MADversary

by Jamison, Jade C.

  Megan felt uneasy but Lisa joined her a few minutes later, plate still in her hands. Megan led her to the table where she’d thrown her own food in haste and asked Lisa what had happened.

  Lisa shook her head. “You know, when I saw his wife’s face, she looked so sweet. Yeah, she deserves to know, but I didn’t want to be the one to hurt her. She—Maxine, her name was—seemed so nice. She was warm and friendly and even invited me to sit with them.” Lisa’s lips curled up in a smile as she set her plate down at the table. “I considered it. That would’ve been fun, watching Randy sweat all through breakfast.”

  Megan laughed. “What an awfully grownup thing to do, Leese.”

  Lisa smiled again. “I know. But don’t expect me to stay that way. And, sad but true, I’m sure she’ll find out eventually. I just don’t wanna be anymore the bad guy than I’ve already been.”

  Megan nodded. “You weren’t a bad girl. You didn’t know.”

  “Doesn’t make me feel any less guilty. Anyway, I’m gonna go get some coffee and juice. Can I get you anything else?”

  “Nah, I’m good. Thanks.”

  Lisa draped her purse over a chair and leaned over, her voice low. “And then we’ll blow this fuckin’ joint. And if I ask you to go to our twenty-year reunion, tell me to kiss your ass.” Megan raised her eyebrows, ready to protest and tell her friend that she’d tried this time, but Lisa continued. “No matter how much I beg or plead or cajole or bribe you, don’t do it. In fact, tell me you’re not my friend anymore. That’ll get my attention.”

  Megan laughed and used her fork to cut off a bite-sized piece of watermelon while her friend left in search of beverages. She too was ready to return to her normal life. She’d been shaken a little too much, but they’d survived.

  She reached for her coffee cup and felt a hand on her shoulder. She felt her blood heat up in anger as she realized she hadn’t done what she’d planned to do when they’d arrived. She had planned to sit facing the door so she could see who entered and exited the room, but her nerves had made her forget. She’d lost her focus and now she was going to have to deal with Tyler unprepared.

  Only it wasn’t Tyler, and it wasn’t Tamara (her second guess) either. It was Mike Hardy, software genius extraordinaire, that she’d caught up with on Friday night. “Hey, Megan. Do you mind if I sit with you?”

  Megan’s adrenaline levels had increased threefold, but she hoped she could maintain a calm exterior. She said, “No, not at all. Have a seat, Mike.”

  Mike sat on the other side of her, not a few seats down as Megan had expected. Still, she supposed that was all right. This was probably going to be the last time she would ever see him, so she thought she could play nice one last time.

  “Tyler stole you away Friday night, so I never had a chance to ask you what you’ve been up to since high school.”

  Well, that statement wasn’t exactly true. She’d ditched the two men, as she’d recalled, because she hadn’t wanted to be around Tyler. That and Mike had bored the shit out of her. And he was going to take one last crack at it.

  That wasn’t fair. He was nice. And he was asking questions, indicating he didn’t want the conversation to be one-sided. The only problem Megan could see was he was sitting a little too close.

  “Not much, really. I work at the library, and I love that job. I’m surrounded by books, one of my life’s passions, and I get to help people who sometimes have that same love.”

  Lisa sat down on the other side of Megan, coffee in hand. “Is that Mike Hardy?” she asked.

  Mike stood. “Lisa French. Great to see you.” He pushed his chair back and walked over to the other side of Megan, giving Lisa a warm hug. Megan had forgotten until this weekend that Mike was a hugger, kind of touchy-feely. It looked like her friend could use the hug, because she held him a little longer than she should have. But Mike didn’t seem to mind. When Lisa let go, he said, “Would you two mind if I sat in between you both? That way I don’t have to strain to hear you?”

  Megan shrugged. If it was okay with Lisa, it was okay with her. Lisa read her expression and said, “Great idea. I’ll move over one.”

  Megan stood away from the table a little to give Mike room to make the switch. While Mike was moving his food over, Megan was once again distracted, and just as Mike’s entire meal was moved, Tyler stood just behind Mike’s empty chair. Megan was afraid she looked like the proverbial doe in the headlights. She’d so wanted to be prepared for this event, but all the happenings of the morning had distracted the shit out of her. And because he’d caught her unawares, she wasn’t able to formulate words and she was sure she looked vulnerable, something she hadn’t wanted to do. Hard as she tried, no words would come out of her mouth.

  Tyler got straight to the point. “Can I talk to you somewhere in private?”

  Megan found her voice. She didn’t want Tyler charming the pants off her somewhere away from other people. She didn’t want his charisma to overpower her anymore. Her only hope was to have her BFF by her side, calling bullshit when she spotted it. Otherwise, Megan would accept anything Tyler Green had to say to her.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  MEGAN REFUSED TO let her eyes drop. She told Tyler, “Anything you have to say you can say in front of my friends.”

  He frowned, his brown eyes glinting. “Oh, come on, Meg. Don’t make me do this in public.” She scowled and planted her feet, indicating she wasn’t going to budge. She didn’t say anything, instead engaging in a stare down. He sighed and frowned. He gave in, but his voice was low, hoping to minimize attention. “All right. So I know you talked to Tamara last night, and I know she poisoned you. She told you something that made you run off, and she wouldn’t tell me what it was.”

  Megan found her voice…and her balls. “Yeah…a little something called the truth.”

  A small grin appeared on Tyler’s face in spite of himself. “Meg, that girl wouldn’t know the truth if it jumped up and bit her on the ass.” Megan kept her face frozen. “Don’t tell me you believe whatever it was she told you.”

  Megan got closer to him, because suddenly she didn’t like the attention around the table either. It was bad enough that Lisa and Mike had put down their utensils. They weren’t staring at Megan and Tyler, but Megan knew they were listening. “She didn’t have to tell me anything when she had the evidence.”

  Tyler didn’t take his eyes off her but said, “Did you leave before she was carted off?”

  Megan’s brows pressed inward as though trying to touch. “What do you mean, carted off?”

  Tyler looked toward the table. “Mike, you saw it, right?”

  Mike blinked a couple of times as though he didn’t want to have any part of their conversation, but he said, “Yeah. Who didn’t?”

  Tyler’s eyes returned to Megan. “People who weren’t here.”

  Megan rolled her eyes. “So what happened?”

  Mike said, “Tamara was arrested last night. She got out of control and was threatening people. She started destroying things, starting with the refreshments table.”

  “So she’s crazy. We’ve always known that.” She took a deep breath. “But crazy doesn’t make her a liar.” Mike, looking abashed, got up, taking his coffee mug to the beverage table.

  Tyler nodded. “Fair enough. So what did she tell you, Meg? What makes you so convinced I’m a bad guy? Is it just because I was fucking stupid enough to date her before you?”

  Megan heard someone at the table to her left gasp, and she knew it was because Tyler dropped an F-bomb. That was the least of her concerns, though, and anyone who had attended Madversary’s mini-concert the night before had already heard that word come out of Tyler’s mouth a few times in his songs. She lowered her voice again and forced herself to maintain eye contact. “No, Tyler, it’s not because you were stupid enough to date her. It’s because you were stupid enough to think I’d never find out.”

  A look of confusion spread over his face. “Find out what?”

 
Megan scoffed. “Seriously?” She shook her head and looked over at Lisa. “Lisa, do I look stupid?” Her friend looked worried but said nothing. Lisa simply shook her head. Megan turned back to Tyler. Her bottom lip jutted out and she crossed her arms as if to dare him to continue the charade.

  Tyler pressed on. “Yes, seriously. Find out what?”

  “Oh, come on, Tyler. I already know you’re Tyson’s dad. Would you just be a man about it and admit it? For the kid’s sake, if nothing else. I don’t care anymore. You do what you want to do, but be a man about it, for Christ’s sake. A kid needs his dad, and I’m not just talking money.”

  Tyler raised his eyebrows. “Who the fuck is Tyson?”

  Megan felt her blood pressure building. “You know what? I’m done here.” She held up her hands and started walking toward the exit. She walked with purpose, as though a fire alarm had sounded and she couldn’t panic, couldn’t run, but she had to get out of there before she got burned.

  She knew she couldn’t leave the hotel. She had to wait for Lisa, but she had to get away from the nonsense, the bullshit. She couldn’t believe Tyler was taking her for such a fool. She walked with a steady gait, with purpose, imagining Tyler was locked in position where she’d left him, with that feigned look of shock on his face.

  Instead, when she had made it a few feet down the hall, just out of sight of the doorway to the ballroom, Tyler’s hand wrapped around her upper arm. She turned to look at him and said, “Tyler, just go.”

  His eyes narrowed. “You think I’m the father of her kid, don’t you?”

  “Enough, Tyler.” Her heart felt as though he had it in his hands and he was squeezing, squeezing, draining it of life and energy. She had to get out of the hall, had to get away from him. Being right next to him, in his gaze, under his scrutiny, she could have found it so easy to forgive him for something he deserved no absolution for. She allowed herself to look in his eyes and said, “I know you’re his father.”

  He was close to her, keeping his voice low so he wouldn’t draw attention to himself, but he was too close. She felt a magnetic pull to him, and in spite of all her anger and frustration, she just wanted him to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. But she knew that was just a dream. They could never be together, not when she knew the horrid truth. Tyler said, “So what’d she show you—some fake birth certificate with me listed as the father?” She forced her eyes away from his that compelled her to forget, resting their gaze on his Adam’s apple. Safe.

  Megan shook her head, leaving her eyes low. No sense not telling him. “It was the results of the paternity test that showed you were conclusively the boy’s father.”

  Tyler started laughing. “Meg, come on. How could I be the kid’s dad?”

  Megan’s anger spiked again. She couldn’t help making eye contact now. “Because you fucked her, Tyler.”

  His voice was a growl. “Long before she got pregnant. Long before you and me. I was never with her after we broke up. But you do know the kid’s dad.” She didn’t want to hear any more lies, but she felt helpless to pull her eyes away from his. Instead, she tried backing away but her strength escaped her. Tyler sensed her weakness and kissed her. And for a few fragile moments, she gave in. She let him inside her, not just his tongue, but his very essence—he filled her nostrils, her blood, her soul, and she knew she’d never be the same again. He had changed her, had made her want something more, something so much more, and yet she couldn’t let herself give in. Tyler Green was a cheater, and once a cheater, always a cheater. And the fact that he was so adamant about his story, that he couldn’t admit he was wrong…that just made it worse. So while she drowned in his kiss and the touch of his gentle, firm hands on her shoulders, she knew what she had to do.

  When he stopped kissing her, he pulled her in an embrace, resting his lips on her forehead. She hadn’t noticed until that moment that her arms had betrayed her, had wrapped themselves around his torso, holding on for dear life. That was all she needed to find the strength to extricate herself. She shook her head, pushing away from him, and he let her. But she could see the ache in his eyes. “I can’t trust you, Tyler, and I don’t believe you.” As she turned, looking for a safe place to dodge, the tears started streaming out of her eyes. And then she found the one place she hoped he wouldn’t go—the women’s restroom.

  She pushed on the door and rushed in. There was another woman inside, and she was at the sink washing her hands. Megan dashed into a stall, closing and locking the door, pulling tissue off the roll and wiping underneath her eyes. She heard Tyler’s voice, and based on the clarity, she knew he’d opened the outer door and stuck his head inside. “Megan, please come out here so we can talk.”

  The woman at the sink said, “Get out of here, you pervert, or I’ll sic security on you.”

  “Can you just ask the young lady to come out here?”

  “Mister, it’s pretty obvious she doesn’t want to be around you. Just leave her alone.”

  “Come on, Meg.” Megan didn’t say a word and heard the door to the hallway resound as it closed. She leaned against the metal side of the stall and shook her head. God, why had she ever agreed to come to this stupid reunion? Why?

  Chapter Twenty-five

  AFTER HALF AN hour, Megan peeked outside the bathroom. She’d long since gotten her tears under control, but she was ready to leave. She hoped Lisa had finished her breakfast, and Megan was glad her friend hadn’t tracked her down. She’d needed the time alone. As she walked back into the ballroom, she heard Penny at the mike again, talking about memorable events from their high school years. God, Megan was sick to death of the nostalgia.

  As she walked across the room to their table, she felt the eyes on her. Fortunately, Penny kept talking and didn’t draw more attention to her. Mike was still sitting right next to Lisa, but Lisa had an empty seat on the other side. Megan sat there and Lisa leaned over and whispered close to her ear. “Where have you been? I tried calling your cell a few times. Did you and Tyler work things out?”

  Megan couldn’t stop the look that crossed her face. “What makes you think there was something to work out?” She lowered her voice, not wanting to interrupt Penny’s show. “He’s a liar and a cheater.”

  Mike leaned forward so Megan could see him past Lisa. His voice was low. “Megan, I hope you don’t think I’m too presumptuous, and it’s probably none of my business, but are you still convinced that Tyler is the father of Tamara’s oldest son?”

  Megan didn’t like the way Mike had worded his sentence. She wasn’t worried about any sort of presumptuousness on his part. Instead, she felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her core. “Well, yeah. She showed me the paternity results.”

  Mike winced. “You know that stuff’s easy enough to fake with good software, right?”

  That pissed Megan off. That statement was presumptuous and condescending to boot. “Yeah, Mike, I know that. What she had, though, looked to be ten years old. She’d obviously been carrying it around for a very long time.”

  Mike sighed. “I don’t doubt that, but you missed what happened last night. We all found out that Brad Prescott is the father of Tamara’s firstborn.”

  Megan closed her eyes, focusing on the ringing of her ears. She was having a hard time processing what Mike had said. Brad Prescott, the “beloved” quarterback of her class, was the father of Tamara’s child? Brad, a guy who would never have been caught dead with someone like Tamara in public, had slept with her? And Tyler had been telling the truth the whole time?

  As Megan slowly opened her eyes again, she saw Lisa’s face, confirming what Mike said was true. As if in slow motion, Megan heard Penny announce Lisa’s name over the mike and her friend got up to accept her booby prize. Before Lisa reached the front of the room, though, Mike said, “You missed a hell of an encore last night. Brad was already drunk, and Tamara was waving around that doctored letter, trying to make anyone and everyone convinced that Tyler was the kid’s dad. Tyler asked to see it but sh
e wouldn’t let him. Then Brad took offense to it, especially when she started attacking his manhood.” Lisa reached the front and Megan smiled and waved at her, then jumped out of her seat and rushed out of the ballroom once more.

  Suddenly, her heart felt light and alive. There was hope. She had to find Tyler. She knew he would probably be angry that she hadn’t believed him, but it was okay. She could apologize for her skepticism. She ran to the elevators and began punching the up arrow with her index finger, as though more than one jab would make one of them arrive faster. As she waited, forced to be trapped with just her thoughts, she realized why Tamara had had such an easy time convincing her. Megan was having a hard time believing Tyler would still want her, still love her after all these years. She’d said as much on Friday night when they were catching up, that she found it hard to believe he wasn’t relishing his rock star life. Surely he’d be reveling in all the women ready and willing to give themselves up to whatever he wanted. But he’d told her it wasn’t anything like what she thought it was, that “making a connection” was something he would have better appreciated.

  And she’d been too insecure to believe it.

  The elevator door made a ping sound and then the two sides slid open. A well-dressed older couple exited, and Megan had to force herself to be patient once more as they stepped off. At last, though, she was able to get inside and pressed the button that would take her to the third floor. She believed now. She believed, and she wanted to tell Tyler she was sorry.

  The elevator climbed up the building, but it took its sweet time. Megan didn’t remember it moving this slowly Friday night, and she’d been a wreck then too. Finally, though, the doors slid open once more on the third floor. She turned to the right in the little elevator alcove, then turned left in the long, well-manicured, indistinguishable hallway. What was his room number? She couldn’t remember, but she knew she’d figure it out by feel. His room was close to the end of the hall where it turned, and the door was set off by itself somewhat.