Page 35 of Hers to Tame
I enjoy spending most of the day with Dad. We haven’t had time to do that in a long time. Now, though, I’m trapped in my tux standing next to Teddy wondering how long it will be before Grayson passes out. The man who always seemed to be in complete control looks like he’s about to spew all over the front row of the church.
“Breathe, jackass,” I whisper at him. It must help because he manages to take a breath. The organ music changes as the bridesmaids start down the aisle. My knees almost give out when Maggie starts toward us. She is more stunning than any woman I’ve ever known. I wink at her when she gets to the front of the church. She rewards me by sticking her tongue out.
When Izzy starts down the aisle, I swing around to look at Grayson. For the first time since I was paired with him as a college freshman roommate, he looks truly happy. It sends shivers through me thinking he’ll be a husband and a father in just six months.
At least I get to take off the bow tie when we get to the reception. My mother has really outdone herself this time with pulling this wedding together so fast. She had just started at a small marketing firm when she met Dad. She was assigned to organize the launch party for some new technology his engineering team had developed for his company. He told us he knew she was the one the moment she walked into the room.
Lily and I used to gag every time he said that, now I’m not so sure. Matt seems to have been captivated by Lily from the moment he stepped into that bar. As for me? I lied to Maggie. I noticed her the first time she came to swim with Lily.
I just happened to be home for the week when I saw her lying by the pool. She was too young for me, of course, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want her. She probably doesn’t need to know it was the one time I was grateful for a cold pool since the only swimsuit I could find was at least a size and a half too small.
I never dated after that, it was just sex. We both went our own ways, only seeing each other occasionally until the party at Grayson’s. Hands interrupt my thoughts as they slide around me from behind.
“You are very focused on something. Is it Izzy’s cousin basically doing a striptease in the middle of the dance floor?” Maggie ask.
“Well, it is quite the show.” I let out a rather unmanly squeal when she pinches my side. Reaching behind me, I pull her around until she is standing in front of me, her back to my chest. “How long do you think it will be before her drunk uncle does the Macarena?” She giggles in front of me. “I’m thinking we might want to get in at least one dance or two before the dance floor erupts in pandemonium.”
“That does seem like a very sensible plan, counselor,” Maggie says. “Although, I do like a good pandemonium. Or a Macarena, whichever.” Pulling her out on the floor, we manage to get in two and a half dances before getting cut in on. We rarely come close to each other the rest of the night, which I can deal with. At least I’ll be going home with her after this is over. After seeing Grayson and Izzy happily off to their honeymoon, I head back inside to say goodbye.
“Do you have any idea where Maggie wandered off to?” I ask Lily. “I can’t seem to find her, thought maybe she was in the ladies?”
“No, I saw her walk outside a few minutes ago with her phone. Don’t know after that.” I shake Matthew’s hand before heading out. If I can find her, I see no reason not to just head to her home.
Walking outside, I finally spot her down the sidewalk from the front door. As I get closer, I can tell she’s visibly upset about something on the phone. When I get close enough to hear the conversation, I freeze, rage heating up inside me.
“No, Brett. I can't meet to discuss it. I’m sorry that happened, but I can’t be involved.” Maggie is facing away from me, so she hasn’t realized I can hear her speaking to the man that preyed on her during college.
“Hang up,” I growl. Startling, she spins around to look at me, holding up a hand, motioning me to wait a moment. Sparks explode behind my eyes. Does she not think he’s done enough damage? “Hang. Up. The. Fucking. Phone.” When she ignores me, I jerk the phone out of her hand, hanging it up.
“What the hell, Colin! I was handling it just fine without you.” I can tell she’s pissed, but not half as angry as I am. I know this type of man, he’ll lure her back then dump her again the moment something better shows up.
“Why would you answer? Did you not get enough of him in the first place? He’s a bad guy, Maggie! I swear to God, if he doesn’t stay away from you, I’ll teach him a hard lesson.” I’m basically yelling at her now. My mind is trying to tell me to calm down, but my heart is overriding it pretty hard.
“Is that your answer to everything? Just jump all over anyone who doesn’t do what you want? If you had bothered to ask before you turned into an ass, I would have told you I was trying to explain to him I’m not interested. Do you really think I’m so stupid that I would welcome him back?” She’s yelling now, her hands clenched at her side.
“I never called you stupid, stop putting words in my mouth.”
“Stop telling me how to handle my life. I. Got. This.” She snatches her phone away from me. “I don’t need you riding in on your white horse to rescue me.”
“That’s not what it looked like last time you saw him!”
“I’m sure it was the same look as when you let your last piece of ass run her hands all over you at the company party! Isn’t it the same thing?”
“No!” I shout back.
“Really? Why is that?” She is shaking now. I really should just shut up, but when have I ever made a good choice.
“Because I wasn’t fucking my married professor!” The slap that connects to my face is so hard, I think it’s knocked some teeth loose. Why did I say that? My God!
“No Colin, you just fucked everything you could get your hands on. At least I stayed long enough to learn his name.”
“Maggie, wait. I didn’t mean that.” I grab her left arm trying to make her listen to me. The second blow is hard enough to make me turn loose of her. With a shove to my chest, she pushes past me, heading back up the hill. I have to get her to stop. I don’t know what to say to fix this, but there has to be something. When she spins back toward me, the little hope I have disappears. Tears are streaming down her face as she points to me.
“Fuck you, Colin Rhett! I never thought I was just another one of your whores, but you’ve sure made me feel like one tonight.” Her words feel like a spear running through my heart. Looking past her, I see we’ve drawn quite a crowd, including my parents who stopped before getting into their car.
“Maggie!” I try once more to stop her, but she doesn’t even look back at me. Mom ushers Maggie into the back seat while Dad holds open the door. His eyes are locked on me with a look I’ve never seen. After all the pranks I’ve pulled, all the questionable women I’ve had, all the headlines I’ve made, this is the first time I’ve ever seen him look at me with disappointment.
I can see my car parked in the lot, so I stalk toward it. Dad has a fifth of several selections of whiskey at the house, I’m sure one of them can make me forget this. I haven’t gotten very far into Dad’s bottle of Glenfiddich before they return home. I hope they don’t even notice me sitting in the game room in the dark.
