"Oh, okay. In that case, what can I get you to drink?"
"I'd like some sweet tea please."
Will ow reached for the pencil tucked behind her ear and quickly jotted it down. I'd never seen her write down drink orders before. Could my presence have her that rattled that she needed to write down sweet tea? God I hoped so.
"Okay, I'll be right back," she flashed me a smile that didn't meet her eyes and quickly spun around and headed directly for the kitchen. She didn't stop at any of her other tables to check on them. Will ow needed a moment. Because of me.
For the first time in weeks I was able to take a deep breath.
Just maybe, I could reach her again. Those damn thick walls she'd erected around her heart terrified me.
Willow
I can do this. I can do this. I CAN do this.
"You okay Low?" Seth asked stopping beside me with a tray of drinks.
"Um, yeah, I'm good. Just needed a breather," I forced yet another smile and reached for the sweet tea I'd fixed for Marcus.
Seth nodded and headed back out the door into the dinning room. I needed to do the same. I ran my hand over my hair and smoothed my apron down then rolled my eyes at my ridiculous behavior. This was Marcus. He'd shattered my heart. I did not care what he thought of me. My appearance was of no consequence.
I headed back out into the dinning room and stopped at my other tables to check on them. I needed to get another bottle of tartar sauce, a glass of water, and some lemons.
And I still had Marcus's drink in my hands. I had to get this over with.
He was leaning back in the booth watching me as I approached. I'd felt his gaze on me while I'd check on the other customers. It was a miracle I hadn't tripped and fell from my nervous reaction to his attention.
"Here ya go," I placed the tea on the table in front of him.
"You ready to order?"
"The blackened grouper sounds good," he replied. I wanted to curl up in his lap. How ridiculous was that? Just hearing him talk had me needing to touch him and feel his arms around me again. Ugh!
"Do you not recommend that?"
I snapped out of my internal obsessing and looked at him,
"Huh?"
Marcus grinned at me and my insides went all crazy.
"You're frowning. I was wondering if I'd ordered the wrong thing?"
My face instantly warmed and I shook my head staring down at my order pad in an attempt to hide my blushing.
"Oh, no. That's really good. The grouper is nice and fresh."
"Do you suggest I try those sweet potato fries?"
"Well, they're different, um, maybe you should stick with the regular fries."
Marcus nodded and handed me the menu, "Regular fries it is then."
I reached to take his menu and fought the urge to look at him. I knew he was watching me. If I lifted my head our eyes would meet. I wasn't that strong yet. Maybe one day I would be. But I needed time. Slipping the menu under my arm, I hurried back to the kitchen. I needed another breather.
After handing Marcus his check I'd once again scurried back to the safety of the kitchen. I slumped against the back wall behind the industrial sized dishwasher and let out a frustrated groan. This had been torture. Marcus had been friendly and talkative. He'd watched my every move as if I were the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen. I was a ball of nerves. Twice girls, I didn't know who obviously knew him, had come up to him and done everything they could to coax him to go out dancing with them. He'd brushed them off. Harshly. I'd loved it. Each time I'd lost the battle and glanced over at his booth, his eyes had been locked on me.
Even when he'd had uninvited guest his gaze never seemed to waiver.
"Low, your friend left a tip and a box with your name written rather impressively for a guy on the table." Unable to mask my curiosity, I rushed back to the booth where Marcus had been seated. He'd left a fifty dollar Bill to pay for his twenty dollar meal. Frowning, I pocketed the money and picked up the package he'd left. I ran my finger over my name. I recognized his neat handwriting.
"Hey, Seth. I'll be right back," I called out as I headed for the back door. I needed privacy. Once I was outside safely hidden out of the way, I opened it.
It was a 2006 Guns & Roses Chinese Democracy t-shirt, signed by all the members of the band. A small note was tucked inside of it and I caught it just before it fell onto the muddy gravel.
Will ow,
There's a story behind this shirt. I actually went to this concert opening night in Miami. It has been one of my prized possessions ever since. It's special because it was the only thing my dad ever took me to. He knew how bad I wanted to go. I'd just turned fifteen and he came to my room one night with two tickets. They weren't just any tickets.
They were backstage passes. He'd used every connection he could to get his hands on those tickets. It's the only fond memory I have of my dad. Maybe that's why it was so special.
Anyway, I want you to have it. I'd like to see it on you instead of stuck back in a drawer in my dresser. It's one of the good parts of me and I'd like to know it's in your hands.
I love you. I always will.
Marcus
Chapter Twenty-Five
Marcus
Larissa kicked happily in the pool as she bobbed in the shallow end with a life jacket on. Dad had called to let me know they were at the condo for the week and Larissa would like to see me. I wanted to see her too. He and Tawny went out shopping and left me alone with Larissa, since I still didn't care to see Larissa's mother. I didn't like Tawny. I never would. She hadn't just been the cause of my mother and sister's pain but she'd mistreated Low all her life. I'd disliked her before I'd known her for that reason alone.
"My lowlow," Larissa squealed slapping at the water. I followed her worshipful gaze to see Will ow walking out of the house in a royal blue bikini. Woah.
"hello sweet girl. I've missed you too," Will ow replied, grinning down at Larissa as she continued to squeal and slap at the water. Will ow glanced shyly over at me and I was pretty sure I'd swallowed my tongue.
"hello, Marcus."
"Low," I managed to reply.
"I hope you don't mind. Tawny called and said Larissa had woke up asking for me, and that you had her at the pool today if I wanted to come swim with her a little." She was here.
She was talking to me.
She was in a bikini.
"Uh, No, I don't mind at all."
There was nothing in her hands. She wasn't brining back the shirt I'd left her three nights ago. She was keeping it. I couldn't help but smile.
"My lowlow," Larissa squealed as Low lowered herself into the water and made her way over to Larissa.
"Look at you swimming all around like a big girl," Low cooed at her. Larissa ate it up and started spinning in circles anxious to show off her new trick.
"Wow! And you can do tricks."
"Martus ticks," Larissa pointed a little finger at me.
"I bet Marcus can do tricks," Will ow agreed. I wanted to show her just how many tricks I could do. Especially with her in that bikini.
A frisbee zoomed close to Will ow's head and before I could open my mouth to warn her she had grabbed it.
"Hey nice catch," a guy with a buzz cut and way more muscles than was normal jogged up grinning at Will ow like he'd just hit the jack pot.
"Yes well be careful next time. You could've hit her in the head," Will ow chided him politely nodding her head toward Larissa.
"Oh, yeah, sorry about that. The wind caught it. I'll just move out further."
Will ow shot him that heart stopping smile of hers and he looked a little shaken. I completely understood how he felt.
But he needed to walk away. Now.
"Martus ticks," Larissa demanded.
Will ow cut her eyes at me smirking, " I do believe you're going to have to show us your tricks. The queen has spoken."
Standing up, I walked over to the diving board. I jumped up on it. I felt like a teenager again. I was excited about showing off in front of a girl. Will ow's appreciative gaze was traveling down my body. Well damn. Now I couldn't concentrate and I was going to get a boner which would be obvious in these swim trunks. I needed to hurry up. I ran out and did a back flip and dove into the water.
When my head broke through the top of the water both Will ow and Larissa were clapping. "Bravo. I'm impressed. I wasn't aware country club boys new any tricks," Will ow teased. She started to swim toward the ladder but stopped beside me.
"Thanks for the shirt. I love it," she said in a soft whisper then darted off for the ladder. She loved my shirt. She wasn't going to give back my gift. My heart sped up at the thought of her wearing it.
I watched in fascination as she climbed out of the pool. Her bottoms were hugging her butt like a second skin. The water running down her body glistened as the sun hit it.
When she turned around to give me a front view, I was really glad to be underwater.
"Let's see if I can't one up that. I didn't grow up jumping off diving boards. I grew up jumping off bridge pilings into the gulf." She winked. She actually winked. Was Will ow flirting with me? Her hips swayed as she walked and I forgot everything but her almost naked body.
"Lowlow ticks," Larissa declared.
"Yep, Low is gonna do some tricks," I murmured unable to think coherently. Shit. She was going to bounce. All my school boy fantasies came rushing back and I wondered if drool was trickling out of my mouth. She ran and jumped into a toe touch then tucked her legs and flipped backwards and broke the water with a perfect dive.
Dear God that image was going to come in handy later.
Tonight. In my shower.
Larissa was cheering as Will ow swam back to us. I managed to shake myself out of my lustful thoughts and clapped.
"I don't think I can beat that. But by all means you go right ahead and show us some tricks," I shot her a wicked grin and she blushed.
I closed the distance between us and leaned down until my lips were inches from her ear.
"I love you," I whispered then without looking to see her reaction I swam away. I needed some distance. Because I was real close to grabbing her and kissing her until I was at least minimally sated. Which might be impossible.
Willow
"I love you"
Those three words Marcus whispered in my ear repeated themselves all evening. Long after I kissed Larissa goodbye and left Marcus with a wave. Would it ever get easy? We would always be in each other's lives. I wanted to prove we could be around each other and Larissa and it not be awkward. All I'd proven is that I wasn't over Marcus Hardy. Not by a land slide.
"What's up with the frown?" Cage asked walking into the kitchen and jumping up to take a seat on the bar right beside where I was chopping vegetable for my salad.
"Just thinking, move your butt over," I nudged his leg with the back of my hand.
"Talked to Marcus lately?"
What kind of question was that?
"Yes."
"When?"
"Today"
"He make you frown?"
"No. He was nice. We were nice."
"Nice, huh. So you thinking about that not trusting him thing?
Decided yet if you might can take one more chance?" I put the knife down and looked up at him.
"Cage, what's this about?"
Cage rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I think you're making a mistake."
Me too.
"Why?"
"Marcus did leave you. BUT he came back. He wanted to come back. Everyone else who left you didn't want to come back, Low. They left because they wanted to. Marcus didn't want to leave. It completely tore him up." I gripped the edge of the counter with both hands. He'd come back.
"He did," I whispered.
Cage reached down and squeezed my shoulder.
"Yeah, he did."
"Do you think he'll leave me again?"
Cage let out a long heavy sigh, "Well, things happen in life, Low. Hell, I could die tomorrow then I'll have left you. We can't control the future. But I can promise you that Marcus Hardy loves you more than anyone else is ever going to love you. Other than me of course."
I chuckled, "Of course."
"Nobody loves you like I love ya baby," he teased, Jumping back down off the counter he pulled me into a hug.
"Take a chance, Low."
"What do I do? I told him no," I mumbled into Cage's shoulder.
"I've seen the guy, Low. Walk up to him and say you love him. You changed your mind. You want to give it another go.
I can promise you he won't argue with you." I leaned back and stared up at Cage. "You think?"
"I know."
"Okay. I guess I'll text him to meet me somewhere."
"That sounds like a really good idea."
Cage started to turn around and walk away but I reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him. "Cage?" He let me pull him back with his trademark wicked grin firmly in place, "Yes?"
"Why're you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
I put one hand on my hip and cocked an eyebrow. He knew good and well what I was talking about. "Why're you all for me talking to Marcus, giving him another chance? Weren't you planning on marrying me eventually? I'd think this screws up your ten year plan."
Cage chuckled and draped an arm over my shoulders, "I guess it does kinda mess up my well thought out future but the thing is, Marcus makes you happy. He can love you in ways I can't. I'm all kinds of f**ked up, Low. You and I both know I'd never make a good husband," he grimaced at the word and I couldn't help but giggle.