Caught Up in You Read online

The streets were bustling with people trying to get their lives back in order. The only thing I had of any real value was my car. I’d practically cried tears of joy when I saw it had weathered the storm and come out unscathed. I’d also been incredible lucky that no windows up in my apartment were broken. Outside of having no power or gas, my little piece of the world was practically unfazed by the storm.

  As soon as the sun came up, I’d gone to work getting the tree branch that was sticking through the window in the foyer cleared away. When I’d swept up the glass, I’d also caught the thirty-seven dollars from the tire incident in the dustpan. I carefully picked out each bill and dropped them back on the floor where they’d been for the last week. If Myles didn’t want the money, that was fine, but I wasn’t taking it back.

  Once the storm blew over, Myles had left immediately. I figured he was going to check on his family. I hadn’t seen him since. I didn’t even know if he’d been back yet. I was okay with that though. I was fairly certain he already figured me for a lunatic. Cowering and whining at the sight of a little blood probably just reinforced it.

  I stood up and went inside. I knew the pub was without power, but I still felt like I needed to go in to see if Puck needed help. I was slipping my shoes on when I heard banging on the front door. I grabbed my purse and trotted down the stairs to see who it was.

  A guy in his late twenties was standing there getting ready to pound on the door again when I opened it.

  “Brantley...”

  It took a few seconds for who he was to register. After a little searching, I remembered he was one of her Aunt Jen’s fiancé David’s relatives—a cousin or something. I’d met him at a family reunion the previous summer they’d dragged me to.

  The guy had spent the entire day hitting on me so hard I finally made up some bullshit about feeling like it would be incestuous if we dated since my aunt was marrying into his family. That had backfired on me completely and he spent the rest of the day trying to explain how we weren’t really going to be related.

  He wasn’t a bad looking guy—six foot with a lean athletic build. His blond hair was short and he was clean shaven. Even if I’d been interested in dating someone, the showstopper was our age difference. He was close to the same age as my aunt, which put him at least seven or eight years older than me. Older guys just weren’t my thing.

  I decided to take a stab at his name and hope for the best. “John?” I pushed the screen door open and stepped out onto the porch.

  “Jonah,” he said, leaning in and hugging me. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Right, Jonah.” I gave him an awkward little pat on the back and moved away. “So…whatcha doing here?”

  “Jen called and asked me to come find you,” he said, pulling his sunglasses off and hanging them from his shirt collar.

  “Oh…” I sighed. I couldn’t believe she’d send him all the way there. “I’m fine—she shouldn’t have bothered you.”

  “This place is like a warzone,” Jonah said, looking around us. “The roads into town are blocked off. If you don’t live here, they’re not letting you drive on the streets. I had to park almost a mile away and walk just to get here.”

  “That sucks—I’m sorry you came here for nothing.” I held my purse up as a hint to wrap things up. “I was actually just on my way out.”

  “Yeah…” Jonah rocked back on his heels like he was going to leave but stopped. “Listen, Jen wants me to bring you back to Masonville and drop you off at David’s sister’s house.”

  I shook my head immediately. “Uhm… yeah—no thanks.”

  The idea of going to stay in Masonville with David’s family was less appealing then being shot in the foot with a nail gun. They all knew every detail of my past and I hated the way they all looked at me with a mix of curiosity and sympathy.

  “We all know it’s tough for you not having any family around,” he said, giving me a sad little smile. “After your mom—”

  “I was there—no need to rehash it.” I took a deep breath and tried not to tear into him for bringing up something that was none of his business. “I can manage here on my own. Just let Jen know I’m alright. I’ll call her as soon as I can.”

  “The news is saying it could be a week before the power is back on. On top of that, the main natural gas line into the town was completely destroyed.” Jonah turned and pointed at the town’s water tower in the distance. “You’re not even supposed to drink the water here without boiling it first. The Red Cross set up shelters at a couple of the high schools in the neighboring towns because it’s just not safe to be here.”

  “Yeah, I know all that…” I actually didn’t know any of it. Even with that dire news, the nail gun was still winning over Masonville.

  Jonah tipped his head to the side and gave me a funny look. “Are you planning on staying here?”

  “No,” I said, shaking my head as I lied. “I’m actually going to stay with a friend.”

  He dug his wallet out of his back pocket and then opened it, pulling out a business card and holding it out to me. “Here’s my number. If you need anything—day or night, just call me.”

  I took the card and read it quickly. He was a physical therapist at the hospital in Masonville that specialized in sports related injuries. I vaguely remembered him mentioning that when he was talking my ear off at the family reunion. “That’s nice of you, John—Jonah, thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” Without warning he reached his arms out and pulled me against him. “We’re paired up at David and Jen’s wedding—I’ll be walking you down the aisle.”

  “Wow, really?” I wiggled out of his grip and moved back until I felt the handle on the screen door digging into my back. “I’m sure that’ll be fun.”

  “I’ll make sure it is…” He gave me a little smile and then walked off the porch.

  My eyes immediately rolled. He hadn’t changed one bit. I watched him until he was way down the sidewalk and then turned around, jerking the screen door open. As soon as I stepped inside, I spotted Myles standing just outside his apartment door. There was a suitcase sitting at his feet next to a couple of boxes. I noticed he had a bandage on his arm over the cut he’d gotten the night before from the flying glass. I was glad it was covered.

  “Eavesdropping?”

  He crossed his arms and leaned back against the doorframe. “Yeah—you’re just so interesting.”

  “Here’s a tip—the person you’re spying on isn’t supposed to know.” I walked over and started up the steps. “My brothers used to—”

  He raised his brow. “Used to what?”

  I looked back at him and shook my head. “Nothing.”

  “Your boyfriend was right,” he said, “don’t drink the water.”

  I glared at him as I pulled my apartment keys out of my purse. “Thanks for the confirmation—dick.”

  “No problem.” Myles glanced at the logo for Puckett’s Pub on my tank top. “There’s a sign on the door at the bar saying it’s closed until further notice.”

  “Looks like I get an impromptu vacation—lucky me.” I pushed my door open and stepped inside, closing it behind me. No work meant no money—perfect.

  I leaned against the door and looked around at my all but empty apartment. Life was going to suck hard until the power was back on. No gas or power meant I wouldn’t be able to boil the water. I wouldn’t even have any warm water for showers. It was already unbelievably hot up there and I couldn’t even turn on a fan. Chasing down Jonah and heading to Masonville was starting to catch up to the nail gun.

  I practically jumped out of my skin at the sound of my name being shouted. I cracked the door open and popped my head out. Myles was at the bottom of the stairs with his arms draped over the railing. “Yeah?”

  “You know you can’t stay here, right?”

  “You’ve got a steady stream of useful information today,” I said, smiling at him.

  His head cocked to the side. “I’m serious.”

  “
I can tell.” I pulled my head in and closed the door.

  “Brantley!”

  “Fuck!” I whipped the door open and stepped out. “What?”

  “Are you leaving?” Myles came around the railing and started up the stairs.

  I reached over and closed my apartment door. “I didn’t invite you up here.”

  “This is still considered the common area of the house.” Myles stopped one step below where I was standing. “Answer my question—are you leaving?”

  “I’m—” I’d never been able to look at someone when I lied to them. Now I felt trapped in the narrow stairwell with only inches between us and nowhere to look but into his eyes. “I’m pretty sure what I do isn’t any of your business.”

  “Jesus, fuck,” he said, giving me a little push toward my door. “Go pack your shit. I’ll drop you off wherever it is you plan on going on my way out of town.”

  I shoved him back, causing him to move down a step. “I have my own car and I didn’t ask for your goddamn help.”

  He looked at me and then turned around and started down the stairs. “That doesn’t mean you don’t need it.”

  I sank down to sit on the top step and leaned forward with my forehead on my knees. I’d definitely hit an all time pathetic new low. “I don’t have anywhere else to go…”

  Myles stopped but didn’t turn around. “Masonville?”

  “Those people there, they all—” I couldn’t even explain what the problem was—at least not without telling him something I knew I’d regret divulging later. “Shelters are set-up at the local high schools—I’ll go to one. I promise.”

  My words hung in the air for a moment before he started walking again. “Go get your shit together,” he said, glancing back over his shoulder. “You’re coming with me.”

  Seven

  Brantley

  I couldn’t remember the last time outside of work or school that I’d just done what someone told me to do without questioning them. Even when I was going to see a psychiatrist three times a week, the bulk of my sessions were spent arguing about medications the doctor wanted me to take.

  The shrink finally told me if I wouldn’t take the drugs he prescribed, then there was really nothing he could do to help me. After seeing what pills had done for my mother, I told the guy to fuck off and never went back. Jen had wanted me to find someone else, but I refused.

  That’s why it was so perplexing that I’d spent the last hour sitting next to Myles in his truck. When he told me to pack—I’d just done it. He said to get in his truck and I complied. I had no idea where he was taking me. Oddly enough, I didn’t really care.

  Myles turned into a gas station and pulled up next to a pump. “Want anything?”

  I shook my head. “No thanks.”

  I followed him with my eyes as he walked across the parking lot to the gas station. He was insanely good looking. Even the way he walked had me staring. When I moved into my apartment, I’d expected to see a revolving door of chicks through his place. A month had passed since I met him and I’d never seen him with girl—or guy for that matter. In fact, he didn’t really go out very much. I actually wondered if he even had a job.

  It was already two o’clock in the afternoon. I pulled out my phone, deciding I’d better make the call to my aunt I’d been dreading. The phone only rang once before Jen picked up. She didn’t even bother saying hello.

  “Why didn’t you go to Masonville with Jonah?”

  “Hey, Aunt Jen. I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

  “Don’t be cute, Brant. Baylor Grove is on the national news—it’s not safe to be there right now.”

  “I’m not in Baylor Grove anymore,” I said. “I left with a friend.”

  “A friend—a boy?” Jen’s voice took on the high pitched sound it always did when she got upset.

  “Yes, a guy.” I spotted Myles coming back toward the truck carrying a couple of bags. “Trust me, we’re not dating or on the verge of it. I’m not actually convinced he even likes me as a person.”

  Jen let out a sigh of frustration. “Who are you with—give me a name.”

  “Myles Franco.”

  “I’ve only been gone a month and you’re already just taking off with random guys?”

  “There’s only one guy and he’s not all that random,” I said, looking over as the driver’s side door was pulled open. “He lives in the lower apartment in my house.”

  “And where are you and the not all that random guy headed?”

  I tipped the phone away from my mouth. “Where are we going?”

  “Moore Lake,” he said, reaching into one of the bags and holding a bottle of water out to me.

  I held the phone up with my shoulder and took the water from him. “Did you hear that?”

  “I don’t know where that is,” Jen said, practically yelling into the phone. “I want phone numbers and an address. What do you even know about this guy?”

  I looked at Myles. “My aunt wants to know if I’m gonna end up wrapped in plastic and duct tape at the bottom of the lake wearing a pair of cement boots.”

  “No. It wouldn’t make any sense to use plastic and duct tape on a body you were ditching in a lake,” he said, holding his hand out. “Give me the phone…”

  “I don’t think—” I gripped it tighter before reluctantly placing it in his palm.

  Myles put it to his ear and then took a step back, closing the truck door. Almost instantly I felt panicked. I was sealed off from whatever he was saying to my aunt and I had no idea what Jen might be telling him.

  The seconds dragged by like hours as I sat there watching Myles pump gas while talking to my aunt. Handing over the phone was like opening the door between my past and the future I was trying to build. By the time the pump stopped, I was covered in a cold sweat. I felt sick and wished I’d just made him leave me back in Baylor Grove.

  Myles got back in the truck and tossed me the phone. “Here.”

  I looked at the screen and frowned. “She didn’t want to talk to me?”

  “Guess not,” he said, pulling away from the pump.

  “What did she tell you?” I tipped my head back against the seat, feeling faint.

  “She didn’t tell me anything—she demanded to know who I was and where we were going.” He glanced at me, looking concerned. “You sick?”

  “It’s just hot,” I said, twisting the cap off my water and taking a sip. “Maybe I’ve just been in the car too long.”

  “It’s not much further.” He cranked up the air conditioning. “Don’t puke in my truck.”

  About fifteen minutes later we were pulling down a long wooded driveway that led to a log cabin. There was a large lake behind it full of boats. The shore directly across from the cabin had a beach packed with people swimming and sitting in the sand.

  I climbed out of the truck and grabbed my bag from the back. “What is this place?”

  “My uncle owns it,” he said, unloading the boxes and suitcase he brought. “He lets my family come out here whenever though.”

  “That’s nice of him.” I followed Myles up the stone walkway and onto the porch.

  “There’s no air conditioning,” he said, unlocking the door. “But at least we’ll have TV and internet.”

  I practically laughed. I didn’t even own a television and my poor laptop probably didn’t even remember what it was like to surf the internet. I trailed behind him into the cabin and took a look around. It was small and the furnishings were older, but still nice.

  Myles placed the box he was carrying on the table and pointed across the cabin. “You can use that room over there.”

  I walked through the living room and pushed the door to the bedroom open. I could’ve sworn I heard angels singing when I locked my eyes on the object in the center of the room—a bed. It shouldn’t have been a surprise considering it was a bedroom, but since I didn’t actually own a bed myself, I felt like I’d just won the lottery.

  The door was closed, my bag was dr
opped, and I was sprawled out in the middle of it in a matter of seconds. After that, my brain only processed one or two more thoughts before completely shutting off.

  Myles

  After not hearing a sound out of Brantley for nearly an hour, I knocked on the bedroom door. When she didn’t answer I slowly turned the handle and looked inside. She was in the center of the bed, cuddled up on her side sound asleep.

  I pushed the door open all the way to let some air in and leaned against the frame, taking a long look at her. She was beautiful. I’d never thought that about a girl before. I’d used words like hot or cute or sexy, but never beautiful. It was the only adjective that truly described her though.

  I’d been kicking myself the entire drive to Moore Lake for impulsively bringing her with me. Having her there was just asking for trouble—begging for it.

  Still, I couldn’t just leave her behind. I knew enough about her to realize she would’ve stayed in her apartment, even without any water or electricity. I knew enough about myself to realize I would’ve spent the entire time I was away wondering if she was alright.

  I hadn’t wanted to be curious about her. I didn’t want to get sucked into caring about a girl I barely knew. As I stood watching her take soft even breaths, I couldn’t stop either of those things from happening. The girl who should’ve been nothing more than my neighbor suddenly had my full attention.

  Brantley

  The bedroom door was open when I woke up and a fan was wedged into one of the windows, blowing in cooler evening air. It was just after eight and the sun was low in the sky. I crawled off the bed and walked out into the living room. The door directly across from mine was closed and I could see a note taped to it.

  When I got closer, Myles could be heard talking inside. It sounded like the same male voices I’d heard the previous night. I figured he must be doing online gaming or something with his friends.

  I stopped just outside the door. “Be quiet and DO NOT bang on my door,” I said, reading the note out loud. “Whatever.” I pulled it off and crumpled it up. “Still an asshole…”