Chapter 76: Chapter Fifteen

Alyssa

The next day at work the shop was deserted, but Sundays were always like that. Once everyone got out of church it would be bustling with activity again. For now, it was dead, and I was irritated.

I hated how easily I let my walls fall down when I was around him. Something about him made me want to be vulnerable, and it was terrifying.

It made me smile.

“What are you grinning about?” My dad came around the corner with a few bags of mixed taffy in hand.

I shrugged. “Nothing, just happy.”

He dropped the taffy onto the counter, his eyes narrowing in inspection. “Are you on drugs?”

I burst out laughing. “Really, Dad? Have I been that depressing to live with these past few years?”

His eyes dropped to the counter. “I've been worried.”

Sighing, I walked over to him and put my hand across his. I hated this part. Where I was supposed to tell him that everything was fine, and I was just going through a phase.

But today was different.

I swallowed and fought the warm tears as I answered. “It's been really hard.”

“I know, baby.” He immediately pulled me into his arms and kissed my hair. “I'm so sorry. I wish I could take the pain away, make it better.”

I sighed into his shirt. “It's not your fault.”

“It's not yours either.”

He didn't know it. But it was my fault. If I hadn't been distracting Brady, he would have never pulled over, and if he wouldn't have pulled over he would still be alive.

He'd be playing football at Boise State. I shrugged in an effort to brush him off. I couldn't talk about it, not with him.

“Shift's almost over. Is it okay if I leave early and go to the beach?” I patted my dad's back and walked around him.

“Of course. Have fun, keep your cell on, okay?”

“Always.” I smiled, grabbed my purse, and quickly left the store. Cool air met me, and I was finally able to breathe without feeling like I was suffocating.

I hated having to rely on pills to get me through the day.

I played with the pill bottle and decided against taking one. Instead, I walked the boardwalk and listened to the waves. People walked by me, some waved, others were holding hands.

Seriously. Seaside had to be the worst place in the world to live if you were trying to nurse a broken heart. Something about being on a beach was a little too romantic for me to take in.

My cell phone buzzed.

COME OVER.

It was from Demetri.

After our non-date the night before, I hadn't heard from him. I couldn't help the broad smile that spread across my face.

ON MY WAY.

GR8.

I shoved my phone into my pocket and walked toward his house. It was only a mile away from city center. You could easily walk there from the boardwalk.

Once his house came into view, I picked up the pace. I was totally out of breath by the time I reached his door. I knocked twice and waited.

The door flung open.

It wasn't Demetri.

“Hey,” the guy said. My eyes bugged. Holy crap! He had super dark hair and crystal blue eyes. He was just as big as Demetri, and his smile was absolutely killer.

“I, uh, I'm here to see Demetri.”

“Interesting,” hot guy said, crossing his arms. I assumed it was Demetri's brother but couldn't be sure. I'd never seen him up close.

“How so?” I countered.

The guy threw his head back and laughed. “You look nothing like I thought you would.”

“Um…” I tried to think of something to say, but my mind was completely blank. Was he making fun of me?

He laughed again.

This time I was pissed. “Look…” I braced my hand against the screen door and glared. “I don't know who the hell you are, but I'm here to see my friend.

“Now wipe that ridiculous grin off of your face and let me in. Otherwise, I'm going to tell Bob you hit on me.”

His grin widened. He pushed the door open revealing Demetri. “She passed, bro, with flying colors.” He nodded his head in my direction and held out his hand. “Alec Daniels.”

“Your brother's an ass.” This I directed toward Demetri, who looked like he was about ready to kiss me senseless and peel my shirt from my body. What did I do? How did I pass?

“I couldn't agree more,” Demetri said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Come on in, I want you to meet someone else.”

I inched past Alec, who was at that very moment trying his hardest to keep me from actually entering the house, and grabbed Demetri's outstretched hand.

“Nat!” he yelled.

I winced when he yelled for a second time.

“Hey!” Mrs. Murray's daughter was suddenly in front of me. Honestly, it was like watching one of those teenage soap operas. Every player in the room was drop-dead gorgeous.

I suddenly had the urge to burn all my clothes and get a makeover. Her long golden blonde hair was streaked with honey highlights.

“Hi,” I mumbled, stepping closer to Demetri for protection. The only experience I had with friends that were girls came from when I was on the cheerleading squad.

And every single one of them abandoned me when Brady was out of the picture, and I was kicked off the squad for missing so many practices.

She tilted her head. “Alec's right, you know. You're way prettier than I could even imagine. And you're super short!”

“Thank you?” I offered, looking between her and Demetri.

Alec walked around me and pulled Nat into a hug, kissing the top of her head. “So…” he began. “You the chick my brother's been writing songs about?”

“What?” My voice shrieked. I looked at Demetri. A guilty smile plastered across his face, and then I looked back at Alec who seemed pleased to throw his brother under the bus.

Alec laughed. “Demetri, I think your girlfriend just insulted me.”

“I'm not his —”

“She's good at making men feel small.” Demetri laughed.

Nat clapped her hands. “Then she's perfect for you.”

Okay. They were all high. Or something! They even finished each other's sentences. What the heck kind of house did I just walk into?

Didn't help that I felt like I had just stepped into Twilight. I mean, who actually looks this perfect up close? Alec was beautiful.

Nat was I want to scratch your eyes out, but you're too nice gorgeous, and then there was Demetri. Perfect Demetri.

He cleared his throat.

Nat punched Alec. “We, uh, we were just leaving. We only flew in for the day to grab the rest of my stuff for school, and I sorta begged Demetri to meet you.”

“Oh.” I didn't know what to do with that. “Well, we can, um, hang out if you guys want to.” I looked at the three of them. Shock registered on Demetri's face.

“No.” Demetri crossed his arms. “I will not subject her to you guys. Not now, possibly not ever.”

“Why?” everyone asked in unison, totally cornering Demetri.

“You ashamed of me?” I teased.

Alec snickered. “More like he's afraid we'll tell you all his secrets, and you'll realize how lame he is and drop his sorry ass.”

“Thanks, man.” Demetri glared. “But I kind of thought Alyssa and I could…”

“Make out?” This from Nat.

“No.” Demetri groaned. “Go on a real date. We haven't actually done any of that yet, and I'm still trying to convince her that I'm worthy of at least a dinner and a movie.”

“He's worth it,” Alec confirmed.

“Yes, because she's going to blindly take your word for it. A man who, not five minutes ago, she called an ass. Awesome.” Demetri cursed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Sorry, Lyss.

“Really, don't let them pressure you. They don't have to stay. In fact, they can leave. Don't you guys have a plane to catch in like six hours?”

“Seven,” Nat answered.

I touched Demetri's arm. He was shaking. Odd. He seemed totally in control and at ease. Subconsciously, I wondered if he was angry, but he seemed more alert than anything.

“Here.” I gave him three pieces of taffy and smiled.

His face relaxed. “How'd you know?”

“Maybe my thing is being on taffy patrol?” Oh my gosh, that sounded so lame.

“She cares,” Alec said.

“I like her,” Nat added.

Demetri rolled his eyes and popped a piece of taffy into his mouth. “What the heck kind of flavor is this? It tastes like…”

I shifted nervously. It was a new flavor. One I had my parents make especially for him.

I hadn't meant for it to be a big deal, or for him to discover it in front of his brother and Nat, but oh well. No going back now. Plus, I'd already embarrassed myself thirty times over.

“It's, um, Jack Daniels taffy.”

The room fell silent.

Oh crap. What did I do?

Without any sort of warning Demetri pulled me into his arms and kissed me firmly across the mouth. He tasted like sugar and whiskey. Like heat and passion. I sucked on his tongue.

He pulled back and kissed my cheek. “That was really sweet of you. Alec used to buy me the alcohol-flavored ones to help me get over the addiction.”

“Oh.” I felt myself blush. “It was nothing. I just thought…” I shrugged lamely.

“You thought,” Nat said. “About him. I say you're a keeper. Now can we please put you guys in some freaky disguises, so we can go to dinner and a movie?”

“Wait, I never said yes,” Demetri argued.

“You didn't really say no either,” I pointed out and then snapped my mouth shut as Nat burst out laughing.

“Girl's got a point.” She looped her arm with mine and tilted her head toward Alec. “Go get the costumes.”

“Costumes?” I repeated while Demetri stomped up the stairs and cursed, with Alec leading the way.

Nat released my arm and looked at me. “It's kind of a long story, but usually when the guys go out during the day, there's so many people around here that they don't really get bothered that much.

“But for some reason, whenever they go to restaurants they get hounded. It's kinda freaky if you aren't used to it. So I came up with a brilliant plan.”

I really liked Nat. Her enthusiasm was contagious. Honestly, I wish she was the type of girl I could easily hate. Then I could forget the fact that she and Demetri briefly dated.

But she was awesome. And I hadn't had a friend in a long time, which meant her warmth was like food to someone starved.

She clasped her hands together. “I make both boys wear hats, backwards, so they still look like they are in high school.

I laughed. “Yeah, the skinny jeans are a huge indicator. Sorry to say.”

Nat rolled her eyes. “Right? I mean what guy in Seaside actually pulls them off that well? It's basically like wearing a poster that says “Rock star Coming Through”

I burst out laughing and nodded my head. “Doesn't help that Demetri's gorgeous.” Whoops. I felt myself blush as Nat smiled warmly at me.

“He is, and he seems to really like you.”

I shrugged.

“Look, I love this whole humility thing you've got going on, but seriously, you're beautiful, and I don't know, maybe it sounds weird, but I see this inner strength about you.” She looked away.

I swallowed and bit my lower lip. “Don't worry. You're a far cry from sounding like Mrs. Murray.” I wasn't ready to tell Nat that I saw her mom on a regular basis.

Nat got really quiet. I looked up to see what she was doing, but she was staring at me, as if I was some sort of alien or something.

She shook her head back and forth and looked toward the stairway, then back at me. “Any girl who can handle five minutes with Demetri is strong, Alyssa.

“Did you?” Whoa, seriously someone shut me up. Put masking tape over my mouth and send me out the door.

Nat laughed. “No. Honestly, I was terrible with Demetri. It was like mixing water with oil.

“Believe me, any girl wants it to work when a hot guy comes after her, but with Demetri it was never easy. I love him, don't get me wrong.

“Pretty sure my feelings don't cross into familial territory.” I smiled as I heard Alec yell at Demetri and Demetri curse back at Alec. “I, um, I really like him.”

Nat didn't have a chance to answer as both guys came bounding down the stairs looking like high school football players.

My heart clenched.

There was no way Demetri could know. I mean, how could he? But the vision in front of me was too familiar. It transported me back to a time I wanted to forget yet hold onto.

Demetri was hot. I mean, ridiculously hot in that sweatshirt.

It said Seaside High Football, and it fit him tighter than most sweatshirts should fit a person, making his muscles bulge beneath the shirt.

His hat was backward, but his long curly blond hair strained beneath it, as if it didn't want to be hidden, much like Demetri. Always in the spotlight, always joking around.

The man was like sunshine. Which kind of sucked when you wanted nothing more than to live your life in a dark hole of guilt and sadness.

“You okay?” He walked up to me and pulled me in for a quick hug.

A muffled yes escaped my lips as he held my head against his chest. The steady beat of his heart helped me get my breathing under control, and then he kissed the top of my head.

Again, he had no idea that Brady was identical in the way he conveyed his emotions. I wasn't able to respond. I knew my eyes were getting watery because I could feel it.

But I didn't want to cry, not in front of everyone. This was supposed to be fun. I mean, I was hanging out with AD2 for crying out loud!

Most girls my age would murder me on the spot for even thinking about tears at this moment.

I took a soothing breath and grabbed Demetri's hand. “So, where are we going to eat?”

Demetri looked to Alec and back. “Somewhere… special.”

“Why do I get the feeling there's trickery involved?” I asked as we walked out of the house.

“Always is,” Nat mumbled behind me. “Get used to it.”