If Love was Fair

by Savannah Stewart

  She was persistent, I could give her that. But why in the hell would she want her cousin, who never existed in her eyes, to be a part of her big day? It made absolutely no sense. It honestly wouldn’t matter if I told her no, that I wasn’t doing it, because the only risk I had was that she’d black list me even more than I already had been. It’s not like that would even matter. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to calm my nerves before she threw me for a loop. Like Libby Mack was known to do to everyone around her. How such a vile woman had friends was beyond me. It had to be her status and money, because the girl didn’t have a good personality.

  “Arbor Kenton, how can I help you?”

  “Arbooor, it’s about time you took me off hold.”

  Her whiny tone had gotten a tad bit better over the years, but like Libby fashion, her better than thou attitude was in full force.

  “Hello to you, too, Libby.”

  Any friendly tone I’d mustered up had gone out the window already.

  “Why are you ignoring me?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “My invitation for you to be a bridesmaid in my wedding, I know you received it.”

  “About that…”

  “I really need you to come home, Arbor. I need you to be in my wedding. I know we haven’t been close over the years but you’re the only cousin I have, and Mother says family comes first. You’re her sister’s daughter, and I can’t have the day I want without you there.”

  Words had left me. Was Libby actually making an attempt to be family with me after all these years? It was hard to tell. She was the type of person that would pull you in to help herself if need be, but I was never one that had anything she wanted. Let alone needed.

  “You know, Libby, I don’t get you one bit.”

  “Arbor, please.”

  Hearing the word please come from Libby was like having a conversation with someone who spoke a complete different language than you and not understanding a single word.

  I squeezed my eyes shut and bit down hard on my bottom lip. As bad as I wanted to tell her to kiss my southern ass, the good part of me was pushing me to do the right thing.

  “Okay, I’ll be a bridesmaid in your wedding. When is it?”

  “Two weeks from this Saturday!”

  “What?”

  “I’ll need you here this weekend. We have a couple showers going between now and the big day. Plus I’ll have to get you sized for your dress so Jasmine can have it completed in time. Thank you so much, Arbor. You’re a lifesaver! See you soon.”

  The line went silent and I sat there in disbelief. I’d just agreed to be a bridesmaid in my horrible cousin’s wedding. Which meant I had to face the town I’d left in the dust, the people I loathed, and the so-called family that didn’t give two shits about me when my parents passed. Three days did not give me enough time to get ready, let alone drink enough alcohol to prepare myself for what was to come.

  I’d officially lost my ever loving mind.

  “Do you need me to go with you?”

  Emily clutched a pillow against her chest.

  A heavy sigh deflated my body. “Can I just not show up?”

  “Then you’d be the asshole. Arbor, you’re not an asshole.”

  “Fuck!”

  “I think you should go and make all those motherfuckers feel like shit for treating such a wonderful person so shitty. Show them what you’ve become and be the better person. You’ve got this. Then once it’s over, you’ll feel like the dark cloud that’s been hovering over you regarding that part of your life has been lifted. I’m telling you, there’s nothing better than shoving peoples’ faces in the fact that you’ve made a great life for yourself. Especially when they didn’t give two shits about you before.”

  I lifted my head to see Emily’s face.

  “What have you done with my Emily?”

  She chuckled and tossed the pillow she was clutching at me.

  “Okay, I’ll go.” I pulled her into a hug. “Thank you for talking me down off the ledge.”

  “I’ll go if you want me to.”

  “I think I need to do this on my own.”

  “Would this be a good time to tell you that Everett asked me to handle Evergreen’s account?”

  I pulled out of our embrace.

  “What?” My eyebrows dipped. “When did he do that?”

  A frown took away the happiness in her face.

  “About a week ago.”

  Anger flowed through me.

  “Why would he do that?” I picked up the pillow and slapped Emily hard with it. “Why haven’t you told me about this before now?”

  She quickly got to her feet and put some space between us.

  “I didn’t know how to tell you, Arbor! I was torn about even taking Evergreen on when he contacted me, but he said it was for the best. I’m so sorry. I couldn’t let Level lose them altogether, and I was afraid that’s what was going to happen. He forwarded your email to me that you sent earlier and I knew I had to tell you. I didn’t realize this with your cousin was going to come up, but I couldn’t let you head to Jonesborough without knowing.”

  My eyes welled with tears, not from sadness, but from hurt.

  “I can’t believe this.” I tossed my hands in the air and left Emily standing in the living room.

  “Arbor, where are you going? Talk to me, please.”

  A response to Emily was lost on me, so I grabbed my purse and keys from the entrance table and slammed the door behind me.

  Once I reached my car, I hurried out of the driveway. I didn’t want Emily to follow me wherever I was headed, which I wasn’t sure where that would be. But as I continued to drive, I found myself getting on the expressway that led directly to Everett’s office.

  I tossed the parking garage valet my keys and hastily took the stairs to the above floor so I could enter the building.

  “Hello, young lady.” An older man, who I assumed to be the security guard on duty, greeted me.

  A curt smile was my response as I slipped into the elevator that just so happened to empty out when I reached it. I pushed the fifth floor button so hard I was afraid I’d bust the covering, but I didn’t. I’d never been so pissed in my life as I was from the news of him going behind my back. Not to mention pulling my best friend into the mess. Who would do that?

  I shoved through the doors to Evergreen Music Management and bypassed the receptionist who was calling after me to stop. It was only a matter of time before security was called.

  “Miss, you can’t just barge in here!”

  “Watch me.” I narrowed my eyes as I turned toward Everett’s office.

  My sandals slapped against the floor in as much anger as I felt pulsing through my veins. Once I reached his door, I yanked it open and stopped dead in my tracks. My chest was heaving from the exertion I’d put upon myself.

  “Arbor?”

  Everett looked puzzled behind his desk.

  “You son of a bitch!”

  “Whoa, whoa!” He stood and came toward me. “How about we calm down for just one second.”

  “You went behind my back and gave Evergreen to Emily! Emily! My best fucking friend. Without a single word to me regarding it.”

  “Mr. Green.” The receptionist pushed through the doors.

  He held his hand up to stop her.

  “Do you want me to call security, sir?”

  “No, we’re fine,” he reassured her and she nervously backed out of his office.

  “We are far from fine, Everett.” My teeth were clenched so tightly I thought I was going to shatter a few.

  He grabbed my biceps and I began to thrash.

  “Will you calm the hell down for a second?”

  I continued to try and jerk out of his hold, but he pulled me against his body and held me tightly. After a few seconds I was exhausted, and tears were welling in my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do was cry in front of him. I’d already barged in like a bull in a China shop, which I’m sure m
ade me look like a damn fool. But I needed answers and I didn’t give a shit how I got them.

  “Why did you do it?” My lip began to tremble so I sucked it into my mouth, hoping he didn’t notice.

  His eyes softened as his hand smoothed across my heated cheek.

  “I thought it was for the best.”

  I went to jerk out of his arms but he held me tight again.

  “Hear me out.”

  I gave in and nodded.

  “I thought it was for the best that we put space between us professionally. I want you, Arbor. I can’t deny it, and neither can you. But I don’t want to risk your job if we allowed what’s happening between us to go any further. Emily told me how hard you’ve worked to get where you are, and I don’t want to ruin that for you. I can’t risk it. But I also can’t risk how I feel either. So I gave you space and even time, but I needed someone to handle Evergreen. Emily was the only person I knew I could reach out to at Level. I knew she would make the transition as quietly as possible so it didn’t reflect back on you. I’m sorry I moved our account to her, but I had to. For both our sakes.”

  He made a good argument, but the hurt was still there. The fact that he wanted to protect me and my job meant a lot. But I was furious with us both that we allowed it to get to that point. This was a prime example why I tried to keep my distance from men and relationships. I opened myself up once before and the repercussions were astronomical. I couldn’t allow that to happen again. So Everett, being the better person and taking that risk off the table, was doing the right thing. No matter how bad it stung.

  “Oh my God…” I buried my face against his chest. “I look like a fucking fool.”

  His laughter made me look up at him, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

  “My coworkers might think you’re a bit crazy, but you don’t look like a fool to me. Just a woman who is passionate about what she wants. It’s a lovely trait.” He wrapped a loose strand of hair around my ear. “I also adore this little get up you’re wearing.”

  My eyes bulged when I realized I didn’t even notice what I’d run out of the house wearing. I stepped out of his hold and took myself in. Messy ponytail, loose boat neck sweater, and leggings with sandals. What a train wreck.

  “I’m going to do my walk of shame now.” I turned to leave but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back into his arms.

  His lips molded with mine before I could protest, and a split second later I was kissing him back with so much conviction I thought we would both ignite from the heat. His hands traced beneath my sweater, smoothing up my stomach and stopping on the outside of my naked breasts. I’d officially left the house for the first time in my life without wearing a bra.

  “What are you trying to do to me?” His muffled words against my lips caused a chill to roll through my body.

  “Touch me.”

  Everett groaned before one hand smoothed around my back while the other cupped my breast. The pad of his thumb made circles over my nipple. A throaty moan left me as I sucked his bottom lip into my mouth and gently bit it. He lifted me just enough to sit me on his desk, and my legs wrapped around his body. A loud crash broke our moment. The file organizer that was sitting beside where he placed me on his desk had tumbled to the floor, mixing papers together that probably shouldn’t have been.

  “Shit.” He adjusted himself in his slacks and leaned down to clean up the mess.

  “I’m sorry.”

  Everett’s honey eyes cut through me.

  “Don’t you dare apologize.”

  My face flushed and a closed-lip smile pushed the corners of my mouth up.

  He stopped collecting the papers and took me in. “God, you’re beautiful.”

  The sincerity in his words was so intense, I could almost feel what he was saying. It’s hard to explain, but if you’ve ever had such an intense moment that changed your being, you’d understand.

  “Go on a date with me.”

  “Now?”

  He chuckled.

  “Tonight.” He shuffled all the papers together, not caring what order they were in, and laid them on the desk beside where I was seated. “I’ll pick you up around eight. We can start fresh.”

  I nibbled my bottom lip at the thought of an actual date with Everett. The aspect of our jobs was taken off the table. Just two people having dinner, with a few drinks, and enjoying the time together.

  “Eight is perfect.”

  He cupped my face and pressed his lips to mine. “I’ll see you then.”

  I slipped from his desk and touched my lips with my hand and waved goodbye with the other as I exited his office. The walk of shame to the elevators was a blur from the endorphins pulsing through my veins. Everett was like a drug that fueled exactly what my body was needing when I was around him.

  But was that always going to be a good thing?

  Thirteen

  Emily hadn’t come home since I’d run out earlier in anger. She’d tried calling me numerous times, but I’d left my phone in the car when I’d gone to Everett’s office so I couldn’t answer. One single text from her sat in my inbox with the words I’m sorry staring back at me. She wasn’t one for giant apologies; a single, simple sentence was her usual style. Just another reason why I loved her dearly.

  I tried to call her, but her phone kept going directly to voicemail. So, I continued to curl my hair and loosely pull back the top layer with a clip. I wished she was home to help me prepare for the very first date I’d gone on since I moved to Indianapolis. But, my own actions were the reason she wasn’t. I had no one else to blame but myself.

  Being a person who was used to hurt and being left behind, it made it hard not to go to extremes when I was angry or sad. It was something I needed to get under control. So Emily giving me space was her way of clearing the air, even if I didn’t need it at times.

  The funk that was trying to settle in on my mood needed to go away. I couldn’t ruin our date with the cloud of sadness hanging over me. So I quickly typed out a reply to Emily’s message, hoping she’d come home before I left. I had to let her know I wasn’t mad and that I was sorry for overreacting. I told her I was going on an actual date with Everett and I’d love for her to see me before I left. But, as I hit send and re-read the message, I realized how selfish it sounded.

  When had I become that girl?

  I tossed my phone on my bed and finished up my makeup. Tonight’s outfit was a bit toned down. A hunter green knee-length cap-sleeved dress with a pair of black booties. Minimum jewelry and smoky makeup.

  A knock on the door echoed through the empty house. I hoped it was Emily, because there was a little over half an hour before Everett would arrive. Smoothing my dress with my hands, I passed through the living room and pulled open the door without checking the peephole. A very intoxicated Emily stumbled into my arms.

  “Emily, are you okay?”

  Her bloodshot eyes connected with mine. “I’m—I’m sorry, Arbor. I didn’t mean to upset you with all that shit with Everett. We did what we thought was best for the two of you. You need love in your life. I felt he could give you that,” she rambled.

  “Oh, honey.” I pulled her through the door and shut it.

  Somehow I managed to get her to the couch before she completely lost her balance. I slid a pillow beneath her head and raced to the spare bathroom to grab the trashcan and a wet cloth. She was burning up from all the alcohol.

  The smell of stagnant vomit filled the air as I stepped back into the living room. I cupped my hand over my mouth and nose, trying to will myself to keep it together. Emily was silently heaving clear liquid all over herself and onto the floor.

  “Shit, shit, shit!” I rushed and quickly slipped the trashcan between her and the floor so she’d hit it with the vomit. “What have you done to yourself, Emily?” I wrapped the cool wet cloth around the back of her neck and she groaned.

  My shoes were covered in puke, the house smelled like a dirty ass toilet, and someone was knocking on the doo
r.

  “Come in!” I yelled, not caring who it was.

  “Hello, beautif—what the hell is that smell?” Everett’s baritone voice filled the room.

  I frantically looked at him over the couch and sighed. “I could really use your help here.”

  He rounded the couch and cringed. “What the hell happened?”

  “I ran out earlier, super upset at Emily for what happened. I left my phone in the car while I was at your office so she thought I was ignoring her. I tried to get a hold of her after I left but no answer, and about twenty minutes ago she showed up drunk as a skunk at the front door apologizing the best she could in this state.”

  “Shit.”

  “Yeah.” I frowned. “I can’t leave her.”

  “I wouldn’t ask you to. Let me help you clean things up and we can stay here.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  He placed his hand over mine and leaned down so he was staring directly into my eyes.

  “I know I don’t have to, I want to.”

  I smiled and hugged him tightly.

  “If you could carry her to her bathroom, I can clean her up.”

  “You got it.” Everett began unbuttoning his shirt and laid it on the loveseat.

  I’d never seen him without a shirt before. His chest was muscular, but not overbearing, and that defined V peeked from beneath each side of his navy slacks.

  “I didn’t want to get that on my shirt.”

  “No, by all means.” I grinned like a fool.

  With one easy scoop, he had Emily in his arms. She groaned and gagged as he slowly carried her down the hall with me directing him to exactly where her bathroom was. I flipped the light on and moved so he could slip inside the bathroom. It wasn’t small by any means, but felt a little overcrowded with him holding her and me in the room as well. I pulled back the shower curtain and ran the water until it was warm, flipping the plug so it would hold water as I ran a decent amount in the tub.

  “Go ahead and put her in it.”

  “Clothes and all?”