“That was the night that I thought... that I let myself hope... we might finally get together. I thought he wanted to date me,” River admitted. Closing her eyes briefly and sighing. Looking at the three women in front of her, she could tell they wanted to ask questions but were honoring her ‘no questions’ until she finished rule.
“He avoided me for the past two months since that night. Then, at your wedding, Rave, we seemed to find our way back to each other. I was relieved but still unsure of what he wanted from me. If he wanted anything.” Then she told them about the night of the gala. His behavior. Her anger. The dance. The room. How far they’d gone that night.
Her sisters and Jo wore identicalWhat the Fucklooks, small smiles starting to form on their lips. Until she told them about the hallway. River told them that he didn’t want to be seen with her— that he left that night, by himself, without a word.
“Christmas was awkward between us. We hadn’t spoken since the kiss. After presents, you guys remember me running up to our rooms to grab sweaters?” They both nodded. “He cornered me coming out of your room, Raven. I said I had nothing to say. He insisted. So, I’m not proud of how I spoke to Patrick, but I made it clear he needed to leave me alone. That we could work on eventually being friends again for the families’ sake.”
All three ladies broke their silence. Jo said, “I would have kicked him in the balls.”
Raven just looked crushed, “I had no idea what you’ve been going through, Riv,” she sniffled.
“I’m telling Hugh,” Rowan said furiously.
“Wait, what? Hugh?” Jo looked confused.
“It’s his sons that have hurt my sisters. Screw that. I know Bran has his shit together now, and” Rowan looked sheepishly at Raven, “loves our sister to distraction, but Patrick just keeps proving he’s a dick.”
“And you want to tell his dad... why?” Jo asked, brows raised in question.
Rowan seemed to realize she might have revealed too much. She shrugged her shoulders, mumbling to River to finish her story.
River looked at Rowan a moment longer before finishing. She told them that, after five days of them faking it, she was miserable. How she’d gone to the kitchen last night at midnight and called their grandma. “I told Nan that I missed her and just needed to hear her voice. I didn’t realize Pat had come into the kitchen by then. He heard what I said on the phone and thought, like an idiot, that I was talking to a man.”
“Jesus, help us. Men can be such morons,” Jo said, shaking her head.
“Exactly. When he realized it was Nan, they talked. We hung up. Patrick apologized. We made out.” River knew the silent oooos stretching each lady’s mouth was the calm before the storm. “After that, we went to his bedroom. We had crazy sex. I told him I loved him. He didn’t say anything. He went to the bathroom and didn’t come out. I finally left and came back to our room, Row.”
Silence. Crickets. Explosion. They all jumped on her at once, well, Raven and Baby O kind of rolled on her, peppering her with questions and Oh My Gods, and I can’t believe it, and then finally...
“What do you mean he never came out? Did he come to find you?” Raven asked, sitting up and giving River her,I better like your answerlook.
“No. And he’s avoided me all day. He went to his house, I believe. To work,” River air quoted. “At least that’s what I heard Bran tell Hugh this morning.”
“I’m shocked. Really shocked,” Jo quietly spoke.
Raven added, “He can’t mean to leave things like this.”
Rowan leaned over and placed her forehead to River’s own, and asked, “How are you, sis? Truly.”
River squeezed her eyes closed, attempting to force her tears away. She looked at her best friends and answered honestly. “I’m confused and... hurt. I think maybe he’s just overwhelmed. Maybe he’ll come around tonight and talk about it— talk to me. But we all need to remember that I was a willing participant. He never said it would mean anything to him and... and I didn’t care. I suppose,” River stopped to swallow down more tears, “I should be grateful I lost my virginity to someoneIloved even if it isn’t reciprocated.”
Realizing that she had single-handedly crushed every drop of joy from their New Year’s Eve night, River attempted to shake off her drama.
“Okay, guys. I realize my situation is a bummer, but I refuse to let it ruin a night we’ve all looked forward to for weeks. Let’s put our sparkly minis on and have fun!”
As best friends and sisters do, they fist-pumped, whooped, and put on some dancing music. Raven and Rowan each took one of River’s hands and squeezed. They would put what happened aside for now, but not forever.
* * *
The four womendescended the stairs like goddesses. Four scantily dressed goddesses. Next to him, he heard Bran whisper, “Christ.” His father growled, “No.” Even staid Thomas grew red and clenched his fists.
Rowan “whispered” to the other women, “Looks like Peter Rabbit brought some buddies to the party.” She smirked as the other women threw their heads back and laughed.
Patrick couldn’t breathe, let alone speak. River, in a metallic blue dress cut to her navel, looked so fuckable, so... fuckinghis, he wanted to claim her in front of everyone. Bran had no qualms. He met his wife halfway, circling Raven’s waist, “Christ, woman, let’s stay home tonight.”
Laughing, she kissed his brother’s jaw and told him, “Not a chance, O’Faolain.”
Thomas met Jo at the landing and must have said something she took exception to. Her eyes flashed and through gritted teeth, she told her guard, “I’m not changing.” Jesus, those two... Stranger still, Rowan went to his father. Touching his hand, she whispered something to him. He nodded to the youngest Byrne before shooting a fiery glance Patrick’s way. Oh fuck. River’s sisters knew then.
