Page 88 of Reckless

“How would you feel if I asked you out on a real date? Like a normal human being would.”

I blinked, searching his face for a sign he was joking. Although I didn’t believe he would joke with this. He could never be so cruel. I swallowed and a smile stretched my face to the point of pain. My hand traveled up to his neck, fingers sliding in his hair.

“Happy,” I said. “Very, very happy.”

***

Tyler came to pick me up from my parents’ house the next day. He looked rested and gorgeous as always, while I felt and probably looked like a sleep-deprived zombie, even though I certainly had more sleep than him. I was on the phone with Clem, so I just waved him in and led him to the living room.

We hadn’t spent the night together like we planned. Madison wanted him to help her after the guests left. Apparently Parker Wilson, the hotel owner, wanted everything gone by sunrise. I tried to stay with them and help, but Madison definitely wanted me gone. So Tyler shoved me into a taxi.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Clem said to me over the phone, while I looked at her brother getting comfortable in my parents’ living room. I left him there and entered the kitchen.

“I never thought you would turn into a mother hen,” I teased. Then added with a firm tone. “We are both adults. I can handle this.”

Clem had cornered me at the reception after my intimate dance with Tyler. Since we were not in the friends with benefits territory anymore and he planned on asking me out on a real date, I decided to come clean. I explained the fuck buddy situation and the new development. I omitted to share the story about our one-night stand from five years ago. In the light of day and after a few hours of getting used to the idea, her shock had morphed into a disapproval. She had an even more somber view of the situation.

“Is this about Nick?” Clem asked.

“No.”

“Are you depressed about the breakup?”

“No,” I laughed. “I’m not depressed. I’m perfectly happy I broke up with Nick.”

“I don’t understand,” Clem continued. “I thought you got over Tyler.”

“Look. He’s here and we have to leave soon, so I don’t have much time to talk. Just relax, okay? Everything is good. I feel good. We are good.” I paused, then added. “He has been great. I promise.”

When I returned to the living room, I found my mother and Tyler laughing next to one of the shelfs.

“Do you have to show that to everyone that comes in here?” I asked my mother, knowing exactly which photo they were watching.

“He was already looking around,” she shrugged in an attempt to portrait herself innocent. “I just told him where to find the good stuff.”

The good stuff she referred to was a picture of me dressed as an eggplant for Halloween. I was ten years old. It was way beyond the age that would be considered cute and not a laughing matter.

“I tried to change her mind,” my mother giggled. “But there is no changing Hannah’s mind when she decides she wants something.”

“I suspected that about her.” Tyler looked at me and it felt like he was peeling the skin off my body, the flesh off my bones. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was strange. Like he knew more about me than he led on up until now.

An awkward silence fell between us, while Tyler just stared at me. My mother moved and stood behind his back, mouthing to me.

“What’s going on?” She pointed between me and him with her finger. Then Dad walked in and interrupted us. He was dressed in jeans and a simple white t-shirt. I was so used to seeing him in suits that he looked like a different person. He shook Tyler’s hand and quickly caught up with the topic.

“Lauren loves to show people that picture,” then Harry Spencer focused his attention on me. “We didn’t have time for our talk.”

“Next time.”

“I could drive you to the airport. Grab some coffee and talk it out,” he suggested.

I shook my head. “The taxi will be here any minute.”

Dad just nodded and didn’t say much else after that. Ten minutes later we sat in the car. I let out a long relaxing exhale. Tyler reached over and cupped my knee.

“I didn’t know you were so weird around your Dad.”

“You are weird around your entire family.”

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