Simple Perfection

  "You mean you lied to me to get me to admit I was going to marry her?" I asked. I wasnt sure I liked this man anymore.

  "No. Im very serious. If Della wants to move to Phoenix with us, then Im taking her. I will spend every damn dime I have making up for the fact that I was a kid when she was born and didnt know any better. I will give her a family and Ill make sure she feels loved and a part of my family. But I needed to know that if I leave her here, then shell have someone who loves her with the passion that forever requires. "

  Wait . . . he was still asking her to move to Phoenix? "Della isnt just mine. I belong to her. "

  Nile nodded. "Good. If she feels the same way she will tell me no when I ask her to move to Phoenix. If she does, I will know that she has a happy future ahead of her. I will also expect an invitation to the wedding. "

  "She wont leave me," I said with more force than necessary.

  "I guess we will see. Wont we?" he said before giving his complete attention to his swing.

  Page 40

 

  Della

  Jasmine may have only been a couple minutes older than Jocelyn but she seemed years older. She laid out on a towel as if she were a teenager and talked to me about name-brand clothing, which I knew nothing about, but I tried hard to follow along.

  Jocelyn and July asked me to build a sand castle with them, then we played in the waves until seaweed wrapped around Julys leg and sent her screaming to the shore.

  Jillian and I talked when the girls gave us a chance, but I preferred playing with them. They were so full of life. Nile had been a good father. They loved him. They all called him Daddy, which I thought was endearing.

  "Are you going to come live with us? I heard Daddy talking to Mommy about it late last night. They thought I was sleeping. " Jasmine watched me carefully.

  I wasnt prepared for that question. She had waited until her mother had gotten up to take July to the restroom. I couldnt figure out why Nile would even think to ask me to come live with them. I was happy here. I had a home.

  "I have a home here," I told her.

  She nodded. "Yeah, but Daddy said you arent engaged and it didnt look like you were going to get engaged. He was thinking you could live with us and go to college. We could be your family. "

  I was pretty sure Nile had never meant for me to know about this conversation. "I dont think we should be talking about this. If your dad wants me to know about it, then he will talk to me about it. "

  Jasmine rolled over and looked up at me. "Hes going to. Just so you know. "

  Was this kid really nine? She acted like she was fifteen.

  "Here comes Daddy now," she said with a smirk.

  I glanced back over my shoulder to see Nile walking toward us in a pair of blue and yellow plaid shorts and a white polo shirt. He looked like hed just walked off the golf course.

  "Daddy," Jocelyn squealed from next to her attempts at another sand castle, and went running to him. He reached down and picked her up and hugged her. Then he pretended to care that shed gotten sand on him. It was cute.

  "Hey, Daddy, what did you shoot?"

  "Seventy-nine. Im rusty. Woods shot a seventy. It was impressive. "

  I was glad that theyd gotten to spend time together. Nile and his family were going home tomorrow. I wasnt sure if, or when, I would see them again.

  "How have you girls fared out here on the beach?" he asked, sitting down beside me.

  "Other than the time July got seaweed on her leg, I think weve done brilliantly," I told him.

  Jasmine laughed. "It was epic. "

  Nile looked over at her and grinned. "I can only imagine. " He looked around. "Where are Jillian and July?"

  "Restroom," I explained.

  We sat there a few minutes and didnt say much. Jocelyn kept calling out to us to look at her sand castle, but other than that we all remained quiet.

  Finally, Jasmine and July returned and July plopped down in Niles lap and told him every second of everything hed missed. He listened to her like he was hearing the most intriguing story ever told. She expected it, too. She was secure in the fact that her dad wanted to listen to her. He wanted to know what she had to say.

  "Girls, lets go down and get our feet wet and leave Daddy to talk to Della for a few minutes," Jillian said, standing up and holding her hand out for July to take.

  I glanced at Jasmine, who was giving me an I told you so look before she stood up and followed her mother and sisters down to the water.

  "Why dont you and I go for a walk?" Nile suggested, standing up and holding out his hand for me to take so he could help me up. I didnt need his help but he was wired to be a gentleman, so I let him.

  We began walking and I waited for him to say something.

  "I want you to move back to Phoenix with us, Della. We have an extra bedroom over the bonus room. It would give you privacy and you would have a separate entrance into the house. You could go to school out there and we could all get to know each other better. The girls love you. Jillian thinks youre great. We all want you to come live with us, though I know you have a life here. "

  "Della!" Woodss voice broke into Niles surprising offer and I stopped and turned around to see Woods running toward me. What was he doing here?

  "Well, Ill be damned," Nile said beside me with an amused tone. I didnt have time to focus on him and his offer. Woods looked upset.

  "Woods?" I searched his face to see if there was something wrong. Was someone hurt?

  "Dont leave me," he said, grabbing my arms and taking a deep breath like he had been running for a few miles.

  "What are you talking about? Im not leaving you. "

  He looked over at Nile, then back at me with determination in his eyes. "I love you. Youre my one. My all-in. Dont leave me. "

  Had Nile told him he was going to ask me to leave with him? If he had, then why would Woods even think I would go? Had I made him feel that insecure about us? Of course I had. I had run off and left him with nothing but a letter. I reached up and grabbed Woodss face and looked into his eyes. I needed him to hear me.

  "Im not leaving you. Ever. Youll have to send me packing to get me to leave, and then I plan on fighting back. I will handcuff myself to you and refuse to budge. Nothing will make me leave. Nothing. " I brushed my thumbs over his cheekbones; it was really unfair how they were so perfect.

  "Hes going to ask you to go to Phoenix," he said, watching my face.

  "I know. He just did. Doesnt mean Im going," I told him, and smiled up at his beautiful, troubled face.

  "So, youre not leaving me?" he asked.

  I shook my head and dropped my hands from his face and turned to look at Nile. "The fact that you and Jillian and the girls would be willing to accept me into your family so easily is humbling. I am touched. I want to get to know you and them. But I wont be leaving Rosemary. I wont be leaving Woods. Hes my family. The people here are my family. I dont need another one. I have what I need here. "

  Nile didnt look hurt or ready to argue. Instead, I could see a pleased expression light up his face. "As much as I wanted you to come live with me and give us a chance to become a family, Im thankful that you have someone who loves you like that," he said, nodding his head at Woods. "I can trust him to take care of you and know youre okay. I didnt take care of you when you needed it. Now that Ive found you, I want you to be happy and safe. I believe this man can give you that. "

  Woods pulled me against him.

  "He can. He does that and so much more," I replied.

  Page 41

 

  Woods

  It was time for the end-of-summer beach bonfire. The past two months had been perfect. Della was sharing more and more of her past with me and her dreams were starting to completely go away. Shed woken me up in the middle of the night the week before last to tell me shed had a dream about us. That wed been having sex on the kitchen table. Shed been so excited to have a dream that didnt contain the horror
s of her past that shed been ready to play it out in real life.

  It was a pretty damn good way to wake up.

  I watched as she held Nate and danced around with him as the music pumped through the speakers. Blaire was in Rushs lap and they were watching Della with their son. She was beautiful. I wanted to see her dance around and laugh with our baby. I wanted her to have a child to love the way she was never loved. I wanted to know we had created something from the love that bound us so tightly together.

  "Shes happy," Jace said.

  "Shes perfect," I replied.

  Jace laughed and slapped me on the back. "Just go ahead and do it. You know you want to. Put that little ring on her finger. "

  "Im planning it. Has to be special. "

  Jace sighed. "Yeah, Im planning it, too. Bethy and Ive had a hard summer but things are looking better. Shes stopped running off to bars. I think she just had a dark time there for a while. Shes been spending time with Blaire and Della again. That helps. "

  Jace hadnt shown up on my doorstep upset about Bethy in two months. I was hoping things were better. "Good. Glad you two are working it out. "

  "Oh, shit. Is that Nan?" Jace said, pointing her out to me. "I thought she left and went to Paris for the summer. Seeing Nan is gonna send Grant into a tailspin again. " Grant wasnt at the party; he was out of town. That was happening a lot lately. He would show up for a couple of days then leave again. I was just glad he wasnt wasting time with Nan.

  "Grant has moved on. If Nans back, then hell be fine. She was a bad mistake. He knows that now. "

  Jace let out a low whistle. "Shes with August Schweep. What, did she bring him back from Paris with her?"

  "No. August is our new golf pro. We needed more than just Marco. When August hurt his rotator cuff his pro career was over. He wants to retire here, so he bought the Spencer house. Hes working for me now. "

  "Looks like Nan is all over that. "

  "Good. At least its not Grant. "

  Jace snorted. "Aint that the truth. "

  I was going to get Della and take her for a walk. The dark beach was a great place to get her alone. Turning, I glanced out over the water and saw Bethy staggering out to the waves. She knew better than that. There was a red flag up. Had been all week. The riptides were intense and it was dark. You dont swim in the gulf in the dark.

  "Jace, man, whats Bethy doing?" I asked, afraid to take my eyes off her.

  "What is she doing now? She was drinking tequila shots earlier and I cut her off. Shed had enough . . . shit!"

  "Shes getting too deep," I said, taking a step toward the water. Jace took off running toward the water. I followed behind him. I heard someone scream from the crowd as Bethys head went under the water. No. This couldnt be happening.

  Jace dove into the waves and took off toward her. I pulled my shirt off, afraid it would slow me down, before I dove in after him. I wasnt letting my best friend go into this alone.

  Bethys gurgling scream filled the air.

  "Relax, baby! Relax. Dont fight it. Please dont fight it. Youll go under and wont have the strength to rise back up," Jace was yelling as he swam toward her.

  I saw him grab her just as the deathly pull of a rip current grabbed him. This wasnt happening. No.

  "I need you to take her, Woods!" Jace yelled over the waters roar.

  "Give me both your hands!" I shouted.

  "No! Take her. I got this. Take her, dammit! Its strong!" Jace yelled.

  How was I supposed to take her and leave him out there? "Come with me, Jace!" I demanded.

  "Woods, listen to me---" His head went under and he came back up as he held a panicking Bethy in his arms. "You have to take her or well all die. Im not gonna let her drown. Help me!"

  I nodded. I had to do this. He could get out of the current. He was strong and he was smart. We had grown up knowing how to fight rip currents. I reached for Bethy as she screamed Jaces name.

  "I love you," he told her as he let her go. She cried as she clung to my arms.

  "Dont say that!" I yelled at him. "Youre getting out of this. Dont fucking say that. "

  "Just get her out of here!" he yelled, pushing her away from him and toward me as he held on to her arm.

  I could feel the pull getting closer. If I stayed here much longer I was going to get pulled into it, too. I wrapped my hand around Bethys arm and pulled her out of the current, then tucked her under my arm and I started swimming back to shore.

  Rush came swimming up to us and relief surged through me. I was going to be able to help Jace.

  "Give her to me," Rush said as he reached for Bethy.

  "Go get him," she cried as Rush pulled her from my arms.

  I didnt wait for them to leave before I turned back around to get Jace.

  But Jace wasnt there.

  I glanced back at the shore to see if hed made his way back up there and Id missed it, but all I saw was Rush carrying Bethy out of the water.

  I turned back to the dark waves. I was met with silence. Nothing.

  He was just here. I just saw him. He isnt gone. It didnt happen that fast.

  I went under and forced my eyes open in the salty water, but all I could see was the darkness. I needed light. I reached around me, feeling for anything. My lungs started to burn. Kicking up, I broke the surface and took a deep breath. I heard my name from the shore. They were yelling for me. I also heard Jaces name. I couldnt go back without him.

  I went back under. I had to find Jace. I couldnt lose Jace. Not like this. Not now. We were supposed to be grumpy old men together. I fought back the panic starting to set in with each second that I couldnt find him. I swam underwater and fought the pull of the current as I reached out for some sign of him. Anything I could get my hands on.

  When my lungs couldnt take it anymore, I swam back to the top, only to be taken back under by a wave before I could breathe. I wasnt going down like this. I had to find Jace.

  Two arms grabbed ahold of me and jerked me to the surface as I started gasping for air and coughing.

  "Dammit, Woods. Come on. Youre gonna drown in this. Hes gone, man. Hes gone. Im not letting you drown, too. " Rushs words sent a shock through my system. Hes gone? No. No! He isnt gone. I fought against Rushs hold on me.

  "Stop it! Della is up there in a crumpled mess, crying. Do you want to leave her? Is that what you want? To leave her like this?"

  Della. Oh God. Della. I couldnt leave her. But Id lost Jace. I had lost Jace.

  Rush pulled us out of the waves and when my feet hit the sand he let me go. We stood there staring at each other and breathing hard. We knew what had happened and what we were going to face. I would have been gone, too, if Rush hadnt come after me. I would have left Della behind.

  I turned to see her getting up from the sand where she had been on her knees. Her face was red and soaked with tears. All she said was, "Woods," before she threw herself into my arms.

  I watched in a daze as Blaire stood holding a hysterical Bethy. Sirens wailed in the distance. Sobs and cries filled the beach. And I stood there. Della clung to me. Her sobs eased but her hold never did.

  Rush walked over to take his crying son from Nans arms. He held him to his chest, and although he wasnt crying the loss and pain were in his eyes.

  Me . . . I just felt empty.

  Page 42

 

  Della

  I had thought that I knew terror. That I knew fear. I had seen my mother lying in a pool of her own blood. That was fear. But seeing Woods out in that water going under and not coming up---that had been all-consuming terror. Nothing compared to that. Nothing.

  Jace hadnt come back up, though. My chest hurt so bad I couldnt take deep breaths. Jace was gone. I had seen it happen, and the broken sobs coming from Bethy as Blaire held her on the sand only ripped through me harder. I couldnt imagine that. That had almost been me. That could have been me on that sand, knowing the man I loved wasnt coming back to me.

&
nbsp; Woodss body shuddered and reality started to hit me. The idea of losing him had been all I could think about. But hed been out there for a reason. He had gone to save his best friend. Hed watched his best friend be pulled under, unable to save him.

  I tightened my hold on him. How was he going to survive this?

  Bethy continued to wail and Woodss body went stiff. He was strung so tight he was trembling.

  "Get her the fuck out of my sight!" he roared. I jumped back, startled by the angry hate that laced his words. His eyes were glaring and focused on someone behind me. I turned to see that he was looking at Bethy.

  Blaires face went pale and Bethy cried harder.

  "I said to get her selfish, trashy ass off my beach! Now!"

  I swallowed hard and watched as Bethy looked up at him with big, pain-filled eyes.

  Rush was behind Blaire, helping Bethy stand up. I heard him telling her they needed to take Bethy somewhere else. Woods was yelling at Bethy. He was blaming her.

  "Woods?" I was almost afraid of the man in front of me. He swung his gaze to mine and there was an emptiness in them I couldnt reach.

  "She killed him," he said simply.

  Maybe she had. She had gone into the water and almost drowned. Jace had died saving her. But she had been drinking.

  "She loved him," I said.

  Woods shook his head. "No. She didnt love him. You dont do what she did and call that love. "

  I glanced back and saw Blaire lead Bethy up to the boardwalk. The cops would want to question her. She wouldnt be able to go far.

  "Woods, she lost him, too. We all did," Thad said as he stood watching Woods, afraid to get too close.

  "I lost him because he wanted me to save her worthless, drunk ass. I did what he wanted and I lost him. " Woodss voice was cold and emotionless.

  Headlights lit up the beach as ambulances and police cars arrived. Paramedics swarmed the stretch of sand and I watched as they were told by several of the people at the party what they had seen. A paramedic approached Woods.

  "You were one of the people who were in the water?" he asked.

  "Yes," Woods replied.

  "We need to check you out," he said.

  "No. "

  I watched as the paramedic started to argue and stepped between him and Woods. "Hes fine. If I think he needs medical attention I will make sure he gets it. Please, he needs to be left alone. "