Hot Nights, Deep Water
Zoey
When I was a little girl, I would watch with wonder as my father wrapped his loving arms around my mother—as my mother returned all of his warranted affection. They were head over heels in love. My parents were a hallmark of what others aspire to be. They had each other, two beautiful children—one of each gender, a cabin by the lake. They had it all, and it was all horrifically ripped away from them on the night they died in a fiery crash.
I glance in the direction of Gavin and Demi’s house and frown into my coffee. The sun has lit the lake and subsequently the rooftops of every glorified cabin in Loveless a screaming shade of tangerine. Demi’s father was the one who rammed into my parents that night. She takes full responsibility for the disaster, but it was an accident. Even me in all of my mental chaos can see that clearly. Strange how life worked out for the two of them, though. The odds of Gavin and Demi ever meeting, let alone falling in love, seemed like something out of a movie. And now they’ll be starting a perfect family of their own.
That Grey Goose at the edge of the table calls my name, and I pour just a drop into my latte. There. I take a sip and feel the burn straight down my esophagus. As happy as I should be for the two of them, I’m just that terrified. True love and happy endings don’t exactly run in my family—Demi’s family doesn’t have that great of a track record either. I can’t stand the thought of something horrific happening to Gavin. He’s all the family I have left, and as much as I should look at Demi and the new baby as a gift, I can’t help but see them as a curse. God knows my own love life has already taken a tragic turn for the worst. It was sort of dead on arrival. Holder and I had it all until we didn’t.
A tall, dark, shirtless, and relentlessly handsome demigod traipses past my window, interrupting my crazy train of morbid thinking as he makes his way to the lake. I get up and head to the window to get a better look at where my new neighbor the Adonis is heading so early but he’s ditched out of sight. I’m both a night owl and an early riser. People say you can’t have it both ways, but much like in every other facet of my life, I very much want it all. And right about now, I’m having a serious craving for a McCarthy.
I shower and dress before heading for The Corner Store. Neva greets me with a grunt.
“Just coffee,” I grunt right back and head to the table with a view of the lake.
Kennedy breezes in with that happy-go-lucky smile she’s traded her resting bitch face for. Kennedy has been a changed person ever since Caleb swept her off her feet. According to Demi, he came back into town specifically for that reason. When I heard that, my heart sank. It’s not that I’m not happy for Kennedy. It’s just that the prospect of something so romantic ever taking place in my life is zero to none. I’m not the kind of girl that men gravitate toward. I’m the kind of girl they run from, they leave, they trade up for. The only bedmates I’ve managed to secure for myself were the ones I went after with a bottle. I’ve never had a sober man look me in the eyes and say anything remotely endearing. Usually their commands are alcohol-soaked and lewd to the core.
Gavin’s truck pulls up just below the window, and he offers a friendly wave before hopping out. If my brother knew all the dirty details of my less than savory love life, I’m sure he’d have an aneurysm.
“Look who’s up with the sun?” Kennedy steals the seat across from me and lands a cup of coffee on the table for the two of us.
“I’m the undead—thus I don’t need sleep. What’s your excuse?” I take my mug and curl my hands around it for warmth.
“Caleb left for work. I can’t sleep without him.” She makes a face as if the thought sickened her. It should. It certainly sickens me. There was a time when I desperately wanted Caleb. I could have loved him easily. A part of my numb heart thinks it did. “Anyway, I’m putting together a huge charity auction to benefit—are you ready for it?” She gives a sly side-eye out the window. “Tuesday’s Child. And I wanted to see if you were interested in contributing.”
Gavin sinks his body into the seat next to me with a cup of coffee of his own and offers a quick peck to my cheek. “Tuesday’s Child? She is interested. We both are.”
Tuesday Child is the charity that Gavin and Demi started last year to assist runaways with nowhere to go. It dovetails right into Winter Haven, the old mansion Demi was once imprisoned in. It’s been restored, refurbished, and repurposed to service families with young children. There’s a special quadrant for troubled teens. Volunteers from local churches run it. An image of a sea of toddlers blinks through my mind, assuring me Winter Haven is a place I should stay far, far away from.
“I knew you’d love it.” Kennedy bubbles with enough excitement to power a rocket ship. “I’ve already run it by Demi. She’s more than pleased. Since I’ve nominated myself as the lake’s official director of philanthropy, I’ve decided this needs to be a yearly event. We can focus on a different charity each summer. Now that my mother is stepping down from her directorial efforts, she officially crowned me the new queen of financial distribution. There’s too much wealth on this mountain not to wrangle it for a good cause. Besides, it’s a great excuse for a party.” Kennedy straightens, and her long dark hair waterfalls over her shoulders. “So,Gav—we would love to have as many woodworking sculptures as you’re willing to donate.” She shakes her head, and that partial look of disbelief in her eyes says it all. It’s the same glazed over look people get whenever they see my brother’s art. Gavin’s work is amazingly intricate. The things he has managed to pull from a dead log are just this side of a miracle. He started to make my mother’s face once, and I asked him not to finish it. I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing her lifeless form day after day. I would grieve for her freshly each time I saw it. I knew it wouldn’t help me heal. But then, nothing has.
“Done. And Zoey would love to contribute, too.” Gavin is quick to volunteer me.
“What could I possibly contribute?” An image of me manning a kissing booth pops to mind, with Abel stepping right up. I’d man that booth all night long. Hell, I’d take Abel home with me and kiss him in far more interesting places. I’ve always been a strong proponent of people getting their money’s worth. Caleb and Abel may look well enough alike, but in actuality, I could tell the difference right when I met them. Caleb is a cannonball, a surefire fit for the dark-haired Barbie across from me. Kennedy is a firecracker. It’s no wonder he proposed by lighting up the sky with a Fourth of July-style spectacular. But Abel—he’s wounded. Mortally so. It’s the exact kind of brooding, blackened heart I can work with. They say people are most attracted to a mirrored version of themselves, and that is most definitely the case with brokenhearted Abel.
“Believe me, Zoey can contribute with the best of them.” His pale eyes hit the light just right as he looks over at me, and I can still see that fresh-faced boy in him. Gavin was my best friend growing up. I wish it were still the same, but time built a river between us, rushing and dangerous, filled with secrets and cluttered with other people. I don’t think we could ever be the same. “Zoey is an artist. You should see her work. It’s fantastic.”
A laugh bubbles right out of me and it feels good, like a balm. “I’m not that good.” Not to mention the fact my work has never been on public display. My entire body heats at the thought of having others ogle it, let alonebidon it. How horrible it would be to have nobody bid at all. My cheeks burn with embarrassment just thinking of it.
“If Gavin says you’re fantastic, I’m sure you’re perfect. Besides, nothing yields the big bucks like a good piece or two that people can hang on their walls.” Kennedy pulls out her phone and makes a note. “Give me about a dozen if you can. If not, I’ll take what you’ve got. What are we looking at? Landscapes? Something impressionistic? Let me guess. Pop art.” Her eyes grow wild with glee as if that were her personal favorite.
“None of the above. I do people.” I wasn’t lying about the sunsets to Abel. Sunsets are the B version of my work, and with limited supplies it’s all I can muster. But people, black and white sketches, it’s what I live for.
“People?” Kennedy isn’t all that impressed with my people and me. “People are hard to decorate with.Peopleare bidding on those colorful wonders you can whip up. Try to cater to modern décor. This is about the foundation. The goal is to raise as much money as possible.” She pats Gavin on the arm. “Congrats again on the baby. Tell Demi Kennedy is a name that works well with both sexes. I gotta run.” She hops up and breezes right out the door, leaving her coffee behind.
“Do what you want.” Gavin leans in and gently rocks his shoulder into mine. “You know I love everything you do. Your people are beautiful, and so are you.”
The coffee burns my palm as I enwreathe the cup with my hand. I wonder if Gavin could see the haunt my soul has become, what word he’d choose to equate me with. I don’t think beautiful would be on the shortlist.
“We’ll see.” I’d let him know I’m low on supplies, but in no way do I want my brother to play savior for me all of my life. It’s probably best I don’t have any. All of my work would be far too dark and frightening for anyone to be interested in. I should know. I’m a bit dark and frightened at the moment myself. “What are you doing here? Is Demi having a craving?” I make a face and instantly feel bad for having those words come out as a barb. I didn’t mean it that way.
“You know it. Neva’s boxing up breakfast as we speak.” His entire demeanor grows serious. “Zoey”—he whispers my name in earnest—“are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m okay.” I force myself to blink back to life and drum up an ounce of enthusiasm for this godforsaken day. “I’m better than okay. I’ve got sunshine just itching to get on my shoulders, a new goal in life thanks to Ken, and another McCarthy haunting the boathouse next to mine who’s not so bad on the eyes.”
“No,” he flatlines as Neva sets down the boxed breakfast.
“No, what?” I laugh as he rises to go.
