“Is there nothing that looks right on you?” she mumbled.
“Is that a dig at me?”
“Why would you ask that?”
I rolled my eyes. “Are we done?” I asked instead.
“One more. It’s a beautiful rose gold color that would normally come off as too flashy, though I’d think you prefer that, but this was absolutely gorgeous on the rack.”
“Let’s do this,” I said, not holding out much hope.
Until the attendant put it on my body. In this single instance, Mom was right. The rose gold was beautiful both on its own as well as against my skin and hair. The dress was floor-length because the dinner was formal after all, with a round neckline and allover sequined mesh. Mesh godet panels peeked out of the skirt. The sash belt was removable, but I’d keep it. This was the dress no matter what my mother said.
As I stepped out of the dressing room expecting to hear how awful it looked on me and found my mother just as surprised as I was.
“That looks amazing on you,” she said. It was the first real compliment I thought I’d ever heard from her. “It’s beautiful.”
“This is the one I want,” I said without looking at the price tag. That was her problem to figure out.
“Then that is the one you’ll get.”
It all felt too easy.
Afterward, I went back to Tegan’s, careful not to mention that I was staying at his apartment. She knew—of course she did—but if I brought it up, she’d unleash her opinions on me. If I was at their house, she’d think I’d be easier to control. I didn’t want to deal with it.
My brother had promised he’d come home right after work to spend the evening with me. He brought Chinese food—more food than we could’ve possibly eaten.
Still, we spread out in front of his television, which was too big in my opinion, and dove in. Other people might’ve gotten out plates, but we just grabbed a carton and began eating then switched out when the other wanted some. That was how we’d always done it.
“You better not bogart the vegetables,” he said, knowing I usually eat up all the veggies first. But so did he. Which was why he got a large side of just the vegetables. He also ordered the dishes that were the least bad for us. My brother and I were so alike in the eating area.
“What changed your mind?” he asked.
“About coming? Nothing.”
He nudged me with his elbow. “Liar.”
I sighed and stabbed the chopsticks into a container of black pepper chicken and set it on the table.
“I pissed off all of my friends and the points they made got me thinking. I need to have it out with Mom and Dad once and for all. So, I’ll do the party then drop the hammer. How have you never had to do this with them?”
He shrugged but kept shoveling food into his mouth. “I think they let me slide a lot easier than you. I have always had Dad on my side.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course. You’re the apple of his eye.”
“But more than that,” he said without acknowledging what I’d said. “I did go into something that looks really good. Plus, they always had you there to put the pressure on.” He took another bite. “Your real mistake was majoring in education. It gave them hope. Now they think you’re wasting your life because you haven’t settled into something else they can begrudgingly approve of.”
“So it’s all about control. It’s not tough love but them being in control or fearing losing control.”
“Exactly.” He switched out one container for another. “What’d you do to you friends?”
I wet my lips quickly then dove into the entire story. About how Laney was annoyed at the feeling of things being hidden from her like I had with Porter and I knew that was a touchy thing for her. I told him that Porter was mad because he wanted me to come here with me to protect me from our parents while also putting them in their place. Showing them that they couldn’t control me but I said I didn’t need his protection. There was nothing I wouldn’t tell Tegan.
But he said nothing in response.
“Aren’t you going to say something?” I asked him.
Still nothing. For what felt like forever. Finally, he said, “They’re being kind of dumb.”
“Thank you!” I slapped my hands on my legs.
“Wait.” He held a hand up to stop my celebrating. “They’re being dumb by not trying to see your side of it. Laney can’t think you’ll tell her everything that happens in your day. And Porter… I don’t know. You said he’s never had a girlfriend before, so maybe he doesn’t know how it works. But you’re also being dumb.”
“I—”
He cut me off. “Our parents might be a lot to take, but if you want this thing with him to last, you have to bring him to stuff. You can’t keep him from them forever. Or you could cut them out altogether.” He leaned over and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “And no one would blame you if you did. They’re assholes. I barely speak to them once a month. Mom leaves messages but I don’t return most of her calls. Which is another reason I don’t get that pressure anymore. But separate lives won’t work.”
“Fine,” I said with a sigh. “I am being dumb. I just… ” How honest did I want to be? I already knew that answer. Totally. “This thing with Porter is new and I’ve fallen for him so hard. Like… high school hard, if I’m being honest. That totally and completely fallen kind of thing.”
“And?”
“And I didn’t want them to give him a hard time and chase him away.”
“Do think he’d be run off that easily?”
No. “Mom was an epic bitch to him when he was just a friend. Could you imagine what she’d be like now that she knows we’re together?”
“She’s an epic bitch. She doesn’t even care that she is because she thinks she knows what’s right for us.” He ran a finger over his top lip. “You know, I might end up taking you up on your offer.”
My brows furrowed. I had no idea what he was talking about. “What offer?”
His deep chuckle made me think that I wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “Your offer to come live with you in East Branch.”
I sat up straight. “When did I offer that exactly?”
“The night you were drunk after the fundraiser.”
I cocked my head to the side trying to figure out if he was messing with me or not and by the look on his face, he was not. “You can’t keep me to any words said while drunk.”
“I think I can.”
While I wanted to argue more with him, for the fun of it, I honestly kind of didn’t. Him living with me in East Branch wouldn’t have been the end of the world. Actually, it might’ve been great. And he was a surgical PA. He could’ve gotten a job anywhere.
Chapter Twenty-One
If there was one thing I could’ve said about my mother, it was that she could throw a party together. The space, a small local ballroom, looked amazing with the silver and black balloons. Silver and black table settings and a giant banner wishing me a happy birthday.
It was almost better than the Happy Birthday text I’d gotten from Laney this morning. It wasn’t much, but it was enough that I knew she’d gotten over our argument. Neither of us was going to apologize by text. That wasn’t how we did it.
The place may have been beautiful, but it was also formal as hell. Waitstaff. A sit-down dinner. Mom had probably been planning this for months assuming she’d find a way to get me here. Obviously, she was right. I came. But not for the party. Though this time she was smart enough not to put me at a table with Aldrich Webber. I was sandwiched in between Tegan and a girl he’d dated one summer in college. They’d split amicably, so it wasn’t a big deal. Summer fling, not long-term love. They’d each gone back to college and the fling had ended. It had all been in fun but she had graduated from Dad’s school and her parents were quite wealthy.
Mom and Dad loved the idea of fitting in with people who had more money than they did.
“Rhian.” My mother’s voice came from beh
ind me. I took a deep breath and stood up. If there was one good thing about this party, it was that likely some of their friends would give me a gift. Usually money of some sort. That, I could’ve used. “This is Penelope Wayne-Carter. She’s one of the new teachers at Hargrove. I thought you two might have a lot to talk about.” She glanced up as if someone had called her. No one had. “Excuse me.”
Yup. That was on track with what I expected. We both said hello and smiled, but this was awkward. She was young, like me. But she was also tall with some of the darkest hair I’d ever seen which led me to believe that she might have some Asian heritage. It was beautiful and straight as a pin. She was absolutely beautiful.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said. “My mother is hoping you can say enough good things about Hargrove that I’ll fall all over myself to come work there.”
Penelope nodded and took a sip of her champagne. “I get it,” she said. “On the way over here she suggested that I mention the excellent health benefits.”
I chuckled. Totally sounded like my mother. “I’m sure they’re fantastic.”
“Actually, they are.” She took another drink. “Are you a teacher?”
“I just graduated and have my teaching certificate.” I thought that was the best way to explain it without going into details.
“I get that. I wanted to be an archaeologist and live my life on one dig after another,” she told me.
“Why didn’t you?”
“I met my husband sophomore year,” she told me. “By junior year, I couldn’t imagine being away from him that long.”
“So love got in the way.”
“It did.” She smiled at me then finished off her glass of champagne. “Listen.” She took a step closer to me. “I’m going to report back to your mother that we talked about how fantastic Hargrove is and all that jazz. I’ll tell her that I seemed to be swaying you, but that I think you’re a bit skittish, so if we push too hard, we’ll push you away. Maybe it’ll keep her off your ass for the night.”
“I could hug you,” I said honestly, to which she chuckled. “If I didn’t already love my best friend, I’d claim you.”
“Not a problem. I know all about parental pressure. Happy birthday, by the way.” She gave me a little wave then scooted off to a tall man with very short hair and the kindest looking face, who kissed her when she approached. That must’ve been the love who’d kept her from her dream.
The next person to approach me was a man, maybe a couple of years older than me, whose name I didn’t catch. He wasn’t much taller than me, which made him kind of short for a man. His face reminded me of Stuart Little. He talked a lot about his boat. About how we could’ve gone for a month on the sea. Such an adventure. I thought it was his way of flirting, but every single thing he suggested was something that would’ve cost an amount of money I didn’t want to think about.
Everything was status. But everything about him was the exact opposite of Porter. Porter wanted to be nice to me. To protect me. To love me. But with this guy, it was about impressing someone. Not me, I didn’t think. To prove he was a man by using his money, or rather his father’s money, to get exactly what he wanted.
He also ignored the several times I told him that I was seeing someone. Finally, I just walked away. I didn’t think he even noticed.
As I made my way back across the room to where Tegan was laughing with a group of guys, I had to thread myself through a multitude of people who wanted to wish me a happy birthday, even though they didn’t know me. I hadn’t made it very far when my phone rang from inside the pocket of my dress. My mother would’ve freaked out if she’d known I’d put it in there.
Laney. Whatever she wanted had to be important or she wouldn’t have called while I was at the party. I took a quick left to get away from the noise when someone grabbed my arm.
“Where are you going?” my mother asked, her eyes wide with outrage.
I glanced around to see where Dad was but didn’t find him. He’d been especially cold tonight. “To answer my phone.”
“Not during your own party you’re not.”
“Mom,” I snapped. “It’ll just take a minute. I could’ve been done by now.” I yanked my arm out of her grasp. “Now let me go. I’m answering this.”
She did as I demanded, but I thought it was only because she knew this situation was about to become a scene at her precious party.
I slid outside and answered probably as it was about to go to voicemail.
“Hello?”
“Rhian,” she said, sounding so relieved. Our argument hadn’t been that bad.
“What’s wrong?” It was the only thing that could’ve made her sound like that.
“Porter’s been in a car accident.”
My world stopped and a brick fell heavily in my stomach. My fucking heart stopped. “Give me more, Laney,” I pled with tears already filling my eyes.
“He’s at the hospital.”
“He isn’t dead?”
“No, Rhian. No. He’s… I don’t actually know how bad it is yet because Zac just called me. I know his car is totaled.” She paused. “Zac said that someone ran a red light and they were going too fast. I’m leaving the house and heading to the hospital but needed to call you first.”
At least I could breathe now.
“OK,” I said, my eyes glancing everywhere, as if I needed to take in the scene, but there were only cars in front of me. “OK. I’ll change my flight. I’ll get there as soon as I can. Laney. Please keep me updated. I know I’ll be on the plane, but whatever you can tell me.”
“Of course.”
“Wait, Laney, was Zac with him? Is he OK?” I asked, almost kicking myself for not asking sooner.
“No. He was following Porter back to East Branch. Porter’s battery died and he needed Zac to give him a jump. They were in Detroit.”
A big breath came out. Not sure if it was relief or anxiety. “So he saw it happen?”
“He did.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.”
I began walking with purpose back to the ballroom. “I’m leaving now and I’ll text you with my new flight info so you know when I’ll be there.” Then I ended the call without waiting for any goodbye.
This time I didn’t let anyone stop me on my mission to get Tegan. He was still with his friends and I didn’t wait for the appropriate time to interrupt.
“I’m leaving,” I told him.
His smile faltered and he looked directly at me. “What? What’d Mom do?”
“Nothing… well, lots of stuff, but Laney just called and Porter had an accident and I’m leaving.” I went to turn on my heel but thought better of it. “You’re coming with me.”
“What?” I began walking and could hear him following me right out the door. “Rhian, what’s happening here?”
“You’re coming with me because you’re a PA and will understand all of this shit better than me. Let’s get to the airport.”
I stopped next to his car.
“We’ll go back to my place, get your stuff, and change.”
“Nope. Airport.” I slid into the passenger side of his car.
“Rhian.” He pulled out of his parking space. He wasn’t going to question that he was coming with me. He was just coming with me. “We have to change your ticket and get mine. There’s no way a plane is taking off right when we get there. Take a breath.”
“How can I take a breath?” I asked, my voice wavering. “He was in a car accident and the last time we were together we argued. I fucking love him, Tegan.”
“Tell him that when you get there,” he said, maneuvering us onto the highway, which was the fastest way to get to his place.
“Tell him what?”
“That you love him,” he said simply.
Yeah. I’d already planned to do that.
When we got to his apartment, I ran as best I could in the heels my mother had picked out. Got to the door before him. Turned the lock and bolted inside.
&
nbsp; I was changed into jeans and a T-shirt with my packed bag within ten minutes. I tapped away on his laptop while he packed his own bag.
“Got it. We have an hour. My ticket is changed and you have a massive charge on your credit card.”
“Then let’s get to the airport.”
This time, we did long-term parking and everything I did was in fast forward but seemed like slow motion. Nothing was happening fast enough. My stomach turned over and over and I wasn’t entirely sure I wouldn’t throw up. I also obsessively checked my phone for updates but none had come in yet.
On the plane, I had to turn my phone to airplane mode so no messages would come in anyway. This was the longest flight of my life.
In Detroit, we hopped a waiting ride share and headed for the hospital to which Laney had told me they’d taken him. This one was a trauma center. Tegan said that was good.
They were equipped to handle everything.
As with everything I’d been doing, I ran into the ER when we arrived. I forgot to grab my bag out of the backseat, but Tegan followed behind with both of ours. Laney popped up out of her seat as soon as I got the waiting room.
“Rhian,” she called out, waving me over.
I turned so quickly that I almost fell then slammed into her harder than I’d meant to. We hugged for a moment until I pulled back.
“Well?”
“He’s still in CT, they said, whatever that is,” she told me.
“CAT scan. Check for head injuries,” Tegan explained without being asked. This was why I’d brought him.
“Did you see him?” I asked, tears forming in my eyes again. I wasn’t going to cry, damn it.
“For a minute,” she told me. “They did say he fractured his collarbone, but that it wasn’t a complete fracture, so he shouldn’t need surgery for it.”
I turned to my brother.
“His arm will be immobile for at least four weeks,” he explained, “but him not needing surgery is a good thing. That would have meant a longer healing time.”
“OK, good.” I finally slid over in front of Zac. “Are you OK?”
A Little More Touch Me (The Fallout Series Book 2) Page 18