Chapter Six

Throwing Caution to the Wind

It’s seven in the morning and I’m getting ready for my run. As I flit around my room gathering my running clothes, my phone beeps with a new text message. I quickly hop over and read it.

Evan: mornin running grl

I quickly text back, good morning evan :)

Evan: enjoy ur run. try not to hurt urself – I wont be there if u need to be rescued again

Jette: oh – r u ok? do u need to cancel 2nite?

Evan: hell no! im doing something 4 work – dont back out on me now

Jette: I can’t wait for you to taste my sweet creamy treats :P

Evan: omg – don’t do that, i just spit out my coffee

Jette: sorry. ttyl

Evan: later running grl

In a strange way, I’m glad I won’t be running into Evan during my run. That means I can relax and enjoy a good work out. I quickly finish getting ready, and then Maddy and I head out.

The beach is my happy place. It always has been, for as long as I can remember. My earliest memory of the beach is from when I was very young.

My grandfather drove me to see the ocean during a particularly fierce hurricane. It was the early stages of the storm, and he drove me to the Manasquan inlet in his old Buick. He parked right up next to the inlet wall and we sat in the car while the waves crashed right up over the wall and onto the hood of the car. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. We didn’t stay long, but I remember it like it was yesterday. My grandfather’s gone now, but he had a big impact on my life and I cherish the memories I have of him.

By the time I was in middle school, my friends and I would ride our bikes to the beach and stay all day. We’d bake ourselves in the sun and eat lunch on the boardwalk. Come high school, we were sneaking onto the beach to avoid the badge checkers and flirting with the lifeguards. My earliest jobs all involved the beach, too. I was an umbrella girl one summer where I got to hang out with the lifeguards and bring beach umbrellas to the Bennies. The pay was awful, but tips were pretty good and I was, after all, on the beach all day every day.

The memories wash over me and before I know it, my car is parked and I’m making my way to the beach for my morning run. So thick are my memories, that I barely remember driving here. I guess I was on automatic pilot. My childhood friends have mostly scattered across the country. Sometimes I miss them, but I understand. Not that long ago, I was seriously thinking about staying permanently in Denver, but I’m here now and, frankly, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in this exact moment.

Today, I decide to push myself to resume my workout, no holding back. Maddy and I are making good time and I’m working up a real sweat. I feel mentally and physically sharp and ready for whatever obstacles are placed before me. I arrive back at my starting point, and I start to cool down. To keep my mind and body balanced, I decide to do a few yoga stretches. As a beginner, there are only a few poses that I am familiar with, so I opt for the familiar downward facing dog. Carefully, I place my palms into the firm sand facing the ocean and I crouch down on my knees. Slowly, I extend my hips and straighten my legs. I can feel the muscles in my calves stretch and burn. With a deep exhale, I push my thighs back and begin to slowly place my heels back on the ground.

It’s at this exact moment that I hear an unfamiliar male voice, “You must be Juliette.” I look between my knees and see the inverted image of stalker-hoodie-man walking towards me. Really? Now? Crap!

Despite the position of my ass relative to his face, I remain frozen in place and respond, “And you must be my creepy stalker-hoodie-man. Oh, sorry, I mean Adam, right?” Slowly I relax my thighs and place my knees on the ground, then turn, stand, and face him.

He hands me a bottle of water. “Yeah – sorry about the creepy-stalker thing the other day. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

As I take a few large gulps from the water bottle, I allow myself to consider the man standing before me. Could this be the person that I had convinced myself was Evan? Maybe. He’s definitely got the same build, lean hips, broad shoulders, easily six feet tall. Throw a hood over his face, and they could be twins.

“Oh, that’s okay. I ran into Evan and he straightened everything out.” Maddy is not so sure about Adam, so she’s sitting right beside me in protective mode. I can see her ears are perked and she’s on high alert. I give her a little light pat on the head to reassure her. “Well, I guess I’ll see you tonight. I should get going. It was nice finally meeting you, Adam.”

“Um, Juliette, I was wondering if we could talk. Can I invite you up to the house for a cup of coffee or something?” Now my curiosity is piqued. Today is my day off, and truthfully, I don’t have any plans until dinner.

“Yeah, sure, lead the way.” Once again, I unexpectedly find myself walking up the beach and onto the luxurious deck of Evan’s beach house.

Feeling a little more comfortable than last time, I choose a deck chair and make myself at home. “So, Adam, does Evan know you’ve invited me here?” I’m wondering why he’s brought me here.

“Actually, no, he doesn’t. And I’m hoping we can keep this between us, Juliette.” He sits down across from me and appraises me from head to foot. “Tell me something about yourself. What do you do when you’re not scampering around the beach?” He leans back in his chair and waits for my response.

“Well, if you must know, I’m a part time bartender. Listen, if you brought me up here for some kind of weird job interview, I’ll save you some time and be on my way. I’m not after anything from your friend. I like him, that’s all.” I stand up and continue, “I won’t say anything to Evan about this, but I won’t lie. If he asks me, I will tell him you invited me up here. I just want to be perfectly clear.” I turn and head towards the steps that lead back to the beach.

“No, Juliette, please don’t leave. I’m sorry. It’s just that Evan and I have been friends for a long time. We watch out for each other. The past year has been pretty rough for him for lots of reasons that I can’t share right now. I just wanted to make sure you aren’t one of those girls that just wants to get her claws into Evan. He’s got a lot of .... well ... assets, I suppose you would call them, that make some people try to take advantage.” He’s searching for the right words. “It’s hard to explain without giving too much away.”

“Really? Evan doesn’t strike me as a weak person who is easily manipulated. He also doesn’t strike me as a poor judge of character. What’s really going on here, Adam?” I sit back down. There’s more to this story and I’m going to try to get whatever information I can while I’m here.

“No, you’re right. Evan is not a push over. He never was. He’s also a great judge of character and he can spot these girls coming a mile away. But that’s not who he wants to be anymore. He can’t afford to put himself into a situation like that again.”

“Situation like what? I don’t understand what you’re saying. Actually, I don’t understand anything about this conversation. What do you mean when you say he’s not like that anymore? Are you trying to warn me about Evan or warn Evan about me?”

“A little of both, I guess. Evan said you were different. I see that now. Forget it. Have a good time tonight. I guess I’ll see you at dinner. Thanks for your time.” He walks me to the front door and watches as I make my way to my parked car just down the street. That was, by far, the strangest conversation I’ve ever had in my life. I’m getting completely mixed signals from Adam. Is he a concerned friend or a nosy interloper? I guess we’ll find out tonight.

I return home with a chai for myself and a macchiato for Auggie. He hasn’t been around for a few days, so I’m thrilled when I pull up and he’s still home.

“Jette, my Pet, you are a mind reader. Is that for me?” Auggie reaches for the coffee and kisses me on the cheek. “Thank you, darling!” He sits back down at the kitchen island and resumes reading the morning news on his iPad. If I ever want to punish Auggie for some deplorable offense, it would be easy. I’d just have to hide his iPad and watch him freak.

“So, stranger, what’s been keeping you out so much? You’ve really been scarce around here lately.” I’d love a chance to talk about something other than my boy drama. Maybe Auggie has some boy drama of his own.

“I’m sorry, Jette. I didn’t mean to ignore you. I’ve been a little distracted lately. I’m free tonight if you want to do something. Dinner and a movie, maybe?”

“Sorry Aug, but I have plans already. What’s got you all distracted?” I raise my eyebrows and give him a knowing look. “Anything special you want to share?”

“Maybe, it’s too soon to say, really. Remember my friend, Anthony? Well, he introduced me to Brandon. Brandon designs store displays for Anthropologie. He travels a lot, all across the east coast, setting up store displays and consulting with local designers. He’s got a trip to Boston coming up next week and he wants me to go with him. Isn’t that awesome?” Auggie is beaming. He seems so excited and I’m happy for him.

“Can you take time off from work again? You just got back from our trip. I don’t want you to drop everything and risk all you’ve worked so hard for. Is it a good time to go?” Auggie’s been hurt before and I don’t think I could handle it if anything happened to him.

“Oh, honey, it’s fine. I just closed on three big houses. I don’t have anyone on the line right now. It’s the perfect time. Want to see some pictures?” Auggie flips through the images on his iPad and shows me photos of Brandon. There are pictures of the boys in the car, at a restaurant, in a bar, at the boardwalk, and in someone’s house. Wow. They have been spending a lot of time together.

Auggie and I spend some time catching up and chatting. When we both finish our drinks, I slip away to take a quick shower. Before I do, I warn Auggie, “Keep your paws off my cake. That’s for a friend. I don’t want to have to kill you over pastry.”

I have a nice relaxing afternoon hanging out with my roommate. We make popcorn and watch old eighties movies on TV. St. Elmo’s Fire is on and we spend half the movie making fun of the hair and clothes and during the commercials, we go online to IMDB the stars and find out what they are up to now.

It’s an old tradition for us, watching Brat Pack movies together. Auggie and I spent many Saturday nights together throughout high school. Auggie never found his niche at school, and I didn’t really come out of my shell until college.

Auggie makes getting ready for a date an event. First, there’s the runway. I have to try on dresses, skirts, and pants until Auggie is satisfied with my choice. Tonight’s wardrobe eventually winds down to a simple lemon-colored halter dress that shows off my shoulders, which I think are my best asset. I can wear my hair down so it sweeps across my bare back. The key is to find the right bra and panties. No sooner have the thoughts entered my brain, when Auggie is holding up my new lace panties from Victoria’s Secret. I snatch them from his hand, grab a strapless bra, and head back into the bathroom to change. When I step out, Auggie’s face tells me what I already know, I look hot. Not too hot, not slutty hot, not millionaire matchmaker hot, more girl-next-door hot.

“Get your bag, Jepetto. We have to go over the checklist.” Auggie read an article once about the 10 things you should have with you on a date, and now it’s a guide he lives by. One by one, we go through the list together.

“Chapstick?”

“Check.”

“Phone Charger?”

“Check.”

“Tissues?”

“Check.”

“Tylenol?”

“Check.”

“Deodorant?”

“Check.”

“Toothbrush?”

“Check.”

“Cash?”

“Check.”

“Breath mints?”

“Check.”

“Condom? Condom? Jette, you have to bring a condom!”

Reluctantly, I accept Auggie’s insistence, “Check.”

“Deck of cards?”

“Check.”

It may sound odd, but carrying around a deck of cards can really come in handy. In large groups, it lends itself to drinking games. In small intimate gatherings, it’s a great way to keep the conversation going. I hope I don’t need to take them out tonight.

No more stalling, It’s time to go. I grab my cake, which is now wrapped in a pastry box, and check my phone one last time. I send Evan a text before I leave.

Jette: on my way – ready? :)

Evan texts back immediately: cant wait ;)

He winked at me again.

Fifteen minutes later, and I’m standing on Evan’s front porch. The door opens and I am speechless. Evan is wearing a black V-neck t-shirt that is untucked and hugs his arms and shoulders perfectly. His jeans hang loosely on his slender hips. He has a grin spread across his face from ear to ear revealing a set of perfect teeth, and those dimples.

He steps towards me and offers his hand to usher me into his home. “Juliette, you look ... absolutely beautiful.” His eyes sparkle with mischief, and I’m weak in the knees. “Please come in.” He places his hand on the small of my back and escorts me to the kitchen. Oh my, he smells good.

As we enter the kitchen, I see Adam standing at the counter grating fresh cheese. He wipes his hand on a dishrag and walks over to introduce himself to me.

“Juliette, it’s nice to finally meet you. Evan’s told me a lot about you. I feel like I know you already.” We exchange knowing smiles and I take a seat nearby.

“Evan, it smells great. What’s for dinner?” I scan the kitchen and spot a large pot of boiling water on the stove.

“I picked up some meatballs and Alfredo sauce from Joe Leone’s this afternoon. I’m just making some fettuccine and garlic bread. I hope you like Italian.” Joe Leone’s is an Italian specialty store that has the best prepared dishes on the Jersey Shore.

“Sounds great. I love Fettuccine Alfredo, it’s one of my absolute favorites.” If I could have Fettuccini Alfredo for dinner every night for the rest of my life, I would die a happy woman.

“What can I get you to drink? We have beer, wine, iced tea, water. What are you in the mood for?” I glance around and see the boys are enjoying an amber beer.

“I’d love a cold beer. Do you have Blue Moon?”

“Absolutely. Do you want an orange slice, too?” He makes his way over to the bar and gives Adam a slight nudge with his elbow as he passes by.

“Only if you have it.” I watch Evan as he expertly pours the beer in the glass. As the knife slices through the orange, his muscles flex and I’m transfixed. It should seriously be illegal to be this attractive.

He hands me the beer and for a moment, our hands touch. I can feel the electricity shoot through my body and stop right at the apex of my thighs.

“Thanks,” is all I can say.

Adam senses my nervousness and helps move the conversation along. “So Juliette, what did you bring for dessert?”

“Please, call me Jette. I brought an Entremet of ginger mouse, orange cream, cinnamon spiced cake, and Kahlua infused chocolate glaze.” I almost slipped and named the drink that inspired this creation.

“Wow. Sounds incredible. I can’t wait to try it. Hey, Evan, how much longer till we eat? I’m starving!” Adam peers over the pot of boiling water.

Evan pushes Adam to the side, stirs the pasta, and nods his head. He seems pleased with the progress. “Not much longer. Wanna set the table? We can eat outside.”

Adam gathers the plates, silverware, and napkins and heads out to the deck.

I take the opportunity to cozy up to Evan a little. There’s a pot of Alfredo sauce simmering on the stove that suddenly needs my attention. Evan is still standing at the stove checking on the pasta, so I walk over and stand right beside him. I take the spoon resting on the counter, remove the cover from the simmering pot and stir. Evan watches every move I make with great interest. Slowly, I remove the spoon from the pot, place my hand beneath it to catch any drips and blow ever so lightly onto the remaining sauce to cool it. Lifting the spoon to his mouth, I offer him a taste, “Try it,” and I feed him. There is nothing sexier than feeding a man. He places his hand on my waist and opens his mouth just enough to taste.

“Mmm. I think we’re ready. What do you think, Juliette?” He takes the spoon from my hand, and spoons out the smallest amount of sauce, and offers it to me to taste. I blow on it a little, then taste.

“Oh, yeah, we’re ready.” Just as our eyes lock on each other, Adam steps in and clears his throat.

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but I need the salt and pepper.” He walks past us, gathers the shakers, and returns to the deck.

The three of us start dishing the food into serving bowls and dishes. Evan drains the pasta. Adam is slicing the garlic bread, and I’m dishing out the meatballs. We bring the food to the deck and Evan insists I sit. He pulls out a chair for me and I have a beautiful view of the ocean.

The boys excuse themselves to get our drinks and the Alfredo sauce. When they return, Evan sits to my right and Adam sits to my left. We each start helping ourselves and passing the food around the table. There’s more than enough for everyone, and the boys sure like to eat. I don’t think they could fit one iota more on their plates. The grated cheese is passed around last and we all dig in. My nerves are gone, now I’m just hungry.

As we eat, I try to find out a little more about Adam. Besides being Evan’s friend, I really don’t know anything about him. “So Adam, I understand you work with Evan. What do you do?”

The boys exchange glances before Adam answers. “I’m mostly in the office taking care of scheduling, appearances, and payroll.” Adam looks over to Evan for his consent, I think.

I try to delve a little deeper. I’m still not sure how I feel about Adam. He seems to be making an honest effort with me tonight. “That sounds interesting. Is it hard to manage football players?”

“Well, Jette, some of the players can really be a handful. They like to live life in the fast lane and leave a mess for other people to clean up. I guess that’s where I come in.” Evan is shifting nervously in his seat.

“I think it’s great that you both came out here together to work for the Sentinels. When do you start work, Adam?”

“It feels like I never stopped working really.” Adam takes a break for another forkful of fettuccine. “Do you follow football, Jette?”

“No, not really. I don’t have any brothers and my father first took off when I was really little. No testosterone in my house growing up. I hung out with the soccer players in high school, football really wasn’t my thing. Sorry.”

“Would you like to meet one of the players?” When Adam asks, Evan coughs a little on his food and takes a big swig of his beer.

“I don’t think so. I don’t know anything about football and from what I’ve seen on TV, most appear to be more like grown men with the mindset of a teenage boy. Hey, that reminds me. There’s this fundraiser in a few weeks at Wilkinson’s for Hurricane Sandy Relief. Rumor has it some of the Sentinels players will be there. Do you guys know anything about it?” I almost forgot to ask.

Evan responds, “Well, Adam, you track the schedules. Do we know anyone planning on going?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure Carlo Rivera and the team’s new back-up quarterback are both booked. What’s his name, again?” Adam is speaking directly to Evan.

“McGuire. They call him Mac.” He shoots Adam a fierce look. “I’m sorry, Juliette, we must be boring you with all this talk about work.” He stands up and begins to clear away the dirty dishes. “I’ll be right back, please sit and relax.”

I ask Adam about the house he’s closing on in a few days. It sounds like a cute little house in the heart of Point Pleasant Beach.

Evan returns with my cake and dessert plates. For the next half hour, we eat dessert and the conversation returns to more mundane topics. “So, Juliette, what kinds of movies do you like to watch?” Evan inquires.

“Well, Auggie and I have been on a real eighties kick. Today, we watched St. Elmo’s Fire. It’s one of those movies that will become a classic. Don’t you agree?”

Adam answers, “Anything with Demi Moore is okay in my book.”

Evan reaches back and stretches. Without much thought or concern, he affectionately touches my back while talking to me. “How about eighties slasher movies? You know, like Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, or Friday the 13^th?” His fingertips graze my skin as he draws circles on my flesh. The sensation sends millions of tiny impulses through my body.

“No . Never. You?” That’s the closest I can come to complete sentences right now.

“I love them. You have to let me introduce you to the world of Wes Craven. What do you say, Juliette?”

“What do you mean, like tonight?” I look at Evan and he’s just so irresistibly sweet.

“Yeah, tonight. As soon as the sun goes down. The only way to watch Freddie Kruger is in the dark. Hey, did you know Johnny Depp got his start in the Nightmare on Elm Street movie?” I contemplate the offer. It’s almost dark now, and I suppose I could stay for a few more hours.

“Okay, sure. I’m in. But if I’m going to watch scary slasher movies, I’m definitely going to need another beer.”

This time, it’s Adam that responds. “My turn, I’ll get this round. Be right back, kids.” Moments later, he returns with only two bottles of Blue Moon.

“Sorry, guys. I hate to break up this party, but it’s time for me to leave. You two have fun. Evan, I’ll be back around midnight. Jette, it really was a pleasure to meet you. I hope to see you again soon.”

I get up and give Adam a hug. He seems like a good friend and Evan’s lucky to have someone like him watching his back. I may have misjudged him.

Evan excuses himself and walks Adam to the door. I walk over to the railing to watch the surf rise and fall. I contemplate the chain of events that led me here, when suddenly, I feel Evan’s arm around my waist and I’m snapped back to the present.

“Here, let’s sit and enjoy the view for a while.” Evan motions to a loveseat in the cabana. He holds his hand out and leads me across the deck.

The cabana is on the north corner of the deck and there is nothing protecting us from the cool ocean breeze. A chill overtakes me and my body shivers.

“Hang on, Juliette, I’ll be right back.” He leans over towards an ottoman and it opens, revealing a deep storage chest inside. Evan pulls out a gray woolen blanket and drapes it across our laps as he sits beside me.

“Come here, I won’t bite. Not unless you ask me to, anyway.” He stretches out his arm and I find myself cuddling beside him.

Suddenly, my cell phone beeps in my pocket with an in-coming message, which I ignore.

“Aren’t you going to check? It might be important. I don’t mind. Go ahead.” Evan has resumed his gentle circular caresses on my shoulder. I take out my phone to check and there’s a text from Derek.

Derek: u free tonite? Wanna hang out?

Jette: sorry –I have plans. tomorrow?

Derek: Sure. c u later

“So, was it important?” Evan seems annoyed. He obviously saw the text and the name of the sender.

“Nope, just Derek, a friend from work.” Derek is a friend from work, nothing more.

“You sure he’s just a friend, Juliette? I want to make sure I know what I’m getting myself into. You know, no surprises.” He’s waiting for me to clarify. “If he’s just a friend, then would you be willing to cancel your plans with him tomorrow and go out with me?”

“No, Evan, but you could join us. I don’t cancel plans with my friends because of a guy. Boys come and go, but friends are there to pick up the pieces when they break your heart.”

“Maybe I will. Join you tomorrow, I mean. Come on, it’s getting dark and cold. Let’s go inside and watch a movie.”

“So, what are we watching?” I ask as I settle into the thick, plush couch in the living room.

Evan pulls up Netflix on the TV screen and starts typing in the search box. “I told you, Nightmare on Elm Street. You ready?” He walks around the house, turning off all the lights. He grabs the blanket from the deck and joins me on the couch.

“Do we have to watch with the lights out? Really?” I know I’m being a big chicken and I don’t care.

“Just sit with me, I’ll protect you. I promise to warn you before the really scary stuff comes on.”

“But ...”

Before I can finish, he kisses me. Our first kiss is tender and sweet, gently touching his lips to mine. His lips are soft, wet, and delicious. Desire builds up instantly inside me and my nerve endings are all firing at once.

He breaks away from the kiss and whispers in my ear, “I’ve been wanting to do that since the moment I saw you.” He moves an errant strand of hair behind my ear. “Now, about the lights?”

“This is fine. I’m good,” I admit as I lean into his chest.

From the opening scene of the movie, I’m a basket case. Evan is a brilliant man, he has me in the palm of his hands the moment Freddy makes his first appearance. At one point, I actually crawl onto his lap and pull the blanket over my head.

By the time Johnny Depp’s character is killed, I have to excuse myself to the bathroom. I wish Maddy were with me right about now. When I return, Evan holds out his arm and I return to my spot on the couch tucked beneath his strong arm.

“Do you want me to turn it off?” he asks.

“No, why?”

“Well, you’re squeezing all the blood from my arm, and I might need to use that arm again someday.”

I immediately release him, “Sorry.” I pull the blanket up to my chin, hoping it will offer me protection. When the little girls show up on screen chanting their monotonous jump rope chant, I can no longer watch and I hide my face beneath his arm.

Only ninety-one minutes of torture and my terror is over. Evan releases me and reaches for the remote to turn off the TV. “Come on; let me make you a drink.” He offers me his hand and he helps me off the couch.

“I’m so embarrassed, Evan, you must think I’m a total dork. I tried to be brave, but that movie really was scary.”

“Juliette, let me assure you, I enjoyed every moment of that movie. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a movie so much in my life.” He hands me a rocks glass, and I don’t even ask what’s inside. “Here’s to new beginnings and throwing all caution to the wind.” We clink glasses and I swallow the sweet liquid down in one gulp.

“Let’s go outside. I think there’s a full moon tonight.” He takes me again by the hand, this time we lace our fingers together and walk hand-in-hand out to the deck.

He releases me, placing his hand on the small of my back, and together, we gaze at the stars as the waves crash on the surf. He turns me to face him, and I look deep into his eyes. They are a brilliant blue shining brightly under the moon.

Gently, he places one hand under my chin and leans in to kiss me. I place the palm of my hand on his chest and I can feel his heart racing, just like mine. I release a slight groan of satisfaction and he deepens our kiss. Hunger takes over, and I greedily open my mouth to let him in. His tongue finds mine and we explore each other. I gently bite his bottom lip and he wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer. I can feel our bodies pressing tightly against one another.

He nibbles on the corner of my mouth. He smells so good and tastes even better. I run my hands up and down his arms, holding myself steady.

Our breathing becomes ragged and I am lost in the moment. The entire world disappears, leaving just the two of us alone in the universe. Our lips and tongues move together in perfect harmony. He pulls me tightly against him and I can feel his arousal. All I can think of is having him inside me, right here and right now.

The intensity of our kisses eventually slows, and we stand under the moonlight in each other’s arms. If I don’t stop myself now, I may not be able to stop at all. Is this our first date or our second? Either way, it’s way too soon to let things get too far. “I have to go,” I breathe in his ear. “Walk me to my car.”

Date: 2015-02-28; view: 654