Falling for the Ghost of You Page 13

  "Yeah...what?! Wait, no—"

  But the ladies choose to go deaf at that moment, and the gossip chain is activated. Helize takes off, wheeling herself like the fast and the furious.

  Great. The woman can't roll herself three feet to the bathroom, and now she's a rocket.

  Zane is laughing his butt off while I am crimson with mortification.

  By the time I get around to introducing him to the other residents and my co-workers, everyone already knows him as my fiancée. Zane takes it all in stride, but I am horribly embarrassed.

  Of course, they all love him—his face and easy charm pretty much guarantee his acceptance. He works the room like a pro. My co-workers keep pulling me aside to gush about him, and Amy, one of the nurses, is disturbingly graphic in singing his praises.

  Later, Zane asks me to dance. We join the few couples on the dance floor. I am self conscious until he pulls me into his arms and moves me in a rhythm that can't be taught.

  "I like your old people," he says in my ear, sending shivers down my spine, and into the pit of my stomach.

  "They like you, too," I say.

  "Although," Zane leaves forward confidingly. "Some of the women are forward as hell. This one tiny lady—I swear she had octopus arms. One hand in my shirt, one on my ass, and six down my pants. Kind of wanted to scream for help."

  "Oh, no," I laugh. "That must have been Mary. She's kind of...grabby."

  "Short little thing? Crazy beehive wig, and a pincer-like grip?"

  I can't hide my grin. "That's her."

  "Yeah, you might want to think about keeping an eye on her because, damn."

  Zane has the most irresistible frown on his face right now. I pat his chest. "Aw, poor baby! Did she hurt you?"

  He smiles and expertly spins me to the beat of the music. "Kind of. I might need therapy. To get rid of those painful memories. Know anyone who could help?"

  I pretend to think. "I could probably hook you up with my school counselor, Mr. Bob."

  "So, it's gonna be like that, huh?" Zane looks down at me with a sly expression on his too-handsome face. "And I was going to give you something."

  "What?" I say suspiciously.

  "It's a surprise," he says. "Check my pants pocket."

  I snort. "Yeah, right. I've heard that one before."

  "You have, huh?"

  The song ends and Zane leads me off to the side in a little alcove by the fireplace. The location offers a little bit of privacy from everyone else, and I wonder what Zane has up his sleeve. Probably something dirty, knowing him.

  "Come on, Violet," he taunts me. "Check my pockets. I'll give you a hint: it's the left one."

  I stare at him suspiciously. He waits, holding his arms out at his sides, inviting me to search him.

  Well, okay. If Mary can do it, so can I. I take a quick look around. No one's looking in my direction, so I cautiously stick my hand into his left pants pocket.

  "I swear to God, if you make one little peep, I'll get Mary and her iron grip over here," I threaten him.

  He just smiles. "I promise, I won't even enjoy it. Much."

  I don't get very far when my fingers encounter something hard.

  No, not that!

  Frowning, I pull the light blue box from Zane's pocket.

  Um. It says Tiffany & Co on the front.

  I hold the box like it's a bomb. It's flat and square shaped. I look at him uncertainly. "What is it?"

  Zane grins teasingly. "It's a box. Open it."

  I blink rapidly for way too long. Then I thrust the box at his chest. "Whatever it is, I can't accept it. I'm sure it's way too expensive."

  Zane sighs. "Violet," he says patiently. "You know I can afford it."

  He tries to hand it to me, but I back away, my heart beating rapidly. Because I really want to open that box.

  Zane grabs my hand and places the box in it. "You're starting to piss me off," he says. If you don't accept it, I'll take it as an insult. Come on, it's no big deal."

  He's watching me expectantly. Now I feel completely ungrateful.

  Well, no harm in looking, right?

  Feeling incredibly self-conscious, I carefully open the box. Inside, I find a soft drawstring pouch, and...

  Oh, wow!

  Very, very carefully I pull out a glittering diamond bracelet. Set in platinum, the diamonds are alternating sizes and shapes. It's beautiful.

  It's on the tip of my tongue to ask if it's real, but of course it is!

  "This...wow, this is amazing, Zane," I say breathlessly. "But this is way too much! I can't—you know I can't..."

  "Yes, you can."

  He takes the bracelet from me and fastens it around my wrist. My skin tingles at the delicate weight. I am mesmerized by the way the diamonds catch the light and refract it into tiny little sparkles.

  Zane's amused voice breaks my trance. "Now I'm going to save us both a lot of trouble by telling you right now, I'm not taking it back, and if you try to refuse it, you really are going to piss me off. So you have to love it."

  "Oh, I do! It's beautiful! But—"

  "Then that's it. You're welcome."

  I grab his shirt and pull him down to my height. "Thank you," I whisper.

  Then I kiss him. Long and hot and hard. We break apart, smiling.

  "So," I say, running my fingers over his well-defined jaw. "Does this mean I have to put out?"

  Zane tilts his head to the side, pretending to consider. "Yeah, I think so."

  I grin up at him. "I was going to, anyway."

  "I know."

  Okay, now's the perfect time to ask him about us. I take a deep breath.

  "Sorry to interrupt."

  Grr! It's Marissa and her slutty dress.

  "What?!" I snap. "I mean—what?"

  She twirls a lock of her long blonde hair. "So, Gil keeps pestering me for a dance, and you know what a pervert, he is, right, Violet? Well, I said that I told Zane I would dance with him. So can I borrow you for a little bit, Zane?" She blinks vacantly up at him. "So is that okay?"

  Seriously?!

  Zane looks at me questioningly, one eyebrow raised.

  I say nothing. In fact, my mouth is clamped shut. But Marissa takes my silence as a yes and squeals like a piggy. She grabs Zane's arm, tugging him away. He looks back at me with a shrug.

  It's okay, Violet. Be calm. Look at the sparkly diamonds.

  It's not working. I hide behind a pillar and glare at my date and the receptionist, dancing like they're a couple in televised competition.

  No, people, don't applaud them!

  If it weren't for Marissa, it would be pure pleasure to watch Zane. His moves are professional and effortless, and I realize he must've received training.

  "He's just full of surprises," I tell my bracelet.

  I don't know why I'm talking to my bracelet.

  By the way, the sparkle of a diamond will catch the eye of any woman, regardless of age. Heck, Adele spots it from across the room, and she's legally blind.

  My old ladies ooh and ah over the sparklies on my wrist. Meanwhile, I'm watching Zane twirl the slutty Marissa around in the longest song ever.

  Ugh! I hate always being the jealous one. How would he like it if I danced with some hot guy? In fact...

  I scout the area, but the closest I can find to a hot guy is the short-haired Raquel, who works the night shift. She is wearing pants tonight. Maybe from behind...?

  Okay, no. I try to talk myself into being rational, and enjoying the evening. I know I'm being stupid. I can stop.

  I dance with wheelchair bound residents, holding their hands and trying not to flinch when their foot rests bang into my ankles yet again. Zane gives quite a few old ladies the thrill of their lives, twirling them on the dance floor. They respond so enthusiastically, I know there's going to be a lot of aching bones in the morning.

  It's almost eight. Helize wants me to take her upstairs, so I tell Zane I'll just be a few minutes.

  "Well, Helize, you
were the belle of the ball," I say as I wheel her into the elevator. "Did you have a good time?"

  She chuckles tiredly, clutching a colorful bouquet of paper flowers in her lap. "I don't know about the 'belle of the ball,' but I did enjoy myself. I was very pleased to meet your young man. You know, he reminds me of an old boyfriend of mine. Charlie was his name, though he wasn't quite so handsome as your Zane. He was a charmer, though. Everyone just loved him. He could light up a room like nobody's business."

  "Oh, yeah? So, why didn't you marry him?"

  I have to wait for Helize to unlock her door before she answers me. I turn on the light and wheel her in.

  "Because everybody loved him," she replies simply. "And he loved them all back. Biggest womanizer I ever knew!"

  "Oh," I mutter sourly.

  Helize shoots me a crafty old look. "You gotta watch 'em like a hawk when they're that handsome and charming, Violet. You remember that."

  "I definitely will."

  "Good girl." She pats my hand. "You're a very beautiful, very wonderful young woman. You two make a stunning couple. Just you make sure to guard your heart, you hear?"

  I bend down and give her a loud smacking kiss on the cheek. "I hear, Grandma."

  She cackles and starts to head for the bathroom. "Send Liz up to help me, would you, dear? I'm ready for bed now."

  "Good night, Helize," I say, closing the door for her.

  Her warning echoes in my head as I take the stairs back down. I run into Liz in the lobby on my way to find Zane, and I let her know about Helize. She thanks me, and also congratulates me on my engagement to a super hottie.

  Where is Zane? I look everywhere, including the kitchen and the three unoccupied rooms downstairs. With a sinking heart, I notice Marissa is missing as well. Then Gina, the activities director, mentions that she saw them going outside.

  Oh, really.

  Pulse thumping, I make my way to the parking lot, where the employees' cars are.

  Guess what I find? Zane, leaning against Marissa's sporty little car—and the ho is standing very close in front of him.

  As I watch, she goes up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. They share an intimate laugh and then Marissa gets in her car. Zane steps away as she backs out, and watches her drive off.

  So. Angry.

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I move into his line of view. I'm shaking. I hope he doesn't notice.

  "There you are," he says, walking over to me. "I was looking for you."

  "Really? You were looking for me out in the parking lot when I told you I'd be upstairs with Helize?"

  Zane goes to grab my hand, but I yank away. He frowns slightly. "What's with you?"

  "Nothing," I snap. "Did you have a good time with Marissa?"

  "Not really. I just walked her to her car because she was afraid to go out by herself."

  I look around the well-lit parking lot, to the door to the building, literally five feet away. "Uh-huh," I say, my words dripping in sarcasm. "That's totally believable."

  Zane sighs almost imperceptibly, running a hand through his hair. "Not really. She just wanted to hit on me."

  My blood turns to ice, while the top of my head explodes. "That fake-nice bitch!"

  "That about sums it up."

  "Oh, you know what? Don't even! You were encouraging her all night!" I burst out, throwing my arms up in the air.

  Zane stares at me incredulously. "Are you kidding me?"

  "You spent more time with her, looking down her dress than you did with me!"

  He makes an exasperated noise low in his throat. "I was trying to be nice," he growls. "I never touched her. And, yeah, I looked—she was shoving herself in my face! Just looked. Since when is that a crime?"

  The more he talks, the angrier I get. I feel some kind of dam in me break, and a red mist settles over my vision.

  "Yeah, lucky for you it's not a crime, because you'd be locked up for life!"

  Zane eyes me warily. "Do I even want to know what you're talking about?"

  "Like you don't know!" I shriek. "You know, with all the girls you flirt with in front of me, I have to wonder how many more there are when I'm not around!"

  Zane is starting to look like he's getting a headache. "Wait, let's get this straight. You don't want me looking at, or talking to other girls?"

  I can hear how I sound, I really can. I just can't seem to stop the crazy train my mouth has become.

  "You're right," I say to him. "You can do whatever you want, sleep with all the slutty little receptionists you want—"

  "Violet," Zane reaches for me.

  I pull away furiously. "Because we're nothing to each other. Just 'cause you gave me a diamond bracelet doesn't mean a damn thing. You probably hand them out like candy. You can have this one back, though. I don't want it!"

  I go to take off my bracelet so I can throw it at him.

  Stupid tiny clasp!

  I try for a good half minute to get the damn thing off. Frustrated, I sigh explosively and glare at Zane. "Okay, I guess I'll mail it to you!"

  I turn on my heel and stomp away. I only make it a couple step when Zane catches me from behind, trapping my arms against my sides. He holds me firmly against his body while I struggle uselessly.

  "So—what? You don't want to see me anymore because of something you think I did?" His soft breath tickles my neck.

  "Yeah," I snap. Can he feel my heart beating alarmingly fast? I hope not.

  "I don't think so," Zane whispers. "Call me when you're over your tantrum, little girl."

  I stiffen angrily. He trails a kiss down my neck before he releases me. My body already misses his strength and warmth.

  I tell it to shut up. Whirling around, I flip him off with both hands.

  "Don't hold your breath!" I scream.

  Yeah. Like a little girl.

  ******

  Chapter 19

  "So, to recap, Zane gives you roses and a freaking diamond bracelet...and you accuse him of cheating on you. Then you throw the bracelet in his face?!"

  "Um. No. I couldn't get the bracelet off. It was dark, and I couldn't...figure out the...thingy."

  Lauren sighs. "Violet?"

  "Yes?"

  "Can you come over here so I can smack you with something?"

  "Okay," I say in a small voice. "Smack me hard, okay? I deserve it."

  We’re in Lauren’s kitchen right now. Lauren is making zucchini bread while I feed baby Brianna something pureed and green—peas, maybe. Brianna has a cold and keeps sneezing green mush at me. I figure it’s some kind of karmic punishment for stupidity.

  It’s been two days. I haven’t talked to Zane, and he hasn’t called or texted me. I don’t know why I thought he’d come chasing after me. He is so not the type.

  Lauren measures out a cup of sugar and dumps it into a big mixing bowl. “So, why don’t you call him and apologize?”

  That gets me all fired up again. “Because! Marissa was flirting with him, and he was probably encouraging it!”

  “Did you see him flirting back?” she asks practically. “Did he touch her?”

  “No, but he was smiling at her, and talking to her!”

  Lauren just looks at me. I smack myself in the face. Baby Brianna laughs heartily, spitting peas in my hair. I make a disgusted face, and she laughs harder. Babies are so easy.

  “You don’t understand,” I tell Lauren, while wiping peas out of my hair with a wet wipe. “Girls are always hitting on him—it’s so annoying!”

  “He can’t help that,” Lauren points out. She’s huffing slightly from her efforts in stirring her ingredients together. “Guys stare at you and hit on you all the time. Do you take any of them up on their offers.”

  I sigh loudly. “No, but it’s not the same thing! I’m mean to all them. Plus—guys never hit on me when I’m with Zane! I feel like the sad little wife of a celebrity. Our balance of power is very uneven. I don’t like being the insecure one in the relationship. And, yeah, I know I’m probably in t
he wrong here, but still…it pisses me off!”

  “Ugh, can you check the spice rack to see if we have cinnamon?” Lauren pushes a lock of wispy blonde hair back with her forearm. “I guess what it comes down to is, do you trust him?”

  I consider this. Do I trust Zane? I told him a lot about myself, things that I’ve never shared with anyone but Lauren. I also know that if I needed him, he’d be there for me. But…did I trust him not to break my heart?

  I just don’t know.

  I check the spice rack for cinnamon, but don’t find any. “Nada,” I tell Lauren.

  She looks confused. “Are you talking about the trust thing, or the cinnamon.”

  “Yes,” I say. I go over to Baby Brianna and pick her up. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you cleaned up.” She grins toothlessly up at me, and I hug her to me, pea-covered face and all.

  “Are you going to call him?” Lauren wants to know.

  “Nope,” I reply. “But I’ll probably see him tomorrow if he comes to the dinner party Mom is having.”

  “What are you going to say to him?”

  I look down at my beautiful glittering bracelet. Brianna is currently using it as a teething ring. “I don’t know,” I sigh. “I just don’t know.”

  So Mom invited Jane and a few other friends over for dinner tonight. I heard her on the phone asking Zane to come, but she caught me eavesdropping before I could hear his answer.

  I don’t think he’ll come all the way down here for some silly dinner party. Why would he? And he hates me, so…there you go. He’s not coming.

  Still, I take extra care getting dressed that night. I’m wearing a clingy pink blouse and these tight black pants that I know make my legs look like they go on forever. I wish I could wear my bracelet, but I can’t in front of Mom. I can just imagine how that conversation would go.

  I’m just putting my hair up in a ponytail when she pokes her head in my room to let me know the guests are arriving.

  Okay. I can do this. If Zane comes tonight, I will be cool and calm and offer him an adult apology—nothing too gushy. Then the ball will be in his court.

  Cool and calm. Okay.

  I go downstairs to greet the guests. I give Jane a hug, and she fidgets nervously. She’s still feeling guilty about the whole deceiving Mom thing, and I worry that one day she’s going to blurt out the truth. I think about drawing a line across my throat in silent warning, but it seems a bit much. I smile politely at the other guests, not really seeing them.