Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Holiday
The cue ball rolled across the green felt and bumped into the eight ball with a resounding clack sending it right into the corner pocket with a resounding thunk.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Tanner declared loudly, an over-the-top glare that had me curling over with hysterical laughter. “I just got played, didn’t I? You’re a pool shark.”
Lennix came up beside the table we were playing on, depositing another round of drinks. “She suckered you, huh?”
Tanner and I had officially been dating for a month and a half, and he’d insisted on celebrating by taking me out on a date.
We’d had an amazing dinner at the Groves, the fanciest restaurant in the county.
The food was delicious, but it was the ambiance that had kept the place in business for well over a decade and a half.
The rustic cabin was tucked into the foothills, surrounded by trees from all sides.
Gas lanterns lined the walkways and twinkle lights wrapped around the surrounding trees and spread out along the large outdoor patio.
The place screamed romance. It was expensive as hell, so it wasn’t a place I treated myself to often, and now that I’d gone with Tanner, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to go back by myself.
After an incredible, romantic dinner with the man I’d managed to fall head over heels for, we’d decided to keep the good times rolling and headed to the Tap Room.
A live band was playing, and the place was filled with friends and acquaintances.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had so much fun in one night.
And most of that was attributed to the incredible man who was, in that very moment, scowling like someone had just pissed in his Cheerios.
The glare Tanner shot my bestie had a whole new round of giggles bubbling up in my throat. “Can you really sucker someone when you aren’t even playing for money?”
At that, Lennix raised her brows, cocking out her rounded hip and placing her hand on her waist. “Then what’s got you so butthurt, big guy?”
I tugged my bottom lip between my teeth and bit down. “I think it’s the fact that he spent the whole drive here bragging about what a great pool player he is.” I shifted my gaze to Tanner, giving him a cocky smirk. “He went on and on, so I had no choice but to show him up.”
Lennix slapped her thigh on a loud laugh. “Ha! Sucker. That’s what you get for being so braggy. My girl here had to put you in your place.”
Tanner’s head whipped in my direction, his scowl still in place but with no heat behind it. In fact, those warm eyes of his were glittering with humor.
I shot him a wink before bracing the butt end of my pool cue on the floor and striking a pose.
“Don’t hate the player, honey. Hate the game.
” My words cut off on a yelp when Tanner moved at the speed of light, looping one of his strong arms around my waist like a steel band and lifting me off my feet, spinning me in a circle.
He kept me close when he finally put me back down.
His eyes were warm and smiling as his hand came up to caress the side of my neck in that way I loved so much.
“Hating you isn’t possible, Sunshine,” he said softly, but the words and the feeling behind them might as well have been blared through a megaphone by the way they pierced my chest.
“Oh my god. You two are the freaking cutest ever.”
We’d both been lost in each other’s gazes, clearly forgetting where we were and that we were surrounded by people.
Tanner let out a pained groan, dropping his forehead to mine as I let out a quiet laugh.
My arms circled his shoulders, and I raised on my tiptoes as he lowered his head enough for me to reach, pressing a kiss to his lips. It was soft and packed with emotion.
When we finally broke apart, I caught my friend’s gaze, and my chest gave a squeeze at the happiness painted across her stunning features as she watched us. “So happy for you, babe,” she mouthed before turning around and walking back toward the bar.
“You having fun, baby?” Tanner asked as he brushed my hair behind my ear.
A wave of emotion crashed into me, causing my heart to swell so big it felt like it couldn’t fit in my chest. There wasn’t enough space. Even my lungs felt compressed.
“Tanner,” I breathed out, my feelings threatening to get the best of me. I’d been holding those three words for a while now, and I could feel them bubbling up inside me, crawling up my throat. “I . . .”
“What is it, baby?” His brows pulled together as his thumb dragged across my bottom lip. “You okay?”
I love you!
The words bounced around inside my head, so loud they made my ears ring. “I’m good. I just want to tell you . . .”
“Tell me what?” he asked with infinite patience.
Sharp whistles pierced the air, followed by the thrum of a guitar as the band started back up, but it was enough to burst the bubble that Tanner and I had been wrapped up in.
“I, uh, just that . . . I have to pee.” I didn’t fault him one bit for the look of utter confusion on his face. “Be right back,” I blurted out, then I whipped around and hustled to the bathroom. As soon as the door closed behind me, I braced my palms on the counter and stared at my reflection.
“What the hell was that?” I hissed to myself. “You have to pee? Seriously? Way to chicken out, Bradbury.”
The door creaked open, and a second later, Lennix stepped through, pushing the door closed behind her. “Hey, you okay? I saw you sprint in here like your ass was on fire.”
“I . . . God, I don’t know. I just freaked out.”
Understanding blanketed her expression. “Because you’re in love with him?”
I nodded in agreement, my lips pinched between my teeth. “I almost told him. Then I freaked out and ran in here like my ass was on fire. He probably thinks I’ve lost my mind.”
“No, honey. I’m sure he thinks you have a bladder infection or something.”
I shot her a look. “Not helping, Lenni.”
She giggled, then sobered. “Sorry, sorry. I’ll behave, I promise.”
“Appreciated,” I said flatly.
She crossed over to me, resting her hips against the counter beside me. “So what’s the problem?”
My eyes bugged out at her question. “Wha—what’s the problem? How about the fact that we haven’t even been dating two months.”
She shrugged like it was no big deal. “People fall in love on different timeframes all the time.”
She had a point. But still. “Okay, then there’s the small inconvenience of him living in a totally different state.” I began pacing the length of the bathroom, raking my hand through my hair. “He’s not staying, Lenni. His life is in DC. His job, his friends, everything that matters.”
“I’d argue not everything,” she stated, giving me a pointed look. “You’re here, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, but what if I’m not enough?”
Her eyes filled with sympathy. “You’re enough, babe. Trust me. The way that man looks at you, it’s written all over his face. You’re more than enough.”
“But—”
She held up a hand, cutting me off. “Look, you can keep spinning out like this, driving yourself crazy, or you can be honest with him. Tell him, how you feel.”
“He’s not staying,” I repeated, moving to lean against the vanity at her side.
“Well, he won’t if he doesn’t think it’s an option.” She bumped her shoulder against mine. “Not telling him you love him isn’t going to make the feelings go away. All it’s going to do is leave you with all kinds of regrets.”
Turning to look at her, I gave her a tiny smile. “Look at you, being all wise and stuff.”
She blew out a dramatic sigh. “It’s hard being this brilliant all the time, but it’s my cross to bear.” We both laughed, and I leaned over to rest my head on her shoulder. “Just talk to him,” she said gently. “Tell him the truth. You’ll never know what could happen otherwise.”
“Okay.” I pulled in a deep, fortifying breath, then blew it out past my lips. “I’ll go talk to him.”
“That’s my girl.” As I passed, she smacked me on the ass hard enough to make me yelp. “Go get that hockey stud, tiger.”
I narrowed my eyes at her as I massaged my stinging butt cheek. “I’m going to get you back for that.”
She shooed me out of the bathroom, taking me by the shoulders and forcing me out the door. “Less talky, more walky.”
We separated at the mouth of the hall, her heading toward the bar while I went the opposite direction toward the pool tables.
I breathed in for three counts, then out for three.
“You got this, Bradbury,” I muttered to myself.
“You can do this. Just open your mouth and tell him the truth. That’s all you have to do. ”
Just as I reached the two steps that led up to the section where the pool tables were, a flash of red caught my eye, and when I looked over, my heart fell right out of my chest and onto the ground at my feet.
A woman I didn’t recognize was standing right in front of Tanner. No, that wasn’t right. She was pressed up against him. Their bodies so close there wasn’t even a chance of light getting through.
Their lips were moving as they spoke to one another, but I was too far away to make out the words. One thing was obvious though. The way he was looking at her, and the way she had her hands on him, they clearly knew each other. Intimately.
My lungs suddenly stopped working right, making it difficult to pull in a full breath. The pain that pierced my chest was worse than anything I’d ever experienced. Even that time I’d broken my arm when I was six.
I couldn’t move. All I could do was stand there and stare as I bled out all over the floor. At least that was what it felt like.
I didn’t think it was possible for the pain to get any worse, but I was quickly proven wrong when the redheaded woman lifted up on her toes and kissed Tanner, right there in the middle of the bar, in front of everyone.
People I knew, friends, associates, watched on with gaping mouths, their gazes bouncing back and forth between where I stood, and where Tanner was in a clinch with a woman who was absolutely not me.
If I thought the humiliation at being cheated on by Blane was bad, it was nothing compared to having your heartbreak witnessed in real time by people you’d have to see day in and day out.
My sinuses began to burn and my vision grew blurry as tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to blink. No way I was going to let them fall where Tanner and everyone else could see.
It happened in slow motion. Tanner clasped the woman’s wrists and took a step back, his eyes lifting to meet mine.
A myriad of emotions played over his expression before his lips formed my name.
He released the woman quickly, like the feel of her skin burned him, and took a step toward me, but I quickly mirrored it, moving one pace back.
I desperately needed to maintain distance between us, or I was going to break.
His voice rose over the din of noise in the bar, over the rush of blood in my ears. “Holly, it’s not what it looks like—” he started, but I was done.
Turning on my heel, I rushed through the thick crowd of people toward the exit and away from Tanner.