17. Chapter 17
Chapter seventeen
As exciting as Italy had been, it was nothing compared to the change that had happened between her and Grayson. Each and every time Golden stopped to think about it, really letting it sink in, it made her feel as if she was going to burst with happiness.
It started on the flight to Italy, as merely a consideration she suggested they use the reclining bed in the back room of the jet. At the time, her motives were innocent, na?ve even. From Grayson's passive agreement to her eagerly selecting a movie to watch, she never once considered the possible inappropriate nature of her suggestion. The reality of the situation didn't hit her until she found herself waking up in his arms hours later when the captain called to tell them they arrived. Petrified with embarrassment, Golden stayed very still against Grayson's chest as he spoke to the captain on the phone, his eyes never leaving hers. From that moment on, everything between them had changed.
There was a closeness—an intimacy—between them that never quite existed before. When he guided her into restaurants, she shivered each time his hand settled possessively on her waist. Her heart swelled as he walked with her hand in hand through the tiny yet bustling Italian streets. And she nearly choked when he introduced her as his partner in the business meeting they had with the author they intended to interview for next quarter’s journal.
All the little things that had formed their close relationship over the years were rapidly evolving into something Golden had only ever dreamed of. The gentle watchful look of protector and guardian was gone from Grayson's face and in its place was an expression of growing hunger that made her chest constrict with hope. Was he finally seeing her as something more than just Gaige's childhood friend? She wasn't sure. Honestly, she was too afraid to think too much about it. What if she jinxed it? What if she was wrong?
Golden had wondered if the plane ride back would be the same or would Grayson set some firm boundaries with her on their return but she couldn't have been more wrong. This time they began their trip in the reclining bed. They talked and tried to watch a few thriller movies but spent most of the time analyzing the movies and picking them apart. And this time when sleep began to claim them Grayson made no pretense of maintaining proper distance; instead, he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close as they drifted off together.
Things were going so well between them that Golden wasn't sure if starting classes was a good idea. Going to school meant fewer hours in the office and less time with Grayson. For the first time in years, things with him were moving in the right direction. She didn't want to mess that up! Maybe she could just start next semester? Yet even as she thought it, she knew that wasn't the answer. She didn't want to push off her degree any further than she already had and besides she knew Grayson wouldn't want her to.
As the school year developed, however, her doubts disappeared. Between the lectures and assignments, Grayson always found ways to carve out time for them both. After class, he picked her up from the college and brought her back to the publishing company and spent a few hours going over projects. The best days were when they went rogue, as she liked to call it, and spent the day by the pool instead of working.
Like a fantasy being played out before her eyes, Grayson dressed in his swim shorts took her in his arms and guided her through the water teaching her how to flip and turn in the water with grace to perform another seamless lap. Golden basked in those stolen moments against the powerful feel of his broad chest as they lay side by side in the shade of the loungers and read new submissions for the journal's writing contest. The intimacy between them was growing but there was still a polite divide that neither one of them seemed to want to cross. Despite each moment deepening her feelings for him doubt crept across her mind like a snake gliding on water.
"Hey, are you coming?" Lydia's voice called out from up ahead. Golden blinked, returning to the present. Today, they were at the beach down in Stardust Cove.
The cove of course was the true focal point of the town but the Coveview Pier was its shining beacon. It was the place where all the teens hung out at night and all the families congregated during the day. The long pier jutting out into the blue water divided the beach from the marina. While most of the citizens of Stardust hung out on the long curving expanse of sandy beach and filled the ocean's edge with playful bodies and swimmers there were some, mostly people from Stardust Heights, who enjoyed their days cruising the cove in their boats.
Catching up to her friend, Golden's flip-flops slapped across the pavement the entire way. Slowing down next to Lydia, she huffed out a sigh and readjusted her beach bag.
"Lord, it's hot out." Golden wiped her brow underneath her sunhat.
Lydia gave her a smug look and lifted her big bag. "And you said we wouldn't need a tent."
Golden nodded and lifted up both hands. "You're right, you're right. We would definitely cook out here without one."
"So," Lydia purred, stretching out the word. "How is it going with you and mister boss man?"
Golden felt her face heat up under Lydia's overly bright gaze. After that night in Holter, it was easy for Lydia to guess how she felt about Grayson. When they talked and Golden finally admitted to her how she felt about Grayson, Lydia had laughed.
"Girl, I knew back then. Anyone with eyes could see how your whole demeanor changed when Mr. Rosebank came into the room. A visit he purposely made for you, mind you."
Golden had shaken her head at that. "No, he -"
"Golden. You were the only one who didn't see it. Mr. Rosebank was practically feral over you."
"He was just protective. He just saw me as some orphan waif Gaige befriended. You know how he is. He was looking after me."
"Mmm, he looked after you so well he made sure Gaige kept every guy miles away from you. I didn’t even attend the Heights but I heard the rumors."
Golden let the memory fade and focused on the hot sand slipping between her flip-flops as they trudged across the beach.
"It's going well," Golden finally answered.
"And in relation to you two actually becoming something, what does that mean exactly?" Lydia said drily as she stopped in a clear spot and set down her blanket.
Golden winced at the question. She didn't know. Nothing? She thought questioningly. Was that the answer? While she and Grayson had certainly grown closer there had been no repeats of that moment in the foyer, a moment she was firmly starting to believe was all in her head.
"I don't know," she grumbled, helping her pull out the pop-up tent.
Releasing the straps, the pink tent popped to life mid-air before gently settling onto the beach blanket. Within seconds both women were lying down under its shade with their sunglasses on and their bodies glistening with sunscreen.
They lay there talking and staring at the ocean. A few yards in front of them a family sat under their own tent talking amongst each other as two toddlers built a messy sand castle. Occasionally, the wind would carry the music from the bar on the pier directing their eyes to the partying patrons.
Lydia suddenly sat up onto her elbows and lifted her sunglasses to squint off into the distance. "Oh my God," she mumbled before sitting up fully and lifted her hand to wave at someone. "That's Kaleb and Carter!"
Following her line of sight, she saw a group of guys standing around one of the bar's tall tables drinking beers. One of the guys was looking their way. His face slowly transformed from confusion to a wide smile.
Golden groaned. It was them: Kaleb Hull and Carter Serrano, old friends of Gaige from back in high school, along with a few other guys she didn’t recognize.
Grabbing her coverup out of her bag, Golden slipped on the black sheer fabric as the guys began to walk down the pier steps and head their way.
Lydia looked at her as she smoothed down her hair. "What? Did you not want them to come over?" she asked, seeing her less than enthused expression.
No! This was supposed to be just a girl's day at the beach. That was what she wanted to say, but Golden held her tongue. She knew Lydia had a thing for Kaleb years ago.
"It's fine," she smiled instead and watched as the guys approached them.
"Hey ladies," Kaleb announced as he stopped in front of their tent.
But it wasn’t him who Golden focused on; it was the handsome dark-haired guy standing at his side looking directly at her with a wolfish grin.
Unable to hold back her smile, Golden acknowledged him. "Carter. It's good to see you."
Dropping to his knees in the sand inches away from her feet, Carter let his eyes dramatically rove her body taking in the neon green swimsuit under her lacy black cover-up, and grinned even wider. "Golden Ray, as I live and breathe," he sighed dramatically, holding his hand over his heart.
Golden laughed. Yeah, Carter was annoying and claimed he was in love with her all throughout her senior year but she was never unnerved or afraid of the boy's attention. Carter was mischievous and a downright manwhore, but he was sweet and at the end of the day that was what was important.
The day stretched on around them as they all hung out. They played in the ocean, somehow managing to find a football, which led to hours of laughter and scrambling in the sand under the blazing sun. By the end of it all, the boys were utterly exhausted, fighting for a spot under Lydia's pink tent, desperate for some shade from the relentless heat.
Unwilling to be sandwiched between the guys like Lydia so happily was, Golden got up and grabbed her bag. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom," she told Lydia.
She didn't even have to go to the bathroom, she just wanted something cool to drink that wasn't beer and maybe a bite to eat.
"Hey, wait up," Carter called out, jogging to her side to catch up. "I'll come with you."
Wiping sweat from her brow, she turned to give him an amused look through her shades. "I'm a big girl, Carter. You don't have to escort me."
"I know that, but why give up the perfect opportunity to talk to my favorite person right now? Besides, I don't want to go back to that sausage fest," he added, pointing a thumb over his shoulder back to where the others were.
Golden nodded, he had a point.
Stepping onto the hot boardwalk, they made their way to a nearby vendor booth. Carter was explaining how he’d decided to visit Stardust from his college in California for his younger sister's birthday when Golden let out a sharp cry, jumping back and holding up her foot.
"What happened?!" Carter reached for her, steadying her as she hopped on one foot.
Golden moaned in pain and lifted her injured foot higher despite the pain. Sticking out from underneath her thin foam flip-flops was a shard of curved glass.
"Son of a bitch," Carter grumbled, kneeling down next to her.
"No wait!" she cried as he guided her foot to his bent knee.
Gently Carter examined her foot along with a woman who stopped at the commotion. Soon there were three people looking at it explaining the shard wasn't too deep but she did need to see a doctor.
Holding her breath, Golden bit her lip at the sharp pain that shot through her foot as Carter removed the glass. Using a towel someone gave her, they wrapped her foot up.
Golden thanked everyone as Carter took her bag from her shoulder and put it on his. Standing in front of her he turned and bent down. "Okay, get on."
For a second she just stared at his back before it Rayed on her. He wanted her to piggyback. Golden shook her head and tried to hop backward but realized she wouldn't get far. "I can just lean on you -" she began, but Carter gave her a look over his shoulder and pointed across the remainder of the long beach to the blazing hot parking lot ahead.
"You really want to try and hop that far?"
He was right. She was already sweating and her foot stung like hell.
After carrying her from the beach to his car, Carter drove her to the nearest urgent center while she shot off a few texts to Lydia explaining why she left. Thankfully the nurse on duty informed Golden she wouldn't need stitches. With her foot cleaned and bandaged, Golden allowed Carter to take her back to her house.
"Carter, you can put me down!" she cried from the top of his head. He had insisted on piggybacking her from the car to her front door.
Standing with her on her porch, Carter showed no signs of letting go of her legs. "But what if you get your bandage dirty? You only have the damaged flip-flop to wear and it still might have glass in the foam."
The urge to yank a handful of his hair was overpowering. "You just want to come inside!" She knew the moment he crossed that threshold it would be hell to get him out.
Carter turned his head and gave her a mischievous smile. "That you're not wrong on, darlin’. Now give me the keys."