Tear (A Seaside Novel) (3 page)

It was probably Abercrombie. I swear they put pheromones in that stuff.

“Run along,” Alec said over the top of my head.

Demetri nodded once and walked away, but not before giving me a seductive wink.

I exhaled, not realizing I had been holding my breath. Alec’s hand moved across my shoulder until his arm was around me. I stumbled in shock.

“You sure do that a lot,” he said without looking at me.

I watched his face as his eyes scanned the hallways. He was walking me out the door as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Clearly he had lost his mind.

“Trip?” I offered.

He nodded.

Apparently Demetri got the personality in this family.

“I can’t help it, I’m clumsy.” I shrugged, liking the way the weight of his arm felt on my neck and shoulders.

“Yes. You are.”

“Well…” I stepped out of his embrace. “As stimulating as this conversation’s been I got a ton of homework tonight, so I’ll see ya later.” I walked away but froze in my tracks when I heard gut-wrenching laughter behind me.

I whipped around and truly wished I would have just kept walking. Then I wouldn’t have seen the way Alec’s smile totally transformed his face. The twinkling green eyes basically glowing on the tan skin. He lifted his hands into the air in surrender and approached me.

My inability to breath was not helping the situation.

“You think I’m boring, don’t you?”Alec seemed amused as he leaned in closer to me.

Exhausted, I laughed and put my hands on my hips, fighting to keep myself from making eye contact. “Yes. But you’re pretty to look at, so as long as someone doesn’t scratch your face off, you’ll always have that!”

I slugged him like we were on some sort of baseball team and laughed. The look of horror on his face was priceless. Clearly, he was also used to getting exactly what he wanted.

“Sorry.” Still laughing he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m not used to much social interaction.”

“Says the poor afflicted rock star.”

“Girl’s got bite, I like that.” He winked. “Can I walk you to your car?”

“Are we stuck in the fifties?”

“It is Seaside,” he countered, offering me his arm.

Well, really what else could I do but take him up on the offer? I rolled my eyes and took it. “You gonna carry my books too?”

“Wait, do guys still do that?”

“It is Seaside,” I reminded him.

He took my books as if they weighed about a pound and walked me to my truck.

Alec’s eyes scanned the ride in approval. “Beautiful girl, drives a truck, hates rock stars… Hmm, I just might write a song about you.”

My heart hammered in my chest but I kept myself in check. “Is this where I’m supposed to swoon and tattoo your name on my ass?”

“You don’t have to swoon.” He leaned in, his body shielding me from the school and all air that smelled like anything other than his cologne. “But can you make sure to spell it with just one L?”

I rolled my eyes. “Why are you here?”

“I like you.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, feeling that all too familiar blush. “But I meant Seaside, Oregon. It’s literally the most boring place on Earth. Well, I guess that’s not true. That title actually goes to Boring, Oregon.”

His smile tightened a bit as he licked his lips and then looked away. “I’ll see you later, Nat.”

He walked off without an explanation. His mood had changed again.

I jumped into my car and shook my head. This had to have been the weirdest day in my existence.

My cell rang. I slipped it out of my pocket. “Crap!” It wasn’t mine. I still had Alec’s cell. How could I have forgotten that?

I looked at the screen. It was flashing my number. I wanted to drop the cell like a hot potato or at least hide it or something. Oh my gosh, he’s going to think I seriously stole his cell phone like some crazy stalker!

Without any other option, I answered with a shaky hello.

“Naughty girl stole my brother’s cell phone,” the voice said mockingly.

“Hey, Demetri.”

“Hey yourself.” His voice sounded deeper on the phone. My body shivered involuntarily.

After a few awkward seconds I asked, “Is there something you needed?”

“That depends.”

“On?”

“If you’re offering to help me with my… needs.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“Aw, thanks sweetheart.”

“Look.” My hands shook as I tried to calm myself down. “I didn’t mean to keep Alec’s phone. Is there a place I can drop it off or something?”

Silence and then, “Why don’t you just keep it until tomorrow? We’ll see you at school and I’ll make the swap.”

“He’s going to know his phone’s missing. Besides, he has mine.”

“I know. I’ve already hacked into it. High School Musical, Nat, really?”

I groaned aloud and fought the urge to bang my head against the steering wheel. “It’s good running music.”

“So is the entire Hannah Montana soundtrack. Doesn’t mean you put it on your playlist, Nat.”

“Wait. How do you know the Hannah Montana soundtrack is good running music?”

“That’s beside the point. We’re talking about you now.”

“Did you need anything else?” I snapped.

“Are you offering?”

“Bye, Demetri.” I hit end and ignored the silly butterflies that had taken up permanent residence in my stomach. I refused to be one of those girls.

I looked back at the school. It was as if you could see a wave of lust blow through the front door as girls walked out and began texting on their phones, hiking up their skirts, and giggling obnoxiously. No doubt each of them wanted a chance with the guys. And again, I refused to be one of those girls. If anything, it made me want to put on baggy sweats just so I could set myself apart from the groupies.

At any rate, I had a crap-load of homework but my job was calling my name. I quickly put the truck in drive and made my way over to Seaside Taffy.

Chapter Three

“Hey Evan,” I called. The door jingled when I walked in. I was immediately hit with the sweet smell of taffy and homemade ice cream cones.

“Nat, didn’t think you’d make it.” Evan gave me a wicked grin and nodded his head in approval. “Had a little bad boy run-in in the school parking lot, did ya?”

“I hate you.”

I threw on my pink Seaside Taffy visor and tied my apron.

“You want him.”

“Who?” I grabbed a piece of taffy and popped it in my mouth.

Evan punched me in the shoulder like I was a dude and laughed. “Who cares!? All the girls want them both. I would give my right n—”

“Language.” Our boss suddenly appeared from the back office and narrowed his eyes at us.

Evan lifted up his hands in surrender. “I was going to say…” Evan bit his lip in thought.

I rolled my eyes. “Sorry, Mr. Dexter. I’ll be sure to keep Evan on a short leash today.”

Mr. Dexter was really weird about any of his employees using slang or bad language. In fact, he preferred we say golly instead of gosh. True story. Maybe it was because the entire store looked like the fifties threw up on it. At any rate, poor Evan still hadn’t received a raise, even after working there for a year. He kept getting yellow slips in his employee box to remind him not to say things like ass to children.

Mr. Dexter disappeared and shut the office door behind him.

I started cutting the taffy to give out for free samples.

“So…” Evan came up beside me. “You going to tell me what Mr. Rock Star wanted?”

I shrugged. “He was just taking my books to my car.”

Evan choked on a piece of taffy. “Nat, I promise you, he wanted to take more than your books to your car.”

“That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Yes it does,” Evan argued. “He wanted to take you to your car and throw you in the backseat, have his way with you, have sweaty, angry, se—”

“Evan?” Mr. Dexter appeared behind us again.

I bit my tongue to keep from laughing.

Evan sighed. “I was going to say sweaty, angry…”

The guy really needed to think on the spot better.

With a curse, Evan followed Mr. Dexter into the back room, most likely to get another yellow slip, and I continued cutting the taffy. Today was a shorter shift, which I was thankful for. My concentration wasn’t exactly on.

Alec’s phone buzzed in my pocket.

I looked back at the office door to make sure it was closed, then pulled it out.

I FND IT OFFNSV THT U PSWD PRTCTD UR FB.

I laughed and texted him back.

I FND IT OFFNSV THT UR TRYNG 2 HAK MY FB. DO U HV NO 1 ELS 2 TORTURE?

I slipped the phone back into my jeans pocket and sighed.

Within seconds he texted me back. Okay, so I was grinning like an idiot. I couldn’t help it.

NO. NO. I DNT. BESIDES. I CHOOSE U. U R MY VICTIM. & I WILL HAK UR FB & TWTR IF ITS THE LST THNG I DO. SIGH. IM BORD. THS IS WHT MY LFE HS COME 2.

I texted him back quickly. I RFSE 2 FEEL SRY 4 U. UR A RKSTR. GT OVR IT. Y DNT U WRT A SONG? HA HA.

The office door swung open. I nearly dropped the phone, but managed to slip it into my pocket just as Evan came out.

“I’m never getting a raise.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Did you really think you would? You do have this problem where all you do is talk and talk and talk and—”

“I get it, Nat.” He cut me off and turned on the radio.

The announcer was gushing about AD2. “…
and the guys are rumored to be going to school at Seaside! Here’s their latest
hit,
‘Without’.
”

“I have a feeling I’m going to want to burn every AD2 poster I see before the year’s out,” I said.

“Ouch.”

I looked up. Alec Daniels was standing right in front of me. Ripped jeans, ripped arms, and brooding stare. I gulped.

“Want some taffy?”

I want to die. I just offered Alec Daniels taffy like he was a five-year-old in need of a sugar rush.

“Uh, sure.” He grabbed a freshly cut piece and tossed it into his mouth. I couldn’t help but watch as he licked his lips. Gosh, I needed to get out more or at least date. I was turning into every other girl.

Evan nudged me in the side.

“Ugh.”
Great, Nat.
Brilliant start
. “Can I help you with something?”

Alec leaned forward, his hands clenching the counter top. “Yup. I just need a bag of taffy. It’s for my brother.”

“Okay, what kind?”

Alec looked around, his eyes widened as he took in the hundreds of flavors. “Um, I…”

I laughed. “Here let me help.” I walked around the counter and grabbed a bag. “Everything’s labeled on the side. Here’s fruit flavors, and this aisle has the more odd flavors like buttered popcorn, and down here is the alcohol-flavored ones.”

“That aisle.” He pointed to the alcohol one. “That’s perfect.”

I wasn’t about to butt in and ask why, so I went to the aisle and picked a few from every bin. “Here you go.”

His hand brushed mine as he grabbed the bag. I felt myself blush. I took a step back and quickly returned to the counter.

I could feel his stare on me as he followed me back.

“How much?”

I took the bag and weighed it. “Fifteen dollars and ninety-two cents.”

Alec reached back into his jeans and pulled out his wallet. He placed a fifty on the counter. “Keep the change. Thanks, Nat.” He glanced toward Evan and nodded.

It was silent for about five minutes after Alec left.

“And again…” Evan laughed next to me. “I’d give my right nut to—”

“Evan!” Mr. Dexter yelled.

I patted Evan on the back and tried to be nonchalant. But there was something about Alec that drew me toward him. He seemed so different than Demetri, so guarded. I pulled out the phone and then wanted to smack myself. I could have given Alec his phone back. He must think I wanted to hold it hostage or something. And what type of person doesn’t password protect their own phone? Especially a celebrity.

I looked at the phone again and hit pictures.

He had over three hundred.

I knew it was wrong to scroll through them. Just as my finger touched the first one, Mr. Dexter’s voice rang loud and clear through the store. I quickly put the phone away and finished my shift.

Chapter Four

I desperately needed to give that cursed phone back to Alec and Demetri. I seriously had to set it away from my homework station, so I wouldn’t be tempted to peek at the pictures. It didn’t help that Demetri felt the need to text me every second annoying the heck out of me and making me smile more than I’d care to admit.

The phone buzzed again.

STP IGNRNG ME. LTS GO PRTY.

I rolled my eyes and quickly texted back. I DNT PRTY. I’M UNDRAGE. SO R U. DNT U HV HMWK?

The same math problem I’d been working on for the past hour stared back at me. The phone buzzed again.

I SUK AT MTH. I ND HLP. I MAY GT A TUTOR…U UP 4 THE JB?

I bit my lip. U DO KNW A TUTOR ISNT A PROSTITUTE, RT?

His reply was quick. DAMN, I KNEW I HD THSE 2 MXD UP.

I laughed and tucked the sleek phone under my pillow in bed. I needed to think about getting to sleep if I was going to have to face those two guys tomorrow without fainting at their feet. I yawned and closed my math book, then turned off my bedroom’s lights and climbed into bed. On impulse I pulled out Alec’s phone and texted Demetri goodnight. He didn’t reply. I shouldn’t have been upset over it. But I kind of was. I told myself to stop being stupid as I waited for the screen to blink with his message. I closed my eyes and then five minutes later.

I checked the phone again. No messages.

My thumb hovered over the pictures.

With a curse, I clicked on the icon and scrolled through them.

Immediately, I wished I wouldn’t have.

The pictures were amazing. Not your typical rock star bad boy pictures. But pictures of sunsets, vacations, and… puppies? Oh my gosh! No way was this for real. Alec was supposed to have pictures of strippers and whores. It just showed how little I really knew about him. I suspected he was the bad boy of the bunch, but then again, Demetri was always shown as being the player between the two of them, at least on the gossip sites and entertainment TV.