Chapter 13
Thirteen
Dax slows his motorcycle as he approaches the country club parking lot. I climb off the back and pull off my helmet. When Dax frees his head from his helmet, I’m quick to peck his lips.
“You aren’t afraid of people seeing me drop you off?” he asks, smiling from the kiss.
I move to the back locker and swap my helmet for my purse. “More like I’m afraid of leaving your side and entering a room full of my mom’s frenemies.”
“Wow, you make it sound so fun,” Dax jokes.
“Thinking about hanging out with you tomorrow will get me through.”
“I can’t wait either.”
I swipe my fingers through his wayward hair. “What are you doing tonight?”
“Just going back to the clubhouse. I think my brother is out tonight, so maybe I’ll get some sleep.”
My chest constricts. “Will you be okay?”
Dax clutches my hand and kisses it gently. “Yeah. I’ll be thinking about you.”
A confusing mix of worry and giddiness bubbles inside me. I stumble on the right words to say as Dax lowers my hand.
“Vanessa?” Sylvie’s voice makes me jolt, and I lose grip of Dax.
I turn and find her and Hope walking towards us.
Sylvie has an excited, curious look on her face.
Her open-mouthed smile shows how badly she wants to bombard me with questions.
Hope, on the other hand, has bewilderment plastered all over her.
Her eyes narrow, and her head shakes like she can’t believe I’d let someone like Dax be in my presence.
“Ah, hello?” Sylvie says, salivating for a response. “Care to make some introductions?”
I swipe at my forehead, catching the forming sweat beads. “Ah, yeah. This is Dax. Dax, these are my friends, Hope and Sylvie.”
Still sitting on his motorcycle, Dax lifts his hand off his knee and barely forms a wave. “Hi.”
“Soooo,” Sylvie drags out the word, leaning in as she waves her hand between Dax and me. “How did this happen? Where did you two meet? Why are you here together?”
I turn Sylvie around by the shoulders. “He just gave me a ride back from Logan’s Point.”
With a gasp, Sylvie digs her heels into the pavement. “Oh my gosh. You came here on his motorcycle?”
Dax smirks. “She even took over the handlebars.”
This time it’s Hope who gasps. “Ness, you didn’t.”
I shrug. “I trust him. That’s why I asked him to be my date to the gala.”
“What?” both girls exclaim at once.
Dax snickers from the bike, while regret slivers through my nervous system. Telling these two gossip queens was probably not the smartest idea.
Sylvie beams at Dax. “I need to know everything.”
“Hold up.” Hope’s hand raises like a stop sign. “What about LJ?”
Dax taps his helmet like a drum. “What about him?”
Hope scoffs in response.
Sylvie links arms with me. “Seriously, who is this?”
I give Dax an apologetic smile. “Thanks for the ride. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Dax smirks and puts his helmet back on. “Yeah, you will.”
When the motorcycle revs, both girls gasp beside me. Hope plants a hand on her chest. The horrified look on her face might stay etched on her skin forever.
“Ness.” Sylvie gasps, grabbing my shoulders. “How long have you been keeping him a secret?” We watch him ride away, and Sylvie sighs. “I mean, I totally get it. Like, super, super get it.”
I slide her hands off me. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Oh, come on,” Sylvie pries. “You just said he’s your date to the gala. Plus, I saw him do the whole Prince Charming move by kissing your hand.”
An uncontainable smile grows on my reddening face, and my insides melt to goo.
Hope grabs my wrist with a shocking amount of force. “He’s not your Prince Charming.”
“What?” It’s all I can manage to get out.
Sylvie raises her palms and takes a few steps away from us.
I pry her hand from around my wrist. “What are you saying?”
“Why don’t you want the fairytale with LJ?”
I double-take at her, wondering what planet she’s on. “Why does it matter so much to you?”
“I just think…” Hope bites her tongue, thinking better of her words.
But the scowl on her face sends my blood boiling. “Just say it, Hope. What do you think?”
Hope groans at the evening sky. She then looks back at me with a sigh. “Don’t you think, maybe, you’re being just the teeny-tiny bit ungrateful?”
A laugh sputters out of me. “Ungrateful? How so?”
“You have this whole life set up for you,” Hope replies. “You have the family money, a future laid out for you, and the dream guy who’ll keep everything afloat. Don’t you think the rest of us want something like that?”
My gaze narrows. “No. I assumed everyone wanted to make their own decisions in life.”
“Well, sometimes it’s too hard to think about the future.
I mean, my mother is still climbing the freaking social ladder.
I feel doomed in her shadow.” She takes my hand, squeezing it hard as urgency floods her expression.
“Ness, I care about you. I don’t want you throwing away your future because you’re having family problems. It’ll pass.
You’ll be sorry if you don’t make it work with LJ. ”
I snatch my hand from her grip. “Don’t pretend to know what’s going on with my family.”
She raises her hands in defense. “I’m not. I just know it’s been hard for you and Ash having your mother away.”
“And you think that’s why I don’t want to be with LJ?”
She nods, and sincerity brightening her eyes. “It’s obviously a cry for attention. I’m just letting you know I’m here for you. Please don’t forget that.”
I blow out a breath, lowering my guard. “Okay. I understand your concern, but it’s unnecessary. What I need is for you to back off and stop pushing me toward LJ.”
“I just don’t want you to blow it.”
My heart sinks. She doesn’t get it.
“Are you two coming or what?” Sylvie asks, hands on hips as she taps a foot on the sidewalk.
I look at Hope, unable to force a smile. “Just give me a minute, will you?”
Hope nods. “My mother and sister are inside waiting, anyway. If I keep them waiting any longer, my mother will start breathing fire.”
She walks past Sylvie, making her way toward the building.
“Is she giving you a hard time about rolling up with Mr. Tall-dark-and-handsome?” Sylvie jokes.
“You could say that.” I shrug. “Let’s just ignore it. I need all my strength to get through this meeting.”
Sylvie motions to the front entrance. “I suspect Hope’s mom is still gunning for you.”
“She thinks she can push me around because my mom’s not here,” I reply. “But my mother is constantly calling me about not letting that happen.”
Sylvie sniggers. “I bet a phone call from your mother is a lot scarier than a snarky remark from Hope’s mom.”
“It’s pretty obvious my mother’s unwilling to give up her hold on this town. Mrs. Fisher needs to wave the white flag already.”
“Like that’ll happen,” Sylvie replies. “Both women are too stubborn for their own good.”
“Never was a truer word spoken.” I click my tongue. “Speaking of which, my mother asked me about volunteer sign-ups this morning. Any chance you could sign-up so I can get her off my back?”
A sour grimace twists Sylvie’s lips. “I thought we went through this last night.”
“Oh, I know,” I say softly. “It’s just…”
She pats my arm. “If I had the time, I would.”
The only word that correctly describes her smile would be condescending.
I nod, not in the mood for defeat. “Sure, I understand. Just know I’ll be asking again inside. It’d be nice if a friend stood by me.”
Sylvie looks around the foyer as we enter the country club. “Yeah, sure. Why does your mom even care? Wasn’t volunteering just your idea?”
“You know what my mother is like,” I say dryly as we make our way into the meeting room. “It’s not impressive if I do something on my own. I have to be the driving force behind an entire team. And if I fail, she sees it as her failure.”
“Excuse me, ladies,” Mrs. Fisher calls from the front of the meeting room. “Will you be joining us? Or will I need to start the meeting without you?”
My stomach flips, but I don’t dare show it on my face. “No, I’m here to start the meeting.”
I make my way to the front, where all the chairs face. Mrs. Fisher gives me a curt smile and takes a seat at the front next to her daughters, Hope and Meghan.
“Good evening, everyone,” I say to the impeccably well-styled audience of women.
“Thanks for coming together again as we get ready for the upcoming gala. We’ll cover everyone’s roles again in the second half of the meeting.
First, I just wanted to speak to you all about the current state of St. Mark’s Hospital and what I’ve witnessed first-hand.
” I pause for effect. “I watched a woman gasping for breath, alone in her hospital bed.” The room responds in gasps.
“The hospital is so understaffed that I had to sound the alarm for help. If I hadn’t been there, who knows what would’ve happened. ”
Mrs. Fisher elbows Hope in the ribs. “You should be there.”
“Ugh. I don’t want to see a dying woman,” Hope complains.
Mrs. Fisher fake laughs, turning to the group. “She was just kidding, of course.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Fisher,” I say, returning attention back to me. “Yes, if we did have more volunteers, it would help ease the burden in the short term.”
Mrs. Saxon raises her hand, and I nod, letting her speak. “But what about the long term? How will we guarantee that the money we raise will help with the staff shortages?”
I clasp my hands in front, taking a scan of the hesitant faces before me. “It’s proven that a well-equipped hospital entices more staff to the area. When we upgrade the equipment or, let’s face it, provide it in the first place, I do believe more medical staff will come to Logan’s Point.”
Sylvie’s mother, Mrs. Grant, joins the meeting with a martini in hand. She snorts as she takes her seat. “And you think doctors and nurses will want to move into those dilapidated homes?”