Chapter 16
Chapter
Sixteen
ZOE
Hanging poolside with Rachel in her dad’s backyard was something I always loved when we were younger.
Now that she has a heated pool in her own yard, it’s natural that we revisit our favorite pastime.
I didn’t expect to be doing it in September, but we’re having a weird heatwave.
It’s eighty-five degrees and sunny, like the weather hasn’t gotten the memo about summer being over.
Because of the heat, I was happy to escape New York for the weekend. A Friday afternoon with Rach is just perfect, and it’s great to have Laurel join us, too, because her sense of humor has turned out to be more wicked than I expected. I like it.
The problem with Laurelyn being with us is that then Trick, who apparently texts with her all day long, finds out. So after the C Crue workday in the main house finishes up, C and Trick decide to come over.
“Everyone, huh?” Rachel says nervously to Anvil when Trick and C come through the gate with food to grill.
C and I haven’t spoken since opening night, which Rachel knows has been hard for me.
“Trick invited himself. I told him just because his wife’s welcome, doesn’t mean he is,” Anvil says.
“Sasha,” Rachel says with a frown. “Come on.”
Anvil shrugs and then smirks. “Since Trick was coming, I invited C.”
I lie on a lounge chair with a G&T, pretending to relax. The guys put the food inside the house, and when they return, they’re talking about playing volleyball in the pool.
C shirtless is so damn hard for my eyes to resist.
“Laurel’s a great volleyball player, actually,” Trick says, looking speculatively at the water. Then he shakes his head. “Too risky. She might get bumped. Next summer though, it’s you and me, babe. You need anything before we get in?”
She sips her strawberry lemonade and shakes her head. “Go play.”
He kisses her, and there’s a sweetness to it that I’m not used to seeing from him.
The guys get in the pool, and Sasha waves for me to come on his side of the net. With his arm-span, I’ll probably only need to cover the corner, so I nod.
The guys quickly start slamming the ball so hard that it slaps the water or the other players.
Sasha has so little need of me that I sit on the pool’s lip, drinking Gin and Tonics and occasionally knocking the ball back his way when it comes right to me.
I think the game’s a draw so far, but it’s not clear. And the men are competitive.
When Trick and Sasha start to exchange curses, C calls an end to the game and climbs out.
My eyes follow Connor. His body is so gorgeous. He surprises me by coming over. We have been carefully avoiding getting too close.
“Here, give me your glass. I’ll make you a fresh one.”
I hold out my glass, and my fingers brush his. At first, I don’t think he’s going to react, but then I see his eyes cut to my hand for a second.
“Trick, ‘Vil, you want a drink?”
Trick pops out of the pool. “Just Coke for me. I’ll grab it.” He checks Laurelyn’s glass, then Rachel’s.
Rach is drinking Gin and Tonic, too, but her glass is almost full and she’s got the baby on one arm. When Sasha gets out and walks over to talk to them, Irina reaches for him.
Rachel starts to hold her out.
“Wait. Chorine.”
The baby fusses when Rachel pulls her back. Sasha goes over to the outdoor shower and rinses off, then goes back to get her. He speaks to her in Russian, and she stares at him with her little brows crinkled, watching him intently.
“That’s adorable,” I say.
Sasha goes inside the house with her, and Rachel nods with a smile. “Remember when he wouldn’t pick her up? They’ve come a long way.”
“Is he teaching her Russian?”
Rachel nods and takes a swig of her drink.
“Two days a week, he speaks to her only in Russian. Sasha has such an ear for languages. I’m hoping she will too.
I know a little Italian, but not much. Sasha understands Italian better than I do actually, but neither of us can speak it, which is too bad.
One of my cousins on my dad’s side has invited us to a couple of things, but so far we haven’t gone.
They were close to my brother Enzo, so it’s hard to trust them.
So far the only people Sasha trusts with Irina are you, Laurelyn, and Trick’s younger sister. ”
Trick’s younger sister, the beautiful Ash. “What about your mom? She came to stay right?”
“Yes, she and her husband were here for a few days. They offered to babysit, but Sasha said no.” Rachel grimaces and takes a sip.
“It was pretty awkward because you know Sasha. It was just a one-word answer. And she was like, ‘Don’t you trust me?’ And he said, ‘No.’ Just so final.
They were both really shocked. I tried to smooth things over, but what am I supposed to say?
I actually kind of agree with Sasha. I love my mom, but when I was little she used to put me in a room for hours when Frank came to see her.
And when Frank wasn’t nice to me, she didn’t intervene.
Then she left town without me when I was a teenager.
It’s true that Frank would’ve killed her if she’d come back, but you know Sasha.
He thinks she should’ve rescued me or died trying. ”
“Why does he trust Trick’s little sister?”
“Ash is kind of the girl version of Trick. Super charming and funny. But also super loyal and fearless. I guess she had Trick teach her to fire a gun, and she’s a natural. They think it must be genetic.”
I, of course, know all about Ash being comfortable with guns. A girl version of Trick is too much. I’d date a girl version of Trick.
“They call her Baby G. The G is for gunslinger,” Rachel says, chuckling. “It’s kind of crazy because she looks so young when she’s playing with Irina.”
Laurel holds up a hand. “Please don’t mention that nickname to anyone, Zoe. It’s not something Trick wants widely known. It’s just a C Crue thing.”
A C Crue thing. As if I’m still in the crue.
When Connor comes outside with my drink, I chug it down and then go get another to have with my steak.
After dinner, Trick and Laurel leave. Sasha goes up to the nursery with the baby to read her a story and see if she’ll fall asleep. I help Rachel clean up, and then assure her I’m fine. I’m already settled into the guest room I always use, so I don’t need anything.
“Let me check on them then. Sasha can’t stand to see Irina cry for him for even a second, so unless she falls asleep while he’s reading, he’ll be walking around that room all night if I don’t step in.”
I chuckle.
“He says, ‘She’ll fall asleep when she’s ready.
Then I’ll put her down.’” Rachel laughs.
“And I’m like, ‘It’s funny how she’s ready to sleep within five minutes of me putting her in the crib.
I must just magically know the exact minute she’s going to crash.
’ It’s sweet though. I love him.” Rachel disappears from the kitchen, and I wait exactly thirty seconds before I begin looking for the one C Crue man whose location I don’t know.
I find C in the family room watching a football game. I should resist the temptation to get close to him, but I can’t.
“Hey, C.”
He turns and watches me come into the room and sit on the couch a couple feet from him. “We may have lost Rachel and Sasha for the night,” I say.
“You got some sun today,” he says with a smile.
I put my arm next to his. He’s tan, too, but I’m several shades darker. His thumb grazes the side of my hand, making me shiver.
We talk about Infernal for a few minutes and then about how the production company Rachel and I started is doing. I love when he takes an interest.
“I found us a mentor. This retired dancer who was originally from Coynston came to talk to me after our show here in town. His significant other is a writer and producer. He’s had some hits and a few misses, so he has a lot of experience we can learn from.
In fact, I’m staying in their apartment right now and taking care of their dog when he’s not with the sitter. They’re in California.”
“You didn’t have to do that, Z. You could’ve stayed in the apartment I got for you.”
“Oh, no,” I say softly. “Do you know how hard it was to leave you, C? When we first broke up, there is no way I could’ve handled your dropping by. I was such a wreck.”
He watches me silently.
“Is there anyone else?” I ask, my breath catching at the question. “Someone special that would make it wrong for us to do something tonight? Rachel says you’ve been dating… which, of course…”
I squeeze my fingers into a fist, trying to stay strong, but suddenly unsure of what I’m doing.
I’ve never initiated sex with Connor. I never needed to.
We had tons of sex, always great, and always initiated by him.
I think of the way he was when we were together…
always in charge. Suggesting a one night stand is probably the wrong thing to do on a lot of levels.
“Sorry,” I say, standing. “I don’t know what I’m doing. Four gin and tonics.” I shrug, starting to retreat.
C stands, too. “Neither of us is drunk, Zoe.”
“No, I guess not.”
He catches my arm and pulls me to a stop. “Hey.”
“Yes?”
“Show me your room.”
CONNOR
I’ve never seen the guest room Zoe uses at ‘Vil’s because I never stay over at his place.
With the original C Crue house basically on the same patch of land, when I’m done hanging out at his place, I walk the paved path to the gated door, punch the code and go home.
Honestly, I don’t even visit his place that often.
Though if Zoe comes here in secret, that’ll change.
Z’s talking fast, which tells me she’s nervous.
The room’s a deep blue color with ivory crown molding.
She talks about how the decorator thought the color Rachel chose was too dark, but Zoe likes it.
That doesn’t surprise me. The day Zoe takes the side of any random stranger over Rachel is one I’ll probably never see.