Chapter 17
THREE YEARS EARLIER
M andy’s fingers are dancing across my knee under the table, making their way up my thigh. I catch her hand before it makes contact and shoot her a wink.
Little minx .
The Oar is noisy with rowdy patrons watching the game, slinging back beers and shouting obscenities at the big screen TVs.
Cora and Brandon sit across from us, making googly eyes at each other as they try to decide on an appetizer.
My friend, Reid, stops by the table with his new girlfriend to chat, while a waitress appears to collect our orders and refill our drinks.
Life is good.
I have a beautiful woman who I think I want to marry someday, job security, a new townhouse, and pretty damn good friends.
I’m not sure why it hits me in that moment, hanging out at our favorite bar on a random Friday night in the middle of winter, but as laughter fills my ears and Mandy’s hand presses warm against my thigh, I feel content.
“Do you think the waitress is hot?”
Reid says his goodbyes and I turn to Mandy, who is leaning on her palm and twirling a piece of light blonde hair around her finger. “Huh?”
“Her boobs are really big. And her extensions look great.” Mandy puckers her lips with a sigh, deep in thought.
“You’re crazy. I didn’t even notice her.”
It’s true—I didn’t. Cora is convinced I sleep around because I’m a ‘giant jerk face’, and I guess cheating goes along with being a giant jerk face, but the truth is, I’ve only ever been with Mandy.
We were each other’s firsts when I was a sophomore and she was a junior, and we’ve been together ever since.
We took a three month break in college, but I still never strayed. It didn’t feel right.
Honestly, the only other woman I’ve ever even thought about in that way is Cora… which is a secret I’ll take to my grave. Neither of them can ever know I had eyes for Cora Lawson first when she ambled into English class as a doe-eyed freshman, radiating innocence and lavender.
The Lawson sisters are still the two most beautiful women I’ve ever laid eyes on, and one of them is currently glaring at me from across the table.
“What?” I question, leaning back in my chair. “Is my breathing getting on your nerves?”
“That’s a given,” she shrugs. “And you’re such a liar. You obviously noticed the waitress.”
“I didn’t, and why would you assume that?”
“Because you’re a straight male.” Cora pauses, a wicked gleam settling in her green eyes. “Well… that’s up for debate, I suppose. We can’t forget that embarrassing incident with your college buddy last year.”
I can’t believe she went there. “You mean when you slipped me your dad’s Viagra after I mentioned I had a headache? Real cute, Corabelle. I thought it was Advil.”
She almost spits her drink out as she erupts with laughter. Damn her. That was the most humiliating night of my life, and I still have no idea how I’m going to get her back for it. Everything I think of falls short.
The waitress returns with our wings and cheese fries, and I keep my hard gaze on Cora, refusing to humor her with even the tiniest glance in the waitress’ direction. But I can see Brandon out of the corner of my eye practically drooling into his craft beer.
“Anything else I can get for you guys?”
“Nope,” I say, still staring at Cora.
She narrows her eyes at me.
The waitress walks away, and I reach for the wings, dipping one of them into the little cup of ranch dressing that was set in front of me. I take a big bite…
…and literally almost Exorcist-vomit all over the table.
“What the fuck? Is this mayonnaise?”
I hate mayonnaise. Despise it. Even the smell of it makes me want to puke.
Cora’s laughter reemerges, and I zero in on the culprit. She’s getting way too good at these pranks.
“Cor, you’re such a bitch,” Mandy says beside me, but her own laughter breaks through as she tries to hide it with her hand .
I fold my arms across my chest with payback in my eyes as Brandon leans into Cora, kissing her head and muttering, “That’s my girl.”
Mandy and Cora left about fifteen minutes ago. Brandon and I decide to stick around and have a few more beers since the game is still going on, and we’re both eager to see who wins.
“I’m gonna take a piss. Be back in a few,” Brandon says, sliding off his stool and weaving his way through the busy bar and grill.
I take a sip of my beer, my eyes on the game, when I notice the faint scent of flowery perfume floating over to me. I glance to my right. Our waitress is leaning her elbow on the bar, holding up her notepad and tapping it with her pen.
“Can I get you anything, sugar?”
There’s no mistaking the flirtation in her tone, nor the intent in her eyes as she checks me out, biting on her bottom lip and thrusting her cleavage in my face. I look away, bringing the rim of my glass to my lips. “Pretty sure you saw me with my girlfriend all night.”
“She’s not here now,” she replies boldly, tilting her head to the side and fluttering her long lashes.
I respond by pulling out my wallet and slapping a twenty-dollar bill on the bar counter, then rising from my stool. “Have a nice night.” I don’t indulge her with a parting glance. I breeze right by and head out the doors to have a smoke before I leave. I can finish the game at home.
I pull out my cell phone to text Brandon that I’m taking off, when I hear a familiar male voice coming from the left side of the parking lot.
I squint my eyes through the darkness and spot Brandon leaning back against his Jeep…
with his arms around a mysterious raven-haired woman.
He laughs as he leans in and starts making out with someone who clearly isn’t Cora.
I see red.
I waste no time in storming over to the cheating bastard, my hands forming into fists at my sides. Brandon pulls away from the woman when he sees me closing in, looking flustered and fucking caught . I glance at the brunette and nod my head over my shoulder. “Leave.”
“Excuse me?” she demands, hands on her hips.
“Or you can watch,” I shrug. “That’s cool, too.” I grab Brandon by his shirt collar, yanking him forward, then throw him back against the hood of his Jeep. “ You slimy piece of shit. Four years—four fucking years with her, and you’re throwing it all away for shiny, new co-ed pussy?”
Brandon raises his hands in defense. “Shit, man, I was just messing around. Don’t tell her, okay? It’ll kill her.”
I slug him across the jaw. “ You’re going to tell her.”
Brandon grabs his face in pain, howling into his hands. “I think you broke my damn jaw.” He tries to push me off of him, but I hold tight. “You don’t even like Cora. Why the hell do you care, anyway?”
I slam him against the car and he cries out again.
“I always knew she was too good for you.” I watch the mystery brunette scurry away in her high heels, then I return my attention to Brandon.
“You scum bag. You’re going to end things with her or I’m going to break your jaw for real. I promise you that.”
Brandon finally shoves me away and pulls himself up, breathing hard. He shakes his head. “It’ll break her heart, man. The last guy she was with cheated on her and she hasn’t gotten over it. C’mon, just let this go. It won’t happen again.”
I run my tongue along my teeth, letting his words sink in. Then I blow out a slow breath. “Say it was me.”
“What?”
“Tell her you’re breaking up with her because I threatened you. She already hates me. She’ll believe it.”
Brandon stares at me, dumbfounded. “You’re fucking crazy. Are you secretly in love with her or something?”
I lunge at him, slamming him back against the hood. “Do it, or I swear to God you’ll be at the plastic surgeon’s office tomorrow getting a new goddamn nose.” I lift off of him, slapping at his already bruising jaw as I stand. “Then I never want to see your face again.”
A double date.
Fantastic .
Things are just as awkward as I expected them to be, considering what transpired with Jason at Mandy’s party last week. I tried to talk Mandy out of setting up this disaster, but she insisted it would be “good for Cora”.
I’m not sure going back to the same bar that Earl hunted us down in with the intention of setting Cora up with a guy only six weeks after she was raped for twenty days straight is what’s good for her, but there was only so much protesting I could do without looking suspicious.
Besides… Cora agreed, despite my grievances.
And now we’re trying not to make eye contact with each other over the table as she sits across from me, only pretending to eat her mozzarella sticks.
“So, when do you go back to work?” Jason asks Cora, leaning back with his hands on his knees, looking far too interested in the way the spaghetti strap of her camisole top slips down her shoulder.
Cora pulls it back up, tucking her hair behind one ear. “Monday, actually. I’m a little nervous, but it’ll be good to get back to normal and have a routine again.”
Mandy and I share a flatbread pizza, and I return the smile she sends me when we reach for the same piece.
“Do your students know what happened to you?”
My eyes cut to Jason, then Cora.
Cora makes designs in her marinara sauce with the end of the mozzarella stick, clearing her throat. “I’m sure they do. It’s still the number one trending story.”
“Shit,” Jason says in a low breath, shaking his head with sympathy.
“That’s so rough. Well, the upside is maybe you’ll get a movie or Netflix deal out of it.
You know Hollywood is going to want to tell your story.
” Jason reaches for his beer and takes a few sips.
“Have you been asked to do any interviews yet?”
Cora is scratching at her wrist, and I notice the delicate skin looks raw and irritated.
“Yeah, but I’m not ready yet. Maybe someday.”