Foretell (12 page)

“I can see that.”

I fidgeted, feeling a little ashamed.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “I mean
,
he didn’t hurt you or anything, did he?”

“No, I’m fine,” I assured him. “Just feeling a little violated, is all.”

Rex pulled out a napkin from his coat pocket. “Your lipstick is smeared.” He pointed to his jaw to show me. “Right here.”

“Thanks.” I wiped at my face with the napkin, leaving it blotched with red lipstick.

The sound of a slow song began to play in the background. The melodies were soft and hypnotizing, adding a feeling of serenity to the atmosphere.

I spontaneously asked Rex, “Dance with me?”

As typical of him, he raised a sardonic brow. It was a habit I’d grown to know well over these past few days.

I sighed loudly and said, “Forget it.” I walked away, mumbling. “Stuck at a wedding and the only non-groper is a bore.”

Before I realized what was happening, Rex swung me around. I fell backwards into his arms. “What did you just call me?” he asked, a trace of humor growing in his eyes.

“A bore,” I teased breathlessly. “But I have to hand it to you, that was
quite
a move.”

He lifted me upright, taking my hand into his. The palm of his other hand rested gently on my back. It rested there so lightly, as if he didn’t want to get much closer. Maybe he was trying to point out he wasn’t interested in me that way. “Thanks, Spencer. You’re not so bad at this yourself.”

We danced slowly, gracefully. Being close to Rex was a little intimidating. He was tall, towering at least half a foot above me. “I learned to dance for appearance’s sake,” I explained, trying to focus my attention on our conversation. “My sister used to force me to go to events with her in case she needed me for something.”

He twirled me around. I smiled at the gesture.

“How is the Hollywood life?” he asked me curiously. “Is it as glamorous as it seems?”

I shrugged. “For the most part, my mother kept me out of it. But my sister seems to enjoy the spotlight. She was always an attention hog though.”

“Are you jealous?” he asked.

I thought about his question for a moment. Was I jealous of Indie? I gave him the answer that seemed to be the most honest. “Yes, but not in the way you’d imagine. I was jealous of her freedom. Her bravery. Her confidence. I don’t crave the spotlight like she does. But I envy how many opportunities her fame provides her. She’s experienced so much at such a young age. Next to her, I feel naïve, inexperienced, and
well.
. .left out, I guess.”

I realized I’d been staring into space while I spoke. When I looked up at Rex, his amber eyes were fiery, almost glowing. They were beautiful.

I began noticing little things I shouldn’t. Like the way Rex’s hand rested on my back, more firmly than it had before. And the way he slowly inched closer to me throughout the dance. His scent surrounded me, too, an evergreen soap.

I tried to shake away the attraction I felt. There was no point in feeling it for Rex. He was much too complicated. Dancing was one thing, but I didn’t want to go
there.

“That’s
kinda
sad, Spence,” he said, shortening my last name. “But hey, look at the bright side. You’re catching up. I’d bet big money your little sis has never experienced an Irish Traveler wedding. Or an Irish Traveler Grabbing.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s true,” I agreed. “Lucky her.”

The song eventually came to an end. I moved away quickly, stepping away from Rex’s hold as soon as the music stopped. A chilly breeze swept past us. I rubbed my arms to ward off the cold.

“I suppose this is the part where I’m supposed to offer you my jacket.”

I tilted my head to the side, staring at him with amusement. “Please don’t go out of your way or anything.”

“Do you want it?” he asked. “You know, since it’s the gentlemanly thing to do?”

“It’s okay,” I said, laughingly. “And no one ever said you were a gentleman.”

“That’s true,” he acknowledged, seemingly pleased about it.

“I should get going anyway. I need to walk Abby before it gets too late.”

“I’ll go with you,” he said. “You shouldn’t be out at night alone.”

“I’m not planning to go very far. And I wouldn’t want to ruin your night.”

Rex glanced back in the direction of the party. A server walked by with a tray of empty chutes and a mostly full bottle of champagne. Rex stopped the server, taking the bottle and sliding a bill into his jacket pocket.

He held the champagne up. “Not ruined,” he said. “Now let’s go get your mutt.”

Rex popped the bottle’s cork and took a swig as we walked back to the RV. He handed me the bottle. I held it in my hands, questioning my judgment.

Oh, what the hell.

I took a sip, letting the sweet, yet dry liquid warm my tongue. Little bubbles got into my nose and throat, making me feel that euphoria people referred to as “bubbly”. Hmmm
. .
.not
bad. I handed the bottle back to Rex, feeling warmer.

I collected an exuberant Abby from Lina’s RV, along with my coat. The three of us headed out into the wilderness together.

Rex led the way with a bright flashlight, heading towards one of the hiking trails. “I think there’s a lake down this path.”

I followed behind him at a slower pace, flinching each time a twig snapped beneath my heels. An owl hooted somewhere in the distance, a hollow, mournful noise. “You’re not taking me out here to murder me, are you?”

I asked the question jokingly, but in all honesty, the dark shadows and spooky noises creeped me out.

“Maybe,” he replied in an even voice. “It would be brilliant, right? Kill the oracle before she’s discovered by the evil mind trackers.”

I glared at Rex, not amused. Abby pulled at the leash. She showed no fear of her surroundings.

Rex shook his head at my reaction. “Come on, Spence. If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve done it long before now.”

The avenue of trees eventually came to an end and we came to a clearing in the forest. Crickets chirped louder the closer we got to a small dock overhanging an expansive lake.
The water, a black void, stretched for miles with only the glimmer of moonlight reflecting off of its rippling surface.

I unleashed Abby at the shore. She sniffed the smooth rocks along the edge of the water, inspecting for whatever canine mystery she needed to solve.

Rex handed me the champagne bottle and left me by the dock. He picked up a small stick and tossed it along the bank. Abby chased after it, and happily brought it back for him to throw again.

I took another swig of champagne, letting the warmth flow down into my stomach. We passed the bottle back and forth and I began to feel lighter, less anxious. I didn’t realize how worried I’d been until the heavy feeling finally crept away from my shoulders.

“Let’s play a game,” I randomly suggested to Rex. “Truth.”

He threw the stick again, and sent it soaring far down along the bank. “What do you want to know?”

“What do you do? I mean, for a living.”

I probably shouldn’t have asked, but I was suddenly intensely curious about Rex. For the most part, he was a jackass. I knew that, accepted it. He was ninety percent jackass, in fact. But that other ten percent of Rex, the part that he was beginning to show on rare occasions
, drove me to become inexplicably curious, biting my lip in anticipation of his every move, hanging onto his every word.

“Nothing right now,” he replied, seemingly impervious to my curiosity. “Gabe talked me into the Police Academy. I graduated last semester. But I don’t think it’s enough. Not for this life.”

“So what do you want to do then? What’s enough?”

He glanced at me, taking the bottle and drinking. “I don’t know.” He handed the bottle back. “I’m only twenty-one. I still have time to figure it out, I guess.”

“Any ideas?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Maybe I could work in intelligence, possibly deception training. Considering I can see people’s lies naturally, I might be of use to the government.”

“That’s really cool,” I said in admiration. I winced, realizing how lame I sounded.
That’s really cool?
That had to be the most awkward, inarticulate comment ever. Ugh.

“What about your art?” I asked, nosily. “Why don’t you want to pursue it?”

“I did once,” he said, not meeting my eyes. “It was a long time ago, another life.”

I felt like I was treading on thin water asking about his art. I knew better than to go any further with it. I presumed it had something to do with the blonde woman, the woman he’d loved and lost. The reminder had to be pretty painful.

“Your turn,” he told me. “Truth. You’re always giving people what they want. So what does the oracle herself want more than anything else?”

I was surprised by his question. Extremely surprised. No one had ever asked me that before.

“Not to be the oracle.” As soon as I said the words, I knew they were painfully, and powerfully true. I didn’t want this. Not even if I could control it. The moment grew serious, laced with something uncomfortable, something I didn’t want to deal with.

I changed my tone to become lighter, more playful. “Right now though, I want to lie face up on that dock and take in this beautiful sky. We don’t have skies like this in L.A.”

Rex glanced at the dock. “Let’s do it then.”

He helped me climb up, holding out his arm for me to lean against. The rickety dock seemed a little unsafe, especially when added to my champagne-induced clumsiness, but I ventured onto it anyway. Abby hopped onto it too, trailing after us. We laid our coats along the wood,
laying
down opposite each other.

I drank up the sky, taking in its massive beauty, staring at all the glittering stars in wonder.

“The stars, they’re beautiful,” I murmured.

“Mmm hmm.”

“I’ve never seen them like this before. So big and bright.”

“You’ve been missing out.”

Though he couldn’t see me, I nodded in agreement. “Yes,” I admitted ruefully. “I think I’ve been missing out on a lot.”

“Don’t worry,” he reassured me. “You can catch up. A lifetime is a very long time.”

“I suppose you would know.”

“It is, trust me. You’ve got loads more time to do the things you want. Do you have a bucket list?”

I smiled. “Believe it or not, I do. But I’d probably never do any of the things on it.”

“Then why’d you make one?”

“Wishful thinking, I suppose.” More like a desperate attempt to forget how boring I could be.

“What’s on it?” he asked. I heard him shuffling around beside me. I looked over, seeing he’d propped his head up on his arm and was looking directly at me.

“You really want to know?” I asked. It surprised me that he found my bucket list so curious.

He merely shrugged. “I’ve nothing better to do.”

I rolled my eyes. “So happy to be your source of amusement.”

I spied Rex’s mouth curving into a grin through the darkness.

Contemplating on my list, I tried to remember the things I’d placed on it. “To be groped by a groomsman at an Irish Traveler wedding,” I joked.

Rex’s laughter resounded, echoing through the forest. “You said your sister would never be so lucky,” he said between laughs.

It was a pleasant noise, his laughter. I hadn’t heard it before. Not this kind. Only a faint snicker or chuckle here and there. This was different, genuine. Rex
sounded.
. .happy.

“Tell me,” he ordered.

“Okay, okay.” I said, lifting my head in order to meet his interested gaze. “One was to go to college. Unexciting, I know.”

“No it isn’t,” he said seriously. “What’s the next one?”

“Parasailing.”

“Parasailing?” He arched a high brow. “You?”

I frowned. “I’m not going to tell you any more of these things if you make fun of me.”

“Sorry. I just didn’t think
you
would ever want to parasail.”

“Why not? It’s supposed to be fun.”

“Next one,” he demanded anxiously.

“To climb a mountain.”

“Nice,” he commended me. “I’ve climbed Everest.”

“No way,” I said in awe. “How was it?”

“Dreadful. And cold. I’d never do it again.”

I frowned. “You’ve just ruined my vision.”

“Sorry, babe, but it’s the truth. What’s the next one?”

“To visit the
Lourve
in Paris! I’ve always wanted to go there. Isn’t it like the pinnacle of art museums or something?”

He was silent for a moment, regarding me. “I think you’d probably enjoy the
Musee d’Orsay
over the
Lourve
.”

“Why’s that?”

“It showcases artists like Van Gogh, Monet and Renoir. The original
Starry Night
is there.”

I sighed dreamily, picturing myself in Paris, roaming through the museums like they were playgrounds. “Heaven.”