Page 79 of Piece Of Me

Taz rolled his eyes.

“What? I like potato salad.”

After Mike Paul left Taz wandered into the house. It was nearly half past four, and his place was as quiet as a church. He thought about going to his mother’s, but knew she enjoyed her alone time with the girls, and at loose ends, tidied up the movie bin, the book bin and then plumped some pillows. Damn, he could give Martha Stewart a run for her money.

If the guys could see me now.

He scowled, irritated with himself, and scooped his phone from his pocket. It was an automatic thing and he scrolled down, but there were no new messages. Definitely nothing from the only person he wanted to hear from. He didn’t want to think about what she was doing. About whom she was doing whatever the hell it was, with.

“Pathetic,” he muttered darkly. He pocketed the cell, glanced at the clock in the kitchen and then thought screw it. If he was going to be a miserable asshole he might as well spread it around, and be miserable with his buddies.

Twenty minutes later he was showered and changed and had let Rich know he was coming to town. Rich was around to look after getting the horses in before dusk and would make sure all was well with the menagerie that called his ranch home.

He hopped in the truck and pointed it toward Big Bend. A half an hour later he pulled up to Johnny’s place and then made his way around back. The guys from his ball team were there as well as a bunch of kids running mad and messing about the way kids do. He spied Johnny and Mike Paul and walked over.

“Glad you made it,” Johnny said with grin. “Your timing is perfect, as always.” He handed Taz a beer and then excused himself. “The steaks are nearly done.”

“The girls are inside,” Mike Paul said. “In case you were wondering.”

“I’m not.” He frowned, studying his friend. Mike Paul looked off. “You don’t look so good. Are you okay?”

“She’s here.”

“Who?”

“Ivy.”

That did surprise him. “I didn’t know she was in town.”

“Neither did I. Apparently she’s here because there’s a baby shower for Millie Sue on Sunday.”

Taz couldn’t help but grin, happy to have someone else’s misery to dwell on. “I wonder if you’ll find that alone time you were talking about.” At Mike Paul’s alarmed look, he chuckled. “You know to get things out in the open. Share your feelings.”

“Go to hell,” Mike Paul replied with a frown.

“Buddy,” Taz raised his bottle. “I’m already there.”

“Shit, here they come.”

“I’d tell you to hold on to your balls, but I think you’ve already lost them.”

Mike Paul ignored his comment and moved to the other side of the yard, about as far away from Ivy as he could get.

Poor bastard, Taz thought. He listened to the buzz from the folks gathered in the backyard, all of them happy, at least from what he could gather, and he thought that maybe he’d overshot. He wasn’t good company for anyone.

“Taz, I didn’t expect to see you.” Lacey stood a few feet away. She tapped her toes nervously and attempted a smile, but it came off more like a wince. He knew she and Scarlett had become close over the summer and he wondered if she knew the answers to the questions he’d been asking for days now.

“Can I talk to you?” he said, taking the large platter from her hands and placing it on the table behind him.

“I have to get, um, some more napkins and I think we’re short on paper plates.”

He raised his eyebrow and pointed to the huge pile on the table. “I think we’re good and…” He dropped any pretense. “I’m worried about Scarlett.”

She was still unsure and conflicted, that much was obvious, but she didn’t shoot him down, which was encouraging.

“Look, if she asked you to keep a secret then do it. I don’t want you to break her confidence. I just need to know if she’s okay.”

Lacey moved a bit so that they were out of earshot to the rest of the group, and he followed her. For a long time, she said nothing and then she faced him.

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