CHAPTER TWO
I smooth out the hem of my dress. Completely unsure why I brought this one to begin with. It’s one of those slightly frilly cute pink and polka dot dresses you probably find on an imaginary 1950s housewife. In the store it looked pretty and sweet, maybe a little daring. But now, outside of my suitcase and on my body, it’s a big neon sign pointing directly at my head with the flashingwords “look at this loser.”
“Are you sure about the dress,” I ask Marley for the tenth time.
She stops walking to the hotel bar where the celebration of Remi’s victory is taking place. “Yes, you look hot.”
The overzealous compliment brings a smile, but it doesn’t last long. “You don’t think it looks silly?”
She rolls her eyes shaking her head a fraction. “Reagan, you look fine.” A devilishgrin starts at one corner of her lips as her eyes widen, and I know I’m in trouble. “Besides, you have Jake at home. Who are you so worried about looking hot for?”
Unfortunately, she and I both know the answer.
“Nobody.” Just because she and I know I’ve harbored a crush for Knox since my preteen years doesn’t mean I plan to admit it now. “I want to make sure Remi looks good. Family image andall that.”
Marley nods her head slowly. “You’re concerned about protecting the family image now, are you?”
“Yes, I’m always concerned.”
Her head continues to nod, picking up speed. “Were you concerned two years ago when you got so drunk Knox had to carry you out of the hotel?”
My mouth drops open in shock. “We’ve agreed no one would ever speak of that night.” Besides I’m older now and slightlywiser. I also learned my lesson when it comes to alcohol and Knox. Or alcohol and anything.
Marley doesn’t respond with an actual reply. She clicks her tongue on the roof of her mouth and picks back up our trail to the hotel bar and restaurant.
I don’t have a leg to stand on against her. If I take the argument much further, she’s bound to win, so I stroll along not saying anything. It’s true.I did leave my boyfriend of eighteen months, Jake, back home. He didn’t want to come anyway. The gold-medal event may be the largest of an athlete’s life, but Remi does a lot of large events. It’s not like I expect Jake to take time off work every time Remi wants to ride an expensive board down a hill. Hell, the only reason I’m here is because I recently started acting as Remi’s semi-personal assistantduring competitions — on days he doesn’t annoy the fuck out of me. Otherwise I’d be working too. My move to Texas should have given me freedom and a new start on life. That was the plan at least. All it’s done in reality is make me miss home.
If this is Remi’s last competitive event, I’ll have to find myself a new job. Something more than part time at the local radio station’s advertising department.There’s no way I’ll spend my days at Marley and Remi’s house watching them be all cutesy face with each other and waiting for one of his sponsors to call. I have too much self-respect and those two, when they get going, are enough to make a packet of sugar leave the room.
Marley, normally a keep-to-herself kind of girl, walks through the French doors of the hotel bar by flinging them both wideopen and strutting through like she’s Marilyn Monroe. She’s got places to be and people to see, I guess. She may be more excited about Remi’s decision to quit competing than she’s let on.
She saunters through the room like a woman on a mission, and I keep my place a few paces behind doing my best to not be noticed. Remi sits at the end of a long wooden bar taking up the left side of the room.He’s wearing a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt, which for Remi is dressed up. In front of him a tall glass of dark brown liquid dribbles condensation onto the bar.
Marley stops next to him. “You’re drinking now?”
He shrugs. “I’m not competing anymore. It’s a little caffeine.”
She turns back to me. “When he wakes up tomorrow and complains all day about his bloated stomach, remind him ofthis.”
I shake my head in refusal. “That’s your job.”
“Well my choices were a glass of Coke or a beer. Since I’m not technically allowed to drink until after the closing ceremony, I figured I’d go for the caffeine.”
Not that many athletes besides Remi follow the no alcohol rule.
Marley smiles through another one of her patented “oh crap” looks and pats him on the shoulder. “That’s too badfor you. Good thing I’m not an athlete.” She leans across the bar grabbing the bartender’s attention and orders two Long Island ice teas.
At least one of them better be for me, or Remi will be carryingherout of the bar tonight.
“Where is Knox?” Crap. I opened my mouth to take a breath, and the words flew out before I could stop them. I know better than to ask. Some of us are doomed to be dumbassesforever.
Remi points with his thumb over his shoulder, and even though I don’t want to look, there’s no way to stop myself. I’m in this far.
Sure enough on the other side of the restaurant, in a tall-backed corner booth, Knox sits in the middle of one padded seat surrounded by women. Each and every single one of them a brunette with olive colored skin. Evidence that even in February some womenhave a tan. They obviously have more time on their hands. They probably aren’t jetting off to follow their brothers around his snowboarding tournaments. They get to see the sun, unlike me in my pasty white skin, which hasn’t seen a summer sunray in what feels like forever. My lack of vitamin D is what talked me into making the move to Texas in the first place.
My spirits diminish at exactly thesame time Marley sticks the cool glass of liquid against my palm. I take it and turn my body in her direction, my eyes still fixed on Knox’s table. One of the long-haired brunettes sitting right next to him laughs. I can’t hear it from where we stand, but I just know it’s one of those stupid little girly giggles. She leans closer, sticking her hand on Knox’s shoulder, the other one underneath thetable probably doing stuff I don’t even want to think about.
My body tenses and I worry I’ll be sick. The butterflies in my stomach all gag at the sight of him and what he’s doing. I sip the refreshing liquid and then choke. It’s not that the drink is too strong, but more my natural reaction to Knox whispering something in the ear of the brunette he’s closest to.
