Junk

by Komal Kant

  “So could you if you got a job,” I snapped, elbowing him.

  Drew turned red again as Delilah’s amused gaze fell on him, and he shot me the dirtiest look in his arsenal.

  It took every inch of me not to burst out laughing, but all that was wiped from my mind when I glanced at Wade and saw the burning look in his eyes.

  I knew exactly what that look meant and what he wanted.

  For a second, I forgot everything. Blair was so stunning when happiness lit her face.

  Her dark hair was pulled away from her face, highlighting her cheekbones and exotic features. Even though her dress was simple, it fit the curves of her body so perfectly that I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

  Even though I knew what I would find under that flimsy fabric—the curvy, toned body I wanted so badly to press against mine—it didn’t stop my imagination from running wild.

  Blair was so beautiful, I couldn’t think straight when I looked at her. I was so mad at myself for feeling this way, but it was too late. My mixed feelings had brought me to this moment in time.

  You’re a damn fool, Wade Welsecky.

  Forcing my eyes away, I cleared my throat. “We should go.”

  In unison, we all headed outside into the sweltering July heat. My eyes drifted to Drew and Delilah as they walked a few steps ahead of us, hand in hand.

  I didn’t know a lot about Blair’s younger brother, except he was spiritual and unmaterialistic. He wasn’t in college and didn’t have a job, but I couldn’t judge him based on that. I didn’t know his life goals.

  All I knew was Delilah was living a different life to him. She worked her ass off running the bar, and even though she hadn’t gone to college, she had the kind of skills and abilities that couldn’t be taught. That independence and strong will was all her.

  “Okay, Mom, we’ll see you there,” Blair was saying to her mom who was getting into her SUV.

  I pulled open the back door of my truck so Delilah could scramble into the backseat. Before Drew could follow her, I motioned my head towards the front of the truck. “You’re riding shotgun.”

  Drew visibly gulped, stammered something under his breath, and hurried around to the other side of the truck.

  There was movement beside me. “You’re not going to talk about guns and hunting, are you?” Blair asked, her tone light.

  It was hard to hide my smile as I faced her. “Am I that obvious?” Reaching out, I placed a hand on the small of her back where her dress was so low-cut, it left nothing to the imagination. Not that I minded. “You look sexy, Blair.”

  “Thanks.”She flushed as I dropped my hand and helped her step up and climb into the backseat.

  The warmth in her voice had me smiling for no reason as I got into the driver’s seat to be met with an ashen-faced Drew beside me. It looked like the poor guy was going to his funeral.

  A twenty-year-old and I didn’t have much in common, but I knew where to start.

  “So, I hear you went on a pilgrimage to Nepal,” I said, starting the engine and pulling away from the house.

  Drew gulped again, nodding way too many times than was necessary. “Uh, yeah, I did.”

  “It’s a cool place,” I commented, thinking back to the short weeks I’d spent there. “I spent a lot of time hiking to Davi’s Waterfall in Pokhara. It really made me appreciate simple living.”

  Drew stared at me like I’d spoken an entirely different language. The way the words rolled off my tongue with familiarity and ease made it clear I hadn’t simply Googled these places.

  “Uh, what?” Blair spluttered from the back, and I knew I had surprised the hell out of her. I liked doing that—surprising her. I wasn’t the Midwestern stereotype she thought I was.

  Our eyes met in the rearview mirror. She was staring at me like I was a stranger. I guess that’s exactly what I was.

  “You, uh, huh?” Drew said at the same time.

  “Pokhara,” I repeated, fixing my gaze back onto the road ahead as we hurtled down the access road, the darkened surroundings a blur. “It’s a few hours from Kathmandu.”

  “I mean, yeah, I’ve been,” Drew said, turning his head just the slightest so I could catch the shocked expression on his face. “H-how did you, um, what made you go there?”

  That was a good question that came with a complicated answer. It was easier to answer with a fragment of the truth.

  “I wanted to see the Himalayas.” The lie burned in the air.

  Drew didn’t seem to notice. “Really? That’s so random. Did you get a chance to visit any of the temples? I actually spent some time there locked in spiritual study with a monk.” The nervousness faded from his voice, replaced with a serenity that was beyond his years.

  “That didn’t go how I expected it to,” Blair muttered under her breath loud enough for me to catch.

  “There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to my brother,” Delilah said cryptically.

  Great. My sister was going to ruin everything for me.

  Taking a breath, I continued the conversation with Drew, telling him about all the villages I’d visited in my short time there. The ten-minute drive to my parents’ mansion flew by in conversation. Drew was interesting, observant, with a hint of Blair. He was a hell of a lot more mature than my brother had been at that age.

  Shit, he was a hell of a lot more mature than Cole was now.

  Our conversation faded when the mansion came into sight. It was incredible on an average day, but tonight it was otherworldly. My parents had hired the best event planner, the best caterer, the best florist, and the best musicians money could buy.

  White lights were entangled amongst the hedges and shrubs, giving the front lawn an angelic glow. The fountain had been lit up with a light that made the water appear lilac. An enormous banner was draped over the entrance with ‘7th Annual Welsecky Charity Gala’ scribed on it in gold letters.

  Vehicles were parked around the front and lawn, and an actual valet booth was positioned at the foot of the large steps that led to the front door. This was where I pulled up in my loud truck that seemed out of place amongst all the glamor.

  One of the valets, a lanky, acne-faced guy I recognized as a high school kid named Blake, ran up to me, almost tripping over himself.

  “Mr. Welsecky, sir!” he gushed, turning as red as his hair. “I-I can help you!”

  “Thanks, Blake.” I tossed him the keys, just as the back door swung open and Drew almost fell over his feet trying to help Delilah out of the truck.

  Hiding a laugh, I strolled around to find Delilah had hopped out by herself, while Drew just gaped at her. My sister was not the kind of woman who needed doors held open for her.

  Apparently, Blair wasn’t either, because she was out of the truck in one fluid motion, landing perfectly on her ridiculously high heels like it was no big deal.

  Kicking Hunter in the balls, trying to run me over,

  Mrs. Fonseka pulled up just then, and the other valet rushed to meet her.

  Drew and Delilah lingered behind us, not making a move to get inside. Even though I liked Drew, I had my eye on his hand that was wandering lower and lower down my sister’s back.

  What could I say? I guess I was in big brother protective mode.

  When I glanced back at Blair, she was studying the surroundings, her eyes as bright as the lights.

  “This is incredible,” Blair breathed, as we headed closer to the stairs. “I never expected to find anything like this here.”

  “Why?” My attention turned back to her and those bright, red lips. I’d never seen that shade on her. It was taking every ounce of my willpower not to stare at them as they moved. “Did you think we were all flannel shirts and cowboy boots?”

  Blair rolled her eyes at me in return, but I knew she wasn’t annoyed. “Do I sound that judgey?”

  We stared at each other. Blair’s mouth twitched.

  Letting a laugh trickle out, I crooked my elbow and offered it to her. “This is what you’
re supposed to do on a date, right?”

  She gave me a fraction of a smile. “I think so, but I haven’t been on a real date since a really terrible one my friend, Manish, set up for me a year ago.”

  “Why was it terrible?” I asked, my interest peaked.

  Click. Click.

  There was Mrs. Fonseka hovering in the background, clicking away with her classic camera like a seasoned paparazzo.

  “Sorry, sorry,” she said in a hushed tone, waving at us to continue with our conversation. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  Blair blushed red, which was a fucking cute look on her. “Sorry about that. My mom loves taking pictures.” She cleared her throat, continuing. “So, it was weird. The guy was a career fruit salesman.”

  “A what?” I stopped walking, turning to her. “A fruit salesman?”

  What the hell was that? I’d heard of every salesman under the sun except for that one.

  Blair was trying not to burst into a fit of laughter as she continued. “Yes, he took his job very seriously. Basically, he worked for different farms by reaching out to grocery stores, farmer’s markets, even airlines; any place that could potentially distribute fruit.”

  “Wow, what a job.” It made sense when she explained it like that, but fuck, that wasn’t a job for me. “So, I take it things with the fruit salesman didn’t go well?”

  “Well, not exactly.” She was trying to hide that smile again. “He was a really nice guy, and even though there wasn’t an immediate spark, I was actually going to go on a second date with him.”

  I stopped walking again. “So, why didn’t you?”

  The smile was tugging at the edges of her mouth now. “Because at the end of the date he gave me his business card.” She paused here for dramatic effect and I had to admit, I was curious about how a business card could change her mind. “His name was John. John Cherry.”

  “Oh, shit!” I couldn’t help it—I burst out laughing. “That’s too perfect!”

  Blair was grinning at my reaction. “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t date John Cherry, the fruit salesman.”

  Before I knew it, we were both laughing, shoulders touching, heads bent together, our mouths so close, I could’ve dipped my head and kissed her red lips.

  Suddenly, there was an outburst of hooting and hollering. Glancing around, I noticed three familiar people hopping out of a police car. One was an obnoxious brat, the other was so large he could eclipse the sun, and the final one was a much smaller, blonde woman who had a temper like a fiery whip.

  Emme Williams. Edgars’ on-again-off-again girlfriend of many years.

  “You know everyone already knows you’re a cop, right?” I called to Edgars as he wrapped an arm around Emme’s tiny shoulders and brought her closer to him. “You don’t need to drive that around everywhere.”

  “Some men just know how to make an entrance,” Emme directed at me. There were stars in her eyes when she was happy with him, just like there were now. She turned to Blair. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Blair. I’m Emme, Edgars’ girlfriend.”

  That was Emme, always direct and brash. She and Blair would get along well.

  “I’ve heard about you,” Blair said with a smile, tilting her head. “Did we know each other when we were kids?”

  “No.” Emme shook her head. “My family moved to Pine Bluffs when I was in middle school.”

  Meanwhile, Edgars was wriggling his eyebrows at me and shooting coy glances at Blair. “So, you and Blair, huh? Are you two having fun?”

  My face flamed. When was the last time I’d felt this way about a woman? Any woman? It was hard to vocalize what Blair and I shared, even to my best friends.

  Thankfully, Harris was observant as always and could tell how uncomfortable Edgars’ question made me. He shot Edgars a look of disapproval. “Stop giving him a hard time and let him figure this out. You can barely handle Emme.”

  “I heard that!” Emme snapped from somewhere behind Harris’ large figure.

  There was no doubt in my mind that Emme would take on Harris if she wanted to.

  As Blair introduced her mom to Emme, I glanced around to find that Delilah and Drew had wandered away from the rest of us and were speaking to each other in soft tones, flirtation dancing in their eyes.

  My sister was a smart woman and I didn’t need to tell her what to do with her life, but there was no way this thing with Drew was going to last. He was a temporary moment in her life and soon, he would be gone—just like Blair.

  That thought hit me like a ton of bricks as Blair locked shining, rainbow eyes with me. The brightness in them switched to confusion when she noticed the look in mine.

  We stared at each other for countless seconds, a spark passing between us in the humid air. This woman meant more to me than I was willing to say. She’d awoken feelings in me that I was afraid would disappear along with her.

  For now, it didn’t matter. None of it mattered.

  The only thing I wanted to do was pretend we were normal; a normal couple on a normal date with no attachments to our miserable past.

  A past that would unravel our present once Blair found out the truth.

  WADE WAS RIGHT.

  I was a shallow, superficial human.

  Walking into the Welsecky’s ballroom, the sight of the glitz and glamor had me stunned. The large, extravagant ballroom was a stark contrast to what it had looked like for my grandmother’s funeral reception.

  Small tables accompanied with golden chairs lined the edge of the room, clearing a space in the center for dancing, I assumed. Each table was decorated with crystal vases that held tall bouquets of white tulips. The buffet tables were filled with a variety of cakes, pastries, appetizers, and fruit. Servers wove their way through the crowd, offering wine and cocktails to guests.

  As I clutched my chest, trying to process what I was seeing, Wade reached for my hand even as he spoke to Edgars and Harris, a tiny gesture that maybe I meant more to him than he could voice.

  “Cool, right?” Emme piped up from my left, and I could only respond with a nod.

  When I gazed over at Wade, he was watching my reaction to the ballroom with this look on his face like he expected it.

  Edgars, Emme, and Harris quickly made off to get some drinks and food. My mom was already engaged in conversation with an older couple she probably knew from back in the day. Drew and Delilah were huddled up in a corner, looking like they wanted to be left alone so they could continue to stare into each other’s eyes.

  “So, explain this to me again,” I said to Wade, my hand still in his. “Your parents throw a charity ball every year because they can?”

  Wade nodded, taking his eyes off me to scan the room. “Yeah, they like to give back to the poor families in the community. They invite them here for a great night out, ask local, rich jerks for money, and donate what they raise to those that need it.”

  “Your parents are good people,” I commented, even though he obviously knew that.

  “They are.” Wade’s voice held a tenderness that was rare for him. “More than I could ever be.”

  I studied the disappointment sinking into his face, and involuntarily reached for his hand, the one holding mine, and wrapped my fingers around his thick forearm.

  Wade glanced down at my hand in surprise but didn’t shake me away.

  “You already are,” I told him, and I meant it.

  “Oh, yeah?” His eyes were bright now as they returned to me. “Why do you say that, Goochee?”

  “Well,” I started, tapping a finger against my chin, “even though I can be a brat sometimes, you still drove me two hours to get parts for my car, apologized for being a jerk, and you even gave me my shoe back.” I stuck out a foot to remind him.

  “You’re right.” Affection crept into his voice as he flashed me a smile that made my stomach somersault. “You can be a brat sometimes.” He slid his hand down my waist and pulled me an inch closer. “But I kind of like that about you.”

 
; The curve of Wade’s lips made me want to kiss him. Kiss him and maybe do more. The heat in his gaze as his eyes swept my body told me he was having similar, inappropriate thoughts.

  A static buzz filled the room as a microphone turned on, interrupting our moment. The small stage at the front of the room now had two figures standing on it—Michelle and Ray Welsecky. The funny thing was, they were the least dressed people in the room.

  Michelle had no makeup or jewelry on, and her outfit was a simple, dark green pantsuit. Ray was wearing faded jeans and a blue flannel shirt, something Wade would wear on an average day.

  “Thank you all for coming,” Michelle was saying now as she gazed around the room, that usual, no-nonsense expression fixed on her face.

  Ray leaned over to speak. “We won’t chatter on too long. Not when there’s an open bar with liquor to take advantage of.”

  That got the crowd roaring with laughter.

  Michelle rolled her eyes. “Anyway, we just wanted to say how much all y’all support means to us. We also want to thank Harlen Walker for his donation every year. It’s what keeps this important event going.”

  There was a ripple of movement in the room, but my head had already shot to Wade. “Harlen Walker?” I squeaked, studying him. “He donates to your parents’ charity gala?”

  It was like I couldn’t get away from the damn guy. Not only was he from the same hometown as me, he had to be thanked at an event here. Could karma be any bitchier?

  Wade nodded, his expression blank. “Yeah, for someone with shit movies, he seems to make enough money to donate.”

  Since Harlen Walker’s career had come crashing down, he had disappeared from the public spotlight. Now I was curious if he’d come back here. My reporter skills started tingling. What a scoop that’d be…

  “Has he ever come to any of these things?” I asked, unable to keep the interest out of my voice.

  Wade shot me a sharp look. “No.” He pulled his hand away from mine and crossed his arms. “I doubt a big-time movie star like that would waste his time here.”