CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Blair
Then
He did do better. For a while. But over time, he’d quit making it to the couple’s therapy sessions.
He still went to the kids’ events, but he was on his phone most of the time or trying to chat up a couple of the dads.
He’d had trouble connecting with any of the men in town, and he was desperately trying anything to appeal to them.
He wanted to be one of the leaders in town.
I wasn’t sure why. He thought his place as the only dentist would do that if he could just work on making people feel comfortable around him.
They were put off by his awkwardness and the way his personality seemed to change according to what he thought they wanted.
I tried to tell him to just be himself, but he didn’t seem able to take my advice.
Or maybe he just hadn’t wanted it anymore.
I don’t think he ever considered that he’d made a major ass of himself with the whole Scarlett thing. He wasn’t from Indigo Falls, and I was. And this town had a long memory.
***
It was a cold night, and I’d forgotten my wrap for my sleeveless dress.
I shivered as we walked up the well-lit pathway to the Reyes mansion.
Sadie’s brother Tim was best friends with a sweet woman named Natalie.
Natalie was dating Heath Reyes, who very generously invited all her friends to his parents’ annual Christmas party in Halliwell.
“I still can’t believe they included us on a list of Natalie’s friends. I barely feel like more than an acquaintance of hers.”
Scott just grunted. It was true I’d probably said that same thing ten times this week already, but he could’ve at least answered me with words.
I sighed and rubbed my arms as we walked up the path.
It was a cold, December night. The stars seemed extra bright in the sky, and I could clearly see my breath in the air.
Scott didn’t seem to notice. In fact, he was completely wrapped up in the importance of this party.
Or the importance he gave it anyway. I thought it was just a nice party, but he wanted to schmooze and make good connections with the kind of people who were well-established in both Indigo Falls and Halliwell.
I thought he just needed to relax and have a good time, but he didn’t seem to hear me when I told him that. So, I’d quit trying. But I was going to have fun tonight, that was for sure.
“It’s damn cold,” Geoff Inglewood said as he approached us. He saw me shivering and immediately took off his heavy wool dress coat. “Here, Blair.” He draped it over my shoulders, and I wrapped it around myself gratefully.
“Thanks, Geoff.” I smiled at him while Scott scowled. I knew Scott would rather punch Geoff than shake hands with him. Geoff was his dentist friend who thought I was beautiful.
“You could’ve told me you were cold,” Scott groused under his breath.
Geoff heard him anyway. “If you couldn’t figure out your wife was cold on a night like this, you don’t deserve to operate on anyone. You’re a pure dumbass, Hastings,” he said loudly, pounding Scott on the back. The much smaller man didn’t even move Scott an inch.
“Whatever,” my husband said eloquently as we made our way up the stairs and into the Reyes’ mansion. There seemed to be Christmas trees and tasteful décor everywhere I looked. I was in awe. I would’ve loved the chance to decorate a home like this one.
I handed Geoff’s coat back with a smile and a ‘thank you,’ and then followed Scott further inside.
“He made me look like a fool,” Scott grumbled.
“Let’s just have a nice night,” I said.
“I’m going to find Larry and Keller,” he said and disappeared into the sea of people, leaving me alone. I knew he wanted to talk to them because of how high up they were in society in Halliwell.
And I just stood there, looking around for someone, anyone I knew.
Scott could be so thoughtless sometimes. I tried to shrug it off and go find my friends and came across Natalie first. She was looking a bit lost, which was exactly how I felt. We chatted for a bit before she helped me find the restroom. One of the many, many restrooms in the huge home.
After we’d finished and washed our hands, we set back out for the ballroom. It was very crowded, though, and we were having trouble getting through the hallway.
“I think I know a way around this traffic jam,” Natalie told me, and then grabbed my hand to pull me along behind her.
We broke free from the crowd and were making our way down a much less crowded hall. To my surprise, I saw Scott standing half-in and half-out of one of the doorways. He was laughing and holding a glass of whiskey, so I knew he was talking to someone.
“Oh, look. There’s Scott. Let’s go over,” I said gesturing towards my handsome husband.
He might be arrogant and inconsiderate, but he could really make a tux look good.
He was talking with a couple of guys I’d seen around a few times.
I knew this had to be Larry and Keller, but I never would’ve known who they were without context.
Especially all dressed up like they were.
Scott’s friend Keller was actually quite good-looking, I noticed in passing.
They were standing in an elegant room with a pool table and what looked to be a well-appointed bar.
I started to walk in and make our presence known, but then I heard what they were talking about. They weren’t being exactly quiet and obviously didn’t notice us getting close.
Keller started talking before the men noticed Natalie and me.
“How’d you even land Blair, man? She’s too damn beautiful for you,” Keller said, and I had to fight to keep from smiling. He looked like Scott’s opposite with his bright blue eyes and blond hair.
Scott laughed. “She’s pretty enough, thank God. That’s about all there is to her. I get so fucking bored. You’re doing things right staying single.”
The smiled dropped from my face. The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. How could he say something so cruel about me? Was this the way he wanted to impress these men? Was saying horrible things about his wife his way of fitting in with them?
“You’re an idiot,” Keller said. “If I had a woman like her at home, it would be hard to make me go to work.”
“You say that now but after a year or two, you’d be out there trolling for pussy. Believe me.”
I had to fight back a wave of nausea. He claimed to have never cheated on me.
Had he lied? Was this just ‘man talk?’ Him trying to fit in and say what he thought they wanted to hear?
I couldn’t believe he was being so… vulgar about it, though.
But maybe that’s really how men talked when women weren’t around.
That didn’t change that it hurt me.
Larry said something, but I couldn’t make out what it was. Maybe I should be glad. Whatever it was had made Scott laugh.
“I can’t even talk to her about anything but kids, food, and doctor’s appointments. It’s like she got stupid as soon as the kids started coming. That’s all marriage is.”
I sucked in a breath. He thought I was stupid and boring?
Keller looked decidedly less friendly towards Scott now, but Scott wasn’t picking up on it. “Blair’s the most beautiful woman here. You’re a lucky bastard.”
I was becoming a huge fan of Keller, actually.
Scott laughed again. “Fuck that! If I was single, I’d be all over the blonde with the tits at the bar. Hell, maybe I’ll head over there without being single.”
I felt sick. I was humiliated and embarrassed.
Larry laughed, but he sounded uncomfortable. Keller shook his head.
Natalie grabbed my hand. “Come on, Blair. Please. Don’t listen to this.”
I pulled my hand away gently. “It’s okay,” I whispered.
That’s when I decided to step up and join the conversation. Larry saw me first, and he looked like he was about to have a heart attack.
I stood behind and to the side of Scott. Keller looked distraught that I’d overheard such awful things being said about me. Especially from my own husband. I winked at him to let him know I’d appreciated him sticking up for me.
It slowly got quiet as Scott noticed Larry and Keller had gone silent. That’s when he saw me. He went pale as a ghost. “Oh, shit. Honey…”
I wrinkled my nose. “Honey? I don’t think so. In fact, while you’re hitting on the blonde at the bar, I’ll take my chances with him.” I held out my hand to Keller, who grinned and gladly took it.
“Blair!” Scott’s face was bright red. I could tell he was both embarrassed and angry.
“Come on, Natalie,” I said with a bright smile that hid how I really felt.
I turned back to Scott. “Oh, and honey, if you think the bartender with the big breasts is smarter than me and will have more to talk to you about, you’re a freaking dumbass.
” I clutched Keller’s arm tighter as we walked off together, leaving Natalie open-mouthed and horrified behind us.
I was so embarrassed she’d overheard the awful things Scott had said about me.
I could still hear Scott’s conversation with Larry for a brief time.
“You totally deserved that, man,” Larry said.
I heard Scott tell him to fuck off, but I didn’t turn around. I just held my head high.
Natalie hurried up beside me and whispered in my ear. “I can have him kicked out if you want me to.”
I tried to smile at her as I shook my head. “No, that’s okay. But thanks, Nat.”
“I would love to dance with you,” Keller said, his eyes on my face as he held out a hand to me.
“I’d like that,” I said and was surprised when he spun me onto the floor like an expert.
For a while, I just enjoyed being in the arms of a handsome man who was happy to be with me.
Soon, though, it was clear that Keller might as well be a trained professional.
“Wow, you’re really good at this,” I said breathlessly as his prowess on the dance floor continued for several dances.