Page 76 of Holly Freakin' Hughes

To spare my heart would have meant to havenever experienced her in any possible way, and as my most vital organ remindedme that it was still somehow beating, albeit painfully, I replied, “No.”

“I didn’t think so,” Dad said, and I could tellhe was smiling. “Hey, you think there’s any chance of getting back together?That can happen, you know.”

“Yeah, I don’t know about this time, Dad. Shewas pretty upset.”

He sighed sadly. “Well, you’re a smart kid.Maybe you’ll think of a way to fix it.”

I had to wonder if he was disappointed. Iimagined my parents wishing for a wedding to fawn over, a daughter-in-law tofall in love with, and grandchildren to worship. And since I hadn’t held up onmy end of that unspoken bargain, I pictured myself to be the biggest failure intheir eyes, despite single-handedly supporting them in their golden years. Theynever said it, but they never had to; because without the dance recitals,sonogram pictures, and bridal showers to talk about with the shuffleboard crew,what good was I?

Not surprisingly, Dad didn’t bother commentingany further on the breakup. What else was there to say? “Of course, you’rewelcome to come down, Brandon. You know that. We’ll get the guest room readyfor you. Oh, and by the way, son, let’s not tell your mother that you haven’tbeen with Holly this whole time, okay? Not sure if she’d let Birdy live throughthat.” He paused, and chuckled. “On second thought, maybe …”

“I’ll get the shovel,” I managed to joke, onlyable to twitch the very beginnings of a smile.

After hanging up, I wondered what he would tellmy mother. I could just see her, wringing her hands with worry over how I wasgoing to get myself through this one, but then thanking the Lord that I had thesense to come down to them before doing anything drastic. She could dote on meand make certain that I was treating myself right during the difficult time.Hell, I was finding that I almost looked forward to the constant home-cookedmeals and the company—but, I reminded myself, I could have had that full-timewith Holly had I just opened my goddamn mouth earlier when I should have.

Or if I had just been a normal fucking person,Ithought angrily to myself, shutting off the phone before heading down the hallto pack my things.

CHAPTER THIRTY

HOLLY

“Okay, but can I justsay something?”

My mom, the woman who had reacted to the end ofmy relationship with Stephen with, “Well, I can’t say I didn’t see that onecoming,” didn’t need to give me her two cents on my running out on a gorgeousmultimillionaire.

“Oh, please, Kathy. Go ahead,” Esther urged,lifting her cup of tea to her lips.

And you call yourself a friend, old woman.

Mom spread her hands out on the table, lookinginto her own mug. “I just want to point out that my daughter, my first born,slept withB. Davis. I just …” She closed her eyes, relishing in thedetails of my tornado of a romantic life. “I just can’t wrap my head aroundthat.”

“He really is a hot one,” Esther grinned,waggling her eyebrows at my mother.

“God, hereallyis,” Mom sighed. Hereyes snapped open, looking directly at me with the heels of my palms squashingagainst my forehead. “How did you not know, Holly? How did you manage to talkto the guy for months without any clue of who he was? Are you living under agoddamn rock?”

“Gee, I guess so, Mom. Just installed some newmoss. You should come over and check it out sometime,” I grumbled, but theabsurdity wasn’t lost on me.

“It’s almost as good as her not knowing the guyshe was dating was gay, right?” Liz mumbled, peering at me over the steamingmug she held.

“Oh, low blow,” Esther said with a cackle.

The meeting of the minds had been orchestratedby Liz immediately after receiving my phone call. I had assumed it to be somesort of intervention when we got to the house to find the two women sitting atthe kitchen table with prepared mugs of tea waiting for our arrival. Maybe toinsist that I should just stay away from men for a while, but no, Heaven forbidI assume they cared that much about my life. Because instead of anintervention, they had gathered to gawk over my apparent one-night stand with acelebrity, who just so happened to be one of my mom’s favorite authors.

Seriously, how did I not know who he is?

Hollyfreakin’Hughes.Freakin’ oblivious.

“So, when are you seeing him again?” Mom asked,rubbing her hands together, making no attempt at hiding her scheming. “I needto know so that I can bring my books for him to sign.”

My hands dropped from my forehead to stare ather, throwing forth all of the disgust I could muster in one look. “Youarekidding me, right?” She shook her head, raising her hands with confusion. “Youguys are completely overlooking the fact that the guyhidthis prettyimportant little bit of information from meaftertelling me he lovedme,afterhaving sex with me. And never mind the fact that he is way outof my league. I mean, this is all a—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa … wait a minute. He told youthat helovesyou?” Liz’s mouth fell open, so that she resembled abug-eyed fish. “Holly … A very rich, very famous, and very—” She flashed theGoogle page of Brandon pictures she had been scrolling through on her phonetoward me. “—very,verygorgeous man confessed his love for you beforegiving you the best sex of your life, and youwalkedouton him?”

For the record, I had never said it was thebest sex of my life.

Also for the record, it really was.

“Howveryshallow of you, Liz,” I saidflatly, my mouth forming a tense line as my eyes narrowed.

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