CHAPTER 11
All Day and All of the Night
I was drinking coffee in my pajamas when I heard a knock on the front door. Caught off guard, I approached it cautiously, thankful that the small glass inlay was slightly above my eye level. Standing on my tiptoes, I could see it was Ty.
"Just a minute. Let me put something on," I yelled through the door.
"Take your time."
I ran up to my room and flung open the closet door, rooting through my drawers for anything acceptable. I found a pair of shorts and a tee and threw them on. After running the tooth brush over my teeth and pulling my hair back, I returned to the front door only to find Laurie and Hollie talking with Ty on the porch.
"Good morning," I said, slightly winded. "You coming in?"
"Are you inviting me into your home?" he asked purposefully, his eyes locking with mine.
"I am," I answered, transfixed, unsure why he was being so formal.
"Then I'd like to come in," he said decisively, stepping over the threshold.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to take you to breakfast. And maybe to lunch and dinner, too."
I looked him up and down and bemoaned the fact that, although he was dressed casually, he had an elegance about him that I couldn't match no matter what I was wearing. Regardless, I wasn't going out for the day in jean shorts and a UMass t-shirt.
"I need to change," I sighed.
He looked at me sweetly, instinctively understanding that it was probably best to remain silent. I returned to my closet, wishing that the clothes fairy had brought something decent since the last time I checked. Alas, my wish had not been granted. I pulled out some khaki shorts and a chocolate brown fitted tee with a tan outline of some eco-tree design on it. That was the best I could do on no notice. I also decided to take my hair down, but I shoved a ball cap in my purse, just in case.
"Ready," I announced when I reached the bottom of the stairs.
He met me at the door and we said our goodbyes to my family.
"You look great," he said softly as he put his arm around my waist and closed the door behind us. In his typical gallant manner, he opened the passenger door and allowed me to get situated before closing it. When he got in, I asked where we were headed to first.
"Waffle House, of course," he said with a grin.
At one point during our hours of conversation at Black Creek yesterday, I vaguely remember mentioning that I wanted to eat at a Waffle House because we didn't have them in Massachusetts. He had laughed and I assumed he had dismissed the comment as just another random thought in the many that I had shared. He was obviously very attentive. I would have to be careful about what I said out loud.
My breakfast was delicious. I ate my first serving of grits which, to me, tasted just like cream of wheat. And they had raisin toast with apple butter. Yum! I did take umbrage, however, with their claim to serve "America's Best Coffee". Ummm, no. I believe Starbucks has that honor, at least according to my taste buds. Our conversation centered on the food that we ordered as well as the many other items that we saw pictured on the menus that were left on the counter as placemats, and Ty appeared to be amused by my many observations. This would not be our last visit, I declared, as he slipped a twenty under the check. I could picture us being regulars.
"You're crazy," Ty drawled as he shook his head slightly. But as we stood to leave, he called our waitress over.
"Donna," he began, looking into her soft, blue, weary eyes, "we are going to be your new favorite customers."
"Whatever you say, darlin'," she replied in her thick country accent.
"See you soon, then," he said with a wink.
Donna watched us leave, waving as we walked out the door.
"You're unbelievable!"
"In what way?"
"In the way that you just put her under your spell! Do you do that with everyone?"
"You're giving me too much credit, Essie. I was just being nice. You said you wanted us to be regulars so I wanted to be sure she'd remember us."
I sighed and let it go.
"Feel like taking a drive?" he asked as we left the parking lot.
"Sure. Where are we going?"
"You'll see," he said playfully.
"Okay." I figured that whatever he had in mind would be fun, based on what I'd seen so far. And, although I could sometimes be a bit of a control freak, I appreciated Ty's spontaneity and his desire to show me a good time.
Less than an hour later, we arrived at his family's vacation home on Sea Island. Of course, being on the beach, it was very different from the mansion in Eden. It was surprisingly "beachy" - a pale coral, Mediterranean-inspired, single level, sprawling, comfortable-looking house on the beach that was amusingly referred to as a cottage. We walked around the back to a spacious covered patio that blended seamlessly into the sand. The view was gorgeous. Large dunes spotted with clumps of sea grass had formed on either side of a walkway edged with stones that extended toward a deep blue-ish gray ocean. On the edge of the shore was a floating dock to which a couple of boats were securely fastened. After admiring my surroundings for a long moment, I fell into an overstuffed chair positioned next to a stone fireplace.
"This is amazing," I concluded.
"We can stay as long as you'd like," he offered.
I sat quietly for a bit in the comfy chair, not quite sure how I should respond. I would love to stay here, of course. It was beautiful. And it would be great to be all alone with Ty. So, that's two items on the pro side. As for the cons, there was one disturbingly obvious one, being all alone with Ty. Yes, this item was definitely a pro and a con. My thoughts quickly returned to two nights ago and I was afraid that staying here would imply that his advances were now welcomed. But I really want to, I whined in my head like a three-year-old. I loved my family, but I also cherished time away from the craziness of a full house. That was a pro. But another con was my mother. I knew she trusted me. I had never given her reason not to. But she might not be cool with me staying at the home of a boy I'd known less than a week. When I thought of it like that, it sounded crazy to me, too. But I really want to, I whined again. I closed my eyes and breathed in the warm, salty air. I loved the smell of the beach. Bradford was only a couple of towns over from Salisbury Beach, although I much preferred the neighboring beaches in New Hampshire, Seabrook and Hampton. Hampton Beach was the place to go if you wanted to meet guys. It was overcrowded and under cultured, but it was the first place Peggie wanted to go when she got her license. We had even dreamed of renting a cottage there after graduation, despite the fact that the only thing we'd be able to afford would be one of the tiny, rundown shacks located several blocks from the beach. And now, I was invited to stay at a beautiful home on a private beach with an amazing guy. What was there to think about?
"Even if I wanted to, and even if my mother doesn't pitch a fit, I don't have any clothes or toiletries with me," I finally said.
"We have all the toiletries you need here. And there are several clothing stores nearby. I'll take you to get anything you want."
That was too easy. I wanted to protest, but I knew that objecting to his solution would be pointless. And I really want to.
"Give me a minute. I'm going to call my mother," I said as I walked away, down the path that was laid out with thick wooden planks.
He nodded.
As I reached the ocean's edge, the phone was ringing. "Hi, Mum. Listen, I'm at Ty's house on Sea Island and he's invited me to stay the night. I just wanted to let you know that I won't be home tonight, okay?"
"Are his parents there?"
"No, Mum."
"I don't know, Essie. He seems like a nice boy and you know I thought his family was great, but you barely know him."
"I know, Mum. I've been thinking about the pros and cons and I believe I can handle myself. I'll be fine."
"Did you bring an overnight bag?" she asked, confused.
"No, I didn't know we were coming here. But, apparently,
they keep the house stocked."
"Well, I trust your judgment, Essie. But I'll feel better if you let me remind you not to compromise your values."
"I won't. I promise. I love you and I'll call you tomorrow."
"I love you, too, sweetheart."
"See you, Mum."
"See you, Essie."
My mother never liked to say goodbye; she thought it seemed too permanent. Without consciously realizing it before now, I had picked up her habit.
I lingered there, watching the waves break, gathering my thoughts. Before I could tell Ty that I had decided to stay, I had to set some ground rules. We would not be staying in the same room, first and foremost. Actually, that was really the only stipulation. I headed back.
I didn't even get halfway through my first sentence when he interrupted me.
"Essie, I promised you yesterday that I would keep my hands to myself and I intend to keep that promise. You have nothing to worry about."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," he replied and kissed me on the cheek. Changing the subject quickly, he added, "Would you like to go out for dinner or would you rather stay here?"
"Actually, I'd love to see more of the island first."
"Then I'd love to show it to you."
The way that Ty spoke made me swoon inside. His use of a more formal English was worldly and so unlike any other boy his age. The cadence of his sentences combined with his Southern drawl was completely irresistible. So I listened enthusiastically when he started telling me all about this beautiful place that his family had been coming to since before he was born.
Sea Island wasn't the tourist trap that I had imagined island resorts to be. It was private, and much of it had been set apart to preserve the natural sanctuary for its wildlife inhabitants. Ty suggested that the best way to show me around was by boat. I was elated. We untied the smaller of the two boats that were tied to the dock and cruised leisurely through the barrier island waterways as he highlighted a few points of interest and continued with his overview of the tiny island.
When the sun began to set, we headed for home. As we pulled up to the dock, I could see lights in the house.
"Is someone in the house?"
Ty jumped from the boat onto the dock and belayed the first of three lines to its corresponding cleat. Without pausing from the task at hand, he answered me. "Yes."
"That's it? Yes? Who's here? Is it your parents? Mara?"
He laughed. "It's not Mara or my parents," he said continuing to secure the boat.
"Then who is it?"
"We'll be there in just a minute. Be patient, please."
I wasn't curious just to be nosy. I was concerned that it was getting late and it would soon become abundantly clear that we were staying at the house overnight. I didn't want to be put in an awkward position. But, as requested, I waited patiently for him to finish.
When he opened the door to the house, I was apprehensive. I could hear soft violin music playing and could see that several candles had been lit. He ushered me in and closed the door behind us. With his arm around my waist, Ty escorted me to the dining room where we were expected at a table set for two. He pulled out my chair and motioned for me to take my seat. When he was seated, a man appeared from around the corner carrying a couple of salads.
Oh, my gosh, I thought. The man silently placed a plate in front of me and then did the same for Ty.
"Thanks, William."
"You're welcome, sir," said the short, pale, older gentleman in an English accent.
Oh, my gosh, I thought again. When he was gone, I tried to verbalize at least one of the many questions that were whirling around in my head. I opened my mouth to speak yet words escaped me. Ty seemed to be enjoying my astonishment.
"Aren't you going to eat?" he asked in mock innocence.
With intentional force, I picked up my fork, stabbed a piece of lettuce, and took a bite. I chewed intensely and glared at his impressive face, careful not to get drawn in by his irresistible gaze.
He burst out laughing, breaking the conventional etiquette expected in this awkwardly formal setting. "You should see the look on your face. You are too adorable." As I continued attacking my salad, he added softly, "I thought you'd appreciate staying in tonight since we've been out all day, so I texted William from the boat and asked him to prepare something simple for us. He's a personal chef who lives on Jekyll Island. It's no big deal."
"Not to you. Evidently, you're used to living like this. But it's a big deal to me. I'm uncomfortable with people fawning over me."
He looked at me curiously, but said nothing.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I do appreciate your thoughtfulness. It's just that I've never been around anyone with seemingly unlimited resources and I'm feeling diffident."
"Well, I hope you'll get over that quickly because this is my life, Essie, and I want to share it with you. Good word, by the way," he grinned.
After dinner, Ty lit the fire in the outdoor fireplace and we sat together in a loveseat. I leaned into him and he carefully turned his body so that the back of my head rested on his chest. As he played with my hair, I confessed my love of violin music and wondered aloud whether he knew somehow or if his choice of dinner music was purely coincidental, to which he remained predictably silent. I thought he might take this opportunity to elaborate on his family's background, but instead he talked of his father's desire for him to attend his alma mater, Emory, and to take over the family businesses. He, on the other hand, wanted to travel for a while and was unsure he wanted this predetermined life. His ambivalence surprised me. He came across as extremely self-assured and certain of what he wanted. He would turn eighteen next July, he told me, and had much to consider before then. Once again, he was unwilling to expound on this introspection. Although it made me slightly frustrated, I felt too serene to protest. We lazed in comfortable silence for a long while and he was running his finger up and down my arm when I heard him begin to hum softly. I turned suddenly to look at him in surprise and he quit.
"Don't stop," I pleaded. I had yet to see him embarrassed about anything and he seemed the sort that nothing could bother. But, even in the moonlight, I could tell that he was blushing.
"Oh, my gosh. You're embarrassed!" I teased.
He smiled a humble half smile and looked down.
"I'm sorry, Ty. You caught me off guard. No one has ever sung to me before. But I'd love for you to continue. Please?"
"I can't believe I did that. I guess I was just so relaxed that it slipped out. Now you know."
"Know what?"
After a dramatic pause, he continued. "With this confession comes a non-disclosure commitment. Are you ready for that?" he asked jokingly.
"Hmmm," I drew out in false contemplation. "Well, I am spending the night with you, so?" Dramatic pause. "Okay, I'm ready to hear your confession."
"I love power ballads by 80s hair bands," he disclosed.
I burst out laughing. "I'm not laughing at you, I promise. Truth be told, I love them, too."
He looked surprised. "You're just saying that so I won't feel so lame."
"I'm not and I can prove it. One of my favorites is Firehouse, 'Love of a Lifetime'. And then there's Skid Row, 'I Remember You' or Cinderella, 'Nobody's Fool'. I could go on if you'd like."
"Impressive."
"It's my mother's influence. So, do you sing or just hum?"
He hesitated to answer. "I guess I have another confession." He paused again, but I said nothing, waiting expectantly. "I sing all the time. I'm actually shocked that Mara didn't divulge that during your outing the other day. She and I often go to Savannah for karaoke."
"Are you serious?" I asked dubiously, thinking he must be joking. "But now that you mention it, her friend, Nicole, did ask her when they were going to karaoke again. In all the excitement of the day, I forgot to ask her about it."
"You think it's weird, huh?"
"Just unexpected. And, okay, it's wei
rd, but in a good way."
"Well, nobody in Eden knows and I'd like it to stay that way, please."
"Only if you'll sing for me."
"It would just be awkward now."
"Then let's resume our positions and we won't talk and you can rub my arm again and we'll see what happens."
He laughed. "You're crazy."
I ignored his reluctance and repositioned his arm over my shoulder as I nestled against his chest once again. "There," I asserted.
I could feel him shaking his head, although he said nothing.
Our comfortable silence resumed as we watched the ebb and flow of the tide. The fire he had started earlier was finally beginning to wane. I brought my legs up on the love seat and let my knees fall to the side as I snuggled in even closer. He stroked my hair slowly, gently. Then, ever so softly, he sang.
"I love how your heart beats
whenever I hold you
I love how you think of me
without being told to
I love the way your touch is always heavenly
But, darling, most of all
I love how you?"
He trailed off. If this had happened at any previous time or with any other guy, I probably would have been horrified. But here, now, and as odd as this may sound, it seemed so appropriate. I closed my eyes and reveled in my circumstance.
I remained curled up in his arms until the sun began to rise over the ocean, enjoying the low, raspy tone of his voice during his sporadic serenades.
With the dawn's light came the remembrance that Ty had said his eighteenth birthday was next July. At the time, I was so engrossed in his musings over the future that I failed to make the connection that it was currently July. Had his birthday passed before we met? I desperately hoped that it had because I couldn't imagine having to give him a present. He literally had everything and I was certain that if there was something he did want, I couldn't afford it.
Without turning to look at him, I said, "You mentioned last night that your birthday was in July. What date?"
"The seventeenth."
"What's today's date?" I asked hesitantly.
"The seventeenth."
I jumped up as though startled by an intruder in the dead of night. "Your birthday is today?" I asked in disbelief. "You weren't going to tell me?"
"No, I wasn't going to tell you. Listen, Essie, I know that saying this will sound clich?, but there isn't anything I want more than to spend the day here with you. That would be the best birthday present ever. Will you please spend another day here with me?"
"You don't have to exactly twist my arm to get me to spend more time alone with you on this beautiful island. But it's so awkward now knowing that it's your birthday and I've done nothing to make it special."
"If any of the guys ever heard me say this, I'd never live it down; but, honestly, just being with you makes the day special."
"Would you mind repeating that?" I joked in my best reporter's voice as I retrieved my phone from the table, pretending to press record.
But instead of laughing, he took the phone from my hand and placed it back on the table, never looking away from me.
"I love being with you," he said seriously.
Like a tractor beam, his eyes drew me in until I had forgotten what we were talking about. I couldn't look away. He leaned in and kissed me sweetly, briefly. He had a way of making me feel so vulnerable, so transparent; I was certain he could read my every thought. Even still, I said nothing. I wanted to respond but I felt as though my heart was blocked by a bolted door and none of the words that were in there could escape. As amazing as Ty was, there was something about him that was messing with my gut - an odd feeling that he was hiding something sinister, despite the fact that those feelings contradicted everything I had seen thus far, save "the incident" in Savannah. I was trying my best to reconcile this incongruity when he abruptly stood up.
He must have sensed my inner turmoil because he smiled and took my hand. "Let's go for a walk and then we'll have breakfast." I was all too happy to comply.
We walked along the shoreline, stopping often as I bent down to check out every little thing that caught my eye - from shells, big and small, to dead crabs, to interesting seaweed, to driftwood. Ty only picked up one shell, a tiny one with a hole in the top center. He looked at it for a bit, as though examining a diamond for flaws, and then put it in his pocket without saying anything. We talked about the ocean and sailing and the dwindling number of days that remained before school began. I shared my nervousness about being the new girl in my senior year and my disappointment over the loss of my position as editor of the school newspaper back home. Ty assured me that I would be welcomed by his and Mara's friends, so I need not worry about being a social outcast. He also reminded me that his family owned the local newspaper and he was sure that an internship could be made available. That scenario, however, was unlikely. I would feel very uneasy being given a job at my boyfriend's parent's paper when unemployment was so high; no, nepotism would make me a pariah in the office. While I appreciated his reassurances, I also knew that I had to figure things out on my own. Like most guys, he wanted to fix things. But I was used to being the fixer and I wasn't ready to hand over the reigns of my life to anyone, no matter how tempting.
When we got back to the house, breakfast was waiting on the patio, although there was no sign of William. I was still uncertain how I felt about this extravagant lifestyle, but I decided to embrace it for the moment. I was enjoying this time with Ty, enjoying the privacy, enjoying the beach, and looking forward to whatever his birthday had in store.
After breakfast, Ty showed me to a guest room where I could shower and get ready for the day. Not having taken him up on his offer to go shopping for clothes yesterday, I was surprised to see a brand new pair of shorts with a matching t-shirt, as well as some new flip flops, laid out for me on the bed. While I was sincerely grateful, this continued to make me anxious. Part of me wanted to jump up and down like a child on Christmas morning who just opened the very present she had wished for all year; while, at the same time, I wrestled with an uneasy feeling of foreboding.
"Thank you," I said politely, as I gathered up the items and went into the bathroom.
"So, how are we going to spend your birthday?" I asked when I practically ran into Ty in the hallway after I was finished getting ready.
"I have something in mind. I'm determined to show you a good time today."
"I'm already impressed, Ty. And I've been having a great time just being with you."
"Well, it's my birthday and I get to do what I want," he said, sounding a little bratty. "Let's go."
We got into the Ferrari and slowly made our way through the narrow streets lined with live oaks that were dripping with Spanish moss, ending up only a few minutes later at the island's luxury resort. After the valet greeted us pleasantly and took the keys, Ty escorted me to the spa. I'm pretty sure it was the most beautiful place I'd ever been to. The floor was made up of many pieces of large, flat stones of various sizes and shapes. In the middle of the room was a pool made from the same stones, and there were trees and plants growing out of the floor.
"This is so beautiful, Ty."
"I'm glad you like it. We're going to spend the whole day here."
"Yay!" I whispered excitedly.
We did, in fact, spend the entire day enjoying every treatment the spa offered, breaking only for a deliciously healthy lunch on a private balcony. I had never enjoyed someone else's birthday so much.
When we got back to the house, Ty had one more surprise for me. Since we had spent the previous night talking all night long on the patio and had left for the resort right after having breakfast and getting ready, I hadn't had the opportunity to see the whole house. Ty gave me a quick tour which ended in a theater room. It was so cool. It looked like it was outdoors. The ceiling was blanketed in stars that were twinkling, and the walls were covered with a combination of real and painted trees. Large columns were p
ositioned on either side of a screen that extended from the ceiling to the floor. It was going to be tough to go home to a regular house where I had to prepare my own meals and watch movies on a thirty-two inch television.
We settled into a leather love seat that reclined and watched "Captain America: The Winter Soldier". I loved scifi/action/adventure/fantasy movies, especially ones based on comic book heroes, and Ty seemed to like tv and movies, in general, as much as I did. With all the busyness surrounding our move to Eden, I hadn't had a chance to get to a theater in a long while. That was just one more thing that Ty had remembered from our conversation at Black Creek.
When the movie was over, he reached into his pocket. "I have something for you."
"Ty, please! It's your birthday. You're killing me."
"My day has been everything I could have wanted because you're here with me. This is just a little something for you to remember our time at the beach. It's nothing, really," he said unpretentiously, handing me a small, sheer periwinkle blue pouch gathered with a matching ribbon.
I opened the pouch and poured its contents into my hand. It was the seashell that he had found earlier in the day during our walk on the beach. He had had it made into a necklace, the shell now suspended from a thin piece of leather cord. I sighed.
"What's wrong, Ess?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's just that being with you is very overwhelming. I don't know what to say, Ty. I'm sorry. It's beautiful. I love it. Thank you. Really. Thank you." I realized I was rambling. I did that a lot.
"You're adorable," he said, smiling, taking the necklace from my hand and gently fastening it around my neck.
"Look, Ty, while we're on the subject of gratitude," I broached, "I appreciate the house on a private island, the boat, the personal chef, the clothes, the spa day at a luxury resort..."
"But..."
"No, no but. I like you. I like you a lot and I just want to say that you don't have to try so hard."
"You're a very easy girl to please and I love that about you. But have you ever stopped to consider that maybe I enjoy doing these things for you?"
I shrugged and raised my eyebrows, assuming he didn't actually expect an answer to what I considered to be a rhetorical question.
"Then can I make a suggestion?"
"Sure."
"Trust me and just enjoy the ride."