CHAPTER SEVEN
Cal
Have you ever heard the phrase: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all?” Yeah, we’ve all heard it. For the past few weeks, it’s a motto I’ve lived by, and that’s why I’ve stayed away from Aspen, even though I was supposed to help her. I gave Tuck information to pass on to her and have been pretty well mute. That is, until she said something about me being a pretentious asshole. I was instantly fired up, but the moment the words flew out of my mouth, the stricken look on her face and tears in her eyes made me want to take those words back.
When we’re bantering, I don’t think about what I’m saying, but her defeated expression did something to me I didn’t like, and it will haunt me. In that moment, I didn’t like myself. And after her heartfelt apology and the realization that she was only kidding, I felt sickened by my words and actions.
Standing at the counter, ready to check out, I hear a cacophony of shouts and voices. I drop the books onto the counter and run out of the store. Everything is utter chaos; people are shoving, lights are flashing, and shouting voices fill the air. Someone pushes Aspen, and I see red. All the blood rushes to my head, and everything goes dark for a split second. I’m sprinting towards them when Tuck is knocked to the ground.
I don’t think; I just jump into action. Picking up Tucker, I cradle him in my arms with his face buried into my neck, grab Aspen around the waist, and guide her into the back seat of my black Chevy Silverado. She scoots over to the middle and puts on her seatbelt while I strap Tuck in, all the while, my truck is being surrounded by the paparazzi.
Quickly, I hop in the drivers seat. With one hand on the passenger’s side headrest, I turn my head, look behind me, and make sure I don’t run over the invading assholes while I reverse. Once we make it onto the main road, I drive for about ten minutes to put space between them and us. Pulling into a burger joint, I put the truck in park, jump out, and open the rear passenger door. Tears stream down Aspen’s cheeks.
“Hey, are you okay?” I ask them.
They both nod their heads in response, but I’m not picking up what they’re putting down.
“While we are here, are you hungry?”
Tuck nods his head, and Aspen shakes hers no. Well, that’s too damn bad; she’s getting something anyway, whether she eats it or not.
“Okay, you two stay in here, and I’ll go grab you something to eat. I’ll leave the truck running, but when I get out, I want you to lean over the seats and lock the doors.”
Aspen nods, and I hop out, leaving my keys in the truck in case they need to make a getaway. When I walk back outside with their food, everything is still calm.
I slide back into the truck, start driving, and press the hands-free button on my steering wheel. “Call Teagan Price,” I say into the speaker when it makes a beep. The phone rings a few times before she picks up.
“This is Teagan.”
“Teagan, it’s Cal. Listen, I don’t have a lot of time, and I don’t really want to explain right now, but I need you to be aware the paparazzi know about Aspen somehow, and they swarmed her and her son at the bookstore. I have them with me, but you’re going to have to work your PR magic.”
“Shit.”
“Kid in the truck, Teag. You’re on speaker.”
“Shiiiiiiooooot.”
She pulls a laugh out of Tuck. “That’s five dollars in the swear jar, ma’am. Carter was right! I’ll be rich by the end of the season,” he says.
Teagan laughs. “Yes, sir.”
I can’t help but love the girl for making Tuck laugh when he’s clearly not okay.
“Alright, I have another call to make,” I tell her.
“Miss Taylor, I’m sorry about this. I’ll do my best to clean it up, but I have to warn you, I can only do so much.”
“You have my authorization; try to outbid the paparazzi to keep my son out of the tabloids. Just text or call to keep me informed. I’m not worried about me, but I am worried about Tucker.”
“Will do, Miss Taylor.”
“Thank you,” Aspen says as Teagan hangs up.
I press the hands-free button again. “Call,” I pause and try to keep my voice down to a whisper so Tuck can’t hear me.
“Fuck Face,” I whisper.
I renamed Carter in my phone after he spouted off about me being fucked. Now look at me; I realize he might not be wrong.
“I’m sorry, who would you like to call?” The AI voice responds.
I try again and whisper. “Call Fuck Face.” I hear chuckles from the back seat.
“I’m sorry, who would you like to call?”
I sigh, then say loud enough so I don’t have to repeat myself. “Call Fuck Face.”
“That’s fifteen dollars, Cal!” Tuck says loudly.
“Calling Fuck Face.” The AI voice says, and boisterous laughter fills the back seat.
Carter picks up on the first ring. “Yo, Smiley… Do I hear laughter? Where are you?”
“Hey, umm . . . yes, you hear laughter. And you’re on speaker.”
The laughter is so contagious, I start laughing too. We bust up and don’t stop. I’m wheezing, tears are flowing, and I’m trying to talk between laughing, but it’s no use. After several minutes of my now best friend again being patient, I finally collect myself.
“Okay, I’m good now. Uh, paparazzi got wind of who Aspen is and got rough with her and Tuck outside of the bookstore. I have them, but I’m going to need you to meet us at her house to pick up keys and ride with me to grab her car.”
He’s silent for a moment. “Hi Aspen. Hi Tucker. Are you both okay?”
“They are okay. Just meet us there.”
“I’ll be there,” Carter says.
“Thanks, man.” I end the call.
Releasing a deep sigh, I shake my head in disbelief. “I’m sorry this happened to you guys.”
As we come closer to our neighborhood, a large crowd, gathered around our security gate, comes into view. What the fuck? As we pull in, cameras are flashing, there’s shouting, and people are pounding on my truck. Anything to get a damn buck. I swear these guys are leeches. Several armed security guards stand at the gate, forcing the crowd back so we can drive through.
We pull into Aspen’s driveway, and a blonde is standing outside, bouncing from foot to foot. She runs to back, flings open the door. “Oh my gosh, Aspen! Are you both okay?”
He nods his head, and Aspen answers as they climb out of the truck. “Yeah. It just scared us . . . Wait, how did you know?”
“It’s all over the local news! Someone was recording the paparazzi with their phone from a window. I saw your profile, then I saw Tucker go down, and then The Hulk over here swooped y’all up. I tried texting and calling, but you didn’t answer. I’ve been so worried!” She says with a southern drawl.
Aspen is explaining to the girl about her phone being buried in her purse when Carter pulls into the drive. He gets out and strolls over to us. He pulls a twenty-dollar bill out of his wallet and slaps it in Tuck’s hand.
“The gate is a shit show. Security almost didn’t let me in.” He eyes the blonde.
“Oh! This is my sister, River. River, this is Callan Miles, the one you call “Frat Boy,” and Carter Graham, the one you call “Fight Club.”
I bust up laughing. I then realize River is the girl Jerome and Carter were going on about at my barbecue. Aspen introduced her as her sister, but the two don’t look anything alike. She could be her stepsister. She shakes my hand, then turns her attention to Carter. River raises a brow as he stands in a wordless stupor staring at her. He reaches out his hand to shake hers. She’s reluctant but returns the handshake. As the three of them stand there talking about the events that went down today, I squat down to Tuck’s height. “Hey, Tuck,” I say in a low voice. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“My arm is scraped, but it’s okay.” He shrugs, then shows me the scrape on his left arm.
I check him for other injuries. Seeing he’s okay, I stand and address Aspen.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Yeah, sure.” She saunters over to me, and I send Tuck to his aunt.
“I know I have no right to say anything . . . I mean, I have no place here . . .” I stumble over my words and run a hand through my hair, pacing back and forth. Today was stressful and terrifying. Seeing Tuck on the ground like that scared the fuck out of me. “What I’m trying to say is, I know I’m not his dad, and I’m not sure what he thinks about—”
“His dad isn’t in the picture at all,” she cuts me off.
“Tuck never talks about him, but I wasn’t sure. Either way, I think with all that’s happened, if he’s not in private school, he probably should be.”
She casts a glance at Tuck, nibbling on her bottom lip. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I’ll take off next Tuesday.” She nods. Then a huge smile lights up her face. “Look at us, Hotshot, finally agreeing on something.”
Aspen hands me her car keys, then ushers her family into the house. Carter and I take off, making the drive to the bookstore. He’s abnormally quiet as I drive. Usually, I avoid talking about things, but today the silence in the truck is smothering. I need to get this off my chest.
My thumb taps the steering wheel as I contemplate how I want to start this conversation.
“I want to talk.”
He turns his head. His expression, shocked. I exhale a deep sigh, continuing, “I feel terrible, dude. I said something to Aspen before all this shit went down with the paparazzi, and her reaction didn’t sit well with me. Before, we just said whatever the fuck was on our mind, and no one’s feelings got hurt. But today, what I said hit her differently. I feel like the biggest asshole. The things I said to her were far worse than what I usually spout off when we have our little tête-à-tête. Now, I don’t know how to make it right. She just . . . she gets under my damn skin, and it’s like I can’t help it. You know me; I’m a man of few words, but when she’s around, years’ worth of built-up shit comes spewing out of my mouth.” Nervously, I run my fingers through my hair while resting one hand on the wheel. “Spit it out. I know you have something to say.”
“For once, I’m speechless.” He chuckles, unwrapping a piece of gum, then popping it into his mouth. “What did you say to her that you feel guilty about?”
“Something to the effect of her living vicariously through romance characters because no one wants her in real life.”
His expression is incredulous. “Harsh. Did you ever think that maybe she stirs up feelings you haven’t felt and that’s why you’re so quick to go to war with her? Maybe you do the same to her?” He shrugs one shoulder.
I chew on that thought and let it settle before speaking. “She’s a pain in the ass. But God, I never want to see that look on her face again. It was like I punched her in the gut.”
“She makes you feel.”
“Yeah, pissed off is what she makes me feel.”
“Because she makes you feel. It’s been four years, Cal. I don’t want to . . . you know what? I do want to push you because it’s time to move on. Not necessarily romantically per se, if that’s not what you want, but just live your life and do it unabashedly. When you’re around her, I think you feel alive, and that scares you. I also see the way you are with Tucker; when you’re around him, you’re living. Which leads me to believe you think he’s safe, but you don’t think she is.”
“You’ve met that kid. He’s something else.”
“There are a lot of kids who are something else.” He puts up quotations. “But that kid, you have a bond with. And don’t spout your bullshit on me; it goes way beyond the bond you have with Elija or any of the other kids that come around us. You let loose with him; you’re happy when he’s around. You laugh more than I’ve ever seen you laugh. And I’m going out on a limb here when I say you let loose with her too. You may not laugh, but you do talk, and you show your emotions with her, even if it’s anger. Granted, it’s not the most positive emotion, but it’s still more than you give anyone else. Maybe she isn’t as bad as you’ve been forcing yourself to believe.”
“I don’t know about all that. I don’t need any distractions. My contract is up this season, and you know how I feel about my career. I don’t have the time or the room in my life for—.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve heard this spiel before.”
I roll my eyes and continue, “Not to mention she’s my boss, and she could send my ass packing at any time.” I turn into the parking lot, park next to Aspen’s car, and hop out.
Carter hums, then slides out of the truck. Rounding the hood, his eyes lock with mine. “I don’t know, man. Maybe just start with an apology and let the chips fall wherever they may. But in all seriousness, stop blocking your blessings.”
With that, he hops into the driver’s seat and takes off back to my house, while I pop back into the store and purchase the books I left on the counter.
It’s been a couple of days since the incident, and I’m still not feeling great about the things I said to Aspen. I toss and turn, unable to sleep. When I look out my bedroom window, I find the lights still on at Aspen’s house. With the decision made, I pull on my gray sweatpants and throw on a Blaze t-shirt, then I make my way to her house.