Page 33 of Kiss Me Ever After
Justin
A couple of hours later,I headed home, this time without a rock-hard dick to impede me. Lennon really was something else. If I’d have known, I definitely wouldn’t have waited so long to hook up with her.
Although if I’d shagged her one summer, it would have been over and done with. She’d have gone back to London and her fancy friends and have her choice of rich pricks. I’d have gone back to Candace.
This was different.
Shewas different.
After she’d confided in me about the reasons for her being back and why she was working, I fell even harder for her.
All the years of keeping my distance and pretending I wasn’t into her evaporated the moment I rescued her from the robbery.
Alex and Curtis would rip me to shreds over it.
I was pretty sure Lennon would tell Amber, who would tell her brother and boyfriend. It was a small town. Gossip like this didn’t exactly stay secret for too long.
Sure, I could tell Lennon not to say anything, but what would that achieve? I didn’t fancy sneaking around; I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, and that shouldn’t involve staying in and hiding - although I’m sure we would find something to do.
On impulse, I decided I wanted a beer before going home. I wanted to enjoy a few more minutes in my little Lennon-inspired bubble. Seeing Ted would pop that joy the minute I walked through the door.
I stopped at a small pub halfway home. Most of the faces in there were familiar to me.
Particularly Ted’s.
My mum’s so-called boyfriend stood at the bar, mere inches away from the woman who ran the bakery. She laughed at something he said and reached out to touch his shoulder. Neither of them noticed me as they started kissing.
I’d never witnessed Ted’s infidelity for myself, until now. While I sometimes suspected Mum’s friends of being a little overzealous in their reports of his misdemeanours, they’d obviously seen it for themselves.
Part of me wanted to turn right around and go home. Pretend I had seen nothing and keep it as something to hold over Ted the next time he got full of his usual shit.
The part that wanted to protect my mum from this scumbag and try to get him out of her life took over instead.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I crossed the pub in a few strides, shoved myself between the pair and pushed my face into Ted’s.
His breath stank of beer. He’d clearly been there a while. “Fuck off, Justin,” he snarled. “Can’t you leave me alone for a minute?”
“When you’re being disloyal and I’ve seen it with my own eyes, then no. No, I won’t leave you alone,” I hissed. I glared at the woman whose name escaped me. “As if you don’t know he’s living with my mum.”
Her brows knitted together. “What are you talking about? He left her ages ago.”
Anger bubbled in my chest; fists clenched at my sides. How dare he? Did he really think so little of her? “You’re such a fucking liar.”
“Get over yourself, Justin, you know nothing about our relationship. Your mum is probably out doing exactly the same thing.”
I wished she was. I wished she was far, far away from this prick. But I knew she would wait loyally at home for him. That’s what made it much worse. Without another thought, my fist flew through the air and caught him unaware. Ted yelped and kicked over the stool next to him.
“You little fucker…” He advanced towards me and caught my t-shirt in one hand, before drawing back his fist.
The woman screamed, and the barman came and pulled us apart. “Come on, fellas, calm down or take this outside. I don’t need a brawl in here,” he said.
I cocked my head and accepted the challenge. “I think we’ll take it outside.” Sure that Ted would follow me, I headed for the door.
After a couple of minutes standing in the car park alone, Ted came outside. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”
“Are you threatening me? I’m simply suggesting we talk this out.” I spread my hands wide.
“Talk?” he spat. “I have nothing to say to you. How I’ve put up with you for this long, I’ll never know. You should have moved out years ago. Twentysomething and still living with Mummy?” He put on an affected singsong tone. “Have you actually got a backbone?”
