Only One (8 page)

“What are you talking about?” I was confused as hell at her confession. I knew they’d talked in the stables, but Hannah never mentioned any bad words between them. She even went as far as telling me she liked Annabelle.

She grimaced. “She didn’t tell you?”

I held up my hands to stop her from re-living the story. “You know what? I don’t even want to know. Hannah and I are fine.”

“Where is she?”

And that was how it started. Before I knew it, we’d polished off another six-pack and I’d told her all about how Hannah and how we met at school, and how she was the only girl since Belly herself worth sticking to. Three days after that barbeque I drove Hannah to the train station to catch a ride back up North. We made our plans to see one another after summer was over and back at school.

My summer was going to be too hectic for us to spend time together, anyway. Not to mention I had to be back in ‘Bama early August for training.

My father had my summer booked with a housing development that needed us to get moving along. He’d been training me since I was sixteen to take over his construction company someday. I couldn’t wait. I loved construction. I loved it from the floor plans to the heating and the plumbing, to the lighting fixtures. I craved learning about any and every little thing he could teach me outside of what I learned from college.

When she shifted in her seat for the fifth time and yawned behind her hand, I realized the topic of Hannah was getting old, so I changed the subject. “Have you talked to anyone about heading back to California yet?”

She shook her head, peeling off the label to her Bud Light. She sighed before she raised her eyes to look at me. “Do you think I’ll be making a mistake by going back?”

Yes! I wanted to scream, but I wanted her to be happy and go after her dream, regardless that she was tearing out my heart again. “If it’s what you want, you need to go for it, Belly. I know you can do it. You did it once and I was so proud of you. I have faith you’ll rise to the occasion again.”

She shot me the biggest heartfelt smile that ripped my insides up. “I hope you’re right, Cole. It’s just,” She paused, looking back down to her beer in her hand. “I lost my agent, and that’s a good thing, but what if I get someone just like the old one, or one who doesn’t fight for me to get the best roles? What if I’m not good enough?”

I shrugged. “Can’t you get your agent back?” She flinched and shifted in her seat the minute I asked. “What?”

She gave me one her fake smiles that I knew so well. “It’s nothing.”

“Don’t bullshit me, Belly. I know when you lie and when you tell the truth.”

“No, you don’t.”

“All right, fine. But I know that face. What happened with your agent?”

She placed the empty bottle on the ground and grabbed another from the ice bucket. “I dated him.”

“Oh! Got it.” I didn’t even know how to respond to that, and now I really didn’t want to hear any details. I knew it was unreasonable for me to expect her to never be with another man over the course of those missing years, but damn it hurt to hear it, let alone acknowledge it. Her daddy told me once about him, but hearing it from her—sucked.

“I’m sorry, Cole.”

I held up my hand and stood. “Nothing to apologize for. You and I stopped seeing each other, unless…unless you started seeing him when we were together, then fuck yeah, I’d have a problem.”

“No,” she shrieked. “I promise it was way, way after.”

I could hear the racket coming up the beach and I recognized one of the voices. I turned and saw AJ and his buddies making their way back home. “Then I don’t have a problem.”

“Yo, Cole! What the hell are you doing here, man?” AJ shouted, tossing his football to me.

I caught it easily. I glanced briefly back to Belly before turning to the boys. “How ‘bout a quick game of touch, and then I’ll run out and get some food to grill?”

“Hell, yeah,” they all whooped.

I heard Belly sigh behind me. The splash I heard told me that she had dived into the pool. I wanted to talk to her more, but the last thing I’d expected to hear was that she was seeing her agent out there. I mean, sure, I’d known about him, but I never wanted to admit it. I was her first, and I desperately wanted to be the only one who got to see her come undone like the way she did in my arms. Now that little dream had been shot to hell, it hurt somewhere so deep I knew it’d be impossible to get rid of that heartbreak. I’d been a fool thinking someone with mind-blowing beauty like Belly’s wouldn’t have men falling at her feet. I should’ve kept driving out there instead of turning around three years ago. My biggest regret.

The boys and I played until the sun started making its descent. It was all part of my game-plan for the night that I came up with to get closer to her. After gathering everybody’s requests, I jumped into my Jeep to head out to the Piggly Wiggly. I didn’t bother asking Belly, because I knew she’d be fine with a burger. I just wanted to get away for a few more minutes, giving her the time to shower and get ready for the night.

I’d thought she was never going to get off that deck after her swim. I played out on the sand with AJ and his friends to avoid seeing her prancing around in that skimpy suit, and until I saw her retreat into the house, I wasn’t heading up.

By the time I got back a few more people were there, and the pool was being put to good use. I shook my head, watching those boys fuss over the girls who had joined them at some point while I’d been gone. I headed up the stairs to run the food inside.

Belly leaned over the railing as I came in. “Hey, did you get burgers? Real burgers, not that turkey shit.”

I smiled to myself. “Yep. Get down here and make yourself useful. I’m going to go start the grill.”

Belly barreled down the steps, fresh-faced from being out in the sun, with barely a hint of make-up showing, just the way I always liked her. I had no love for that crap all over my pillowcases the day after. Why girls wore it never made sense to me. Girls were pretty period, why all the fuss? Belly’s hair was swept to one side, tied up in one of her hair thingies. I had this ridiculous desire to either kiss the bare shoulder that was exposed or tug that hairband out and run my fingers through her hair. Or maybe do both. I tore my gaze from her. “I bought some stuff for a salad. Um, do you think you can make one?”

She brushed past me, her shoulder gently touching my arm as she did. “Sure thing.” She grabbed the spatula from my hand and smacked my ass. “Get moving. I’m starving.”

I winked and grinned. Once I had the spatula back, I hightailed it outside to start cooking. There was some weird silence downstairs, so I peeked down to find one couple in each of the corners of the pool, making out. This trip was supposed to be about me forgetting Belly, laying a roof, not babysitting a bunch of horny teenagers. “Yo, AJ! You and your friends get up here and get yourself dried off.” Now, I felt like a fucking old man. I heard a few grunts, but the swoosh of water let me know they were listening.

I had to give them credit when they all walked up the steps to join me. The girls they had with them were real cute.

Belly was still inside making the salad when AJ stepped up behind me. He rested his hand on my shoulder. “Hey, man, you’re not going to be cockblocking all week, are ya?”

I shot him a quick what-do-you-think-look. “If it keeps you from knocking up one of those pretty little things—fuck, yeah, I am.”

AJ got closer. “Don’t sweat it, Cole. I have an entire box of condoms in my suitcase.” He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows at me. “We’re all good, brother,” he shouted out as he walked away.

Great! I had this sudden urge to jump into my Jeep and get the fuck out of there. But then Belly came strutting out and a few of the boys’ mouths dropped open when she did. That sweet little dress was gone and she was back in her bathing suit that almost did me in earlier. “Salad’s done. I’m gonna take a quick swim before dinner.”

I wielded my spatula at them. “Don’t even think about her like that.”

“Fuck me. That’s your sister, AJ?” Brian asked AJ, but he was too busy shoving his tongue down some poor girl’s throat already.

I squared my shoulders and crossed my arms over my chest. “Brian, why don’t you pay attention to the one next to you instead of one you can’t have.”

Brian held up his hands in defense. “Sorry, man. I didn’t know she was yours.”

I remained quiet, refusing to contradict him, wishing it was true.

“Besides, a man can look, right?”

“Yeah,” I laughed. “maybe when your boys finally drop you can look, but for now stick to the ones you can handle.” I nodded at the little blonde next to him who looked pissed.

From the time I played ball and then hit the store and to the time I’d spent grilling, my buzz had worn off. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Belly doing laps in the pool. Every once in a while, when I couldn’t hear the splash of water, I’d peer down and find her resting her chin on her arms at the edge of the pool, spacing out, like she was deep in thought.

After dinner and all the plates were cleared, it was painfully obvious these chicks had no intentions of going anywhere anytime soon. Annabelle and I kept glancing at each other, and I could tell she was thinking the same thing I was. How the hell could we kick these girls out without being the bad guys?

Belly and I were cleaning the last of the food up, wrapping any leftovers, when the one AJ had been keeping occupied every chance he got, shouted, “I know, let’s play strip poker.”

“No,” Belly and I both shouted at the same time. All heads turned to us. AJ muttered something under his breath that we couldn’t hear from here. Belly stepped around me, dropping the dishcloth on the island.

“How about a good board game, or we could play poker if you want, but no stripping.”

AJ stared her down, with murder in his eyes. “How about a little something like ‘I Never,’ or ‘Truth or Dare?’” he suggested.

“Ooh, ooh, I vote for ‘Truth or Dare.’ I love that game,” one of the girls shouted, and they all started rubbing their hands together like the fools they were. Belly rolled her eyes and started to walk away, but AJ stood up. “Where you going, sis? I thought you wanted to play a game.” I could tell he was goading her.

Belly contemplated his question for a few seconds before plopping down on the floor. “Fine. I start.”

Just fucking great! I was staying clear from this one. I grabbed another beer from the fridge and sat on one of the stools, pretending to read the paper from earlier. I couldn’t be positive how I ended up over there, but I think it started with Joe daring Brian to kiss Belly. I practically jumped out of my chair. “Now, now that would be illegal, Joe. Pick someone else for him to kiss.”

Belly shoved me softly with her shoulder as I took a seat next to her. “Thanks. I wasn’t sure how to get out of that one.”

“No problem,” I told her. “Maybe we should let the kids play and watch from over there.”

She nodded and smoothed her dress down. “I’m out. You guys keep playing.

They all shouted how she was being a wimp and saying a few other choice words as the two of us made our way outside. Stars were twinkling up in the sky, waves softly crashing onto the beach and the moon was high, letting us enjoy a picture perfect scene. One for the books, as Belly would always say. Before I even got the words out she was running inside and then back out with her camera. I smiled as she propped herself up against the railing and snapped photo after photo, once every few minutes she snapped one of me, just like old times. Checking all of them as she took them. “It’s so beautiful out here.”

“It’s a perfect night. I could sleep out here,” I agreed. “Speaking of sleep, how come you didn’t take the master?”

“AJ took it as soon as we came through the door. I’m pretty sure he figures if he’s downstairs he can sneak out easier. Besides, his friends all fit in there, anyway.”

I nodded, remembering exactly what it was like to be a horny teenager. “Do you mind if I take the room next to you?”

She shrugged, walked over to me and then leaned over me to show me some of the pictures she had taken. The mere touch of her hair brushing my arm had me gripping my beer tight in my hands. “Check these out.” She went through every one, all forty-two pictures, bent over, driving me crazy to the point I had to move away. “I’m hitting the Jacuzzi before I hit the hay.”

“You want company?” she asked as I started to walk away.

I wanted to say no, but I couldn’t think straight my dick was so hard and straining in my shorts. “Sure.”

“I’ll be out in a minute. Get it started.”

I nodded, wanting to get away from her as fast as possible. It wasn’t until I’d heard the sound of the door sliding closed that I let myself move an inch.

I was in the water and my head was tipped back, my eyes closed, as I sank as low as I could get, before I heard the sound of her getting in.

“Just like old times, huh?”

I still couldn’t look. I knew she’d be sporting that damn black bikini from earlier, the one I wanted to rip off with my teeth, piece-by-piece, string-by-string. Part of me was mentally kicking my ass for even letting myself fantasize about it, the other part, that damn devil, was sitting on my shoulder screaming at me to go for it.

“If you ever loved me at all, have a little mercy and get in far enough so I can’t see that damn suit.”

Annabelle

The whole night I’d been nervous about being around Cole again, especially alone, but I’d forced myself to make the effort. I had to, since he was obviously hell bent on keeping his guard up. He was my best friend, and I hated that feeling that grew in the pit of my stomach every time he looked my way. Sitting in the hot tub with him across from me, unable to even glance at me, I knew it was time to break the ice. “Just like old times, huh?” I asked him, hoping he remembered all those summers we’d turned into raisins sitting out in this thing at night watching the stars.

“If you ever loved me at all, have a little mercy and get in far enough so I can’t see that damn suit,” he mumbled after taking a peek at me.

Caught off guard by his question, I fumbled with the drink I brought in, but sank lower.