan
asked us.

With a broad smile, Pierce shook his head “no
.” His shoulders relaxed and he washed down the beer and turned around to watch. Sage, Ari’s younger sister and the drummer, came on stage last. The crowd cheered her on, including Emilio, who had generally carried himself in a relaxed manner. Sage was short like Beth, yet she had a slender spoon shape and dyed her hair a golden blond, which flattered her more than her natural black hair color would. Renner, the bass guitarist, started, and all of his hair covered most of his face, giving him the mysterious look that the girls had to love. He had on a short t-shirt like Ari, only his arms were inked up with swirls and some unique symbols that I’d never seen before. Austin, with his trademark shaved head, dressed in all black with his distinct eyeliner, emphasizing his golden brown eyes, had a toothpick in the corner of his mouth and his fingers at the ready on the electric guitar. They started the beginning of their hit song, “One Night Salvation” and everyone was eating it up. When they did their country songs Sage led with her soulful and mature voice, and Ari and Austin did the backup. Renner complemented them by playing the guitar.

Fans of Tainted Virtue were mostly divided. While most of their new songs were rock, they had a very strong country base, some
of whom strongly disliked that they went from country and added some rock songs to their latest album. And they had some rock fans who didn’t think they should continue making country songs. From the interviews I’d watched Ari and Renner explained that they hated to be pigeonholed and loved both rock and country music.