Authors: Ashley Johnson
“Taylor and I aren’t going to work. These past few months with her have been miserable and I just, I can’t do it. I know I fucked up Macy and I need you to forgive me. You and I were amazing together. We can be that way again.”
My jaw dropped as I heard those words come through the phone. This was some cruel joke and I was the butt of it. It felt like I were in the middle of a room of people and they were waiting to see if I were going to crack or not. Maybe I was being filmed for some stupid television reality show.
I
looked around to make sure Luke wasn’t standing nearby and whispered, “You have some damn nerve Trevor James do you hear me? We will never be anything ever again. Ever. And I mean that. I love Luke. I don’t love you anymore.”
“You’re lying Macy.
” He stated matter of fact. What the hell does he know? He doesn’t know my life anymore, it’s not his to know. “I’m leaving town in the morning. Please call me, we can work something out.”
I tried to keep my voice down in a whisper as I replied,
“I’m not lying and it’s your fault I’m not going to be in my best friend’s wedding. Leave me alone.”
“If she was really your best friend it wouldn’t matter if I were there or not. You would just suck it up and do it.”
I wish this conversation would have been happening in person because he would have gotten slapped in the face. Never in my life have I met someone so stupid.
“I’m not walking down any aisle with you it has nothing to do with her being my best friend. I have to go. Do not call me again Trevor and I mean it.”
Before he could say another word I ended the call and turned the phone off. A few tears threatened to fall from my eyes but I blinked them back. He was not allowed to affect me anymore and frankly I couldn’t wait until he left in the morning and was gone. Then this would be just another distant memory that I could tuck back with the rest of them.
In the midst of my thought, Luke snuck up behind me and
wrapped his arms around my waist. Instantly, the guilt started washing over me and I hated who I was becoming by holding all this back from him. But I held onto this moment with my whole heart.
As he stood with his arms around my waist he gently began kissing my neck as he asked,
“Everything ok with Halley?”
“Yeah she just needed an opinion on her invitations. She’s obsessed with all this wedding stuff. It’s getting old.”
“Yeah but you’re a really good friend to her, I know you don’t mind. That’s why I love you so much. You’re an amazing person.” He kissed my head and I tried desperately to smile, but I failed. I was glad he couldn’t see my face because I didn’t feel like the amazing person he thought I was. I felt horrible.
“I love you too Luke.” I turned my head to kiss his lips and grabbed his hand leading him out the door. As I got into the car I turned my phone back on to text Gary and let him know the bar was still standing. There were several text messages from Trevor on both his phone and Halley’s phone. I deleted all of them, not reading a single one. Reading them was only going to make it worse and I knew that if I were to reply, then he wouldn’t stop texting. When Gary didn’t reply right away I shut the phone back off and got lost in the moment with Luke. He held my hand on the way home and I tried my best to continue to push the night’s events as far back as I could. I kept waiting for Luke to start torturing me on the ride home, but he just held my hand. He was all talk apparently.
The apartment felt so cozy, I couldn’t wait to climb into bed and just fall asle
ep. Luke had other plans though, plans of torture or so he claimed. As soon as I changed into one of his t-shirts, he began to kiss my neck. I giggled trying to playfully push him away. His muscular arms were too much for me and I just gave in. The room was dark, the only light coming from the bathroom door that was cracked open. He continued to kiss my neck occasionally bringing his mouth to mine. My whole body was beginning to tingle. He just had that effect on me. He gently lowered me to the bed and held my hands above my head where I couldn’t touch him. No fair. I stuck my lip out and began to pout as he kept me from being able to touch him. He took his time feeling and tasting every inch of my body. I let out a soft moan and when I was almost to the brink, my moans continued to get louder and the last thought I had before he made love to me was, well guess I’ll be up a little longer. He could torture me anytime he wants. If this is torture, sign me up. That was perfectly ok with me.
Chapter 4
Luke was sound asleep next to me. The moonlight coming through the window made him look so peaceful. Like an angel. I really wanted to be asleep, especially after the amazing sex we had tonight, but I just kept tossing and turning. I tried lying on my side; usually I sleep so well that way because Luke holds me. That didn’t work. I tried my stomach and then my back. When neither of those worked I just kept flipping every way I could try to be able to rest. Trevor’s words kept playing over and over again in my head no matter how many times I tried to push them back.
“We were amazing together. We can be that way again. I love you. Taylor and I aren’t going to work. These past few months have been miserable.
Call me we can work something out. If you were really her friend you would suck it up and do it.”
I didn’t want him to be able to affect me but I couldn’t help it. He
really did no matter how hard I tried to fight it. In the worst kind of way. And I hated it. So much. The tears that I held back at The Lounge sprung back and I silently let them fall. I hated Trevor for making me begin to doubt my decisions. Why did he have to say those things to me? Why did he have to smile? It was bad enough I had to see him tonight. He should have never said anything to me. Sometimes silence is golden, doesn’t he know that? Ugh. Should I not have sent him away that night he was in my room? Could we have worked through his fuck ups and gotten back to where we were? Could I have forgiven him? Dammit, I missed him. I can’t believe I just admitted that to myself. Why did I miss him? He hurt me so bad, in the worst way. I probably shouldn’t have moved on as fast as I did, but everyone is different and well this worked for me. Luke came around at the best time he could. Who knows what would have happened to me if he hadn’t? I’d probably be just another alcoholic throwing pity parties in the bar. That or I’d be nothing but a train wreck destined to keep crashing over and over again. I cried silently for another few minutes then wiped my cheeks with the bed sheet and then made a vow. Trevor James would not affect me anymore. His memory would continue to be pushed back. I was in love with Luke. He made me happier than I’ve ever been in my life.
I glanced over at the clock and it was 4am. I groaned and rolled over on my side, grabbing Luke’s arm to wrap it around me. I needed to feel him with me. He held me tight and whispered he loved me. I whispered it back and finally was able to doze off.
The smell of bacon and biscuits filled the bedroom. I looked at the alarm and it was now 9am. Geez. I was still exhausted. Once I finally fell asleep I actually slept better than I do most nights. I needed more sleep though. I groaned and climbed out of bed. I grabbed a shirt of Luke’s that said ‘Grandma loves my tats’ and threw it on. My morning breath was pretty rank so I made my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I grabbed the Listerine and swooshed some around my mouth to complete the job. There, that felt much better.
Luke stood shirtless in the kitchen
cooking the last of the bacon. Halley and I had decided the first time we saw ‘Magic Mike’ that breakfast was definitely our favorite meal of the day. Seeing Luke shirtless in the kitchen confirmed what Channing Tatum told me. I loved Luke’s tribal tattoos across his back. I sauntered over towards him being as quiet as I could. Clumsy me stubbed my toe on the kitchen chair because I wasn’t paying attention and went stumbling into the table. A few choice words flew out of my mouth, none a mother would approve of. Good thing I didn’t care what my mother thought most of the time. Dammit that hurt. Luke turned away from the stove and began laughing at me and the hot mess I was.
“Are you ok?” He managed to say between laughing. I tried to glare at him and act pissed but it did no good with him. The anger faded and I began laughing with him.
“I was trying to sneak up on you and be sexy and I hurt my toe.” I gave him my best pouty face and he turned around to turn off the stove then made his way over to me kneeling down beside me. He began massaging my foot trying to ease my pain then brought his lips to meet mine.
“Feeling any better?”
“Eh, a little.” I stared into those gorgeous green eyes daring him to look away from me. He didn’t.
“Let’s go somewhere today. Me and you, just us this time I promise. No surprises.”
“What you got in mind?”
He leaned in closer, his lips so close I could almost taste them. It was pretty sexy if you ask me. I wanted to lean in and kiss him when he answered,
“Well first I’m going to pick my gorgeous clumsy girlfriend up off this floor and we’re going to eat breakfast. Then you’re going to get your bathing suit on and we’re going to go to the beach.”
I made a
n ohmigod really face and crinkled my nose. I wanted nothing more than a day alone with Luke. That wasn’t the issue. The issue was our beaches. Our beaches weren’t exactly the blue water you imagined when you thought of a beach, the water was yucky brown but people still went and hung out. I mean the water wasn’t toxic or anything but I just didn’t like not knowing what was on the bottom. It’s the same reason I never went swimming in the river. Sitting on the bank and watching everyone else play in the water was good enough for me.
“What’s that face for? I know they aren’t the prettiest thing but I think we’ll have fun.”
“We will, now pick me servant up so we can eat and go.” I smiled picking at him. He brushed the few strands of hair that hung in my face and tucked them behind my ear.
“You’re lucky I love you.” And with that he scooped me up and sat me in a chair. The bacon was amazing and he even cooked t
he biscuits without burning the bottom. That was a task I still struggled with. Ninety nine percent of the biscuits I ever attempted to bake all ended up burnt. They were eaten minus the bottom and Luke would tease me relentlessly. Damn, I was still learning how hot a domesticated man was.
After we ate I ran to throw my hair into a messy ponytail. The wind and water were going to wreak havoc on it anyway
so there was no point in even attempting to fix it. It absolutely drove me crazy to see these girls who acted like they were going to a beauty pageant. It’s just the beach; you don’t need twenty pounds of makeup and your hair doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect. What ever happened to natural beauty? He had it so easy. He just threw on a pair of navy blue board shorts with white flowers on them and a t-shirt. I dug through my drawer and found one of the only bikinis I owned. I know my body doesn’t look horrible in one, but I just was mainly self-conscious. I was tone, it’s not like the fat was pouring out like some of these women who had no shame. I turned around and put the pink and blue polka dot bikini on then threw a tank top and blue jean shorts over it. With luck, the bikini may not look like a dingy mess when we’re done. My luck, it would have a tan/brown color added to it and I’d probably never wear it again.I made sure I grabbed the sunscreen with our towels. I would definitely be as red as a crawfish if I didn’t use sunscreen and I’d have to pray that the aloe would kick in quickly.
“I’m ready when you are.”
I gave him thumbs up and the biggest sarcastic smile I could come up with, that’s how exciting I found our beaches to be. Really, I was trying so hard to be excited about this trip. He could see straight through my fake enthusiasm but he didn’t call me out on it.
Luke smiled at me with one of those megawatt smiles of his
and grabbed my hand. “Let’s get moving then.” He smacked my butt which made me jump, adding a little more pep in my step and I ran out the door. I’m surprised he wanted to take his car. If it were me, I would absolutely die if sand got in my car. The Civic would have handled it just fine; his car was his baby so I would have to be extra careful.
The air was just right
and the sun was shining in all its warm glory. You could actually roll the windows down and not be suffocated by humidity. The past few days have been like that, trust me I don’t complain about that at all. It’s refreshing to be able to actually breathe when you go outside. Days like this make me wish one of us had a convertible.
I cranked up the radio
as the Challenger roared to life and smiled at Luke. ‘Next To Me’ by Emeli Sande came over the speakers and I sang along while he looked like he wanted to go insane but he just smiled at me and gently squeezed my hand. I loved how perfectly my hand fit in his, almost like it was made just for this. Silently I thanked God for this moment with him. All these moments were the best of my life. Every single waking moment. He was just absolutely amazing and for that I was grateful.
The beach was a good almost forty minute drive from where we were and as we got closer he began changing the station to what he wanted. That was the beauty of satellite radio. We were always able to find something one of us wanted to listen to
and there were no commercials. Luke settled on one of the country stations and hummed along to a few songs and I couldn’t help but sing along when ‘Stuck Like Glue’ by Sugarland came on. He tried to out sing me a few times and dammit if he wasn’t almost winning. I would stop singing at times just to listen to his smooth voice. I wasn’t going down without a fight though and in the end I’d say it was a close tie.