Crazy for You

Chapter 14

Samson took Natasha out on the dance floor, and I laughed when I saw the look on her face. I sipped my soda, kicking my feet up on her chair while she was gone. Izak sat down after having spent the last two songs on the dance floor with some hot blonde. Jeremiah stayed close to me, knocking back beers. To his right sat Landry. So far, we three were the only ones who hadn’t been dancing with anyone.

Wasn’t for lack of takers.

Izak was up and gone again in seconds, this time with a redhead. I laughed.

Another man approached, his gaze on me. I leaned back in my chair, grabbed Jeremiah’s arm and wrapped it around me. Jeremiah chuckled as the man gulped and rushed away.

“Planning to use me as a buffer all night?” he asked.

I grinned as I tipped my head back. “Nah, when Mr. Perfect walks in, I’m so moving tables.”

He laughed. “Dropped just like that.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“I’m curious to know what you do when you go clubbing in the city. I know how much of a fan you are of men you don’t know pawing you.”

“Ah, Natasha and I sort of limited our visits to clubs that lend themselves to dancing or anything like that. It got to the point we couldn’t talk because of the number of guys who kept coming up to us with lame-ass pickup lines. Though, for a while, we were keeping a tab on which lines were used most by men.”

“I’m dying to hear some,” Jeremiah said.

Landry just grunted.

I shrugged. “Natasha gets a lot of men asking if she’s an actress. I get asked if I’m a model. Not very original, but I guess it beats people asking if I played basketball.” I put my head against Jeremiah’s arm. “I miss this.”

“Line dancing?” he asked with a hint of amusement.

“No, I miss this. How everything around here seems to slow down. There is no rushing around. No going until you drop at like three in the morning, only to turn around and be up at six to be to work shortly thereafter.”

“Lifestyles of the rich and famous, huh?” he asked. “Got any new rich boys that are going to show up here?

I groaned. “Hello, Jer, you do realize you’re worth millions too?”

“Yeah, but…”

“I know. You’re a fireman and you’re damn happy with that life and don’t want anything to do with your family’s money. You, my dear, are a Macy. Like it or not. Still, you are technically loaded.”

“Yeah, well, I blame Phillip for the fact that Brice guy is still nipping at your heels.”

“He is not nipping at anything. He’s my friend. He’s been my friend for three years now.”

Jeremiah arched a brow. “Huh, no, Jer,” he mimicked Phillip’s voice, “Mer and I are just friends. She’s too young for me. I’d never touch Samson’s little sister.” He looked me straight in the eyes. “You were saying?”

“Do not compare Phil and Brice. They’re two totally different men.”

Landry drank his beer slowly, more interested in our conversation than he should have been. “Phillip’s name comes up a lot when Meredith’s is mentioned.”

I ignored him.

Jeremiah nodded. “She gave that asshole six years.”

“And you’d have thought I’d have learned not to let men lead me on or use me,” I said, looking at Landry, who actually squirmed in his seat.

I looked away, watching Natasha and Samson dance.

I realized someone was asking me a question. “Hmm?”

“Landry wanted to know why it is the two of you called it quits.”

“I fucked his best friend,” I said in an even tone, keeping a straight face.

Landry’s eyes widened.

Jeremiah grunted. “She did not. That’s Izak, in case you’re wondering. And, again, Mer did not sleep with him. She invents things for sport because—” He glanced at me and touched my cheek. “—the truth hurts.”

I grinned and nipped at his fingers. “Maybe that’s why I like auctions so much. I mean, I know what I’m worth, right?”

Jeremiah looked like he might blow.

I turned to face him. “It’s okay, Jer. Really. It’s kind of ironic if you think about it. And you’re right, I think I end up surrounded by people like Phillip because it’s all I’ve ever known, and I don’t see money when I look at men like Brice and Phillip. I see the man. Not his money. But I’m not stupid enough to ever fall for their charms again, because I fully understand what’s most important to them in the end.”

He stiffened.

I touched his scruffy cheek. “Stop with the long face. It’s in the past. I moved on. So did he.”

“Right. That’s why he’s constantly trying to pry details about you from me and Izak. And that’s why a guy shows up, pretty much telling the entire town he loves you, and you send him packing. If you had moved on, you wouldn’t be afraid to commit to someone. You wouldn’t keep men you could feel something for as nothing more than friends.”

I wagged my brows. “You saying ya want me to do ya?”

He jerked. “No! Meredith, you’re like a sister to me.” He stopped. “You were joking again. Can you be serious, just once?”

“Possibly. Never really tried it. Seriously though, I should get a barcode tattooed on me so people can scan me to see my going rate.” I laughed.

He didn’t.

“Jeremiah, please, lighten up.”

“Lighten up?” he echoed. “My fucking uncle offered you half a million dollars to leave Phillip. When you tore the check up and threw it in his face, he turned around and offered Phillip five million to agree to walk away from you.”

Landry’s face was coated in shock.

I grinned. “Oh, in case you haven’t figured it out, Phil didn’t tear up the check.”

Jeremiah shook his head. “Don’t sit there with a smile on your face, making light of it all. Want me to call Natasha over here so she can remind you of just how devastated you were?”

I lowered my lids and sighed. “Okay, but I can’t be held responsible for her attacking you at the mere mention of Phil’s name.” I blew him a kiss.

He grunted, stood, and stormed away. I knew he’d be back. He just needed to blow off some steam.

Landry eyed me closely. “That really happen or is this another joke?”

I teared up and tried to keep a smile on my face. It didn’t work.

Landry tried to come for me. I held a hand up and shook my head.

“I’m good.” I lifted my soda. “What about you? Anything from the past you wish you could erase? Something big.”

He nodded. “I have a lot of things from my past I wish I could change.”

“Name one.”

“I’d change what you saw today,” he said, never breaking his gaze with me. “I’d say it’s not what you think, but that’s overused by men everywhere.”

I thought about how much it stung seeing him with Mary Sue.

He opened his mouth to speak. I shook my head, moving to Jeremiah’s chair so I could sit close to him. “Let’s just leave it be, okay? How about we talk about something else? Let’s do the hit it game.” I pointed at a redhead. “I’d hit it. You?”

His eyes widened. “You’d hit it? I mean, her?”

I laughed. “Play the game, Landry. You don’t get to think about it. You just have to respond.”

I pointed to a dark-haired girl. “Not for me.”

“Me too. Looks high maintenance,” he said, making me laugh so hard I nearly barked.

He put an arm around me and tugged me close as I continued pointing at people in the club. When I pointed to men, he’d snicker, bat his lashes and tell me how he could hardly resist. I pushed on his hard abs. “Dork.”

He pointed to Izak. I nearly upchucked.

He laughed and then pointed to a sexy blond guy. I perked. “Yes.”

“Really? Why?” he asked, holding me tighter to him.

“Look at his ass in those jeans. I like a man with an ass.”

He eyed me closely and then laughed. I smiled and the next thing I knew, Landry’s lips were close to mine. He eased in more, closing his eyes. I jerked back.

“Meredith?”

I retrieved my glass of soda and stayed upright, refusing to lean on him again.

He caressed my shoulder, and I cringed away from his touch.

“I asked for time, you gave it to me. I forgot to mention I’d rather you not fuck other women while taking that time, but hey, we were never an official couple, so really, I don’t have a leg to stand on. All I do know is that I’m done. You want friendship, fine. I can offer that, but I will never, ever, offer you anything more again. I don’t need any more time. My mind is made up.”

He sighed. “Mer, I…”

Pointing to the entrance, I drew attention to the woman standing there. The same one he’d been kissing in his diner. “Your friend is here. She must have sensed us talking about her.”

He took hold of my hand. “Meredith.”

The woman from the diner spotted us and smiled wide, coming straight for him, looking like a tigress on the prowl. Prying my hand from Landry’s, I did my best to appear unaffected by the woman’s presence. I failed miserably.

She helped herself to the chair on the other side of Landry, and I made no bones about moving back to the chair I’d started in, putting an empty one between Landry and me.

Natasha and my brother reappeared. Her lips drew in at the sight of the woman from the diner. Samson seemed less than pleased by the lady from the diner being with us too.

“Mary Sue,” he said, his voice clipped.

She smiled wide. “Samson, hi, sugar. Isn’t this great? All of us here? Just like when Landry first came to town, huh?” She traced her fingers down Landry’s arm and I had to look away. It was do that or cry.

Within seconds, Natasha was dragging my brother back onto the dance floor.

I sipped my soda, doing my best to pretend Landry and Mary Sue didn’t exist. I took an interest in the table before me. It was better than seeing Mary Sue hang on Landry.

“Mer,” Natasha said, appearing quickly. “We should go now.”

“Done dancing with my brother?” I asked, wondering if I shouldn’t move to something stiffer than soda.

She glanced at something I couldn’t see and then back at me. “Sweetie, I love you, and trust me when I say you want to get up and leave with me now.”

Tipping my head to the side, I looked past her. My breath caught, but I maintained my cool, refusing to allow the newcomer to know the power he still had over me. Phillip moved through the crowd of people, his sights set on me. He looked amazing, his black hair cut close and his green gaze intense.

“Speak of the devil,” I said, leaning back in my chair, going with the desire to appear as though it was just another day.

Natasha grabbed my arm. “Honey, let’s go. You don’t need this on top of the day you’re having.” She shot a nasty look at Landry.

Mary Sue was still hanging on him.

I smiled wide as I glanced at Landry. “And I bet you thought this night couldn’t get any better.”

“Mer,” Natasha said. “Samson got a call. The minute he gets back, he’ll make the asshole leave.”

Phillip emerged, coming close to the table. “Hey, baby, fancy meeting you here.”

Natasha turned and faced him. “Just go.”

“It’s a public place,” he said, paying little mind to her. “Mer can tell me to go and I will.”

“Offer him five bucks,” I said to Natasha. “He likes money and the number five.”

Phillip exhaled slowly. “I wondered how long it would be before you took a jab at me for something stupid I did when I was young.”

“Matured a lot in four years?” I asked, sipping my soft drink, my emotions off the charts, but I somehow managed to keep my cool. “We were just talking about you.”

Phillip’s gaze slid to Landry and then back to me. He lifted a brow. “Really? Dare I ask?”

“Actually, we were talking more about my going price. You know,” I said. “The amount you decided was worth more than me.”

Landry stiffened. “This is Phillip Macy?”

Izak approached, grinning as he greeted his best friend. “Hey, man. You’re late. I promised to get her here tonight by nine because you asked me to.”

I snorted, raising my glass. “Thanks, Izak. Always good to know you’re looking out for my best interests.”

“He is your best interest, Mer,” Izak said, giving Landry a hard look. “Phil, did Mer introduce you to Landry yet?”

It was Phillip’s turn to tense. “I’ve, uh, heard a lot about you, Landry. My cousin really loves telling me how well you and Meredith get along.”

“Speaking of cousins,” I interjected. “Where is Jer?”

“I made a false call about a fire,” Izak said evenly. “It was the only way I could be assured he wouldn’t start a fight when Phil got here. Samson had to answer the call too, since he’s sheriff and all. It was the only thing I could think to do. They’re like two attack dogs when it comes to you and Phil.”

Phillip snickered and then locked gazes with me. “Mind if I join you?”

“Yes,” Landry said, trying to pull Mary Sue off him. It didn’t work.

I shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Izak motioned for the waitress and put in an order for another round of drinks. I stopped her, changing my drink request to a bottle of whiskey.

“I warrant a bottle, huh?” Phillip asked, turning the chair around and straddling it.

“And then some.” I glared at Izak.

He seemed unaffected by the fact he’d pissed me off.

“You going to talk to me, or even look at me?” Phillip asked.

“I’m waiting until I get good and drunk. I figure that way, I won’t bother filtering anything I’ve been wanting to say to you.” The slightest of smiles tugged at my lips.

“Heard you found a use for your engagement ring.”

That made me look at him. “I did. If you want it back now, you’re going to have to get it yourself. I offered before. You didn’t take me up on it.”

“I don’t want it back, Mer,” he said softly.

“Want my wedding band? If you do, you might have to drag the lake. I pitched that in it after I signed the annulment papers. Five months of my life wasted, guess it’s fitting that, in the end, it didn’t really count.”

“Meredith,” Phillip said evenly. “We were together for six years. Hell, eight if you count the fact we did the whole hand-holding thing, no kissing, but calling ourselves a couple thing from the time you were thirteen. Eight years is a long time. Don’t dismiss that.”

“Why not?” I grinned. “You did.”

He looked me dead in the eyes. “And there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t regret that decision. I hurt you. I hurt us.”

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” Our drinks came. “You already said you were sorry once. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to salvage what is left of this bang-up day.” I snorted. “Did a memo go out this morning encouraging the men I care about to become instant assholes?”

Phillip tapped the table, his focus on Landry. “Who is your girlfriend there?”

Mary Sue perked up, her eyes wide. “Ohmygod, I’m sitting at a table with Phillip Macy. Oh, I’m Mary Sue.”

Phillip schooled his face, and I knew he wanted to laugh at the woman. “Nice to meet you, Mary Sue. You and Landry been together long?”

Landry fisted his beer, his gaze heated. “We’re not together.”

“She just practically sits on your lap because there is a chair shortage?” He nodded his head toward the empty seats on each side of Landry. “Got it. I have to say, when Jer and Izak told me about you, they made it seem as if you and Meredith were fast becoming a serious item. Good to know that was just small town gossip and not the truth.”

Izak passed out our drinks and took a seat next to me. Phillip sat across from me and poured us both some whiskey. He slid mine to me, his fingers slipping over mine as I took it. He held my hand there. “You all right with me being here?”

“It’s your hometown too. Can’t really deny you that.”

“Meredith, you know what I mean.”

I did know what he meant. “Yes, and no. I knew moving back here would mean the two of us would cross paths. I just wasn’t expecting it tonight.”

He winked. “Ah, you wanted to prepare. Sharpen your knives, load the gun, hire thugs.”

Snickering, I nodded. “Yeah, something like that.”

Izak motioned to Landry. “Funny, I could have sworn you and Mer were dating even if you didn’t put a name on it.”

Mary Sue looked at me.

I waved a hand. “Oh, no worries, sweetie. He and I are only friends. He made sure of that.”

Phillip seemed to be enjoying the interplay between Landry and me.

Landry wasn’t as keen on it. A pleading look came over him. “Meredith.”

“Hmm?”

He said nothing, only looking at me.

A slow song came on and Phillip stood, moving around the table and coming for me. He took my hand in his and tugged me up and out of my chair.

“I don’t want to dance,” I said.

“I wasn’t asking if you did.” He jerked me against his powerful frame and stared down at me. “You haven’t changed a bit. You’re just as beautiful as you were before.”

I huffed. “Were you expecting me to grow a hunchback or something?”

“No,” he said with a slight smile. “I was worried about you. Jeremiah’s good about telling me how you’re doing, but still, I worry.”

“Thanks for the concern. Now, let me sit down because I don’t want to dance with you.”

“You used to love to dance with me.” He touched the tip of my nose and began to sing the words of the song to me. He knew it had always been something I enjoyed him doing. True to form, he began to sway with me, unconcerned we weren’t on the dance floor but rather butted up against the table. I moved with him and he kept going, kept singing to me. His hands skimmed the length of my torso and his lips moved closer and closer to mine.

“I miss you, baby,” he whispered. “I miss this. You and me, the way we click.”

I slipped my hand up and behind his neck. He dipped his head more, his lips coming for mine. Moving my foot, I put it behind his and waited. Just before his lips would have met mine, I twisted, sweeping his foot out from under him, holding the back of his neck, guiding his fall so he ended up on his back on the tabletop.

I moved up and over him, not caring in the least that I was straddling a man on a table in the middle of a crowded bar.

Phillip’s breathing was hard, excitement lit in his eyes. “Mer?”

I didn’t let myself get angry as I grabbed his wrists, keeping his hands from going to my ass as they always used to do when I was riding him. I stared down at him. “How about we not assume I’m going to fall back into old habits with you?”

“This is new,” he replied. “And, baby, I could really get used to it.”

I rolled my eyes.

Landry growled, moving Mary Sue off his lap and standing, glaring down at Phillip, who was still on his back.

I shot him a nasty look. “Oh, as if you care if I sleep with him. Please. I think we both know I was nothing to you. You used your time to find, erm, do someone new.”

Phillip’s eyes widened. “You were with him?”

I moved off him, and he followed me up, grabbing my waist, yanking me to him.

“Answer me, Mer.”

“It’s not really any of your business anymore, is it?”

He sighed, kissing my shoulder. “I hate that I hurt you.”

“Oh, how coincidental,” I said snidely. “I hate that you did too.”

“Meredith,” Landry said, grabbing my arm. “You’re drunk, honey, and you don’t need this with him tonight. Let me take you home.”

“And interrupt your evening with Mary Sue?” I snorted. “No. I’m good. And I can’t be drunk. All I’ve had is soda tonight. He rudely interrupted my whiskey-thon. Thanks, though.”

Phillip grabbed our shot glasses, handing me mine. I held mine as he downed his. I couldn’t help but laugh. He flashed a wolfish smile and grunted. “A few more and it will be like the good ole days.”

I blinked innocently. “So what you’re saying is that we’ll go have sex in your car, end up having the sheriff banging on the window and send us home, threatening to tell our parents?”

Izak laughed.

Phillip smiled. “Yep, only I’m thinking the current sheriff would shoot me.”

Samson would. He was right. “You’ve got a good point,” I said, laughing a little.

Phillip wrapped his arms around me and rocked our bodies slowly. “A dance, Mer. That’s all I’m asking for. I know I don’t deserve it. I know I shit us away, but…”

I nodded and set my still-full glass down.

Natasha stepped forward. “Meredith, let Landry and I take you home.”

I faced Phillip and put my hand in his. He led me away from the table and pulled me to him. It was exactly the way we’d always done it. We knew each other’s bodies well. As much as I hated to admit it, it felt good to be held again. I put my head against his shoulder, and he held me tight as we danced together slowly. Several songs went by and suddenly, Phillip was being pulled back from me.

Samson was there, glaring at him.

Phillip put himself in front of me.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” my brother demanded.

I took Phillip’s hand and tugged. Samson watched the action and narrowed his gaze on me. “Get the hell away from him, Mer. He’s a whole mess of problems and heartache that you don’t need to go through again.”

“I’m not here to hurt her, Samson,” Phillip said sternly.

“What the fuck are you here for then, Phil?”

Jeremiah appeared, looking pissed, falling into ranks next to my brother. “I’d like an answer to that myself.”

“Meredith and I need to talk. It’s long overdue.”

Samson snorted. “She doesn’t need to listen to one word that falls out of your lying mouth.”

I pulled harder on Phillip, leaving him no choice but to follow me back to the table. He clearly wanted to stay and have it out with my brother, but whatever he saw when he looked at me made him give in. He came with me.

Landry was there, still glaring at him. Mary Sue was back to trying to hang on him, only serving to sicken me more.

I looked around for my keys. When I spotted them, I grabbed them.

“You’re not driving anywhere,” Landry said. “I’ll take you home.”

“I just need my house key,” I said, handing my keys to Phillip. “Go to my house. I’ll try to calm down my brother. I don’t want this tonight. I don’t want any more fighting.”

Jeremiah snatched the keys from Phillip’s hand. “He’s not fucking setting foot in your house. I’m with Samson, he has no business here.”

“He has every right to be here,” Izak said, returning from the dance floor. “She was his wife. When she left him, it devastated him.”

I blinked. “When I what?”

Izak tipped his head. “When you walked out on him, right after he bought that house for the two of you and was getting ready to surprise you with it. And while we’re on the subject, how the hell could you just take off—”

Phillip put his hand up, stopping his friend. He looked at me and closed his eyes a moment.

An odd sound fell from my lips. “You told him that I left you? Funny, when I woke up to find a letter on the dining room table, informing me that we’d apparently been hasty in our decision making and rushed into something it was clear we weren’t ready for, I got the impression it wasn’t me calling the shots.” I advanced on him. “Remember the letter, Phil? How big of you to tell me you wanted out through a letter. You couldn’t even do it face-to-face? You hated me that much?”

“I have never hated you, Mer. Ever,” he said softly.

“Then why not tell me face to face that your father’s money was more important?”

Izak looked confused.

“Because he was a fucking coward,” Jeremiah said. “He knew he could never look at you and tell you everything he said in that letter. It was so full of lies and coldness that a big piece of me thinks my uncle wrote it for him and Phil just went along with it. Like he did with everything else.”

Phillip looked away quickly, and I knew then that Jeremiah was right.

I picked up my still full shot of whiskey and threw it at Phillip. It hit his chest and crashed to the floor, but didn’t break. It did leave a wet spot on his shirt though.

“Mer.” He tried to come to me.

“Don’t.” I pointed. “Do you even know what he said in the letter, Phillip?”

“H-he told me he’d be firm on ending things between us. I… I couldn’t write it. I tried, Mer. I tried to tell you face-to-face, but… every time I’d try, I’d…”

I thought back to his behavior before it all happened. “You’d get really quiet, and you’d stay up later than me. When you finally came to bed, you’d cling to me like flypaper, and then you’d spend the night fucking the hell out of me, telling me how much you loved me.” I threw his glass of whiskey at him next. “You piece of shit!”

“Mer.”

“Tell me what the letter said, Phillip.”

“I can’t,” he confessed. “I never read it. I couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

He clenched his fists. “Because I didn’t want to leave you, Meredith. My father isn’t a man who takes no for an answer.”

“I told him no just fine.”

He looked at me. “He made me a deal. If I agreed to go, to end things with you and stay gone for at least a year, he’d never again interfere in our lives and we’d be set for life. I didn’t know about the baby… the circumstances changed and…Mer.”

I glared at him. “The letter. What did it say?”

“I really don’t know.”

A snort broke free of me. “I’ll tell you everything it said. There was the obvious too young bit, and then a nice section informing me the condo in the city was mine to do with as I saw fit. But my favorite part was the postscript, Phillip. Where you made sure to mention that you knew full well you’d been the one to pressure me into trying for a baby, but that seeing the error of your ways, you knew better, and that you didn’t want to know if I was pregnant, you wanted it terminated and that you didn’t want to be informed either way.”

He jerked back and Izak grabbed his shoulder. He looked at his friend and Izak sighed. “That’s why she didn’t tell you she was pregnant?”

“I-I didn’t know he put that in,” Phillip said, tearing up.

Landry gasped.

I ignored him. “I’d been the one who said we were too young, Phillip. That we had a lifetime to have a family, but no. You pushed and pushed and pushed until I gave in. Did you know I was almost three months pregnant already? That I was planning a surprise party to tell you that you were going to be a father? Guess the surprise was on me when I woke up to find you missing and a Dear John letter.” I glared at him. “There was no way in hell I was aborting that baby. I hated you for demanding I do that.”

“I didn’t… Mer… I didn’t write that.”

“But you knew full well your father was, and you made no effort to sensor what was said,” I added. “It’s the same as you saying it yourself, Phillip. You were man enough to get married against his wishes. You were man enough to start a family. You were man enough to walk out of said family. Be man enough to own up to the fact that you not knowing is on you!”

He bent his head, nodding. “I wouldn’t have gone had I known, Mer.”

I laughed hard and nearly fell. Landry got up quickly and spotted me as a bizarre dizzy spell came over me. “How could you not know, Phillip? We’d been married five months. You kept throwing away my birth control, laughing, thinking it was cute and funny, begging me to stop using it and agree to have a baby. You’d go out of your way to make it happen. How could you think it wouldn’t? Did you miss the fact I spent three weeks with my head in a toilet? I think deep down you knew but didn’t want to face it, just like you didn’t want to face me.”

He looked up at me, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I loved him too, Mer.”

“You didn’t even know him. You never even fucking met him because you were off living it up, counting your millions, while I was in that hospital being told I could look at my son, but not touch him, and to say my goodbyes. It was me there, Phillip. Me, my father, Natasha, Samson, and Jeremiah, so they are the only ones who have any say in anything.”

“Mer, I was still his father,” Phillip said softly. “I would have come had I known about the accident.”

“I tried calling you,” Natasha said. “So did your cousin and Samson. We all did, but you wouldn’t answer your cell. Did you think we’d wait a month and a half after you walked out on her to up and call you to yell? No, Phillip. We were trying to tell you she’d been in a car accident and your son wasn’t going to live through night.”

I blinked back tears. “You, your father, your mother… None of you wanted anything to do with me until he passed and then suddenly I’ve got Macy lawyers stepping in, telling me I can’t bury my son where I want to bury him. That he’s being put in your family plot. A family that wanted me to get rid of him at conception. Matthew deserved better than that.”

“Matthew?” he asked.

“Jesus Christ, Phillip, are you telling me you don’t even know she named him?” Jeremiah looked like he was going to be sick. “I guess that explains the rather cold name on his headstone. Baby Macy. Beloved Son. Bullshit! You put that girl through hell and then you continued to do it with that stunt!”

Izak took a step towards me. “Mer, I didn’t know. I thought you… Phil told me you walked out on him, that you hid the pregnancy from him.” He tried to come to me again, but I shook my head.

“You had everything that was important in life,” Jeremiah said to Phillip. “And you pissed it away for money. I know damn well Meredith didn’t give a shit about your money. I also know she was happy when she thought the two of you were going to live independent of your father’s reach and income. She didn’t want a fancy life in the fast lane, she wanted a quiet little life with you. You blew it. Ever stop and think, had you not shoved your head up your ass, that you’d be here now, going on five years of marriage with a four-year-old son?”

“I think about it every day,” Phillip said, surprising me. “Every day.”

“Good,” Samson snapped. “I hope guilt eats you alive. You put my little sister through hell, and the only thing she’d ever done wrong in her life was trust and love you.”

“I want to go home now,” I whispered. “I don’t like today very much. I want to pretend it didn’t happen.”

Landry tried to hug me, but I didn’t let him.

“Don’t.” I shrugged him off me again. “No more. Stay away from me. I’ve got enough baggage, you don’t need to add to it. I was happy again, Landry. I was happy and then—”

He bear hugged me, rocking my body against his.

I let him hold me and sighed. “Your woman is glaring at me.”

“She’s not my woman.”

“Does she know that?”

“Mer,” he said, touching my chin. “Let’s go home. All we’re doing here is hurting one another for no reason.”

I wasn’t sure I was following him. “What do you mean?”

“Think about it, Mer,” he said. “Izak has had a problem with you and me being together from day one. I can’t blame him, but bringing in Phillip is too much.”

I pushed lightly on his chest. “There is no you and me, Landry. We’re friends. Nothing more.” I glanced in Mary Sue’s direction. “You saw to that.”

Phillip approached. “Mer.”

Landry’s twisted partially, facing Phillip. “Go away. You’re not needed, or wanted, here.”

Phillip flat-out ignored Landry and came for me. He reached for me and the next thing I knew, Landry was punching him in the face. Stunned, I grabbed for Landry, yanking him back.

Phillip retaliated, going straight for Landry. They slammed into the wall and proceeded to trade blows. Izak, Samson, and Jeremiah were all suddenly there. I assumed the fight would grow bigger now that there were even more men against Phillip there. It didn’t. They broke it up, yanking Landry and Phillip away from each other.

They were winded and glaring at one another.

Samson and Jeremiah held tight to Landry. My brother grinned when he looked at Phillip’s split lip.

Izak and a guy I didn’t know had hold of Phillip. Izak shook his head. “What the hell is wrong with you people?”

Phillip gave Landry a “you started it” look.

So did I.

Landry blinked in surprise. “Oh, you can’t possibly tell me that you’re pissed at me for hitting him.”

“Landry threw the first blow,” Samson said with pride. “I like you even more now.”

Jeremiah let out a long breath. “Boys.”

Blood trickled down Phillip’s chin. He wiped it away, seeming unaffected by it. He kept staring at Landry. He grinned.

“Something funny, asshole?” Landry spat.

“Yeah.” Phillip offered a smug look. “It’s killing you knowing I’ve been with her. That I’ve done what you haven’t. I’ve fucked her.”

I gasped.

My brother roared and released Landry. The two of them went at Phillip, leaving poor Jeremiah to try to contain both of them. Additional men poured into the mix, helping to break everyone apart.

Natasha swept in, yanking on Samson, moving him back.

Jeremiah dragged Landry to me and pointed at Izak. “Get Phil to your house now or next time, I’ll let Landry and Samson kill the bastard.”

Izak nodded and jerked on Phillip.

Landry tried to go at him again. I intervened, putting my body in front of his. “No more. Please. Let it go.”

“He’s a piece of shit,” Landry said, his hands finding my hips. “Did you hear the way he talked about you? Like you’re meat?”

Sighing, I nodded. “I also noticed you didn’t bother attempting to defend your manly honor by informing him that you’ve actually been with me too. Still embarrassed?”

He bent, his lips sliding over mine. The kiss was passion packed and left me moaning and leaning against him.

He jerked me to him. “Hon, let’s go home.”

Nodding, I let him lead me from the bar. He put me in his SUV and before he shut the door, he pressed his lips to mine. Giving in, I returned the kiss, needing the comfort it provided. His tongue laced around mine and he moaned before pulling back slowly. “Home.”

I nodded. “Home.”

The drive home was short and I was thankful for it. I exited his car and jogged toward my place, wanting to be alone. Landry caught hold of me and turned me to face him. He kissed me again.

I pushed on his chest. “Landry, stop.”

Landry grunted, his mouth slanting over mine. There was no point in fighting him. I didn’t want to. I opened my mouth and his tongue eased over my lips. The kiss was electrifying, making my toes tingle. Our tongues intertwined and my hands caressed his powerful shoulders. His fingers bunched my shirt, making their way to my bare skin. The heavy press of his erection brought me to my senses.

“Landry,” I panted.

He pulled himself under control, his gaze hungry. “Tell me to go.”

“Go.”

He didn’t budge.

I exhaled slowly. “Go find Mary Sue to scratch the itch you’ve got. Not me. I’m done. I can’t do this with you anymore.”

“Don’t,” he said, that one word keeping me in place. “I was with her one night when I first moved here. That’s all, Mer. It was over a year ago and whenever she’s in town, she acts like this. I haven’t slept with her again. I swear to you.”

I curled my lip. “Landry, the fact you even slept with her at all isn’t helping here. She’s…”

“A dimwitted, big-chested woman whose looks are fading fast?” he prompted.

I nodded.

He bent his head in shame and I did nothing to stop him. “She’s not the type of woman I want to wake up to every morning. She was safe in that regard.”

I wasn’t sure if that was a good confession or not.

“We can’t totally lay this on me,” he said softly. “One of your exes showed his face tonight too.”

“Not one of my exes, Landry. My only ex. Unless you count as an ex.” Admitting it made me feel so small. Averting my gaze, I felt my cheeks staining pink. “When I hand myself over, I assume it’s for always.”

Whatever I said made him jerk and step away from me as if I were contagious. He righted himself, but I’d not missed his reaction. “Mer, I don’t want you to be alone tonight.”

Jeremiah’s truck pulled in. He and Natasha got out.

“They’ll stay. You don’t have to worry. I promise not to leak my forever vibe all over you anymore.” I gave him a tiny shove. “Go, Landry. Go and don’t you ever fucking lead me on again. I said what I meant before. Nothing will ever come of this, of us. I came to you damaged goods, and you still managed to give me more bruises on the inside. I didn’t know that was even possible. I was wrong.”

“Meredith.”

Jeremiah crossed his arms over his chest. “I think you should go.”

“Jer.”

“I’ll make sure she’s okay tonight. I won’t leave her. Neither will Natasha. Now, go. You’re only upsetting her more.”