Seven Days in Sunny June
Saturday
The early morning sunshine rose behind the gathering of dark green woodland on the far side of the creek, the orange and gold hues splayed across the still, tranquil water, making it glitter like diamonds. Joey Potter sat with her legs dangling casually over the edge of the dock, her feet barely dipping in the cool water, her chin turned up to catch the slight off-shore breeze ruffling a few strands of hair at her neck.
As she listened to the birds singing happily from the trees across the dock, Joey finally felt the tension slowly easing out of her body. The early morning train ride she took from Boston was stressful, mainly due to the farewell drink she'd had with some of her graduate peers the night before, but also because of the two heavy suitcases, containing nothing but clothes and books, she'd been lugging about for the past four hours or so.
The backless top she wore was clinging to her chest with the humidity surrounding her, and it was difficult to do anything besides sit with her feet in the creek. The breeze tousling her hair was offering no respite from the almost suffocating heat and it was barely 10am. Inside the B&B was even worse, the air conditioning, much like everything else in there, had ceased to switch on and Joey was beginning to regret coming to spend her final free week in Capeside. She was preparing for her first job since graduating from Worthington, and it just happened to be in the city that never sleeps: New York.
She was going to be a junior editor in a publishing house. So it was just a glorified coffee maker and filer, but everyone's got to start somewhere, and Joey didn't mind. After all, she was picked out of thirty applicants and was going to live in New York. What more could she want? She was young, had just graduated with honours from Worthington and had the rest of her life to build a career. What better place to start than New York?
Sighing heavily out of boredom, she swished her aching feet in the water, her trouser legs dunking deeper underneath the surface, cooling her skin instantly. Although she was still a little wound up from her travelling woes, Joey felt a strange sense of calm sitting there, the familiarity of the surroundings offering her breathing space from the madness of the past week. The aching muscles between her shoulder blades finally allowed themselves to feel peace, and her hands, although rough from carrying her suitcases, ceased to tingle, her knuckles no longer stiff.
Capeside really was home, there was no denying it and Joey felt like she could relax and be herself. The only trouble was the lack of normality. And it wasn't the heat, it was a combination of things - boredom, frustration, lack of sleep, not seeing her old friends as much as she used to. They didn't even know about her good news, and unless they were in Capeside for the next week, she wasn't going to be able to tell them either.
Looking across to the other side of the creek, where the yellow glow of the sun was filtering through the branches of a large oak tree, Joey cast her thoughts to Dawson. Joey and he hadn't been friends for a long time, not since she went to Paris a few years ago. They drifted apart and the weekly phone calls and e-mails dwindled to monthly, then quarterly, until, whether out of boredom or laziness, they stopped altogether. Ten years ago, if someone told her she and Dawson would be reduced simply to two people with nothing to say to each other, she would have laughed in their faces. But now, older and definitely wiser, Joey realised it was inevitable because they were two different people. Joey always pursued dreams that were reachable, whereas Dawson, the optimistic romantic chased after ones that were practically impossible. They were always in conflict with each other and their incompatible opinions made their chats and meetings, at times, unbearable. The last Joey heard, Dawson was working with a retired producer on a script based on his life growing up in Capeside, which was typical of Dawson. But Joey wished him well and thought nothing more about his life and she doubted he gave her a second thought either.
Joey wanted this week to be about spending time with those who meant something to her, about having care-free fun with her friends and relaxing. Well, two out of the three weren't bad. Relaxing and spending time with her family was all she could do because against her knowledge, none of her friends were even in Capeside, with the exception of Doug perhaps, but he wasn't someone Joey would consider the 'have fun with' type. To Joey, Capeside right now was as dead as a dodo.
Jack, Jen and Grams were vacationing in Rome for the next couple of weeks, and Joey was disappointed she'd missed them by only a few days. The past six months of exams and studying had put her out of touch with everyone and she was counting on this week to catch up with them. Although they were always a short walk away in Boston, there always seemed to be something getting in the way this past year to deny quality time together. If it wasn't Jen's boyfriend CJ, it was Jack or Joey with their latest troubles keeping them from talking as much as they desired.
Joey knew college would be difficult on their group of friends, but never did she think they would end up the way they had. Since she came back from Paris, their group slowly disintegrated, with Dawson being the first to go to L.A. Then Jen dropped out of college because she was offered a fantastic opportunity at a radio station in Boston. Of course, she was still only a short walk away from Campus, it just wasn't the same. She was always off doing reviews for gigs, while Joey was in her room studying for the next pop quiz or test.
And finally, Pacey left too. He went sailing again, saying there was nothing left for him in Boston or Capeside. Typical of Pacey, he found another job as a deckhand and went off into the sunset, so to speak. The last Joey heard, in a crackly phone-call from him nearly two months ago was that he was in Florida, working at some place called, 'Boats Yer Uncle' and that he was happy. And if Pacey was happy, then Joey was happy.
Except she wasn't, not really. Of course, she was ecstatic about graduating from Worthington, finally being able to say she'd done something on her own. But not having her friends around to share it with was almost heartbreaking, in a sense that she, Dawson, Pacey, Jack and Jen had gone from sharing everything, to sharing nothing, and that saddened her.
Burying a sigh, she leaned forward, her torso at a 45º angle and scooped her hands into the placid water, rinsing the salty sweat from between her fingers. Shaking her hands free of the droplets, Joey decided she would just make do with what she did have, and that was peace and quiet, something Boston never offered. Not even the library gave her breathing space. But here she could listen to the birds tweeting, the crickets jumping and the creek gently moving along with the wind.
Joey always wanted to leave Capeside, to go to better places, but was there a better place than this? Home is where the heart is and Joey's heart, as much as she liked to deny it, was right here, in the sleepy town of Capeside, with its small population, fresh fish restaurants, white picket fences and local craft shops. Her heart, what was left of it anyway, belonged here; she just wished the people who occupied it were here too.
"Come on, Dougie! I've been driving for three days and still you say no?" Pacey whined as he reached over his brother's arm to take a ripe, red apple from the bowl stacked high with fruit on the kitchen table.
Doug shook his head, his arms folded. "No you cannot stay with me, Pacey. In case you haven't noticed, I'm in the middle of decorating the spare bedroom and I'm not having you sleep on the sofa again." Doug paused, and poured himself a tall glass of ice-water, condensation dripping down the sides of the glass. "I know, why don't you stay at the B&B? Main season doesn't start for another week, so Bessie's bound to have a spare room."
Pacey looked Doug sceptically, his one eyebrow raised. "Are you sure you don't have someone already sleeping here?"
"If you're insinuating I have a boyfriend, then you can shut the hell up," Doug said defensively.
"I wasn't insinuating anything, you're the one that said it, not me." Pacey grinned, his mouth full of apple.
It had taken Doug a lot of courage to 'come out' to his brother, but it was the best thing he'd ever done in his life. Pacey knew anyway; after all, he'd teased Doug mercilessly about it over the years. Although he didn't have a boyfriend, he was enjoying not keeping his feelings hidden. That didn't mean he was wearing tight pink tops and shouting it to every Tom, Dick and Harry, but Doug finally felt in control of his life and feelings.
Doug sighed, rolling his eyes in mild frustration. "So what are you doing back here anyway? I thought you were having the time of your life in Florida?" he commented before he gulped down his water in one go.
"I was," Pacey began, his eyes suddenly flashing to life with passion. "And I will be. I'm only here for a week before I take on my new job."
"Another one?" Doug scoffed with amusement as he moved to rinse his glass out at the sink.
"Ha ha big brother, laugh all you want but I am now the official manager of 'Boats Yer Uncle'," Pacey presented with a wide smile.
Doug took a step back in amazement. "Wow, Pace, that's great. I'm proud of you, you deserve it after all your hard work."
Pacey laughed. "So now you want to be nice to me." He turned and headed for the door, picking up his holdall in the corner and swinging it over his shoulder.
"I wasn't being nice to you," Doug protested. "I was being supportive, there's a difference."
"Yeah well, don't be surprised if I skip town without saying goodbye," Pacey called as he walked down the jagged stone steps outside, where he was met once again with the irrepressible heat and humidity.
"I wouldn't," Pacey heard Doug shout after him, and he chuckled to himself as he got into his car. It was only an old Trans Am, but Pacey loved it and besides, looks weren't everything. This car got him from A to B. It was his independence and that meant everything to him.
Switching on the radio and flipping his sunglasses from his head back over his eyes, Pacey began the short drive over to the B&B. Sure, that place had its memories, but he was tired and if it had a spare bed, he was taking it without asking any questions.
The drive was pleasant; the sun was shining down on Capeside like no tomorrow and Pacey could see the heat rising from the tarmac, the thick air in front of him looking like a screen of water as he ploughed on. His calf muscles ached as pushed down on the clutch, from all the driving he'd done the past three days, but he ignored the dull pain as he sang along to The Jam.
Pacey wasn't sure why he'd come here; there was only Doug and his Mom and Dad that were in town. He knew Jack and Jen were on vacation, although he couldn't remember where, and Dawson was in L.A, not that he wanted to see him anyway. They hadn't talked in a long, long time. That left Joey, and she was in Boston, probably out celebrating graduating Worthington. That or she was job hunting. Still, Pacey didn't mind so much. Just being here was reminding him of the fond memories he shared with all of them and that in itself was a good thing.
Bringing the car to a stop outside the B&B, Pacey paused for a few moments before he stepped out of the car, taking in the familiar surroundings and enjoying them. Because once he was gone, he wasn't coming back, so he was determined to benefit from Capeside at its best. And summer was always the best time of year to be there.
Slipping his sunglasses over his head, Pacey adjusted his jeans, trying to remember if he packed any shorts, and if he did, to change into them as soon as he had the chance. Leaning through the passenger window to retrieve his bag, Pacey glanced through the other side, noticing a figure walking to the end of the dock.
It was then he saw her.
Pulling his bag through the window in surprise and dropping it on the gravel, he rushed around the corner of the house, placing his hands on the rough masonry and peering around the other side. His heart suddenly decided to race at full speed and the breath that he was holding was expelled at mighty force, knocking him for six.
He watched as she made her way to the end of the dock, her white linen trousers swaying with each stride she took. As she sat down, Pacey could feel the smile on his face growing into a huge grin. The backless top she wore showed off her creamy, smooth skin and for a split second Pacey remembered what it felt like to run the tips of his fingers over it. The way she used to arch her back when he went over a sensitive spot and the little mole, the one that looked like a heart on her right shoulder blade, was where he used to place soft kisses.
Shaking his head to rid the memories, Pacey moved slowly towards her. What would he say to her? Would it be weird? They had only spoken on the phone for the past couple of years and even that was brief, but he still remembered every curve of her face, every freckle and blemish on her skin and what it felt like to hold her.
He paused before he reached her and held his breath as she leaned forward to rinse her hands in the creek; she was obviously feeling the heat too. Her top rode higher and her trousers rode lower to reveal her slim hips, and Pacey wasn't sure if he was sweating because of the heat, or because of the exposed skin of the beautiful woman in front of him.
Edging forward another step, Pacey let out his breath slowly, the air expelling from his lungs calming his nerves a little, but he was still apprehensive as to what their meeting would be like. He wouldn't have been so nervous if he expected to see her, but this was a surprise. He thought she would still be in Boston, living it up, so to speak.
The last time he saw her, she had just returned from Paris, radiating from her trip and finally over the rat that was Eddie Doling. He was an ass, Pacey knew it from the beginning, but Joey couldn't see. She was finally in love with someone other than him or Dawson and that in itself was an achievement for her. Then he left and Joey went to Paris, and just like that everything between their group of friends changed.
At the time, Pacey didn't much care for Dawson, so when he went back to L.A., he wasn't too bothered and didn't miss him. Knowing there was nothing for him in Boston, Pacey decided it was time to move on, so he found a job as a deckhand and sailed away, right down to Florida. Of course he missed Jack and Jen, but he kept in constant contact with them by phone. It was Joey who was the hardest. Every time he heard her voice, he was haunted by their time spent together on True Love, so his calls to her were usually a little sparse.
Pacey realised that he knew nothing about her life now, and she nothing about his, only what he was doing and where he was living, so they had a lot of catching up to do, and the only way to do that was to start asking questions. And to do that, he needed to break the ice, which was something he was expert at.
"Potter, we gotta stop meeting like this," he said with a smile, his voice a little shaky with nerves.
Joey turned her head slowly; the shock of hearing his voice so close made her insides shake to the core. What the hell was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be working in Florida?
When their eyes finally met, there was a pause, almost as if time had ceased to operate and then in a flash it was gone, replaced with a hug as Joey rushed into his arms, almost knocking him over.
"Pacey?" she asked him in amazement, and she pulled him closer, squeezing him just to see if he was real. "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were in Florida?"
Pacey pulled back, the fragrance of vanilla and rosewood hung in the air around them, her scent always the same. "I was up until three days ago, I decided to take a little road trip back home before I start my new job."
Joey, a little nervous perhaps, smiled uneasily as she smoothed down flyaway hair. "That's great, a new job here?"
Pacey shook his head as he responded. "No, back in Florida. It's at the same place, only I'll be the manager officially."
Joey nodded enthusiastically; proud Pacey had found something he was passionate about, as he had always been about boats. "Well done, Pace."
"So, what about you?" he asked. Why aren't you out celebrating your graduation?"
She laughed lightly, her eyes sparkling in the sunshine. "Isn't that what I'm doing?"
He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "I always forgot you weren't the party type," he goaded, glad he decided to take this trip after all.
"Hey!" Joey playfully punched his arm. "I know how to party! Don't you remember the time when you and Jack threw that party for 'Bertha'? I was the life and soul."
Pacey remembered that party well, he especially remembered the part where he put Joey to bed and just as they were about to fulfil their kiss from an earlier game of Spin the Bottle, Joey fell asleep. That upset Pacey, but he didn't blame her, he blamed the alcohol. But didn't everyone when something goes wrong?
"Yes, I do recall that party and yes you were the life and soul…until you passed out that is." Pacey chuckled and they fell silent for a few awkward moments.
Joey frowned in mild confusion. "So if you didn't know I was here, then why are you at the B&B?"
"Well, what do you usually do at a B&B, Potter? I don't know…maybe rent a room." He laughed, and stepped to the side. "After you?"
Joey slipped on her black Havaianas and walked past him, smiling hesitantly as she did so. "There's definitely a room free, we only have one other guest besides me."
"Haven't lost the swing of the business, I see," he joked, and she turned around, playfully bobbing her tongue out at him.
It was like they never spent any time apart, like the past couple of years never happened. Pacey felt like this mini-vacation wasn't going to be so boring after all. Joey hadn't changed at all. Her hair was still the same shade of chestnut brown, and she still preferred to wear it in a loose chignon at the nape of her neck with loose tendrils framing her face.
"Please tell me that isn't your car?" she asked, pointing to Pacey's car, her tone disgusted. It was a 1980's Trans Am with a target sticker planted firmly on the wing. It was covered in little dents and dings, and the wheel arches were rotting badly. It looked like a wreck, not to mention the faded leather interior.
"What's wrong with it?" he asked, slightly offended.
"Pacey, it's orange."
"What's wrong with orange?" Pacey protested, picking up his bag from the ground.
"What's right with it?" she snorted as they walked into the B&B.
Pacey chuckled and threw a glance over his shoulder at his car before he closed the door behind him. So maybe it was a bit of an eyesore, but he wasn't bothered. That car had served him well and would continue to do so for a while.
"Are you ready to face my sister, Pace?" Joey asked him, a glint in her eye. "She's a little on the emotional side, what with me coming home and all, and you being here will be icing on the cake for her."
"If I can handle you, Potter, I can handle anything."
Joey tutted and rolled her eyes, making her way over to the refrigerator, pulling out some eggs and placing them on the table. Pacey watched Joey as she bent down to pick something out of the cupboard, and he mentally cursed himself for checking her out. But it was something he just couldn't help.
Holding up a pack of flour in one hand and a carton of milk in the other, Joey asked him, "Pancakes?"
Pacey nodded and perched himself on a stool while Joey prepared the ingredients. She bought a smile to his face as she busied herself around the kitchen, measuring out the ingredients with care and accuracy, the edge of her tongue peeking out her mouth with concentration. She really looked at home here, but then again Capeside always brought the best out in people.
Hearing bustling from the other room, Pacey sat up straight. He grinned when he saw Bessie coming into the room, with a large basket of washing. She dropped it when she saw him standing there, the dirty soccer uniform, presumably Alex's tipped out, but she ignored it, a wide smile on her face.
"Pacey, what the hell are you doing here?" she asked as she pulled him into a tight hug.
"As a matter of fact, I was hoping to rent a room." Pacey stepped back and admired Bessie. Her hair was shorter maybe and she had rounded a little, but other than that, she hadn't changed at all. Even though she'd been through a lot over the years, Bessie was still very young looking.
"Of course you can stay here," Bessie remarked. "This is such a surprise, both of you here together. Joey, I can't believe you didn't mention Pacey was coming."
Joey looked up from the pancake mixture and grinned. "I didn't even know myself, until he showed up. But I agree, it is a nice surprise. Anyway, how long are you going to be here for?" She directed her gaze towards Pacey.
"Only a week, before I head back to Florida for the summer."
Bessie chuckled at the coincidence of the situation. "Well it's lucky Joey's here for the week too, otherwise you'd only have me." She winked at Pacey before she picked up her basket and carried on into the laundry room.
"I told you she was emotional," Joey said over the hissing of the oil warming up in the pan.
"Didn't you know Jo? I make all women emotional," Pacey quipped, as he poured them both tall glasses of orange juice.
Joey rolled her eyes and although she knew he was only joking, Pacey did have that effect on women; she just hoped she could make it through the week without being one of them again.
/iSomehow/i she thought as she watched him. /iI don't think that's going to be the case./i
The sun beat down on Capeside, its bright orange glow filtering through the trees that lined the sidewalk Joey and Pacey walked down, the Slush Puppies they bought from the shop a few minutes ago already fully melted in the mid-afternoon heat. The air smelled of charred coal and sizzling steak, the weather a perfect excuse for barbeques and family get togethers. A slight breeze was blowing in from the coast but it still didn't offer any respite from the overwhelming humidity.
They walked along the sidewalk to the park slowly; anything faster than snail's pace would inevitably cause an outbreak of uncontrollable sweating. Pacey, true to his word, changed into a pair of floral swim shorts and plain wife-beater, and Joey had to admit he looked good enough to eat. But she refrained from telling him. He would never let her live it down otherwise.
Keeping a slight distance from each other, they walked on in silence, neither one of them sure what to talk about. Perhaps too much time had passed for them to make general conversation or perhaps it was just too damn hot.
Finally reaching the shade of the park, Pacey eventually broke the silence that was bordering on awkward. "So we've been friends for God knows how long and we can't think of anything to talk about? Why is that?"
Joey shrugged and they sat down on the vacant swings, a place they used to spend a lot of time when they were younger. "I don't know Pace, I have no idea. I guess it's just a little weird after all this time."
Pacey tossed his empty carton in the trash can before replying. "Okay, so let's make it less weird." He turned to face her, one leg on each side of the seat as he asked. "So how was life in Boston after I left?"
Joey looked to the floor in thought before snapping her eyes back to Pacey's gaze. "Okay, I guess. It was strange not having you around as much, but I don't think I missed you as much as I would have if Jack and Jen weren't around."
Pacey smiled fondly, watching as she fumbled with her empty carton. "What about Audrey?"
Joey snorted with disgust at her name. "What about her? She ended up flunking out and going back into rehab. Apparently, she liked being drunk more than she liked getting grades," Joey retorted bitterly, any memory attached to Audrey making her temper flare.
Pacey's eyes widened in shock at Joey's bluntness. "Now that was something I didn't know.
"Of course you didn't. Some ex-boyfriend you are, you've never asked about her until now."
"Ouch," Pacey mocked. "You haven't lost that spineless wit, I see."
Joey made a face at Pacey and threw her empty carton at him; it landed smack bang in the middle of his chest, almost knocking him off the swing. "Alright Mr. Sarcastic, what about you? What's life like in Florida?" she asked him once he recovered his balance.
Pacey's eyes glinted with passion as he spoke, a mixture of pride and satisfaction running through his voice. "Life, Potter, is great. I get up in the morning to glorious sunshine and I go to work doing something I love. And the people are great too, not to mention the women."
Joey laughed at Pacey's typical remark. As her laughter died away, she became acutely aware of his gaze on her. Self consciously, she tucked a stray hair behind her ear, uncertain of why she felt so on edge around him. They had been friends for years, and had been in situations that involved a lot more angst than this, so what was the problem?
"You know you still haven't told me why you're in Capeside," Pacey stated, rocking to and fro on the swing.
Joey frowned in thought. "Haven't I?" She watched as Pacey shook his head. "Oh well, I too have a new job, beginning next week." She paused grimacing slightly as she flicked an unwanted greenfly off her trousers. "I'm going into book editing. I figured if you can't write one, edit one."
"Good for you, Jo," Pacey congratulated with a nod. "I opt for the same philosophy. If I can't sail on a boat, I may as well fix them for other people."
"You always have been a people person, haven't you Pace?"
Pacey smirked at her and jumped up, running behind Joey's swing. Before she knew what was happening, Pacey had his hands on the small of her back, pushing gently. Then, all of a sudden, he lurched forward hard, releasing his hands, watching as she swung high.
"Paaacey!" she screamed wildly, holding on for dear life. She never really liked swings, and she wasn't about to start learning now. "Stop it, please!"
She laughed uneasily, her hair streaming around her face; maybe this wasn't so bad after all. The turning in her stomach stopped, the nausea ceasing, and she found she was actually enjoying herself. The rush of wind in her face was refreshing, combating the humidity and in a way she discovered her youth again. She, Pacey and Dawson used to do this all the time, only it was she that used to push them.
"See Jo, swinging is actually quite fun," he told her as she slowed down, a small smile playing on his lips as she dug her bare heels into the soft golden sand to slow herself down.
"As long as you're referring to this kind, then I agree." She winked at him as she got off, collecting her Havaianas from behind the swing; they flew off unexpectedly amidst Pacey's pushing.
"That depends…" Pacey grinned as she held on to his arm for support, while she slipped them on her feet.
"Ugh, why are you a typical man?"
"I just am, I can't help myself."
"You haven't changed one bit, you know that?" Joey smiled softly as she attempted to smooth down her hair.
"Neither have you," he answered, his eyes smiling as he watched her fingers get tangled in the knots. "Come here," he said as she took a step forward. "Turn around."
Joey slowly turned around and she fluttered her eyelashes shut as she felt his hands on her head, slowly undoing the elastic that was twisted up in her hair. Although she tried to ignore it, it was impossible; electricity was surging through her veins at his touch, lulling her into a daze.
For the first time in a while she remembered what it felt like to have his hands touch her, the way his callous fingertips grazed over her skin, willing her to succumb to his temptation, and she did. She always gave in; she craved his touch, his ability to turn her into a mass of nerves.
Almost as soon as she went into it, she was pulled from her daydream, his voice shattering the silence that had overcome them.
"All done," his voice shook a little, but he ignored the tone, handing her the black elastic, a few strands of hair wrapped around it.
Joey took a step back as she grabbed the band from him, pushing it around her wrist, a make-shift bracelet. "Thanks." She paused and ruffled her hair, running her fingers through it, taming it. She looked to him, cocking her head and she grinned. "How about we rent a movie later?"
"Sounds great, but I'm not watchingDirty Dancing, unless it's the explicit version," he joked as they began walking back.
"I'm not even going to answer that statement," she huffed with a slight frown.
"What?" he asked with a careless shrug, knowing full well he was getting on her nerves.
She groaned and shook her head, upping her pace until she was practically jogging.
Pacey chased after her, chuckling quietly. "What…what did I say?"
"Pacey, what the hell are you doing?" Joey called, tapping her foot rather impatiently on the polished wooden flooring, one of the few things to be updated since she'd been away. Bessie always wanted wooden flooring, now it appeared she'd gotten her wish. "You've been in there forever!"
"Joey, would you quit bugging me already." She heard his muffled voice through the door that led into the kitchen. "I'm almost finished. Just set the player and I'll be out in a minute."
Joey sighed with slight annoyance and made her way to set up the DVD player, pushing the buttons firmly to begin the movie. Quickly pressing the pause button as the credits began, she smiled fondly as she thought of Pacey picking the movie with her in mind. It wasn't an action movie with Steven Segal, or one with half naked women gyrating directly in front of the camera. No, it was Little Women. Her favourite book, but she hadn't seen the film version so for Pacey to rent it was a very sweet gesture.
Settling onto the sofa, she placed the remote control on the armrest next to her, within easy reach so she wouldn't have to get up again. Adjusting the thin material of her tank top, so it covered her midsection, Joey finally felt like she could relax tonight. It had been a long day, not only moving her things from Boston, but seeing Pacey on such a whim took a lot out of her – both mentally and physically.
Of course she was still attracted to him, what sane woman wasn't? But to actually feel it every time they came within two feet of each other was a little overwhelming. Joey never expected to feel that way with him again, not after the terrible way in which they broke up at Senior Prom. It was almost as if a brick wall had been placed between the two of them after it happened, the wounds still open and raw, not a band aid in sight. It did become easier as time wore on, only because they chose not to talk about their time together. It was simpler that way, there was no hidden agenda, no need to close the books, so to speak, because the process of getting over someone is always harder if you complicate things by analysing them.
Upon hearing the soft click of the door as it opened, Joey glanced toward Pacey as he walked through carrying a tray of refreshments, although she couldn't make out exactly what they were. Stifling a yawn, she shuffled up the sofa to accommodate him.
Pacey looked at her tenderly, and smiled. "You tired?" he asked as he placed the tray down on the small coffee table in front of the sofa.
Joey looked up to meet his gaze and shook her head gently. "I'm fine, just been a long day, you know?"
"I know what you mean, except mine is three long days." He nodded in agreement as he adjusted his position to face her.
"So what exciting things have you been cooking up in the kitchen for the past hour?" Joey asked, peering towards the tray, a small smile appearing on her face.
"I present to you," he paused for effect, "popcorn, chocolate crispy cakes and bitter shandy." He grinned proudly as he pointed to each delicacy.
Joey reached forward eagerly, her hand outstretched but before she reached her desired choice, Pacey put a hand in front of her body, stopping Joey in her tracks.
He shook his head playfully. "Ah, ah, ah. I'll get it for you." He waited until she shrunk back in her seat before he asked, "What would you like?"
"I would like a chocolate crispy cake please, although I could have gotten it myself," she retorted with a smirk.
Pacey drew a sharp breath dramatically. "I'm hurt, truly. How could you be so ungrateful?"
Joey reached forward and patted Pacey's arm, gently caressing the bare skin with her delicate fingertips. An uninvited tingle ran up and down his arm, a familiar feeling that was distant, like being reunited with a long lost friend, but the spark wasn't quite the same as it used to be.
"Aw Pace, I'm sorry," she mocked, easily falling into the all too familiar banter they shared. But Joey felt it wasn't enough to cover the raw, tense emotion between them.
Casually, she retracted her arm and Pacey, not missing a beat chimed, "What's the matter, Jo? I don't have the plague, do I?"
"Do you want to truth?"
"Should I be afraid of the truth?"
"I would be if I was in your position." Joey laughed and raised her eyebrows in ridicule.
Pacey frowned and crossed his arms. "And here I thought one shower a week was enough."
"I always thought you smelled a little on the bad side."
"You never used to complain when we were together."
And there it was.
Strike one.
It was the first acknowledgement of their relationship, the first real sentence to confirm that they'd been a couple and for a few moments neither of them dared to move, or even breathe. The weight of Pacey's statement hung in the air awkwardly like a bad joke at a funeral and Joey couldn't think of a comeback to ease the tension. For the first time, she was stumped.
Pacey cleared his throat loudly and picked up a crispy cake, offering it to Joey with a small smile. It was almost a peace offering, except they hadn't even argued or fallen out. She grinned and held his gaze as she took it, carefully easing the wrapper from around the sides, the thick milk chocolate already beginning to melt as she held it.
The smell of cocoa wafted over her as she bought it to her lips, and she closed her eyes in satisfaction when she took a bite, a little bit of ecstasy as she swallowed. Joey forgot about the tension between them as she consumed the cake, and she reached for the remote, pressing play to drown out the deafening silence.
Pacey let out a small sigh of gratitude and settled back against the sofa, the cushions engulfing him in a warm hug and he felt the rigidness of his muscles relax against the soft material. He couldn't care much for Little Women, he rented that for Joey. All Pacey wanted was to unwind and chill and there was no better way to do that than with her, here in their little hometown.
Stealing a glance, Pacey couldn't suppress the warm feeling engulfing him as he watched her curl her long, slender legs beneath her, the towelling shorts she wore riding higher, revealing a little more bare skin than Pacey could handle. He still felt it; he still felt the fire inside him every time he was near her.
The uncontrollable urge to kiss her, like he did that day coming back from the train station was ever present and as much as he knew he should, he didn't want to stop it. He liked feeling this way, it made him feel human, like he wasn't running away from what was staring him in the face. Because that was what he was doing, he was running away from her, his feelings towards her. He tried the whole, 'lets just be friends' thing, but the truth was it just didn't work. Being in Boston with her was the hardest thing he had to do because he was forced to deny his feelings toward her and be resigned to the fact that they were nothing more than friends and accept they were never going to share the closeness they once had.
He felt heat rising to his cheeks as he thought of her and he swallowed nervously, quickly reaching forward to grab his drink, taking a long swig in an attempt to cool down. Joey glared at him for making any sort of noise and he smiled apologetically, hoping she didn't notice his obvious embarrassment.
When she turned her attention back to the TV, Pacey released the breath he was holding steadily, letting the output of air calm him slightly although it did nothing to stifle his longing. From the corner of his eye, he watched her smile at something on the screen, and carefully edged himself up the sofa slightly, so that his calf was just touching hers, anything just to be close to her and feel her. He trained his eyes on her face, watching for a sign, something to let him know that it was alright to stay there. Instead, he noticed a little frown creep onto her brow and rather forcefully, she moved up, right onto the corner of the cushion.
Strike Two.
Joey heard her heart beating through her body so loudly; the sound coming from the television was muffled and blurred. She felt her chest tighten when she saw his face, the expression there almost unreadable, but he couldn't mask his eyes. The sea blue orbs revealed regret, frustration and sadness. He was never very good at that, masking his emotions, especially when it came to his eyes. Everything could be revealed with just one look from Pacey.
Joey continued watching him for a few moments, her head at a slight angle so as not to make it obvious. Some laughter came from the movie and the corner of Pacey's mouth turned up into a small smile. Joey's frown dissolved and a small sigh escaped from her mouth. She'd forgotten how one smile from him could melt her heart.
Pacey could feel her eyes on him, her stare intense and questioning, but he wouldn't turn around, he couldn't because she'd see what a wreck she was making him. Perhaps staying at the B&B wasn't such a good idea, he was only bound to get hurt by her again, wasn't he? A sigh came from Joey's direction and he couldn't help himself, he turned to face her.
Blue met brown in an awkward stare, neither one of them sure what do. Blue decided to hold brown's gaze, but she had other ideas. Brown flickered her eyes around, looking anywhere but blue's. Almost as quickly as they locked, the connection was lost, brown severing their bond.
Joey stared dead ahead at the television, not daring to blink or breathe. Images flashed on the television but Joey couldn't see them, all she could see was the ocean. An ocean filled with thoughts, secrets and feelings. It was deep, deeper than she imagined and Joey felt like she was drowning. She knew she'd been caught, took the bait, just as she did many years ago. Getting off the hook was going to be hard because once you took Pacey's bait, you were a goner.
"Joey, are you alright?" Pacey asked her, his voice concerned. "You seem miles away."
Joey smiled absently as she stared at the television screen. "I…erm…I'm just a little tired, that's all."
Pacey nodded in satisfaction and smiled, before turning his attention back to the movie, grabbing a handful of popcorn in the process. He was confused, one minute she was moving away from him, the next, she was staring at him as if she wanted him to move closer.
"You know, I think I'm going to bed," Pacey told her as he got up, giving his back a little stretch as he stood.
Joey nodded and smiled, the soft glow of the television highlighting her face. "Alright. Well, I'll be up later."
A look of surprise crossed Pacey's face at her response, but Joey was quick to recover. "No, I mean I'll be up to my own room later."
Pacey grinned and touched her arm tenderly, before giving her a quick peck on the cheek, his lips soft against her skin. "I know. See you in the morning."
Joey closed her eyes as he leant in, willing her body not to respond to his touch. "Yeah, goodnight, Pace."
He turned and made his way to the door, but he lingered in the doorframe and watched her for a few moments. He was in a trance, there was no other way to describe it and he didn't even notice her turn around.
"Pacey? What are you doing?"
He shook his head in mild confusion and frowned slightly. What the hell was wrong with him? "Sorry…I…erm, I was just watching you, I couldn't help it. You're beautiful, Jo. You haven't changed a bit."
Strike three.
You're out.
"Goodnight, Pacey," she said firmly with a smile, a faint blush warmed her cheeks when she spoke.
"Goodnight, Joey."
It was then they both knew this week was going to be one hell of a ride.