CHAPTER SEVEN
ALEXIS
‘‘Boy’s got it bad.’’ Jen flicks a shell away.
‘‘Okay,’’ I say.
‘‘No, really. I’ve never seen him this way. It’s both exciting and sickening at the same time.’’
‘‘Jen.’’
‘‘Don’t you start with the ‘Jen’ thing,’’ she warns me. ‘‘I’m just tellin’ you how I see it, and I can see more fireworks between you two than the fifth November.’’
‘‘The things you come out with...’’ I shake my head.
‘‘Lexy, you can tell me.’’ She sits up and is serious. ‘‘Do you like him?’’
‘‘I like him. As a friend.’’ I skirt around her meaning.
‘‘Nice dodge, Lexy.’’ She lies back down.
‘‘I don’t know what you mean.’’
‘‘Well, we’ll see.’’
‘‘Despite everything he said yesterday, I’m pretty sure he just wants to get in my pants. That’s all.’’ I check my phone and see that Bing is coming back to Lilac Bay on Friday, two days early.
‘‘Alec’s never asked anyone for a chance. Ever. Trust me, he wants more than a roll in the hay.’’
‘‘Well, I don’t want a summer romance.’’
I don’t know who I’m trying to convince.
‘‘Yeah, I believe you.’’ Jen says it in a tone that says she clearly doesn’t, but she’s gonna drop it for now. ‘‘There’s another party at the Bay on Friday, and since it’s your birthday next week I thought we’d go and celebrate your last under-age drinks.’’
‘‘Sounds like a plan, batgirl.’’ I grin at her. ‘‘Although, Bing said he’s back Friday so he’ll probably come too.’’
‘‘I have no doubt he will,’’ she says dryly. ‘‘Maybe he can take Bianca off Alec’s hands for him.’’
I giggle into my towel. ‘‘Most likely situation? He will.’’
~
Since Jen has a dress fitting, I spend Thursday with Grammy. I finally roll my sleeves up and help her weed the garden to the sound of her probing questions about my day with Alec. I tell her I surfed successfully three times, but leave out the whole crazy heart beating thing that happened before I actually stood on the board.
Thursday passes quickly - too quickly, and before I know it I’m at Jen’s getting ready for the beach party.
‘‘Six days, and we can party properly,’’ she says, pulling clothes from her wardrobe.
‘‘Oh yes. Where are we going?’’ I flick through the music channels absently.
‘‘Barnstaple. It’s easy enough to get a taxi back.’’ She shakes her head at one dress and hangs it back up. Guess she’s going for the red dress then.
Cobra Starship start singing from the TV and I sigh.
‘‘I make them good girls go bad!’’ Jen sings loudly and twirls dramatically across her room.
I laugh and she pulls me up with her.
‘‘You heard that I was trouble but you couldn’t resist,’’ I wink at her.
‘‘Good girls go bad.’’ She moves her head side to side.
‘‘Boy you’re dangerous, yeah you’re that guy I’d be stupid to trust, but just one night couldn’t be so wrong...’’
‘‘You make me wanna lose control!’’ We both sing at the same time.
I sigh happily and pull my make-up from the side.
‘‘I think that’s your problem,’’ Jen brushes her hair, still dancing.
‘‘What’s my problem?’’
‘‘Alec is the guy you’d be stupid to trust, right? But you’re totally losing control where he’s concerned, and that’s why you’re keeping him at arms length.’’ Oh, Jen, if only you knew. ‘‘But one night couldn’t be that bad....’’
‘‘I’m not having a one-nighter, Jen.’’
‘‘You don’t want a summer romance, so just one night with him wouldn’t be bad... I mean...’’
‘‘I’m a virgin!’’ I interrupt her.
‘‘Well fuck a duck, I wasn’t expecting that.’’ She stops twirling and looks at me. ‘‘Are you actually?’’
‘‘Yes.’’ I go back to my make-up.
‘‘Okay, veto the one night idea. Hmm.’’ She gets a thoughtful expression. ‘‘A date?’’
‘‘No.’’
‘‘Vetoed. Okay. Just let things run its course?’’
‘‘I don’t think I have much choice on that,’’ I sigh.
She tilts her head to the side. ‘‘I knew you liked him.’’
‘‘I...’’ I begin to protest and stop. ‘‘A little.’’
‘‘I knew ittt!’’ she sings. ‘‘I absolutely knew it, absolutely...’’
‘‘Can we just get ready?’’ I interrupt her again. Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if she has batteries or something. She’s always on the go.
‘‘Good thinkin’ catwoman.’’
~
There’s only so much I can take of my brother. Sometimes, I can tolerate him. Sometimes, I want to whack him over the head with the nearest heavy object.
Tonight is a heavy object night.
He’s taken the role of my protector. Unnecessarily.
‘‘Bing, really, you don’t need to stick to my side like glue. I promise I won’t run off. I even promise with a cherry on top,’’ I say sarcastically.
‘‘You’re my baby sister, you’re in a strange place where you hardly know anyone. Of course I’m going to protect you,’’ Bing replies, leaning against a rock.
‘‘I’m hardly a baby anymore,’’ I huff.
‘‘Lex, I’m always gonna protect you, you get me? No one will touch you while I’m around.’’
‘‘No one touches me anyway!’’
‘‘Except lover boy.’’
‘‘Gram’s been recruiting you to her side, hasn’t she?’’
‘‘Dunno what you mean, sis.’’ He grins cheekily at me and I shake my head.
‘‘Is that buffoon still here?’’ Jen groans and passes me a drink. Bing frowns at me.
‘‘It’s come from Alec’s car,’’ I grind out.
‘‘I opened it.’’ Jen smiles sweetly.
Bing grunts and folds his arms across his chest.
‘‘You’re such a fucking toddler,’’ I snap at him. ‘‘Do me a favour and go and entertain Bianca.’’
‘‘Who’s Bianca?’’ He perks up.
‘‘She’s making moves on her man.’’ Jen waggles her eyebrows. I roll my eyes. There’s no use correcting her - she’ll just tell me I’m in denial. Again.
‘‘Where is she?’’
Jen skirts around me and links her arm through Bing’s. She points her out in the crowd - her bleach blonde bob isn’t exactly hard to miss - and I see him nod appreciatively.
Honestly, if it has boobs, a pair of legs and a pulse, Bing will be straight onto it.
Figuratively and literally.
He nods again and starts moving in Bianca’s direction.
‘‘How?’’ I look at Jen in amazement.
‘‘I told him she’d been eyeing him up all night and she’s up for anything.’’ She sips her drink and the emphasis on ‘anything’ makes me choke on my drink.
‘‘Yep, that’ll do it,’’ I laugh. She tilts her bottle towards me and raises her eyebrows casually.
‘‘Someone’s heading your way, and he looks interested.’’
I hate my body for the way a little hope blooms at the thought it could be Alec.
I glance over my shoulder. It’s not Alec - but it’s not altogether a bad alternative. He’s not as built as Alec, but his hair is darker and his eyes look kind of hazel in the darkness. He’s attractive, and had I not met Alec I’d be up for a flirt.
Hold up. When did I start comparing everyone to Alec?
Ugh. I need help.
‘‘Carl’s mate from college. He’s called James, and he’s alright.’’ Jen smiles.
‘‘I thought you were rooting for Alec?’’ I whisper to her.
‘‘Oh, I am. But the thought he might have a bit of competition might give him a kick up the ass.’’ She winks at me and sends a beaming smile over my shoulder. ‘‘Hey, James. How you doin’?’’
‘‘Arite, Jen? Not bad maid, you?’’
His accent is proper Devonshire. Or should that be propurr?
Okay, Alexis, put the alcohol down.
‘‘Yeah, good thanks.’’
‘‘Who’s ya friend?’’
‘‘Oh, James, this is Lexy, my friend from London. Lexy, this is James.’’
I turn and realise he’s a lot taller than me. ‘‘Hey. Nice to meet you.’’
He shakes my hand. ‘‘An’ you, maid. Down for the summer?’’
‘‘Yep,’’ I say with a small smile.
‘‘James, you seen Carl?’’ Jen interjects.
‘‘Yeah, he’s down by the sea talkin’ to the guys.’’
‘‘I’ll go and find him, leave you two to get to know each other.’’ She walks past us and throws me a sly smile. I shake my head at her games.
‘‘Been ta the Bay before?’’ James asks.
‘‘Yeah, used to come every summer. My Gram lives here.’’
‘‘That how ya know Jen?’’
‘‘Yeah, we used to play together when we were kids.’’
‘‘Nice girl.’’ He nods approvingly, his eyes roaming over me. ‘‘Not as nice as you, though.’’
I’m not comfortable with him. At all. I glance around and I can spy Bing talking to Bianca with his back to me, and Alec is too busy glaring at the side of James’ head to catch my eye.
‘‘Got a boyfriend, Lexy?’’
My name sounds dirty on his lips.
“Nope, I don’t.”
I look around and we’re fairly secluded from everyone else. Pretty much everyone here is local and they’re all smart enough not to be by the rocks while they’re drinking.
“Well then,” James drawls. At least, he tries to. “How about me and you go back there an’ have a little fun?”
“I’m fine here thanks.” Alarm bells ring in my mind as he steps closer. I step backwards - into the rock.
I’m backed in and he’s either really drunk, or really stupid. I’d bet a bit of both.
“C’mon maid, me an’ you could have a real good time, you get what I’m sayin’?”
I can smell the beer on his breath and it’s all I can do not to gag.
“No.”
“No, you don’t get what I’m sayin’ or you don’t want a good time?”
“I don’t want a good time, especially not with you,” I say icily and look up at him.
“Well, thass a shame, cause me an’-”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Alec’s voice warns from the shadows. I look over James’ shoulder at him.
I’ve never seen Alec angry, but it’s not a look I want to see again.
“And why should I do tha, surfer boy?” James sniggers.
“Because that’s my little sister your dirty ass is tryin’ to fuckin’ hit on you creep,” Bing seethes and steps next to me. His body is tight and his fists are clenched.
He’s ready to fight James.
“Bing, let’s just go,” I say quietly and touch his arm.
“Nah-uh,’’ he says without looking at me. “I wanna know who the fuck this little prick thinks he is pullin’ those kinda moves on my baby sister.”
“Hey, listen here mate, you ain’t her keeper and this little slut-”
I hear the crack before my brain comprehends the fact Bing has punched him and is now pinning him to the ground, and that I’m in Alec’s arms.
I don’t realise I’m shaking until Alec tightens his grip on me. He rubs my back gently and I press my face into him.
“You’re alright, Princess,” he whispers in my ear. “I’ve got you now.”
I grab fistfuls of his shirt and ignore the shouts and cheers behind me. I’m not worried for Bing. He knows how to look after himself - I’ve seen him fight a guy twice his size and KO him.
“Oh my god Lexy I’m so sorry!” Jen wraps her arms around both me and Alec. “If I knew he’d try that I never would have left you alone with him!”
“It’s okay.” I turn my head slightly so I can see her. “You didn’t know. None of us did.”
“Why was she alone with him in the first place?” Alec questions her.
Jen looks at me and I grimace slightly.
“We...” She sighs. “He was coming over and I thought if you saw her with another guy you’d get a wriggle on and you know.”
“You left her with a stranger to make me jealous?” Alec explodes and steps back.
I let go of his shirt with one hand and grab his arm. He looks upwards and I tug on his arm.
“Alec?” I say softly. He looks down at me. “I’m okay. Really. He didn’t touch me. Jen didn’t know that’s what he had on his mind. He’s a friend of Carl’s - she thought it would be okay.”
“It was a stupid idea. I’m sorry.” Jen looks at the ground.
“Aw, hell, Jen. I don’t blame you. I’m just angry at that prick for trying to take something that doesn’t belong to him. Yeah, yeah I know.”
Jen must have made a face or something at him, but as I’m still looking at Alec I don’t know.
“Go and tell Carl we’re getting Bing. We’ll meet you at the car in ten.” Alec smiles at Jen and she disappears. He looks back down at me and pulls me back into him.
This time, I wrap my arms around his waist and just let him hold me.
“Sure you’re okay?” he asks softly.
“I’m okay now,” I reply and he squeezes me. He puts his face in my hair and I can’t help my sigh.
My head is telling me I shouldn’t be so close to him, it’s wrong, but I can’t deny how right it feels, the safety I feel in his arms.
Bing comes over a few minutes later.
“Let’s get you home, Lex.” He strokes my head softly.
I turn to him and make to move from Alec’s arms. Bing shakes his head, barely, and I smile at him. Maybe he knows me better than I thought. Alec tucks me tightly into his side and I lean into him.
It’s just as Jen said. He’s dangerous, the guy I’d be stupid to trust, but I can let myself have this. I can let myself curl into his embrace tonight, simply because I can’t pull myself away.
Alec tosses Bing his keys. I shoot my brother a look and he holds his hands up.
“I haven’t touched a drop. I was lookin’ out for you, Lex.”
“Good thing too.” Alec helps me into the back seat and climbs in next to me. He immediately puts his arm around me and holds me close. Jen gets in next to me and shoots me a knowing look. I blink at her and she nods, settling back.
The drive back to Gram’s is quiet. Bing and Alec are both tense with anger still, I know Jen is bathing in guilt and Carl is well, Carl.
Alec insists on walking me to the door and Bing heads inside to give us a minute.
“Thank you, for tonight.” I glance up at him. He places a hand on the side of my face.
“I’ll always be there to save you, Princess.”
He goes to his car and I step inside, glancing back at him one more time. His eyes meet mine before he gets in the car.
I shut the door behind me and head up to Bing’s room. I knock gently on his door and push it open slightly.
“Bing?” I whisper.
He turns, pressing a wet cloth to his mouth. “I’m alright. He only got one hit in, but I think I broke his nose.” He grins and I can’t help but smile at him.
I run in and hug him tightly. “Thank you.”
He wraps one arm around me and squeezes.
“Any time. Go to bed.” He gently pushes me back to the door and I leave.
Once I’ve changed and climb into bed, all I can see is Alec. It’s like he’s here, right in front of me. His blue-grey eyes are seared into my mind and I can’t focus on anything but him.
James, Bing fighting him, it all disappears.
My phone dings and I pick it up.
Goodnight, Princess x
I smile and hit reply.
You’re a regular Prince Charming, aren’t you? x
Complete with a white horse x
I laugh into my pillow.
Night, Alec x
I put my phone screen down on the bedside cabinet, a silly smile on my face.
I’m definitely in trouble.
ALEC
“Alec, I’m sorry,” Jen says again when I get back into the car.
“Don’t be,” I reply, exhaling loudly. “It couldn’t be helped. It’s not your fault.”
“It’s no ones fault.” Carl sighs. “He’s just a perverted asshole.”
I hear Jen grunt. “What?” I ask and look through the rear view mirror.
“Nothing-”
“Jen. What. Is. It?” I repeat.
She half-growls, half-sighs at me. “I just wish you’d pull your oversized head out of your sun kissed surfers-ass where Lexy is concerned, that’s all.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’re a stubborn dick who can’t admit he’s falling in love with a girl!” Jen thumps the back seat. “Jesus Christ on an Olympic wind glider, Alec. You went ape shit back there tonight. You think anyone is gonna go near her now? Cause they ain’t.”
“Good.” Me and Carl reply at the same time.
“But you ain’t exactly near her either, are you?” she continues. “No, your balls are still at primary school age where she’s concerned. You gotta sort your shit out before that girl has enough of it and gives up or, goes back to London. She ain’t gonna be here forever. Pull. Yourself. Together!”
I park up outside her house. “Sleep well, Jen.”
She looks at me aghast and storms out of the car, slamming the door. Carl rolls his eyes.
“Sleep well? I’ll give him fuckin ‘sleep well, Jen’ when I sneak into his room with a spork to scoop out the inside of his balls so he better sleep well with one of his pretty little goddamn eyes open.” She fumes and I can’t help but laugh.
“Did she even pause for breath then?” I look at Carl.
“No.” He shakes his head. “No, she didn’t.”
“Have fun, mate.” I nod to him and he raises his eyebrows.
“I’ll try to.” He gets out and follows Jen into her house.
I can’t think of anything other than that prick trying to pull his moves on Lexy on the way to my house. It’s all I can do not to slam every door on my way upstairs when I get in.
I don’t get angry easily. In fact, it takes a hell of a lot. I think that’s why everyone was so surprised when I flew off the handle at Jen. I couldn’t help it. The thought she’d done it to make me jealous....
I slam my pillow against my wall and grit my teeth. This completely irrational need to protect her is making me wanna get back in the car, drive over to Vi’s and wrap her in my arms. Without letting go.
Now I’m angry at myself. If I’d kissed her by now would it have happened? No, no it fucking wouldn’t have because there isn’t a chance in hell I’d let her out of my sight. Turning away for five minutes caused tonight.
Jen’s right. I need to pull my head from my ass and make my girl mine before it’s too late.