Page 61 of Starfish and Coffee
That night the two of them curled up and watched old movies until their eyes grew heavy and their souls felt more beaten than ever. Seeing fictional happy endings didn’t make it any less bitter to have loved and lost.
* * * *
In the morning, Alex woke up and ran on the beach so far and so fast he was finally forced to double over and choke in air as he fought for breath. His side hurt and his calves burned enough to have him limping past the big mansions on the good side of the beach.
He passed Matt’s old place, seeing that a group of rich college students had taken up temporary residence and were sitting out on the patios drinking and being obnoxious. It made Alex feel old all of a sudden, because he could hardly relate to those kids and he’d been one of them not too long ago.
Then he passed the Tarrington estate, three times as big as Matt’s airy white beach house. It was made of dark wood and loomed over the beach like a dark angel, which was so sadly fitting to its owner. Beautiful, but depressing and dangerous.
Still limping he found himself backtracking to the beach access pathway, then walking past the front of the houses until he was standing in front a large black iron entrance that hadTs wound in between beautifully crafted metal flowers on each side of the gate.
Fearless with nothing to lose, Alex reached over and pushed the button to the intercom.
“Yes?” came the crackled reply of a man who clearly didn’t want to let Alex in.
Alex looked up, seeing video cameras on the corners of the high walls that were designed to keep out intruders.
“I’m here to see Cecilia Tarrington.”
“She’s not taking visitors.”
Alex narrowed his eyes at the camera and said, “Yes, she is.”
After a long pause, the man came back with, “Please wait.”
Unsurprisingly, Alex was never invited in. Cecilia met him at the gates wearing an expensive-looking silk robe. Her dark hair was tied in a bun on top of her head. Even without makeup, she was still stunningly attractive for a woman in her fifties.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Hunter?” she asked sharply, clearly not amused with being forced out of her house at eight in the morning.
“You got what you wanted,” he told her simply and held up his hands to make his point. “Now let’s talk about what I want.”
She laughed bitterly. “What you want is of little consequence to me.”
“Really? You think I can’t find my way to Atlanta?” Alex shot back. “You think I can’t beg him to take me back?”
She took a shuddering breath, making it obvious the threat had hit its mark. “What do you want?”
Alex gave her a grim smile. “I’ve bled for you, Mrs. Tarrington, and honestly, I’d love nothing more than to make you do the same, but I’m a little too nice to do it. The deal I’m about to make you is bargain basement. It’s a sin it’s so underpriced, and it’s certainly a lot less than you deserve.”
She gasped in insult. “How dare you!”
“Two hundred grand,” Alex said, refusing to rise to her bait. “That’s the cost for ripping out my heart.”
She huffed. “You’re dreaming if you believe for one minute I’ll give you that much money!”
“I think you will,” Alex said with grim confidence. “In fact, I’d wager an entire restaurant on it.”
Chapter Fourteen
Present Day
Matt sat in his car staring at the beach house that reminded him of Alex in so many ways he felt as if he was having a heart attack from the ache in his chest. The green roof was new. The driveway had been paved since the last time he’d seen it, but other than that it was as if time had stood still. Looking for something he didn’t even have a name for, he rolled down his car window and closed his eyes to breathe in the sea breeze.
Matt didn’t know if the goose bumps spreading over his arms were from the crispness in the air or the wave of sexual nostalgia that washed over him. Sea breeze smelled like Alex to him, and his cock swelled with the memories.
The longing was so intense even knowing it was a mistake he couldn’t seem to stop himself from jumping headfirst into the train wreck. He reached over to the passenger-side seat and picked up the beer he had bought. Knowing it was now or never, he got out of the car. He locked the door without thought and walked up the short driveway with a strange determination that gave him inner strength he hadn’t counted on.
Matt had sat in the car a little too long and wasn’t surprised when the door was jerked open a split second after his finger touched the doorbell. Holly was flushed. Her long hair hung in wild, loose curls to the middle of her back. Her eyes were bright with an unruly sort of excitement as she said breathlessly, “You’re early.”
