Falling into Trouble

Chapter 2

Jaycee

The night didn't exactly go as I'd planned. I put my Audi in park and grab my purse off the passenger seat. I figure I have about thirty minutes before my now ex-boyfriend pays me a visit. Setting the alarm for my car, I make my way over to the guard station and let them know to keep an eye out for any trouble. They notify the other security guards in the building and guarantee that they will call the police at any sign of him.

My apartment is very secure and I'm sure that Brent is probably cooling down a little as he waits for a ride home from the police station. I'd promised him that we could try to work it out if he dropped the charges against Brandon and he had agreed. I have no plans of honoring my half of the agreement. In fact, I'm feeling pretty happy that he showed his true colors before I invested too much into that destructive relationship.

Everything up until the moment that Brandon's friend had made a pass at me was business as usual. Once his friend pissed Brent off, the night took a turn I would've never been able to predict. Never did I think that Brandon would come back into my life. He has always just been the boy I had a serious crush on as a child and had to leave. Every now and then his memory will float across my thoughts and I feel a small warmth in my heart when I remember how special it would feel to be near him.

When I'd moved away so long ago, Brandon had been a dark haired, tall boy who had the most amazing blue eyes. He was older than me and of course that only made my crush that much bigger. I remember watching him play baseball in the street with a few other boys and wondering what it would be like to kiss him. We were way too young for any of that, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was curious.

Our relationship grew very tense towards the end, the pranks and teasing escalating to the point that our parents would have to separate us. They did so reluctantly. I think secretly our families wished that we would've liked each other more so that there was a chance at joining the families in the future. My family never really knew how I felt about him because I was too young and embarrassed to confess the real reason I liked to make him angry was to get his attention.

Last night when I thought a stranger had defended my honor I was impressed. When I found at that the stranger wasn't really a stranger, I was speechless. Sitting in the back seat of the police car with only a small space separating me from the boy that haunted my dreams for so many years, stirred up that fire inside of me again. Unfortunately, Brandon got to experience the side of me that he knew too well. To him I imagine I will always be a little girl with an unstoppable need for causing trouble.

I only wish that I could still think of Brandon as the little boy who chased me in anger and cut my ponytail. Instead, I can't help but to remember the way he had looked last night with his strong male features and the slight shadow of a beard on his jaw. There's nothing little about him anymore and that was apparent in the way his arm muscles bulged, pulling his dark shirt tight around his biceps. His strong legs filled out his jeans and his once short stature had grown into a tall 6'2" frame.

Kicking off my heels, I grab a water bottle from the fridge and make my way to the couch in the living room to make my Sunday call to my parents. The phone rings once before my mom picks it up, "Hey, honey! How was your week?"

"Hi Mom. It's been good. I visited the restaurant and everything is running smoothly. They'll be ready for the remodel as soon as it slows down at the end of summer. I'll start working on the plans for that."

"That's great. You're dad will be happy to hear that. Listen, Jaycee, I know you haven't been back there long, but I need to ask you a huge favor."

"Sure Mom, what is it?" I take a sip from the cold water and lean back and make myself comfortable.

"You know how your dad and I were going to scout out a few possibilities for a new location in Hawaii next week?"

"Yea, are you kidding? How could I forget that you guys are jetting off to Hawaii while I'm stuck here working?" I tease my mom. She and my dad work very hard for our family business and I've been trying hard for years to get them to pick a more exotic location for our restaurants so that they'll have an excuse to make a few trips to a vacation like spot a couple times a year.

"Well, your father hasn't been feeling too well. He's had a cold that he just can't shake and now since he's waited so long to go to the doctor it finally moved into his ears." I wince at the thought of an earache and understand how frustrated my mom must be with my dad's refusal to ever go to a doctor.

"That sounds painful. What's the favor? Need me to fly back and help out with the restaurant there until he feels better?" I'm hoping she says no because I all but ran out of that town, feeling so suffocated by both of them.

"No, no Jaycee, we don't need that. We need you to take our place in Hawaii and meet with the agent there to scout out a few of the locations. You know what we like. and I'm sure whatever lot you choose will be perfect." I hear the sincerity in her voice and I almost feel guilty for needing to escape from them for a while.

"Sure. I mean, that sounds great. I'll book my flight today." I feel like I've hit the jackpot on this favor.

"Great. I am so glad you are okay with the last minute change of plans. You can meet the representative for the hotel we are partnering with on Wednesday once you're all settled in. We've already scheduled dinner at the hotel at five p.m. with him. I'm sure it won't matter if it's just you instead of me and dad."

"Sounds good to me. Just email me the information I'll need to know tonight and I'll get on the first flight out of here. It's perfect timing for me to take a little break from this place." The last sentence slips out before I even think about the worry it will cause her. I bite my lip and curse at myself in my head.

"Jaycee Bishop, what have you done now?" She asks in a very motherly voice.

"Nothing that won't go away with a little trip to paradise." It's almost true. The trouble with Brent will go away after a few days of being unable to get into contact. He isn't that into me and I won't be worth his time when he could be out trying to replace me. What isn't going to go away is the intoxicating feeling I get when I think of Brandon Stone--all grown up.