Page 141 of Pucking Matt
I keep my gaze on her, wondering why she’s speaking in that tone.This is him…like she’s been telling all our secrets to this stranger. I finally glance at Lindy. Middle-aged, alcohol in hand, makeup that looks cakey, and dyed hair. She’s watching the both of us.
“Are you drinking?” I ask, even though I don’t smell alcohol on her minty breath. The martini glass is enough to make me question it. By the annoyance on her face, I can tell that my tone is out of line. But I can’t fucking help that I’m starting to get pissed off right now.
“Oh, this is Matt?” Lindy says. “He’s a lot more intense than what you described.”
Amber stares at me.
“What happened to your face?” Lindy asks as I eye the glass in Amber’s hand. I didn’t bother to bandage my cheek for the elopement. It’s finally not bleeding and starting to heal. I didn’t want a bandage in my mom’s wedding photos in case this marriage lasts a lifetime –– I doubt it. Plus I figured it could use some air.
“A stick,” I answer. I turn to Amber. “What are you drinking?”
She lifts her glass to my lips. I take a sip.
“Sparkling water,” she laughs like she is drunk, so that’s it. I’m being fucking impulsive, afraid that my chance will be blown tonight if she’s drunk. I lean down and kiss her open mouth with my tongue. I need to know if she’s telling the truth because I’mlooking forward to spending the night together, and I can’t have this woman already drunk before sunset.
At first, she’s tense, probably wondering why I’m making out with her, and then she kisses me back.
“Whoa,” the woman says. “Way more intense than what you described.”
Amber bites my bottom lip, so I pull back.
“What are you doing?” Amber asks, wiping her mouth. Now, I have her full attention.
I answer, “Making sure you haven’t been drinking.”
“Are you serious?” she scoffs.
“I need you sober for tonight.” I lick my lips. Relief floods me when she tastes like mint and sugar cookies.
Her face softens at that. “Okay, but you don’t need to shove your tongue down my throat.”
I inhale, feeling possessive over her right now. Especially because my mom is nowhere in sight. “I’m sorry.” I search her face in the hope she’s accepted my apology for being a dumbass. I just don’t want her drunk. “Where the hell’s my mom?”
Amber nods. “Mmm. That’s where the tone is coming from. It makes sense now.” Amber taps her martini glass. “Your mom? I don’t know where she is.”
“Didn’t you get ready together?” I shoot back.
She shakes her head, and my mind is spiraling.
I ask, “What did she do?”
Amber finishes her sparkling water and shrugs while swallowing. “She lured me up there, pretending as if we would get ready together. Instead, we had a talk, and then she left.”
I stare at her as anger rises in my throat. I inhale to cool myself. “Talk about what?”
“I did most of the talking. I apologized for attacking her son in high school and told her that I completely understand why she doesn’t approve of me. I told her how we met and that I hope shecan see how happy I make you.” She puts a piece of ice into her mouth now. “Fake happy.”
I shake my head as my heart races. “I’m not fake happy, Amber.”
“Really? Because you look mad right now.”
“That’s because I thought you were drinking.”
She ignores that and says, “She accepted my apology and said that if you were ashamed about me, you wouldn’t have brought me. And I take that as I must mean something to you.”
I place my hand on the small of her back and glance at those bare legs. That’s when I realize that Lindy has been watching us this whole time.
“What’s tonight?” Lindy asks when my eyes meet hers, interrupting the temptation in my gut to kiss Amber again.
