Page 35 of Fairy Tale Lies
“No. We broke up—”
Lily’s eyes widened.
Messy dread bloomed in Greta’s chest, like a field of poisonous, revolting flowers.He’s behind me.
An armed snaked around her waist, pulling her against him. Blake smelled of booze and too much cologne. “I was hoping you’d be here,” he slurred in her ear.
After she stepped to the side and away from his unwanted arms, her relief was immediate, but also short and dismal. His hand returned to the small of her back.
She wanted to slap it away. However, in Blake’s inebriated state, he’d probably cause a scene. She swallowed her annoyance and accepted her Manhattan, thanking the bartender.
She spotted her old neighbor Elizabeth and recalled reading in the local paper that she married a guy who owns some type of eco-friendly company.
Greta waved at Elizabeth, making her way from the bar and Blake. He was busy talking with a guy from his old lacrosse team and didn’t notice her inching away.
Lily smirked, seeming to understand what Greta was doing, and stood between her and Blake, asking him a question and allowing Greta to sneak away. Gratitude flooded her. She owed Lily, big time.
Greta reached Elizabeth and congratulated her, asking about her husband. They talked, and Greta continued to put more distance between herself and Blake.
Lucas, Elizabeth’s husband, sounded like a wonderful man, and Greta was delighted for her friend’s happiness. Their talk also had her thoughts circling back to her ex. She tried to figure if she’d ever glowed when talking about Blake like Elizabeth did with her husband.
If she did, Greta didn’t remember it.
In the beginning, before she noticed the heavy drinking and his wandering eye, she found him handsome and well-suited to her and was happy to have a man her parents liked; however, she was never enamored.
Studying him now, she didn’t find him attractive. He was too perfect. Boring.
Jacob’s messy, carefree good looks outshined Blake’s aristocratic perfection.
A man who could have been a young Gregory Peck joined their group, introducing himself as Lucas. Greta forced her thoughts from her ex and Jacob, asking Elizabeth and her husband how they met.
Heavy drums and bass sang through the night air as a band played the opening chorus of an old 90s song. The booming melody gave Greta an idea for another escape plan.
She set her drink on a nearby table and turned to a man on her right. “Would you like to dance? I love this song.” She gave her friendliest help-me smile.
In truth, she’d never cared for the tune, but that wasn’t the point. At this stage, she’d dance the Macarena with a garden gnome if it got her away from Blake.
The man offered her a smile and his hand. She practically dragged him to the dance floor, wanting to create space between her and her ex before he tried to stop her from leaving.
The relief washing over her was tantamount to a tsunami. She didn’t even care she was running like a frightened child. It gave her what she needed, a way to avoid Blake without creating a scene. She’d hide in the crowd of the dance floor for one song then find Cindy and leave.
However, as she swayed under the summer stars, her steadfast decision to leave flew away on the light breeze. Lily, along with other old friends, joined Greta on the dance floor, and Blake slipped from her mind. She hadn’t danced like this in ages and had forgotten the magic of music.
Her thoughts drifted to Jacob. Next time they spoke, she’d ask if he liked dancing. Picturing his arms wrapped around her, moving to the rhythm, warmed her more than the summer humidity.
A pair of male hands rested on her waist, and Greta jerked away, certain Blake had found her. It was her original dance partner. He appeared confused at her reaction. She offered an apologetic smile before telling him she was leaving.
The reminder of her ex-boyfriend had brought back her anxiety. He probably had a good buzz and was more than ready to spill his displeasure on her. The idea was like a lead balloon to her buoyant mood.
The exhilaration of dancing evaporated.
She bid everyone a quick goodbye, making promises to meet soon. Leaving the dance floor, she tried calling then texting Cindy.
Both went unanswered.
No more waiting. She’d find her sister.
Moving through the backyard, she soon discovered seeking and finding were two very different things. She made her way to the house, her aggravation increasing. She desperately hoped searching the three levels wouldn’t be necessary.
