My Aussie Guy (My Guy Series, Book 2) Page 7

  “How so?”

  “It’s been twelve months since he passed away, and we were both going to travel. Two crazy Australian boys with only our dreams carrying us across different countries. We’d been saving since we got our first jobs in high school.” He clears his throat as if moving his emotions from there. “When Tom passed away, he left his savings to me.” He takes a large breath. “Of all people, me. His family are well off, just like mine, and so his parents had no issues giving me the money, but they felt like I needed to do something worthy with it. So, I’ve stuck to our dream. This is only the beginning of a year-long travel I plan to do.”

  I take a deep breath. “Wow.” I sigh. “That’s beautiful. You’re keeping the memory of your friend alive.” I turn to him, catching him nodding. “You and he must have had a great friendship.”

  “We did. It was always me and Tom. When it came to girls, we had each other’s back and made sure we didn’t date crazy chicks.”

  I laugh. So does he, and that’s when I feel a small tug on my line.

  “Oh, I think a fish is biting,” I whisper. “I am not sure why I’m whispering, though. Perhaps I don’t want to scare away whatever’s biting on my line.” I look to Aiden for advice.

  The line tugs again while the top of the rod bends.

  “If you get another one like that, pull back and then start reelin’ it in.” His body has turned toward me. I can feel the heat of his stare boring into me.

  Then, there’s a bigger bite and tug, so I do what he said. I yank back, and there’s possibly a fish on the end, pulling against my line.

  “Start windin’ it in.”

  Grabbing the reel, I pull then wind and pull then wind.

  “It looks like a decent size, whatever it is. Keep goin.’”

  I pull again, then the weight that was there a moment ago suddenly disappears, and my entire body flies back. I can’t help but break out in laughter.

  I’m lying back on the wood, laughing, my stomach tighter with each giggle. I place the rod beside me with tears falling down my cheeks. Usually, I’d be totally embarrassed by something like this, but I couldn’t care less, especially not in front of Aiden, for some reason.

  “You okay?” He places his rod down and leans over to offer me a hand. I take it, and he pulls me up. We were close before, but now we’re a hair’s breadth apart. My laughing stops, but the smile doesn’t move from my face. My heart jumps at our closeness. Our eyes burn into each other’s. His eyes shift from mine to my lips and back up again. Heat pools in my stomach.

  Aiden inches closer. I close my eyes as he nears and feel the warmth of his soft lips lightly brushing over mine.

  I want more.

  I open my eyes and reach up, gently rubbing my hand on his cheek then dropping it back to my lap. He must take that as an invitation, and within seconds, his mouth is back on mine. Only this time, he’s not so gentle. Our lips move with such rhythm we could be writing our own song. His hands move and take my face, and when he does, goose bumps spread over my body like a wildfire.

  After a moment, he pulls away, but I want those lips back. I stare at him. His eyes blaze with emotion, and it slaps me in the face. Our breaths are heavy, and I’m sure if we weren’t in public, more would happen.

  “Wow,” I breathe. I’ve been wanting to do that since I met him, and it was even better than I imagined.

  “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself,” he says with a kind softness to his voice.

  I reach out and place my hand on his neck. “It was… perfect.”

  He grins when the words leave my lips. “I can’t promise it won’t happen again.” His hand reaches up and takes mine from his neck.

  “That’s okay. I’m sure I can survive another kiss like that one.”

  “How about multiple?” He waggles his eyebrows.

  “Oh, I don’t know. You might run away with my heart. It’s already trying to escape.” The pounding music in my chest hasn’t settled since we sat down.

  The way he has this invisible hold over me is something I probably should be scared of.

  Because when he eventually leaves, I’m sure he’ll have one extra piece of baggage he takes along with him—my heart.

  I want to hold her in my arms and take her away—travel together. The way her gaze holds mine, it’s as if there are a thousand stories sitting behind them, a thousand secrets she wants to share, and I’d be happy to sit here and listen to every single one. The kiss was unplanned. Those peach-pink lips were soft as feathers against mine, and it makes me want more.

  Elsie picks up the rod and reels in the rest of the line then places it down again. “I think I’m done with fishing for today.” She shrugs. “I’m happy to stay and wait for you to catch something if you want.”

  “Sure. Why not? I’ve got all this bait to use up.” In all honesty, I want to spend more time with her, and if we have to sit here and fish, then I am all for it. Hearing her laughter brings a smile to my face every single time. Talking to her is easy. I didn’t think I’d bring Tom up to her—or anyone—over here. It always hurts too much, so I barely mention him. It’s been a year, and I miss my friend so much. I’ve never been close to anyone like that since. I guess I’m afraid that they’ll leave me. It’s a stupid thought, really.

  “So, you’re here for the semester, and where are you planning to go after that?” Elsie asks as I slip more bait onto my hook.

  I take a moment to think about her question. “I really don’t know. I’ll find somewhere, I’m sure of it, and I’ve got a bit of time to think about it. I may end up hanging around.”

  Elsie cocks an eyebrow. “Really? You’d hang around here when you’ve got the rest of the world to discover?” I can hear the shock in her words.

  Flicking the rod out, I settle it between my legs once again before I answer. Little does she know that it’s because of her I wouldn’t mind hanging around. “Yeah. I’ve got a good group of friends around me here.” I face her.

  “But the whole thing was your pact to travel. Why would you stop that? You could easily come back after you’re done visiting places you want to go.”

  “Aren’t having friends important, though?”

  “Well, yes, but you came all this way to see the world. Don’t stop in this little town. Go explore. There’s so much more for you to do. More friends for you to make.”

  Damn! It almost sounds as though she’s trying to push me away.

  I give her a side glance. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

  She straightens her back. “What? No. I just think you’ve come so far, and you need to do what you and your friend were planning. It’s his legacy.” Her voice softens as she says the last part of her argument.

  “Come with me then?” The words are out before I can stop myself.

  What the hell am I thinking?

  Her mouth hangs open. She’s speechless. I reach over and touch her chin, and her mouth snaps shut. Still, she says nothing, but then she seems to regain her senses and says, “I know you’re only joking, so don’t tempt me.” She laughs it off.

  I’d love for her to travel with me. Having her with me would be so much fun. Seeing the world together. “Who says I’m joking?”

  “Yeah, nice try.” She faces the ocean, breaking our intense stare. “Anyway, what are your plans for the rest of the day?”

  I don’t even need to think about this, so I answer, “To spend it with you.”

  Pink flushes her cheeks. Without thinking, I grab her hand from where it’s resting on her leg. Her gaze drops to where our hands are locked together. I wonder what she’s thinking. Was this what she wanted to happen?

  That kiss, though. It spoke volumes. The way she responded tells me she’s willing for something or she would have pushed me away. Wouldn’t she? Sometimes she’s easy to read, and other times, like now, I’m so unsure.

  Elsie squeezes my hand, and the small bit of uncertainty I had swimming around in my gut tells me she’s okay. Well, I h
ope so.

  “So, tell me, can you play basketball?” I remember how she had been super keen to play the first—well, technically, the second—time we met.

  A nervous cough-slash-laugh bubbles up from her throat. “That would be a no. I have no idea.” She laughs. “I was trying to impress you.” Elsie nudges my shoulder without turning toward me. She impressed me all right.

  “You definitely made yourself unforgettable.” I chuckle then receive another nudge, only this time, much harder.

  “Shut up,” she snaps, but she’s still playful.

  “And you totally collected your head on the way out.” More laughter erupts between us.

  “I was trying to impress you. It obviously worked if you’re sitting here with me now.” Elsie turns my way. Her shining eyes burn into mine. Her beautiful pink skin lights up under the sun. Her flushed cheeks make my hand ache to reach out and touch her, to glide my fingers down her smooth skin.

  “How could I forget when you were trying to escape as fast as you could. I was impressed with how you handled yourself.”

  Elsie rolls her eyes. “Stop making fun of me.”

  “I’m going to teach you a little basketball before I leave. I dare you to let me teach you.” I throw down the gauntlet, knowing she can’t pass up a dare. Thanks, Addison, for filling me in on that little fact.

  Elsie is silent a moment before answering, “Okay, that’s pretty easy. Surely, it’s not that hard to learn basics.”

  “Who said anything about basics?” I tease. I want to get a rise out of her.

  “Oh, come on… I’m not a super sporty girl. Nothing like Addison, anyway. Yes, I dress as though I’ve gone to the gym, but it’s only a front. I just love wearing tights and tees.”

  “Let me say, I love you in tights.” I give her a half-smile.

  “Calm down there, mister.” She releases my hand and taps my shoulder then shakes her head.

  “One more thing. I dare you to kiss me again.” I watch and wait for her reaction.

  She gives me nothing.

  I wait longer.

  Elsie slowly leans over with a small grin on her face, but I quickly close the space, sealing another kiss on her lips. I could kiss her all day.

  When she pulls back, the smile on her face is bright. “That one was easy.” She winks.

  I shake my head, chuckling.

  We spend the rest of the morning and afternoon on the wharf. I love spending time with her. We make each other laugh, and it feels good. I have so many opportunities to tell her the truth about my fake girlfriend, but I don’t. It should all be okay now that I’ve apparently ended things with her anyway, so why bother telling her the ‘actual’ truth. There’s no need to go down that path.

  It’s wrong and I know it, but I don’t want to hurt her.

  When I get back to the house, Parker’s sitting in the living room. The sofa bed’s all packed away. I head to the fridge to make a sandwich.

  “So, Addison tells me that you ended things with your girlfriend?” He’s not impressed—at all. The way the words come out so dry, it’s as if they have rolled across the desert to get to me. It instantly burns me.

  Stopping what I’m doing, I turn, and his features are stone. “Yeah…” I draw out the word, unsure what else to say.

  Parker rises from the couch. “You should’ve been honest with her. What are you doing?” Oh hell, I can tell he’s pissed off. “You’re building a friendship based on a lie.”

  I nod. Unease settles in the pit of my stomach. It makes me ill. “I know. I will tell her the truth.”

  Parker folds his arms across his chest and stares me down. “You’re going to break her heart. You’ve got to see that. And in turn, I’m lying to Addison, which I hate. If she finds out that I knew about this from the start, I’m going to be in trouble. None of this sits right with me.”

  “I know. I know. I’m sorry. I’ll fix it.”

  “You better, or I’m going to tell Addison, and she’ll surely fill Elsie in on this lie. Just tell the damn truth before you break both of the girls’ hearts.”

  “Both girls?”

  “Yeah. It’ll break Addison’s heart as well because she likes you.”

  I hang my head. The shame pumps through my veins. “Okay. I’ll fix this. But what if she hates me after I tell her?”

  Parker smirks. “She’s going to be angry. Both of them will, there is no doubt. But you have to prove to them that you’re not that person. You’re a good person, Aiden. Unfortunately, you’ve done a stupid thing.”

  I nod, and Parker exits the room.

  I’ve screwed up.

  How am I meant to fix this without Elsie hating me?

  Spending yesterday with Aiden had been great, and those kisses were memorable. Addison wasn’t at the dorm when I arrived home, so I managed to catch up on my homework and schedule out my week with tutoring. Sitting in my bedroom at my desk, I check my watch to make sure I’m not going to be late to my first class of the day. Sweet. I have an hour to spare.

  I click open my emails and clear anything that’s not needed. Stupid spam. Then, I proceed to check the junk folder. There are always emails in there that shouldn’t be from students who need tutoring.

  There are three emails. Clicking them open one by one and then moving them to the inbox, I glance over the last one. There’s no name to tell me who it’s from, except when I open it, it’s signed off with an A. I purse my lips, thinking a moment. Could this be Aiden? Surely, he would just ask me for help, or if he was trying to remain a secret, he’d be a little more ingenious about it.

  Okay, buddy. Two can play this game.

  I click open the attachment, and it’s the English assignment we received in class last week about Shakespeare. We’ve got to write a meaningful poem, taking inspiration from Shakespearian plays. It’s probably one of the most straightforward assignments this term. Why would Aiden need help?

  I click reply.

  Good Morning A,

  I’d be happy to help you. Is there anything you don’t specifically understand about the assignment, or are you simply after a second set of eyes on your assignment when it’s finished?

  Have a good day.

  Elsie

  I close down my email and grab the last of my books for class. I have to work tonight for Addison because she has a date with Parker. My phone rings, and for a moment, I stare at the name—Mom. I’m sure she’s going to ruin my mood, but I slide my finger to answer anyway.

  “Hey, Mom.” I try to sound happy to hear from her, but it’s hard.

  “Hey, Elsie. How are you? I haven’t heard from you in a little while, so I was checking in to see how things are going?” I hear something banging around in the background on her end.

  “Nothing new to report here, Mom. I’ve been busy with classes and tutoring. You know me, nose in my books.” I pick up a pen and start scribbling on a notebook, but it’s simply doodles.

  “I heard a rumor you are hanging around with an Australian boy. Is this true?” Damn Mom and her friends. I wonder who saw me this time.

  “He’s a friend, Mom.” I sigh. Dropping my pen, I lift my hand to rub my forehead, trying to relieve some tension.

  “He’s a distraction.” Her words sting.

  I snap, “Why are you so against me having a life? Am I not allowed to have friends? To go experience the world?” My voice rises with each word. I pick the pen up again and toss it hard against the wall. It smashes and tinkles to the floor.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. I love you, Mom, and I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but… I’m old enough to make my own decisions when it comes to what I want to study. I’m a good student and pass all my classes. I help other students pass their classes as a tutor. Can’t you be happy for me? Show some support instead of making me feel guilty over every little thing I do.” My lip comes between my teeth and I bite, stopping myself from continuing and sounding like an ungrateful daughter.

&nb
sp; There’s silence on the end of the phone.

  After a second, I hear a sniffle.

  “Mom, are you okay? I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

  “No, no, you’re right. I simply want you to be the best you can be. Which is why I push like I d-do.” Her voice cracks, and I already know there are tears falling down her face.

  “I know, Mom, but you make me feel like everything I’m doing is wrong. You’ve done it for years. I don’t say this to hurt you. I’ve not said anything to you before because you’re my mom, and I hate hurting your feelings.” Guilt builds in my chest. I feel like such a terrible daughter talking to her this way. I’m not even sure what’s gotten into me. Perhaps spending time with Aiden has given me some bravado to stand up for the things I’d like to do in my life. He’s doing things for his best friend, living the life they wanted to live together. I want a life like that.

  “Thank you for telling me, Elsie. I’m sorry for being one of those parents who cares too much.” And there it is! I’m not even sure she realizes she’s doing it now.

  “Mom, you’re doing it again,” I respond dryly.

  I hear a shuffle on the end of the line. “Sorry, honey. I promise it’s something I’ll work on. You’re a great daughter. You’re so smart. I know you’ll make the right decisions for you, and I’ll be here to offer you the support and advice you need when you want it.”

  Wow! Why didn’t I have this conversation with her when I first started college?

  “Thank you, Mom. I love you, and you have no idea how much I appreciate all you’ve done and still do for me.” A lump catches in my throat.

  “I love you, too, Elsie. I’ll let you get back to whatever it is you were doing.”

  “I wasn’t doing much, just about to head out the door.”

  “I’ll talk to you later, darling.”

  “Sure thing, Mom.” I hang up and drop the phone on my desk then suck in a big breath and release it.

  Did that conversation really happen?

  There’s a noise outside my room, followed by my door swinging open—it’s Addison.

  “Hey, where’s the fire?”