“Why don’t I get the paperwork started, and I can call you when I get the part in?”
“There is something else.”
A fingernail that matches the paint of her car scrapes over my cheek until I turn to face her.
“What’s that?” I ask, stepping back.
“You know I’m in town for business. Daddy’s interested in opening shop here. My job is to scope out the competition. And I think finding you can add to our business plan.”
The fact that Jenna’s engaged hasn’t registered in my heart. Even though I don’t want this woman for sex, or anything for that matter, business is business. Listening never hurt anyone. Not listening, on the other hand, can be ruinous, especially if she makes a similar offer to my competition. Not having heard what she has to say could be very bad.
“And how’s that?”
“Let’s just say, Daddy’s been looking to partner with the right person for a venture that’s right up your alley.”
“Not going to say more?”
“Have dinner with me?”
I might not know a lot about women, seeing I haven’t had very many relationships, but I’m not blind to when a woman is interested as if she wears a neon blinking sign saying as much.
“As I told you before, I’m not interested.”
“Yeah, I get it. I may not like it, but I get it. That engaged woman holds all the cards.”
“She doesn’t,” I deny.
“Doesn’t she, though? But again, I’m not desperate. There are plenty of other men in town I can play with. Your loss. However, this business idea can be your gain.”
My life is in order, and I can take care of my family. Still, before I was forced into this life, I had dreams. She could hold the key to opening doors for me. It isn’t like I had much to do tonight besides go home and want a woman I can’t have.
“How about drinks?” I offer.
“Fine, drinks work.”
She heads for her car. “The paperwork?” I call to her.
“Bring it tonight. Text me where you want to meet since you know this town better than me.”
Her car is drivable. The part that needs replacing still works. It’s just worn and on its last leg of life. Heading back, I find Dana in the doorway with a huge grin on her face.
“What the fuck, Dana?”
Her face is smug, and she damn well knows I’m talking about how she sent Jenna to find me.
She shrugs, trying to look the picture of innocence. “She was looking for you.”
“And you wanted her to think something was going on with Lexa and me. Real mature.”
I scoot by her, making sure I don’t touch her, which pisses her off. Good.
“You’re too good for both those prissy bitches.”
“But I’m good enough for you.”
Glaring at her, part of me wishes she were a guy, so I could punch some sense into her and we could be done with this. But she’s not a guy. So I have to sit and take it.
“Maybe, better than those two. They don’t know you.”
“Obviously, you don’t either,” I grit out. Finally, she backs down and looks away. “If you can’t deal with the fact that you and I are through, you’re going to have to find another job. And if you want to sue me for sexual harassment or whatever else you can dream up, do your worst.”
Turning away from her, I make for the small back office and slam the door shut. I have no idea if she’ll be there when I emerge, but for the first time ever, I don’t care. I was honest with her from the beginning. And she fucking said she was okay with it. Slamming my fist on the desk, I sit at my chair, knowing I have a whole lot of hours I need to put in to get today’s work done. There is no way I should work on anyone’s car at the moment, not with the mood I’m in.
It takes forever to find inventory online. I pick up the phone to place a call to a parts store on James Island to confirm they have the part I need in stock, when my phone rings in my hand.
“Hey.”
“Brandon, honey. How are you?”
I love my mother, but today isn’t the day for her shit.
“I’m good, Mom. How about you?”
“Great,” she says with false cheer. “Look, I hate to bother you, but I’m in a jam.”
I can already hear the sounds of an old-time cash register as the till opens again and again, my money blowing out with a breeze.
“How much do you need?” I say, feeling tired and defeated.
“You know you’re the greatest son.”
“Don’t forget Braeden.”
“I could never. He’s my heart,” she says.
And what I am, your bank? But I say nothing. I listen to her latest tale of woe and transfer the money on my phone app. I got her an account with my name on it so I could easily give her money without the hassle of going to the bank.
Just as I hang up, the phone buzzes again.
“Ears burning,” I say to my little brother.
“No, why’d you say that?”
Braedon has made his opinions on the Bank of Brandon who bleeds money to dear old Mom. So I keep the call to myself.
“No reason. What do you need?”
He’s got something on his mind because he doesn’t question me further.
“I wondered when you were coming home?”
Closing my eyes, I can anticipate his next request. “Not sure, why?”
“Well, I thought about inviting a few friends over.”
Great. A few means a party. He’s young, in college. Get a grip, I tell myself. He’s living the life you didn’t. Don’t begrudge him that.
“Yeah, okay, I’ll figure something out.” And stay away, I don’t add. “But don’t destroy the house.”
His relief is audible.
“You’re the fucking best.”
Of course, I am, I think as the call ends. It’s the second time I’ve heard that today. And suddenly, I feel very claustrophobic. I have to get out of my office, and fast. Standing, I’m not sure what I’ll find. Will Dana have left destruction in the wake of her departure? Or is she still around? And what do I hope for?
Eight
JENNA
After I leave Brandon’s, I start wondering, what next? I really need a girls’ night out or something. This has been a shit day. So I grab my phone and call my brother.
“Hey, sis, what’s up?” he answers.
“Do you and Sam have plans tonight?”
“No, why?”
“Can I borrow your wife?”
He laughs. “She’s her own person, Jenna. You’ll have to ask her that. But what’s going on?”
“Oh, God, Ben. It’s been a rough day.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Kenneth and I are over,” I say, but I rush to add, “But don’t mention this to Mom and Dad. They don’t know yet.”
“Shit.”
“Exactly.”
“I don’t have to tell you what Mom’s going to say, do I?” he asks.
“Uh, that would be a big no.”
Ben is quiet for a long moment. Then he asks, “Will you tell me what happened?”
I give him a brief rundown, but quickly add, “Just know I’m not broken-hearted.”
Ben sighs into the phone, and it makes a whistling sound. “I need to ask you something. Does this have anything to do with the guy that has those tats?”
“Not a thing. Now, may I talk with Sam, please?”
His wife gets on the phone, and we plan to meet at seven. Then I call Cate back, and she’s up for a girls’ night out, too. Nice. I’m on my way to forget-this-all-happened-ville. But am I? Because the man who I really want to see, the one with the tats who Ben mentioned, occupies a large part of my brain. And I’m afraid that forgetting this all happened isn’t what I want to do, because it gives me my out. What I want to do is look into his gorgeous pale blue eyes while he fucks me silly.
All afternoon I worry about what I’m going to tell my parents. And I have to tel
l them something soon because my mother wants to plan the wedding and go dress shopping already. Tomorrow at Sunday dinner! Yes, that’s when I’ll tell them. Ben and Sam will be there for moral support. I’ll spring it on them during the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. How can they possibly get angry with me when munching on a mouthful of that scrumptious stuff? Right, Jenna. Mom will probably choke, and then you’ll have to administer the Heimlich maneuver.
When I get to Drew’s parents’ house to pick up Cate, I’m a wreck. Drew walks Cate to the car, and when he sees me, he winks. “I heard what happened.” His chuckle doesn’t make me feel better, especially since Cate pinky swore.
Cate jumps in to add as though she’s read my mind, “I had to tell him, Jenna. Husbands don’t count on pinky swears.”
Groaning, I say, “Oh, God. Don’t say a word to anyone. I don’t even know how I’m going to tell my parents.”
Drew’s expression reflects his surprise. “They don’t know?”
My stomach twists like a knotted rope. “No,” I whine. “I’m afraid of what my mom will say.”
“You sound like you’re twelve,” Drew chides.
“Tell him, Cate.”
Cate nods. “You have no idea, Drew. This was probably going to be more Jenna’s mom’s wedding than anyone’s.”
Drew rubs his chin thoughtfully. “She didn’t seem that way to me.”
“She is,” I tell him.
“The next time you decide to get married, maybe you should elope,” he suggests.
“Oh, my, God!” Cate practically screams.
“What?” Drew asks.
“Her mom would keel over dead. She can’t do that. This is Julia’s only daughter and her chance to show her off.”
Drew only shrugs. “This stuff is way too complicated for me.” He glances at Cate. “When you and I got married, we didn’t have to worry about this stuff.”
“Well, we had other things to consider,” Cate says.
“Yes, but it didn’t seem this complicated.”
Tired of this conversation, I say, “Come on, Cate. Tell lover boy goodbye. We need to meet Sam. Remember?”
“Right. Bye, honey. I won’t be too late.”
“I know. You’ll be yawning before too long,” Drew remarks.
“If that’s the case, you’ll be catching an Uber home,” I say.
“That’s okay. I’d rather not disturb your girls’ night out.” She climbs into the car after a long kiss with her man, and we head downtown.
Sam is walking toward the door from the other direction when we arrive. We all hug, and she asks how I’m doing.
“Worried about tomorrow,” I say.
“What’s tomorrow?” Sam asks.
“It’s when I tell Mom and Dad the engagement is off.”
“No, no. Not during Sunday dinner!” Sam looks as though the world is going to end. And it is. Mine, anyway.
“Yep. I’ve decided that’s the best time for them to get the least upset with me. And then you all can run interference for me while I hide under the table and quiver.”
“Come on, Jenna. They won’t be that upset. Your parents won’t want you to marry someone that could never make you happy,” Sam says.
“Sam, you’re semi-right where Dad is concerned, but Mom—you have no idea what you’re talking about.” It’s comical to watch her face morph from being so self-assured to being shocked I actually said something like that to her. “It’s true. You know how much I adore you, but you don’t know what my mother is truly like. Dad is like any father—no one will ever be good enough for me, his little girl. And Mom—she wants me married, and she doesn’t care whom it’s to as long as he has money. And old money is even better. Kenneth was the total package, I’m afraid. Well, except for one small problem.”
By this time we’re sitting down, and Sam asks what the problem is.
“I caught him with someone.”
She is shocked at first, and then pissed. She wants to go to his place and kick his ass.
“It’s not like that. And truth be known, I’m not even angry,” I say.
“How can you not be angry? He’s seeing another woman, and after all this time!” Sam is working herself up, so I need to say something.
“Sam, that’s not what happened. You have to listen to me. I didn’t catch him with another woman.”
“Wait. What? I don’t understand. You just said you … Oh shit. Not Kenneth.” Her head slowly swings right then left and back again.
“’Fraid so. But I have to say I’m happy for him, only I hate that his family will never accept it. And Horace is really a hot guy.”
“Did you say Horace? It has to be the same guy from that party I threw for Ben.”
“Oh, it’s the same.”
Sam giggles. “He’s such a flirt.”
“Yeah, and did you know he has a fiancée?”
“But I thought—” Sam starts.
“Yes, and apparently, she knows everything, too,” I explain.
“Whoa. That’s something different,” Sam says.
“What do you mean?” Cate asks.
“What I mean is, she knows he’s gay, yet she’s cool with it and goes for a threesome on occasion. And he likes it. So I wonder if he’s bi,” I muse.
“Sounds like it,” Sam says. “Especially if he likes to have a woman involved. So Kenneth. Gay, huh?”
“Yeah, and I never suspected it. Or maybe I did, but didn’t want to face it. All I know is I realized I didn’t really want to marry him after all, but didn’t know how to get out of it. At least this gives me my out. But I still have to tell my parents.”
The waiter shows up, and we order a round of drinks.
After he leaves, Cate says, “So, Jenna, give Sam the down and dirty.”
Jeez. Do I really want to go into this again? But it’s my sister-in-law, and I know at some point, I have to disclose the truth. Poor Kenneth. Then the image of him and Horace pops into my mind and I giggle.
“Go on,” Cate urges.
“This has to stay between us. But you’re not going to believe this.” I give her the whole story. Halfway through, when I get to the part where they get stuck, she stops me with a, “Wait, explain that, please.” So I do, and she has to clamp a hand over her mouth because she’s snort-laughing so loud, it can be heard all over the place. Sam runs an event planning business and knows a ton of people. I’m sure she wants to maintain a certain image.
By the time I finish with my rendition of what took place at Kenneth’s, she’s pounding the table with her fist and grabbing napkins to wipe the tears streaming down her face. The woman can barely speak, much less breathe, she’s still laughing so hard. When I go to say something, her arm flies out, palm facing me, and she squeaks, “Stahhhhp. I can’t take it anymore.”
Cate looks on, her body shaking with the giggles as she watches Sam. Then she says, “You should show us the pictures.”
Sam jerks up in her seat and yells, “What! You have pictures?”
Everyone turns to stare. “Shut up, will you?” I whisper-yell. “And no, I will not share the pictures. I don’t even know why I took them. Probably because I couldn’t believe it myself at the time.”
“That they got stuck?” Sam asks.
“Well, that and the fact that Kenneth is gay. I mean, all this time I spent with him and I never knew. How weird is that?”
“Yeah, that is strange, but you’re not sad, are you?” Sam asks between her gasps for air.
“Not sad, but I am a little angry when I think about all the time I wasted with him. The sad thing is, I decided I really didn’t want to marry him after all. He’s a great guy. But when it came down to it, I knew he wasn’t the one for me. And now I know why.”
“No kidding,” Cate says. “It’s a good thing you caught them. Good guy or not, he would’ve let you marry him for the cover-up.”
“Yeah, and doesn’t that say something about his family,” I add.
“Jeez, tha
t’s too bad they’re not accepting of it,” Sam says. She’s finally calmed down enough to speak normally.
“Right? I feel bad for him. And his dad is going to shit a brick when he finds out. And his mom. Ugh. When she finds out there’ll be no grandkids for her, I shudder to think of her reaction.”
Cate chimes in with, “Almost like your mom finding out the wedding is cancelled.”
“Thanks, bestie. I really needed that reminder. This is supposed to be my night out.”
“Sorry.”
Sam asks, “So, you’re going to spring it on them at dinner tomorrow then? Does Ben know you’re planning to do this?”
“Not yet, but I imagine he will when you get home tonight.”
She groans. “Yeah, and he’ll want to stay home. Julia will be a real pain. You know how Martin, his dad, gets. He’ll most likely be grumpy all week, and then I’ll have to deal with grumpy Ben.”
Cate grins. “I’m sure you’ve figured out how to put a smile on that guy’s face by now.”
Our drinks finally arrive—an extra dirty martini for me, a glass of wine for Sam, and a club soda for Cate since she’s pregnant and can’t drink. Sam leans over and has a word with the waiter. He nods and leaves.
“What was that all about?” I ask.
“I name dropped. I know everyone here, and it took entirely too long for these beverages to arrive. I wanted to make sure it didn’t happen again.” Sure enough, our waiter pays great attention to us all night long.
“So, what are you going to do now, newly single and free woman?” Sam asks. “You know, you ought to hang with my friends. A few of them are single, and they’re fun.”
“That’s right,” I say. “I remember them from the wedding.” Just then, I glance over and happen to catch sight of the certain person who occupies my mind most of the time. He’s standing at the bar ordering a drink. My heart leaps into my throat with all kinds of expectations and hopes, but then suddenly does a belly flop right on a concrete slab as I watch that same redhead walk up to him and put her arm around him possessively. He doesn’t shrug it off or anything, but accepts it and she leaves it there. This isn’t exactly what I wanted to see tonight.
Cate’s voice whacks me on the side of the head. “Hey, you. Why the long face?”
The Cruel and Beautiful Series Boxset Page 88