Chapter 14
Love Drives Us All Crazy
"Do you want to know the reason why I wanted to wait so long before we took that next step?" Spencer asked as her hand trailed over the exposed skin on Toby's chest.
Spencer and Toby had fallen asleep last night on the beach. It sounded romantic, but Toby got the short end of the deal. In the middle of the night when a breeze came over the beach, Spencer started to shiver in her sleep. So, Toby took off his jacket and wrapped it around her small frame. He pulled her body on top of his and snuggled her close.
Toby woke up the next morning feeling like he froze his fingers off and he had sand in all the wrong places. But it was worth it when he saw Spencer's smile when she woke up to a sunrise on a beach. That's all he could have hoped for
"Why?" Toby asked.
"I was scared for two reasons. I was afraid that I wouldn't be any good at it because you've been with plenty of women and I've only been with two guys. And that if I did share myself with you, then you'd leave me because you got what you wanted and I didn't want to lose you."
He kissed the crown of her head as she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck."After being with you, none of those other girls could even compare. And I'd never leave you, not for anything. Besides if I did, then who'd cook my meals everyday."
She smacked his arm when he teased her. Her laughed before bringing her hand up to his lips to kiss them. He could get used to kissing every inch of her body for the rest of his life.
"What's your favorite thing you love about me?" He murmured against her smooth skin.
"I love your eyes." She confessed as she readjusted her body, so that she could straddle him and get a good look at his eyes."There's so beautiful. Their blue like the ocean sometimes and sometimes blue like the sky. Not only that, but they tell me how you're feeling. They let me know everything I need to know about you or how you feel about me."
He reached up and his hands skimmed under her shirt to feel her soft skin."I love your skin."
She giggled at him when he playfully tickled her sides for a moment."Why my skin?"
"It lets me know that you're really here and not a dream. I love the way when our skin touches because it gives me an undeniable feeling of warmth. I love the way your skin reacts to my touch." He leaned up to kiss her exposed stomach and immediately felt the goosebumps spread on her body.
"I hate how you know my body." She teased.
"I got really aquatinted with it last night, but I can tell you a secret." He leaned up to whisper in her ear."I'm gonna be spending a lot of time learning every curve, mark, or sensitive spot on your body."
"For how long?" She questioned serious and he smiled at her before pecking her lips.
"For as long as you want me."
Her hands combed their way into his hair."Then I guess you're gonna be around for a long time." He smiled up at before she reconnected their lips and they fell back into the sand and got lost in each other.
"Alright, we've been patient, but now's the time to spill it." Hanna said to Spencer. Emily and Aria were close behind her they approached Spencer sitting at the little table in the kitchen.
"I don't know what you mean?" Spencer said innocently as she continued to flip through her magazine.
After Toby and Spencer spent most of the morning enjoying the beach, they had to tear themselves apart before her family and friends sent out a search party for them. They walked hand in hand into the house and into the dinning room for breakfast. That received stares from everyone, but they didn't care because all that mattered was that they were okay.
They ate breakfast in a comfortable silence with the occasional talk of the party happening that night. Toby just couldn't keep his hands off of Spencer during the entire meal. Whether it was him placing his hand on her knee or kissing her neck when no one was paying attention to them. He couldn't help it because he felt so close to her after last night.
All of that stopped after breakfast because Mrs. Hastings sent the men outside to work. Some of the crew needed help setting up the party while her and Melissa went out into town to find Melissa new dress because he baby belly wasn't letting her fit the one she wanted to wear. And Maya tagged along too because she didn't bring any dresses because she found out about the trip so last minute.
Mrs. Hastings left Spencer and the girls in charge of supervising until she returned. Spencer decided to wait on the girls was they finished showering and changing into something to wear for the afternoon, she was already dressed since her and Toby were quick to shower after breakfast. She expected them to get right to work when they were finished, but she didn't expect for them to give her the third degree.
"Spencer, you know we want to talk about you and Toby. You've kept it from us for long enough. Don't you think it's time you let us in about it?" Emily questioned and Spencer felt guilty. They had always been best friends and here she was keeping the guy she loved a secret from them.
She closed her magazine and gestured for her friends to join her at the small table."It wasn't a planned thing. I didn't expect to fall for him, so quickly, but I did."
"Fall for? Like as in love?" Aria asked and Spencer nervously bit her lip and nodded her head.
"It was something that happened a little while after Noel's party. We hung out a few times and then a friendship grew. Then that friendship grew into something more."
Hanna squinted her eyes at her friend curiously."Did he give you that necklace? Because I've never seen it before."
"Yeah, he gave it to me after we'd been seeing each other for a month. Before then we weren't a couple, but we were trying to figure out if we wanted to be or not. He gave me the necklace the same time be asked me to be his girlfriend."
"I just can't believe Toby tied himself down. He's never been in a relationship for as long as I could remember. But with you I know it's different Spencer."
"He's says I'm different from all those other girls, but it's only been a month and he doesn't know everything bad about me. I'm not perfect and you guys know that."
Aria leaned in closer to whisper."Spencer, what happened in the past is the past. You can't change it, but you can move on from it."
"Aria's right." Hanna interjected."Toby loves you and you love him. So the past doesn't matter. All that matters is that you guys are together and are happy. Nothing's gonna change that."
Well, something might change that. Toby confided in her about having killed someone. She's the only that knows besides Dr. Sullivan and that's how he wanted to keep it. Their tomorrow wasn't promised and Spencer knew that. But she also knew that Toby would be worth the fight.
Spencer looked out of the big window and saw Toby helping set up a table. Like he knew that she was watching, he looked up and smiled at her before finishing his task. She felt warm all over just from that one smile and somehow it made her feel like everything was gonna be okay.
"So you and Spencer." Caleb stated as all the guys took a break and sat down on the wicker couch by the pool.
Toby looked at him curiously as Ezra passed him a water."What about me and Spencer?"
"You guys are together? Like together as in a couple?"
"Yep, she loves me and I love her." He said with a smile on his face, when her face popped into his head.
"Wow, love. That's sounds serious, Tobes." Ezra commented."So you guys have been seeing each other for how long?"
"For a month, but we officially started dating about a week or so ago."
"And when do you think you're gonna tell, Jake?" Caleb asked and Toby had almost forgot about his friends feelings for Spencer. He was glad Jake hadn't came with everyone because he didn't want him to find out like that.
Toby shrugged his shoulders."I don't know. I guess when we get back."
"Don't worry about Jake man." Ezra said."Ever since he met Jess at that bar, she's all he's been able to talk about. I think he's moved on to someone else and he won't care about you and Spence."
"Enough about me. How are you guys? How are your relationships?"
Caleb and Ezra looked at each other with a knowing look. Ezra looked around to make sure that no one was watching before he pulled something out of his pocket. He quickly placed it in Toby's hands.
"Don't tell Aria. It's a surprise."
Toby opened the box and inside was a diamond ring."Holy crap, you're proposing?"
"Yes, but not now. When he get back home and I'm gonna take her out to dinner. The plan was to hide the ring in her desert." Ezra had a big smile on her face and Toby couldn't be more happy for his friend.
"Congratulations, Ezra." He handed the ring back to Ezra before taking a few more sips of his water.
"So, Toby, thinking about popping the question anytime soon." Caleb asked and Toby choked on his water, earning a few snickers from his friends. He and Spencer talked about serious things, but not about marriage or kids. It was too soon for that, it's only been a month.
"No, for right now it is what it is."
"And what exactly does that mean?"
Toby glanced down at his fake watch before standing up. "It means that it's time for us to get back to setting up."
Toby walked away from his friends before they could ask anymore questions. Kids and marriage were the farthest things from Toby's mind because this was still his first serious relationship. And because he could be leaving her soon, so why leave her with false hope that he would always be there?
"Are you okay? You looked pretty spaced out." Spencer asked Toby when she noticed his odd behavior.
He was being quiet. Too quiet. And he wasn't making eye contact with her and he was barely holding a conversation with her. He was fine this morning, but now everything's different. She thought he just might have been a little tired from everything they've been dealing with, but he assured her that it wasn't that.
He kept saying he was fine and she believed him. It wasn't until they were getting ready for her parents anniversary party that she knew something was terribly wrong. After he finished getting dressed, he disappeared from the room and went and stood out on the balcony. Spencer leaned against the doorframe and just watched him for a few minutes. His shoulders were slouched, his eyes were distant. She watched him until she couldn't hold her tongue anymore and asked if he was okay.
"Nothing's wrong. I just needed some air." He sighed and he didn't even turn to look at her as he spoke.
"Is it about us? Did I do something wrong?"
"Don't do that." He said angrily and this time he did turn to look at her."Don't ever blame yourself for something that's wrong with me. It's not about you just know that."
"Then what is it about?" She threw her arms up in frustration."Because I'm seriously lost here. Talk to me, Toby. In a relationship couples communicate and right now you're not doing a very good job of doing that."
"Spencer, not that long ago I didn't have to worry about communicating. So excuse me for not knowing what to do or how to act all the time."
"I'm not telling you to do anything. I'm just trying to be here to support you and there's nothing wrong with just wanting to talk-"
"Spencer, don't talk to me like we're in group right. If I don't want to talk I don't have to."
She scoffed at him."I'm not doing that. I'm talking to you as your girlfriend, who you claim to love, but won't tell me what's wrong with you."
"Just let it go." He murmured as he passed by her to go back into the bedroom, but she was quick on his heels.
She grabbed his forearm and turned him around to face her."No, because we were fine this morning, but now you're acting like an asshole and I have the right to know why."
"Fine, you want the truth?" He asked and she nodded her head."I'm not gonna have kids with you or marry you."
"What?"
"There I said it." He sat down the bed and placed his head in his hands."If I go away I don't want to leave you with a child that you'll have to take care of by yourself. If I go away then it would be selfish for me to ask you to wait for me. Spencer, I've never been a selfish person, but with you I want to be. I want to keep you all to myself and never give you up."
She sat down next to him and placed a comforting hand on his knee."Where is this all coming from?"
"The guys and I were talking earlier about us and what was planned for our future. Expect, I didn't know what to say because I don't know if they'll still be an us in a few months."
"Hey, look at me." She grabbed the back of his neck and lifted his head up to make him look at her."There's going to be an us in future I promise. As for the kids and marriage thing, I'm not ready and we've only been together for a little while. We still have plenty of time to see where we wanna take this relationship."
"So, we're okay?"
"Yes, but you've got to talk to me more. I can't know what's going in your head if you don't tell me."
He pecked her kiss."I promise that I will from now on as long as you do the same for me."
"You've got yourself a deal." She promised and he grabbed her hand to kiss every knuckle. Within a few minutes they heard music sounding from the backyard and the voices of chattering people. That meant the party had started and the guests were here.
"Looks like we've got a party to get to." He said as he stood up and then held out his hand for Spencer. They walked hand in hand out of the room and to the backyard.
Spencer scanned the room and looked for the one object she needed. She opened drawers and cabinets and just about everything until she found what she needed. The wrapped gift was hidden under the floor boards and it wasn't an easy thing to find.
Melissa had asked Spencer a little while into the party, if she could go and get their parents anniversary present. Spencer of course said yes because her sister made a comment about her aching feet. She slipped away from the large crowds of family and her parents friends to go inside the house to retrieve the present.
Melissa said it was hidden and she hide it pretty good. Spencer grabbed her purse and the gift, so she could get back outside to Toby. As she was walking down the hall, two hands reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her into a closet. Spencer thought it was Toby because he commented that's he'd be missing her until she returned. Expect, when she finally turned around it wasn't Toby.
"Wren?" She questioned and he just smiled at her."What are you doing?"
"Sorry, if I scared you love, but I had to see you. I couldn't with that carpenter around." He reached out stroke her face, but she pushed his hand away.
"Wren, stop it." She demanded and tried to leave, but he blocked the door.
"I can't, Spencer. You've been on my mind everyday and night. How do you think I felt when I saw that psychopath opening your door in the middle of the night?"
"Don't call him that!" She snapped."What I do with, Toby is none of your business. I'm not your business anymore."
"But I love you. I've loved for as long as can remember and you've never said it to me." He said."But then this guy comes along and you're saying I love you to him all the time like you've know him for years."
She crossed her arms over her chest."You're right. I do say it because I feel like I've known him for years. He's special to me Wren and when I say I love him I mean it. I'm sorry, but you can never be him."
"You're just gonna cut me off like that?" He chuckled in disbelief."I only came here this weekend to win you back."
"Well, it's not gonna happen. When its time to leave tomorrow I'm leaving with Toby."
"And what would your parents say if they found out about him and the group?"
"I don't care, Wren. Tell my parents, tell the whole world if you want to, but nothing is gonna make me leave, Toby." She pushed him aside, so that she could leave. But before she left, she turned to him and said."This is goodbye, Wren. And I mean it."
He watched from afar as she reentered the backyard. She seemed frustrated at first, but got better as she approached her sister. He watched her hand over the gift before eyes started scanning the yard. He smiled because he knew that she was looking for him. He excused himself from his conversation with Jason to head over to his girl. A smile spread across her face as he drew closer to her. He held out his hand in front of her.
"May I have this dance milady?" He asked and she giggled before taking his hand and he lead them into the middle of the crowd.
"Wow, I didn't know you were such a good dancer." She commented as he moved them in perfect motion to the song.
She shrugged slightly."I come with a lot of surprises." He dipped her before slowing bring her back up to him."And because my mom put me in dance lessons when I was eight."
"You never talk about them, you know? You parents or what your life was like before you met me."
"It's not something that I like to share."
"Will you tell me about? Someday?"
He smirked before kissing her temple."Yeah, someday. But for right now all I can think about is that this is our last night I paradise."
"You call this paradise? Toby, we've been through hell these last few days."
"True, but we worked past all of those obstacles and now our relationship is stronger after that."
"We did get closer this weekend."
He leaned down to huskily whisper in her ear."I feel like I have an idea on how to end this trip on a good note since it's been pretty bad."
"And exactly did you have in mind?" She questioned as he pressed her body closer to hers and his eyes changed to a darker shade of blue.
"Wanna ditch this party and go do something a little more fun?" He questioned.
"No." She teased and he looked shocked by her answer."I think I want to stay here and enjoy the party. I'll probably pass out in bed by the time with thing is over."
"Are you messing with me, Hastings?"
She laughed before grabbing his hand and tugging him until his feet started to follow her. She lead them through all the people, but she didn't miss the knowing looks from her friends as she made it to the backdoor. Spencer was quick to open the door and once they were inside, Toby picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
"Toby, put me down!" She demanded, but her laughter wasn't convincing him at all.
"No way. We've got about seven more hours before he have to catch the boat back to Massachusetts and I'm gonna make sure we enjoy this."
"And what are we gonna do for seven hours?"
"I'm gonna keep you locked in our room and make love to you until the sun comes up." He finally reached their bedroom and kicked the door shut behind them.