Here With Me (Paloma's Edge) (16 page)

When Annette was in her car, I closed the door and Mariska cracked a smile at me as Riley snored. The bag of treats were empty when I settled on the couch with them and pulled it out from underneath me.

“I don’t like you wearing underwear when she’s in your house.” Mariska’s voice broke the silence after some minutes had passed. “Check to see that she’s not in your house anymore when you’re in that state, or naked.” I found the commanding tone in her voice cute, and it conveyed to me that she didn’t want anyone else to have me.

“Annette won’t see me like that while we’re…seeing each other,” I assured her. “I couldn’t stay at La Caridad today. Vince and Hector had to go to the continuing training courses that Manny requires us to take every couple of months. We had to wolf down our lunches before they headed out.”

Mariska motioned with her head and curved her body to face mine. Her skirt raised up higher to reveal her toned thighs, and Riley automatically adjusted her head on the side of Mariska’s thigh. Nothing was more special than watching her tend to my baby. Riley was my motivation when I didn’t want to get out of the bed in the morning. I thought Mariska might have liked Riley more than she did me. That was fine in my book. I couldn’t erase the memories from Riley’s brain that not everyone knew how invaluable she was. She made me human. And God had set out for me to find her and arrange my life to suit us.

“I don’t know about life like you, or Chase, or even Beth does,” Mariska started. “But it doesn’t mean that I don’t know what I am doing, Hunter. I’ll follow your lead. For now. I disagree with you about the restrictions. But I am not going to try to persuade you to fuck me—”

My mouth descended on hers, cutting her off. I grasped chunks of her hair between my fingers and felt Riley’s respirations against my stomach as my chest smashed against Mariska’s. After I thoroughly used her mouth until it was swollen, we left Riley on the couch and I carried Mariska into my room. Having her in arms as she gave into her exhaustion, in her most vulnerable state, never got old. My bed didn’t seem like it had an endless amount of space tonight. And when the sun rose in the morning, Riley had snuggled in between Mariska and I, her body splayed on Mariska’s front.

We ran late Thursday morning and I went without a shower, for the first time since the nights I’d spent scoring coke. I’d only had time to make us some instant coffee, and I dragged my grungy ass to work after Mariska drove back to her dorm to get ready for her classes.

***

WE’D ONLY GOTTEN OUR
homework done Thursday evening, because every chair in the library had been occupied. Jennifer and Raquel had left early, because they’d completed every task they needed to so that they could get the most out of their Thanksgiving vacation. I’d behaved myself, because I knew that Mariska had a grueling twelve-hour shift the Monday before Thanksgiving break. She hadn’t told me what her schedule would look like when I’d asked her before we’d entered the library.

Mariska had coaxed me into sitting on the bench outside of her residence hall. The fall breeze was the perfect excuse for me to pull her down on my lap as we sat down. I wreathed my arms around the small of her waist. I recalled the desire that I’d seen in her eyes last night when I’d sucked her bottom lip and pressed my mouth to hers before ending our kiss. Since no one else was around, I snaked my hands from her waist and underneath her skirt. Her thighs tightened from the contact and my cock hardened against her pussy. I’d moved my lower body from hers several times last night I’d felt her supple ass against my dick, stirring it to an agonizing level. She’d kept reaching for me in her sleep until Riley had settled in the middle of the bed.

“I’ve been waiting for you to do that all night,” Mariska said in a dreamy voice and angled the crown of her head on my shoulder. Slow waves of her breaths rushed against my moist skin.

“All you had to do was ask,” I said.

“Liar.” She glided down from my lap and onto the end of the bench. Scowling, she crossed her arms and narrowed those enthralling dark brown eyes of hers.

“I wouldn’t have waited until now to do this.” I reached over to her, skimming my fingers on the little hairs on her arms. Her eyebrows snapped together, and I didn’t think she was aware that she tucked her bottom lip underneath her upper one. For the first time, I noticed that the hairs on her arm were almost pale blond.

“Are you naturally a blonde?” I asked her.

“My arms and most of my eyebrows are blonde, like my Dad’s, but I’ve always had brown hair on my head.” She shrugged. “Dad used to joke that I had to get something from him. I just dye my eyebrows.”

“Goes to show that I haven’t given you the exhaustive inspection you’re due.”

A corner of her mouth kicked up into a smile. “It was easy to miss, since I am not blonde every where, especially on the part of my body that’s your favorite.”

I shook my head. “Ah, you just think I am only a pussy man?” The rhetorical question made her giggle. “Last I checked, you have an ass soft and full enough for me to rest my head on and arms that are graceful in every little dress I’ve seen you in.”

I raised Mariska’s arm and dragged my mouth over it. She would be a terrible blonde, so it was a good thing that she dyed her eyebrows. I twirled my tongue on the middle of her inner arm and her grin changed into a panicked expression. She removed her arm from me. Looking around so I could find what had changed her mood, my eyes snagged on her parents. Their stark countenance became more visible as approached us. Frozen in place, her lips began to tremble. Her face burned with embarrassment. Was it because her parents caught her having an intimate moment with me?

Chapter 21

Mariska

THE TERROR THAT RACED
through my body was inexplicable. When Hunter sank his mouth on my wrist and began trailing kisses along my arm, I was a goner. But now, my legs were numb and my voice croaked as I tried to get words out. I couldn’t bear how my parents were looking at me. They waited for me by my residence hall building, holding bags of groceries.

When I saw Hunter head toward them, I sort of woke up, jogged over to him, and tried to pull his arm. Stopping, Hunter stood there for a moment and was eerily calm. He was aware that I didn’t want him to meet my parents and I knew this was all wrong. Why shouldn’t I introduce him to them? He was just as worthy of their respect as Tom was, but they wouldn’t see it that way. Obviously, they’d known that there was something between Hunter and I when Scott had escorted them up to my room weeks ago.

Raising my hand, he gave me a chaste kiss on the front of my hand and when I heard my parent’s ringtone in what could have been seconds or minutes after what felt like a goodbye kiss, Hunter was no where in sight.

***

THE ELEVATOR RIDE UP to my room with my parents was torturous. Other students who I knew had thrown me sympathetic smiles, and some had felt so uncomfortable with the tension that radiated off of us that they’d fled from the elevator as soon the elevator had stopped on their floor.

When Mom was done putting groceries in our fridge for me, she asked, “Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Mom’s voice reminded me of when Mrs. Muldoon’s chalk use to streak as she’d written on the chalkboard in her pre-school. I’d prefer that noise than the question she’d posed and my Dad’s stare down.

I wanted to say, “what part of what you saw didn’t you understand?”, but I bit down on my tongue and mustered up the energy to give her an answer, as respectfully as responsible. “He’s my boyfriend.” Hunter and I hadn’t labeled what we were, but we’d established parameters for our relationship, such as monogamy. I felt like that was a start to a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship—for us.

The disappointment in my Dad’s beautiful ocean blue eyes pained me. He’d always been proud of me, even when I’d made mistakes because I’d owned up to them. “Were you seeing that addict when you dated Scott? Is Hunter the real reason why you’ve stopped dating Scott?” His tone was harsh. “Have you been using drugs?”

Tears filled my eyes, so I shook my head back and forth, feeling like my world was closing in on me. The accusation cut deep.

“We want to hear you answer each of his questions, young lady. You won’t get out of this with those crocodile tears,” Mom said and I swallowed hard.

“Scott and I were never exclusive. Hunter’s been in recovery for more than five years. And I’ve never done drugs. Unless you consider alcohol, which is just a legal drug,” I said shakily and hated myself for it. How’d they know that Hunter had a history with drugs? If they had even suspected that Hunter was an addict, they would’ve stated it sooner. Jake was the only person whom I could’ve imagined Hunter’s business to them.

Suddenly, it wasn’t just the painful ache in my heart that made my chest feel heavy from my parent’s confrontation. Uncontrollably, more tears flowed down my face and puddled onto my skirt at Jake’s disloyalty. He hadn’t told me that he’d talked to my them about Hunter, in-depth, because he’d been on board with their decisions to be in the driver’s seat in my life, while I was just as passenger going for the ride.

I didn’t even listen to my parents, as they blatantly whispered about me. What had I done? Why’d I check out like that when my parents had seen me? Would Hunter ever give me a chance to talk to him again? Explain myself?

“Since we first asked you about Hunter, you’ve lied to us,” Dad said with a grim set of his mouth and Mom rubbed his back, showing him affection that I hadn’t seen her do in a long time. “This isn’t like you. And we’ve seen these small acts of rebellion snowball into some real mess with other kids back home. We’re going to put a stop to it, right this minute. Break up with him or move your stuff out of our house by Thanksgiving. We don’t want Pete to see you moving out. You’ve already gone and set up your own little life here—” He gestured with arms up and down as he glared at me. “But this isn’t reality. And there’s nothing worse then entering the real world without your Mom and me supporting you. Beth is a prime example of that, and she’d be worse off if you and Jake hadn’t taken her under your wings.”

***

STAYING WITH MY FAMILY
wasn’t a hard choice to make. I loved them. Besides Beth and Jake, they were all I really had in this world. I wasn’t like Beth—made of tougher stuff, or forced to strike it out on her own in life. I knew that if her Uncle Anton hadn’t graciously welcomed her into his home after he’d been informed about Cindy’s grand departure that she would’ve made it. It wouldn’t have been easy, but she would’ve found a job somewhere in Miami until she started her regular cleaning job when the fall semester had started.

It was the day before Thanksgiving and watching Pete swim in our little pool at the back of our house was the only joy I had since I’d told Hunter that we needed to talk. I shouldn’t have messaged him “we need to talk,” as it was apparently the universal code word for “I’m breaking up with you.” Hunter had told me that he had no hard feelings, and that it was probably for the best, but I disagreed. He’d so easily gave up on us. He’d misunderstood my lack of reaction when my parents had caught us together.

The doorbell rang and Pete splashed through the water so that he could fix himself up for Beth and Bri. He’d grown two inches since the end of this summer and was officially the tallest boy in his class. He didn’t think of himself as a little boy anymore. Even though he was beginning to physically mature and had to live with managing his speech impediments as best as he could, he still had the wonderful naivety about our parents and about life.

“Say hi to them, but after that, scram,” I told Pete as we padded back inside the house. “You can come downstairs if it’s important.”

He quickened his steps and was the first to open the door for them. Usually, I’d have no problem with Pete lounging nearby us. One thing I was thankful for was that he hadn’t blabbed what I’d talked to my friends about before, or else Mom and Dad would really have had me under lock and key. Pete didn’t know about Hunter and I didn’t want us to spark his curiosity. It’d hurt me too much to field questions to him about who Hunter was and why I was sad.

After Pete hugged Beth and Bri for a little too long, he took the plate of crackers and cheese that I’d prepared for him. He ate quickly, as he dashed up the stairs to his room.

Beth and Bri looked like they’d worked a day at the Paloma with their bright colored polos and khakis on. I didn’t miss how much Bri had the same glow as Beth. They were able to be with their boyfriends—publicly without anyone challenging their relationships. Sure, Beth’s cousin, Cassidy, could’ve torn Beth and Chase apart, but I thought she and Chase were stronger because of that hurdle.

“Did you get to see Chase leave with his team?” I asked Beth and motioned them to sit at the kitchen table. I was mixing the fresh squeezed orange juice with the milk for Beth and Bri, who had become a fan of morir soñado.

“Yes, I did,” Beth answered. “The bus left for Tampa at seven this morning.”

“And how about you?” I teased Bri. “Have you had any face time with Pierce?”

“He’s come every weekend and we chilled at my house… with Gavin conveniently popping up.”

We giggled and I handed them their drinks. “Gavin might not give Pierce the third degree after all,” I said. “His death stare contains enough warning for Pierce to thread carefully with you.”

Bri gestured widely. “Since Gavin and I first met, he’s watched out for the friends I had…and the boyfriends” Inhaling deeply, she grimaced for a second, probably remembering her last boyfriend, who hadn’t been good to her. And then Beth wore the same exact expression as the confusion that was percolating in my head.

“Huh? When you and Gavin first met?” I asked.

“The fact that he and I both have emerald eyes fooled everyone, but no, we don’t come from the same parents.” A slight smile formed on her lips. “I can’t believe no one spilled the beans on that piece of info. Like Joel or Rylan. Gavin doesn’t like to talk about it,” she said in a low tone. “I think I’ve made peace with my beginnings as much as I possibly can. When Gavin found me in the child services waiting room when we we’re kids, I was soiled, emaciated, and very disoriented. The other kids were messing with me and making fun of how disheveled I’d been, and when Gavin came out of his corner, he shut them down with just a look. Gavin looked worse for wear himself.”

Beth held her hands over her chest and I returned my gaze to Bri, the love and admiration she had for Gavin was unquestionable. “My God, Bri,” Beth said with a shake of her head. “And you let me bitch and moan about Cindy? Were you and Gavin in the same foster home, or adopted at some point?”

Bri pursed her lips. “You never bitched and moaned. Gavin bounced around in more foster homes than I did. We stayed in touch, because he happened to find kids that were in the same foster homes I was in at his elementary and middle schools. I guess foster kids can spot other foster kids miles away. And we knew how to use computers, so we’d instant message each other when we could get access to a computer with internet. We were matriculated into Paloma High School after we both passed their entrance exam by the skin of our teeth and were awarded scholarships. Ms. Fletcher, a retired social worker, began fostering children when her own children moved out of the house. She left the house to Gavin and I, when she relocated to where her kids were in St. Croix.”

“So, she abandoned you too?” Beth blurted out.

Bri cocked her head. “No, Ms. Fletcher didn’t. She’s a lovely woman. No one really wanted to take two teenagers into their homes. Gavin and I would’ve been assigned to group homes, until we aged out. So, she helped us with getting the resources we needed. She never tried to be our mother, or create this bond that just wasn’t there—or maybe it was too late for Gavin and I to have that with her, but we’re immensely thankful. Tomorrow isn’t the only day that Gavin and I are thankful for our blessings. It’s everyday.”

Beth’s eyes shone gently and I saw the emotion that tightened at her throat, because she downed her morir soñado.

“So, you and Gavin haven’t known Pierce, Joel, Rylan and everyone at Paloma’s Edge since you were little?” I wondered.

“Nope. It feels like we have, though,” Bri replied with a grin.

I retrieved their empty glasses and changed the subject, since Beth was processing what she’d just learned about Bri. At the same time, I knew that Bri didn’t want to fully go there—mentally. She’d accidentally let that part about her childhood come out. I felt honored that she’d confided in us—not only about her rough childhood, but about Gavin’s as well. So much made sense about his guarded exterior now, and his overprotectiveness of Bri. She was the only consistent person he’d had in his life growing up. She gave him purpose.

“Are you going to see Pierce today?”

Bri let out a sigh. “I don’t think so; he’s been working at The Paloma Two since this morning.”

Giving me an anxious sideways glance as I prepared another morir soñado for them, Beth managed to say in a hoarse sounding voice, “But rest assured Brianna, his ass will be grass if he even comes late to Thanksgiving dinner.”

Cheeks flushing red, Bri responded, “Don’t worry, I’ve got just the right punishment in store for him if he’s tardy.”

“Brianna!”

“Bethany!” She shot back with a devious quirk on the side of her face.

“Ugh! You remember that Pierce is my cousin. Those are the deets you go tell Mariska.”

I rounded the corner of the island and headed toward them with their drinks. “Ah, ah, ah,” I said in a mocking tone. “You don’t wanna be kept out of the loop, so you’ll hear all about Bri’s plans for Pierce.”

“Oh, of course, because that’s just what I’d meant,” Beth said with a sarcastic flare of her arms and began to drain her drink.

“When will your parents be back?” Bri questioned, a hint of sadness entering her tone.

I shrugged my shoulders, because I didn’t know. My parents had only spoken to me in short words and that had been when Pete had been in the same room as us.

“That silent treatment shit?” Beth asked knowingly.

Bri saddled closer to me by lifting her chair so it was next to mine. “Pour us the rest of morir soñado you have in the pitcher and we can see what Pete’s up to.” A pleased look flashed over Beth’s face and I followed Bri’s suggestion. I had to focus on the positives in my life.

Hunter

“
CAN YOU GET THE door for me?” Gavin asked me as he was pulling the big ass turkey from the oven.

While Bri and Pierce were in the living room, kissing each other when they thought no one was watching, Beth was in the kitchen with Gavin and I. When I opened the door, Cindy was standing with a big container in her hands, looking shamefaced. I’d seen Beth’s mom from afar, but there was no mistaking those azure eyes and light brown hair. If she’d treated Beth decently, I’d even call her pretty. Ugly, however, was ugly, no matter what package it presented itself in. Chase had said that Cindy hadn’t given him an answer when he’d personally went to the Paloma Hotel and gave her an invitation to Beth’s not-so surprise birthday party. As Chase had said, “She looked at me like I’d bothered her.”