Page 44 of Stirred Up

“Mom, hi.” I embrace her, shushing my chuckle.

“I told you not to say anything to her tonight,” she chastises my father in a whisper.

“If my daughter’s sick I want to know it!” he retorts.

They lock eyes, a discussion with no words being heldbetween them. I’ve seen it before; they rarely fight, just exchange looks that put issues to rest, but tonight it baffles me.

“When you’re ready to talk to us, we’ll be there to listen,” my mother says to me.

My father wraps an arm around her waist and kisses her hair; I have to smother a sigh at their easy comfort with each other.

“How do you do it?” I ask. I’ve never questioned their relationship before, but I need to understand why some people have it so easy.

“Do what, honey?” my father asks.

“You never fight. You’re always affectionate, still stealing kisses after all these years. How do you do it? How does it work so well for you?”But not meI want to add but don’t.

“That’s simple,” my mother starts then looks up to my father to finish.

“I married my best friend,” he says.

My mother snuggles him closer, nodding her head.

Best friends.I swallow hard, a tight smile forming to appease them, but it’s filled with sadness and before I canhelp it, my chin starts quivering, my eyes prickling with tears.

My head bounces in understanding. “I need some air. Excuse me.” I back away and turn quickly, pushing through the guests littering the dance floor searching for an escape.

My mother’s voice calls my name but I don’t stop, rushing my steps, shouldering people aside until I realize there’s only one escape and I refuse to run into Brady macking on some bimbo. I can’t handle it.

Darting my head back and forth, I’m granted a moment of mercy when I spot an exit sign glaring along the back wall. I nearly sprint toward it as imagines of Brady kissing her, sliding his hands under that skimpy dress riddle my flustered mind. I tug at my necklace, now choking me, suffocating me. I desperately need air.

It’s not just Brady I picture, but Dr. Reynolds now too, groping her in his office, spreading her legs in his stirrups. She’s probably his patient, after all. It’s all some bad joke.

I knock over a poor waiter, champagne flutes flying off his tray and shattering on the ground, spraying guestswith the bubbling liquid. A quick “sorry” is all I can offer, though. I’m too close to freedom to stop.

I spot Ashley beside my brother, laughing at something he’s saying. She’s a sweet girl; I feel bad that she fell for Brady’s charm. I wonder if she spent any time looking for him when she came out of the ladies’ room. Brady’s a jerk, I’m a jerk and this whole mess is deserved.

My palms slam open the doors and I suck in a deep lungful of cool night air. I’m standing on a gated alcove covered with a massive awning overhead with no guests around, nothing but one dying light hanging down. I welcome the darkness. It suits my mood.

Clawing at the back of my neck, unable to remove my damn necklace, my sobs begin to spill out. “Dammit!”

“Shh.” A gentle voice caresses my back as do strong hands that move mine away to easily unclasp the jewelry. It’s Brady that steps around me and places it in my hand, but I already knew at first touch that it was him.

“That was quick!” I snarl, stumbling back, swiping angrily at my damn tears. “Where’d you fuck her? In the parking lot?” My laugh is harsh, cruel even to my own ears. With a sinister sneer, I step back into him. “You’re such agoddamn prick!”

“Is that so?” His voice is steady, indifferent. Nothing but a cool façade, albeit his glittering eyes that sheen with something else.

“Yes! Yes, it is so. Why even bring a date if you were going to screw around, huh? You just don’t care who you hurt!”

His arms fly out to the sides, teeth bearing with his roar. “Oh, I care! I care too damn much! It’s you that’s heartless.”

I recoil at his tone. “Heartless?” I breathe.

When he takes a step closer, the dim light highlights the sharpness of his tense features. “I didn’t bring a date tonight. I asked the only girl I wanted here with me and she turned me down. Like she always does.”

I shake my head. “No, no you brought Ashley. You wanted to make me jealous and—”

“And it did,” he finishes.

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