Never Forget (Memories) (17 page)

"Think they need a room?" Alec laughs into my hair. I nod my head in agreement and smile.

Carl releases Jen and she stands up, staggering slightly. She looks slightly dazed and I cover my mouth with my hand.

The two of them are crazy.

"Romantic enough, baby?" Carl asks smugly, catching her dazed expression.

"Uh, yeah." She fans herself and blinks dramatically. "Phew."

She looks over at me and Alec still wrapped in each others arms and grins.

"About time you two sorted your shit out." She waggles her finger at us and sits down on my towel. Carl sits next to her and she snuggles against him.

Alec moves to sit back up and pulls me up with him, sitting me between his legs. He wraps his arms around my waist and buries his face in my hair. Subconsciously I turn my head towards his and smile.

"It's so cute," Jen sighs. "Did you feel that tension before, Carl?"

"Jen, baby, they're right there. No need to talk like they're not." He rolls his eyes and squeezes her shoulders affectionately.

"I'm just sayin'," she says sarcastically. "It was tight, like, oh my god someone get me some scissors to cut it, or for god sake just kiss her already, you get what I mean?"

Alec begins to shake behind me and I know he's laughing. I smile widely at her and Carl sighs dramatically.

"You have such a way with words," he tells her.

"Well duh, someone has to be smart with them because goodness knows you're not,'' she jokes.

"Nice to know I'm loved.'' He raises his eyebrows at me and Jen punches his arm.

"Shut up."

"Can't do that baby."

"Why not?"

"Because you like what I do with my mouth too much." He winks and grins cheekily. Jen gasps and the laughter explodes out of me. I rest my head on my arms as I laugh like I haven't in a long time.

Something about Devon has revitalised me in three short weeks. It's reminded me of the girl I used to be, the girl I buried away each September when it was time to go back to London.

Something about the Bay has stripped away my defences, and I'd bet anything it's Jen and Carl's easygoing, loving banter. Not to mention the guy sat behind me. Alec has always been a dangerous gamble, but despite my thoughts earlier, I know he's something more than everyone else sees. I saw it in his eyes, and I can feel it in the way he's holding me against him tightly, like he's afraid I'll still run.

Even though I won't.

I don't know if anything could tear me away from him now.

~

''It's about bloody time, Alexis Edwards!" Grammy waggles her finger at me the second I step through the door. "Three weeks I've worked my butt off trying to get you to see sense!"

I smile at her theatrics and release Alec's hand, hugging her.

"You're crazy, old lady."

"Crazy?!" She pulls back, horrified. She grins, then winks. "I was right though, wasn't I?"

Her eyes twinkle and I kiss her powdered cheek.

"You were."

"I presume Alec is staying for dinner then?" Dad puts his paper down onto the table.

A smile is playing on his lips and I glance up at Alec. He raises an eyebrow and I step back towards him. His arm snakes around my waist and I curl into him, looking at Dad.

"If that's okay, Daddy," I say sweetly.

"Oh, I'm not sure."

"Don't tease the girl, Simon!" Mum admonishes. "You've been moaning for the last week because you're sick of them not sorting it out." She turns to me and smiles, a wide beaming smile. "Baby girl, I'm happy for you. Of course your young man can stay for dinner."

"I think you're all forgetting something very important," Grammy huffs, leaning against the sink. She crosses her arms across her chest, her cloth waving absently in the air.

"What's that, Vi?" Alec asks, his chest rumbling with his restrained laughter.

"This is my house. No one has bothered to ask me if I mind if the boy stays for dinner!"

Mum purses her lips and turns away, hiding her laughter. Dad snorts silently and I sigh, amused.

"Fine. Grammy?" I turn my innocent eyes on her.

"Yes, Lexy girl?"

"Would you mind if Alec stays for dinner?"

"That depends. Is he your boyfriend?" She clasps her hands together and I realise she's tricked me.

"I, Er.." I glance up at Alec and he looks down, smirking. He dips his head and kisses me fully on the lips. I feel my cheeks flush as Grammy whoops.

"I'll take that as a yes!"

I touch my lips and duck my head down.

"Put my sister down, you Neanderthal!" Bing calls from the front door. I groan.

"Bing!" Mum scolds.

"Just saying, Mum, just saying." He slaps Alec's shoulder as he walks past. "Good luck, mate. You're gonna need it."

"Bing," I start.

"Lexy," he mimics my voice.

"Go play in traffic."

"Only if you come with me, sister dear." He smiles wolfishly at me and sits down, slouching in the chair.

"Samuel Geoffrey Edwards," Mum snaps. "Sit up straight like the young man I taught you to be, and for goodness sakes pull up your trousers! No-one here is interested in the colour of your boxers."

"But I'm sure the girls would like to know about the pink ones," Dad snickers. Alec looks at me and I shrug.

"Welcome to the crazy," I mutter.
 

~

Bing's angry shout wakes me the next morning. I rub my eyes and roll out of bed, practically crawling to the window to see what the matter is. I pull back my curtains and see Gram's neighbours doing the same. Old Mrs Jenkins across the road shuffles out in a robe that's seen better days.

I look down at the garden and shriek out a laugh.

Grammy has strung Bing's pink y-front boxers to the front of her cottage.

I have no idea how she's managed it, but as I run down the stairs to get a proper look it doesn't matter. All I know right now is that Grammy has completely embarrassed Bing in front of the whole town. I would bet my leopard print onesie Mrs Jenkins will be at the post office at 9am ready to tell everyone collecting their pension. They'll tell their children, who'll tell their children, who'll tell their friends.

Bing's sex life just went from thrill to nil.

"What the fuck, Gram?!" Bing yells, his hands in the air.

"Watch it, lad, or the Spongebob ones will join em!" Gram threatens with a waggle of her finger.

"I don't have any Spongebob pants!"

"The good citizens of Lilac Bay don't know that though, do they?" Gram snickers evilly.

I put my hand to my mouth and laugh silently. At least I know what she bought in Primark yesterday.

"Gram, are you out to ruin my life?" Bing sighs.

"No, dear, just your far too promiscuous reputation. Why, in my day, if I did what you do, my father would have slapped my ass - twenty years old or not!" Gram winks at me as she turns back inside.

"I..." Bing runs his forehead. "I don't want to know."

I laugh out loud but stop when he glares at me. I follow Gram into the kitchen.

"How did you get them up there?" I whisper over her shoulder.

"I didn't," she giggles. "Your father put it up. I blackmailed him."

"Oh no, you said no papers for a week, didn't you?"

"You bet your pretty little face I did." Grammy giggles again and opens the fridge. She pours a glass of milk, takes a brown bottle from the cupboard and extracts two tablets. I frown.

"What are they for?"

"Heartburn," she answers without turning around. "Hence the milk. It helps."

"Oh." I shrug it off and get myself a glass of orange.

"Are you seeing your fancy boy today?"

"If you mean Alec." I reach into the cupboard for the Cheerios, "then yes. He thinks he's gonna get me on a surfboard again. I think he's training to be a comedian."

"He just wants to share that part of his life with you," Gram advises. "Go along with it. He goes shopping with you, doesn't he?"

"Once." I point my spoon at her. "I surfed once. He shopped once. Even Stevens."

She shakes her head. "You kids."

"What?" I say through a mouthful of cereal and shrug one shoulder.

"In my day we did things together because we could..."

"In your day, Grammy, to be seen touching a boy or raising your skirt above your ankles meant you were a slut." I put my empty bowl in the sink, rinsing it out.

"Alexis Mae Edwards! I was not born in the 1800's!"

"Could have been." I grin cheekily and scoot past her into the hallway. "When Alec shows up.."

Knock knock.

"Never mind!" I call back and open the door, barely glancing at him. "Hi, come in, goodbye."

I take the stairs two at a time. Brush, mascara, dress. I'm ready in record time -  maybe Devon really is changing me from a spoilt city girl to a carefree young woman.

I stop by my mirror and study my reflection. Soft, dark brown curls that reach my waist, large, cappuccino-coloured eyes, a smattering of freckles across my nose and rosebud lips. The same girl as always stares back at me.

Or does she?

I look closer and she's different - I'm different. There's a light in my eyes, a sparkle in my smile, and a bounce in my hair. I smile at my reflection.

For the first time since leaving here when I was twelve, I'm starting to feel like myself again. I look the same and I sound the same.. But there's a softness in my eyes and a brightness in my smile that wasn't there before.

I grab my phone and head back downstairs. Alec is leaning against the kitchen side, his polo shirt whiter than white against his sun-kissed skin. Not to mention it looks good with his muscles. Ahem.

I beam at him and skip across the kitchen, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Good morning!" I sing.

"Good morning, Princess." He smirks at me, amused, and wraps his arms round my waist. "You're happy today."

"I'm always happy." I lean back and pout slightly.

"Unless you're on your period," Gram calls from the front room where she's glued to Jeremy Kyle. I can hear him telling someone to use protection, like normal.

"Yep, thanks for that one Gram." I cringe slightly.

Alec chuckles and kisses my forehead. "It's a good job I've known her for years. If you were any other girl, I'd be running after that comment."

"Oh, so you're here for my Gram, hmm?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"No," he laughs. "I heard there's this amazing, beautiful, sweet girl living here. Do you know where I can find her?"

"Yeah, she ran away, sorry." I shrug one shoulder. "Looks like you're stuck with me."

"Good," he says. "I'm pretty sure you'd kick her ass anyway."

"You bet I would,. I grin and stand on my tiptoes, kissing him again.

"Sick," Bing mutters and opens the fridge.

"Nice boxers, Bing," Alec comments. I bury my face into his neck.

"Don't you start it, pretty boy. I happen to like you. That could change very quickly and you wouldn't want that, considering you're going out with my sister." Bing narrows his eyes.

Alec crooks his finger and Bing steps forward. "Mate, if I were you, when Vi visits the post office later, I'd search this place top to bottom."

"Why?" Bing asks in the same hushed voice Alec used.

"Because my mum saw her in Primark yesterday in Barnstaple buying some Spongebob boxers, and I'd say they weren't for your Dad."

"Holy mother..." Bing shakes his head and turns around. "Bloody woman will kill me."

I bite my lip, smiling, and watch him go. Alec puts his thumb on my lip and gently teases it from between my teeth.

"Please don't bite your lip," he whispers in a lower, husky voice.

I glance up and his eyes are focused on my mouth. "Why not?"

"Because... Ah." He closes his eyes. "When you do it, it's goddamn sexy, Princess."

"What, so don't do this?" I bite my lip again, more of it this time, and look at him innocently.

"Yep," he says in an almost strangled voice and stands up straight. "Definitely don't do that."

I raise my eyebrows. "Okay. I won't."

I turn my face away from him. He exhales and I tilt my face back, biting the other side of my lip.

"Lexy," he growls.

Oh. I'm in trouble.

"Alec?" I smile sweetly and move back.

"What did I just say?"

"I.. I can't remember." I back into the wall, looking up at him. Somehow I still have a straight face.

He puts his hands against the wall, one either side of my head and bends his face down to mine.