The Beginning of Us (295 page)

We start our day of sisterly bonding by going to one of the best day spas in LA. Chloe has booked us the morning with all the works. This is all too much; I’ve never gotten a facial, let alone spent the day getting pampered like this.

"Thanks so much for doing this with me today Char."

"Um, shouldn't I be thanking you Chloe. You are making me feel like a celebrity with all these treatments."

"It’s the least I can do for you baby girl. You always do so much for me, so think of this as a repayment."

"I can handle that, thanks sis." I tell her with a big smile.

"So tell me why you came out here to see me."

"Why, what do you mean? I wanted to visit my big sis. You just told me the other day to come out, so I did."

"Nice try Char, I know you better than that. Plus my boyfriend kind of clued me in on what happened Saturday night. Want to talk to me about it?"

I take in a deep breath. Do I want to talk about this? God, I need advice and who better to ask than my big sister.

"Chloe?" I look over at her and a tear trickles down my face.

"Yea, sweetie?" She puts her hand on my arm and slowly starts to brush back and forth in a comforting rhythm.

"I don't think...I don't know."

And she cuts me off.

"Look I know what Marc did to you was awful, no one deserves to be lied to and cheated on the way he did to you. You have to remember that none of it was your fault. He was a complete jack ass and was unhappy with himself in many ways. You two were so wrong for each other from the start, but you always saw the good in him. You always see the good in everyone. That is why we all love you so much sweetie."

By this point I was full blown crying while we sat in the whirl pool waiting for our massages.

"I just don't think I can ever love again. Marc was my first everything and it just seemed to all line up until he got caught. I know I need to move past it all, but I can't."

"You can and you will. Char you are absolutely gorgeous, have the body I would kill for, and deserve to be happy. I am quite certain this Riley fellow is just as smitten with you as you are with him. Just admit it girl."

"I wonder if he is thinking about me like this too. The weird part about it all is that I haven't known him for all that long, but there is this connection that draws me to him like a magnet. And his touch, oh god his touch is like little bolts of electricity shooting through my body. I just can't get enough of it. I actually crave it."

"God Char, you have it worse than Derrick and I thought. So then you know what you need to do. Now wipe away those tears, sit up straight and enjoy your day of pampering. Cause tomorrow when you fly back in to Boston someone will be waiting for you and you need to be ready to accept him and be happy."

"You are too kind dear sister of mine. You know you can really be quite convincing. You could’ve been the lawyer instead of Derrick."

"Ha-ha, not a chance. Derrick can run circles around me in the court room and bedroom for that matter. God I miss that man."

See I knew it would only take time till the conversation would turn back to her and Derrick, but at the same time she has a valid point.

Tomorrow I fly back in to Boston and the first thing I want to do is see Riley. It’s time to live my life for me and forget about my horrid relationship past.

RILEY

I could not ask for a better job. This place is amazing and I feel as though I’ve been a part of this team for years. Roger has done a great job of introducing me to everyone that works within the building as well as some of the crews that we subcontract out.

Since it is Friday night, a bunch of the guys on the crew are planning on taking me out for a surprise. They say it’s part of the initiation process into Taylor & Sons Contracting and I can only imagine what they’ve got in store for me tonight. I get the last minute meeting details and tell the guys I’ll meet up with them in an hour or so.

Heading home I’m anxious for my first week of work to be over, but at the same time I’m so relieved I’ve found a place I can call home.

Just as happy as I am with my work life, I wish there was more to my personal life to go home and look forward to as well.

Char is flying back in tomorrow from LA and I almost want to meet her at the airport, sweep her up in my arms, and touch her for the rest of the night.

But I wake back up into reality and realize there is no chance of me and Char becoming more than just friends. It’s time to move on and see who else may be willing to spend some one-on-one time with me.

I pull into the place the guys wanted to meet. I have no clue where I am or what is about to go down, but I’m up for just about anything. And I mean anything to get the thoughts and images of Char erased from my mind.

I send a quick text to Tony, the electrical contractor, to let him know I’m here. Within a few minutes he sends one back letting me know that Chris, the plumbing contractor and Pete, the design contractor are a few minutes down the road.

I wait for the three musketeers to arrive when I notice some ladies walking to the back door of the building. What the fuck. Are they strippers, did these douche bags bring me to a strip club?

Well if anything is going to get Char out of my mind a strip club is the place to be....party on Riley.

The guys pull in a few minutes later and I meet them aside of Tony's car.

"You ready to officially be made a man of the crew?" Tony says as he throws a hi-five in the direction of Pete and Chris.

"I’m up for just about anything tonight guys." I say as I follow them to the front door.

"Good deal Riley, let's live it up tonight." Chris says with a pat to my back.

I enter the club and feel a bit out of place. The lights are dim down low and the music is upbeat and full of bass. There are women everywhere and men who are drooling all over them. Seriously there is not a single empty seat in this joint. I don't want to be here, but I don't have much of a choice. The one woman I do want does not want me.

I talk as if I could be that type of guy that just picks up a chick and screws her senseless to get another female off the brain, but that isn’t me. I was brought up to be a bit more respectful than that. Damn it to hell, why do I have to be such a good guy?

Well I can still have fun without getting myself into too much trouble. The guys find us a table in the back corner and we all take a seat. In less than five seconds a bleach blonde comes on over to us and asks what we want to drink. We all order a round of beers and a shot of whiskey for each of us.

"So what does this whole initiation entail tonight? I don't have to get up there and dance on stage do I?" I ask.

"Damn that’s a good idea you got there Riley, but we are a bit more discrete than that. We are a lot more talk and a lot less show. Still we can show you a good time while we get you drunk." Chris says with a smile.

"Yea, no real rules to live by tonight for ya man. We are just here to have some fun and watch ya squirm. After all, rumor has it you are dating Bryce's youngest daughter Char. We don't want to go back to work on Monday and all get fired for getting you into trouble with little miss." Pete says with a serious look in his eye.

"Wait, what do you mean rumor has it?" I ask and look at each of the guys in the eye.  

"Don't panic Riley, we all know Derrick and through the years he has dated Chloe we all soon come to find out the scoop. Just be careful with Char, she is Bryce's favorite of the two girls. If he finds out you are screwing his daughter he is going to be pissed." Tony laughs while putting his hands up in defense.

"Who the hell said I was screwing anyone let alone Char?" I say in a pissed tone.

This conversation is not getting me anywhere and the last thing I need is for Bryce to get the wrong idea.

"Look I don't know what is going on and it’s none of our business. Just take our advice and tread lightly when it comes to Char. She’s been hurt by some asshole in college and ever since she refuses to date anyone seriously." Chris shares with a look of compassion.

These guys know the Taylor girls well and they all seem to care about what happens in their lives.

We drink a few more rounds and by the end of the night I’m feeling damn good. Not thinking I’m capable of driving I send a text to Derrick and ask him to come get me.

Derrick pulls into the parking lot of the club and I wave the guys off while shouting that I will see them all Monday at the office.

Tonight was okay, I’m a survivor and left with my morals intact.

Tomorrow is a brand new day and the day Char flies back into Boston and my life. After listening to the guys tell me how careful I need to be with Char, I decide that I’m going to live my life day by day. Derrick had a good point earlier this week when he said if we are meant to be, she will come back to me.

And with that last thought I curl up in my king size bed and pass out for the night.

Chapter 14

Saturday August 25, 2012

CHAR

I didn’t think saying good bye to Chloe would be as hard as it was this morning. The visit to LA was not just beneficial for me, but for my relationship with my sister as well. I feel as though our bond has been made stronger. She helped me to gather the closure I needed to let my past with Marc go.

After Chloe and I had our morning of pampering at the day spa, we went for a nice lunch at a local tea room and did some shopping in all of Chloe's favorite shops. For dinner we met up with Mom and Dad. It was the perfect evening to end our trip to LA.

While saying our goodbyes at the airport, Chloe promises she’ll be home for the holidays. I tell her that we have to do something special just the two of us and make sure to spend more time together between LA and Boston.

I love my sister dearly and would do just about anything to help her. I know the same goes for her and that she will always be here for me. All I need to do is open up and tell her how I’m feeling. Thanks to Chloe I’m ready to live my life for me and open my heart again.

Since I was not able to get a seat with Mom and Dad on the way back home, Dad was generous enough to switch seats with me. Mom, of course, took this opportunity to dig in and get answers to questions driving her mad all week.

"So baby girl, do tell." Mom asks with a twinkle to her eye.

"Mom, what do you mean, do tell?" I ask with a coy smirk.

"Charlotte Jayde, I’m your mother and can tell when you are happy, sad, hurting, lying, and every other emotion you can portray. I know that when you called me last Saturday something was up, but I let you go in hopes you would come to me and spill the beans."

You got to love Mom and her pushiness to be more nurturing. I always had a great relationship with both my parents. Even though I look and act a lot more like my father, my mother and I still have an incredible relationship that I would be lost without.

"You are so on to me Mom, how do you do it?" I say with a wink.

"I love you baby girl and I want you to know how very proud Daddy and I are of you. I don't know what I would do if it were you living on the other side of the country, but for now I will enjoy having you in my own backyard. You can still always come and talk to me. I have great shoulders to cry on and can still dish the best advice."

"I appreciate you and Daddy for all that you’ve done for me and Chloe. I know that you are here for me and I’m so glad we are this close. Things just haven't been right for me in the dating department and I keep pushing people away because I’m afraid. Chloe helped me to open up and understand that things between Marc and I were not my fault. I know I’m ready to open my heart again and I have a feeling I know the man I want to do that with."

I look deep into my mom’s eyes and I can see happiness in her that I haven’t noticed in a long time.

"Sweetie, we just want you to be happy. Marc played us all for fools, so you were not alone in that aspect of things. If what Derrick and Chloe say is true, I have a feeling there is someone out there for you that will make you happy. You just have to give love a chance. Promise me you will take the time to focus on just you and your happiness. Chloe and Derrick will be fine without your mediator techniques." She says with a giggle.

God I love my mom more than anything. I thought Chloe helped me gain closure, but while talking to my mom I feel even better. I know what I need and want to do; I just hope it isn't too late.

RILEY

Holy fuck, my head is spinning and pounding more that I think it ever has. I glance over to my alarm clock and see that it’s already 9:45 in morning. Damn I slept in again...shit. Poor Manny is getting the raw end of the deal with me lately.

I look over and see that he is not on his bed and figure either he stood up and let himself out of the room or Derrick was nice enough to let him out for me.

I make my way down stairs in search of some pain medication and a nice cup of caffeine. I know nothing is going to cure my hangover in the next few hours, but I still need to make a break for it and try to function.

"Hey roomy!" Derrick screams as he passes behind me heading to the fridge.