The Journey Home Read online

  I shoved my phone back into my pocket. “Fuck.”

  “Let me guess,” Jack said. “That was Mommy and she’s hosting a dinner party for one of Daddy’s big, important friends.”

  I smirked at Jack and nodded. We’d been friends long enough that he knew better than anyone how damn controlling my mother could be. She was going to shit her pants when she found out I was moving to Beaver Lake, far away from them in Fayetteville. Granted, I would only be an hour away by car, but my mother would still say that I was abandoning the family.

  Jack laughed as his coffee was called out. He slapped me on the back and said, “I’ll meet you outside.”

  When my caramel macchiato was finally called out I walked up to the counter and smiled at Dee.

  “Hey there, Cale. How are you today?” she asked with a wink.

  I grinned back and nodded my head slightly. “I’m doing well, Dee. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

  “Okay! See you then!” Dee shouted out.

  I walked outside, inhaling the crisp, fall air. I loved fall. It was my favorite time of year.

  Looking over, I saw Jack talking to some redhead. He pulled out her hand and wrote his phone number on her wrist. I chuckled as I watched her blush and nod. Probably agreeing to call him later this evening.

  I sat at the table and looked at him, shaking my head.

  He walked up to me, smirking. “What the hell are you looking at?” he asked.

  I rolled my eyes as I took a sip of my coffee. Setting it down, I turned around and watched the redhead walk away. I glanced back at Jack and said, “Don’t you ever get tired of playing this game?”

  He pulled his head back and looked at me like he had no clue what I was talking about.

  “What game?”

  I raised my eyebrow. “Jack, don’t you ever think about settling down? Aren’t you tired of the dating scene?”

  You’d have thought I’d just asked him to solve world hunger or something.

  “No, I never get tired of it. I like my life. Hell, you’d like your life a hell of a lot more if you stopped looking for goddamn one-night-stand-Maddie. The chances of you ever finding her, Cale, are slim. Very, very, very slim. You’ve got to let it go. Let her go.” Jack shook his head. “Cale, you’ve walked away from so many girls because you’re comparing them to her. I get that it was earth-shaking, mind-boggling sex, and you felt a connection with her. But Cale, it’s time to move on.”

  I took another sip of coffee and looked away from Jack as I nodded. “Yeah, I know.” I let out a sigh and said, “Looks like I’ll be telling my parents tonight about moving to Beaver Lake.”

  “That’s more like it. That’s the old Cale I know. Now go flirt with that blonde who keeps hitting on you at the bar. She looks like she is begging to be fucked.”

  I almost spit out my coffee as I looked around to make sure no one had heard him. He stood up and shook my hand before saying, “Good luck with Mom and Dad tonight. Take a picture of your mother when you tell her you’re moving away.”

  He started laughing as he grabbed his coffee and took off toward his BMW—but not before he stopped to talk to yet another girl. I stood and grabbed my coffee and headed to my own car. I had to leave for London in two days. Another thing my mother wasn’t pleased with, even though my father asked me to go. She hated my job, since I’d sometimes be gone for weeks working. But I loved it and had no intentions of getting off the road anytime soon.

  Another reason not to settle down with just anyone who came along. I stopped and turned to look back at Starbucks when the strangest feeling came over me. But I saw nothing. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I continued toward my car.

  Cale, it’s time to move on.

  “I DON’T KNOW why you stay friends with her, Maddie. She’s a jealous bitch. Why you can’t see that she actually wants to be you is beyond me.”

  I laughed as I made my way to the entrance of Starbucks. I pulled the door open to step inside. I stopped and Monica slammed into my back as she let a very loud “Shit!” escape her mouth.

  “Way to stop in the middle of the damn doorway, Maddie. Jesus, I swear!”

  I looked around the Starbucks. The weirdest feeling came over me. Like there was someone here that I knew. A quick look around revealed that there was no one. I shrugged and made my way up to the counter.

  “One tall caramel macchiato please,” I said with a smile.

  I waited for Monica to order before I started talking. “Monica you don’t understand. Zoey is sick. She needs friends, and I’m the only friend she’s got.”

  Monica rolled her eyes. “There’s a reason she only has you as a friend. She’s a bitch! Plus, I don’t trust her as far as I can throw her.”

  I let out a small giggle. Zoey was a bitch. I couldn’t argue with that. But she needed me and I couldn’t abandon her.

  “Hey how was the date last night?” Monica asked, wiggling her eyebrows. “You get laid?”

  My mouth dropped open as I looked around the coffee shop. “Holy crap. Can you be any louder?”

  Both of our drinks were called out and Monica laughed as she walked up to retrieve her iced green tea. “Yes. Yes, I could be much, much louder.”

  I grabbed my drink and smiled at the laughing young girl behind the counter. We made our way out of Starbucks and started to head to one of the shops I worked for.

  “The date, Maddie? You can’t get out of answering me, bitch.”

  I sucked in a deep breath and let it out quickly. The smell of fall was in the air. I loved fall. “It sucked.”

  “Oh Jesus. Why? And don’t say you ‘just didn’t feel a connection.’”

  I looked away, taking a sip of my coffee. “Okay, I won’t.”

  We walked in silence only about thirty seconds before Monica grabbed my arm. “Are you going to spill it, or what?”

  “You just told me not to tell you.”

  “No. I said don’t tell me the same damn thing you always tell me. Tell me he had gross, yellow, crooked teeth or that he pissed the bed or that he stunk.”

  I let out a giggle. “Nope. He had perfect teeth, almost too perfect. I’m going to guess that, since he workouts regularly, he has amazing self-control therefore has a decent control of his bladder. He did come on to me and invited me back to his place, but I turned him down.”

  “Ugh! Maddie, why?”

  I shrugged. “He wasn’t…him.”

  Monica stopped walking and hung her head.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Him. Him is what’s wrong. This guy, this one-night stand you had two years ago – a guy who, I might add, you pushed away after getting spooked by your intense feelings. This guy, Maddie, has probably moved on. I saw him that night when he walked us to the car. He was good looking, really good looking. I doubt he’s sitting at home hoping to run into your ass on the beach again.”

  I took a sip of my coffee and then sighed. “I know, Monica. Believe me, I know.”

  I thought back to that night. Cale was indeed handsome with a body that, to this day, made me burn with desire. He was tall and built, but not so built that he looked fake. His messy brown hair and green eyes would be burned into my memory forever.

  “The fact that you went to Jack’s house six months after your night with Cale only to be told that Cale was in a relationship, that should have snapped you out of it.”

  I rolled my eyes, thinking back to that day. “Yeah, I know. God, I still can’t believe his friend tried to get me to sleep with him. What a prick.” I said, giggling.

  Monica rolled her eyes. “I’m not. The guy was a class-A prick but, man oh man, was he good in the sack. I’d totally do him again.” She wiggled her eyebrows as I let out a chuckle.

  My phone beeped as I pulled it out of my pocket.

  Mom: Maddison. Dinner this evening. I’ll send the car.

  I rolled my eyes and let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

  “What’s wrong?” Monica asked as she s
ipped of her coffee.

  I bit on my lip, trying to think of an excuse not to go this evening.

  “Give it up. You’ve never been able to tell her no, so don’t bother trying to now,” Monica said as she raised one eyebrow at me.

  “Shit,” I whispered. I hit reply.

  Me: Mom, I have plans this evening. I’m so sorry.

  Mom: Break them. The car will be there at 7:30.

  I saw her reply and wanted to scream. “Ugh! She treats me like a child and I’m so damn sick of it.”

  Monica stood up and looked down at me. “Do something about it, then. Don’t go tonight. Show her she can’t boss you around.”

  I looked up at her and smiled. “I think I’ll do that.”

  Monica let out a gruff laugh. “Uh huh. Let me know how that works out for you, darlin’. I’ve gotta run. Got a date tonight with that guy. You know, the one that knows how to make dates end rather nicely. He’s got a cock ring too!”

  I rolled my eyes and waved goodbye to Monica. I loved my best friend but, I swear, she’d screw any guy who was good looking, blond, and blue-eyed.

  I stood and made my way to my car. As much as I wanted to blow off my parents’ dinner tonight, I knew I wouldn’t. I got in my car and turned toward the cleaners as I attempted to psych myself up for an evening of hearing my mother ask me over and over why I was single, then following up with telling all of her friends about my bizarre singleness. In my mother’s eyes, I was a failure, and she reminded me of this every single time I saw her.

  “This is going to be one hell of a long evening,” I said to myself.

  I APPROACHED MY parents’ front door and jumped when it flew open. I smiled at my mother, who stood before me, dressed to the nines.

  “Mom, you look lovely this evening,” I said as I took her hand and kissed it.

  “You’re late, Cale,” she hissed through her teeth.

  I noted the empty driveway. “Doesn’t look like the party’s started yet, Mom.”

  She shot me a dirty look and turned to walk back into the house. “Mitchel,” she called. “Your son is here. The party is not here, Cale.”

  I rolled my eyes as my mother walked into my father’s office. When she was pissed at me, I was my father’s son. But when I did well, I was her darling baby boy.

  I followed her into the office. My father was sitting behind his giant, dark walnut desk. The smell of the office instantly brought me back to my childhood. I’d loved to play in here, hiding from my mother under the desk. My father would laugh and tell me that she’d never find me, since she’d declared the office forbidden to me. But, according to my father, I was a breath of fresh air—I was always welcome.

  “Evening, Dad,” I said with a smile, reaching across the desk to shake his hand.

  “Cale, it’s good to see you, son. Let me just finish up this one thing and then we’ll head to the goddamn party your mother is forcing us both to attend.”

  I attempted to hide my smile as my mother shoved her hands on her hips and glared.

  “Do you know how important this man is to your career, Mitchel?” she asked in a shocked tone.

  My father closed his laptop, stood up, and gave my mother a fake smile. “Do you know how badly I want to retire and travel the world? I can’t, though because my wife demands the world of me and, in order to keep up with her high maintenance lifestyle, I have to work my ass off and socialize with arrogant, stuck-up assholes.”

  My mother gasped as my father winked at me and left the room.

  My mother muttered a few words under her breath and grabbed her shawl and a clutch. She gave me a dirty look and shook her head as she walked out of the office, ordering me to follow her.

  “Come on, Cale. Maybe we can find you a nice, young lady tonight.”

  “Oh, God, Mom. Please don’t start that again.”

  She threw her hand up, brushing me off. I followed my parents out and slipped into the back seat of a Bentley Mulsanne. “New car?” I asked as I settled into the seat.

  “Your father’s new car.” My mother said as she powdered her nose.

  “Nice,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

  My mother sighed. “You’d have all of this, Cale, if you weren’t so damn stubborn. All you had to do was work for your father’s company. But, no, you had to go after some silly job.”

  I shook my head and looked out the window. I had a degree in civil engineering with a minor in mathematics. I loved my job as a surveyor, and I loved traveling. It meant I could be hundreds of miles away from my mother, for weeks at a time.

  “I don’t want to work for Dad, Mom. I like my job.”

  She chuckled. “You live in a flat! You could have so much more. That’s why you’re single.”

  My father had inherited a shit-ton of money from his father. My granddad was originally from London, England—some hotshot duke of something. He owned an English newspaper and lived half the year in the UK and the other half in America. We’d gone to England at least a half dozen times to see family before I was even sixteen. I always loved visiting their country estate.

  “Mary, please,” my father said. “Leave the boy alone. I admire his ambition to make it on his own.”

  My mother lowered her voice. “Psh, he’d have a wife by now if he would just do things my way.”

  “You know, Mom,” I said, “I’m still in the car and can hear you.”

  “Let’s just get there and pray that this evening is beneficial.” She said as she pulled out her phone and began texting someone.

  TWO AND HALF hours later, I was standing in the corner, drinking another glass of wine while my mother moved from person to person. She was attempting to kiss up to some guy who owned a communications company. Every now and then, she’d walk a young girl up to me to introduce her, and I’d have to stand there and make small talk. I just wanted to get the fuck out of there and get home so I could pack my bags and prep to leave for London. I was making the trip to take care of something for my father regarding Gramps’ newspaper.

  I was just about to find my father and tell him that I’d had enough when the hair on my arms began to stand on end. Something about the air in the room changed. It felt electrified. I caught a glimpse of a girl walking by, heading toward the exit of the hotel ballroom. Her light brown hair was piled on top of her head. She walked up to the guy my mother had been brown-nosing all night and kissed him on each cheek. He brought her in for a hug, then whispered something in her ear.

  Something about her was very familiar. I started to head in her direction.

  “Cale? Cale, darling, I’d like you to meet someone.” My mother grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop. I turned to see a young girl standing there, smiling. She couldn’t have been more than eighteen.

  “Ashley Jackson, This is my son Cale. Cale, this is Ashley. Her daddy owns a condominium housing development on Beaver Lake.”

  I glanced at my mother and smiled before turning to Ashley.

  “Really? I just bought a house on Beaver Lake.”

  Lucy smiled. My mother didn’t.

  “What? You bought a house? By yourself?”

  I slowly looked down at my mother. “Yes, Mommy Dearest. I bought a house, by myself. I have this thing called a job. I work for my money.”

  Ashley covered her mouth with one hand in an attempt to hide her laughter. My mother’s mouth fell open, and she stood there, stunned into silence. I downed the rest of my wine and set the glass on the tray of a passing waiter. I glanced back and saw the brown-haired girl leaving the room.

  “Ashley, if you’ll excuse me. I really have to run. Mother, it was good seeing you again.”

  “Cale, you’re being rude, darling.”

  Glancing over to Ashley I smiled. “Ashley, excuse my rudeness. I really have to get going. Tell Dad I said goodnight, Mom.”

  I turned and quickly made my way to the exit. When I pushed open the doors, I started jogging toward the elevators. The doors were shutting, but n
ot before I caught a glimpse at her. She was staring down at her phone, her face hidden in shadow. She appeared to be crying.

  The doors shut and, just like that, she was gone.

  “Fuck,” I whispered.

  I pulled out my cell. I had the photo I was looking for saved in a specific folder. I tapped the screen and pulled up the picture.

  There she was with her light brown hair and the most beautiful green eyes I’d ever seen. I studied her face as I stood in front of the elevator. When the doors opened, I stepped in and pushed the button for the ground floor.

  I was tired of feeling like this. Empty. Alone. Searching for someone I’d never see again.

  I headed out to the front of the hotel and hailed a taxi. When it stopped, I opened the back door and slipped inside.

  “Twenty-seven Downing Court, please,” I said to the driver.

  Ten minutes later, I was walking into my apartment and throwing my keys on the side table. I grabbed a beer and I headed for the sofa. As I sank into the cushions, I let out a sigh.

  I turned on the TV and channel surfed as I drank. After a few minutes, I texted Jack.

  Me: What are you doing?

  Jack: Just got done fucking my date in the ally outside her apartment. You done hobnobbing?

  Me: Yep.

  Jack: Want to meet for a few beers?

  I stared at Jack’s text. If we went out, I’d end up getting drunk. I was too pissed off at my mother not to. It was always like this. Every time I saw her, I ended up going out and drowning my sorrows in beer. Way too much beer.

  Me: Nah. I’m gonna head to bed.

  Jack: Pussy.

  I laughed as I got up and set my phone on the table next to my empty beer bottle. I walked into my bedroom, stripped out of my clothes and crawled into bed.

  Another night all alone. I thought.

  I closed my eyes and all I could see were green eyes.

  Maddie…

  “COME ON, MADDIE. Stop being such a drama queen.” Zoey said as we walked through the airport.