Layers Peeled (22 page)

“Hey, I
thought you’d be upstairs helping Sam.” I sat down in the chair
beside her.

“She’s just
taking a shower. But I’m glad you’re here.”

You
are?
I thought to myself.

“We never got
a chance to talk when I got here.”

I wondered
what she wanted to talk about. Tristan? Maybe she wanted to tell me
she wasn’t over him? Kendra must have sensed my confusion because
she continued.

“I wanted to
say thank you, though I don’t think that’s nearly enough for what
you’ve done for me.”

I felt the
tension let go in my shoulders. Feeling Kendra was about to share
much more, I kept quiet.

“You saved my
life in that hotel. You didn’t have to, but you did.”

“That’s where
you’re wrong. I did have to. I couldn’t disappoint Tristan. It
would break him if he didn’t get you out. He really cares about
you.”

“Really?”

Had I just
opened a can of worms?

“Yes. He felt
responsible for your...”

Shit, Allie,
this isn’t the time to bring up the maid of honor’s past!

“It’s all
right. You can say it. Drugs, drinking, a downward spiral into hell
where I didn’t care about my friends or family. All that mattered
was forgetting the pain of rejection. And instead of having a tub
of cookie-dough ice cream like a normal woman, I chose to damage my
body, my self-respect, and place everyone around me in danger.
I
was the Queen of Bitches, Allie. For God’s sake, my best
friend almost died.”

She leaned her
head back, searching through what must have been some painful
memories.

Wow! Whatever
Julian was doing with Kendra must have worked. Apparently, instead
of staying at a clinic, she’d been at Julian’s house the entire
time. This was the most honest self-assessment I’d ever heard from
anyone.

I took her
hand into both of mine. My heart ached for her in similar way it
had for Marissa. It amazed me how a few simple decisions could
change a person’s life. We’ve all been guilty of it, some to
greater extent than others. Thankfully, with Julian’s help, Kendra
was now able to learn how to make the right choices.

“You’ve gone
through a lot, and you have a wonderful family that cares about
you.”

“That’s just
it. I’m not even family, and the Crosses have always been there for
me. Ever since my parents passed, they treated me as if I was one
of their children.”

“You grew up
without a father or a mother?”

“It’s a long
story.” She waved her hand, “One I don’t quite understand myself
When we come back home I’ll give you a call to tell you all about
it.”

It sounded
like I wasn’t the only one with a complicated past.

“Well, from
what I know about the Crosses, you don’t have to be blood-related
to be part of their family.”

She smiled
with the kindest smile I wasn’t expecting.

“I think
you’re right. That’s what Julian’s been saying the entire
time.”

“So you and
Julian...”

I wanted to
ask her whether they were together, but I didn’t have the nerve. In
truth, I guiltily needed to know her intentions toward Tristan. A
faint hint of rose covered her cheeks.

“We’re taking
things slowly. The last thing I want is to jump into something I’m
not comfortable with or don’t understand. At least that’s what my
counselor is saying. She comes to see me at the house every second
day.”

“Whatever
they’re doing, looks like it’s working.”

“It’s a
process. Allie, I wouldn’t have gotten another chance at life if it
hadn’t been for you. For that, I will be forever grateful and
forever in your debt. Whatever you need, please know you will
always find a friend in me.” She now lowered her hand to encase my
palms, squeezing gently.

“The same goes
for you,” I said.

“I may have to
take you up on that in the New Year.”

I wondered
what she meant by that. I had a feeling what happened in that hotel
room, what I’d seen and knew she had gone through, our fight to
survive in the bathroom and alley, connected us at a level neither
one of us would ever understand. Perhaps she wanted to talk some
more—I truly wouldn’t mind that at all. As much as Kendra said she
owed me her life, I also owed mine to her. After all, she could
have left me with Martinez, free to run and save herself. Yet she
chose to come back for me. Kendra was a stronger woman than many
probably gave her credit for.

“Have you seen
the decorations downstairs? I thought this was supposed to be low
key.” I tried to concentrate as I adjusted Tristan’s bow tie. In
his full wedding ensemble he looked ready to step onto a movie set
of Sexy and Hot, and I found it difficult not to imagine taking his
clothes off already.

“This
is
low key. It’s just the family.”

“So you
haven’t seen the indoor winter wonderland?”

“I have. What
can I say, Emma and my mother like to decorate.” He shrugged and
then took me by my hips. “Now how long before I can get this dress
off you?” He tugged at my lilac strap.

“Too long. I
don’t know how I’m going to resist all this.” I slid my hands down
his back and squeezed his tight behind.

“You keep
doing that and I’ll need to get dressed all over again.” That spark
in his eyes seemed too inviting, but with five minutes to spare
that wasn’t nearly enough time to do to Tristan all the things that
were brewing in my mind.

“You need to
go see your cousin and give him some sort of a pep talk.”

“The two of
them are so in love, they don’t need a single guy to give them
advice.”

“Single, you
say?”

“Well, not
married at least. Yet.”

“Yet?” The
comment got me nervous for a moment. What was going on in that head
of his?

“One day,
maybe. But not yet.”

I brushed the
nerves aside and decided to go back to a safer topic. “I may have
to tie you down if you keep calling yourself single.”

“That sounds
more like a promise than a threat.”

“I don’t mean
with rope.”

“I know,
Allie.”

“Does it scare
you?” I asked. “Thinking about the future?”

“Not when
you’re in it.” He pulled me in for a smooch-fest, and I forgot
where I was. Why was it that every single time Tristan kissed me,
the world around us seemed to disappear? I felt my body mold
against his, my breasts pressing into his chest, rising higher with
each breath. Tristan held his arms around me, one hand on the back
of my head, gently guiding me deeper toward him. The smell of his
aftershave and taste of coffee mixed with a hint of mouthwash made
me open my mouth that much wider. Within seconds I felt his arousal
harden against my belly.

When he pulled
away, we were both breathing heavily, our foreheads resting against
each other, heaving as if we’d just climbed the Alps.

“I promise to
have you all to myself before the night is over,” he said into my
mouth.

“Good, and
I’ll make sure you keep that promise.”

“Allie, you
won’t be able to stop me even if it’s in the middle of the living
room downstairs.”

“I’d much
prefer a more private encounter.”

“If you keep
kissing me like this, it won’t matter.” He then added, “So the
newlyweds aren’t the only ones getting lucky tonight?”

“Play your
cards right, and you may definitely have some luck as well.” I
winked before stepping into the bathroom.

“I’ll have
that chat with Gabe after all. See you downstairs?”

“Yes, I need a
minute before I join you.”

The truth was,
a new kind of nerve swirled inside me – one I didn’t recognize. I
needed to calm my pulse before going downstairs to witness a
wedding with Tristan standing there as if he were the groom.

Keep it
together, Allie. It’s just a wedding, and it’s not your
wedding.

At that
moment, I promised myself that if I ever got married, I’d want it
to be a truly low-key event. Wishes did come true to those who were
patient, didn’t they?

* * *

The weather
held up that afternoon. As Sam and Gabe exchanged their vows under
the beautiful gazebo, I watched Tristan, standing a few feet away
from his friend, looking like the hottest man alive. I just
couldn’t keep my gaze away from him and took the opportunity to
fully drink him in. Even if I knew he preferred the comfort of
something less formal, he sported his perfect tailor-made suit like
a pro. Every hair and light strand on his head was combed, then
ruffled into place, and gently lifted to add extra volume. The
natural look with a touch of gel suited Tristan as much as it did
Gabe and Julian. But then again, any look they wore was a
panty-dropping one.

The way
Tristan admired the couple made my heart go pitter-patter. But when
I looked to the left, where Kendra stood at Sam’s side, I couldn’t
help but feel an ounce of jealousy tug at my heart. Julian sat
beside his father, watching her with intent. But it seemed today,
instead of focusing on the person who’d been helping her recover
during the past month and a half, Kendra was choosing the younger
brother, Tristan. Why was she looking at him that way? What did she
want? I recognized the expression as my own, a loving one full of
desire and expectation for Tristan Cross.

It lasted not
more than a few seconds, but enough for me to realize she wasn’t
over Tristan the way she claimed; or perhaps she had unfinished
business to discuss with him. Would he reciprocate if she told him
the truth? No, I couldn’t believe that. Tristan loved me and our
baby. We would be a family—the peaceful kind I’d always wanted,
without stalking exes. And after our conversation this morning, I
believed Kendra’s intentions were honorable.

For a moment I
wished it was us standing up there, in front of the priest, saying
our vows. The thought didn’t scare me at all. I had thought it
would, but it didn’t. In fact, there was something comforting
knowing that the father of my baby could be my husband. But wasn’t
that too fast? It didn’t seem to matter for Sam and Gabe. They’d
only known each other for a couple months longer than me and
Tristan, and I’d never seen anyone as much in love as they
were.

Sam looked
stunning as always, wearing a white faux-fur rippled cape over her
shoulders, mesmerized by the man she was about to marry.

Sam and Gabe
said their ‘I do’s’ and my gaze flew back to Tristan. I caught him
starring at me with the most loving and confused expression I’d
seen. What was he thinking? That sexy scar lifted by a fraction on
his upper lip as he winked at me. And the room shrank, and the
guests disappeared, and I felt like the luckiest woman alive.

“You may now
kiss your wife,” the priest said.

And they
locked their lips and everyone clapped and cheered. Most women
dabbed their eyes with white tissue. For such a spectacular
ceremony, I must admit it felt more intimate and homey than I’d
expected. That’s how I saw myself marrying Tristan in the future:
with all our family there to witness our union and be as happy for
us as everyone here was for Sam and Gabe. They walked down the
aisle between the guests back toward the house, where Gabe lifted
her into his arms, pressed his lips to hers, and carried her over
the threshold. Everyone cheered again.

Emma sat
beside me, squeezing my hand, and then leaned in to whisper, “Your
turn’s next.”

“Next?” I
asked. “Emma, you’re thinking way ahead.”

And before she
got a chance to argue, Tristan was at my side, taking my hand.
“Picture time.”

Oh, good!

Emma’s little
comment made me wonder whether Tristan had a surprise up his sleeve
I wasn’t aware of, because the priest remained in the gazebo. But
thankfully we were heading into the house.

I watched them
in awe take photo after photo, and I swear Tristan posing there as
the best man was the most handsome of them all. But then again, I
was a little bit biased.

Before I
turned the corner, I overheard Tristan and Kendra’s
conversation.

“How’s the
recovery? Do you have everything you need?” Tristan asked.

“It’s been
difficult, but much better than I would have been if Martinez had
sold me. I’d probably have slashed my wrists soon, but I held on to
the hope you wouldn’t abandon me.”

“Of course I
wouldn’t, K. I’m the reason you started...”

“Please,
Tristan. No need to make excuses for me.”

“Then I’m so
sorry for hurting you and rejecting you the way I did. I was an
asshole and didn’t think. You belonged with Julian from the
beginning and I shouldn’t have stepped in.”

“I appreciate
that, but really, I’m the one who caused it all. I wanted something
to develop between us that never could.”

“At least
we’ve cleared a few things up.”

“I tried to
love him through you. That was a mistake. I’m sorry. For
everything.”

“Don’t be. I
took advantage of a weak moment and shouldn’t have.”

A long pause
resonated between them.

“Julian’s been
wonderful. He helped me realize why I did what I did.” In the
hallway mirror’s reflection, I saw her raise her hand to his chest
and touch his heart where I knew the scar was. Tristan held her
hand there.

“I hope one
day you can forgive me,” she said.

“Of course, K.
All I wish is for you to get better and be happy. Everyone has a
hiccup in their life. We both did, and now we can both be happy.
I’m sorry, K. I’m so sorry for what you’ve gone through. Ever since
the train incident, your life changed, and I should have known
better.” Tristan said to her, and took her into her arms. Their
embrace pinned my heart against my back with an ice pick. I backed
up and scolded myself for feeling that way. Why was I so insecure
when I saw them? Tristan didn’t do anything wrong and they’d both
just said their relationship was a mistake. He’d only comforted a
friend who was trying to clear up not only her present but also her
past.