Strung (Seaside) (12 page)

“I don’t understand?” Her voice was small as she hugged her arms to her chest.

“Haven’t you seen the weather report?”

She shook her head.

“A huge storm is coming in tonight, they’re telling people to stay inside, and here you are driving around as if the damn sun is shining!”
Calm down, calm down.

Nat sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Where’d you go?” I demanded pacing in front of her like I was more a forty-year-old dad than a teenager.

Jaw clenched, she answered, “Not that it’s any of your business, but Lincoln City.”

I cursed and turned away from her, stretching my arms behind my head to keep myself from putting a hole through the wall. I whipped back around. “Listen, Nat. I’m only nineteen. It’s not good for my health to be thinking about all the awful things that could happen to you in the rain.”

“It’s just rain.” She took a tentative step towards me.

I fought to keep my face from paling. “No, it’s not. Things happen, you can lose control, your car can slip, people die.” I closed my eyes and cursed.

“Was it raining when—”

“Yes.” I said, voice hoarse. Demetri’s girlfriend, Benjamin’s mom, the accident, the storm. I shuddered.

“I’m sorry.”

“You should be.” I snapped, not really meaning it but feeling so damn angry that I wanted her to know it. I never understood why people got into fights, why people yelled. Now I knew. You yelled, not because you actually thought it would solve anything, but because you were terrified and wanted the other person to know that their behavior affected you in such a way that you couldn’t be silent. Not even if you tried.

Nat’s eyes flashed. “I was getting a dress.”

For a moment I was confused, and then I hung my head. Damn it. “For Homecoming.”

“Yes.”

Anger cooling, I asked, “May I see it?”

“No.”

I scowled. “Next time, will you just tell me where you’re going? So I don’t have a heart attack before twenty?”

She sighed. “Yes, but why didn’t you just text me?”

“I think your phone died.” Please let it have died because if she was just ignoring me I was going to freak out.

Nat pursed her lips together and dug her cell phone out of her purse; she stuck the charger in one end and sauntered back over to me. “Satisfied?”

My lips curved into a smile. “Sure.”

Her eyes darted back to my chest before looking away again. “Put on a shirt or something, you’re making me nervous, and I’m already edgy enough what with having to drive two hours through the rain.”

“Sorry,” I mumbled then looked around the room. What did she want me to do? Cover myself with her pink blanket?

Nat rolled her eyes and tossed me a shirt from the corner. It was the one she’d worn when she was sick.

Suddenly self conscious, I turned around and put the shirt on, I don’t know why the hell I turned around. It felt stupid, but whatever.

“Hey.” Nat called as I had the shirt half on.

“Does Demetri have any tattoos like that?”

Shit. I finished putting on the shirt and turned. “Yup. You should take a shower, Nat. Warm up a bit.”

She shuffled her feet. “And what are you going to do?”

Oh you know, leave the room so I don’t tempt myself to join you and scare the hell out of you with my nakedness.
I settled with. “Make you dinner.”

Nat’s eyes went wide, “My mom will freak if she sees you downstairs.”

“Nat, your mom won’t even know I’m here.”

Nat didn’t look convinced.

“Nat. Shower. Now,” I ordered.

Cute as hell, she rolled her eyes and stomped into the bathroom slamming the door behind her.

Chuckling to myself, I ran downstairs and checked her fridge. Left over chicken from the night before. Hmm, I opened the freezer. Veggies. Perfect. I made a quick stir fry, grabbed some soda, and brought it all up to her room.

I was just setting everything on the bed when the bathroom door opened, and Nat stepped out. In nothing but a towel.

Sweet. Lord.

She gasped and clenched the towel. Damn, I was hoping for the opposite.

My gaze met hers briefly before I mumbled, “Sorry, I thought you brought your clothes into the bathroom.”

“Nope.”

Her angry expression was priceless. I smirked. “I’ll turn around.”

“Yes, you will,” she said tightly.

I waited while she ran over to the dresser I was standing next to and started picking through her clothes. She paused and then opened a top drawer filled with underwear. I watched her like a hawk. Her hand floated over a pair of black panties. I coughed.

“Do you mind?” she said tersely.

“I like the pink better.” Hey at least I was honest!

She snatched the black pair. Of course she did.

“Girls take forever to get dressed,” I grumbled, still looking away from her.

“Not usually, I’m just doing it for your benefit,” she sang.

“You’re crabby when you don’t eat,” I teased.

She huffed behind me. “Okay, done.”

I turned around, my gaze hungrily taking in her leggings, imagining that black underwear as it kissed her skin. Agh… death by imagination. “I didn’t really know what you wanted, so I threw in some stir fry with your leftover chicken, hope that’s okay.”

“Smells good.” Her stomach grumbled on cue as she walked over to the bed and sat down. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Nat, I don’t think I’ll have an appetite for a week. I was too worried to do anything except call you and stare out the window.”

“I was fine.” She shoveled more food in my mouth.

“I promised Demetri.”

The fork dropped onto the plate. “You promised Demetri? What exactly did you promise him?”

I shrugged and looked away. “I promised him I’d take care of you. Then on my first day of babysitting you disappear.”

“So I’m a toddler?”

“No, you’re just very important.” Though I may as well be explaining it to a toddler for all she understood.

“Important or irritating?”

“I’ll tell you when I know.” I chuckled and pointed to the food. “All of it, Nat. Eat all of it.”

“I swear you’re trying to fatten me up.” She took another huge bite. I looked away as her lips formed around the fork. Yeahhhhh… my thoughts were nowhere near wholesome.

“Maybe.” I sat on the bed.

Nat ate in silence. I watched her take each bite. For some reason I found satisfaction in taking care of her.

“Done,” she announced, wiping her mouth with the napkin.

“Good girl.” I pushed the tray away. “Now, how about a rematch?”

“Rematch?”

“Last I remember…” I stretched out across her bed. “You cheated during our final round of Go Fish. I think I deserve a rematch, don’t you?”

“Fine,” she grumbled. “But I don’t know how I’m going to manage to eat candy after all that food.”

“I’ll be easy on you.” Yeah right. Hard. I would be so hard on her.

“Right, you and easy don’t really fit in the same sentence, Alec.”

My lips twitched with a smile. “My place or yours?”

“Your place doesn’t have crazy people coming in and out all hours of the night to talk about their feelings with my mom, so I choose yours.”

I nodded and bounced off the bed. “You know just because they’re seeking help from your mom doesn’t make them crazy.”

“I know. Otherwise I’d be putting you and your brother in that very same boat.” If she only knew how far the crazy went.

“I thought we were captains of the crazy boat. My mistake.” I opened the bedroom door and led her down the creaking stairs.

“Why do you see her?”

I paused, my entire body tensing. How the hell was I supposed to answer that question? Without telling her everything. “We’re just dealing with some stuff, that’s all. You’re mom’s good at what she does. She wouldn’t be one of the most renowned psychiatrists on the West Coast if she wasn’t.”

“Pardon? What did you just say?”

Didn’t she know how popular her own mother was? “Your mom, she comes very highly recommended.”

“By who?” She yelled.

“Everyone.” I shrugged. “Look, I thought you knew. Your mom’s like a genius, she’s written articles on grief, loss, depression, and addiction. I mean — I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s gotten offers to start her own rehab facility.”

“Oh.” Nat’s lower lip trembled as she slowly fell to a sitting position on the stairs and started crying.
What did I say?

“Nat, don’t cry. I’m so sorry.” I pulled Nat into my arms “Let’s go to my house, okay? I’ll make you hot chocolate and even let you win.”

I rubbed her arms so she’d calm down,

“I just don’t get how I don’t even know my own family. I mean, am I that invisible?”

I tensed, my hands moving to her face. “Nat, look at me.”

Her lower lip quivered as she locked eyes with me.

“You are anything but invisible. You are a treasure. I know your mom knows that. She loves you. Sometimes parents just suck at connecting with their kids.”

“She sucks big time.”

I laughed and kissed her cheek. “Yes, she does, but communication works both ways. Have you ever even asked her about work?”

Nat shifted uncomfortably. “No, but…”

“Sorry to say, but that’s how relationships work. One of you has to take the first step.”

She sighed and nodded her head.

“Wait here.” I went in and explained to Mrs. Murray that Nat and I were going to hang out, after she came out to make sure Nat actually wanted to hang out with me without Demetri around, she let us leave.

The office door closed behind Mrs. Murray, Nat’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Did you just ask my mom if we could have a sleepover?”

“Of course not.” I laughed.

Her shoulders slumped in relief.

“I asked her if you could come play at my house and if you were really good, could you stay the night in my bed.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

I threw my head back and laughed. “Only slightly. I did tell her we were going to hang out and not to wait up for you.”

“Oh.” So, that made her blush? Interesting.

“But if you want to spend the night, I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

Nat’s head jerked to attention as she stared me down as if enamored of the idea. Shit, make it better!

“You can have Demetri’s room. He’d love nothing more than to come home and have your scent all over his sheets.”

“Right.” Nat’s eyebrows furrowed as she bit her lip and looked down at the floor. “So, Go Fish?”

“Absolutely.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Alec

“NAT? DID YOU
hear me?” I stepped in front of her bracing her shoulders with my hands. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Fine.” She offered a smile that I’m sure she thought would convince me that she was totally fine. She was anything but fine, but hey if she didn’t want to talk about it, I wasn’t going to force her. I was the last person who should judge something like wanting to keep your secrets and emotions to yourself.

“So, what were you saying about letting me win?” she asked once the cards were dealt.

I cursed. “I thought you’d forget.”

“You thought wrong.”

Grinning, I slammed down my first card. “Do you really want to win that way, Nat? Where I suck on purpose so you feel better about yourself?”

She tilted her head in thought. “Yes. Yes I do.”

“How did I know you were going to say that?” I grumbled and poured the fish onto the table. “Why don’t I just eat two handfuls and then we can play like normal human beings?”

“Only if you intend on allowing me to lick them and put them on your face. There are rules you know and a promise is a promise.”

Nat burst out laughing and my expression.

“Fifteen Fish.”

“Twenty.”

“Seventeen and not a fish more!”

She sighed. “Deal.” Why did I have the sudden feeling she would have settled for ten?

Begrudgingly I picked up one fish and lightly licked it.

“Oh, no, no, no, I don’t believe that’s how the game’s played.” Without hesitation Nat plopped down next to me, stuffed a fish into her mouth, and then very carefully placed it on my cheek, her fingers basically branding me in the process for as hot as it made my skin.

Breathing suddenly became a huge chore. Nat’s eyes locked with mine

The fish fell off of my cheek.

And just like that the spell was broken.

Instantly, I regretted that she’d moved to my side of the couch. Her presence was intoxicating. It made me think things. It made me want things I shouldn’t want — want things I had no right to want. We reached for the next Swedish fish at the same time. Great.

“Maybe a game isn’t the best idea?” I blurted.

Nat quickly nodded.

“TV?”

“Sure!” She tucked her knees underneath her and waited for me to find something to watch.

The minute I flipped channels it landed on Entertainment News. And of course, Demetri’s perfect face was plastered all over the place as the host gushed about his current work with underprivileged kids. He waved at photographers as he wandered into his hotel. Demetri looked happy — he looked free.

“He looks happy,” Nat said basically reading my mind.

“Happiest I’ve seen him in a while,” I said quietly.

The TV flashed pictures of me and then of me and my brother on tour. I shifted uncomfortably because that was the last concert we’d done. The one where I’d given my brother an ultimatum. Then Nat’s picture was thrown onto the screen and of course they had to discuss the fact that Nat wasn’t just close to Demetri but me as well. Right, like we rocked that way and shared her every other night.

Guilt attacked every fiber of my being, because it was too close to the truth. We were sharing her — in a way she was both of ours. I had as much ownership over her as he did.

A commercial popped on the screen. I needed to go to bed. I was exhausted and the last thing I needed was yet another excuse to attack my brother’s girlfriend.

“It’s late.”

“I know.”

“We should go to bed,” I said softly.

Nat’s mouth dropped open.

Crap
. “Separately.”