Page 42 of Fumbled Love

“Sorry, but I’m not available this week.”

Our little group had gone quiet since her arrival. Morris was peeling the label off his beer, Rhett was pretending to scroll through his phone, and Elliott was poking the fire with a stick, even though it didn’t need it. Meanwhile, the others just stayed silent during this little exchange.

“Oh.” She took a sip from her red solo cup. “What about New Year’s Eve? We always spend it together.”

I tried to concentrate on the music behind me and focus on the couple dancing by the barn. The guy had his hands buried in the woman’s shorts, and she had her tongue shoved down his throat. Basically, I was going out of my way to make it seem like I wasn’t paying attention to what she was saying because it was obvious the woman was trying to get under my skin.

“I’m going to have to pass this year,” he replied coolly. I guess he was catching on to her little game too. “Kinley is only in town for the week, so I’m spending New Year’s Eve with her.”

“You are?” I snapped my head to his in surprise. We hadn’t made plans, and this was the first I’d heard of it.

“Uh…yeah, why? I assumed we’d spend it together. You didn’t already make plans, did you?”

“No.” I assumed he already had party invites or planned on going clubbing. Isn’t that what celebrities did on New Year’s?

He settled back in his folding chair. “Well, now you do.”

I peeked a glance over at his little friend. She didn’t look happy.

“So, Kinley,” she said tightly, “where are you from exactly?”

“I was born and raised in Georgia, but I live in Manhattan now.”

“New York?” Unease settled in my gut with how bright her eyes lit up. “So, you’re just here visiting then, gotcha ya.”

Della seemed to perk up at the thought of me being so far away. My thoughts, however, seemed to dip into a sea of insecurity. I might not have liked her, but even I couldn’t deny how stunning she was. There was no way I could compete with someone as beautiful as her. Even on my best day, I wouldn’t be half as pretty, and my body would never be as toned and fit. In a few months, I’d probably have stretch marks and leaky boobs. My hips, my stomach, everything was going to get big. Why on earth would he want a fat, hormonal pregnant woman when he could have that? And the worst part was, I couldn’t even blame him if he did. The more my mind started to wander, the more paranoid I got.

I stood up and looked everywhere but at him. “Does anyone know where the bathrooms are?” There was no way I could sit here and act as though I belonged here. I didn’t fit in with women like her, and they were obviously close. How close was a question I was afraid to ask?

Rhett jumped out of his chair. “I’m headed that way. I can show you.”

Maverick put his hand out. “I got it, stud.”

“Really, Maverick,” his catty friend called out. “I’m sure she can manage finding the bathroom on her own.”

What started as a fun night seemed to go downhill fast, and I wasn’t sure how to turn it around.

The woman brought out a violent streak in me. I was close to ripping her little diamond stud earring out from her nose and stabbing her in the forehead with it.

Like a woman on a mission, I kept a brisk pace ahead of him. “Is something wrong?” Maverick asked from behind me.

“No.” I sighed at how unconvincing I sounded. I just wanted to sit somewhere and stew in private.

“Hey.” His hand landed on my arm, pausing my steps. “Are you mad at me?”

“I’m not mad at you,” I told him honestly. “I’m just not sure what to make of Della.”

“I’m sorry about her. She’s just a close friend and gets territorial sometimes.”

I wasn’t buying it. Call it intuition or whatever, but the vibe I got from her was not good. There was more to the story. I could feel it in my bones. And I was pretty sure when I scrolled through his Instagram she was one of the women I’d seen photographed with him.

“Maverick.” I pressed my palms on his chest. “I know I don’t have a right to ask, but are you sleeping with her?”

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into him. “Of course, you have a right to ask. And the answer is no. The only one I want to sleep with is you.”

My eyes moved across his face. His answer should have satisfied me, but for reasons I couldn’t explain, it didn’t. “There’s really nothing going on with you two?”

“No.” I raised my eyebrow, letting him know I didn’t believe him. He sighed and looked away. “I dated Della briefly in college. It wasn’t serious, trust me. We decided we were better off as friends.”

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