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“I have something to say,” Reece states.
Then the rock on Callie’s finger comes into view and Reece gets let off the hook.
“Oh my God. You’re engaged.” I grab Callie’s hand, bringing it up closer to my eyes. “You’re really engaged?” I ask looking between the two of them.
“Oh yes.”
I’ve never seen my brother as sappy as he is when he’s with Callie. In fact, it’s really funny to watch and on a few occasion it’s made me want to hurl, but I’m really pleased for them. I love Callie and she’s really good for my brother.
“Congratulations,” I offer, pulling Callie out of my brother’s arms and into mine. Tears sting my eyes—a strange mixture of happiness for my brother and sadness that I’ll never experience the same happiness with Donovan. “Thank you for making my brother happy.”
“He’s made me happy as well,” Callie responds. “I’ve never met anyone like him before, and very soon he really is going to be mine. I can’t wait.” She squeezes me before being pulled into Donovan’s arms.
No sooner am I free than Reece is standing in front of me wearing a frown on his face. “Mara, you’re worrying me.”
Reaching up, I wrap my arms around his neck, and kiss him on the cheek, before saying, “I love you, and I’m really happy you’ve gotten your act together. Callie’s good for you.”
“Yes, she is.” Reece grins and gently releases me before taking his girl back into his arms.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Donovan’s gaze wandering to me.
He’s watching me, more openly than he normally does. What’s going on with him? It doesn’t last long though because his attention is now on his date. I’ve no idea who she is and I’m not too sure I want to know. If I have her name and more details then it will make him being with someone else more real and I don’t think I can deal with that.
When he looks at me my skin always prickles as though my body recognizes him when he’s close. I can be talking to someone else with my back to the door, and the minute he walks in, I immediately know he’s there. Sometimes I wonder whether he has the same reaction to me. There is something between us even though Donovan doesn’t want to act on that something.
Taking a glass of some sparkling fruit drink as the waiter passes, I glance at Donovan again and let a small smile play on my lips when I see the frown on the girls face. She isn’t happy. Now her hands go to her hips as she whispers something frantically to Donovan. He looks pissed.
My heart would soar to the stars if Donovan were to become my guy. To have him only look at me the way he did at the beginning to that girl.
Harry looks at me that way, which has started to make me feel uncomfortable. He’s a really nice guy and I do enjoy spending time with him, but he isn’t Donovan. It isn’t fair to keep spending time with Harry when I’m sure he’s expecting more from me. Trying to talk to him and tell him I’m only interested in friendship though hasn’t been working out too good. He always seems to avoid the conversation by finding a distraction—a report to write or an errand to run. This tells me he knows what I’m going to say, but I hope he knows how much I want him as a friend. Anything else just isn’t possible.
“Mara, wake up.” Harry nudges me out of my daydream, sloshing my drink over the top of the glass onto the girl with Donovan.
“You bitch,” she cusses, her pretty face twisting into an ugly snarl as she tries to dab at the stain on her dress.
“Sue,” Donovan quietly whispers. “Apologize to Mara right now.”
I was about to apologize to her until she cussed at me. It was an accident that didn’t warrant such name-calling. Sue’s face is red with anger and her blue eyes sweep over me with disdain. I swear she looks ready to hit me. And Donovan looks ready to throttle her.
“I said apologize to her. That was uncalled for.”
“Donovan.” He meets my gaze and the rest of what I was about to say floats straight out of my head. Tears prickle at the back of my eyes as the full force of her resentment hits me like a slap to the face.
“What the fuck is going on?” Reece demands. And I know from his tone and the glare he’s throwing at her that he heard every word she said. “You need to leave. No one speaks to my sister like that.”
“So it’s okay for her to throw wine all over someone deliberately? Is that what you’re telling me?”
Callie pushes past Reece and goes right into Sue’s face. “It was an accident.”
“Look everyone. Can we calm down? I’m sorry okay. This is my entire fault for nudging Mara. I’m sorry,” Harry interrupts, shocking everyone into silence.
“C’mon. I’ll take you home.” Donovan grabs Sue’s arm and starts to drag her out of the room.
My heart feels heavy watching him leave with his hand on her. I know he’s only trying to get her out of here, but it still hurts.
The night is ruined for me now, and with Reece’s arms around me in comfort, I still want to leave. My bed is waiting for me to crawl into it, and only then will I let my tears fall.
Chapter Two
