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I lurch back in surprise. “What?”
“Uhhh, you know who her family is, right? That’s nothing compared to what they’re worth. But, yeah, I mean, he signed something, so it’s a secret. So you can’t say anything.”
“Yeah, I won’t,” I reassure her absently. My mind is reeling. What does that fucking mean? Is he using her?
“I mean, it’s not like he could want her. She’s pretty, but she’s got that awful scar. You can’t see under her make up, though.”
Her dislike of Beth runs through her in long, uninterrupted currents of bitterness. “Scar? From what?”
She shudders. “She
was in a real bad accident. I heard she’s got all sorts of fillers and plates propping her face up. Not that I’ve been close enough to find out for myself. I do hair on the weekends in my salon. But it’s too good for the likes of her. She goes all the way to Houston to get her highlights done like she’s fucking Ms. America. Not that I want her business. The smell of sulfur would bother my regulars.”
My skin feels too tight, and I can’t sit here and listen to this anymore. And, I need to think. “Can you drop me off right here?” I put my hand on the door handle to signal my impatience.
She slows down, but glances at me like I've lost my mind. “It’s pitch dark and you don’t know your way around.”
“I’ll use my phone. I have GPS and a flashlight. I just need some fresh air.”
“I can roll the windows down, then.”
“No, I want to walk.” I say and unbuckle my seatbelt.
She shrugs. “It’s up to you.” She rolls to a stop on the shoulder, and I pull the door handle open. She grabs my arm. “Any time you want a ride…”
I give her a sidelong glance. Her blonde hair is cut in a blunt bob that hovers right at her jaw line in a ruthlessly straight line. Her eyes are hard and flinty even though she’s smiling. I’d rather swim in piranha infested waters.
She chuckles at my hesitation and turns to face the road again. “Don’t worry, I know God gave men dicks instead of hearts. A ride is all I was offering.”
I bark a surprised laugh as I climb out of her car. I wish that was true. Cause right now my heart feels like it’s been drop-kicked.
I thought I was prepared for the moment our paths would cross. But I had no idea she’d been hurt so badly.
She looks even more like her sister’ s profile picture now. Her hair hangs past her shoulders. She was wearing make-up that covered every freckle and apparently her scars. She was also wearing more clothes tonight than I’d ever seen her in. Her posture, even when she was sitting with her friend, was ramrod straight.
Despite all of that, I can’t believe I ever mistook her for anyone else. Even fractured by pain, her eyes have that gleam. Her smile has a wild undercurrent that makes her look like she’s on the verge of one of her super nova laughs. She’s still so beautiful it makes me ache.
All this time, the thought of seeing her again felt as improbable as a bright blue sky in the middle of the night.
And as much as I wanted to see her, there's a part of me that wishes I hadn’t.
All those years ago when I tasted her magic, I was sure I found something meant for me. Now, I’ll have to live with the knowledge I’ll never have it again.
And fuck if that doesn’t piss me off.
17
Carter
Just A Taste
“This was the worst idea ever,” I say as soon as I answer my phone.
“You’ve been there for two weeks. You can’t possibly know that already,” my mother replies.
“And yet, somehow I do,” I deadpan.
“I thought you’d be thrilled to be back in that house.”
