Back to the Top (Ross Records) (3) (21 page)

“Hi, Karen,” I said, taking a deep breath before taking the plunge. “This is Isabella Ames. I was wondering if we could get together and talk.”

***

After my lunch date in a little town halfway between Jake’s house and my parents’ place, I returned to Jake’s feeling a little better. I wandered out to the deck with the dog, pleased that I’d taken a step in, what I hoped, was the right direction.

As I puttered around the yard, doing whatever I could to keep my mind off of Jake, I started to plan a girls’ night Saturday when Cammy would be here. Since Matt and Ronnie were also out of town, I decided to call Greta and Carly. Smiling, imagining how fun it would be, another person popped into my head. Peeling off my gloves, I stepped onto the deck and retrieved my phone from a table. After a quick search through my contacts, I found the number I was looking for and called it.

“Hello?”

“Jenny, hi. This is Isabella Ames.”

“Bella!” Jenny shrieked. “Oh, I am so glad you called. I wanted to call you a long time ago but Kevin told me to wait for you to call. He told me that you might need a little time.”

A smile found its way to my face, making we wish I wouldn’t have waited so long to get in touch with her. “I’m sorry I haven’t called before now.”

“That’s not important,” she said, hastily. “So, how are you? Is everything all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m staying with Jake and we’re working on our relationship,” I said. “Things with Brad weren’t…well, it wasn’t right.”

“I heard that you left him but no one was really sure why,” she said. “I had a feeling that he might have hurt you – I remembered the bruises on your arms – but I didn’t say anything.”

“I appreciate that,” I said. Enough of my life had been broadcast in public already.

“But he’s pissing me off,” she said, the bubbly tone in her voice instantly changing into something darker. “He’s running his mouth, telling people that you were cheating on him and that he caught you so you ran off to be with Jake.”

“I never cheated,” I said. “But you know that I did see Jake a few times.”

“I know.”

“And Brad found out thanks to the tabloids,” I said as I sank to a chair, BK lying at my feet. “We got into an argument and he hit me. I was intending on leaving anyway but when he hit me, I decided that there was no better time.”

“He hit you?” she asked, her voice growing higher.

“Yes, but I’m all right,” I said, trying to calm her. “I promise. I’m done with him and am where I’m supposed to be.”

“Oh, that man,” she fumed. “He’s such an idiot! He’s running around, telling lies about you when he was the one who hurt you.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “I don’t care what he says. I know the truth and so does everyone who matters to me.”

“Well, I wish you well,” she said. “And just let me know if you need anything.”

“Actually,” I said, cracking a smile. “I do. Some of my friends are going to be here Saturday night since Jake is out of town. I was thinking of a girls’ night – chick flicks, wine, fattening foods – the works. And I wanted to know if you’d like to come. You can crash here – I’m sure the other girls will, too.”

“Are you kidding?” she gasped. “I’d love to! I haven’t done much of anything since you left. I have met a few girls at the gym, but they are more of the wine tasting, theater type. I don’t mind that stuff once in awhile, but I like sports and music, too.”

“I know what you mean,” I said. “So, great. I’ll send you directions.”

After a few more minutes of chitchat, we ended the call. I immediately dialed Greta and invited her. She was all for it but informed me that Carly and the baby had gone to LA with Ronnie. Apparently, Carly had an ancient aunt in the LA area and she wanted to see the baby.

“That’s too bad,” I said. “I really was looking forward to getting to know her better.”

“You’ll have plenty of time, trust me,” Greta said. “I cannot believe Cammy will be here! I haven’t seen her in ages! I can’t wait.”

After making more definite plans with Greta, we hung up and I moseyed upstairs to the giant tub in the master bath. I soaked for awhile, nursing a glass of wine, missing Jake terribly. Although I was excited to spend an evening with my friends, I was kind of regretting not going with Jake.

With a sigh, I located my phone on the side of the tub and called him.

“Angel, how are you?” he asked.

“Fine,” I said. “Missing you, though.”

“I miss you, too,” he said. “It’s not too late to come out here.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” I said, “but I’ve already made plans for Saturday night. Cammy, Greta, and Jenny are coming over for a girls’ night.”

“Oh, hell,” he said. “Do you think my house will still be standing when I get home?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I laughed.

“You jest,” he said, “but I know how you girls get.”

“I promise to keep it tame,” I said.

His laughter was like a warm, comforting blanket dropped around my shoulders. “Just have fun, Iz. I want you to enjoy yourself.”

“Okay,” I said. “How’s the video shoot?”

“Shit,” he sighed. “But, we’re getting there. We’ve worked out most of the kinks and should get it wrapped up soon, but Rob wants us to do another while we’re out here.”

“So, will you have them both done by next week?”

“Doubtful,” he said.

“Oh,” I said.

“I know,” he said. “But we should only be delayed a day or two.”

“Okay.”

“Iz,” he said around a yawn. “It won’t be that bad, I promise. Remember how we used to do this all the time when you were in high school?”

I snorted. “Yeah, but it was torture then. It seems worse now.”

He chuckled. “I have to agree with you there. But at least you’ll be at my house when I get back and not in some dormitory at a boarding school.”

“Good point,” I said. “Tell me about the video.”

We talked for about an hour – long enough for my water to cool and my skin to prune. We ended the conversation and I climbed out the tub, padding into the bedroom to retrieve one of Jake’s t-shirts from the drawer. Once I was dressed, I headed to the bed, pausing for a second as my head grew light. I stumbled to the bed, resting a palm on the foot until the feeling passed. Shaking my head, I crawled up the bed and burrowed under the sheets, waving the lightheadedness off on stress, too much wine, and a long time in the tub. Before I knew it, I was asleep.

***

Standing on my toes, I craned my neck, looking for a familiar face. The airport was packed, of course, with families awaiting loved ones, businessmen looking for connecting flights, and young people, browsing their cell phones as they waited for the for the luggage carousel to start.

Finally, after fifteen minutes, I spotted Cammy pushing her way through the crowd, carryon slung over her shoulder. Her hair was cut into a cute bob, but that was the only difference I could spot. She was still lean and athletic, still beautiful, and still somewhat dreamy.

“Bella!” she shouted as she wrapped her arms around my neck, nearly crushing me. “Oh, it’s been far too long!”

“I know,” I said, sucking in oxygen when she finally released me. “I’m so glad you’re here!”

“Well,” she said with such an achingly familiar smile, “I might be here longer than the weekend.”

“Really? Great! You can stay with us. I’m sure Jake won’t mind,” I said, linking my arm through hers as we went in search of her bags. “Nick’s already living in the guest room.”

“Nick,” she sighed, a far off expression on her face. “How is he? He was such a sweetie to me when he took me to prom.”

An idea popped into my head but I pushed it aside for later. It needed to be cultivated and refined before I could put it in action. “He’s good. He’s divorced, did you know that?”

She lifted a shoulder as we located the correct carousel. “I either read it somewhere or else Annie told me. You know Annie, though – she knows all the gossip.”

“I know,” I said.

After the carousel started, I helped Cammy snag her bags before retreating to the garage to locate the car. She chattered the entire time, telling me about the job she hoped to secure, working with the dolphins at the aquarium.

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind working with any of the animals,” she said. “But at school, I did most of my work and research on dolphins. The aquarium here has Pacific White-sided dolphins, and I haven’t worked with that particular species, but I’ve been reading up on them.”

I grinned. Never, would anyone who didn’t really know Cammy, ever guess that she was that passionate about marine biology. Nor would anyone ever guess how intelligent she was. She always seemed so ditzy and dreamy, but underneath it all was a large brain soaking up everything it could on her favorite things.

“They’d be stupid not to hire you,” I said as we left the airport and headed to Jake’s. “I, personally, hope you get the job. You’ll have to move here and we can hang out all the time.”

“I know,” she said as she checked out the car. “This is nice. Did Jake buy this for you?”

Rolling my eyes, I sighed. “He wanted to but I wouldn’t let him. Instead, he bought it for himself and told me I could drive it.”

Throwing her head back, she laughed. “I’ve missed Jake and the others. It’s too bad they’re out of town.”

“I know,” I said, missing Jake again. “Hopefully you’ll still be here.”

The ride home took no time at all as we were both too busy filling each other in on our lives. Before I knew it, we were parking in the garage and unloading Cammy’s bag. I set her up in one of the guest rooms upstairs before taking her on a tour of the house. She was extremely impressed with the basement and the black and white photos Greta had framed and hung on the walls.

“Some of these are so old,” Cammy said, pointing at a picture of Jake and Greta as children standing with their father. “Look how cute they were.”

“I know,” I said.

Turning her back on the photos, she crossed her arms and lifted a brow. “So, are you finally going to marry this boy and pop out babies or what?”

“Cammy,” I said, squirming under her intense glare.

“Come on, Bella,” she said. “You’ve been in love with him since high school. You lost him once and I kind of thought that once you got him back, you wouldn’t let him go again.”

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” I said as I led her upstairs. In the kitchen, I opened a bottle of wine and poured us a glass.

“It’s only as complicated as you make it,” she said, accepting a glass from me. “If I know Jake, and I think I know him a little bit, then he won’t want to lose you, either.”

“We haven’t even talked about it, yet,” I said. “And I’m not sure if we’re ready for that.”

Lifting her glass to her lips, she gave me an irritating, knowing look that I chose to ignore. I was sticking to my guns. Jake and I had just reunited and were still reacquainting. There was no way we were ready for marriage yet.

Seventeen

Jenny arrived at Jake’s later than the others on girls’ night. As I gave her a quick tour, she struggled to keep her inner fangirl at bay, managing to keep most of her “oh my goodness” and “I can’t believe I’m here” comments inside. I found it amusing and endearing. I’d been the same way at one time in my life.

We gathered on the deck – Cammy, Greta, Jenny, and I – cooking chicken breasts and sipping wine while laughing at stories we each told. Once we ate, BK at our feet, we settled in the comfortable chairs, opening yet another bottle of wine.

“You look so much happier here, Bella,” Jenny said, her eyes often straying to the tranquil pond at the end of the dock.

“I am,” I said, swirling the pale liquid in my glass.

“I’m happy that she’s here,” Greta said. “My brother hasn’t been this relaxed in years.”

I tried to restrain a grin.

“Brad, on the other hand,” Jenny said, shaking her head. “That man is … wow. He’s something else.”

“What’s he doing?” Greta asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Well, Kevin and I had dinner at the club a few nights ago,” Jenny explained. “Mildred and George were there as well as Brad and his father.”

“I bet that was exciting,” I said, sipping my glass, remembering the many club dinners I’d had to endure. Once again, I was so glad that I had left.

“Yeah, it was,” she snorted. “But Brad sort of pouts and mopes, like he’s heartbroken that you’re gone.”

“Imagine that,” I said with slightly concealed sarcasm. “Brad that martyr.”

“He’s trying,” Jenny said. “I spoke to Mildred that night and she just can’t seem to understand why you left. She thought that you were so happy with Brad and that the two of you had some sort of fairy tale relationship thing going on.”

“Are you serious?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “She told me that she was very disappointed in you because you left Brad and I told her that you had your reasons for leaving and that she shouldn’t assume that everything Brad says is the truth. I told her that there are two sides to every story and she’d only heard one.”