Wait (The Fast Series) (16 page)

Do I chuck this cake? It seems such a shame to waste it, but what explanation is there for a giant uneaten horse cake sitting on the counter. I don’t need everyone around here knowing what an ass I made of myself tonight.

I fold my hands behind my head and release a loud sigh. A bag of bargain shampoo? I’m an idiot. I grab the handle and lift the heavy bag off the counter. I knew those flowers weren’t right. I should have said yes when the lady asked me if she could put some roses in it.
Stupid
. I look. Where are they? They aren’t on the counter where she slammed them down. Where did they go? I scan the counters, the floor, and all the garbage cans. They’re gone. A smile takes over my entire face. She took them with her.

Looks like it isn’t done after all.

CHAPTER TWO

Dear Tucker,

Heard about the birthday mishap. That sucks. Hope you learned your lesson. If you like a girl pay better attention to her likes and dislikes. Ask a few questions, get to actually know her
.

Tessa pays attention. You have two sisters, a yellow lab named Oscar, a red pick-up, you grew up in New Jersey, have family in Pennsylvania, and you smell like coconut suntan lotion
.

I also know about your sick grandma, your concern for our troops and your poor dead dog. Tessa may be naïve, but I’m not. I applaud your effort
.

I still don’t trust you. Change my mind
.

Ashley

Dear Ashley,

I’m working on it. I feel strongly for her. This is all new to me
.

Tucker

Attachment: Horsecake.jpg

Tucker,

The horse cake picture. I can’t even begin to tell you how hard I laughed. Her description did not do it justice. Thank you for sending
.

Tessa told me about the hut. I understand about being new to feelings, making a stupid decision out of frustration. I may have talked to her about it when she called, and she may be a little more understanding of the situation now
.

If you really like her, you can’t do it again
.

She still doesn’t know about our communication, probably best for now we keep it this way
.

Ashley

P.S. Next time you see her wear your glasses
.

Mark

I wake up to a female giggle followed by a quick, shh. I look over at the large squirming lump of covers on Sawyer’s bed. Waking up to this is the worst thing imaginable. The springs on my bed squeak as I sit up causing the giggling lump to stop moving. My insides twist in a knot. All this time at camp and she chooses now to sleep in Sawyer’s bed, with me right there in the same room. I throw some clothes on and get the hell out there as fast as I can.

The other day led me to believe Cassie and I were finally headed in a new direction. I almost convinced myself she was looking at me differently. But now it looks like nothing’s changed.

No bait, just a hook, this is a distraction. I stare blankly down at the water. At what point in the last few weeks did my crush on Cassie turned into something more? I always liked her, but the way I’m feeling now is different…more.

This is crazy, she’s with someone. Literally with someone, right in the bed next to mine. If that doesn’t show how little she feels for me, nothing does. The words she said to me that night weren’t true. Maybe I should let her go once and for all. As soon as camp is over I’ll be going to school, it’ll be easier. I won’t see her all the time. My stomach tightens at the painful thought.

I always hoped by the time we left for school we would be together. Sharing the experience together, visits home, visits to my school. Oh man, I take a breath and shake my head. The idea of leaving for school without her being a part of it is hard to imagine.

An hour goes by, maybe two. The empty hook still dangles lifelessly in the water.

“Hey, got room for one more?” Cassie’s cheery voice calls out to me. She has on her favorite worn out jean shorts, a red shirt, and fishing pole in hand. Her blonde streaks are even more pronounced in the sunlight as she tosses her hair back over her shoulder.

“Sure,” I nod my head down at the spot next to me. Her cheeriness irks me, as if we both don’t know where she’s just been.

Her long tanned legs swing around hanging over the edge of the rock next to mine. I wince as I catch a whiff of her new peachy scent. That same scent is all over Sawyer’s sheets right now.

“How was last night? Or better yet your morning?” I ask dryly.

“Good,” she answers not picking up on my sarcasm. “Hey, why didn’t you tell me the cake was for Tessa? I would have been able to tell you a horse wasn’t a great choice,” she laughs. “Poor Tucker got his ass handed to him from what she told me. She’s been bitching all week. Every chance she gets it’s all I hear about. But between you and me, I keep catching her staring at the busted bouquet he gave her. If it was so bad, why is it in a vase in our room?”

I smile at that, I’d heard from Tucker it hadn’t gone quite like he expected. Kind of funny, he wouldn’t say why he thought it was her birthday when it wasn’t.

“Did you catch anything yet?” Cassie shields her brown eyes from the sun and looks out over the lake. “What are you using for bait?”

“I’m not using anything actually, and no I haven’t caught anything.”

“You’re not using anything?” she gives a baffled laugh. “Why?”

“I’m just here to get away from something, I guess.”

“What?”

“Just something I woke up to this morning.”

“You want to talk about it?”

“I don’t.”

Cassie rubs her lips together and begins digging her hand through the damp ground looking for worms. She lifts up a big rock finds a fat one and sets it on the hook.

“I looked for you last night,” she says once her line is far out in the water. Her voice trades its cheerful tone for a more serious one. “I wanted to talk to you, more like, finish talking to you.”

Our conversation from the other day, I want to finish it too. Or at least I had. Now I know I probably won’t like what she has to say. I fix my eyes on the still water and brace myself.

“I wanted to talk to you about what happened in the hut with Sawyer,” she sighs and looks over at me.

“I don’t need to know.” I stand up and reel in my line. This is too much for me to handle. First this morning, now details of what I’m sure was her first time. No way. “Cassie, you and Sawyer, that’s great. But I don’t want to know about it. I don’t want to see it. And I’d appreciate it if you don’t come to my cabin anymore.”

“You don’t want me to come see you anymore?”

Is she trying to pretend like she wasn’t there this morning giggling under the covers of my roommate’s bed? What does she take me for?

“I’m not an idiot Cassie. I know you think I am, but I’m not.”

She cuts me off. “What are you talking about?”

“I’ve had to watch you with Sawyer all summer long. Groping in front of the fire, walking down to the hut, but right in front of my face in my own room is where I draw the line.”

“I’ve watched you and Courtney all summer too. She’s the one who’s been in your room, not me. I didn’t want to see it, or know about it either.”

“Why would it matter what you saw? You rejected me. So why would you even care?” I yell raising my hands up in question.

“You rejected me too, Mark,” she raises her voice to match mine. “At least
you
didn’t beg.”

“Cassie, we both know that night was bull shit. You didn’t mean a word of what was said. If you did you wouldn’t have run to Sawyer five minutes later.”

“Mark, you said no to me.”

“I said we could talk the next day. You were drunk. I wanted to wait until you were sober. But you couldn’t wait. Could you Cassie? No, you went down to that filthy place with him right in front of me. Making sure I saw you,” I rage, finally releasing my pent up anger. Red flashes before my eyes. I hurdle my fishing pole, sending it soaring across the water like a javelin.

Cassie throws her hands up to her mouth and gasps. “I didn’t,” she chokes out.

“You didn’t?” I snort, disgusted that she can stand there and lie to me. Like it’s nothing. That I’m nothing to her. “You’re unbelievable, Cassie.” I run my hands over my head. “I gotta get outta here.”

Walking away I contemplate about leaving camp, not for the afternoon but for good. I need to go for a long drive to figure things out. Can I last three more weeks in this hell?

Tucker

Friday night I say goodbye to my campers. Another great group, I give them each a firm handshake, a little sad to see them go. Every summer when I was younger, I attended this very same camp. Best part of summer, I loved every minute of it. As soon as I was old enough I applied to be a counselor. I work hard to make sure the kids have the same fun memories of this place that I do. My number one rule is wear sunscreen. One year my whole week here was ruined by a blistering sunburn. “A boy with fair skin and freckles should know better,” the exasperated plump nurse lectured me while rubbing aloe onto my scorched skin. After that, sunscreen became a necessary part of my daily routine, and I enforce it with my campers as well.

Showered and freshly shaved, I trade my contacts for my glasses. The belt I loop through my shorts needed to be pulled in tighter. It always does half way through camp from the surge of outdoor activities I’m taking part in. I sort through my clean shirts pulling out the orange one from the first night. The one I was wearing when I met Tessa, my new lucky shirt. Luck’s going to be needed tonight.

My roommate strolls into the bathroom and picks up a comb, smoothing it over his hair. “You have a visitor,” he says to my reflection. “Curly chick is here.”

I walk out to see Tessa standing by my front door, hands clasped together, swinging them apprehensively back and forth. She looks prettier than ever. “Hey.” The swinging stops.

“I was about to go to your cabin,” I say, surprised but thrilled to see her standing in front of me.

She’s still wearing her yellow camp T-shirt, and her face is flushed from a day spent in the hot sun. “It wasn’t my birthday and those surprises were…” Her voice shakes nervously.

I cut her off. “Crappy,” I supply.

“Not crappy, they were just not what I expected. And I never even said thank you. The whole thing just sort of took me by surprise. You thought it was my birthday and you tried to do something nice for me. So, thank you. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did.” She takes a breath, holds it and starts swinging again. “I acted that way because I was a little hurt and mad, probably the same reason you went to the hut with Brianne.”

“I swear nothing happened.”

“Why don’t we just start over?”

This is unexpected. This is awesome. This is Ashley’s doing. Contacting her might be the smartest thing I’ve ever done. The discreet conversation she had with Tessa, the one she messaged me about has helped.

“I think that’s a great idea.” I hold out my hand and she takes it, allowing me to pull her in for a hug. “Tonight, we can go anywhere you want.”

“Tonight I’m going to stay in. Tomorrow? Breakfast again?”

“Yes, definitely.” I hug her tighter. “How about you tell me what your favorite flower is and I can start by getting you a bouquet that isn’t wrong.”

“I don’t need flowers.” She pulls away from the embrace. “But I will admit there is something I wouldn’t mind having.”

“What’s that?” I’m so happy to see her standing in front of me, I’d give her anything

“The shirt you gave me to wear the night I slept here. I would like it if you could find it and I could have it?”

I’d have no problem finding it. I walk over and take the folded t-shirt from my top drawer and hand it to her. “It’s not washed.” It hasn’t even been unfolded since she left it on my bed for fear it would lose the pretty scent she left lingering in the fabric.

“Thank you.” Tessa takes it and presses it up against her chest. “It was a lot more comfy than the pajamas I packed. I thought maybe I could wear it to bed.”

The idea of her cuddled up in my t-shirt is the sexiest thing I can imagine. It’s also the most unbelievably flattering thing she could have asked me for.

She gets a scared look on her face. “So, you said last weekend in the kitchen you have strong feelings for me. Is that true?”

“Very true.”
Frighteningly true
.

“But you ‘don’t do relationships.’”

“I do now.”

She doesn’t smile but her eyes do. How can someone so cute also be so damn sexy?

“Okay, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” With my shirt still tucked up in her arms she backs up towards the door.

I can’t let her leave me just yet. “How about I walk you back to your cabin?”

She stops. “I’d like that.” Finally she smiles at me.

“So, you hate horses?” I ask walking close, but unsure if I should reach for her hand.

“What made you think I liked them?”

“Um.” I don’t know what to say.

“And, what made you think it was my birthday?”

I have no explanation without ratting Ashley out. I should have had an answer prepared. Of course she was going to ask.

“Um.” Another “um” slips out, this is embarrassing. My reputation for playing it cool is on the line here. Really, two um’s, not cool.

“You know what it doesn’t matter,” she says. “No, I don’t like horses. My parents tried to take me horseback riding when I was little, but I refused to get on the horse. They just freaked me out.”

“You gotta tell me something.” I move in closer to catch a whiff of her delicious scent. “You smell amazing. I need to know what it is. Berries?”

“Passion fruit.”

“Perfume?”

Her nose scrunches up. “It’s my shampoo and conditioner. Two
separate
bottles,” she adds playfully teasing me.

“Noted.” Crap, but at least she’s teasing and not angry.

An actual breeze sweeps across us, strong enough to rustle the leaves in the trees around us. A welcome relief from the normal heat and humidity we’re used to around here. Tessa tells me a funny story about her sister and I find out a lot more things about her as we walk to her cabin.