A Summer to Remember(11)
“And what is so wrong with you I should be ashamed we went with the moment, Jerrica? I love you…I mean, I have known you practically my whole life and we’re like family.”
Yes, and that kiss we just shared was such a friendly kind of love, I thought sarcastically.
“I’m damaged goods, Paul. Inside, everything is broken and my emotions are like shattered glass. I’m not good for any man, especially one as worthy as you.” I took his hand and we turned toward the house. “We won’t speak of this again and we won’t tell anyone it ever happened, okay?”
“Fine. What happened tonight will be our little secret.”
I breathed a deep sigh of relief and responded in a whisper, “Thank you.”
We both looked at one another and smiled. I knew what had happened tonight would continue to be between us and he would never share it with a soul, not even my brother. That gave me a certain sense of comfort even if what we did was so right it was wrong.
Chapter Four
The next morning, I awoke early, showered and walked out to the pool area. Unfortunately, I hadn’t beat the early bird, Talia, who already lay out in a gorgeous white bathing suit that accentuated her gorgeous curves and looked stunning on her light olive skin which was already beginning to bronze.
“Jesus, how long have you been up?” I greeted as I laid in the lounger beside her and began to spray my skin with sunscreen.
“Good morning to you too,” Talia responded in a cordial tone. “I am having a bit of a time adjusting to the new time zone after being on Pacific Standard Time for so long. I awoke about five and read a bit before I took a shower and made some fresh-squeezed orange juice. You look like you need it. Feeling a bit hung over?”
I grabbed the carafe she’d set on the glass table between us and poured myself a generous helping in a Baccarat crystal glass. “Damn, is it that obvious I had too much to drink last night? This isn’t spiked with vodka, is it?”
My best friend looked at me like I’d just asked her for a hit of crack cocaine. “Of course not! I have been in California a bit too long. I made myself a smoothie for breakfast and then made the orange juice. I don’t do any of that shit anymore: no marijuana and definitely no ciggies. I quit cold turkey because all my bad habits were starting to affect my voice and make it a little too husky.”
“Husky is good. Think about all the great British neo-soul singers: Adele, Joss Stone, the late and great Amy Winehouse.” I finished spraying myself and set the sunscreen on the table before I swallowed half my orange juice in a few deep swigs.
“Yeah but I don’t do neo-soul. I do pop, remember? I’m trying to make it and I don’t want to be in a certain niche that doesn’t sell very well. I want to be a Mariah Carey or a Britney Spears—”
“With better pipes?” I cut her off. “Listen, how are you ever going to make it if you keep writing songs for established artists and the company you work for would rather use you as a song writer rather than an artist? I told you it was going to be a hard slog but you simply ignored me. Making it as a singer-songwriter is no joke. There is a reason why there are so few.”
Talia breathed deeply before she turned my way. “What was last night all about and you running off like your ass was on fire? Don’t you dare tell me it had anything to do with Paul or I will kill you myself.”
I shrugged and thought about it for a moment. Part of my behavior did have to do with Paul but the other part was all me. I didn’t want to hear about his perfect girlfriend or how they were so great with one another. I didn’t feel like explaining any of this to my best friend either so I just took the easy way out—I lied my ass off.
“I don’t give a damn about who Paul is dating and listening to Jude and him go on and on about Ashley made me want to vomit. It’s bad enough I will have to meet her…eventually.”
“True…” Talia trailed off before we heard a ruckus at the front door and we both stared at one another. She rolled her gorgeous pale green eyes and we both had the same thought. It wasn’t hard to guess what the issue was about. Another one of our best friends had arrived and she didn’t sound happy.
We stood and walked through the house until I opened the double doors. There was a stretch limousine and Autumn stood outside the vehicle arguing with the driver.
“Listen, I didn’t pay you just to look pretty and drive me here. It is your contractual obligation to help me with my bags so get your lazy, fat ass out of the car and do your goddamn job!” she exclaimed in a commanding yet icy tone of voice.