Thursday (Timeless Series #4) (7 page)

They were exactly the years apart as Francesca and I. I never knew that. On paper it sounded like she had a pretty normal family life. I hated to admit it, but I was a little jealous. I loved Yaya and she was a great guardian, but she would never be my mother. “That’s nice.”

“She’s the ‘pretty’ one. I’m the smart one.”

I laughed because her words were absolutely ridiculous.

She froze and stared at me, clearly not seeing the humor in my words. “What?”

“She’s the pretty one?” I’d seen a lot of beautiful women in my life, brunettes, blondes, redheads…you name it. I’ve been with every size and shape out there. I had a good understanding of beautiful. “Marie, if she’s ‘prettier’ than you then she wouldn’t be real.”

“Excuse me?”

“I just don’t believe your sister could possibly be considered the pretty one, no offense.”

“Well, she is.”

“Yeah right. You’re the hottest chick I’ve ever—” I shut my mouth once I realized my foot was inside. But the damage had already been done and I couldn’t go back on what I said. So, I just rolled with it. “Been with.”

Instead of taking that as a compliment she seemed hurt. When she turned back to her computer she didn’t look back at me again. She put on her headphones and listened to music as she got to work.

What just happened?

Escape

Marie

I didn’t know why it bothered me so much.

It just did.

My entire high school career, I took every opportunity to get Axel to notice me. I was at Francesca’s house every chance I got, and I did my best to look cute. But no matter how I did my hair or batted my eyelashes he was totally immune to me.

After I started working out, hitting the weights every single day, did my womanly figure come in. I toned my ass and thighs, and I sculpted my hourglass figure. My legs didn’t get longer but I toned them as much as possible, giving the illusion they were longer than they really were.

After all that hard work, he noticed me.

I was still the same girl, sweet and funny. I still had the same laugh and personality. But that didn’t mean anything to him.

Only when I grew into my figure did he care.

I was beginning to realize that Axel wasn’t just a crush from the past. There was something more there, a connection more powerful than a simple physical attraction. Somehow, as crazy as it sounded, I think I loved him at one point.

Why else would I be so insulted?

A night of passion was absolutely everything I could have asked for. I enjoyed every moment of it, living out a fantasy I never thought I could have. Walking away without any heartbreak seemed easy at the time, but I was clearly wrong. I wanted him to want me in the way I wanted him all those years ago—to actually care about me.

It was wrong to hold it against him when he had no idea what I was thinking but I couldn’t contain my disappointment. As soon as he got what he wanted from me he returned to viewing me as a meaningless conquest.

I shouldn’t let it bother me.

And I wasn’t going to.

***

Cade texted me.
Can I buy you a drink?

I’d forgotten about Cade in light of Hawke and Francesca. While I felt obligated to stay home and keep an eye on her, I knew I couldn’t stop living my life because of it. Besides, Axel would be there to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid.
Yes. Several, please.

LOL. Now we’re talking.

You free tonight?

Free as a bird.

Great. Pick me up at seven.

Bossy. I like it.

I didn’t know if I should tell Francesca I had a date tonight. It might make her think of Hawke and all the times he used to come by. But I didn’t want to lie about it either. She would see right through that eventually.

I showered and got ready, putting on a black cocktail dress with silver heels. I put on the diamond earrings my father got me and borrowed one of Francesca’s clutches. I knew she wouldn’t care.

When it was almost seven there was a knock on the door.

I walked into Francesca’s room and saw her lying there, like usual. “Hey. I’m going out for the night.”

“Okay.” She was disinterested, like always.

“Remember Cade? He’s taking me out for a drink.”

“Cool,” she whispered. “Have fun.”

How long would she stay like this? It’d already been a month and she was still lifeless. I hated seeing my friend this way. She always had such a backbone, but when she met her match she crumbled like a pile of bricks. “Well, I’ll see you when I get home.”

She stared at the ceiling.

I shut the door behind me then walked down the hallway, feeling down. Now I wasn’t excited for the date. What I really wanted to do was fix my best friend. I wanted to wipe her memory clean of Hawke. She was so happy when they got together, but she was also happy before he came around. I missed that person.

I opened the door and expected to come face-to-face with Cade. It was ten till seven so he was probably picking me up for our date.

But it was Axel.

He held up a lab report and was about to say something until he saw me. He looked me up and down, eyeing me in my cocktail dress. His eyes were frozen in place and he forgot to shut his mouth. “Uh…wow.”

I felt warm at the compliment but insulted at the same time. All he saw was my figure but not the girl underneath. I needed to stop expecting him to notice me as a person rather than a woman, but that was obviously never going to happen.  “Is that the lab report?”

“Oh yeah.” He held it out to me. “I got a B. Can you believe it?”

I took the papers and flipped through them. “No, actually.”

“The professor must have been busy and just flew through them without paying much attention.”

“I’ll say…”

“Looks like Francesca is going to graduate college after all.” Axel walked inside and shut the door behind him. “I’ll just have to stay on top of her assignments.”

“What about exams?”

He set his satchel on the dining table. “That…I don’t know. I’m going to have to force her to go. If she fails every exam she should still get a C because all of her work is being submitted.”

I still couldn’t believe this was happening. She was so devastated over Hawke that she lost her job, and if it weren’t for us, she would have flunked out of college. “She’s lucky to have us.”

“I know.” He pulled out his laptop and sat down. “I haven’t had any time to do anything besides work and schoolwork, but I know she would do it for me.”

“Yeah, she would.”

He eyed me in my dress again. “So, you going somewhere tonight—”

The doorbell rang.

“Excuse me.” I opened the door and saw Cade on the other side. “Hey, right on time.”

“Wouldn’t be late for this.” He eyed my dress with appreciation. “You look…awesome.”

“Awesome?”

“It’s a fitting compliment.”

“Just let me grab my clutch.” I walked back to the dining table and snatched it.

Axel stared at me with a new expression. His playful attitude had disappeared and now he seemed morose. His fingertips touched his lap report but with a weak grip. “You have a date tonight…?”

Now that he asked me face-to-face my answer was difficult to give. I thought I could detect the disappointment in his voice, the sadness. But that could just be wishful thinking. “Yeah.”

“Oh…” He fidgeted with the papers.

I stood there awkwardly, expecting him to say something else. When the silence lingered I thought I should say something but I couldn’t think of anything.

“Well…have a good time.” He cleared his throat and turned his gaze to his assignment and studied it like he’d never looked at it before.

“Good night.” I turned back to the doorway, my heels clanking against the hardwood floor.

Axel didn’t say anything back.

Cade was waiting on the doorstep, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. A black leather jacket covered most of his build from view. “Ready to go, beautiful?”

“Yeah.” I shut the door behind me and wondered if Axel heard that last comment.

***

Cade and I had a great time.

We went to a sports bar and ordered greasy food with tons of beer. We made small talk about school and sports. Cade was getting his degree in business with a concentration in sports management. His dream was to be a sports agent.

I told him about my dream to be a writer, and he seemed interested. A few hours went by until we were both stuffed and couldn’t eat anymore. We got into his truck and headed back to my place.

Despite how well the night went, I couldn’t stop thinking about Axel. Did it bother him that I was on a date? Or was I seeing stuff that wasn’t really there? He’d probably been with tons of girls since we slept together, so I doubted I was on his mind in any capacity.

Cade jerked the wheel a few times on the way home, and when he rounded the corner and he almost hit the curb I started to be concerned. “Cade, are you alright?”

He stopped in front of my place and killed the engine. He had a sleepy look in his eyes, like he was halfway in dreamland. “You know…I think I had too much to drink. It kicked in on the way home.”

At least he acknowledged it before he drove back to his place.

“I know this is a terrible way to end our date but would you mind dropping me off? You can keep my truck and I’ll come back and get it tomorrow.”

That was a lot of unnecessary work. “Why don’t you just sleep here and drive home in the morning?”

He turned to me with a lazy grin. “There’s no way I’m saying no to that.”

“I’m inviting you to sleep—nothing else.” I wasn’t sleeping with a drunk guy. I definitely wouldn’t be satisfied by the time we were done, and he’d probably fall asleep on top of me.

He shrugged. “Whatever. Sharing a bed with a beautiful woman still sounds awesome to me.”

“Then let’s go.” I hopped out of the truck and noticed Axel’s truck in the driveway. I was hoping he already went home but that was wishful thinking. He probably wouldn’t leave until I returned from my date to look after Francesca.

I got the door unlocked and we walked inside.

Axel and Francesca were sitting on the couch.

“Hey.” I tossed my purse on the counter.

Francesca hardly waved.

Axel was the only one who turned around. He clearly expected me to be alone because his face fell when he realized Cade was with me. “Hey…”

“We’re going to bed. Good night.” I walked down the hall with Cade close behind me.

“I’m Cade, by the way.” He waved to Axel and Francesca before he followed me. “Nice to meet you.”

We got into my bedroom and I changed into my pajamas in the closet. When I came back to bed he was already stripped down to his boxers. He had a nice body compacted with muscle. But it didn’t compare to Axel, not that I should be comparing.

“I normally sleep in the nude,” he said. “So, you’re getting an upgrade.” He lay in my bed then closed his eyes like he couldn’t keep them open for a moment longer.

I got on my side of the bed then set an alarm. My legs touched his under the sheets but that was all the affection we shared. The TV from the living room reached my ears and I could hear it distantly playing. Axel and Francesca didn’t speak at all, which made me sad. Axel was pretty much alone because Francesca was a warm body beside him.

“I’m sorry I drank too much…”

“It’s okay.”

“Next time, I’ll be totally sober.”

“But will you be as much fun?” I teased.

He chuckled. “Probably not. But I’ll kiss you goodnight.”

“Alright. We’ll see.” I closed my eyes and felt my body drift away.

Cade turned over and spooned me from behind. “This is okay, right?”

“You aren’t quite as good as my teddy bear but I’ll take it.”

He chuckled into my ear. “Then I’ll keep practicing.”

Beach Day

Axel

I carried the groceries into the house and stored them in the cabinets and the refrigerator. Francesca didn’t eat much, only when I threatened to break her neck when she refused, but most of the food was for Marie and I since we ate like normal people.

I bought the things that Francesca loved to eat, including lots of baking ingredients. She never seemed happier unless she was making a new creation. Maybe having these things lying around would inspire her to get back into the kitchen.

The front door opened and Marie walked inside. Her bag was over her shoulder, and she wore skin-tight jeans with brown-heeled boots. She wore a white cardigan, looking like a winter snowflake.

Anytime she walked into the room my eyes roamed over her figure. I’ve had her once before but now it seemed like a lifetime ago. And she seemed like a different person—in my eyes. Whenever she was near me I could feel the static in the air, like our presence in each other’s space manipulated the world around us. When I moved, she registered it. And when she took a step I was completely aware of it.

She set her bag down. “Hey. Got some good stuff?”

“Stuff that Francesca won’t eat.” I put the milk in the refrigerator then grabbed a carton of almond creamer. “I got vanilla flavor. Is that okay?” I spotted the empty carton before I left the store. I knew Francesca wouldn’t be caught dead drinking almond milk so it had to be Marie’s.

Marie had grabbed the mail off the table and started to sort through it. “What?”

I held up the carton.

She eyed it in my hand for nearly five seconds before she processed what I was asking. “How did you know I drank that…?”

“I saw the empty carton in the fridge.”

She continued to stare at me blankly.

Since she wasn’t going to say anything I set the carton on the shelf.

“Thank you…that was sweet of you.”

I shrugged and continued to unpack the groceries. “I got you some coffee too. I noticed you were low.”

She tossed the mail on the table and came to my side. She grabbed the bag of coffee from my hands. “It’s whole bean.”

“Isn’t that what you like?” I wasn’t usually here in the mornings but I noticed the grinder on the counter. Francesca drank coffee but she wasn’t picky about it. I assumed it belonged to Marie.

“How did you know that?”

I shrugged again. “I just deduced it.” I set the beans on the counter.

Marie stared at me for a few more seconds before she helped me unload the groceries. Quietly, we worked together and placed everything where it belonged. Her arm brushed against mine when she passed and I got a draft of her scent. “You’re a sweet brother.”

“And friend, I hope.” The words left my mouth without being considered. They just flew out like word vomit. I set the bag of chips in the cabinet before I met her gaze.

She nodded. “Yes. A good friend.”

When I stared at her like that I felt the tension deep in my gut. Being this close to her made me feel things I couldn’t explain. The energy flowed through me like a electric wiring. Whenever I looked at her I was always aware of my unnatural breathing. It was always a little faster than normal.

She held my gaze without speaking, her thoughts a mystery.

We stood there for nearly a minute and nothing happened.

She crossed her arms over her chest, succumbing to the pull that affected both of us.

I finally found something to say. “Let’s take Frankie to the beach. Maybe some fresh air will lighten her spirits.”

“Yeah.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, something she’d never done before. “That could be fun.”

“Alright. I’ll get her up.”

***

Like always, it was a struggle to get Francesca to do anything. By pure manipulation I managed to get her showered and ready for the day. I got her in shorts and a tank top, her hair done and her teeth brushed. I couldn’t get any make up on her. It was a pointless attempt.

We drove to the beach then set up our stuff in the sand. It was a nice day, sunny and bright. The breeze kept us cool and protected us from the summer’s heat. I wore swim trunks and a t-shirt, but I probably would take a dip eventually.

Marie wore a sundress, and the straps of her bikini peeked out through the translucent fabric. I wanted to see her pull her dress off, showing off those gorgeous curves that she should flaunt every single moment of the day.

Francesca stuck her feet in the sand and stayed quiet, like always. I made small talk about the weather and the size of the waves. Since our conversation, I never brought up Hawke. It seemed to please her but also destroy her when I did.

After an hour Francesca left the blanket and walked along the shore, her eyes downcast for seashells that washed up on the sand. Her dark hair blew in the wind, the slight curls becoming straight.

Marie watched her go, concern in her eyes for her friend.

It was getting warm so I removed my t-shirt and felt the sun’s rays right on my skin. I glanced at her in my peripheral to see if she would look.

She did.

“Good idea.” Marie pulled her dress off then lay back on the towel, her flawless skin glowing in the sunshine.

I wanted to look but I controlled myself. I leaned back on my elbows and stared at the ocean.

“I wish I could wipe her memory.”

Like always, her voice washed over me like a soothing bath. She had a distinctly feminine voice that was also strong. It belied her strength and power underneath. I liked listening to it. And like always, the memory of her saying my name came back to me. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. “I know what you mean.”

“I still don’t understand why he left. They were so in love.”

“I know. I don’t get it either.”

“He hasn’t said anything to you?”

“He won’t tell me why. But he said it had nothing to do with cheating or anything like that.”

“Then what could possibly be the reason?” She crossed her ankles, her perfectly manicured nails reflecting the light. They were turquoise, playful and bright.

“I haven’t got a clue.” If two people loved each other they should be together—end of story. “But she seems to understand he’s never coming back. But yet, she continues to mope around.”

“It’s not like her at all. If someone pushes her down she gets right back up. She’s a fighter.”

“I know…it scares me.”

“We’ll just have to wait and hope things get better.”

But how long would the wait last? I’d been spending all my free time with my sister. I didn’t mind because I knew she needed me, and I also didn’t mind because I liked spending time with Marie. I was beginning to see the layers she possessed. She was smart, ambitious, and funny. There were many more traits that I never paid attention to, besides her obvious beauty. The fact she was so loyal to her friend, standing beside her no matter what, was what I noticed the most. Good friends were hard to find, and I was glad Francesca had someone who had her back until the end of time. “It will get better. I just don’t know when.”

She lay back on the towel and looked up at the sky.

I glanced at her and realized her eyes were closed. That’s when my eyes took her in, focusing on her face. She had thick eyelashes that were black and beautiful. It heightened the shape of her almond eyes. She didn’t wear make up to the beach, but the gleam of the sunscreen was obvious. There were a few streaks across her cheek, difficult to see but noticeable all the same. Her lips were shiny like she just put on Chap Stick. Her hair was in loose curls but they were starting to fall out from the ocean breeze.

Without her make up I could see the small freckles that marked her face. They were tiny and almost invisible but I could see them when I sat this close to her. They reminded me of distant stars in the sky, and I wondered why she covered them up at all. If anything, they were cute.

I never really paid attention to the structure of her face, but then again, I’d never seen her face bare like that. Her eyebrows were light just like her hair, and her cheekbones were prominent, making her have a slender face. I began to notice every little detail, every little feature.

I forgot about her body in her bikini because I was more interested in her face. Now I wish she would open her eyes so I could see their beauty. They were green, I knew that. But what other details would I be able to see under the bright sun?

When I realized I was gawking at her like she was a painting I looked away. To any passerby it looked like I was staring at her in her bikini. Technically, I was. But I’d only been paying attention to her face. “So…that guy you brought back the other night is your boyfriend?” I hadn’t realized she was seeing anyone, and when they went into her bedroom I felt a little sick.

“He’s not my boyfriend.” She opened her eyes then grabbed her sunglasses from her bag. “We’re just seeing each other.”

And sleeping together? I held back the retort because I knew I’d be a huge ass if I actually said that out loud. “So, it’s casual?”

“Yeah. We’ve only been on one date.”

I think I recognized him from the bar that night Hawke flipped out on Aaron. “I think I’ve seen you with him before.”

“We have mutual friends but he didn’t ask me out until recently.” She spoke quietly like she didn’t want to have this conversation at all.

I realized I was interrogating her, asking a bunch of questions I had no right to ask. I wasn’t even sure why I was asking them at all.

“Are you seeing anyone?”

“No.” Now that I thought about it, I realized Marie was the last woman I slept with. When Francesca crashed and burned my sex life was put on hold. I’d been spending so much time with her that everything else took a backseat. “Haven’t been out in a while.”

“I’ve never seen you with a girlfriend.”

It wasn’t a question but I took it that way. “I’ve never been into relationships.”

“You like to play the field?”

“I guess.” She seemed to be the same way, if she slept with Cade on their first date. It was a sexist thing for me to think but it still happened. Or maybe I thought I was the only guy she ever had casual sex with. When she told me I used to be her high school crush I actually thought she was making an exception for me. But now I realized she wasn’t. I couldn’t describe what I was feeling, but I knew one thing.

I was confused.

“What about you?” I asked. “You’ve been in any serious relationships?”

“Not really. The longest I’ve been with the same person is a few months.”

Marie could have whomever she wanted. Obviously, she was hot. But she was also smart. She was going to college and working a part-time job at the same time, so she was motivated to make something of herself. On top of that, she was loyal to those she loved. And she was confident—her sexiest attribute. She could have any guy she wanted—as long as she wanted him. “Any reason why?”

“None of them fit the bill.”

I didn’t understand her expression. “What does that mean?”

“I didn’t see it lasting forever. I didn’t want to lead them on longer than necessary. Heartbreak is a terrible thing.” She propped herself up on her elbows and looked at Francesca, who was still walking along the beach quietly.

She was considerate—another attractive attribute.

I worked hard to get where I am now. I put myself through college just the way Francesca did. I got my degree in finance then continued onto my master’s. Right now I was an underpaid intern but one day I’d make real money. Marie was the exact same way. “That’s the right thing to do.”

“There’s nothing worse than falling for someone who doesn’t feel the same way. If a guy weren’t into me I’d like to know. Saves us both some time.”

“True.”

She looked out to the water then uncrossed her legs. She dug her feet into the sand and watched them disappear. She sat up then got her hands involved, playing in the sand.

I watched her and immediately thought of a child building a sand castle.

I sat up and rested my arms on my knees, staring at her every move. “You think Cade is going to turn into something serious?” I needed to holster my questions but I couldn’t stop them from coming out.

“If I could predict the future my life would be boring.”

Her vague response shut me down. I clearly wasn’t invited to ask anything else. “Where would you like to work someday?”

She drew her fingers in the sand then erased it. “Anywhere that will take me.”

“I meant your dream job. If there’s one place you could work where would it be?”

She drew Francesca’s name in the sand. “Well, I’ve always been a fan of Maximum Shot. He’s the biggest fashion guru in the world. I would love to write articles for his magazine. If I could combine my two loves—writing and passion—I’d be a very happy woman.

I wasn’t into designer clothes but I knew who he was. “Is their office in Manhattan?”

“Yeah. I’m going to apply after college but my hopes aren’t very high. I know they get a zillion applicants every week—most of them from IV league schools.”