Veer (Clayton Falls) Read online

  “I want to. I need to go over some things with you.” She sounded serious, but she didn’t seem upset, so I figured it couldn’t be too big of a deal.

  “All right. Be out in a sec.”

  I took a fast shower. I didn’t want to leave her waiting too long. When I came out to get dressed, she lounged on my bed and stared out the window.

  “How are you doing?”

  She looked toward me with a slow smile spreading across her lips. “You look too good like that.”

  “Like what?” I feigned innocence as I stood with a towel wrapped around my waist.

  “If we weren’t in your parents’ house…”

  “You won’t be able to use that excuse come Sunday.”

  “I know.” She looked away. She always looked away when I changed, like she wanted to give me privacy or something. I, on the other hand, watched her like a hawk. I couldn’t get enough of seeing her body.

  “I’m decent.”

  She sat up and crossed her legs. “Okay, so I need to make sure I have this. Amanda is married to Mark, and their kids are Carrie and Andrew. Your brother David is married to Debbie, and they have Jason, Melanie, and Karen?”

  I laughed. “Yup, good memory.”

  She took a deep breath. “Okay, I can do this.”

  I took a seat next to her on the bed. “It’s not that big of a deal. Relax.”

  “Not that big of a deal? You drag me back here and have the nerve to say that?” Her voice went very high. She was really worked up.

  Okay, obviously I took the wrong approach. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just they’re not intimidating people, and they’ll love you.”

  “We’ll see.” She stood up, smoothing her navy t-shirt down over the top of her khaki shorts.

  “You ready?” I let her take my hand to pull me off the bed.

  “Sure.”

  The sound of kids yelling outside meant at least one of my siblings had arrived. I really hoped they’d be on their best behavior.

  ***

  “I don’t think my girls are going to let her go home,” David joked, leaning back in an Adirondack chair as my brothers and I watched Becca play with my nieces.

  “Yeah, I think she won them over with those braids.” The girls had gone wild when Becca made these cross-over braid things for them. She called them braid headbands or something like that.

  “She’s obviously good with kids,” David pointed out.

  “That’s definitely true.” She seemed to be having as much fun as they were. She’d also had fun kicking the soccer ball around with my nephews. My sister and sister-in-law were as unathletic as they come, so I think my nephews were surprised to meet a girl who knew how to play.

  David cracked his knuckles in that annoying way he always did. “So, you going to tell us how you ended up with this girl? She almost seems too good to be true.”

  “It’s a long story.”

  Brody tossed a football up in the air over and over. “We’ve got time.”

  “First I tried to stay away, then I fucked up, and then I miraculously got a second chance.” Out of habit, I looked around to make sure my mother hadn’t heard me. Cursing was practically a capital crime in her house.

  Brody caught the ball, holding it this time. “What did you do?”

  “Nothing worth repeating.”

  “No, you don’t. Spit it out, bro.” David was now at full attention.

  I let out a deep breath. “I slept with her and told her we should pretend it never happened.”

  “Please tell me you’re joking.” David stared at me like I had two heads.

  “Afraid not. Like I said, it’s amazing she gave me another chance.”

  “Putting everything else aside, why’d you say something so stupid? It obviously couldn’t have been that bad, or you wouldn’t have her here now…” Brody started up with the damn ball again.

  “I knew she was only in town for the summer. I figured it’s what she wanted.”

  “But it wasn’t…” David trailed off.

  “No. And it gets worse.”

  “Worse?”

  I figured I might as well lay it all out there. I usually told my brothers everything. “I was her first.” I preferred to think of it that way, and so did Becca. What happened to her at seventeen didn’t change that I was the first one she gave herself to—even if she was incredibly drunk.

  “Let me get this straight. You hook up with a gorgeous virgin and then tell her to hit the road? And I’m usually the screw up.” Brody laughed dryly.

  “I know.”

  “And how’d you get her back?” David ran a hand through his thick brown hair.

  “I got her car fixed, took her out to lunch, got her some flowers, and took care of a drunkard.” I smiled. I still couldn’t believe how lucky I’d gotten.

  “What changed your mind?” Brody set the ball aside once again.

  “About?”

  “Come on, about her. What happened to her only being in town for the summer?” he continued.

  “I couldn’t resist her. I wanted more, and then I got more, and I needed more. You know?”

  “Yeah. I get that.” David smiled, leaning back.

  I looked out into the yard, unable to take my eyes off Becca.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Becca

  I was making friendship bracelets with Gavin’s three nieces when his sister Amanda asked if I wanted to take a walk with her. I knew it was just an excuse to interrogate me, but I agreed anyway. I didn’t really think I had a choice, so I got up and followed her.

  I was exhausted and still had a party to get through. The day went better than I’d expected. I spent most of it playing with the kids. When in doubt in a social situation, spending time with kids is the answer. I wondered if Gavin knew how lucky he was. He had such a loving family. I liked them all, even if they did seem a little overbearing at times.

  We were barely out of the yard when Amanda started in. “How’d you and my brother meet? I haven’t been able to talk to him much today.” Her blond hair made her stand out from the rest of her family. I wondered if it was her natural color.

  “He actually helped me out when my car broke down.”

  “Seriously? That’s kind of romantic.”

  Romantic? I’d never thought of it that way… but that was probably because of how rude he was to me after.

  The expression on my face must have given me away. “What aren’t you saying?”

  “We didn’t exactly hit it off immediately.”

  “Really?”

  “No, we actually argued quite a bit. I insulted him somehow by saying he had a southern drawl.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, Gav has a bit of a temper sometimes.”

  “That he does.” Hearing squeals of laughter, I turned to see a group of children running through a sprinkler. I envied them. Life was so much easier as a kid.

  “What changed things?”

  I paused. I definitely wasn’t going to give her the whole story. “I guess, in the end, we couldn’t stay away from each other. I think we both realized there was something there and decided to see where it went.” I held in a breath as a bee buzzed around me. I was pretty sure I was a magnet for them. I’d been stung more times than anyone else I knew. After a moment, the bee moved on, and I let out the breath.

  “Well, I’m glad you guys decided to give it a go. I’ve never seen him so happy. I bet he’s already thinking about the ring and proposal. I’m sure he’ll make it really romantic.” She got this far-off look on her face.

  I froze. “Proposal? Oh no, we are definitely not there yet. Maybe we’ll never be. We’ve only been together two months.”

  “He brought you home. He’s planning on making it permanent. You’ll be engaged in no time. I can’t wait. Do you think you’re going to want to get married back home? Because if you want it here, Debbie, Annie, and I can take care of everything even though you’re far away.” She bounced along, seeming so
much younger than her thirty or so years.

  “Really, we are so not even close to that point yet.” I needed to get out of this conversation. “Shouldn’t we head back? We need to get ready.”

  “Sure. I’m glad we talked. I can definitely see why my brother is so crazy about you.”

  “Thanks,” I mumbled and quickened my pace.

  I went right upstairs when we got back, glad Gavin was roughhousing with his nephews in the yard and didn’t see me. I was positive he hadn’t told his sister anything about us getting married, but I didn’t like them getting the wrong impression.

  I laid out my dress. It was strapless and royal blue. I’d noticed that Gavin always seemed to like when I wore that color. I tied my hair up before taking a rinse-off shower. I was just stepping into my dress when Gavin came in.

  “Need some help with that?” He pulled up the zipper, kissing the back of my neck.

  “Thanks.” I paused for a moment to put on a smile before turning around.

  “I’ve missed you. I feel like I’ve barely seen you today.” He looked cute in his red and green striped rugby shirt. I was used to the t-shirts he wore most of the time.

  “Yeah, I know what you mean.” I slipped away from him and went into the bathroom. I brushed out my hair before pulling it up into a twist. I put on some minimal makeup while he watched from the doorway.

  “Are you doing okay?” He wore a worried expression.

  “Yeah, of course.” I moved to slip past him, but he caught my waist and turned me toward him.

  “Tell me the truth. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “What are you hiding from me? Something feels off.”

  I smiled. “Nothing’s wrong except that you’re going to be late if you don’t get dressed.”

  “All right, all right. I’ll take a quick shower.”

  “Good. I’ll see you downstairs.”

  “You aren’t going to wait?”

  “Somehow, I think you’ll manage.”

  He kissed me lightly before releasing his hold on me. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  ***

  The Powells had a lot of friends, or at least a lot of people who wanted to celebrate their anniversary. They all knew Gavin and seemed excited to see he’d brought a girl home with him.

  The most popular conversation topic was Gavin’s baseball career. I lost track of how many people asked him about it. He didn’t seem to mind until an old coach came over to talk to him.

  “Hey, Gavin, how are you doing? You still in North Carolina?” He had a full head of gray hair and a weathered face that I guessed came from years of coaching under the hot Georgia sun.

  “Yeah, I’m still there.”

  “And who’s this?”

  “This is my girlfriend Becca. Becca, this is my high school coach, Ned Wallace.”

  “Hi. Nice to meet you.” I offered him my hand, and he accepted with a firm handshake.

  “It’s nice to meet you too.” He turned his attention back to Gavin. “You’ve done well for yourself, huh?” He nodded toward me.

  Gavin smiled. “Yes, I definitely have.”

  “Have you been playing at all?”

  Gavin stiffened, so I put a hand on his arm.

  “No, nothing since the injury.”

  “That’s too bad. I always hoped you’d be able to work through it.” The coach shifted his weight from foot to foot.

  “It just wasn’t meant to be.”

  “I guess not, but you look good, and it’s nice to see you again.” He walked off.

  Gavin didn’t relax again for a while. It was obvious running into his coach bothered him, but I decided not to ask him about it. I figured he’d bring it up later if he felt like talking.

  Gavin got into a conversation with some of his parents’ friends, and I let his nieces pull me off to dance.

  I looked around the yard, marveling at the decor. Tea lights were everywhere, and a dance floor had been set up. There was even a DJ. I’d have expected it to have been a wedding, not an anniversary party. Evidently, Gavin’s family liked to celebrate big.

  Gavin joined us, so I decided to ask him about it. “Is this typical for an anniversary party around here?”

  “It’s all Amanda. She likes to make everything big.”

  I smiled. “It’s nice, just surprising.”

  “A good kind of surprising?”

  “Yeah, a good kind.”

  He took my hand and led me toward the center of the dance floor. “I’ve been waiting to dance with you all night.” Gavin could dance. He held me closer than necessary, but I loved the feeling of his strong arms around me as we moved to the music.

  Over the course of the evening, I relaxed a lot more. I decided it was silly to worry too much about what Amanda said. She probably just read into things to find what she wanted to see. Gavin had told me he felt pressure from his family to settle down.

  We danced for hours, only stopping to get drinks and to chat with a few people. Things were starting to wind down when his brother David said he needed Gavin for something.

  “Do you mind?” Gavin asked.

  “Nope, go ahead.” I decided to nab a piece of the chocolate cake I’d been eyeing all night. I stood off to the side watching the crowd dance.

  “A bit overwhelming, isn’t it?” Gavin’s mother came up to stand next to me, eating a piece of cake herself.

  “Not in a bad way.” I smiled. “It’s a lovely party.”

  “Thank you. The kids outdid themselves this time.”

  “Gavin said this is typical of Amanda.”

  “Yeah, she loves to throw big parties.” Annie smiled thinking about her daughter. “Maybe Gavin can show you around a little. You haven’t had a chance to see Augusta, have you?”

  “Not yet.”

  “From what you have seen, would you consider moving here after you graduate?” Her tone was nonchalant, but her expression was intense. She was definitely looking for a particular answer.

  What? Why would I do that? Gavin didn’t even live there. “I haven’t really thought about it. It really depends on where I get a job.”

  “Don’t you mean where you both get jobs?” she looked at me pointedly. “Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s wonderful how career oriented you are, but Gavin’s going to need a job too.”

  “He has a job…”

  “In Clayton Falls, but you just said you weren’t sure where you wanted to live.” Her expression softened. I wondered if I’d imagined the intensity from a moment earlier.

  I didn’t even know what to say. I could ignore Amanda, but now Gavin’s mother implied we were getting married, or at least seriously planning on something long term.

  “Not to push you, but with you working, you are going to need childcare. That’s something I’d be more than happy to take on if you two decide to settle back here.” She smiled warmly, and I wanted to disappear.

  “Childcare?”

  She laughed. “Don’t look so shocked. You two aren’t babies. I’m sure you won’t wait too long.”

  “Can you excuse me?” I needed air. I might have been outside, but if I didn’t get away from Gavin’s mom, I might say something really stupid.

  I put down my cake plate and walked away from the main part of the yard. I’d noticed a gazebo further out and decided to head there. Unfortunately, it wasn’t empty.

  “Hey. Needed a break too?” Brody greeted me, scooting over on the small bench to give me a place to sit.

  I took a seat. “I did, but I’m guessing you’re not here for the same reason as me.”

  He chuckled. “Not unless you’re tired of being grilled by everyone about what you’re doing with your life.”

  “Not in the same way you are.” But it wasn’t far off.

  He turned to me. “Explain that comment.”

  “First, answer a question for me. What do you think it means that Gavin asked me to come home for this party?”

  “
That he likes you and wanted to introduce you to us…” He looked at me as if he thought it was a trick question.

  “Okay, good. That’s exactly what I think.”

  “Did someone else suggest something different?”

  “Amanda and your mom seem to think Gavin’s thinking marriage.”

  “Does that scare you?” He studied me, but not in a judgmental way.

  “Yes.”

  “Honest. I like that. Any particular reason why? Is it just in general or the thought of it with Gavin?” We were far enough from the music that I could hear crickets chirping.

  “In general,” I answered quickly. “It’s not something even on my mind yet. I need to finish school, find a job, get established. There’s so much to do before getting married and of course having kids.” I wasn’t even sure if I’d ever have kids, so talking about it as if it was inevitable and happening soon was way too much to handle.

  “Oh no. Mom went in on kids, didn’t she?”

  I smiled. “She offered her services for childcare.”

  He shook his head. “Ignore her. You’d think five grandchildren would be enough to hold her over.”

  “It doesn’t seem like it.”

  “I wouldn’t let it get to you. Is Gavin serious about you? Yes. But he’ll let you set the pace. Just talk to him if it’s an issue.”

  “I don’t want to bring it up if your family is wrong. I don’t want him to think I’m pushing for it.”

  “Well either way, I think you’ll be fine.” He stopped suddenly, looking past me into the dark. “I’ll see you around.”

  It didn’t take me long to see what sent him on his way. Gavin nodded to his brother before immediately taking his spot on the bench. “There you are. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

  “Oh, sorry. I just needed a break.”

  “Were you and Brody talking about anything interesting?”

  “Nothing major.” If he only knew.

  “But you’re all right? You seemed fine when we were dancing, but now you seem weird again.”

  “Please stop worrying. I’m fine. Just a little tired.” I smiled.

  “Oh. Okay. The party’s winding down.”

  He took my hand and led me back to the house.