Page 59 of Bad Boy Done Wrong
“Carrie,” someone said in a soft warning. Probably Lauren, the peacemaker.
Mad merely stared, unperturbed by her outburst.
“He pretended to be a bad boy,” Carrie said. “When I asked him about his job, he said he was an unemployed travel guide.” She left out the fact that he also lied when he said he didn’t do long-term. It only made her look more the fool for continuing to see him. And she didn’t even want to mention his crazy ex-girlfriend showing up at his door with a suitcase. Who does that?
Mad cocked her head. “What? Why would he say that?”
Ally chimed in. “Probably because she gave him a sex list she wanted a bad boy to do.”
Carrie whipped her head to glare at Ally.
Ally shrugged. “Just a guess.”
“Duh,” Missy said. “A guy will say anything if you offer him unlimited no-strings sex.”
Several of the women agreed.
Carrie stared at the ground, a sour taste in her mouth. She’d made it all too easy for him. She lifted her head and said with a bravado she was far from feeling, “So my bad, end of story.”
Mad crossed her leg, her ankle over her knee. “That explains it. I saw him at Garner’s just before I came here, growling at everyone like a wounded bear.”
Carrie winced. “Maybe I’ll skip drinks tonight.” They always went to Garner’s after book club for drinks. Was that why he went there tonight? She didn’t want to see him. She was still too upset.
“Coward,” Mad spat.
“Mad!” Hailey exclaimed.
Mad jabbed a finger at Carrie. “What? She is. She’s upset; he’s upset. Just fucking talk to him.”
“He lied to me!” Carrie exclaimed. “He’s an anthropology professor.”
Mad scowled. “So fucking what. You don’t want him because he’s a professor? What the hell’s wrong with you?”
A stunned silence fell. Their group had always been about a sisterhood of close support. Especially in broken-hearted territory.
What the hellwaswrong with her? Why was she so upset? She wasn’t broken-hearted. That would imply—
“Damn, Mad, that’s harsh,” Missy said. “The girl is hurting.”
Mad ignored that. “You have any idea how hard he worked to get where he is today? PhD. That’s four years after college plus a dissertation that’s practically a book that he had to defend in front of a committee.”
“I know what a PhD is!” Carrie exclaimed.
Mad went on, each word harsher than the next. “Afteryearsof people telling him he’s a bad seed. Did he tell you how he got drop-kicked through the foster system?Nobodywanted him. A runaway who lied and stole his way through their homes. You know how many people told him he was a no-good ungrateful kid?”
“I didn’t—” Carrie started and then stopped, her throat choked, her heart aching for the kid he used to be. She knew he’d been in foster care. She hadn’t known he’d been told he was a bad seed. That kind of thing could stick with a kid, make you believe you were less than.
Mad showed no mercy. “Did he tell you how he got so street smart? How he can pick locks and break and enter with the best of them? His parents were criminals. Both of them dead from that line of work. So you tell me how someone that comes through those circumstances and fucking makes a man of himself is someone that’s not good enough for you!”
“He never told me about his parents being criminals!” Carrie cried. Oh, God. She wanted to hug him. He hadn’t shared much about himself. But had she asked?
“Of course he wouldn’t,” Mad snapped. “You judged him for the good stuff he’s done. How’s he ever supposed to trust you enough to tell you the bad stuff?”
She blinked rapidly, not wanting to break down again, but the tears came anyway.
“That’s enough, Mad,” Hailey said. “I know he’s your blood brother, but Carrie is hurting. She’s our friend. Besides, you shouldn’t be sharing Zach’s personal issues here. That’s for a private conversation.” Hailey took them all in. “What happens at book club, stays at book club. Right, ladies?”
The women murmured their agreement.
