Freeing Destiny (Fate #2) (7 page)

“And why the hell would I do that?” she fumed.

“Because you know you feel this too.” She had to. She wouldn’t still be sitting next to me if she didn’t. I knew that much, if nothing else. And then something hit me. “Sunshine!” I shouted, causing Stella to jump in her seat.

Her eyes narrowed, her complexion simmering from flustery-pissed-red to agitated-but-curious-pink. “Jack, what are you talking about?”

“Your nickname.
Sunshine
. It’s perfect.”

Shaking her head and exhaling a long, warm breath of sweet minty air, she pleaded with me, “Sunshine? How is that any better than
doll
?”

Leaning closer to her, I laid my hand on her knee and turned up the charm. “It’s
so
much better than
doll
. First of all, the sun is a star and your name
means
star, so one point for skills. Secondly—without sounding like I’m trying to get in your pants or make up for being a total jerk—you light up an entire room just by being in it, Stella. Your warmth, your smile, your kind heart—all things that make an ordinary day seem so fucking remarkable. I felt it the moment I laid eyes on you—I had to get to know you, and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to spend the next fourteen days getting my fill of you.” It felt so good to get it out, but knowing she still had the power to black out my little ray of hope made me wish I wasn’t so vulnerable.

Gauging her reaction to my confession, my heart thumped erratically, skipping beats here and there. I couldn’t tell what she wanted to do with the declaration that just gushed its way out of my mouth. Was she still angry? Apprehensive? Spellbound like me?

Speak, Sunshine, speak. Let me know what you’re thinking.

Stella closed her eyes; her delicate throat constricted as she gulped back what had to be nerves. When her lids fluttered open, her syrupy-colored gaze sparkled in the dim light of the moon. “Come to the beach with me tomorrow. I hear it’s supposed to be exceptionally
sunny
.”

Stella

What an unexplainable turn of events. I was sure the way the second half of our date—if that’s what you wanted to call it—was headed for disaster. And it was. Armageddon had been upon us, but then the skies opened, the angels sang, and the heavens shone down when he gave me that silly nickname.

Sunshine.

Yes, it was corny. There was nothing stellar about it. In fact, I didn’t necessarily desire a pet name from a guy. I was happy with my given name. Mom and Dad put a lot of thought into it, I was told. But it was the way Jack explained
why
he chose it that had me all giddy.

The thought that I could do that to a man—make his day brighter just by being in the same room—was the kind of thing I’d been searching for from the moment I started dating. Jack had all the right moves, even when he was being rude and crude, and I couldn’t deny the way my insides twitched when I was with him.

“Crap! Crap! Crap!” I shouted as I collapsed onto my comfy bed.

The timing of this charade could not have come at a worse stage in my life. It was just my luck—always the bad kind—that I was following one dream only to leave behind something that would fulfill so many others.

When Nina first brought Ryan home to meet Mom, my mother tried to give me a heart-to-heart about how I too would meet my knight in shining armor one day. Funny thing was, back then—not more than a few months ago—I couldn’t give a hoot about a knight or whatever kind of get-up he wore. I was content figuring things out for myself, enjoying the single life, and focused on learning how to make it on my own two feet.

Today, I was still determined to achieve all that, but the idea of having the
right guy
to share it with was a new concept I had Mom and Caleb to thank for. If someone as jaded by life as she was could find a man to complete her, I was certain love
did
conquer all. And that left me to ruminate the possibilities of the L word with Jack—someone I just met, someone I’d be leaving behind before anything real could even start.

Pulling my fluffy pillow over my face, I screamed into the soft, downy cotton to relieve my frustration. When I was done taking my anger out on the innocent, inanimate object, I looked up to find my sister gaping in the doorway. “Problem?” she asked, her hand on her hip. The sight of her twin drowning out her sorrows in a pillow was old hat by now.

“Yes,” I huffed. I didn’t really want to talk about it, especially not with the ever-pessimistic Nina, but maybe she could shed some light on my dilemma. “Where’s Ryan?” I asked, making sure the coast was clear to be candid.

“Fell asleep while we were watching a movie,” she answered as she jumped onto the bed, causing the mattress to spring to life. “What gives?”

“Jack Davis gives.” He did—he gave good face, good vibes, good freaking everything.

“Hmmm,” she hummed, while arching a well-groomed brow.

“That’s all you have to say? I was hoping for more than that.” There had to be a way she could make it all better.

“I can’t believe it had to be Aubrey’s brother to crack the stone around that heart of yours.”

Rising to a sitting position, I flung an errant throw pillow at my sister’s head. “Stone? Are you serious? I’m the
nice
twin, or have you forgotten that?”

“You’re known as the nice one because I don’t take anyone’s shit, but that’s not what I meant. You’re always so guarded, Stells. I’ve never heard you even
mention
a guy, let alone seem all flustered and in a tizzy. You know this is terrible timing, don’t you?”
Blunt, much?
That was Nina.

“Tell me something I don’t know. What am I going to do?”

Curling her slim legs beneath her backside like a little girl getting ready to gossip at a slumber party, Nina reached over to rub my hand. “You’re leaving soon. Jack will be part of your past. I can spell it out for you if it’s something you need to hear, but I think you know the answer, Stells.”

Oh, I knew the answer, all right. It was clear cut, completely unambiguous. Stella Edwards didn’t need a man to define her, and she certainly couldn’t get herself confused about her mindset over someone she’d known for all of twenty-four hours. Stella Edwards and Jack Davis could not be anything more than friends. It was that simple. Tomorrow’s little rendezvous would be nothing more than a day at the beach with a fond acquaintance. I couldn’t flirt, or drop innuendos, and I certainly couldn’t allow Jack to get under my skin any more than he already was.

The option of cancelling our plans wasn’t even a consideration—I was entitled to some fun, right? So that meant I had some serious pretending in my future. “Yup, Neen. You’re right. I know exactly what I have to do.”

Jack

Getting ready for the beach that morning was like planning for The Day of Reckoning. I refused to be unprepared for
anything
.

If Stella wanted a four course picnic lunch—I was good. If she wanted to listen to some tunes—yup, had that too. Did she want me to massage tanning oil onto the delicious curves of her back that she couldn’t reach on her own—shit, I hoped so. Bottom line, I was ready for whatever came our way.

A smile tugged at my lips. I’d have my Sunshine to keep me company even if only for another day. A meaningless day in the grand scheme of the countless number we’d wind up spending apart—maybe—but beggars couldn’t be choosers. I’d take Stella in the tiniest of doses if it meant having her around a little longer.

When the last of the gear was tucked away in the hatch of my Jeep, I flipped my shades from atop my head to cover my eyes, and hopped behind the wheel. Twenty minutes later, the crappy traffic on the freeway had me cursing over the music. Time was of the essence. I didn’t have much and I wanted to make it count. But when I arrived in front of the Edwards’ home, all time ceased to exist. She was here, I was here, and the ticking of life’s clock could go to hell for all I cared.

Noticing her struggle with the heavy cooler that hindered her usually lady-like posture, I leapt out of the driver’s seat to help. “Wait, let me get that, Sunshine.”

I took careful consideration of her expression when I said it. I wanted to know her true feelings on the semi-clever but could’ve-been-better term of endearment I came up with. Lucky for me, the spark that swirled in her eyes at the recognition of the name told me I’d done well.

“Thanks,” she said as she released her grip on the cooler. “I think I packed way too much stuff.”

I shot her a wink, loving that we had similar thoughts about being overstocked and ready for anything. “To be prepared is half the victory!” I proclaimed, and pointed a finger in the air stoically.

“And what’s the other half?” Stella asked. She followed my lead as I lugged the clunky Igloo to the car.

Chuckling, I admitted, “I have no freaking clue. Just an expression I heard somewhere.”

“Maybe you meant
hope for the best, but prepare for the worst
?”

Um, no.
“Hey, I will not have any of that negativity on this here voyage to the sand. I hoped for the best, prepared for it, too, and the absolute best is what you’re gonna get.”

Smiling that smile that made my guts warm and gooey, she clasped her hands and rubbed them together as if concocting a diabolical plan. “Okay then, Mr. Ready for Anything, will it be China or Baker?”

“Oohhh!” I crooned. “I had my heart set on Baker but now that you mentioned China—that beach rocks!”

“Then China Beach it is.” She bounced into the passenger seat, making herself comfortable—the way I always wanted her to be around me—by toying with the radio knob.

I reclaimed my position behind the wheel, backed out of her driveway, and stopped her hand from passing over one of my favorite songs. “You’re changing Young the Giant? How dare you.”

“I’m not a huge fan of indie rock.” She shrugged, but relented.

“Give me a day, listen to the
entire
album, and then tell me you’re not a fan.” The sound that came from this band had such a summery West Coast vibe. I’d fallen in love after one listen and suddenly had the urge to create a new fan.

“You’re so sure of yourself, Jack Davis. Must be a family trait.”

Veering onto the freeway, I tried to defend my family name. “If you’re talking about Aubrey, I’m nothing like her so don’t worry.”

“Oh, I’m not worried. I wouldn’t be sitting here if I were. That bitch is cray cr—oops! Sorry.” Her hand covered her mouth, hiding a smirk but showing she wasn’t scared to be forward about my troublemaking sibling.

“No need to apologize. I know she put your mother and Caleb through the wringer. If anything good came from her craziness, it’s the peace and quiet that comes with her not being around. My poor parents.” I shook my head, thinking of all the drama she’d caused over the years.

Shifting in her seat, Stella faced me. “
Your poor parents?
Sounds like your dad’s an enabler, giving her whatever she wants at any cost. Emma painted quite a picture of Aubrey in all her glory, and let’s not forget the way she stalked your best friend and physically assaulted my mother.”

True, on all counts. There was no denying my sister had gone a step too close to
Girl Interrupted
material, but I didn’t like the direction this conversation was headed. Even if it did have my dick twitching inside my board shorts.