Forever (Cruiser & Lex, Book 3) (10 page)

“But it’s a crapload of money.”

“It’s not just from me. Your grandparents chipped in, too.”

He looks at me. “My grandparents?”

I nod. “The ones from New York. I called your mother during school today and asked her if it was okay that I pay for the repairs. She told me your grandparents wanted to pay for it, too. So I asked her to ask them if it was okay that I help out, too.”

He rests his forehead against mine. “You’re so amazing, T. Rex.”

“I know how much your bike means to you. I just want you to be happy.”

His arm wraps tighter around me. “I’m happy whenever I see your beautiful face.”

“Thanks. I feel the same. But I wanted to do this for you.” I brush some hair out of his eyes. “In just a few weeks, your bike might be running again.” I poke his chest. “And I want to ride with you the first time.”

“Hell yeah.” He presses his lips to mine, and they move urgently, like he’s trying to take in as much of me as possible. A soft moan escapes me. That seems to fuel Cruiser. His lips move even more urgently With our lips still latched to each other’s, he lowers me on the blanket, and while his movements are jerky due to his one arm, I hardly feel it when my back hits the ground a little harder than it should. My hands roam all over Cruiser’s body as we continue to kiss as though the world is coming to an end and the only way we can keep it alive is if our lips are attached.

When we come apart, Cruiser stares down at me with nothing but love shining in his eyes. He strokes my cheek. “T. Rex, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, too.”

Cruiser

Rey wrenches me off Lex. I shove him aside and take Lex back in my arms. I don’t want to let go of her.

Dani picked us up from the beach and stopped before my dad’s apartment building. After Lex and I had a make out session that must have lasted hours. I didn’t think I could love this girl any more than I do, but she manages to find ways to surprise me. I’m not sure about a lot of things in my life, but I’m sure about Lex. She is the one for me. There’s no one else. Never will be.

After I got out of Dani’s convertible, I pushed Lex against it and kissed her. Kissed her and kissed her and kissed her. Until I was so drunk from her that I didn’t know my ABCs or 123s. I think Dani honked to get us to pry apart, but I blocked her out. Then I felt Rey’s arms on me, trying to pull me off her. These past few days of not working out, and my useless arm, have made me as soft as putty. Didn’t take long for Rey to wrench me off my girl.

“Geez, you guys will see each other tomorrow at school,” Rey says.

That seems so far away. I wish I could spend the night with Lex. With her in my arms. I wouldn’t do anything she doesn’t want. I’d just hold her and tell her how much I love her. Watch her sleep and wake up to her beautiful face.

Lex touches her hand to her lips before pressing them on mine. “See you tomorrow?”

I lean forward to give her another kiss. “Yeah. Tomorrow morning.”

She gives me a sweet smile before getting in the car. Waves as Dani drives away. I feel empty, like I lost a vital organ. Yeah, my heart. I guess all that crap they say about soulmates having half a heart is true. When we’re together, I feel whole. Complete.

“I don’t know if I should feel sorry for you or be jealous,” Rey says as he pushes me through the door. “It’s like you’re a slave to love.”

Jealous, not sorry. Because this is the best damn feeling in the world.

Rey continues pushing me until we’re inside the apartment. “Got most of the packing done.”

“What did Dad say?”

Rey shrugs. “Nothing, really. I guess he figured we’d eventually move back.”

I go to our room and inspect the place. It’s bare. Looks like Rey did a good job. I walk over to the closet and pull it open. Like I expected, the box is still here. The box that holds all that junk we don’t need. And Rey’s violin.

“Rey,” I call. He walks inside. I tilt my head toward the box. “You plan on abandoning this here?”

He moves further inside. Looks down at the violin. He gets that same weird look—like a parent who hasn’t seen his kid in years. Mixed in with disgust. “Well, look at that,” he says. “I totally forgot about it.”

“Yeah, right.”

He shrugs. “It can stay here. Maybe Dad will teach himself how to play.”

I whack him in the back of his head.

“What the hell!”

“We’re taking your damn violin home. Take it out.”

He juts out his chin. “What’s the matter? Can’t you do it? Too handicapped?”

I make a move to whack him again, but he dodges. Item number three added to the Payback List.

His whole face changes like he just realized what he said. His eyes move to my injured arm, all guilty. He clears his throat before bending down and heaving the box off the floor and toward the front door.

I meet Dad on my way to the living room. He gives me a small smile. “All ready to leave?”

I study him closely, trying to see how he feels about us leaving. But I don’t get anything. “Yeah,” I say.

He nods.

We stand there like two morons.

“I told Rey I can drive you guys,” he says.

“There’s no point.” Rey strides back inside and picks a suitcase off the floor. “I’ll drive us.”

Dad nods again.

I get back to our room to make sure we packed everything we need. Looks like we’re good. I return to the living room. Dad’s still standing there. “You can move back,” I find myself saying.

Dad looks at me like I told him to get into bed with a lion.

“You and Mom, you’re not divorced yet.” If I was able to, I’d fold my arms over my chest. This is as awkward as hell.

“Cruiser, your mother and I are not getting back together.”

“You can make things work. If you both want it to.”

“I don’t think either of us wants it to work.”

“Speak for yourself,” Rey says, marching into the living room and standing before Dad. He’s got his arms crossed. “Mom’s been a mess since you left.”

“Maybe you never loved her, but she sure as hell loved you,” I say.

Guilt washes over Dad’s face. Makes me feel guilty for making him feel that way. But it only lasts a few seconds. Dad recovers and says, “I’m sure your mother is just worried about her image.”

“Bullshit,” Rey mutters.

“Boys—”

“Only losers give up on their marriages before giving it another shot,” I say, then walk off.

Rey stashed all our stuff in the trunk. I stand next to the car and look at the apartment building. I only lived there a few days. Can’t say I’ll miss it.

Dad comes out and heads over to us. Stands there for a few seconds before putting his arms around me. Then he does the same to Rey. “I hope you’ll visit often,” he says.

“We will,” I promise.

Rey opens the door. “Maybe think things over. It doesn’t have to be this way.” He gets in the car.

“Bye, Dad.” I climb into the passenger seat.

Rey waits until I buckle up before driving off. I look out the window, at Dad standing there all alone. My gut squeezes together. Makes me feel real guilty for leaving him like this. But all this could have been prevented if he never left Mom. I get that he doesn’t love her or whatever, but maybe if the two of them worked on their relationship, they could come to an understanding. Then we’d be a family again.

I tear my eyes from the window.

“Sucks, doesn’t it?” Rey says. His hands squeeze the steering wheel so tight his knuckles are white. “Life sucks.”

“Some of it does.”

He rolls his eyes. “You can’t just spend all your time making out with Lex and live in bliss, you know. You gotta get back to the real world.”

“You think I don’t know that?” If it was up to me, I would kiss her twenty-four-seven. Be in our own Crex Land where we’re always happy and don’t have to face any of the shit in our lives. But I know I got to face the music. Face the future and what it holds.

Rey says, “Okay, just pointing it out.”

“Same way you gotta get back to the real world and play your violin.”

His hands tighten on the wheel again. “Enough with the violin, okay? Stop pushing me.”

He’s right. The more I push, the more I could drive him away. He’s got to go back to it on his own terms. “Sorry,” I tell him.

He shrugs. Then, “You should have heard how excited Mom was when I told her we were coming back home. I swear she hit the roof.”

The image makes me smile. “I hope she enrolled us back in South Beach High.”

Rey gasps. “Am I hearing correctly? My loser brother actually cares about being enrolled in school?”

“I missed enough class as it is. Don’t need to miss any more.”

He shakes his head like he can’t believe what he’s hearing.

“People change, Rey. When they know they’re not acting the way they should. When they want to be a better person. When they tell themselves they can succeed if they try.”

He slams his head against the back of his seat. “Another lecture from my older, wiser brother.”

I hold out my hand. “I don’t mean to sound like I’m giving you a lecture. Just some brotherly advice.”

He snorts. “I’d rather you give me brotherly advice on how to score some babes.”

“First off, don’t call them ‘babes.’ Second off, last I recall, there is a lovely young woman still waiting for you to give her a call.”

He purses his lips. “That Melody chick—I mean, girl.”

“Yep.”

He doesn’t say anything. Eyes are focused on the road. Then, “She’s probably got a boyfriend by now.”

“Maybe. Doesn’t hurt to try. Want me to ask Lex if she’s available?”

Again, he doesn’t say anything. Then he shrugs. “Whatever.”

By the look on his face, I know he wants to get with her. But I also know he’s scared. Nervous. Maybe because the only girl he’s ever gotten close to was Lex. He doesn’t have a lot of experience in that department.

We reach our house. When I look out the window, at the house I grew up in, the only place I call home, a feeling sinks into me. It’s good to be back. I press my face to the glass and look at Lex’s house. Right next to mine. Just like it’s always been. It’s really good to be back.

Rey slaps my arm. “Getting out or not? Need me to carry you over the threshold?”

I slap him back. Harder. He chuckles as he gets out. I get out, too.

The door to the house flies open. Mom stands there. She rushes over to the trunk, where Rey lugs out the suitcases. I reach for a bag, but Mom says, “No, Elvis. You go inside and relax.”

“I can handle a suitcase.”

“Don’t strain yourself. Go inside and eat some of the cake I just baked.”

It seems like Mom plans on treating me like a king until my arm is healed. I’m about to tell her I’m capable of doing the same crap I did before, but then I realize something. Mom wants to do this for me. Maybe as a way to show that she cares. That she wants to give to me. So I get into the house.

The smell of this place. So familiar. It’s like I never left. I head over to the kitchen counter and cut myself a piece of cake. Chocolate. Delicious.

Mom and Rey carry our bags up to our rooms. Rey runs down the steps and grabs the half-eaten cake out of my hand. “The hell,” I say.

He gives me this huge grin before getting back outside to bring in more of our stuff. I cut myself another slice. Once everything is inside, Mom tells us she’ll help us unpack.

“I don’t need help, Mom,” Rey says.

“Yeah, I’m cool,” I say.

Her eyes move to my arm.

“I can still do the same shit as before.” The words leave my mouth before I can stop them.

She frowns. “Again with the language?”

“Sorry,” I mutter.

Rey gives me a face that says, “We’ve only been back for two minutes and already Mom’s criticizing us.”

I take a deep breath. Count to ten. Mom might focus all of her time and energy on the two of us to keep busy. It means she might be on our case a lot. We’ll have to deal.

“Thanks for the cake,” I tell Mom before heading upstairs.

“Yeah.” Rey chases after me. Bumps into me as he rushes up the stairs. My bad arm hits the wall and I curse. “Sorry,” he calls as he enters his room.

Bro’s so nervous to be back here. It’s why he’s acting like this. Teasing me and whatnot.

As soon as I step into my room, my gut slides down my legs and hits the floor. My room. It’s familiar. It’s welcoming. But it’s empty. And I don’t mean because my stuff is still in the suitcase. It’s because there’s something missing. Something that meant the world to me and can’t be replaced. My cruiser ship.

I forgot Rey wrecked it when we got into that fight. My insides get all twisted in this painful way when the memory sprints across my mind. My cruiser ship in shards all over the floor.

Walking over to my closet, I open the door and lower myself to my knees. Reach inside for the shoe box that houses my broken ship. Before opening the lid, I close my eyes. Count to thirty. Calm my breathing. It’ll hurt me to look at it, but I need to. I don’t know why. Maybe to prove that it’s true—that my ship is gone.

I flick open the lid with my thumb. It feels like the shards of glass have been launched through me. My ship. All broken.

“Grow some balls,” I mutter, dumping the lid back on and stashing the box in my closet. There’s no point in lingering on this. It’s broken. It’s gone. Doesn’t mean I have to be.

The floor near the doorway creaks. My head springs up. Rey stands there. Looks all guilty. His leg twitches and he rubs the back of his head. He must have seen it all.

I get up and make my way to my bed, where my suitcase lies. I zip it open.

“I’m sorry, Cruise,” Rey says.

I pull out a shirt.

“Cruise—”

“It’s cool.” It’s got to be. I have no other choice. I don’t want to spend my whole life mourning over it.

Rey just stands in the doorway. I feel his eyes on me. I continue unpacking.

“Good night, Cruiser,” he says.

“‘Night.”