Page 77 of How to Ruin Your Ex's Wedding
Live in the moment, seize the day, and all that crap.
Not to mention, Pax saved me from something potentially embarrassing. Or at least from having pictures taken of me that would be misconstrued into something embarrassing.
The music slows considerably. I rest my cheek against his shoulder and let my body melt into him just a bit. I’m tired from all the dancing. Tired from all thoughts, comforted by the familiarity of his body. If Pax and I did still have feelings for each other, the song would be ironic. The chorus talks about the guy being someone that the woman loved. He let his guard down and she pulled the rug out from under him.
An argument could be made for—
It doesn’t matter Tabatha. It’s just a song.
I’m getting married in a week.
My face flushes as I admit to myself that Pax still excites me. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t nice to be back in his arms again. I may hate him, but I love him too. As someone I have a past with, as my first love. Nothing more.
I raise my head slightly to look for my friends. Gregor is dancing with Maisey. She looks dreamy. Like happy dreamy. Maybe Igor BigJerksy isn’t so bad after all. Angela and Crystal are next to them, swaying back and forth with one another.
All in all, I’m going to say that this has been a really fantastic evening, which makes me smile.
Then my head starts to spin.
22
Pax
It’s clear Tabatha and the girls have had way too much to drink. That was evident when I saw Tabby up on the table dancing while that little shit actor egged her on. It was actually a surprise to run into them. Well, for me anyway. Gregor knew they were coming here because Maisey told him. I should have known something was up when he suggested stopping in for a quick drink after we left Hunter’s gig. Gregor rarely wants to stop in for a quick drink anywhere that he doesn’t already own. And especially not a club.
I look at him dancing with Maisey. He seems pretty fucking happy with himself right now. Not that I’m complaining. I’ve got Tabby in my arms and it feels good. Right, even. It makes me wonder if we could ever work things out. Maybe Gregor is right and I’m not over her. On the one hand, I find it hard to believe that I found my one true love—if such a thing even exists—when I was so young. On the other hand, I can’t imagine ever being with anyone else. And if I had a third hand, that one would be slapping me across the face and reminding me she drives me batshit crazy half the time.
Tabatha’s body grows heavy against me. “You okay, Tabs?” I ask, my mouth so close to her ear that my lips brush against her skin.
She shakes her head.
“I don’t feel so good,” she mumbles.
I steer her into one of the available unisex restrooms, trying to gesture to Crystal at the same time, who is still dancing with Angela. We barely make it into the stall before Tabs is emptying the contents of her stomach, which clearly contained very little food. I hold her hair out of her face and rub her back.
“Oh, Pax, this is not good,” she groans, her insides erupting again. And again. I flush the toilet as she lowers to her knees and leans her face against the tile wall. I reach behind us to get a cloth and dampen it for her forehead and the back of her neck.
The door opens and Crystal walks in. “Is she okay?”
I shake my head.
“Oh, honey.” Crystal kneels next to her, pushing her hair back from her face.
“I can’t do this, Crystal,” Tabby moans.
“I know, honey. Nobody likes to throw up. It’s awful.”
“No, I can’t marry Hunter. He won’t pound me against the wall.”
I try to stop myself from snickering. Not very well if the look Crystal gives me is any indication.
Tabby keeps talking. “We’re in our thirties. That’s young, right?”
“It is, it’s so young. We have our whole lives ahead of us,” Crystal murmurs as she brushes the hair back from Tabatha’s face again and again.
“Does Michael pound you against the wall?” Tabatha’s voice is pitiful.
Crystal looks at me, I shrug. I’m pretty sure I know what Tabatha is talking about, and she’s right. Hunter is never going to be that guy to lose control and take her against the wall. Then I think back to the number of times thatI’vetaken Tabs against the wall. Including that last day when she threw me out. The hate fuck. Hottest goddamn sex I’ve ever had, hands down. She was all claws and teeth, it was exceptional.
