By My Side, page 16
“I mean it.”
He dropped the papaya and he didn’t hear it fall, which was doubly strange. He touched it with the tip of his foot.
“Trey.”
The voice sounded feminine and familiar. His eyes flew open.
The dream scene faded replaced by the sight of the soft morning sun rays touching the light blue walls. Was it morning? How long had he been asleep?
He moved his hand and felt something smooth, soft and warm: A thigh. It wasn’t his thigh, but he knew this thigh. He’d kissed this thigh. He’d been between this thigh.
He silently swore. Had he been squeezing Alicia’s thigh in his sleep imagining it was a papaya?
He snatched his hand back. “Sorry.”
“You certainly are grabby in your sleep,” Alicia said.
Trey felt his cheeks burn not wanting to imagine what other parts of her body he’d grabbed. He’d dare not think about what he thought the honeydew really was and he wouldn’t even think of how he’d held the mangoes. He should have slept on the couch; she probably wouldn’t want to sleep next to him again. “I’m really sorry.” He sat up. “Did you get any sleep?”
She flashed a slow smile. “I slept very well.”
Trey searched her face. She didn’t sound annoyed, or seem like she was lying. That was a good sign.
She pushed back the sheets revealing a cute little nightie with ice cream cones and bunnies on it. “Fortunately, I had something to look forward to.”
Trey frowned. “Something to look forward too?”
“Yes.” Alicia got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. “You can start with my back.”
Trey raced after her needing no further instructions.
Chapter Thirty-Six
“What do you want to do the next two days?” Trey asked her at breakfast. He indulged in fry jacks with scrambled eggs and beans while she had hers with jam.
“Two?” Alicia said, sucking jam off of her thumb. “I thought we only had one more.”
Trey’s gaze shifted to his orange juice. “I told your sister we’d extended our stay for business purposes, so there won’t be any trouble at work…if you’re interested.”
“Let me think…” Alicia furrowed her brows in mock confusion. “Stay in the Caribbean or go back to a Virginia winter.” She threw up her hands. “It’s a hard choice.”
Trey clasped his hands together and leaned forward. “Want to list the pros and cons?”
Alicia folded her arms. “I was being sarcastic.”
“I wasn’t.”
She narrowed her eyes. “That’s what makes you scary.”
He winked. “You mean sexy.” He stood and then went over and lounged on the couch. “So Belize is yours. What do you want to do?”
Alicia opened her mouth to reply then became captivated by his pose. He did look sexy, stretched out on the couch. She could picture him wearing one of MedForm’s uniforms and a caption could say ‘Work or Play. Your body won’t notice the difference.’
She grabbed her cell phone and took a picture of him before she said, “Wait a minute.” She rushed to her suitcase then returned with a uniform. She’d packed several items with the sole intention of taking pictures of him wearing them. She held it out to him. “Put this on.”
“Why?”
“I thought once we got here I could take some photos of you.”
He took off his jeans. “You were going to turn this into a business affair?”
She shrugged. “I never thought we’d—”
“It’s okay,” he said sliding on the trousers. “I don’t mind.” He tugged on a trouser leg. “This feels really comfortable and the fabric is great.”
“Thanks. I thought I’d take pictures of you by the pool.”
He changed out of his shirt. “Why not at the beach?”
Alicia groaned. “Ugh, I hate the beach.”
He paused with the uniform halfway over his face, his startled eyes met hers. “You do?”
“Yes.”
He pulled the top down. “But the picture in your office... I thought—”
“You took notice of that?”
He nodded. “That’s why I—” He stopped and tied the string belt on the trousers into a knot.
Alicia studied him and the way he tied then re-tied the trousers. He looked disappointed. She sat down as a realization hit her. “Is that why you invited me here with you?” She placed a hand on her chest touched. “That is so sweet.”
“I wasn’t trying to be sweet.”
She stood. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Where?”
“To the beach.”
“You just told me you hate the beach.”
She grinned. “But you started to change my mind.”
Alicia spent the next hour and a half taking pictures of him running barefoot in the sand, resting against a palm tree, looking out at the ocean and for the first time she didn’t mind being at the beach. It helped that there weren’t many people around yet so they could enjoy their surroundings in relative quiet.
As she took pictures, she let herself take pleasure in the early morning haze of the sun, and the breeze sweeping off of the ocean while she listened to the small waves crawling up the bank then receding like a shy visitor.
She posed Trey sitting, resting his hands on his knees looking out at the water. She didn’t know what the caption would be but she liked the image. She took several more pictures before Trey put a hand over his face and told her he’d had enough.
She put her phone away and sat down beside him and took her sandals off. She dug her toes into the sand, letting it seep between them.
“This is nice,” she said. “I’m glad you asked me to come.” She nudged him with her elbow. “Maybe I don’t hate the beach as much as I thought.”
“I’m glad.”
“Or perhaps you make all the difference.”
Trey sent her a sideward glance. “You sound like you mean that.”
“Because I do.”
“Are you sure you’re not trying to get me in the mood to take more pictures?”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you could take pictures of me at the pool, by the lagoon—”
Her face lit up. “Now that’s a good idea.”
“I’m done.”
“How about a few of you just lying in the sand?”
“No.” Trey jumped to his feet. “We should get back.”
“Let’s stay a little while longer,” Alicia said not wanting the moment to end. She grabbed his hand. Too late she realized she hadn’t warned him.
Trey yanked his hand free with such violence she cried out in alarm.
Their eyes met. His dark, guarded. Hers wide, uncertain.
Alicia pressed her hands together and said in a rush, “I’m sorry. I forgot to say something first.”
Trey turned and faced the ocean. “You shouldn’t have to apologize,” he said in a hard voice.
“But I—”
“You did nothing wrong.” He picked up a sea shell then closed it in his fist, tight, until drops of blood dripped from his hand.
Alicia scrambled to her feet. “No, don’t do that.” She covered his fist. “Please.”
Trey spun away from her and threw the shell in the ocean. “You did nothing wrong,” he repeated, this time his voice raw with pain. “It’s me. There’s something wrong with me.” He pounded his chest with his fist. “It makes no sense, but when people grab me it hurts. It shouldn’t but it does.” He released a shaky breath. “I don’t want you to be afraid of me.”
“I’m not.” She carefully pried his fist open to see the wound. “You startled me, but I recovered.” She glanced around before she took off her floral printed blouse.
“What are you doing?”
She wrapped his hand with her blouse. “The same thing you did for me.”
“That was different.”
She secured her makeshift bandage with a knot then inspected her handiwork. “Not really.” She held out her hand. “I’ll wear your top back.”
Trey stripped out of his top and handed it to her. “You didn’t need to—”
“Of course I did.” She put his shirt on. “What if the wound gets infected and then the infection spreads and you end up losing your hand or worse you—?”
Trey started to laugh.
“It’s not funny. The moment we get back we need to clean—”
He pulled her into his arms. “How come you’re always looking out for me?”
Alicia stiffened, not sure how to respond to his question.
“I’m sorry,” he said, no humor in his voice. “I’ll try harder. Give me time.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “Do you know why someone grabbing you hurts?”
He nodded. “But I’m not ready to talk about it.”
There were so many things he didn’t want to talk about: like Jacob or the wedding and now this. But she wouldn’t force him to. He’d asked her to accept him and she would. For now.
“When you’re ready will you let me help you?”
He nodded again.
Alicia stepped back and pulled out her cell phone. “And now for some more pictures. This shirtless look is incredible.”
He lunged for the phone. “Enough.”
She moved the phone out of reach and started to run. “Just a couple more.”
“No.”
She zigged and zagged out of his reach and ran a few yards before she realized he was no longer behind her. She turned and saw him kneeling on the ground, cradling his hand as if in pain. She rushed towards him. “Are you okay?”
He snatched the phone from her and said with a sly grin, “I am now.” He jumped up and ran towards the hotel like a sprinter.
“Why you!” Alicia ran after him, choking on the dust he left in his wake, knowing there was no way she could catch him. “I’m going to get you for that.”
His laughter rang loud and triumphant. He turned and jogged backwards displaying a wide smile.
And at that moment she finally saw the Trey Jacob knew. At first glance people would think they were different. Jacob outgoing, talkative and fun; Trey quiet, reserved, intimidating. But she realized they complemented each other. Just as Trey showed a different side when he allowed her to get close, there were likely sides to Jacob others didn’t see. A side perhaps only Trey knew.
I had to save him. That’s what Trey had told her. But his words still didn’t make sense. What did Jacob need saving from?
Why would Trey risk their friendship for it?
She knew she would have to wait for the answers. Trey would remain a mystery a little while longer.
Fortunately, Jacob’s loss was her gain. She glanced at the tattoo on Trey’s arm, that he had one still surprised her, before she looked down to his wrapped hand. The pain in his voice only minutes before still shook her. She would be careful not to grab him again. She didn’t want to lose him.
She didn’t want another failure.
She stopped running and held up her hands in surrender. “Okay, you win. No more pictures of you.”
He waved her phone. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
He jogged up to her and took her hand. “Great. Now let’s have some fun.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
They had different ideas of fun.
Alicia enjoyed zip lining and rappelling off a waterfall, Trey preferred looking at the Mayan ruins.
Alicia followed the tour and the enthusiastic guide with polite interest, twice hiding a yawn, while Trey followed along enraptured. She was glad Trey’s cut had been superficial and only needed a band-aid.
She attempted to entertain herself by counting the number of red items she could find and had reached twelve before Trey started telling her more about the artifacts. At first he spoke in such a quiet, serious way it was easy to ignore him, but soon she found herself listening and within minutes she became as enraptured as he was.
She discovered he knew as much, if not more, than the tour guide, delighting the guide with pointed questions that also amused the other tourists. He made the history come so alive that even after the tour ended Alicia wanted to know more. She would never have gone on an archeological tour on her own, but Trey had expanded her world.
And his favorite part of the world seemed to be the water. He truly was a shark. He found his way to the water any chance he could. In the morning it was the pool, that afternoon he took her swimming in the caves.
“I see you more wet than dry,” she teased him that night in bed. “From showers to the pool and the ocean, not that I’m complaining, you look great both ways, but it’s amazing.”
He shrugged.
She rested her chin on his chest. “Come on. Tell me the truth. You’re part fish.”
He nodded looking solemn. “And that’s why I don’t look like my dad.”
Alicia laughed. “That is a terrible joke.”
“It’s funny. You’re laughing, aren’t you?”
“Because it’s so bad.”
“He went fishing one day and plucked me out of the water.”
She covered his mouth. “Be quiet. I’m sorry I said anything.”
He removed her hand and his voice softened. “My dad’s a good man.”
“I’m sure he is,” Alicia said curious why he’d have to mention that. There was something in his tone that made her know it was important she understand that. “I liked him.”
Trey absently stroked her back. “My mother once told me that one night he woke up from a dream and said, ‘My son is in Haiti.’ Another wife probably would have told him to go back to sleep, but my father is special. He has a certain gift. He saved my grandfather when he told him to delay a trip, helped an aunt avoid a bad marriage and other things. So when he said those words my mother listened.”
Trey sighed and flattened his palm on her shoulder. “I wish I could say I remember the first moment I saw my parents. That I looked at them and felt a sense of hope or belonging, but I remember being a little afraid and not knowing why. I remember feeling neither happy nor sad.
I don’t know why he chose me, but he’s always said the moment he saw me he knew I was his son. That I was special. He worries about me a lot even though I tell him not to, but sometimes he feels things too much.”
Alicia lifted herself up to look at his face aware of the precious gift he’d given her by opening up. But she still sensed there was something he wasn’t telling her so she chose her words carefully. “Are you happy he chose you?”
Trey fell quiet for a moment, his gaze straying everywhere but her face before he said, “Yes.” His unguarded eyes met hers and his mouth curved into a smile. “Always.”
Alicia smiled relieved. It was at that moment she realized how much she wanted him to be happy. She lay on her back and groaned. “You may have been your father’s dream come true, but I’m my father’s nightmare.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“It’s true. I’ve been a big disappointment to him.” She blinked back the gathering of tears. She envied Trey a little. Her family never considered her something special. “But now it’s going to change. It’s already changed with your help.”
“I still wish you wouldn’t give me so much credit.”
She reflected on their past two days. How they’d sat at a table under a thatched roof on the beach, gazing over the lagoon while the Maya mountains rose in the distance.
She enjoyed corn and beans wrapped in a plantain leaf, pita bread stuffed with beans and curry vegetables while Trey enjoyed baked snapper stuffed with vegetables and lime. For dessert there was coconut pie and cinnamon spice bread pudding.
She gazed at Trey, feeling warm and safe beside him, dreading the life that faced her back in Virginia. The role she had to play. But she had him now. That would make a difference, right? Or was this all just a dream? Could their relationship stand the realities of life? Would she fail again?
Trey sat up. “What’s wrong?”
Alicia didn’t realize she was crying until she felt the tears fall down her cheeks. She wiped her eyes. She couldn’t tell him she didn’t want to go back. How much she felt she was hiding her true self back at home. But as long as she had him she’d be all right. “I-I’m happy. I’m glad you asked me for this favor.”
He cupped the side of her face. “I’m glad you said yes.” He kissed her. “You’d better get some sleep, we have an early flight.”
“Could you hold me for a little while?” Alicia said, hoping she didn’t sound as miserable as she felt.
Trey drew her into the circle of his arms. “I can hold you all night if you want me to,” he said his voice low and smooth.
“I do.” She sank into the warmth of his embrace.
She closed her eyes but didn’t sleep. The longer she stayed awake the longer the dream of being here with him would last. Once she closed her eyes the dream would be over.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
So this was what envy felt like.
Jacob stared at the picture Trey had sent him of Lavinia proudly walking down the aisle beside him on her wedding day. She’d finally stood up to her father, cutting him out of her life. She was free.
He wished he could have been there. But someone else had been there in his place. Someone else had witnessed Lavinia taking a stand.
But as much as Jacob envied her, he knew her battle was different than his. Easier. She didn’t have to stand up against her entire family, years of expectations and the constant threat of shame. He hadn’t been able to risk that. And Trey had paid the price.
But now Trey had Alicia.
Jacob closed the image when he heard the heavy footsteps of boots coming down the hall before a woman appeared in the entry way of his office. His contractor, Sandra Park, stopped and folded her arms before she said, “You look like someone chopped off your balls and fed them to a lion.”
Jacob scowled and put his cell phone away. “What is wrong with you?”
She shrugged unfazed by his tone. “It sounds better than saying ‘You look upset,’ don’t you think?”
