Page 13 of Something New

Delaney sucked in a breath and turned to Wyatt, laying a hand tentatively on his right arm. “Coaching at UT? That’s great, Wyatt. I was sorry to hear about your injury.”

His face tightened, a muscle jumping in his jaw. Anna steeled herself against her own pain, her own guilt at her role in his injury and, instead, painted on a smirk, her eyebrow cocked, waiting for his reply.

Wyatt stared, a carefully blank expression on his face. “Well, you were going through a lot when I got hurt. After the incident, I had surgery and rehabbed the knee, but it was never stable enough for me to rely on it. I tried a few walk-on tryouts, but I never got picked up. UT hired me to work with the quarterbacks a couple of years ago.”

Delaney closed her eyes briefly, playing the perfect part of the victim, as usual. She really needed to learn how to have a thick skin. How had Delaney survived the past five years by rolling over and playing dead?

Delaney blinked, sadness in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Wyatt. Your dreams.”

He shot an enigmatic glance at Anna, with an underlying burning resentment. “Well, not all of us are meant to follow our dreams, I suppose. But I’m still working in football, and that’s all that matters.”

Anna narrowed her eyes at him, not willing to bend at all, despite Delaney’s sound of sympathy. “Well, that was your choice, wasn’t it? You chose to stay here in Texas.”

“I love Texas. It’s my home. I didn’t feel the need to run away like some people.” A muscle jumped in Wyatt’s jaw, but he remained outwardly calm.

Anna narrowed her eyes but turned to Delaney instead. “I think Delaney is the one who knows all about running away, am I right?”

Wyatt wrapped an arm around Delaney’s shoulder. “Shove off, Anna. Maybe if you weren’t such a bitch all the time, and not just on television, people wouldn’t feel the need to run from you.” His voice was hard and rough like granite.

Anna flinched before she could catch herself, then she regained her control, saying the first thing that came to mind. “Who would give a damn about Anna Costado?”

Delaney looked startled by her bitter tone, but Wyatt only looked suspicious, as if he wondered what game she was playing. She snorted. Some things never changed. Before they could continue, Ethan stepped up next to her, frowning hard at the couple in the doorway. It was the perfect opportunity to divert attention from her to something else. She went with her standby—flirting. She leaned into Ethan’s arm with a sexy little moue and laid a hand on his forearm. Ethan looked surprised, pulling his attention from Delaney and Wyatt.

Delaney took a small step back from Wyatt, putting some distance between her and the tense situation. As if the movement broke the ice, Wyatt turned to her.

He exhaled, visibly relaxing his muscles, and held out his arm to her, ignoring the scowling Anna. "Shall we beard the lions together, milady?"

Delaney laughed. "My hero. Thank you."

She took his arm and walked out with him onto the patio. Immediately, all conversation died, everyone staring. Ethan murmured something Anna didn’t quite catch, and she shrugged off his hand, pushing around Wyatt and Delaney to get to the drink cart. If she was going to survive the night, she was going to need some liquid fortification.

Ethan and Wyatt joined her at the cart. Ethan pouring two glasses of wine for him and Delaney, while Wyatt opened a bottle of Lone Star beer and stared hard at Anna, as if willing her to look at him. She ignored him, ignored the pull of his gaze, and focused on the conversation swirling around her. She avoided his gaze and took a seat on the low rock wall, sipping her vodka tonic.

Matthew Coughlin stood and gestured to a man standing with Brigid. "Anna and Delaney, you haven't met my brother yet. Grady Coughlin, meet Delaney Winters, Caroline's best friend since forever, and maid of honor.”

"A best friend wouldn't have disappeared for years," Anna muttered from her perch on the stone wall.

Matthew colored slightly and sucked in a breath. Wyatt shot Anna a look, but she only lifted her eyebrow. She wondered if Delaney had any fight in her or if life and her father’s crime had beaten it out of her. Besides, Anna was tired of having to treat Delaney with kid gloves. Delaney had messed up all of their lives, tossed their friendship in their faces, and now expected them all to welcome her back with open arms like the prodigal son from the Bible. Well, Anna gave up on religion a long time ago, and forgiveness was scarce.

Delaney cocked her head and studied Anna in mock seriousness. “I thought you would have left Bianca St. John behind for this weekend. Or maybe you and Bianca are the same. Isn't she the bitch? Or was that you?”

Anna's jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed, surprised that Delaney would take her on so publicly. She closed her jaw with a snap and hopped off the wall, standing toe-to-toe with her, Anna at eye level because of the heels she wore.

"Excuse me? You come gliding in here like the big society princess you always were, taking over, telling us all what to do, expecting everyone to bow and scrape to you. Well, I have news for you, ice queen. You were knocked off that pedestal a long time ago. I was there. Then you were gone. Left us peons in the dust like yesterday's pastry."

Anna planted her hands on her hips and glared at Delaney, waiting to hear her response. Instead, Delaney did the unexpected. She backed down. Delaney glanced around the small patio at each person, studying their faces. Anna saw the same sadness and betrayal on everyone’s face that Anna felt. Delaney had walked away from them, as if their friendship didn’t matter.

Brigid, however, strode between the two women and held up both hands as if directing traffic. "Stop it, both of you. This is not about your anger or your past. This is about our friends getting married and starting a new life together. They don't need this tension to ruin their day. So, take your corners and stay out of each other's way. I don't care what you do, as long as you shut up."

A stunned silence fell over the patio. Only the dull roar of the waves and the chirping of bugs broke the silence. Then Anna laughed—a deep throaty, sexy sound that she had perfected so many years ago and was now a trademark sound for her character.

"Of course, counselor. I can see why you're a lawyer, Brigid. No problem with confrontation and a blunt mediation style. I'd hate to be on the witness stand facing you." Anna stood and held out her hand to Delaney. "I'm willing to bury the hatchet, if you are."

"Where are you burying it?" Delaney muttered but, at the sharp look from Brigid, subsided and took Anna's hand. "Fine. For Caroline."

"For Caroline." Anna agreed, then pulled her close for an awkward hug. She whispered in Delaney's ear, low enough only for her to hear. "But we’ll have that talk someday soon."

Delaney nodded. “I look forward to it.”

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