Chapter 6
Brittani
Igroaned as I rolled over, expecting to hit a warm body, but all I hit was air. I frowned, my hand reaching out to touch the bed. Slowly, I opened my eyes, letting myself wake up before I tried to pick up any noises. Like, I don’t know, maybe the shower was running.
But nope, the room was quiet.
I glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. The red digits showed me the time was only a little past nine. However, the bed was cold and the indent of where he should be had faded. So, he had been gone for a while.
I sat up, pulling the sheet up over my breasts and sighed.
“What the hell did you expect, Brittani? A forever after. Keith isn’t built like that. Admit it, you had your first one-night stand and while fucking amazing, it didn’t live up to the standards.”
With a groan, I ran my hand over my face, knowing I would have to get up myself and shower. I hated to wash away the memories, but I needed to.
Actually, screw that, I did want to wash him away.
How dare he ruin my night by coming to the bar that I was trying to escape in and then screw me like he did, only to take it all away.
That man did not deserve my time. Or my smiles. I was done being sunshine to him.
I flicked the covers off, hearing a flutter. With a sigh, I looked over the bed, seeing a note there with his handwriting.
Brittani,
Had a great time last night but needed to get into the shop. Early clients and down an artist.
Keith
That was it. Two lines a bull shit excuse.
“Couldn’t even face me. What a jerk.”
I crumpled up the note and threw it away before hauling my ass into the shower and soaking up the heat before it ran cold. It wasn’t going to be a long day, and I was just going to have to deal with it.
I walked down the main road, hours later, on my way to the post office. However, I couldn’t get out of my own head. I didn’t want to think I did something wrong, and even though I’m a confident woman, that didn’t mean that I didn’t doubt myself sometimes.
Like now.
I can’t say I ever had a man sneak out of my room. I can admit, though, I didn’t like it.
“Brittani,” someone called and I turned around, offering a smile to the woman running over to me. “Hey, I had a question and since you’re here, it’s perfect timing.”
“Sure, what’s up Kayla?”
“My cousin is coming in from Alaska soon, actually, it’s Keith’s sister. Anyway, she was talking about mailing a couple things back home. Would there be some flat rate box she could use?”
“There is. I can get you a list of prices. Most of those are a standard weight, which hardly goes over.”
“Awesome. I don’t know what she wants to mail, but she wanted me to check.”
“If you need anything else, Kayla, just stop on by,” I offered, giving her a smile.
“Hi, Brittani.”
I froze as the man walked up on her side. I nodded, the smile easily slipping from my face.
He wouldn’t get to see the sunshine personality; he didn’t deserve that. Not one iota.
“Oh,” Kayla said, her eyes bouncing between us. “Is everything okay?”
“Perfect,” I said, turning back to her, the smile back on my face.
“Listen, I got to get to work. Boss is a little cranky if I’m not in on time.
She can’t gossip otherwise. Have a good day,” I told her, making sure to openly ignore Keith.
With a wave, I turned on my heel, heading to the post office.
“What was that about, Keith?”
“I don’t know, Kayla.”
“Bullshit, you’re too much of a jerk sometimes not to know. You better fix this.”
I couldn’t help but smile to myself at the anger in her voice.
It was warranted in my opinion. But sadly, there wasn’t anything he could do.
Because there wasn’t any apology he could give me for walking out and making me feel like I was a slut or something.
Just good for one night and nothing more. Not even in the town that we lived in.
And don’t go crazy on me, I knew I wasn’t any better. I left the city to escape him. Didn’t mean it worked, right?
A few hours later, the door opened to the post office, and I smiled as Kylie walked in, but it fell as Keith walked in after her.
“What can I help you with?” I asked, trying to be friendly. After all, she didn’t do anything to me.
“I need to pick up a package,” Keith said, walking up to the counter.
I lifted a brow, holding my hand out. “Slip,” I told him.
He sighed as he handed me the green paper. “Brittani,” he said, but I stood up, waving him off.
“Let me grab it.” I walked in the back, looking for the number of the package and then walked back out. “Sign here,” I told him, handing him a clipboard.
“Uh, the computer shows you got something done the other night,” Kylie started, obliviously picking up on something being off. “What did you get?”
“Oh, an amazingly beautiful piece of a Colorado sunset through the trees. I love it.”
“Keith does great work.”
“Sure, when he keeps his mouth shut.”
“Well,” she said, glancing at him before looking at me, her pierced tongue licking her lips. “He doesn’t talk much.”
“He talks plenty. Probably should stop. Otherwise, he could get his ass kicked.”
She crossed her arms and rested them on the counter.
“Kayla said something was off. What happened between you two?”
“None of your business,” Keith growled, pleading with me to stop, but I wasn’t. If he was uncomfortable, well that was tough shit. I didn’t care. Maybe he shouldn’t have lied to me and left me the way he did.
“Nothing big, Kylie. Just enough for me to know that grump exterior just hides a jerk the size of Texas is all.”
She covered her mouth to hold in the laugh, but his eyes just narrowed. I shrugged, giving him the cold shoulder once more.
“You know, Brittani, now that Kayla has Tim, I need another lady to hang out with. I think you should come out with me. I know the perfect spot, and guys will go crazy over how cute you look.”
The growl that came out of Keith had both of us staring at him, looks of surprise on our faces.
“What the hell is that, Keith?”
“You can’t go out,” he told me.
“That wasn’t directed at me, cousin. You never tell me a damn thing. So that’s directed at Brittani. Kayla said you screwed something up, what was it?”
“None of your business. Wait outside, now,” he ordered her. She smirked as she winked at me before leaving, which I was silently praying she wouldn’t listen. But not all prayers get answered, I guess.
“You walked into work, correct?”
“You saw me, you dofus.”
“Name calling now, real grown up, Brittani.”
“Oh, don’t give me that you damn asshole. At least I’m adult enough to own my shit. Get out of here, you got what you needed, that’s enough.”
“Brittani,” he started but I shook my head.
“I’ve had enough assholes to last me a lifetime, Keith, I didn’t need another. It’s best if we just avoid each other.”
“Storyville ain’t that big, sweetheart. I’ll pick you up when you’re done, we need to talk.”