Hunter: Rockstar Romance (The ProVokaTiv Series Book 2) (12 page)

“Not going to trap me in here, are you?” she asked with a soft laugh.

I smiled, amused by it, but still feeling emotionally shredded from Trinity.

“You’re safe, Jessie. I suppose you’re not the type of woman to say ‘I told you so,’ but you could be.”

“You’re right. I’d never say that. It was a bold thing you did, and you knew what you were up against. Trinity may seem spontaneous, but her emotions are…well, very planned out.”

“She made them quite clear tonight,” I said. “At least I know.”

“You know, when I met Trinity it took us a long time to warm up to each other. It wasn’t easy. I was thrown off by her abrasiveness, and she was ready to puke on my syrupy attitude. I think that’s what she called it,” Jessie said.

“You do seem to grounded and focused. Doesn’t anything rile you up?”

“Plenty does, but I go about it differently. It wasn’t always that way, though.”

“No? Why?”

“Believe it or not, I used to have a big temper issue when I was younger. I even got in fights.”

“You are kidding me,” I said, sitting up straighter.

“Not kidding, but not proud of it, either.”

“Why tell me?”

“I just want you to know that Trinity is the easiest person you’ll ever meet to walk away from when she puts her barriers up, and most people do. However, underneath all that is a heart of gold and someone who is genuine to the core. That’s what I want you to know.”

“Why?”

“Well, I have no clue what could ever happen, if anything, and I’m not one to share the private moments that others entrust to me, but I am hoping that you’re not the type of guy who tosses a girl aside just because she’s not easy.”

“I’m not sure if I’m that type of guy or not. I would be full of it if I didn’t acknowledge that a life with no Trin would be less taxing than a life with her might be.”

“And more boring. People like you are not happy with people who are too content. It’s not your style. I don’t think I’ve ever met two people more alike than you two, Hunter.”

“That is scary.”

“Agreed,” she said to me, and laughed. “Well, I’d better get back out there. We’re going to get going.”

“The party night is ruined?” I asked.

“No, but the day at Catalina will be more fun tomorrow if we have some sleep, so it’s all good.”

“Good,” I said. “Thanks,” I added.

“You’re welcome. Well, have a good night, and I’ll see you around, okay?”

“Sure,” I said. Jessie started to walk out and I couldn’t resist asking it. “Who was the last person you ever punched?”

“Brynn,” she said, and then she walked out the door.

I was definitely surprise by that, and I found it interesting to watch Jessie’s approach to making someone else feel better. While the way everything went down that night had sucked, I felt a bit better because of Jessie. Hopefully she could make Trinity feel better, too, if she was hurting in some way. Or pissed. She could definitely be pissed. Wounded, trapped animal, I reminded myself.

The taxi ride back to Brynn’s was an interesting one to say the least, and I could practically see the driver’s ears prickling as he tried to eavesdrop. I was not in the mood. “How is listening to us going to help you drive?” I asked, knocking on the Plexiglas barrier between us.

“Trin,” Jessie said.

“Don’t start,” I said. I looked at her, and didn’t even know what to think. “I wouldn’t have been surprised to have Brynn work on that little treat tonight, it’s in her nature, but you, Jessie, that was unexpected.”

“I want you to be happy, and I agree, normally I wouldn’t venture into that territory, or encourage it, but the guy feels something for you and from what Brynn’s mentioned—and what I saw tonight—you feel something for him.  It just scares you,” Jessie said boldly.
“This isn’t as simple as you like to make things, Jessie,” I said.

Then Brynn chipped in.

“Trinity, you’re so damn stubborn. It’s pretty damn cool to have a guy go through such measures just to see what you are thinking. Not a lot of guys would have the grit to do that.”

“If you think it’s so great, you date him,” I said.

“Real funny. Hunter isn’t any more interested in me than he is in…” She didn’t finish. Obviously she couldn’t think of what to say.

“Than me,” Jessie piped in. “You two are so alike.”

“And you, what did you have to talk to Hunter about?”

“I just wanted to make sure he was okay,” Jessie said. “It clearly didn’t go well.”

“It almost went too well,” I said.

“What do you mean?” Brynn asked, her eyes lighting up.

“We almost had sex. Thankfully I stopped it,” I said.

“Why? If it’s just sex, what would it matter?” Brynn asked.

“I know what you’re trying to do. Just stop. In fact, let’s forget about this entire night all together. I want to go to Catalina Island tomorrow, have some fun, flirt with some guys, and hang out with the two of you. I shouldn’t want to hang out with you, but I do,” I said.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t do more to discourage the entire thing,” Jessie said, sighing deeply, and patting my leg.

“You would have been out of your league. Brynn and Hunter are too stubborn, and it’s too much of an exhausting experience to enter into combat with them,” I said.

“What about Gauge? How do you know he wasn’t a part of the plan?” Brynn asked.

“Gauge would never busy himself with such a bad idea,” I countered.  “Plus, he wasn’t even there.”

“Well, you’re right about Gauge.  He said to keep him out and we did.  I think Simon just wanted to see Jessie and that’s why he played along,” Brynn said.

“Get out of here. That’s not true,” Jessie said. She was smiling and blushing.

“Enough talk about men, it’s exhausting,” Trin said. “I feel like I’m repeating myself here.”

“Well, if you want to stop talking about it, we’ll stop talking about it,” Brynn said.

“Great!”

That night, I went to bed, still distracted by Hunter.  Although it didn’t turn out the way he wanted, it was pretty ballsy for him to put his thoughts out there like that. I couldn’t imagine ever doing that. Being that vulnerable was a thought that made me feel nauseas. Truly.

The next morning, out on the Pacific Ocean in the small ferry, I stared out at Catalina Island, enjoying the ocean breeze against my face, and the way my flesh got goose bumps from the slight chilliness that was still in the morning air. Goosebumps just like the ones Hunter—I shook my head and focused on the island. It was so interesting looking from far away, not like what I’d thought it would look like, not that I’d put a lot of thought into that. The way it was shaped reminded me of an alligator in the Nile River, it’s body just barely above water, entirely still as it waited for some unsuspecting fish to get close, and then
bam
, gotcha!

I was sandwiched between Brynn and Jessie. None of us were saying much at that moment, just making casual comments and holding onto the railings for dear life. The water was a bit choppy, and it was definitely a good thing that I was not hungover or it could have been an ugly scene. I glanced behind me and saw a sweet Asian woman holding a small girl’s hand tightly as they looked ahead, too. She looked at me and smiled, and I nodded my head.
I wonder if that’s what my little girl would look like if I had one?
Whoa! Where did that come from? I’m not even ready for a relationship, and here I am thinking about what a kid of mine might look like? I shook my head.

“What’s going on?” Brynn asked.

“Nothing,” I said.

“Oh, you’re so preoccupied! I’ve been holding out this piece of gum for the past five minutes!” Brynn said.

“I just didn’t see it,” I said.

“This is going to be a great day, you guys,” Jessie said. “I am so excited to hang out with you, and also to go biking around the island.”

“You want to go biking?” I asked.

“We talked about it last night after we got home,” Jessie countered.

“I was tired,” I said. That was code for
I was thinking of Hunter
.

“Well, are you up for it?” Jessie asked.

I glanced at her, and there was no way I’d let her down. She loved to bike, and this was a vacation for her, albeit one where she came with mischievous ideas. “Hopefully we can go snorkeling, too. That would be a blast.”

“You guys can, I’ll watch,” Brynn said.

“Why? You don’t like swimming?” I asked.

“Not really a fan after that entire scorpion thing in Miami,” Brynn replied. Now she was shaking some thoughts out of her head.

I started laughing. “That was what kind of started you and Gauge down the road to where you’re at, don’t you think?”

“All those adventures were tied with the turning in tide of our relationship.  Marine life does that, I guess.  Maybe it would for someone else,” Brynn hinted.

“What does that mean?” I snapped. “Please tell me you’re not implying that some fresh air is going to make me change my mind about Hunter.”

Jessie piped in. “We’re not supposed to discuss Hunter, remember?  I think Brynn was referring to those photographs that were taken when she went snorkeling with Gauge.  The topless ones, remember?”

I laughed.  “Who would have thought that you’d be the only one of us to be photographed topless. I thought for sure, that would happen to me before it could ever happen to you,” I said, laughing.

“Definitely,” Jessie said. “I’ve always been positive that wouldn’t happen to me.”

“What if someone offered you a million dollars toward the cause of your choosing to do it?” I asked.

“No,” Jessie said with a pretty determined sound.

“Come on, I call bullshit,” I said.

“Me too,” Brynn said. “Jess, think about it. You have a chance to get a million dollars for research for Ebola, you wouldn’t show your two little perkies to get it?”

“Well, I don’t think I have to worry about that happening. As you so sweetly stated, they are little perkies. Probably no amount of Photoshopping in the world can doctor them up to be big and bouncy like Trinity’s,” Jessie said.

We all started laughing, and looked to the right to see an elderly man looking at us, eyes wide. He was definitely from an era where women wouldn’t talk the way we did so freely, and without really thinking twice about it. I felt like a misfit often enough now, but I couldn’t even imagine how much of an outcast I would have felt like back in the 1940s, or whenever.

Finally, we landed at the marina and got off the ferry. My legs were like jell-o and it was hard to walk in my wedges. They were just another reason why I should not be biking. Biking in wedges. Who could imagine? Well, I’d be living it soon enough.

As the three of us swaggered off the pier like we were drunk, we looped our arms around each other, and just laughed—a lot. It wasn’t at anything in particular, just that type of easy laughter that comes from being around people you’re comfortable with. I’d had some of those laughs with Hunter before things got weird.

The three of us looked around at everything, not even sure what to do first. I wanted to eat, drink, and play immediately. All we saw were pricy boutiques and restaurants—not in any of our budgets.

“Hey, instead of bikes, why don’t we do a golf cart,” Jessie offered.

“You wanted to bike,” I said.

“Yeah, but we can all talk more if we’re in a golf cart, you know,” she said.

“Deal!”  I said, high fiving them.  Yes!

We rented the cart and took off, viewing all the amazing watercrafts that were lined up along the peers.

“Check out that yacht over there, you guys,” I commented, pointing to the right of us. “That thing is massive. I want one of those someday.”

“You’ll have to marry a pretty rich guy to get that,” Brynn said.

“And smart, of course,” Jessie added.

“You two sure know how to be a buzz kill and squash a dream. And why, pray tell, can’t I finally get my break and buy it for myself?”

“A yacht like that isn’t meant for hanging out alone,” Jessie pointed out. “It’s meant for good times with friends and family.”

“Are you saying you two wouldn’t go on there with me?” I asked.

“Well, of course, we would,” Brynn said.

“We’d just have our kids with us,” Jessie added. “I’m sure you wouldn’t mind.” She started laughing, and I did, too. I was always uncomfortable around kids.

“And our husbands,” Brynn said.

Jessie gave her a little jab, which I appreciated. “Only you are in a position where that’s remotely possible right now, Brynn.”

She snorted, and said, “Hardly. We haven’t been together that long.”

“Who says you have to be with someone a long time. If you know it’s right, it’s right,” Jessie said.

“Are you talking about Hunter?” I asked.

“No, but you’re thinking of him,” Brynn said to me. “Look, we’re going to have a great time, we always do, but if you’d just admit that Hunter’s impacted you and you are kind of into him, it’ll all become easier.  We’re not giving you subliminal hints, but you are tying everything to the man.”

“No, I am not.” I crossed my arms and frowned.

“Yes, you are,” Jessie said.

“Let’s ride,” I said.

Brynn was driving and she pressed the pedal of the electric golf cart and we continued on around the island.  Then we came up to a beach and decided to get out and feel the sand in our toes. We were sitting on a bench, enjoying some fresh papaya, and talking casually. Finally, I was feeling happy and relaxed, really content. There were couples everywhere, taking advantage of the beautiful, intimate feeling island for some quality time, and I felt a pang of envy. Those romantic moments were the ones that always tripped me up when I thought about relationships. They were great, very memorable, but hardly made up an entire relationship. They were a small percentage of the overall deal, maybe 5%. The other 95% was the real downer. Fights, bills, money, tedious evenings, bored silence. Ugh! Not that I knew, of course.

“Do you and Gauge ever feel complacent with each other? It’s been what, four months now?” I asked Brynn.

“No, not at all. Of course, we don’t live together so that’s helpful, but even when we’re just hanging out, or helping each other with something, it’s great. The quiet doesn’t bother me, I guess. And in three months, the guys will be headed out on an eighteen date tour, two months, and I’ll barely see him. That’s what I worry about more,” Brynn said.

“Why? Afraid he won’t be faithful?” I said.

“I can’t let that trip me up. Just know I’ll miss him. We’re both busy, have lots going on, but it’s nicer than I thought it would be to just know you don’t have to look at each guy and have that brief thought, ‘is he the one?’  Make sense?”

“I definitely get that,” Jessie said.

“How can any guy resist the urges of women flirting with them constantly, especially when they’re so charming.”

“Gauge isn’t a big flirter.  Are we still talking about him?” Brynn asked me.

My face gave away that we weren’t. Hunter and that girl up north, it had really impacted me.
Not unlike the way your flirting with Steve probably impacted him.
  I sighed.  “No, I guess I wasn’t talking about Gauge.  Why can’t I just think like other women? It would be so much easier sometimes,” I said. 

“You really think your thoughts are that different?” Brynn said to me, turning a bit sideways. “I hate to break it to ya’, sista’, but most women have those thoughts today. Few of us want to stay at home, or take our own mother’s paths, and it’s hard to figure it all out. You just let your perceptions rule what you do. You can be wild and independent and still have a great relationship. And, you may feel like you’re one of a kind, but in the area of confusion about relationships, you keep a lot of company.”

“How would you know?:

“Cosmo and all those other magazines; they always have articles about relationships and struggles. There’s a reason for it,” Brynn said.