Chapter Fourteen
Zach
I smile as Sia arrives with Sasha, Callan, and Nikki. As soon as Sia steps from the vehicle her eyes widen in shock, and dare I say, a bit of pleasure, at the sight of me. I didn’t let her know I was coming on the trip. No way was I missing out on the chance to spend a work-free weekend with her. I also really want to go back to her hometown she loves so much — the place where our story officially began. I made mistakes back then.
It’s been a very long time since I was in Seaville. I’m nine years overdue. That summer we had together was one of the best of my life. I went through a lot that year and wasn’t looking for more than a fling, but being with Alessia ended up being so much more than that. What was supposed to be a weekend, lasted for weeks. I couldn’t pull myself away from her. When I finally did leave, I was sad to do it. I didn’t say goodbye, I simply disappeared. It wasn’t one of my finer moments.
I now have a chance to make it right, though. I have a chance to recreate some memories with her, to remind her of how good we are together. Of course, I might be reminding her how I left her behind by being here, but maybe I can show her I’m a new man, and this time, it isn’t a fling I’m interested in. I’m not sure what my end goal is, but I know it’s been nearly a month and nothing inside of me wants to run away.
I’ve backed off of pursuing her over the past few weeks, and she’s done an incredible job redecorating my home, but instead of this making me lose interest, it’s only made me want her more. I waited for the right time to make my next move. This trip will be the perfect opportunity. I can’t screw it up. I’ll show her I want her more now than ever before.
I’ve noticed the glances she’s sent my way over the past few weeks when she thought I wasn’t watching her. She should know I’m always aware of where she is and what she’s doing. I understand her guarding herself. I hurt her. I won’t do it again. No matter how this plays out, I won’t be that man who simply disappears. We’ll step into this the right way.
It means more than either of us realize because I can’t get her off my mind. She consumes me, whether she’s around me or not. I have a feeling it’s the same way for her. What we have isn’t something that should be taken lightly. I was enchanted by her nine years ago, and after having made love to her again a few weeks ago, that enchantment has grown to biblical proportions.
It’s about so much more than sex, though. I genuinely like this woman. I love how her presence lights up a room, love how carefree and happy she is when she thinks no one’s watching. I’m incredibly impressed by how talented she is with her job. She truly is making my home shine, making it an actual home. I’m going to have her again. This is the time and place for it to happen, the chance I can’t pass up.
“You’re here early, bro,” Callan says with a smirk. He’s well aware my eyes are for Sia, and Sia alone. It wasn’t long ago he held the same look in his own expression whenever he was around Sasha. Man, these women wind us up tighter than a yo-yo.
“Didn’t want you to leave without me,” I say as I move toward the jet when their group approaches.
“Didn’t want to have to take a regular plane?” Callan taunts.
“Look who’s talking. I bet I’ve flown more airlines than you,” I push back.
“That’s because I’m important and have places to go. You’re a homebody,” he taunts.
“Ha,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “You only think you’re important.”
The jet’s owned by all three of us, but Callan uses it more than any of us. He’s building resorts all around the world. That requires a lot of travel. Blaze used to travel a lot more than he does these days, but it’s more for adventure than work. My deals are mostly in Seattle, but as my business has grown, I’m actually needed less and less. I have a great team who know what they’re doing. It makes me rethink what I want to do in the next stage of my life.
We board the jet, and I wait for Sia to take a seat before I quickly take the one next to her. She hasn’t said a word to me yet, but I’m okay with that. I can see she’s trying to arm herself, trying to put her shield into place. I won’t give her a chance to do that. I want the carefree woman I’m utterly falling for. I can’t give her too much breathing room.
“Are you excited?” I ask after our steward takes our drink and breakfast order. We don’t have a lot of options on the plane, but they pretty much know our favorite dishes. It is our jet after all.
Sia finally looks me in the eyes. “It’s been over a year since I was home last so yes, I’m pretty excited,” she tells me, real happiness flashing in her eyes.
“Do your parents know you’re coming?”
She shakes her head. “Nikki and I are surprising our families. We checked in with some friends to make sure they’re home. They’ll be thrilled.”
“I bet they will be,” I tell her. “Any chance to spend time with you is a gift.” Her cheeks pinken at these words and I can see the relief on her face when our drinks are brought out, giving her a chance to take a breath and not have to reply to my statement. I’m going to keep her on her toes as long as I can.
Before I can ask another question or probe any further, Sasha turns to her and Nikki, who’s sitting across from us, looking all around her in bliss. She’s loving all of this. Sia really does have an amazing best friend.
“I can’t wait to land,” Sasha says, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “We have to make The Mermaid Café our first stop.”
“Absolutely,” Sia says. “I miss your Aunt Eileen’s famous chocolate chip cookies. No one makes them quite like her.”
“I know!” Sasha agrees. “That’s why she gets to eat for free because those cookies sell out daily. They can’t get enough of them. We also have to catch up on all of the gossip from the fabulous three. Aunt Eileen, Vivian, and Martha still share all of the news about what’s happening in town.”
Callan laughs at this. “I couldn’t get away with anything while I was there with those three. Did you know they locked Sasha and me in the gym one night? The fire department took their time letting us out.”
Nikki and Sia laugh at this. “I can totally see them doing that. They’re known as quite the matchmakers. They must like you,” Nikki says.
“They can’t help but love me. I’m a great guy,” Callan says with a smug smile.
Sasha laughs as she gives him a side hug. “You certainly are a one of a kind.”
He takes that as a compliment, but I can see how it could be unflattering as well. “I remember those ladies. They were good friends of Gramps,” I say.
“Yes, they sure loved Gramps. It really is strange how small the world is. You’d think with over 350 million people living in the US alone that the chances of meeting someone in a different state would be almost nonexistent, but it’s funny how things work out,” Nikki says.
“I never run into my disaster dates again in the city of Seattle, but somehow I run into a man I met nine years ago in a different state,” Sia says, not looking too pleased with this. I choose to think maybe fate has played a role here. I’ve changed my opinion about fate without realizing when it happened. I haven’t told Sia about the box or the game, though. I don’t want her to know I got her name from the box, don’t want her to read anything into it. I will probably have to tell her eventually, but now is certainly not the time.
“I wish a summer festival was going on now. I love those so much, the music, food, dancing, bonfires,” Nikki says with a sigh.
“Well, we can come back for the next festival. I hate to miss them,” Sasha says.
“For sure, it’s been too long,” Nikki answers.
“I agree. This will make me want to come back over and over again. My goal is to eventually move back,” Sia tells them.
My heart skips a beat. I don’t want her moving away. Then again, I don’t think there’s anything that will stop me from following her. My job’s portable. If she wants to travel, I’m more than willing to do it.
“That’s what’s so great about being with Callan. I get to see the world, but I get to come home too. I get it all,” Sasha says.
“I never thought you’d leave Seaville, so Callan must be very charming to pull you away,” Nikki says.
“He’s quite the charmer. Considering I put him through hell when he came to Seaville and he still stuck around, I’d say he’s a keeper.”
“Oh, do tell. What did you do to him?” Sia asks.
Sasha laughs. “I was trying to drive him away. I took him to the chicken farm and had him chasing chickens, drove him crazy on the golf course, and showed him the darkest corners of town. It only made him love the place more.”
“I hope you have videos of the chicken farm,” Sia says with a laugh.
Sasha winks. “I do, but he doesn’t know it.”
Callan looks at her in horror. “You must delete those right now.”
“Not going to happen. I might need them when you make me angry,” she tells him. Before he can respond, she turns to me.
“Some of the cabins are finished at the resort, so you get the family unit while we’re there. We’re staying in the new house. You could stay with us, but I figured you’d want privacy,” she tells me with a wink. I look over at Sia who blushes again.
“I appreciate it. I’m excited to see how it’s coming along,” I tell her.
“It should open in a few more months. We want it to be perfect before the grand opening,” Sasha says.
Callan came to Seaville because his box sent him there. He wanted to build a resort and Sasha absolutely didn’t want it. In the end they compromised, and both are in love with the final plans. I have to say I’m quite impressed. It’s a smaller resort, very fitting to the town, and most everyone is happy about it.
“I can’t wait to see everyone and this fabulous resort that’s been the talk of the town. I can’t believe I didn’t make the connection of you working on it,” Nikki says.
“I know. I don’t like the media buzz around it, so I stay out of the spotlight. Of course, there are those who are calling me a gold digger, and all of that. But I don’t care. I know who I am,” Sasha says with a shrug.
“And I know who you are,” Callan says before he leans in and kisses her.
“When are you getting married?” Sia asks.
“In three months. It’s taking forever. Callan wanted to elope, but Aunt Eileen would have none of that. We’re getting married at the resort right before the grand opening. We’ll be the first wedding there. It’s perfect,” Sasha says.
“It’s taking too long,” Callan grumbles. This makes all of us laugh.
“Afraid she’ll wake up and leave your sorry ass?” I ask.
Callan glares at me. I smirk at him. “I’d never leave this man. He’s mine forever now,” Sasha assures Callan, which makes him beam. It’s so strange to see how much both of my brothers have changed in the past two years, finding the women they love. It makes me want the same, makes me wonder if I’ve been wrong about the possibility of true love. I look over at Sia who’s now refusing to look at me.
“Your cooking vlogs are wonderful, Nikki. What are your next plans?” Sasha asks, taking the conversation away from weddings. I see the relief on Sia’s face.
Nikki beams at her. “I’ve been working a lot on my vlog, and I love how the videos are turning out. I want to do more in different locations, traveling all over to do shows on the beach, in the desert, and maybe even in other countries, showing different methods of cooking. I’m compiling a lot of recipes for my first cookbook. I hope it does well because it’s my passion and I want to do it for the rest of my life.”
“That’s wonderful. Anytime you want to jump on the jet with us, you’re more than welcome to come. We travel a lot for Callan’s resorts,” Sasha says.
“You’re more than welcome,” Callan adds, leaning back and looking totally relaxed.
“Really?” Nikki asks in shock.
“It’s not a fake invite. I’ll send you our schedule for the next few months. You should both join us,” she says, looking at both women. “What’s your favorite thing to cook?”
“I like to do a bit of everything,” Nikki says, her enthusiasm coming through loud and clear. “I really should focus on healthy meals, but I use too much butter and cream for that,” she adds with a laugh. “I’m trying to do less complicated recipes as a lot of people want a thirty minute or less meal. I might think it’s wonderful to be in the kitchen for three hours straight, but a lot of women have jobs, school events, and so much more so they want delicious and fast.”
“I’ll have to try some of your recipes,” Sasha says. “I’m not the best in the kitchen but I do enjoy following a good recipe.”
“I’ll send you an advanced copy of my cookbook,” Nikki promises her.
“Yahoo, then I’ll brag to everyone that I have a first edition,” she says with a laugh. She turns to Sia. “What about you? What are your end goals for your fabulous design business?” I want to hear this answer too.
Sia’s eyes light up. “My ultimate goal is to work around the world on designs, so it lines up with Nikki. We can travel together and do what we love. I want to learn as much as I possibly can and incorporate world designs all across the States. Imagine the inspiration I’ll get from different cultures to incorporate into my work. That would be my dream come true.”
“I think that’s wonderful. You two really will have to travel with us. You get a comfy ride and can grow your businesses, and I get lots of girl time. I love this man of mine, but there’s nothing as relaxing as friend time,” Sasha says. “You’ve always had a great eye for design, even when we were in elementary school and you were rearranging the classroom,” she adds with a laugh.
I sit back and listen to their conversation, absorbing every detail about Sia and her hopes and dreams and memories. I want to know everything about her, want to help make her dreams come true. If she wants to travel the world, I want to be the one at her side when she does it. I can feel the warmth and affection in her voice as she talks about what she loves. Now I’m even more eager to win her affection again. With these women in our lives, I can see our family unit growing stronger and closer. This makes me want it even more with Sia. Man, I have changed a lot in the past couple of years. I don’t hate it.
The girls chat away while we have breakfast, and before I know it, the jet’s descending. It doesn’t take long before we’re on the ground and the door opens. The girls quickly jump up, eager to be home. Callan and I follow them from the jet.
“We’re going to the café. You boys entertain yourselves for a while,” Sasha says as she jumps into one of the two vehicles waiting for us at the airport. I’m a bit disappointed as they rush away from us.
Callan laughs next to me. “You’ll be with her soon enough,” he says. “Sasha wanted girl time so she had two vehicles sent here.”
“This is the weekend I’m going to convince her we’re supposed to be together,” I tell Callan.
He laughs. “How are you going to convince her?”
I shrug. “I’m not sure yet, but being here will have to trigger old memories.”
“Including you leaving her,” he reminds me, making me wince.
“I’m going to avoid that topic of discussion.”
He thinks for a moment. “Maybe that isn’t the way to go. Maybe you should discuss it, tell her how sorry you are, tell her what you were going through,” he suggests.
I’m about to argue this point when I stop and think. “Maybe you’re right about that,” I say. “But I also want to focus on the good.”
“Of course. You have to show her you’re serious, show a genuine interest in her life, her past, her present, and her future. Do you know her favorite places in town? Maybe ask her to take you around, and genuinely listen to her. Women love when a guy not only listens, but actually hears what she’s saying and gives good feedback.”
“You’re giving surprisingly good advice,” I tell him with a laugh.
“It happens from time to time.”
“Being with Sasha has really changed you,” I say.
“Just like being with Courtney has changed Blaze. It’s in the best of ways for both of us. We fought being in relationships for a long time, and now I don’t see why. Having a good partner is the best thing that’s happened to us. You might as well not fight the box. It wants you with Sia, so it’s going to happen.”
I scowl at Callan. “I want to be with her, but not because of the damn box. I’ve forgotten all about the game,” I grumble.
“You never forget about the game,” Callan says. “We tell ourselves we do, but we don’t. We have to find out how it all ends.”
“I don’t see what else I’ll get out of this. There are no more hints.”
“There will be. You’ve just yet to hear what they are.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Okay, enough of the game. Let’s focus on this weekend.”
He laughs. “Okay, be yourself and do something fun. Plan activities like a nice walk on the beach at sunset, or visit some local places she likes here. Keep it light, fun, but be prepared to change plans. Don’t set anything in stone. Be patient too. She has lots of people to see. If you give her space, her evenings might be free.” He winks after saying this.
“I can do that.”
“The most important thing of all is to charm her friends. If you’re in with her friends, it makes it that much harder for her to resist you,” Callan says with another chuckle. “Winning over the loved ones is the first key in keeping a woman. If they’re on your side, it’ll make life so much better. I ticked off Aunt Eileen and was worried that was the end of Sasha and me. Scared me to death. It’s a good thing I won her over again.”
“I don’t know how you did since you’re such a pompous ass,” I tell him with a laugh.
“I’m amazing and you know it.”
“You aren’t the worst person on the planet.”
He gives me a punch in the arm. “The most important thing of all, Zach, is to be yourself.”
“That I know how to do best.”
He laughs. “I disagree. I think we thought we were being ourselves for a very long time, but we were so good at pretending, that we even fooled ourselves. I’m happier and freer than I’ve been in so long I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t happy. We get used to hiding in who we’re supposed to be versus who we want to be, so much that we don’t notice the change. The thing is, we’re great people. We were raised by the best of the best, and once we remember who we are, we’re worth being with.”
I don’t know why, but this chokes me up a little. My brother might be right. I’ve run so hard and so fast for far too long; I’ve lost a bit of myself. Sia being back in my life is slowing me down and making me think of who I really am and who I want to be, who I want my parents and grandparents to see from up above.
We reach town and head to The Mermaid Café. The women are in there, and knowing Sia’s close is pulling me in. I won’t bug her as she visits with her family and friends, seeing her is good enough for now. I have tonight. If I get my way, she’ll be staying with me. I have some fantasies involving champagne and chocolate. I put a little extra skip in my steps.
This is my chance to show Sia how much I care about her, how much I’ve always cared, even if I didn’t know it for a long time. We began our journey in this small seaside town. It’s a perfect place to renew the relationship. I step into the café with a big smile on my face. This is going to be a wonderful weekend. I’ll make sure of it.