Love Found in California (The Washington Triplets) (4 page)

“I should probably just head home tonight.” It had been my third week and almost every night I left with Ryan. The only exception seemed to be when he traveled. The problem was I was pretty sure I liked him and it was beginning to feel like dating, or at least what I imagined dating was like.

“Awe, come on, Mik,” he baited me, sticking his bottom lip out for good measure. His eyes curved down in a way that made me think of a sad puppy. “I missed you while I was gone these last couple days.” He never shied away from making comments like this that made me feel hopeful and unsure all in the same breath. My other concern was I overheard two of the ladies in the cubicles whispering about us. I needed this job more than my next meal and I really, really enjoyed it. Losing this job could push me out of California all together and the last place I wanted to go was back home to Chicago.

The truth was I missed Ryan while he was gone, too. We were bonding on a level I’d never experienced. Pushing caution aside I said, “Okay, let’s go. You’ve worn me down.” His laugh was deep and throaty.

“No Mik, I haven’t. Trust me you’ll know when I’ve worn you down.” At that I packed up and we walked out of the building together.

Carrie ran her hands through her hair, pulling out the ponytail and then put it back in place, like always. “You know what I mean? One minute he seems really into me and then the next, it’s like I don’t exist …” I nod in response allowing myself to get lost in my memories.

His hand traced the small of my back as we walked into the little bar down the street at the beach. The effect it had on me reminded me of when you come to the highest point on a rollercoaster. A rush of adrenaline pumps through you, the thrill of what’s to come excites you and the anxiety of making it out in one piece afterwards crawls through your skin. Ryan’s touch and words elicited the same response. I wondered if he knew or could tell, even more I silently prayed, I had some kind of similar effect on him.

We found a table for two and ordered our drinks. Then just like all the other nights, it turned into dinner with Ryan paying in the end. Our conversation went by unbelievably quick. Topics came and went. Ryan praised me on my hard work and the courage to move here on my own. When he asked questions about my family, I clammed up more, but was able to divert his focus.

This time after he paid, he reached out and curled his long fingers around mine as he guided us out of the bar. Instead of walking toward the office, he steered us in the direction of the beach. The sand soon began to creep between my toes. My loose, simple skirt swayed with the light breeze. The sun was gone and now the moon sparkled on the surface of the water. A rustling sound from a nearby palm tree had us tilting our heads to look up. When our eyes both came back down, I saw his desire looking back at me. It both frightened and thrilled me.

His hands moved to my shoulders, pulling me into him and the awareness of the heat tingled over my body. “Mik, you’re amazing,” he whispered just loud enough for me to hear over the waves and the rustling of the palm trees. Amazing. My ears flooded as I wondered if I heard him right. That sounded so good I thought I might cry. No one had ever told me I was amazing … pretty, beautiful, sexy, quiet, strange, unnoticeable even, but never amazing.

My body warmed in his hands, and before I could stop myself I leaned into him. His lips brushed against mine like a feather. They were gentle, soft and tender, all kinds of wonderful. Things I had never experienced. The kiss was slow with his lips doing the instructing. I matched his pace, letting him teach me how to do this. There was no urgency or force. After a minute or two our tongues darted out in unison, deepening our union. My hands stayed at my sides, afraid to ruin the beauty of this kiss. Cradling the back of my head with his palms, Ryan took the strain out of my neck. Loosely my head moved with precision in his hands.

“I mean, come on, Mikaela, haven’t you had a one night stand? Wait, if it was with my brother don’t tell me! Ewww.” Carrie squealed and my eyes bugged out. I probably needed to pay more attention to her, but now my heart thumped hard with the memory of my first kiss with Ryan.

Looking out into the hallway, I checked to make sure no one was walking by, before I replied, “No.” The possibility of expanding on that made bile rise in my throat. She opened her mouth, but I stopped her as I began to tell her, “Shoot, I have to finish up this report for Ryan before one today. Let’s finish up later, okay?”

Carrie hopped off my desk and threw her head back in defeat. “Errr, I don’t know what to do. Dating is so hard. Is it better to have good sex or a nice guy with only mediocre sex? One will never know!” I laughed as she exited and then smiled knowing I had both.

RACING OUT THE DOORS AND
through the parking lot, I climb in my Honda Civic to head inland for my appointment. Traffic in Los Angeles at this time of day is horrid, really awful, but living in Chicago all my life has prepared me. Even though it’s moving at a snail’s pace, I still have time to get there. The bumper-to-bumper congestion reminds me so much of home, even the smell of the exhaust from all the cars. I finally crawl my way up to the light and wait for it to turn green.

Not hearing from Ryan all day gnaws away at my insides, making me feel agitated and fidgety, hence my fingers beating on my steering wheel. For the millionth time I glance down at my phone praying there’s a text from Ryan, but still there’s nothing.

Unable to wait any longer, I call him. The phone rings through my Bluetooth, crackling loudly and then I hear Ryan’s voice resonate through the car. I listen to the entirety of his message just to hear his voice …

“Hi, you’ve reached Ryan Chambers with Chambers Video Media. Leave a message and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Thank you.”

It’s overly professional sounding and so different from how he is with me, but it reminds me of how much I love to see him in action, as a businessman. Only Carrie and I get to see this other side of him that’s sweet, fun and unguarded. And only I get to see the private loving side of him.

“Did you hear Ryan’s nailing the new girl, Mikaela?” One of the sales reps asked another sales rep. Clearly they didn’t realize that my office door was cracked open a little. I’m sure they were down the hall, but the echo traveled into my office just loud enough that I could hear them.

“Nice, she’s kind of shy and modest, but definitely hot.” I got up to move closer to my door to hear the rest of the conversation, but they must have walked further down the hall.

I leaned against the wall wanting to crumble to the ground. This was one of my fears. Hearing people gossip about me or knowing they were jumping to their own conclusions brought me back to a time I wanted to forget. People assuming one thing, not bothering to know the truth or even care, killed me.

Beep.
The guy behind me mouths something animatedly at me for slacking on gunning it through the now green light. I roll my eyes through the mirror wanting him to see me, but he’s already looking down into his lap. I continue to stare at the guy through the mirror knowing Ryan would definitely have had more to gesture to the guy.

Just as I bring my concentration back to the road, it’s too late and I slam right into the back of a pretty little Mercedes with no roof. A bolt of tension shoots through me as my body uncontrollably flies forward and then back. The force that my head hits the steering wheel has my eyes rolling loosely with the red taillights imprinted into my vision. Immediately, I taste blood in my mouth but can’t discern where the bleeding is coming from. Pain travels over me, never really landing in one place, and my sight is tainted with everything spinning.

As the taste of my salty tears mixes with the blood, I carefully run my fingers over my face trying to feel for the source of the blood. Slowly, I move them past my forehead into my hairline and come up short. Afraid to move too much, I reach for the rearview mirror to angle it in my direction and see that it’s a bloody nose that’s causing the bleeding. My face looks in tact and I take a deeper breath in relief. The feeling of being unbalanced settles some, but I’m still not sure what to do next or how to handle this. That’s until … my door is practically ripped open with a man, who looks to be older than Ryan, but younger than my dad.

“What the hell were you doing? That’s a brand new car you just hit!” he shouts at me. His face reddens by the second. Then he takes in my face and bends toward me, his bald head revealing a few stray grays. I can’t help flinching in response until his eyes soften when he says, “Oh shit, you’re hurt. Okay, okay, I’m calling for help right now. It’s okay.” Once he connects with someone on the other end, I lean my head back and close my eyes. “Hey, hey, don’t close your eyes. Stay with me … Shit, the corner of Wilshire and 3
rd
… Yea, the girl who hit me is hurt ... She’ll need an ambulance.”

Ambulance, how could that be?
Suddenly, I feel lonely. I need Ryan, want him so bad right now. With my eyes now open, I tell the stranger, “I’m, I’m fine.” The redness that was just there has left his face and he looks more worried than angry. He ignores my response and continues to answer questions. One hand is secured on his phone and the other is gripping the inside of my doorframe. I scan his body and feel relieved that he seems to be unharmed. I don’t think I could forgive myself if I hurt someone else because I was in la-la land while I was driving.

The tears begin to come down heavy and I sob when I think of Ryan. I want Ryan to make this all better. I try to sit myself more upright, but I weakly fall back into my seat. “What’s your name, sweetie?”

“Mikaela Chambers.” My voice quivers and sounds small, like a child. Then I spot my phone and reach over to the passenger seat to grab it.

“Do you want me to call someone? Your mom or your dad?” he asks when he sees me trying to search through my phone with teary eyes. “Here, let me.” I easily pass it over to him.

“My husband, Ryan, Ryan Chambers,” I say, barely audible through my crying. The sounds of a siren begin to come in clearer and closer. I can’t stop crying and I’m not sure if it’s from the accident or because I miss Ryan so badly.

The man that had started out furious over the damage to his car is now focused on getting me the help I need. “Hi, Ryan, I’m with your wife, Mikaela, at the corner of Wilshire and 3
rd
. We were in a car accident and the ambulance is just pulling up. You should head over to the hospital to meet her there … ah, probably Good Samaritan.” I’m crying so hard I can’t even tell him that he’s out of town. After he hits end, he stays by my side as we wait for the ambulance.

“You’re doing great, Mikaela … Take a deep breath … Shhhh, there you go … Okay, they’re here.” His genuine kindness and concern calms me for the time being. Then he steps away to let in one of the paramedics and I realize I don’t have his name or anything.

“I’m so sorry, sir. Sir!” I yell hoping he can hear me, but he’s already talking to an officer, explaining the details of the crash. As they wheel me away, I’m grateful for his fatherly demeanor and that he didn’t let his anger control the situation.

***

Lying stiff on a long orange board over the stretcher in the emergency room, I wait for them to take me to X-ray before they’ll let me bend my limbs again. Even my head is strapped to the board. When the nurses come in to ask questions, I can’t even turn my head to the side to look at them. Things hurt all over my body, but I honestly have no inclination if anything is actually broken.

All I can think of is Ryan and how I’ll have to handle this all on my own. I have no family or really any friends that I can call. Well, except Carrie. She’d come down here in a heartbeat, but she’d probably over react. I’ll wait to have them call her until I know more.

God, I don’t even know how Ryan will handle this. We’ve never even had so much as a cold around each other in the short time we’ve been together.
What if he’s mad at me for not being more cautious? What if I’ve totaled my car and he won’t help me until I can get another one? What if I’m really hurt and he won’t let me take off work? What if he doesn’t want to help take care of me?
My mind races away with all the
what if’s
until I hear his deep voice cracking …

“Mik, shit … I’m here, it’s me love,” Ryan says and then hugs me as best he can around the stiff orange board. When his lips press into my cheek and I smell his cologne, I close my eyes, holding in the tears. In an instant, the worry flees and my husband’s sweet words comfort me.

***

Hours later I sit in a wheel chair with a nurse just outside the emergency room doors. Ryan’s silver sporty Infinity slows as it approaches the doors and my eyes zero in on the shiny rims of his wheels spinning. The dread I feel to be alone with him overtakes all thoughts, even the reminisce of pain left in me fades further away. I start to stand, but the nurse’s hand covers my shoulder to gently hold me in place. She wheels me further out and Ryan races out to me.