The Reality of Wright and Wrong

by Leddy Harper

  I rolled my eyes and groaned. “I wouldn’t be surprised if, after finding out that I caught him cheating on me, she still tries to convince me to go through with the wedding. She means well, but my God. It’s like she can’t accept that I’m an adult and capable of making my own choices.” It’d taken her longer to accept that I was moving out of state after the wedding than it did for me to plan the whole thing, which included getting a job.

  “Do you think anything long-term is going to happen with this mystery man?”

  “I doubt anything will carry on after I leave here. I wouldn’t be opposed to it, but I won’t hold my breath, either. He seems to be a bit of a ladies’ man. Plus, he’s not my type at all.”

  “Oh, you mean he doesn’t wear polished shoes? Wasn’t valedictorian of his graduating class? I take it he doesn’t have his PhD, either. See what happens when you lower your standards? You find someone who can rock your world seven ways to Sunday and then back again.” Stella tended to exaggerate to the nth degree, which I’d learned to accept long ago. “And are you ever going to tell me his name other than B?”

  “Like I’ve said a dozen times…I’ll tell you everything when I get home.”

  “Fine. But don’t think I’ll let you get away without divulging every juicy detail.”

  I laughed while slipping my top over my head. “Don’t worry. I’d never be foolish enough to assume that. But listen, I have to go. He’ll be back soon, and I still have to dry my hair. I can do a lot while talking on the phone, but doing so while using a blow dryer is impossible.”

  “Whatever. Have fun tonight…with whatever it is you’re doing.”

  “Thanks. I will. Talk to you tomorrow.”

  After disconnecting the call, I quickly rushed through the rest of my routine, wanting to be completely ready by the time Brogan walked through the garage door. I wasn’t entirely sure where we were going or who we would be hanging out with, but he’d promised there was no way I’d run into Jordan or see anyone I knew—which was an easy bet, considering I didn’t know many people in the area.

  I’d just finished applying mascara when he came up behind me and gripped my ass with both hands. He lowered his lips to my neck, inhaled deeply, and rasped, “Why are you in here?”

  “Where else would I be? All my stuff is in this room.”

  His next words were so predictable, I could’ve recited them myself. “That’s because you keep taking it out of my room.”

  I turned to face him and placed my hands on his shoulders. “It’s for the best.”

  He’d argued with me the few other times I’d said that, but I meant it. I knew myself better than anyone else, and if I allowed it, I’d fall for him. Head over heels. Considering my heart hadn’t been broken for a week yet, that was dangerous territory.

  Instead of putting up a fight this time, he covered my lips with his, proving his point with his mouth: Live in the moment, Mercy. Don’t think about it and just have fun. Easier said than done, although it did sound nice in theory.

  “You about ready, babe?” he asked and then licked his lips, his eyes lingering on mine.

  “Yeah. Just waiting on you.”

  “Well then, let’s go.”

  6

  Brogan

  The last Thursday of every month was trivia night at the hole in the wall near the house. With Mercy being here, I’d planned to skip tonight, but the guys gave me a hard time about it. Especially since I’d taken the week off work at the last minute. I’d never done that. In all the years I’d been there—when it was Uncle Jerry’s and after I’d taken over—I hadn’t missed a single day.

  I’d had concerns about bringing Mercy around the group. They were loud and rude, and not many women found their company entertaining. But more than that, I didn’t want anyone to mention Wrong Inc. I’d managed to get this far without Mercy finding out that I had a bigger reputation than I’d let on, and I’d be damned if someone clued her in this late in the game.

  In the end, I invited Mercy along, and she came without hesitation.

  What was probably the most shocking part of the night was how easily she fell in with my friends, as if she’d been a part of the group from the beginning. It was odd, considering they weren’t fond of pussy infringing on guys’ night. And by some miracle, we made it through the entire game of trivia without any mention of my not-so-secret lifestyle that I’d somehow kept secret from Mercy.

  “I got to say, man…” Robbie held my stare with slightly dropped lids, showing how much he’d had to drink. His eyes were always the first to show. “I didn’t believe you to begin with. When you said she don’t know about the show, I thought she must’ve been pulling your leg.”

  I glanced around the smoky, packed bar, making sure Mercy hadn’t come back from the restroom and overheard. “Shut the fuck up, Robbie. I told you all not to bring that shit up tonight.” I took a swig from my drink and then pointed the top of the bottle at him. “And trust me, I thought the same thing. But she honestly doesn’t know, and I’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible.”

  Bradly let out a small snicker and kept his gaze fastened on a shapely woman bent over a pool table, lining up a shot. Normally, I would’ve looked, too. Hell, we all would’ve been commenting on other objects to bend her over.

  But not tonight.

  Robbie waved me off and then leaned against the high-top table we stood around, wiggling his eyebrows. “From what I can tell, she knows everything else about you. All it’ll take is one search on Google and boom. You got a bag but no cat…because it’s out of it.”

  I couldn’t suppress the laughter that hit me in my chest, dimmed by the clamor of voices around us competing to be heard. “Don’t you think I know that? I can’t keep her from finding out about it, but I also don’t want to tell her if I don’t have to.”

  I paused mid-thought when the guy behind me brushed against my back. “My bad, dude,” he said with a lazy smile. Trivia night was always packed. And with dollar draft beers, always full of drunks.

  With a curt nod, I turned back to Robbie and Bradly and leaned in. “I think the only reason she hasn’t looked me up is because she’s signed out of her social media in order to avoid her ex. And to be honest, I wouldn’t think to search a random person on Google. A celebrity, maybe. But not everyone I meet.”

  Robbie elbowed Bradly as though he was about to tell a good joke. “But you are a celebrity.” He emphasized the tee at the end, making me laugh harder.

  I flipped him off and fought to compose myself. “No, I’m not. And she doesn’t know that.”

  “You scared she’ll turn out like all the others?” He meant the women who saw dollar signs when they looked at me. “’Cause I’m not so sure she will, man.”

  Glancing around the bar, I took in the people around us. I recognized several of them—trivia night tended to bring in the same crowd every week—but a few I’d never seen before. There were women I’d fucked around with, and then others who wanted it yet never got it. Some were keeping an eye on me, while a few more had given up trying to get my attention. However, they all had the same thing in common—they may have been looking at me, but not a single one of them saw me. And it made me think of Mercy. Made me think of the way she took me in when she set her eyes on me.

  No one had ever done that before.

  Shaking my head, I turned back to Robbie. “Nah. It’s nothing like that.”

  I worried she’d run.

  Bradly had remained quiet throughout the conversation so far, but apparently, this was worthy of his opinion. He raised his glass and said, “You got it bad, don’t ya?”

  Staring over Robbie’s shoulder toward the restrooms, I contemplated his question—or, more accurately, his accusation. It wasn’t the first time I’d thought about it; however, it was the first time anyone else had pointed it out. Or put me on the spot. And for whatever reason, it made me delve deeper than I’d been willing to on my own.

  If I had to categori
ze myself as something, I would’ve said laid-back. Easy. Go with the flow. It took little to be content, and a lot to get me excited. Mercy excited me. Everything about her left me exhilarated. Smiling like a fool. Carefree and reckless like a teen. And it would’ve been a lie if I said I didn’t know why.

  I was a man of few beliefs, but I believed in Mercy Wright.

  I believed in her presence. Her meaning. Her.

  “It doesn’t matter how bad I have it, does it? She’ll leave on Saturday, and that’ll be the end of it.” No matter how much I’d tried to prepare for this to come to an end, the thought of it still soured my stomach and lurched me into full-fledged denial. “Maybe she’ll still talk to me after she gets home. Maybe she won’t. But I’m not stupid. Sooner or later, she’ll realize who I am, and then everything will change.”

  “It doesn’t have to.” That was about as close to words of wisdom as Bradly could get.

  “Yeah, it does. It always does.” I didn’t have to say anything else—they knew what I meant. “No matter how much I want to, I can’t keep her.”

  Bradly cleared his throat half a second before Mercy appeared at my side. I turned to let her nuzzle closer, like she’d been all night, and then I wrapped my arm around her waist, like I’d done all night.

  “A table only goes quiet when someone walks up if they were all talking about that person.” She glanced between Robbie and Bradly. I couldn’t see her face to read her expression. “So, what was it? If you’re gonna talk about me, don’t I at least get to know what it was about?”

  Damn…her sass turned me on.

  “I was just about to bet Wrong a pitcher of beer”—Bradly winked at me, and my heart sank—“that he won’t ask you to marry him.”

  I wasn’t sure what I expected her reaction to be. Maybe for her posture to turn rigid, her back to straighten. Anything to let me know just how ridiculous she’d thought his bet was. But to my surprise, she did none of that. In fact, she giggled and shook her head, probably assuming it had been a joke.

  Knowing Bradly, it was not.

  “A pitcher of beer to ask? You might want to go ahead and flag the woman over then, because you’re about to buy the next round.” I shoved my empty glass to the center of the table and pulled Mercy closer. “What do you say, babe? Marry me?”

  She tilted her head back against my shoulder and let the waves of her invigorating laughter wash over me. Consume me. Sweep me under and never let me go. “Sure thing, baby. Let’s go down to the courthouse tomorrow and get hitched.”

  With a smile so wide I worried it’d split his face in half, Robbie slapped the table, rattling everything on it, and shook his head. “You’ll never learn, Bradly. Never. You have to watch the words. Be specific.”

  “I’ll give you this one,” Bradly complained, and then he turned his attention to Mercy. “You really should consider it, peaches. You just might be the one person who could make this motherfucker stop bitching about the one who got away.”

  Suddenly, the humor in her shoulders died, and her body turned hard against mine. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have—here or at any other time—so I waved down the barmaid and asked for another pitcher of beer. Then I held my breath until the subject changed.

  I didn’t think it was possible to get enough of Mercy’s naked body.

  As I rested between her bare legs, propped up by my elbows on either side of her smooth stomach, I had to fight the urge to crawl up a little more and slip inside her again. I also had to make sure I didn’t stare at her for too long; that made her self-conscious, and she’d shy away.

  “Have I told you how beautiful your tits are?” I asked with my mouth hovering over one.

  She giggled but didn’t push me away. Instead, she threaded her fingers through my hair and gently squeezed me between her legs. “Only about a thousand times. Maybe after hearing it a thousand more times, I might actually believe it.”

  I’d never understand why she couldn’t see herself the way I did.

  If only she could…

  I traced the letters of her tattoo on her side, along her ribs. The words still tripped me up—especially the “fix me and I’m yours” part. When I’d asked about the meaning, her explanation made sense. Despite what it said, she didn’t want someone to take care of her. Instead, she wanted an equal. Someone just as lost and broken as she felt. She yearned for the kind of person she could grow with. And that was something I not only understood, but I respected as well. Damn…this woman continued to impress me.

  “Why did your parents name you Mercy?” My lips curled against her skin.

  “Why did yours name you Brogan?”

  “It’s a family name. Now it’s your turn to answer my question.”

  Amusement hiccupped in her chest. “Why do you think?”

  “They wanted you to be kind and compassionate?”

  Nothing came close to the beauty that was her natural smile. Not posed or provoked, but genuine happiness that came from within. “That would’ve been an excellent reason.”

  “I don’t know why you won’t tell me. I answer your questions.”

  “Speaking of…” Apprehension invaded her expression as she flitted her sight around the room. “What did your friend mean tonight when he mentioned the one who got away? Was he talking about your ex-wife?”

  Ironically, her nervousness enticed me to answer. “Yeah. After I left and began to cool down, I realized I’d lost her. And I thought I’d never find that feeling again.”

  “Then why leave? Why not work it out?”

  I pushed up on my elbows to see her face as we spoke. Needing her to see the unspoken sentiment through my eyes. The words I couldn’t bring myself to say. “I left when I found out she was talking to another guy. I didn’t ask questions. Hell, I didn’t even fight. I read through the conversations they had online, so really, there was nothing she could tell me that I hadn’t already seen for myself. There were things she revealed to him that she never told me. I gave up and walked away without fully comprehending what I was walking away from.”

  Not once did Mercy avert her attention or pull her calming touch from my hair.

  “She never slept with him, which was something I didn’t find out until way later…because I had refused to hear her out. In fact, they had never met. I guess it was just some online thing that had gone on for over six months. She had feelings for him. She couldn’t deny that. Nonna always said my stubbornness was my greatest attribute…and my greatest weakness.”

  This shouldn’t have been so easy to talk about, yet with her, it was like discussing the weather. Effortless and painless and…freeing.

  “During that situation, it was definitely my weakness. I didn’t care that they were never physical. I believed she’d given him a part of her that should have been reserved for me. In a way, that was worse than fucking him. I turned my back on her—on us—without thinking twice about it.”

  “Then what did he mean when he said she was the one who got away?”

  I blew out a breath. “Over time, I began to doubt my decision, but by then, it was too late to do anything about it. She moved on—left town, actually—and cut off all communication with me. She refused to have a simple conversation. I’d convinced myself that she was it, and I’d let her slip through my fingers. The only thing I could do was sit back and wait for her to return.”

  “So you think she’s your soulmate?”

  “No.” I knew that would get a reaction, so I wasn’t surprised by her knitted brows or scrunched nose. In fact, I found it cute, which was why I laughed—though she likely thought it was for another reason. “One of these days, I’ll explain my theory on soulmates and life partners. But not tonight.”

  “One of these days. You say that like I’m not leaving. Did you forget that you’re taking me to the airport in approximately”—she quirked her lips to the side and hummed—“thirty-six hours?”

  “No, I haven’t forgotten. Does this mean you’ve decided to
turn down that job at the private school in town?” I stared into her eyes, reading the truth before she could recognize it herself.

  It was amazing what the heart knew, even when the rest of your being wasn’t so sure. Knots riddled my stomach while I awaited her answer, yet not once did my heart rate accelerate. It didn’t dip or clench. Didn’t threaten to jump out of my chest or shrivel up inside. It remained strong. Steady. Keeping with the same tempo no matter how long it took Mercy to respond.

  My heart just knew.

  “I haven’t made up my mind.” While that technically may have been true, it wasn’t the truth. She just hadn’t accepted it yet. The real answer shone in her eyes, in the honey swirls that held me hostage. It was only a matter of time before her brain caught up with her heart.

  “I think you have, but you’re too scared to admit it.”

  “Why would I be scared?”

  Brushing my thumbs along her sides, I smiled confidently and said, “Because the idea of moving here freaks you out.”

  “Because of Jordan?” She rolled her eyes.

  “No. Because of me.” And that widened them, pulling them to mine until she couldn’t turn away. She couldn’t hide from the truth. She couldn’t deny it or play it off…not while looking into my eyes. Because looking at me was no different than looking into a mirror; we were a reflection of each other. “You can’t understand this magnetic pull between us. You’ve excused the insane, inconceivable level of chemistry we have as nothing more than lust. Something to pass the time with for the week. And anytime you’ve attempted to dream about what it’d be like after this week’s over, the intensity frightens you. That is why you’re too scared to admit that you want the job.”

  “Maybe I don’t want to get my hopes up,” she whispered, her voice raw and aching.

  I pulled myself up her body, just enough to bring my face to hers. “Don’t hold them down, Mercy. Release all your hopes and dreams into the universe, as high as they can go, and trust that they won’t come crashing down. If you don’t, you’ll never know if they’re attainable.”