Page 50 of Reckless

Madison got out of her fitting room in her pencil skirt and blouse. Apparently, she didn’t need anyone telling her how she looked in her dress. She examined Clem from all angles.

“We’re buying it.”

Ten minutes later we were in front of the store, listening to Madison list off tasks she wanted us to handle.

“Mom, you are going to the florist. Clem wants only daffodils. Nothing else. Don’t improvise,” she sent her mother a death glare. “Clem, Lucas is waiting for you at his office. You are going to a cake tasting. Hannah, take this,” Madison handed me a list of names and phone numbers. “Calls these photographers. Find someone available.”

“But we don’t have a date yet,” I started to argue but Madison cut me off.

“Most of those won’t be available anyway. You want to know who has a free Saturday or Sunday in the next month. Write down the date and report back immediately, okay?” I nodded. “I’m going to the venue. The gardens are gorgeous. It’s a secluded hotel for celebrities. And they don’t do weddings. It’s perfect.”

“They don’t do weddings?” Clem asked.

“Yes. They don’t do weddings, which means they will be available. You are getting married there, I can promise you that much. Now, people, go do your thing and don’t screw anything up. I have to go back to New York on Thursday, and I don’t have time to clean up any more messes.”

I noticed Madison didn’t give Tyler anything to do. She didn’t trust him. No one in his family did. I felt bad for leaving him behind like that, so when the others went their ways, I waved the list she gave me in his face.

“I know you love to make phone calls,” I smiled and tried to hide I felt sorry for him. Tyler shook his head with a grim look on his face. “Oh, come on. I could use some help.”

“You’ve got this, little Spencer.” He turned his back on me, his hands shoved in his front pockets, and left.

Chapter Sixteen

Tyler

WednesdayfinallycameandI could already see myself flying off to Boston the next day. Hannah found a photographer. Madison booked the hotel. Everything was sorted out, so I decided not to bring a stripper to my sister’s engagement party. I spent some time considering it for real the previous day, just because I said I would do it, but it wasn’t worth it at this point. I was so close to getting out of this.

I made another important decision related to the party. I wasn’t going to sabotage it, but I wasn’t going to help either. Not that I wanted to be here in the first place, but the way they left me out of everything the previous day made it obvious. No one trusted me. Fine by me.

So the moment the people from the catering company arrived and I let them in, I snuck off to the Coles’. Troy and I played videogames for about an hour. Then Hannah Spencer bolted in their living room and stood right in front of the TV.

She wore a simple white tee and those daisy dukes that barely covered her ass. She had makeup on and approximately a third of her hair was in waves, the rest straight. Her face was red, her nostrils flaring. I tried not to, but I grinned. I opened my mouth to ask her if there was a problem, but she didn’t even let me start.

“Go to your mother’s house and stay there.”

Your mother’s house. Not your house. Not home. She treated me like a stray dog, just like the others. It was true that I had told her myself it wasn’t my house, but hearing it from her mouth made me want to break something. Her spirit was the less expensive and the most alluring option in that moment.

“I’m good right here,” I stared her down.

She took a few steps closer to me and I heard Troy murmur under his breath that I was an idiot.

“You just have to stay there, for fuck’s sake!” Hannah exploded like I had never seen her. Her eyes were huge. Wild. “They will do everything. You just have to be there.”

“I don’t see a reason for that,” I shrugged “They can decorate a fucking yard and find the kitchen on their own. The house isn’t that big.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” She said more to herself than to me. I took the things a step further.

“Would you mind moving your ass?” I asked, repeating her question from Monday afternoon when we were at Clem’s new house. “We are trying to play a game here.”

“Dude,” Troy whispered shouted.

“What?”

“That’s rude. Hannah’s nice.”

Fuck. The kid was right, she was nice. Always had been.

I felt something flip inside my chest. It had to be my heart, but I gave it to the unhealthy lifestyle I was leading. I wasn’t getting enough sleep on regular basis and I didn’t remember the last time I ate something green.

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