Text Me (7 page)

Pete’s voice was a distant buzz in his ear. He had to know
the truth. Taking out his cell phone, he brought up his Ariel’s phone number
and texted.

How’s it going today?

Trav

He hit send, then held his breath and watched.

Mackenzie—Ariel?—took a sip of her drink and picked up her
book. He breathed in a sigh. Apparently not. More coincidence. Was his life
full of them?

Then the object of his suspicion put down her book on the
coffee table, picked up her bag from the floor, rifled through it and pulled
out her phone. She slid it open and after a moment of staring at the screen, a
slow smile crept across her face. Her thumbs flew across the keypad and then
she shut the cell and put it on top of her book.

No fucking way was—

His phone vibrated on the table.

Trav picked up the phone and glanced at Pete. He was staring
at him with a blank expression.

“What?”

“Just wondering what you’re up to. You have that look,” Pete
said.

“What look?”

“The same look you always got right before a convoy. That
intense
Don’t bug me, important shit is coming up
look.”

Travis declined to comment. He took a deep breath and opened
the phone. He said a quick prayer—for what, he wasn’t sure—and opened the new
message.

Good. Having coffee with a friend and studying.

Ariel

Holy shit.

She was there. His Text Girl, fifteen feet away.

“I’ve got it!” Pete’s palms slapped down on the table.

Trav jerked back, glad he wasn’t already holding a coffee.
It’d be all over him by now. “What?”

“The Little Mermaid,” Pete said, looking smug.

Trav stared at him for a good twenty seconds. “What the fuck
are you talking about?”

“The name.” He jerked his thumb toward the couch. “Ariel. I
told you it sounded familiar. She’s the hot redheaded mermaid. Disney.”

Trav let his body fold until his forehead landed with a
thump on the table. “You’ve got to be shitting me,” he muttered into the wood.

“No, really. Her name was Ariel. I remember now.”

Trav knocked his forehead twice more against the table then
sat up straight. “No. Listen closely to me, Pete. Ariel is the Text Girl.” He
held up his cell phone as evidence. “Remember? The one you’ve been giving me
shit about?”

Pete’s face cleared and he smiled. “Right. Text Girl.
Forgot.”

“Mackenzie from last night, the brunette, apparently her
real name is Ariel. And now watch.” He typed in a text quickly. “I’m texting
Ariel, as in Text Girl.” He hit send then pointed toward the couch.

Pete turned to watch as a few seconds later, Mackenzie-Ariel
picked her phone up and opened it.

“Dude, that’s insane,” Pete stage-whispered. “Now what?”

“Now…I don’t know.”

Chapter Six

Trav didn’t have a clue how to fix it. He was worried about
the girls thinking they were creepy stalkers for just being at the same place
two days in a row. But this? How could he explain that not only did they bump
into each other by accident, but he was also the person she’d been texting for
weeks now? And that he knew, but not before they slept together?

Clusterfuck, all around. He could barely believe the
situation himself and he knew all the facts. He wouldn’t blame her one bit for
not believing him.

“All right, all right.” He gathered his thoughts, planning
even while he spoke. “In another minute or so we’ll go over and act like we
just saw them. Say
nothing
about the texting. I’ll figure it out.”

“Let’s go get some grub,” Pete said cheerfully, not at all
sharing the nervous gut Trav was battling. “I’m starving.”

Trav ran a hand over his hair and stood. “Now or never.” He
followed his friend to the front of the line and kept his order simple. Black
coffee and a plain bagel. His stomach wouldn’t handle anything more. Pete, on
the other hand, ordered half the deli selections.

After paying, Trav walked by the couch and stopped.
“Mackenzie?”

She looked up from her book, eyes round in shock. “Donovan?
What are you doing here?” The book slipped from her hands and fell to the rug
below with a plop and she scrambled to grab it.

Pete flopped down on the sofa on the other side of Mary
Ellen. “Hey-ya, cutie.”

Mary Ellen gave him a smile back. “Hey.”

Trav couldn’t stop looking at Ariel. “We were in the
neighborhood and this looked like a good place to stop for food.” He pointed to
her textbook. “So is this what I was battling against for your attentions last
night?”

She held up the book with a laugh. “Yup. I’m getting close
to being done with my Master’s and I don’t want to risk it.”

“She’s turned into a nerd, is what she means,” Mary Ellen
put in. She grunted when Ariel elbowed her in the ribs.

“I’m just making sure I graduate on time,” Ariel corrected.
She flashed him a smile. “So have you guys already eaten?”

“Donovan!”

She laughed, that deep, rich sound he remembered from last
night. “Guess that answers the question. Go get your food and sit with us,” she
added, pointing to the couch across from them.

He picked up his food and Pete’s, which was next up, and
brought the trays back over. Mary Ellen and Pete had shifted to the empty
couch, which left Ariel alone. Perfect. He sat down, giving her space so she
didn’t feel crowded.

“So what are you studying for?” he asked as he unwrapped his
bagel.

Ariel put her highlighter in the book to keep her page and
shut it, displaying the front cover. “Social work, getting my masters. At least
I’m trying to.”

He liked that. Nobody went into social work for the money, that
was for sure. She seemed dedicated to it though. He tapped the side of her cup
and asked, “Ariel?”

She blushed. “Yeah. Um, my name.” A sheepish smile crept
onto her face. “Sorry. We usually use different names when we first meet guys.
Just a habit we’ve picked up. That and staying in pairs.”

He nodded. Dedicated and smart. “Not a bad idea. Can’t fault
you for it. So is Mackenzie some secret alternative identity you’ve created?”
he asked with a grin.

She laughed at that and his stomach tightened at the arousing
sound. “Nope. Sorry to be boring, but it’s just my middle name. So how long are
you two in town for?”

A quick glance showed Pete and Mary Ellen in the middle of a
conversation. “About a week. We’re on post-deployment leave so it’s a time
crunch.”

“And what brings you to our fair city?” she asked with a
smile, scooting closer. Their legs were an inch apart. He wanted to grab her
and pull her onto his lap.

“Visiting family.”
Hopefully.
“So, this is a quite a
coincidence, bumping into you guys like this.”

“It’s our favorite coffee place,” she said and took a sip.
“We needed a break so we headed here. Plus, it’s nice to mix up where I study.”
She shifted to put her cup back on the coffee table and her leg brushed his.

“I hate to break this up,” Mary Ellen said, “but we need to
head back soon.”

“Do you want to go to dinner tomorrow tonight?” The words
flew out before he could stop them. But the thought of her leaving and not
being able to find her again was terrifying.

Her eyes widened then crinkled as she smiled. “Yeah. I’d
like that.”

“Dinner shift tomorrow,” Mary Ellen said in a singsong
voice.

“Shit,” Ariel mumbled. “Well, we could do a late dinner?”

Dinner shift? He let the question pass. There’d be time that
night for talking. “Yeah. Good. Sounds good. Do you have a suggestion of where
to go?”

She named a place and a time.

“All right. Do you want us to pick you up or—”

“We’ll meet you there,” Mary Ellen put in as she stuffed a
stack of magazines into a big bag.

“That’ll probably work best,” Ariel agreed as she put the
textbook in her own bag.

“Sounds good.” Trav stood along with the girls. “We’ll see
you then.”

Mary Ellen gave Pete a hug, waved at Trav and headed through
the door. Ariel hung back and looked up at him, slipping the shoulder strap of
her bag over her neck.

“What?” he asked, praying she wouldn’t change her mind.

“For some reason you remind me of someone, but I can’t place
who.” She shook her head and smiled. “Oh well. See you tonight.” She took a
step back then turned to face him again. To his amazement she stood on her
toes, placed her palms on his chest and gave him a light kiss on the lips.

A kiss that had his heart clenching like a fist.

She pulled back and grinned. “Just wanted to make sure last
night wasn’t an aberration. Later.” And with that she walked out the door, bag
bumping against her hip with each step.

“What now?”

Trav turned to look at Pete. “Beats the hell outta me.” He
flopped back down on the couch and rubbed a hand over his face. “I have to say
something. Now that I know, I have to.”

“We’re leaving in a week. Can’t you just not say anything?
What would it change, other than probably being accused of being a stalking
perv and losing the chance for more sex before you leave?”

“It’s not about the sex,” Trav bit off. Pete was his best
friend, but did he always have to think with his dick?

“We’re leaving in a week,” Pete reminded him again. “In a
week we’ll be back at Camp Pendleton and this won’t matter. Why push it?”

“It matters,” Trav said with finality. “Whatever comes of this,
it matters.”

* * * * *

Ariel sat on Mary Ellen’s bed, waiting for her friend to
stop primping so they could go to dinner. She picked invisible lint off her
khaki pants and checked her watch for the eighth time.

“Can you get the lead out? We’ll be late as it is.”

“Cranky much?” Mary Ellen held up a different earring to
each ear, comparing how they looked. “Why are you so gung-ho about seeing this
guy again anyway? You always say you’re not in a good place for a relationship
and one-nighters are easier all around.”

“I’m not gung-ho. I’m just…” She didn’t know how to finish.
She wanted to see Donovan again. Something was driving her to see him, spend
more time with him.

Mary Ellen picked a pair and slid them onto her ears. She
turned around and placed her palms back on the dresser behind her. “I love you.
You’re the sister I never had. So I’m going to be blunt and I’m sorry if this
hurts.” She took a deep breath, let it out. “He’s leaving.”

Ariel held back the flinch at the harsh words—barely.

“He’s leaving and you’re staying,” Mary Ellen continued.
“He’s a Marine and there are no bases near us. You’re about to graduate with
your degree and work for Child Protective Services here and partner with your
parents’ camp. There’s no future.”

“I know.” The truth hurt, more than it probably should for a
man she’d just met. But it did.

“You seem attached.” Mary Ellen slid her feet into sky-high
heels. “More so than I’ve seen before with another guy.”

Ariel’s phone beeped in her bag and she reached for it, glad
for the disruption. There was a dull ache in her chest that she couldn’t give a
name to. But as she opened the phone, the pain eased just a little.

What are you up to tonight?

Trav

“Another one you shouldn’t be attached to,” Mary Ellen
murmured next to her ear. She sank down on the bed and waved her hand at the
phone. “Go ahead, get it over with now so we can put it behind us for the
night.”

Ariel rolled her eyes but texted an answer anyway.

About to hang out with a new friend.

Ariel

They were walking along a hard-packed dirt path to the staff
parking lot when her phone beeped again.

Do you wish it was me?

Trav

Her breath caught in her chest. She stopped walking and
stared at her phone. What did that mean?

Mary Ellen pulled her arm to make her walk again. “Let’s go.
As you said earlier, we’re already late.”

Ariel slid into the passenger seat and buckled up. But all
the way to the restaurant she couldn’t stop thinking that yeah, she wished it
was him.

* * * * *

Trav wanted to punch something. He’d spent the entire day
combing the city, showing Sarah’s picture. It was old, yeah, but it’s all he
had. Nobody had ever seen her, or didn’t remember if they had. And nobody had
heard the name.

At this rate, he might have to resort to doing the one thing
he swore he’d never do again.

Talk to his father.

The idea depressed him. No, it pissed him off. But he
couldn’t seem to drag his mind away from the unpleasant, yet necessary, plans
he had to make regarding his father. It wasn’t helping that the girls were
running behind. He never should have sent that text to Ariel. It was stupid and
it would only add to the things he’d have to explain once he told her the
truth. But curiosity got the better of him and he had to know if she was
coming.

“There they are,” Pete said and nudged him with his elbow.

They sat at a high-top table facing the door. Guilt and
anxiety gnawed at his gut like an ulcer as he watched Mary Ellen and Ariel wind
their way through the tables. Mary Ellen, he had to admit, was sexy in her
tight jeans and heels. But once his gaze hit Ariel, he couldn’t take his eyes
off her.

Simple black shoes, khaki pants and a cardigan sweater. Her
hair was pulled back on the sides and flowed down her back between her shoulder
blades. It wasn’t overtly sexual. Hell, she could have been a kindergarten
teacher reading a story to students dressed the way she was. But his pulse
raced and his throat seized at the sight of her smile.