Page 9 of Wrecked
That voice.
After twelve years of not hearing it, the deep, silky timbre still managed to send chills down my spine.
My gaze skittered to the dining room entrance, and the breath rushed from my lungs. Across the room, our eyes locked and as much as I wanted to—needed to—look away, I couldn't. A gasp tried to work its way up my throat, but I swallowed it down.
I was vaguely aware of Mrs. Davis talking to me, but I couldn't hear a word she was saying. My attention was firmly fixed on one person and one person alone.
Brett Carter.
Chapter 4
What the—
My brain short-circuited, and the breath left my lungs as I tried to make sense of what, or rather who, I was looking at. It had to be a dream. Abeautifulnightmare. I wanted to blink her away, but some invisible force kept my lids from closing.
Kenzie.
If it was at all possible, she was even more beautiful than the last time I'd seen her. The day she'd ripped my heart out and ruined me. What was left of that thing inside my chest ached at the sight of her. She was akin to a poisonous flower; soft on the eyes but detrimental to the soul.
"Brett?"
The confusion in Lola's voice broke the spell I was under, and I was granted the reprieve I so desperately needed when I could finally shut my eyes—even if it was just for a few seconds. When I opened them again, I fully expected Kenzie's gaze to be anywhere but on me.
I was wrong.
Her hypnotizing blue depths started to pull me in once more. Lola uttered my name again, and my focus slowly shifted to her. Deep lines marred her forehead and her jaw ticked in irritation. "What was that?" I managed to ask. That invisible pull forced my attention back to Kenzie who looked as if she was ready to dispel her breakfast.You and me both.
"Do you two know each other?" Lola did nothing to hide her annoyance.
Still holding Kenzie's gaze, I tilted my head slightly. I swear she held her breath while everyone waited for my answer. "Know is a rather strong word," I heard the ice in my tone. "We're…acquainted." Even from across the room I saw hurt flash on her face before she schooled her features and finally,finally, averted her gaze.
Stings, doesn't it?
Yeah, I might've been the biggest asshole for intentionally hurting her feelings, but she'd hurt way more than just my feelings. I felt Lola's eyes burning a hole in my skull, and I had to resist the urge to hightail outta there.
"Well," Mrs. D clasped her hands together. "Food's getting cold, we should eat. Everyone must be starving."
Funny, I'd been ravenous up until a few moments ago. Now, I had no idea how I was going to do this sweet old lady's roast any justice.
I wondered if everyone else felt the tension in the air as we silently dished up and arranged ourselves around the table. Instead of taking her usual spot opposite me, Lola slipped in beside me and scooted closer.Weird. Too busy trying to decipher her strange behavior; I didn't notice that Kenzie took the seat across from me.
Great, how am I going to eat now?
"So," Lola drawled. "How was dinner with Harper and Logan?"
I forked a green bean and said, "Good," before shoveling it into my mouth. I knew that Mrs. D was a great cook, so the fact that the food in my mouth had no taste was no fault on her part. "The renovations are coming along."
"How exciting," Mrs. D commented. "Have they set a date yet?"
"No," I glanced at Kenzie pushing the food around on her plate. She looked uncomfortable and out of place. A sliver of sympathy tried to work its way to my heart; I squelched it down. Turning my attention back to Mrs. D, I smiled, "But I'm sure it's going to be sooner rather than later." I tried the beef, and it too was tasteless.
"Oh good, I just adore weddings." She turned her attention to Kenzie. "You never did tell me if you had someone special waiting for you at home."
The roast beef in my mouth suddenly tasted like acid. I focused on my plate while at the same time straining to hear her answer.
There was a long moment of silence before Kenzie softly stated, "I am seeing someone, yes." I detected a hint of uncertainty in her voice, but I didn't allow myself to dwell on it.
"Will you be walking down the aisle soon?"
