Recklessly (33 page)

“How have you been doing with that, babe, the whole them moving away thing? I don’t like to push it with you because I know you don’t like to talk about it.” Part of this new role as boyfriend, this new crop of emotions, was wanting to make everything perfect for her, and it killed him that he couldn’t, especially with this. He had mulled over paying for her to go stay in Moscow for a few weeks once the Olins were settled there. Lana would strangle him, but her long-term happiness outweighed her short-term annoyance.

She shrugged. “Dealing.” She was quiet for a moment and she fiddled with the radio dials then she unbuckled her seatbelt to lean over and kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Wes.”

“For?”

“Putting up with me…”

“I’m not putting up with you. You’re no chore, baby girl. I mean, I honestly didn’t think you and me would become this when I met you—because I never think that—but I have no regrets. Wait, are you putting up with me?”

“No. Of course not. We’ve just come a long way since the Target parking lot…and the
Vices
bathroom.”

“We should recreate that moment, definitely,” Wes said, turning his head just slightly to look at her.

“A precious moment, indeed. Oh, and someday it’ll be something to tell everyone at the—” Lana snapped her mouth shut and looked away.
She was going to say wedding. Funny,
he thought. This was the most in-depth they had ever talked about the future, their future. It was still early in the relationship—too early for this discussion—but he thought about it sometimes, and he found it interesting that two people who lived for the next big moment were looking at the long-term.

To ease the sudden awkwardness, he chuckled and said, “You really want to read that book to me, huh?”

“Kinda. Well, yes.” Her finger was trapped between the pages of
Atonement.

“Okay, I do really abhor Briony, but I needed to delay your reading a little while until we were where I wanted us to be.”

“What are you up to, Wes Elliott?” she asked, but he only smiled as he veered onto CA-190 West. “Death Valley National Park…?” she said in confused apprehension as she stared at a sign. “Yeah, Wes, I’m down for most things, but camping is not one of them. We don’t even have gear or real food or anything…”

“So prissy. Who knew?” Wes said after he paid the entrance fee and drove forward. “We’re not staying, you dork. You think I’d pass up Caesar’s for this? But a guy can’t want to read with his girl under some actual stars? Sheesh!”

She gasped. “Really? Is this why you insisted on buying all that water and junk food at Target? And put the blankets in the back?”

Wes squeezed her thigh as he followed the signs on the road for a while, but he pulled onto an unpaved road and they drove for a few very bumpy minutes. It was a well-worn path, but his poor SUV, even if designed for off-roading, was taking quite the beating. Wes soon pulled off the dirt road and eased onto the gravel for an even bumpier drive. Damn, the things you did when you were more in love with a girl than your car.

Around them, it was a beautiful night, pure, like the way nature was meant to be enjoyed: bounded by far off mountains, flat lands stretching for miles in all directions, and under a cover of stars; It was an abyss out here, except for the occasional set of ghostly headlights flashing by in the distance.

“Serial killer territory. Damn, my baby knows what I like!” Lana said, when he turned the engine off and walked to the back of the car to get the blankets. It was eighty-five degrees tonight, but they were going to be sitting on the roof, which was probably dirty. “I
pity
those girls who are settling for dinner and a movie tonight.”

“I do what I can. Plus, I watched you hand those girls their asses in Tahiti. What’s an axe-wielding, desert-dwelling murderer, really?” he said when he reached her on the passenger side and she got out.

“You’ve got that right,” she teased with a hair flip.

“Okay. I’m going to give you a boost now. Step in the window and then just hoist yourself up.” He handed her the blankets, the book, water, his iPhone, a wireless Bluetooth speaker and snacks once she was up there. Wes climbed up after her and found her sitting on the blanket, hugging her knees to her chest and staring out into the vast nothingness.

He selected one of his playlists on his iPhone and turned the speaker up. “Ready?” he asked when he got settled, stretching out beside her. “Ready to make me
suffer
through
Atonement?
I promise I’ll keep my comments to myself.” He turned inspective eyes on her. “Don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind! I was already working through my anger!” Lana smiled when she focused on him, tears rimming her eyes, and Wes’ heart paddled through several beats very quickly. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “It’s…it’s just…this is it….”

Wes sat up, his face scrunching in concern, as he wrapped his arms around her. “What’s up? What’s
it
?”

Lana tucked her head beneath his chin. “The moment that makes me glad I hit you.”

*

Wes had Lana caged in the corner of the elevator, kissing her, even as the doors periodically opened. The people behind him were gasping and giggling, but he didn’t care; sometimes, you just wanted to make out with your girlfriend in public. And with the hotel hosting the weekend’s Surfing Expo in San Diego, it was going to be a long way down to the ground floor and a lot of making out. Just because he was respecting Lana’s wishes to not verbally stake a claim on her didn’t mean he didn’t want everyone to know she was his girl.

“You okay?” he whispered. She’d been quiet all morning.

“Yeah…just got a lot on my mind,” she said without smiling. Wes freakin’ hated it when she didn’t smile, so he kissed her until she did.

“Like?”

Her smile fell quickly. “Charlotte. Have you talked to her since the night we went to Vegas?”

Wes nodded. “She replied to my text telling me that once school settles down. She’ll come over to move her stuff out, and the three of us—me, her and Abel—can go out to lunch or something.”

“Is she upset with me still?”

“Probably, but I’ve been going through that night over and over in my mind…and I don’t think you were off base.”

“Hey, excuse me, you’re Wes Elliott, right?” a woman behind him said, just as he leaned in to kiss Lana again. Wes turned and nodded.

“Kelly. We met, like, three years ago here,” she said, and Wes looked her over, vaguely remembering. He extended his hand and shook hers.

“Oh, yeah. You work for…Pac Sun, right?” Wes said.

“Yeah! I’ve moved up in the company since then, but I’m still there. The board shorts Abel designed for Silk Board Ride is still one of our bestsellers. How is he?”

“Good! He’s around here somewhere…”

She smiled politely at Lana as her gaze coursed over her. “He’s still single, right?” she asked and Wes nodded.

“Tell him I said hi,” she replied right before she got off.

“Did you hit that, Wes Elliott?” Lana asked, amused, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

“Sure did.” He pulled her in front of him, locking his arms around her torso.

“Is this how it’s going to be all day?”

“Yup. Does that bother you?”

“Of course not! You’re with me now, and you have a past. I have a past. Although, your past is probably going to be making quite the appearance today and tonight.” One of the things he loved most about their relationship was that they were still friends, so they never shied away from conversations like this, and they joked a lot to each other about people they had been with. Their relationship had started out open, both literally and figuratively, and in a lot of ways it continued to be one of candidness, which he appreciated.

“Good, because the Silk Board Ride rep is going to be giving you dirty looks
all
afternoon. And you’re definitely allowed to be as territorial as you want. You can pull my hair at any time today, okay?”

“Oooh, I like that. Hey, do you think Dylan would want to rent a car and drive to Arizona with me sometime? I want to ask.”

“Whoa. Are you becoming friends with my best friend’s girl?”

“Trying to.” When the elevator doors separated this time, Brody and his boisterous entourage stepped into it.
And you thought my past was the one we had to worry about,
Wes joked to himself. Lana flinched for a moment, and soon she was rubbing her palms down the sides of Wes’ jeans, and he wasn’t sure if she was doing that to calm
him
or send a signal to Brody. The elevator didn’t get quiet, but it
did
get awkward. Tension rapidly heightened in Wes’ body, but he dipped his head down to Lana’s shoulder and kissed it.

“Hi, guys,” Lana said.

“Hey, Lany…” Brody replied. Wes clenched his fists as the sound of the nickname for her grated his eardrum.
If he calls her that again, I’m putting my fist through his face.

“Brody…come on,” Lana said.

“Sorry, force of habit,” Brody said, shrugging, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips.

“How are you? Excited for the Expo?” Lana asked. “Wes and I are. You both are talking to your sponsors’ buyers today, right?”

“Uh, yeah, me and assho…me and
Brody
are going to talk to the ClearWater guys…right?” Wes said, and he tested the limits of his hatred for the guy by extending his hand in his direction. Damn, the things he was willing to do for this woman. Lana was looking over at Brody, probably pleading with her eyes for him to take Wes’ hand. He looked at it as if he thought Wes might have spit in it first, but he did take it, though, with reluctance matching Wes’.

“Yeah…” Brody said with no modulation in his tone before he walked out to the Surfing Expo floor, that stupid shadow of a grin still on his mouth. The hustle and bustle was already in full effect, and Wes loved the Expo because it displayed the business and networking side of the surfing industry. It was also a chance for him to show that he took his job seriously…sometimes. He loved talking to the retailers and buyers, and he thought the surfers were much better at discussing the products since they actually used them.

“You want to walk around with me or are you good on your own?” he asked her.

“No, go work, baby. I’ll be fine!” she said with a kiss and a smile. He had asked out of courtesy, but he was glad she wanted to explore the place on her own. He watched her walk off, and thought about how much he
really
liked watching her walk off, before he went to mingle. He found her two hours later at the Wave Saver table, sketching something for the representative, who was nodding and smiling. He shoved his business card in her hands before she bounded for Wes.

“What was that?” Wes asked with excited curiosity.

“So, I know it’s weird, but I’ve always had a problem with the way the Wave Saver logo looked. I’m always redesigning things in my head, total artsy fartsy girl. But they haven’t changed it in years and it’s kinda outdated, so I told him…and he humored me and let me re-draw it the way I envisioned.”

“That’s awesome, babe. And I’m not surprised. Have you ever thought about that? Using your art for work?”

“Yes, I have thought about it,” she said with a forced smile as she linked arms with him.

“And?” he prompted.

“
And
I’m not interested. It’s something I
love
doing. Why ruin it by making it
work?
” She turned her head to him, that defiant stare of hers fixed on her face. “You said you didn’t care that I was a server at
Vices
and that I taught Bar Method
,
right? Is that still the case?”

“Yeah…” he said stroking her face.

“So, let me be a server at
Vices
and teach Bar Method.”

“
Okay,
I didn’t get mad when you added your two cents in about my surfing, but I don’t care about that at all. I was just—”

“Wes, just let it be.”

He pushed back verbally. “I think you’re talented, Lana. I’m not going to shut up about wanting people to see it.”

“Okay, I
know
I’m talented and I’m thankful for your support, but not wanting a job in the art industry isn’t something that has to do with fear or laziness or anything, so I don’t need the push, Wes. Or want it. Don’t make that some cause for you…don’t try to make me
Lana, well-renowned artist.
My art is mine and I don’t want to change that. The Wave Saver guy and I were just having a conversation. It wasn’t supposed to be some catalyst—”

“Jesus, dude, no one is trying to change you!” Wes ended the conversation by pressing a kiss to her mouth because he didn’t want to argue anymore, and he was glad when she just relented and kissed him back.

Chapter 11 Ru(i)n

The trade show industry party was already in full swing when he and Lana arrived, and high-pitched squeals erupted at the sight of them.

It was an outdoor ultra lounge party on the fifth floor pool deck of the same hotel, overlooking a stretch of beach: sleek, conversation piece furniture arranged in groups around the pool, cabanas lit with neon lighting, a hotel, trance music, trendy cocktails and small plates, and a giant screen on the outside wall flashing photos of past surfing events. Wes was sure there was a dress code, but he threw on a red Lava shirt, black Lava hat, jeans and Converses, anyway; Lana wore a sleeveless black bandage dress with flat sandals.

“My boyfriend, the pussy magnet,” Lana whispered, and he squeezed her butt.

“What did I tell you about saying that word…” he whispered back.

“Hey, Wes…” Sloane Benson said as she walked up to them. Wes had forgotten that she worked for Switchfoot Sally, a women’s surfing apparel brand, which was why she was at the trade show.

“Hi. You’re Benzo, right?” Lana said, smiling and jutting her hand out.

Sloane dragged her eyes from Wes to Lana. “
Sloane,
actually.”

“Sloane…hi,” Lana said as she forced her laugh away. “Lana.”

“So, are
you
going to be free at all tonight?” Sloane asked, and Lana snickered.