Two Blue Lines (Crossing The Line #1) (9 page)

I could’ve laid there for five minutes or an hour, I had no idea, but eventually, I roused when the boat’s movement stopped. I pulled out my earbuds, and girls’ squealing pealed through the heated air just before two large splashes.

I sat up and ran a hand down my face. The girls were playing in the water near the boat. The guys were just baiting up and tossing fishing reels in the opposite end.

I watched them for a moment as the cobwebs cleared from my mind. Something unseen and untold held me back from joining them. And as much as I wanted to name it, I had no idea. So I simply stayed still and silent, and observed.

Aaron said something and bumped Mike with his shoulder and they all guffawed with laughter. Dean reeled in his line, adjusted something, recast.

Water rippled next to the boat and it rocked gently as one of the girls pulled herself up the ladder. Chloe. That’s what Mike said her name was. Like Aphrodite rising from the sea, her sleek, bikini-clad body eased out of the water, tiny droplets glistening and reflecting the sunlight like crystals. My breath caught in an automatic reaction. Holy shit, was she smokin.’

She shook out her hair, just like in the movies, and stepped over to wrap a towel around her body. I’m sure my mouth was hanging down to my chest. I quickly closed my drooling lips and glanced over to make sure I hadn’t been busted by the other guys. I was good.

I breathed a sigh of relief and sagged back into the padded bench. It would probably be best if I just joined in with the guys and quit being a loner. It was getting me nothing but trouble . . . and kinda horny. God, I wished Mel would get over herself.

The thought of Mel spurned me out of my seat. And straight into Chloe’s damp body.

“Hi,” she said, her bright blue eyes, so different than Mel’s, smiling into mine.

I swallowed. “Hey.” There was no way to get around her without being rude, so I stayed put. “I’m Reed.”

“I know. I asked Sierra who you were.” Her smile took on a definite flirty edge. “I’m Chloe.”

I glanced at the guys. Still oblivious to me.
Come on, dudes!
I nodded but didn’t add anything, hoping she’d just go. Her wet, curvy body was giving me a surge of hormones that was making me entirely too uncomfortable.

I flinched when she leaned across my body, brushing my arm, as she reached toward the seat behind me. “What’re you listening to?” she asked, pointing to my iPod.

I inhaled—she smelled like salt from the bay and sunscreen. I was acting stupid. She was just a girl. And not my girl. “Just some old metal and punk.”

She grinned and my heart stumbled. “Really? I love that stuff. You got any Deftones or Misfits on there?”

Now I had to pause. Was she shittin’ me? Mel hated my music. It was my turn to grin. “Hell yeah, I do.”

She moved past me, this time her entire body brushing against mine, and plopped down. “Lemme see.” She looked up at me with eyes the color of the summer sky, which were practically begging.

So I sat and we listened to my music. And we talked. And talked. And Chloe turned out to be pretty cool.

At least until she kissed me.

July 26
th

I’m so mad at Reed right now! He knows I’ve been looking forward to seeing him all this time and he’s finally got a weekend off and what does he call for? To see if I’ll go with him and his friends to the bay! Fishing!

Uh, no.

I was dumb and asked about Jonah, but I recovered quickly enough. I just couldn’t bear the thought of sharing Reed today, much less being around other girls. As in, not only not alone, but I’d be the weird, chubby pregnant girl. I can’t get in a freakin’ swimsuit!

I just couldn’t.

I know I sounded whiney, but I wanted him to want to be with me! Just me!

I hung up on him and it only took about ten minutes for my anger to fizzle out as I cursed The Night that changed everything for us. For me. Now, I just miss him more. I’m such an idiot.

So I texted him. Why isn’t he answering?

Losers and Liars

I
jumped away from Chloe like she had the plague and tried not to feel guilty about the fact that I liked her kiss.

Dude, what I wouldn’t give for a rewind button. That so should not have happened! I wanted to kick myself for ignoring all her flirty remarks and the way she smiled and twirled her hair. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

I glanced around to make sure no one saw.

“Reed?”

I turned back at Chloe’s uncertain voice.

“What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong? What’s wrong? Jeez, she had no idea! I sucked in a breath, hating that all I could smell was her, and tried to collect myself. I raked a hand through my hair.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I . . . I guess . . . I guess I thought you liked me, too.” She shifted, obviously uncomfortable and a little irritated now. “God, I feel like an idiot.”

I looked back at her. “That’s not it.”

She pinned me with her big blue eyes. “It’s not?”

“Well . . .”

The hope that had started to fill her face fell. Shit, I felt like an asshole.

“I have a girlfriend.” I decided to leave out the pregnant part. It seemed a bit much.

Understanding dawned and her gaze snapped with something fierce and competitive. “Oh. So, where is she?”

“Uh, she didn’t feel good today.” Now I shifted uncomfortably.

She glanced down, then looked back at me. “Well . . .” She smiled and handed me back my iPod, making sure to brush my hand. “Will she at least let you be
friends
with another girl?”

Oh, shit. Mel wasn’t really the jealous type, but I didn’t particularly want to be
friends
with Chloe. Especially since that’d mean telling her about the baby. And somehow I found myself embarrassed. Man, I really was an asshole. “I dunno,” I answered lamely.

She nodded and bit her lip, her eyes still glittering like she’d just been challenged.

What started out as a fun day, a chance to unwind and forget about normal life for a while, had turned into a real cluster, and I found myself just wanting to go home. What a loser.

She finally moved back to the other girls when I stopped talking to her, and kept her distance for the rest of the day, which I was grateful for. I tried to get back into the swing of things with the rest of the guys, but it just wasn’t comfortable after that, and I breathed a sigh of relief when we finally made our way lazily back to dock, twilight shimmering an orangey-pink on the horizon.

“You wanna hang out with us for a while on the beach? We’re gonna grill some burgers and Aaron snagged some of his dad’s beer.” Mike grinned at me, reminding me momentarily of Jonah.

I shook my head, my gaze straying to Chloe, who was smiling at me. “Nah, dude. I gotta work tomorrow.”

He looked puzzled—I couldn’t blame him. Who, in their right teenage mind would turn down fun on the beach with friends and hot girls?—but he nodded. “Right. Okay, man. See ya later.”

I nodded and grabbed my duffel. “Thanks for . . .” I glanced back out at the water, wishing the day had been all I’d hoped for, “. . . everything,” I finished lamely. “It was fun.”

“Yeah.” He clapped my shoulder, but spun away to join the fun as Aaron popped the top on a beer and they began horseplaying, obviously forgetting all about me.

I sighed and trotted down the dock toward my car. I hit the unlock button on my fob and ventured one last look over my shoulder. They were all still laughing and playing. My heart constricted painfully. Why couldn’t I fit into that life anymore?

I blinked and turned away, folding myself into the car.

Forcing away the burning behind my eyelids, I gunned the engine to a roaring start and backed out quicker than I should have. As I drove, an old Mountain Dew bottle rolled out from under the passenger seat and I glanced down, puzzled. I’d just cleaned out the car.

Then I remembered.

It was Mel’s.

Probably left over from our Fourth of July junk food fest on the beach. There was probably a Twizzler wrapper under there, too. I fought a wry grin. She loved those stupid things.

But that night, under the boom and light of the fireworks, and by the beach I loved so much, she’d confessed her fears to me.

You think we can love this baby enough?

What if you decided you hated me or the baby?

I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you.

I’d comforted her the best I could. But had it been enough? Was that why she was acting so weird today? But if she was becoming that insecure, I wasn’t sure there was much I could do. I loved her. She knew that.

But I’d let myself get too close to the fire today. Guilt was a bitch.

I guess I just needed to go see her. At a red light, I picked up my phone and powered it back on to call her. But she’d beaten me to it. There was a text message waiting.

Im sorry. Luv u. Call me. Xoxo

Now I just had to figure out if I was going to tell her about the kiss.

July 26
th
Continued

It’s been like six hours and still no return call from Reed.

I miss him.

It sucks.

Let me reiterate . . . I’m miserable and he’s not around and it sucks. I’ve been waiting forever to see him again, to let his presence make me forget all the ugliness hiding inside me. To hold his hand. Tell him about my week. About Roxanne’s stupid joke about my watermelon belly, how I’d kill for a chocolate malt, even how Chris and I played Xbox and it was kinda like old times. Just anything, as long as it was with him. I hope he calls me back soon. I need to apologize for being such a brat. I hope he had fun.

Oh, that’s him texting back! I’ll write more later . . .

Got Sperm?

I
couldn’t tell Melissa about the kiss. I’m an idiot, but I just knew I couldn’t do it. I texted her back then went over to her house and picked her up. She looked rested and was acting like herself again.

“Did you have fun?” she asked as she popped into the car.

I glanced at her. I didn’t have the heart to ruin the day. Not when we could get back on an even keel. “Yeah. It was okay.” I leaned over and kissed her. Thank God, she kissed me back like she used to. “I missed you.” Okay, I was a chicken shit.

She smiled sweetly. “I missed you, too. But I’m glad you got back at a decent time. I’m starving. Let’s get some tacos and then . . .” She opened her purse and pulled out some cash. “My mom gave me some money to get some stuff.”

I stared at her blankly. “Some stuff?”

“Yeah. For the baby.”

I know my face couldn’t have registered anything because my brain didn’t register anything. I sat there frozen as the radio droned on in the background and the engine idled listlessly. I had no clue what she was talking about.

She furrowed her brows. “Reed?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re not upset, are you? It’s just to get a few things. I think she’s loosening up a little and trying to help.”

A few things. My mind rattled like an empty piggy bank—pretty much what I had. What does a baby need?