Sound Advice (Sensations Collection #1) (29 page)

I walked swiftly toward Tom’s table, stumbling over a chair leg in my speed, and almost knocking a beer out of someone’s hand. I apologized quickly and continued to the back of the tent, nervous because of the look on Jess’ face.

“Hello,” I said cautiously, trying to sound casual.

Jess just nodded his head at me. His gaze was on George who approached behind me.

“Hey everyone,” George said cheerfully.

I sat down and George sat in the seat next to me, draping an arm around the back of my folding chair. Tom was on my left at the end of the table and Jess took a chair opposite me. A few other people filled the chairs around the side where Jess sat, and more of their friends milled behind him. I leaned forward, placing my elbows on the table to rest, moving me away from George’s arm on my chair. The air within the tent was very stuffy even with the flaps pulled up, but the tension at our table was a hundred degrees warmer.

“Heard Emily was down in your neck of the woods the other day,” Tom said to break the tension.

“Yeah, I tried to convince her to stay with me, but she said she needed to get back up here for something.”

Tom addressed me. “Well, I’m so honored my party took a priority for you, Em,” he said using the nickname familiar only to my older sister, Rosie.

“Any time,” I smiled and suddenly knew I meant it. I would do anything for this family. I tried to make light of the situation and clicked my plastic cup against Tom’s in a mock cheers. Jess still said nothing.

“Yes, well, Emily will be heading home soon. Maybe I’ll visit her there,” George mentioned and rubbed his hand lightly against my shoulder. I wondered why he was talking about me in the third person as if I wasn’t sitting right next to him. I didn’t respond to George’s comments as I was staring at Jess, trying to hold his eye contact.

“I love this song,” George said as he stood up and held out his hand toward me. “Come dance,” he said, but it was more like a demand.

I didn’t drop my gaze from Jess.

“Emily?” George said firmly.

“George, I think I’ll sit this one out. Thank you though.” I leaned further forward on the table and crossed my arms.

George looked down at me.

“I see,” he said in the same tone he’d used on the dance floor. “He can’t offer you anything more than he offered her, Emily.” George’s implication of Debbie made Jess jump up and reach across the table. Tom grabbed for Jess’ arms, shielding him with his own body. I stood as well and placed my hands in the air between the two men.

“That’s enough, George. I think it’s time for you to leave. Now!” I demanded.

“You don’t know what you’re missing out on. Just like her.” George looked me up and down. “At least you’re already out of here, Emily. You don’t belong here.” Despite my anger at George, his words hurt. I had the sense I didn’t belong, but I didn’t need George to remind me. I could not be a part of this simple life. I could not be a part of the life of the family around me. I wasn’t from here, but I suddenly felt I couldn’t go home either. I put my hands down and George softened his voice.

“Walk away, Emily. Don’t let him suck you in.” He addressed me directly, not looking anywhere but at me, and his eyes pleaded with me.

Jess was really struggling in Tom’s arms.

“I’m gonna let him loose in another second, George, if you don’t get your ass out of here.”

I felt sorry for George. He had been an awkward teenager and was just as much out of place in this small town as I was. When an opportunity to get out arose to leave, he would have taken the most beautiful, most desired girl with him. The only thing I knew about Debbie Swartz was all she cared about was getting out of here, but George Carpenter still wasn’t good enough then. Through whatever dreams Jess didn’t fulfill for his ex-wife, she still never went to George. I felt sorry for him, but not sorry enough.

“Goodnight, George.” I was shivering from nerves at this point and I glared at him to leave.

“Fine,” George said as he slammed the chair out of his way.

Once George was gone, I shakily sat back down. Tom released Jess, knowing I’d tried to deal with George on my own terms. Jess drank the whole beer in front of him in one swallow before slamming the plastic cup on the table. A single spray of beer splashed out.

“Well, it’s a party now,” Tom clapped his hands to break the silent tension. People started to talk and laugh again around the table. The music continued to play through this interruption in an attempt to keep the crowd’s attention away from the back of the tent. I didn’t say anything and my hands still trembled as I reached for the beer in front of me to take another sip. The expression on Jess’ face was calming down and someone said something behind him that forced his lopsided smile. Another slow song began to play and Jess asked me to dance.

“Yes,” I said breathily.

We walked to the dance floor on opposite sides of the tables, and as we approached the end of the aisles, it was me who reached out my hand for Jess to take. He was formal in his dance position at first, keeping space between our bodies as we began to move slowly with the rhythm of the music. I waited patiently for Jess to speak because I knew he could be stubborn and it would take a few moments. He took a deep breath.

“I’m surprised you didn’t go with him.”

“Why would you say that?” I asked softly, despite my own anger at his statement.

“Better offer.”

“Then what?”

Jess stared at me. I decided to lighten the conversation.

“You offering me something?”

“No.” My shoulders sagged a little at his response.

“Then I guess there is nothing to worry about,” I bit back my answer, but smiled crookedly with my lips clenched closed.

Jess laughed. Without thinking he slipped his hand down my back, pulled me closer, and leaned his forehead against mine.

“I can’t really blame him for trying. The way you’re dressed is sinful.”

I looked down at my dress and turned away in embarrassment. Jess brought his hand to my chin, keeping his fingers intertwined with mine. He forced me to look back at him.

“I can’t go with you, Emily,” Jess said softly. “I would follow you, but I just can’t.”

I looked at him in surprise. “I don’t expect you to go anywhere, Jess. This is your home. Your family is here. With Katie.”

“Will you think of us?” The way Jess asked made me want to cry.

“Jess, please. Not tonight. Please.”

“Will you spend tomorrow with me and Katie, just the three of us all day? I have to be in the parade with Tom in the morning, but after that, the day is ours.”

“Sounds…great, Jess. I would like that.”

He still held my hand and placed it on his chest, covering mine with his own hand over his heart. He danced us out of the tent even though the music changed to a faster tempo. The sky was black, but the stars shone brightly. The moon was full, casting a warm glow across the lake, and we continued to dance onto the path that runs along the edge of the sandy beach. All that mattered was the dark night covering us, and the man in my arms. I didn’t want the moment to end.

JESS WALKED ME home, holding my hand like he did the other night. He was humming the Irish band’s song about waiting and I listened quietly. I walked him around to the back of the house and leaned my back against the porch door.

“I have to stay with you. Nurse’s orders. Still need to make sure you wake up during the night.”

“Have to? Orders? Lots of good that did me earlier when you fell asleep,” I laughed. “I think I can take care of myself, thank you,” I joked as I reached for the door handle, but Jess pinned me against the door.

“You
need
me here, tonight.”

“Oh, I got needs,” I mumbled.

“I remember your needs,” Jess raised his eyebrow. It was dark, but I could see the lopsided smile. “What kind of needs do you have now?” he asked in his dangerous tone.

“Just…now.”

He kissed me fiercely, covering me everywhere. Lips on mine, tongue in my mouth. Hands in my hair, removing the ponytail and then skimming up and down my back. He reached for the hem of my skirt and slowly inched it up.

“Now?” He mumbled against my lips.

“Now,” I breathily whispered as I climbed up his body, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He reached above me to the top of the porch door and produced a key.

“So that’s how you do the breaking and entering, huh?”

He still held me wrapped around him as he opened the door and stumbled into the screened-in porch. He not so delicately dropped me on the porch loveseat and knelt between my legs. He inched the skirt of my dress up and up. My breath was catching with each gentle glide of the material. He slid both hands up the inside of my thighs, but didn’t touch my center.

“Now,” he said softly, his gaze following his hands as they skimmed over my legs.

“Jess.” My voice was rasping and I felt wanton. I needed him. I wanted him. Whatever I could have, whatever he would give.

“Emily,” he whispered. “Stop me.” He stared at his hands between my legs. Something was shutting down in him.

“Why, Jess?”

“Just stop me.” He was looking at his hands as they rubbed up and down my bare thighs. I wanted him to touch me, but his voice was desperate. I placed my hands over his on my legs.

“Stop.”

He leaned over and kissed me gently on the shoulder, up my neck, across my jaw, and paused before he reached my lips. His mouth left a flaming trail that was hard to ignore, but I placed my hands on either side of his face.

“Are you leaving?”

“Only if you ask me to.”

“Please stay?”

While it seems rare that anyone would meet a queen in everyday life, if the occasion did arise there is a proper way to greet her. Bowing your head allows her royal head to be higher than your own, emphasizing that she holds all the power.

“Matters of Manners,” 1972

A SMALL TOWN celebration is no small affair. It symbolizes the epitome of America. Parades honor military men and women, veterans of foreign wars, both those who served in the past and those who serve currently. Additional participants include the local marching band, high school football teams, and elementary school pride. Those who heavily support the community advertise their services with floats, which proudly display their vital part of the town. In this small town, antique tractors are included in the line of vehicles as this area is the cherry capital of the United States. There are old men in go-karts, a rousing march of chair dancers, and candy galore thrown to the crowd. Local police and fire people are honored, and every small town has its own princesses.

Small town pageantry is as popular as Miss America used to be. In Elk Rapids, the princess and her court include a series of young girls ranging from teenage to toddler. I could only imagine what the competition included: connections to community, achievements in academics, performance in talent, and beauty. The competition couldn’t be overly competitive due to the limited number of eligible girls in a small town, but each surrounding town has a princess with her court as well, including Miss Charlevoix and the Cherry Queen from Traverse City. Young ladies dressed in taffeta and tiaras represent the royalty of the area.

Katie Carter was no exception. In her plastic silver tiara, she rode with her father as part of the local businesses representative of the surrounding town. Tom and Jess were advertising Sound Systems with the blaring music of a popular hip-hop song. As Tom’s dune buggy passed with a large sign propped against the back roll bar, I could see Jess scanning the crowd. Katie sat behind him with her tiara on, waving shyly to those she recognized in the gathered crowd. It was Katie who spotted me and began to wave with enthusiasm. She leaned forward to tap her father’s shoulder and pointed in my direction. Jess didn’t return my wave, but his lopsided smile showed his acknowledgement. I was concerned he had thought too much about last night and changed his mind about spending the day together, when I realized it would be one of our last.

I knew that I had thought too much about the night before as well. Being close to Jess always kindled a fire in me. I wanted to be close to him, but I could feel him still hesitating to be close to me, and I didn’t know if it was the fact that I would eventually leave. We were too old for a summer romance. The wonderful kind where you fall passionately in love with someone who is so much your opposite yet you still show your true self, knowing the relationship will end when the fall begins. I had plenty of summer love experiences, especially in college, and although I treasured those relationships for the fun and folly, I knew they were never reality. Those relationships were make-believe.