Page 19 of Tainted Romance

Taylor wasn’t known for picking classy women. He liked them one way, and that was easy.

When he didn’t answer, I hit him on the chest with the back of my hand to get his attention. “Taylor, with who?”

He was staring at something across the parking lot. “Umm.” He looked back at me. “Right, um. With who?” He looked dazed and shocked, and I was suddenly more interested in what he had seen.

“What were you looking at?” I got up on the balls of my feet trying to see something out of the normal, but there wasn’t anything.

“Nothing. It’s just that Allie chick.” Taylor shook it off.

“Allie chick?” My interest sparked. How had Allie caused that expression on his face?

“Yeah, her mom and my mom are like.” He lowered his voice and glanced around us, making sure no-one was listening. “They’re trying to set us up.” Horror was painted on his face. “See, my mom is with hers now.” He nodded his head behind him.

Frowning, I glanced over his shoulder, and sure enough, Taylor’s mom was sitting in the car with who I knew was Allie’s mom. “Why are they doing that?”

“Apparently, Allie's mom told my mom that she overheard Allie crying in the bathroom muttering something about finding her mate and how she hated him more than this town.”

“So, they just decided it had to be you?” Sure, there was bitterness and perhaps a tint of anger in my tone. I was hurt that Allie had openly said she hated me and here I was thinking we were making an improvement.

“Oh, there is more.” He grabbed my arm and guided me around the building. “Allie’s mom must have big ears or spend most of her time listening to her daughter’s conversations because she heard Allie tell Blake I was the most self-centered jerk she had ever met.”

“So, they put two and two together and came up with you as her mate.” I could not believe how pathetic and childish the two grown women were being.

“Yes.” Taylor looked angry for a moment. “I told mom over and over again it wasn’t true but, instead of backing off, she is forcing us together. At least Allie doesn’t know anything about it yet, or she is pretending not to.” Taylor sighed and looked like a heartbroken man. “It’s ruining my life!”

I smirked just a little, seeing Allie had managed not only to screw my world up, but also my best friend’s.

“I wish whoever her mate is would just come out and openly admit it already.” Taylor gave me a frustrated look. “Mom won’t get off my case about it.”

“So, that was why you were staring at her earlier?” It was starting to make sense.

“I just pitied the poor bastard that got stuck with her.”

I felt like saying you’re looking at him, but instead, I kept it to myself.

“But you haven’t heard the best bit.” Taylor’s frustrated frown turned up slightly. “She isn’t even staying around.”

“What do you mean?”

“Allie, at the end of senior year, is leaving to travel or something. Her mom told mine that Allie is only planning on staying until her commitment to the pack is completed, and then she is high tailing it out of here.”

“You’re lying.” Barely anyone ever left, and I doubted Allie would be planning on leaving.

“Nope.” He shook his head and looked deadly honest, which caused fear to creep up my throat. “Allie has it all planned out or something but who cares about that. I feel sorry for the guy that is going to have to watch his mate high tail it out of here, without him.”

Allie was like a puzzle to me, and Taylor had just given me pieces I didn’t even know were missing. Little things Allie had said now were beginning to make sense, and the picture that was forming scared me more than when I found out she was my mate.

“So, this double date, are you in?” Taylor snapped me out of my thoughts, or should I say horror film.

“You still haven’t told me who it is with.”

“Katie and Megan,” Taylor riddled off two names I couldn’t remember.

“Ok, sounds good. I better go, so message me later with the details ok?” I was keeping my emotions in check, but I didn’t know how much longer I could hide this frustration and built up anger.

“Ok,” he yelled at my back.

Allie hadn’t lied to me; no, she had done much worse. She had locked me out on purpose. She never planned on falling for me, to let those emotions that ran through her ever take control. She was going to leave me. It was her plan all along.

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