Chapter 7 #2
"I can speak for myself, dipshit, and she's not our sister," I stated. There was nothing brotherly running through my mind when I looked at Harper in that gold number. Quite the opposite.
Stealing myself for what I was about to see, I turned, my eyes locking with Harper's.
She was now in the water with Cash, and they were laughing and touching each other.
Reed's hand on my arm stopped me from powering forward. The muscle in my jaw started to tick so hard I was surprised you couldn’t hear it click.
"Don't even think about it, Nix. They're just talking.”
“You talk with your lips, not your hands,” I growled.
Reed exhaled noisily, dropping his hand and nudging me with his shoulder. “You don't want to get into anything. Cash is our friend, remember?"
My muscles flexed against his.
“So, she’s got some male attention, so what? You should be happy she’s enjoying herself for a change," Storm admonished, and I hated that she was right.
As Harper turned back towards Cash, the invisible thread that had connected us snapped, as did my patience.
I cursed under my breath, and both Storm and Reed moved around me, like a human barricade. Yeah, like that would stop me.
Storm placed a finger against my chest and prodded. “No, Nix. You said you wouldn’t cause any trouble. This isn’t the football field, it’s my home.”
She sensed I was about to cause a scene at her pretentious party.
As I watched Harper interacting playfully over their shoulders with my spotter from the gym, I realized that when I’d issued my warning that she was off limits, I hadn't included our friendship group.
An oversight that would soon be remedied.
"I mean it, please don't start anything, Phoenix. If you spoil this party, I will never forgive you," Storm huffed, pushing her hat back so she could glare better.
"Yeah, man, now is not the time."
I knew I needed to walk off the urge to march over there and mark my territory. Dragging a hand through my hair, I necked the rest of my beer. "Relax, both of you. I'm not going to do shit to spoil the party, OK? But I need another drink."
I then moved away.
"This should be good," I heard Reed say from behind me.
As I passed by a patioed area with seating, I placed my empty bottle on a table and then jogged up the steps towards the bar.
"Phoenix, you're here! Storm didn’t think you’d come," a high-pitched voice shrieked from the bi-folding doors of the kitchen. That noise was like nails being dragged down a chalkboard.
With a forced smile firmly in place, I turned towards Courtney Swan. I knew she’d be at the party, and even though we were in the friend zone, I had already been hell-bent on ignoring her. I hadn’t wanted to upset Harper, but she was so loud and obvious that I had no choice but to acknowledge her.
She had a huge smile on her face and appeared genuinely pleased to see me.
Courtney’s tits also looked huge in the top she was wearing; the old Nix would have suddenly grown a tent the size of a condo in his shorts with those bad boys, but not anymore.
All I could think about was Harper’s. Plus, Court and I were friends now, no more dirty little hook-ups.
Her eyes scanned over my face appreciatively and with genuine warmth. If only Harper would look at me like that.
She was standing with Mayor Summers, and I knew I couldn't be rude and ignore both of them.
"Courtney, you look lovely as always," I said, walking over to where they were standing. I kissed her on the cheek, not wanting to look like an ignorant asshole.
As I drew back, I raised my arm in greeting, “Sir,” I added with a nod as Summers took my outstretched hand and shook it.
I'd only ever seen him from a distance and didn't realize he was a similar size to me. Considering he was a pen-pushing suit, I respected the fact that he took care of himself.
“Mr. Summers, this is Phoenix Carter. We go to the same college.”
His brow wrinkled. "Have we met before? You look familiar to me," he replied as he dropped his hand to his side.
“He’s friends with Storm, so probably,” Courtney suggested, looking back and forth between us. Friends with Storm? Yeah, that was pushing it.
“I don’t think so, sir,” I explained honestly, dashing a hand down my face.
Clearing his throat, Summers rocked back on his heels. “So, you’re at Epic Heights? Considering your size, I assume you play?”
“I do.”
He raised a hand in a finger gun gesture and pointed at me. “Let me guess, linebacker, right?”
The man clearly knew his sport as he guessed my position correctly. “Yes, sir.”
He chuckled to himself and scratched his chest. Summers was wearing one of those pompous polo shirts that put him on a golf course rather than a party. He was probably one of those types who clapped when the plane landed.
Courtney pointed her glass at the mayor, stating, “Mr. Summers went to both Harbor and Epic Heights, too, Nix, and was captain of the team in his heyday.”
Hmm, maybe I’d misread his flavor. Interesting, I scratched my jaw. “I see. So, I guess you were an Eagle too?”
“Damn straight. I still have my Epic Eagles jersey.”
“Cool,” I said with a thoughtful nod. Wowzer, I had something in common with Storm’s father. Weird.
“They used to call me The Butcher.” And of course, everyone had heard of The Butcher. My assumptions about him abruptly about-faced.
"Nix is known as Brutal by the team. He’s the toughest linebacker this side of the state."
"You're biased," I said with a friendly eyeroll.
“No such thing, my boy. Give credit where credit is due, I say. And it’s a tough position to play, son.
I was a strongside linebacker at Epic until I tore up my knee.
It's never been the same since. Is that butthead Stilinski still there?” The mayor chuckled to himself as he shook his head.
I hid my smile; the Mayor of Newport just used the word butthead. “He was a mean old bastard.”
“No, sir. But there’s a tribute to him in one of the trophy cabinets in the hallway.”
Summers digested that information and shoved his hands into the pockets of his fancy slacks. “Really? I may have to swing by the next time I’m out that way. I’ve been clearing out my office. Had a few nostalgia moments, I can tell you.”
“Sir,” a tall bald man interrupted with a hand on the mayor’s shoulder. We all turned to focus on him as he leaned to whisper something in Mr. Summers’ ear. Courtney and I exchanged a smile as we waited patiently for them to finish their chat. Frustration bloomed in my chest; I so needed a drink.
“Great, thanks, David,” Summers said as he nodded and took a sealed envelope from his buddy’s hand. I watched as he slid it into his pants pocket and then invited the stranger to join us.
“Courtney, Phoenix, this is David Burns, my Press Secretary.”
We all shook hands. “Pleasure. You’re a big fellow,” Mr. Burns said with a warm smile.
Odd, considering I was a similar size to his boss.
Mr. Summers then explained how David was employed to ‘keep him out of trouble.’ I hid another smile.
I couldn’t imagine he ever got into trouble with his squeaky-clean white-collar life.
Mayor Summers wasn’t an asshole like I had assumed he would be, but I imagined his life was still as dull as shit.
“Phoenix here plays for our old team, David.”
Pointing a finger, he guessed my position correctly. “Ah, let me guess, linebacker, right?”
“Right.”
“And you, young lady. Let me guess. Cheer squad?” He turned to Courtney, giving her an appreciative once-over without the usual leer that boys my age afforded the girl.
And of course, she lapped that shit up. She was one of those types of girls who loved attention, even if that came from a man who could easily be her father.
We then went all out talking shop, and my earlier annoyance about Harper and Cash faded slightly.
I felt relieved that I had a distraction, as I liked talking about football.
Both the mayor and his associate were OK.
They made me feel like an adult. Without any of that patronizing bullshit you got from the staff at college.
And he was Storm’s flesh and blood. How was that even possible?
My surprise that I liked him continued to grow. I thought he'd be a charity-function attending motherfucker that didn’t give a flying fuck about any genuine political causes. And then there was his waste of space, spoiled to shit daughter. Maybe his wife was the handful?
Eventually, we were interrupted by an uptight-looking couple that butted in to pay their respects.
From what they said, the mayor and his wife were also celebrating their silver wedding that day.
I hadn’t a clue how many years that was.
I’d seen Storm’s mother once at our High School graduation; she wasn’t glamorous like her daughter and wasn’t anything special to look at either.
You wouldn’t have put Summers and her together. Maybe she was fantastic in the sack.
After adding my congratulations, I made my excuses and went to the bar. I was now desperate to see what Cash and Harper were doing, which I knew was ridiculous; it’s not like the girl would be straddling him in the middle of the fucking party.
I ordered a couple of beers. I was especially anxious, having driven to my mother’s house the other day with Hudson and posted my note.
I had kept my message brief.
This is Phoenix, remember me? The son you left behind.
I know who you are.
I suggest you agree to meet with me.
I also added my cell number and suggested she contact me.
The fact that I did that the day before yesterday and hadn’t heard anything since pissed me off.
Part of me needed her to want to get in touch without having to resort to threats of turning up uninvited on her doorstep. But I’d do both if she forced my hand.
“What are we having?” Courtney’s voice slid into my thoughts.
I released a puff of frustration and twisted towards my ex-fuckbuddy. There was no escape. “What do you want?” I nodded towards the displayed spirits on the racks of the pop-up bar. Court was a tequila girl.
She misunderstood me on purpose. “Now that’s a leading question, Mr. Carter.”
I was wearing gray shorts and a wife-beater; I hadn’t dressed up, and yet Courtney viewed my body like I was naked. I watched as she ran her fingernails up and down my arm, tracing my tats as I rested my hand on the counter.
“I meant from the bar,” I replied dryly.
She blew a raspberry and twirled her hair. “What I had in mind is much more fun.”
I took a drink from my beer and gave her a lopsided smile. She was cute. Aggravating, but still cute. “I thought we’d agreed to just be friends.”
She sighed and ordered a tequila shot from the waiting barman.
“I know, but my vibrator just doesn’t cut it.”
“Courtney,” I said in warning as I glanced around. Luckily, no one heard. “Lower your voice.”
The shot glass touched the counter, and Courtney was fast off the mark, knocking it back.
Her shoulders then slumped. “You really are Brutal, both on and off the field.”
“You holding up OK?” I asked. She seemed agitated, and I suspected I wasn’t the reason for that.
And then the floodgates opened. She told me about how her ex, Maxwell Stone, was now banging Neive Cooper, a curvy girl in our Sports Comms class.
After a glance towards where I’d left Reed and Storm, I could see they’d taken off, and so I finished my beer and started on his.
Shit, I’d never been the best listener, but I knew the girl beside me needed an ear, and so I leaned against the bar and joined her on the shots.
Considering my mood, that probably wasn’t the best idea.
Courtney started to show me some of the messages she’d exchanged with Maxwell, and my protective side kicked in.
It was a cake and eating it type of scenario; anyone could see that.
Well, anyone standing on the sidelines, I imagined, Court only saw what she wanted to see; that there was a chance that they could get back together.
But from the sounds of it, his actions suggested he was playing the field and lying about it.
I disagreed with giving women mixed messages.
Especially after what Melanie had done to me.
The older woman I had believed myself to be in a relationship with, only to have my heart ripped out.
My thoughts twisted to Harper. Since she’d been back and I’d seen her as a woman, those confusing feelings I’d experienced proved to me that what I had felt for Mel had been an infatuation.
Not the real deal. My feelings for Harper, whilst still being classed as screwed up, were much stronger. More genuine.
As Courtney knocked back another tequila and threw her arm around me, I had to steady her before she almost fell off the barstool she was perched on. I lifted her hand and placed it on the bar. Her fingers curled as she clutched the wooden counter like it was a life raft.
Save me from intoxicated females and their shit. I’d never considered myself a white knight. But even though I knew I would never touch Courtney again, she needed a friend, and I would be that person. It was the right thing to do.
I had made Harper a promise, even if our fight after that discussion hadn’t allowed us to seal the deal. I wouldn’t take any ‘victims’ as she had called them back to our house and flaunt them in her face.
Although, wasn’t that exactly what the intoxicating little witch was doing at that party, behind my back and my front for that matter? Literally!
Before I could give in to any urges to turn around. I knocked back my drink and nodded my head sympathetically as the female beside me explained in detail why all men were dicks.