Connections (3 page)

Once on the platform she noticed him wave towards her as he went towards someone—no, it couldn’t be? Carter?

Zach was shaking hands with Carter Jensen and Eva Houston. Of all the people in Summit for him to be connected with it was her high school boyfriend and his
bitch
of a best friend.

“
F.M.L.” She muttered to herself when she saw Zach look over at her with his million dollar smile. Suddenly she realized how much Zach and Carter looked alike, crap she’d just hit on her ex-boyfriends twin brother.

CHAPTER TWO

Zach Jensen chuckled to himself as he saw the look of recognition sweep across Shayla’s face from across the platform. He’d known it was her the minute he saw her sitting in her seat, watching the scenery. He couldn’t help but wonder what she’d been thinking—but he had a pretty good idea after their conversation. He could help but wonder if she was curious now, or disgusted.

“
Bro?” Carter’s accent was much thicker and apparent to Zach’s after adapting to living in Colorado the last few years. “Tell me you’re not day dreaming about Shayla again.”

“
Who’s daydreaming? I got a date with her tonight.” Zach flashed to his high school fantasy of going on a date with her. Couldn’t he have just a few minutes more to relish in it?

Charter shook his head and looked over to Eva, “You would think he would’ve grown out of this by now.”

“
That’s for sure.” Eva rolled her eyes as she dug through her purse for her keys, “Tell me Zach, did Shayla come up to you and ask if you wanted a blow job?”

Zach rolled his eyes; he knew that Eva was still upset about those train rides in high school. She’d always wanted in with Shayla’s crowd but had never been allowed in past being Carter’s platonic pal. He’s watched Shayla hit on men back then; he had never been positive how things played out between her and the mystery men. It hadn’t stopped him though from his own fantasies late at night, not even when Shayla and his brother had dated. “That’s now how it went down Eva, get your mind out of the gutter.”

“
Then how did it go down?” Eva could help the wicked grin that spread across her face.

“
Cute. Not.” Zach rolled his eyes as he looked at his brother, “Besides, I can’t help it if I’m a total stud these days while my brother isn’t.”

“
You sure you’re not taking steroids?” Carter had never been known for being subtle.

Zach dropped his duffel bag, “You’re a fucking idiot you know that? Do you know what even asking that could do to my career?”

“
I was just joking, gees.” Carter picked the bag up and looked at his brother, he knew that his brother didn’t do any kind of drugs; he was too serious about his career, his future. “Besides, no one around here knows who you are. You’re a Colorado Rockies, not a Yankee or Met.”

Zach could feel the knot in his stomach, knowing his brother probably didn’t root for him, “Glad to know
you
know that.”

Carter threw the bag over his shoulder as they walked up towards the parking lot. “You should just be glad that I’m not giving you shit for going out with my ex. What’s up with that?”

“
She doesn’t know who I am; well at least she didn’t when she made the date.” Zach took a moment at the top of the stairs to enjoy the classic look of downtown.

The trunk of Eva’s car popped open and Carter tossed the bag in without much thought about what was in it.

Zach sighed, wondering if perhaps it was too late to go back to Denver instead of stick around for this reunion and Thanksgiving.

“
You know, you shouldn’t give Shayla what she wants.” Eva lectured from the driver’s seat of the car, the window rolled down as she flicked the ash off her cigarette.

“
Excuse me?” Zach could feel his head pounding they weren’t going to let this just play out, were they?

Carter laughed from the passenger seat, “What our dear friend Eva is trying to say is, don’t fuck Shayla.”

“
What if I want to fuck her?” Zach kept his eyes on the picture perfect scenery of the houses going by as he watched Eva make a quick right turn towards the street they grew up on.

“
Do you not realize how many guys she fucked back in the day?” Eva tried to remind him.

“
None,” Carter’s face was hard, “She never put out the way you thought she did Eva. Trust me, I was her boyfriend. The girls were just fucking around. Do you think any of them actually went and gave random men blowjobs in the city?”

Eva had nothing to say as she stabbed her cigarette out in the over flowing ashtray and parked the car.

Zach quickly escaped the backseat and retrieved his bag from the trunk. As he passed through the front gate he could hear the hushed bickering from his brother and Eva. He stopped on the porch, noticing that the house was not how he remembered it. Why should it be with his parents gone, his brother living here all alone?

He opened the front door, comforted by the familiar squeak on the hinge the creak in the floor as he walked towards the staircase. Most of the furniture was new, with a sleek modern design which looked out of place in the old house.

One thing hadn’t changed, his bedroom which surprised him when he opened the door to discover his old posters still hung on the wall, his furniture and childhood mementos still intact. He opened the nightstand drawer, and saw his favorite magazine. The pages worn and torn; starting to fall out as he flipped through the pages, smiling at the images of the naked women who he would encounter in the darkness under the blankets.

Zach tossed the magazine back in the drawer, if he had it his way he wouldn’t have to worry about needing the inspiration while he was in town. He was going to get Shayla Daniels just the way he wanted her, the way he’d always thought about when he would watch her on train rides into the city before he’d gone off to boarding school senior year.

“
Hey bro,” Carter pushed the bedroom door open, “I want to apologize for Eva. You know she’s always hated Shayla.”

“
Why cause Shayla wouldn’t let her in the cool crowd?” Zach unzipped his bag and started look for something to wear.

Carter shrugged, “I think it was something else, well more like Shayla got the one thing Eva never got.”

Zach cringed, “Dude, I told you back then Eva had it bad for you.”

“
She still does.” Carter flopped down on his brother’s bed, “She just chewed me out about it downstairs. How I’ve had all these years to tell her what I want from her and she’s sick of waiting.”

“
Do you have feelings for Eva like that?”

Carter shook his head before looking in the nightstand drawer, “Sweet, this was my favorite issue.”

“
Dude,” Zach rolled his eyes as he pulled out a thermal shirt. “Was Shayla really not as slutty as Eva thinks?”

Carter smiled, “You think I’m a moron? I wouldn’t say Shayla was slutty, but she wasn’t a frigid bitch or anything. She gave an amazing blow job back then. Best. Ever.”

Zach caught a glimpse of an old picture of him and Carter; he’s been heavier then, hadn’t grown into his looks either. Most of the extra weight melted off him once he’d gone to boarding school, and with it gone his features got a chance to blossom. “Did you two ever, you know?”

“
Prom night,” Carter sat up, “Cheesy, I know. Only did it the one time. She dumped me the next day.”

“
That sucks.”

“
You have no idea.” Carter pushed himself off the bed, “Where are you two meeting up?”

“
At The Office, why you want to tag along and watch from afar?”

“
I was going to be there already.”

“
Wonderful.” Zach unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it off. “I guess that means Eva will be there as well?”

“
Sadly, how do you explain to a woman who you’ve always seen as just a friend that you don’t want anything more from her?”

“
Easy, you get with someone you want to be with. That should send a signal loud and clear. If it doesn’t, she’ll ruin whatever friendship you two have left.”

“
The Major League player; also known as my brother.” Carter clapped as he backed out of the room.

Zach reached over and locked the door. The last thing he needed was to be worried about his brother and Eva. He just had to keep himself calm, collected and ready for drinks with Shayla. This was going to be his only chance; no way in hell was he going to let this slip away, not when it was so close.

CHAPTER THREE

Shayla stood in the front walk, staring at her childhood home. It was dusk, and yet the house was quiet. She couldn’t recall a time in her past when this had happened. If she and her mother weren’t fighting, then her brother would be running around playing war or wrestling with his friends.

This was different, this was weird. She cautiously walked up the steps of the porch, pushing the front door open. She wasn’t surprised it was unlocked. Her parents normally didn’t have it locked unless they were sleeping.

“
Mom! Dad? Paul?” Her voice filled the house but received no answer back.

She checked the kitchen and the telltale signs of dinner were nowhere to be found. The only thing she saw was a note from her mother about a meeting.

Grabbing a bottle of water she went up the back set of steps to her old bedroom, not sure what she would find since it’d been forever since she’d come home to stay. She was surprised to see her old room mostly still intact. The Titanic poster on her door faded from the years of sunlight, her ‘N SYNC and Backstreet Boys pictures starting to fall down.

Her bed however smelled of freshly washed sheets. The softness of her childhood comforter brought a smile to her face as she snuggled up with her pillow.

Her senior yearbook lay on her nightstand, waiting for her. It seemed too convenient, but perhaps her mother had pulled it out so that she could look at it before the reunion. She flipped through it, cringing at the clothes she and her friends wore. What had they been thinking, oh that they were perfectly in style. It was a miracle they hadn’t been suspended a few times.

She stopped when she saw a picture of her and Carter, a wave of guilt hit her. She’d lied to him about so many things. Mostly when she would go into the city to meet up with Brad, she realized now how stupid she’d been. But she hadn’t cared then, she didn’t really regret it. Brad had been a major part of her life. Not only was he the man who took her virginity, he’d been the first man to make her feel special. When things had ended just before prom, she’d sworn to herself she’d get him back.

Shayla slammed her yearbook shut in frustration. Her stupid plan hadn’t worked, not that it should’ve. It had been for the best, Brad was married and Shayla was just graduating high school.

“
Why are you calling?” Brad’s voice was tense.

“
I need to see you.” Shayla pleaded into the payphone as she watched people go by about their business.

“
I’m out of the office today.” His voice was calm, business like.

Shayla knew that meant his wife was around. She’s figured that out early on in the affair. “It doesn’t have to be today. Tell me when.”

Brad didn’t say anything for what felt to Shayla forever, “Monday afternoon, 4pm.”

Shayla felt joy bubble inside of her. He’d take her back the second he knew that Carter was out of the picture. He would have to, wouldn’t he? “The usual meeting room?”

“
Yes, of course. I’ll see you Monday afternoon.” He hung up before Shayla could say anything else.

She hung up her receiver and left the phone booth. She reached in her pocket, feeling the key in her hand to the small studio apartment Brad had rented out. It worked better than having to get a hotel room; his wife wouldn’t question this expense like she would a hotel room he’d told her.