“No, we didn’t.” I exhale and run a hand through my hair. “I’m still not even sure what happened that night or…”
“Or?” She raises an eyebrow. “Did something else happen? Tell me.”
“Nothing really, just last week, I, uh… We shared a blanket on the couch.” I can’t believe I’m about to admit this to Jordyn. “My hand rubbed her leg. Innocently.” I hold up my hands. “It was an accident. It was more like my hand accidentally rubbed up her leg.”
Instead of asking how a hand accidentally rubs up a leg, she asks, “Where was Aidan when you guys were sharing this blanket?”
“He went to the gym. Sometimes he goes late at night.” I shrug.
“Hmm, all right, go on.”
“It was just us and like I said, I touched her by accident. But then her hand touched me by accident.” I lean forward in my seat and tap my fingers on the dashboard. “She apologized and I teased her that she was trying to cop a feel and she started laughing and teasing me back. Joking around turned um, playful, very playful and playful turned…not so good.” Becca had pushed me back on the couch, her wiggly fingertips running over me in teasing little tickles, trying to make me laugh. Only I didn’t laugh.
“Not so good, how?” Jordyn has her full attention on me, waiting for the missing part of this story.
How can I say this without humiliating myself? “We were close, pushing and rubbing into each other. One minute she was giggling then she kind of saw that maybe I wasn’t joking so much. Instantly, just like that, she stopped and told me she had to go find Aidan. Within seconds she was out the door. It was the middle of the night, he was at the gym, and I guess she went down and met him.”
“What did you do?”
“The only thing I could do. I wrapped the blanket around my waist and locked myself in my room.” I rub at a knot in the back of my neck that’s caused by stress. As far as I know, Becca hasn’t mentioned our two awkward encounters to Aidan. If she had, I’m sure I’d be bandaged up in a hospital somewhere.
Jordyn brings a manicured fingernail up to her lip and taps, lost in her thoughts. “He texted me one night last week. I wonder if it was the same night. We were texting and then he just stopped.”
“Who? Aidan?” I question. “Aidan sends you text messages?”
“No, not really. At least he hadn’t, but then out of the blue one night he did. I was excited. I thought maybe he…I don’t know.” Jordyn stares out the front window biting her lip. “Don’t say anything. The texts didn’t say anything wrong and I’m not looking to start any trouble.”
The traffic lets up and slowly all the cars begin slowly rolling forward. We’re going about twenty miles per hour, but at least we’re moving. This new information Jordyn shared, I’m not sure what it means, although I intend to find out.
“Aidan is the flawed guy, isn’t he?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“Does he know how you feel?”
“I don’t even know how I feel.” She laughs. “I’ve only met him a couple of times but ever since I met him, I can’t stop thinking about him. But that could just be…I don’t know,” she trails off.
“What do you think is really going on between Becca and Aidan?”
She shrugs, sticking her tongue out and clicking, before continuing. “I think their friendship is special. But I think friendship is all it is. What do you think?”
“At times I will admit their relationship confuses me, but I do know one thing, Aidan has made it clear to me she’s off limits.”
“What about her? Is her message clear?” Jordyn glances over at me. “Those things that keep happening with you guys, it doesn’t sound like she’s so clear on things. I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”
I’d like to believe that maybe Becca and Aidan are just friends and that maybe, just maybe, she’s feeling something towards me. It’s just I know better than that.
We finally arrive at the hotel having missed the ceremony and race to dress, readying ourselves for the reception. Jordyn comes out of the bathroom in a fitted tan dress. The color of the dress is so close to her own skin, at first glance she almost appears naked. The color and smooth silky material don’t leave any room for imperfections and her body has none. None. Her brown hair is swept up in some elegant twist and she’s got that whole sexy, dark eye thing going on. I raise my eyebrows in approval. “Very nice.”
“Oh, yeah, look at you.” She grins, making me feel good about my choice of attire. I tighten the pink tie around my neck. I am not a guy who’s afraid to wear pink. Recently, pink has become my favorite color.
Jordyn holds my jacket open for me and I slip my arms into the gray Armani. I fix the lapel while she straightens out the back, smoothing her hands down to get out any wrinkles. A woman’s touch certainly feels nice.
“We look good.” I wink at her, walking past the mirror, checking our reflections as we get ready to leave the room.
“We do.” She stops us, taking a moment to soak in our picture-perfect appearance. “We’re a perfect couple. You look incredibly handsome, polished, refined. My whole family will think so.” She swallows, purses her lips, and drops her gaze away from the mirror. “You’re exactly the type of guy they’d expect me to be with.”
In reaction to the compliments I move in closer, focusing in on the curves of her body. I pull a breath in through my nose, pushing into her backside, and wrap my arms around her waist. “God, I haven’t been with someone in so long.” A gravelly whisper rumbles out of me.
Jordyn instantly hoists her elbow straight into my gut. “Are you kidding me with shit again?” she groans, spinning around. “Every time I say something or give you a compliment, are you going to misinterpret it?”
“No,” I grunt, holding my side. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I just meant that I was…That I hadn’t…”
“Go ahead, tell me what you meant.” Jordyn challenges me to finish the sentence.
I really hadn’t meant anything by it. I think it was just a mixture of old habits and a record-breaking amount of time not getting any.
“I just want to make sure you,” I let go of my side and point at her, “don’t try and have sex with me later. That might really screw up our friendship.” I fix my hair in the mirror. “I don’t care how long it’s been since you were with someone and how horny you probably are. It’s not gonna happen. Ya hear me?”
She grabs a gold beaded purse off the dresser and an envelope with the names Erin and Christopher written on the front. “I’m having the concierge send up a cot,” she says, opening the door.
“Whatever ya gotta do to keep yourself in control,” I say, following her out into the hall.
Her eyes roll and she slaps the beaded purse against my shoulder. “Let’s go.” She laughs, “We’ve already missed half the cocktail hour.”
We arrive late to the crowded ballroom, which is humming with people holding little plates of hors‘doeuvres. A tray of champagne is offered and we each take a long stemmed crystal glass, finding our way over to the first station of food.
“Aunt Loraine, Tucker, Hi.” Jordyn hands me her glass of champagne to hug the people standing in front of us. “I’m so sorry we missed the ceremony. The traffic was backed up beyond belief on the parkway,” she says over apologetically, as if her Aunt will be angered about something we had no control over.
“No worries, dear, a few other people hit the same traffic.” Her aunt smiles, seeming not the least bit upset. “It’s a shame, though, the mass was beautiful. Wait till you see Erin. She looks gorgeous … so happy, she’s just glowing.”
“Oh, I can’t wait. Where is she? I need to say hello and let her know I’m here.”
“She’s in the bridal suite with her bridesmaids and few of the other girls, getting freshened up. She’ll be out soon.” Her aunt waves at another guest and takes off in that direction.
“So, Tucker, how are you?” Jordyn smiles up at a burly guy with freckles who’s dressed in a tuxedo
. She reaches back for the glass I’m holding for her. “Where is your pretty little girlfriend?”
“I’m doing fine and my pretty little girlfriend is in the bridal suite with my sister.” He adjusts his glasses, looking from Jordyn over to me.
“Oh God, what’s wrong with me. How rude. Tucker, this is Josh, - Josh, this is my cousin, Tucker.”
I reach my hand out and shake hands with her large cousin. “How long you guys been together?” he asks us.
“No, Josh is just a friend,” Jordyn supplies.
“You must be one hell of a friend coming all the way out here for a wedding. I like you already.” Tucker grins, giving me a rough pat on the back. “You watch football?”
“Of course, I’m a huge Steelers fan.”
“Perfect, finally I got someone to talk to.” He motions for me to follow him. “Come on, forget champagne, let’s go find the bar and have a beer.”
I look to Jordyn for the OK and she waves me away. “Go have fun. I have to find the bride and say hello anyway. Which way is the bridal suite?”
“That way.” Tucker dips his head towards the hall before I go following him over to the bar.
We talk sports and guzzle beer. I’m having a great time, open bar, and someone to hang out with. I have a lot in common with the guy. Looks like this won’t be so bad, after all.
There’s a call for the bridal party to gather for introductions. Tucker grumbles about his groomsman duties and chugs back the rest of his beer, placing the empty bottle down on the bar. “I’ll see ya in there, man.” He squeezes my shoulder before taking off.
“I had a feeling you and my cousin would hit it off.” Jordyn sidles back up beside me.
“Yeah, he’s cool. I got a drinking buddy.”
Jordyn sorts through the table filled with little folded cards. “Oh good look, Tucker and Tessa are at our table.” She points to the place card next to ours. “You guys will be able to hang out all night.”
It doesn’t have time to register before blonde curls come bouncing in my direction, stopping short once she sees me. She stops dead in her tracks, wide eyes staying fixed on me for a moment, and the corners of her mouth drop into a frown. I run an anxious hand through my graying hair, graying more and more by the second.
Tessa takes her seat at table four and swings her head away from me, eyes set on the door. What are the chances? Jordyn’s cousin, the one guy here I make friends with, is the boyfriend of the girl who probably hates me more than anyone in the world.
And I am not that liked.
This should be interesting.
The room darkens and a spotlight is centered at the closed double doors. Every guest in the place has his or her phone positioned to take pictures and videos of the grand entrance. Jordyn stands up, moving in closer for a better view. The music thunders, filling the room and lights begin swirling as the members of the bridal party attempt some YouTube-worthy moves as they enter the dance floor.
All eyes are focused in one direction, with the exception of Tessa’s. She glares at me and slowly gets up from her seat, taking the few steps over to where I’m sitting. This isn’t good. The drink in her hand is fruity, red and full of ice. I put my hands up to cover my head but the drink is dumped onto the lap of my light gray pants instead. Holy shit. Ice. Cold. Wet. She storms away from the table without saying a word. The lights in the room change and the guests begin returning to their assigned tables. Quickly, I grab the black linen table cloth and pull it to cover the red mess in my lap.
Jordyn sits down, assessing the weird way I’m now seated at the table. “What’s going on down there?” she asks.
I lift up the corner of the tablecloth, giving her a peek. “Tessa is an old friend,” I whisper.
“Jesus Christ.” Jordyn closes her eyes and starts rubbing her forehead. “You can’t get up. You can’t make a scene here in front of my whole family.”
“I won’t.” I add a dark linen napkin from the table for additional coverage. I reach over and grab Jordyn’s napkin as well, to discreetly sneak down the front of my pants. It’s one cold sticky mess in there. I shift awkwardly in the seat to alleviate some of the discomfort taking over.
“Later I’ll go up to the room and grab your coat. You can carry it down low when we go to leave. And once we get back to the room I have stuff that will get the stain out. For now,” she looks down, “you’ll have to stay at the table, just like that. I know you’re uncomfortable, but please don’t let anyone see that big stain.”
I nod my head, understanding. Right now I have some bigger issues to deal with. Sweat begins to form on the palm of my hands as I see them approaching. Tessa’s got Tucker yanked down, whispering frantically in his ear. With new eyes he shoots me a look that almost causes the wet spot on the front of my pants to double. I’m an average-sized guy. Tucker is not.
I don’t know what she’s saying to him, I just know it’s not good. Whatever else I have coming tonight…I deserve it.
Aidan
“This is nice. I don’t know that we’ve really been alone lately.” Becca is tucked under my arm. She’s got a bag of Tootsie pops on her lap, digging through, eating all the brown ones.
“I think I have to say something to Josh when he gets back from the wedding,” Becca says casually, taking the lollipop from her mouth. “He got a hard on when we were watching TV the other night.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Did I just hear her right? Becca falls back on the couch as I snap up, turning to face her. “When the hell did this happen?”
“You were at the gym and me and Josh were watching TV, just like me and you always do. Just like we’re doing right now and then boom, there it was. I was so pissed. What does he think, I’m one of those girls he can just hump and dump? No way.”
“All right, there’s a million things wrong with what you just said. Josh knows the deal with me and you. Him hitting on you, well, I’m afraid that’s gonna have some serious consequences.”
“No, it wasn’t really like that.” She waves the lollipop in the air, shaking her head. “He didn’t hit on me. I think it just happened cause he’s a pervert and he got a boner cause we were sitting close.”
“Sitting close? Weren’t you sitting in the chair?” What the hell has been going on in this place when I’m not around?
“I don’t know. I guess I moved over or something.” Becca gnaws on her thumb nail.
“He’s attracted to you, Becca. I knew something like this was gonna happen. I knew it the second I saw you guys together.” I cup a hand over my mouth, breathing in through my nose. “And don’t even try and lie to me, cause I know you’re attracted to him, too. Is it anything more than that? Are you feeling anything towards him?”
“No!” Becca exclaims, jumping up from the couch. The bag of lollipops drops onto the floor and she throws the stick from her mouth down next to it. “I’m not stupid. I know the type of guy he is. The money, the car, the looks, the way he treats women. I know better than to let myself think there’s a chance of something happening with me and him.”
“Becca, there’s something missing from what you just said. What about me? Where am I in all this?”
She blinks her eyes, almost as if coming out of a fog. “Oh my God, Aidan, of course. I’m sorry, I said that all wrong. Josh is nothing to me. You are everything.” She bends down to give me a kiss. “Don’t worry about Josh. What happened was stupid and I shouldn’t have even mentioned it. There’s nothing at all between us. I swear. Besides, right now I’m sure he’s getting it on with Jordyn.”
The comment about Jordyn takes the burning rage inside me to the boiling point. The idea of Josh with Jordyn, making his moves on Becca, playing both girls, damn, it makes me want to bash his head in. “THAT GRAY HAIRED MOTHER FUCKER! What do girls even see in a low-life dick like that?” I bang my fist on the side of the couch and Becca jumps, cowering away from me.
“Stop!” Becca yells across the couch. “Calm down. I shouldn’t have said anyt
hing. Don’t get mad at Josh over something stupid that I said. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was his phone in his pocket or he was thinking about someone else. I don’t know. I could be starting something over something that was nothing.”
Becca warily sits back down next to me, stroking the back of my head, trying to calm me down. It does little to help. I’m still fired up playing back our conversation. “Why would Josh having money and a nice car mean shit?”
“Huh?”
“You said you didn’t think you’d have a chance with him because of his money and car. What did you mean by that?”
“Oh, um … ” Becca bites her lip and shrugs. “People ya know who have money don’t really go for people like us who don’t come from the same background and lifestyle as they do. I’m sure Josh is looking for someone like Jordyn, perfect looks, money, parents that spoil her. Not a pink-haired girl with tattoos that ate a bag of pretzels for lunch the other night to save a few bucks. If I ever got with Josh, it would be nothing more than a night of slumming to him.”
I throw my head back in shock. “Are you seriously putting yourself down like that? First of all, you’re beautiful. I know it, that asshole knows it, and I know you know it, too. And slumming? I’m not even gonna dignify that word with an answer.” I can’t believe Becca would actually use that word to describe herself.
“I’m not putting myself down. I’m actually putting them down. Josh and Jordyn. Josh would never take a girl who looks like me seriously and Jordyn would never, either.” Her lips close tight and she looks away, raising her eyebrows.
“Jordyn? I don’t understand what she has to do with this conversation? If you’re trying to make the point that a girl like Jordyn would never go for a guy like me, then just say that.”
“Fine. You think I won’t. Jordyn would never go for a guy like you.”
“Because of my scar?”
“Yes, amongst other things.”
“Like what?”
“Like, once she found out who put that scar on your face, she’d be off and running in no time.”
Flaw (The Flaw Series) Page 9