Page 7 of Theo
"I was heading into the party, but Joan, dearest, stopped to tell me my makeup was faded and my hair was rowdy and that I look as if I just stepped off a beach.Which I personally don't consider an insult, but I'm fairly certain she meant it as exactly that."
Mom bit her lip and gave me one of her "oh dear" frowns."Oh, I'm sorry about that, sweetie.She can be a little abrasive, but I'm sure she just wants to show you off to all her friends."Mom had always been on my side.Always.But my marriage to a rich doctor had clouded some of her judgement.She was blinded by the glittering, money-laden Plunkett lifestyle.I was too, at first, but the glitter wore off quickly.I was sure it would for her too.
"Well, I'd better go freshen up then so I can play the proper future daughter-in-law and smile pretty for her friends."I started to walk away.Mom followed and tugged my hand to stop my progress once more.I looked at her.She reached up and smoothed down a hair that had come loose from the clip, then she rubbed something off from the side of my eye.
"You look beautiful, Lacey.My perfect little angel.You don't need to freshen up.You outshine everyone at this party."A frown turned down her pink lips."You are happy, aren't you, sweetie?I mean, I know this is all very overwhelming, but the important thing is that you're happy."
As she asked it, I found myself mentally askingwas I happy?That was probably not encouraging.I didn't want to upset her.She and dad had driven out for the party, and Dad even bought a new pair of shoes for the occasion.He hadn't bought new shoes since my high school graduation.I knew his feet were bothering him, but he kept on a smile because he knew this was a big deal and the start of my future with George.
"I'm happy, Mom.I'm going to join the party.Just need to go up and use the little girls' room, then I'll be back down to dazzle everyone."
Mom leaned over and kissed my cheek.She giggled and immediately began wiping lipstick off my cheek."I guess you'd better freshen up after all."She looked at her newly painted thumb."Goodness gracious, what ever compelled me to wear this shade of lipstick?I look like I should be stretched out on a velvet fainting couch in a brothel."
I laughed and hugged her."You look beautiful, and you outshine everyone else here.We're both dazzling, and these people are lucky to have us in attendance."
Mom rolled her eyes at my over-the-top flattery."Hurry then.Don't keep these lackluster guests waiting."
I hurried up the stairs, got temporarily lost in the long hallway, found my room, mostly because it had been decorated with roses, and slipped inside.I took a deep breath and pulled out my phone just in case Theo had texted.I couldn't believe how disappointed I was that he hadn't.
Oh boy, Lacey, what the heck were you thinking sending that text?
FIVE
THEO
The party had cleared out.It was Thursday, and most people, me included, had work in the morning.Crusoe was supposed to help his dad, Hunter, at the motorcycle shop first thing, but something told me he wasn't going to make it in, and if he did, he'd be little use.He had gone down to the basement, our gaming room slash theater, to play video games.I could still hear him down there yelling either at the game or the other online players.It was hard to tell, but Crusoe took his gaming very seriously.
I glanced at my phone for the hundredth time to check the clock, so I could mentally count down how many hours of sleep I would get if I fell asleep in the next few minutes.Of course, all that did was make me more anxious because I knew I was going to be tired as shit when the alarm went off.I worked for my Uncle Colt, and he always knew when I didn't get enough sleep or had been up partying too late just by looking at me.I was going to get an earful from him.
I'd started the night with only a beer, but after the texts and phone call with Lacey, and then the abrupt end to all of it, I started in on the tequila shots.Jules caught me downing them in quick succession and finally took the last one out of my fingers, downed it herself and then dragged me away from the tequila bottle.We talked a few minutes about Lacey.I was confused about why she'd contacted me after all this time, but Jules assured me she was probably just having pre-wedding jitters and thinking about how much fun she had back in Trayton.It was a reasonable explanation and also pretty fucking disappointing.Stupidly, I'd talked myself into thinking that Lacey was having second thoughts and that she'd finally come to her senses and realized that she belonged with me.
I glanced around the dark room.My mini blinds had broken months ago, and I never replaced them.The blinds hung sideways in the big window, and the moon glowed through the darkness.It also illuminated my dumpy room.I'd found a free dresser on someone's front lawn, and the same shabby piece of furniture stood in the corner of my room, only I rarely had time to get my clean clothes back into the drawers.They were piled in a laundry basket on the floor, and the only reason they were in the basket was because they were clean and the floor was gritty from my work boots.Sure, why the hell wouldn't Lacey have second thoughts when instead of a glitzy fucking mansion she could bunk here with me … and Crusoe, the king of partying and gaming?
I fluffed up my thin pillow and rested my head down."What the hell, Lacey?Why'd you put me in this fucking funk again?"As I said it, my phone rang.I knew instinctively it was her and I practically sent the phone across the room in my hurry to pick up."Lace?"
Sniffles came through the phone.
"Lace?"I asked again but sounding less like a psycho.
"You know when you make a big decision and it seems like the right one until it doesn't and a million regrets get tossed around with a thousand what ifs and then you have to ask yourself what the hell am I doing?"
She sounded upset, but the fact that she'd called me made me smile.In the past, she knew she could call me anytime.Back then, I somehow always knew what to say to make her feel better.This time my response was for purely selfish reasons.
"First of all, you're talking to the king of regrets and what ifs, and secondly—" I paused.Her sniffling stopped.
"Theo?Are you still there?"The background voices and music had gone silent.The big pre-wedding party was over.
"You belong here.With me."The words came out, and I knew they were going to be one of those regretful decisions, but I had to let her know how I felt."I never stopped loving you, Ace.I never stopped thinking about you.I don't have the money and success he has, but I'd spend every minute of the day making sure you were happy."
"Theo," she said my name in a soft, breathy way, which circled around the room and landed directly in my chest.Hearing her say it that way brought back so many memories, good and bad.
"I remember every minute with you, Ace.Fuck, you had me spinning.I couldn't think straight when you were with me."
She giggled lightly into the phone."I'll never forget the day you climbed up on the cafeteria table to yell 'I fucking love you, Lacey Michaels!'"
"I had to do something drastic.You were pissed at me about something.Can't remember."
"Yes, you can," she said pointedly.
