Coming Home (Only Time Will Tell #1) (28 page)

“The next morning, when I finally woke up, she started the conversation up again and said that you were just after my money. We had an argument and I defended you, said that she was being stupid because you would never do that, it’s just not you. Anyway, she tried to convince me into testing you. I thought it was stupid and I wasn’t going to, but she wouldn’t shut up about it. In the end, I realized that I trusted you and if it made her shut the hell up, I’d do it. I wrote it and sent her on her way.”

“When she got home she said you’d taken it and it killed me. I didn’t want to believe it, but she promised that she hadn’t tried to trick me and I believed her. She’s never done anything to make me doubt her in the past.”

“Just like that?” I ask. “You just took what she’d said and believed it? Didn’t think to call me and ask about it? So, all of those years we were together meant nothing, you didn’t think about the person I am? You just wiped that from your head and believed her!”

“Cat! I wasn’t thinking straight. I was tired, I was hurt and had a banging headache because of her constant whining. It was stupid of me, but yes, I believed her. You said you weren’t the same person and it’s been eight years since I saw you, I didn’t know if that was what had changed. I just thought you’d turned into one of those selfish women. If I could go back, I would. I’d do anything right now if it meant that you would stop looking at me like you hated me. I shouldn’t have believed her and I swear I never will again, but what I’m telling you is the truth. I promise I didn’t sleep with her and I promise I never wanted you to have the check. I should have talked to you about it rather than assume the worst.”

I’m looking at him and trying to figure the story out—do I believe him or assume that it’s the same old shit that men say when they’re in the wrong. Excuses and lies. He’s calmed down a lot and the coldness has left his eyes, but I can’t decide what to do. So I go with the easy option for now. “That’s a touching story, but I no longer care. I want an answer Monday on this, though,” sliding the letter across the table again and getting up. “Have a good night,” I say, leaning down from the side of the booth to get in his face, my heart aching but my face as stern as it will possibly go. “From now on Kyle, keep away from me. I don’t know what the truth is, but I’m done with the crap that follows you around. No matter who you end up with, they will always have a nagging doubt in their head. It’s easier to just assume the worst with people like you.” Straightening back up I give him a condescending smile before turning and walking towards the stairs.

I scurry out of the private area, thankful for the noise, now, as I run down the stairs saying a quiet prayer to God in my head to not let me fall over. Dodging through the crowd I find Nicole and Abigail. They haven’t moved. As I head towards them, I give them the biggest smile ever, hoping that I give nothing away about the fact that a huge, gaping hole now resides in my chest. I get their attention and point to the bar to tell them that’s where I’m heading now.

Shuffling through the people to get to the bar, not bothered about pushing in, I find a spot, a guy comes over and takes the order of some guy next to me. I glance his way as he orders a beer and a couple of Jacks and recognize him instantly. “Ben, right?” nudging his shoulder with mine to get his attention.

He glances at me with furrowed brows and I want to recoil at the fact he doesn’t recognize me. But then again maybe if I was a gross mess, he would. “Do I know you?” he asks.

“Not really,” I stutter, because well, he doesn’t. “We met at the gym, can’t punch right…” I say in a hope that it jogs his memory.

He squints his eyes at me for a moment and then, “Oh yeah, I remember.” Instantly his face lights up.

The bartender comes over and hands him his drinks before turning to me. I ask for a glass of wine and four surprise shots. I’m not bothered what I drink as long as I can get drunk, completely irresponsible, but for tonight I don’t care.

“You out with the guys?” I shout, pointing at the drinks.

“No,” shaking his head. “These are mine, women trouble.”

I nod in understanding. “Ooh, I see. She being a pain in the ass?”

“Something like that,” he snorts, “decided she wants to see other people after five years…So I thought I’d drown my sorrows.”

The bartender returns and I hand him the money as well as moving two shots in front of Ben. “How about a toast to being single and forgetting about the other species.” I smile.

He nods and juts his bottom lip out. “Sounds good to me.”

We toast the shot glasses and down them both one after the other. I want to chuck the red and green liquid back up but I think that would be the worst possible way to ruin the night, and it’s only just starting. Smashing the glasses back onto the bar, shaking my head trying to get rid of the sicky feeling. “That’s disgusting.”

Ben laughs at me as he hands me one of his Jacks. “Sure is. You having guy trouble, I take it then,”

“Something like that. Didn’t really get past the first few days though. It’s complicated.”

I search the surrounding crowd to see if
he’s
close by, but he isn’t. I lean in closer to Ben and ask, “Want to go and dance?”
 

“Sure do, babe,” he replies, downing his Jack and smiling roguishly.

I smile back and shake my head, quickly drinking the glass of wine before I lead him onto the dance floor.

As soon as we find a spot I let the words of the song overtake me, ready to have fun and not care about life or the people around me. It’s just Ben and me for the time being. I’m not going to worry about
him
being in the same room as me, if he’s stayed that is.
 

I dance with Ben, making up for all of the years I chose to study and work to get back over here rather than partying, unlike every other eighteen year old around me, although I had a few added extra reasons compared to some of them.

While I’m dancing, I notice Nadine waving her hands above her head. I wave back and she starts motioning with her hand across her neck, the universal sign to cut it out. I look at the others and notice Kyle standing with them. Brilliant, that’s me not going back to them while he’s there.

My focus turns to Ben as I see his head roll backwards and a groan leaves his lips, “This is all I need.”

I look behind me and search for something obvious and see nothing. “Is everything okay?”

“She’s here,” he states as he looks back at me. “I don’t think I can cope with her searching for a replacement in front of me.”

“Don’t let it bother you. Besides, she’s going to look over here and see you dancing with me, and it’s going to hurt her a little bit,” I say, pinching my finger and thumb together.

His brows furrow as he processes my words, “You think so?”

“I know so,” I state, as I dance a little closer. It killed me seeing Kyle with all those women.

The beat gets under my skin and a huge grin spreads across my face as we dance with no cares, not really.

Ben’s hands travel up my body and I throw my head back laughing as it tickles and feels alien. While my neck’s exposed he places a few kisses up the length of it.

My head shoots back upright and I look at him with a questioning brow. He shrugs, like it’s normal and acceptable, yet it makes me feel antsy. Still, I’m young and single, I should be having fun. I raise my hands in the air I jump around and just try to enjoy the moment.

He pulls me closer and dips his head into my ear and says, “Sorry, I caught her looking this way, I just did it.”

Pulling back I look at him and smile. At least he apologized.

I can’t stop dancing after that, and I don’t want to either. I’m having a blast. It’s a wonder I’ve managed to stay on my feet in these heels with the jumping around that I’m doing but I’d happily take a fall on my ass. Singing along, I dance like this is my last night on earth.

After a while, I can feel my body becoming exhausted. I haven’t stopped, or left the dance floor for anything and it’s safe to say, this burst of energy is wearing out. I’m ready for leaving but I really don’t want the night to be over. I look over towards Nod who’s watching me like a hawk, along with Kyle and it takes a lot to not smile. Stepping close to Ben, I shout in his ear making him jump. “I’m leaving, I don’t think I can handle nights out like I thought.”

He tips his head back and gives me a puzzled look. “Already? It’s still early.”

“You must be able to handle all of this. I’m not used to it, it’s nearly killed me.” I laugh. “But thanks for keeping me occupied for a while, I really appreciate it.”

His mouth tips up and he shakes his head, grabbing my wrist at the same time. “You’re not going yet, just one more song and then I’ll walk you home, or whatever.”

I really don’t think my feet will hack much more, but what’s the worst that can happen during one song? “Fine!” I shout, rolling my eyes. I go to step away from him but his hand tightens around my wrist.

“Sorry,” he winces. “She’s behind you and as juvenile as this sounds, I don’t want her to know that this is fake. I swear to, God,” he shouts placing his hand over his heart, “I will
not,
overstep the mark.”
 

Now I really want to go home, but the poor guy looked a mess earlier, in the sense that you could see that he’d recently become single. “Just make sure your hands,
and lips
this time, behave.”
 

He doesn’t answer but the smile on his face could light up this room, an invisible weight vanishing from his shoulders.

Ben seems to become a different person, really moving to the song, pulling me closer and resting his forehead against mine as he starts singing the song at top of his lungs. It’s hard not to laugh at him as he becomes possessed by the lyrics. It’s not hard though, I could sing this to Kyle and mean every word of it.
Fuck it.
For the final song, I’m forgetting about him. It’s pissing me off that he keeps jumping into my thoughts.
 

I wrap my arms around Ben’s neck and practically mold my body to his. He lifts his head and raises a brow. “What?”

“I thought you said I had to behave?”

“You are, we are. We’re just dancing. Stop worrying and keep moving.”

His shoulders hit my arms as he shrugs and gets right back to the seductive movements he’s got going on.

A smile spreads across my face, a true smile. Not one that’s forced or for the benefit of the person and situation. It feels like freedom has swooped down on me. I’ve broken free of the bull that lurked in the corners of my mind whenever I thought of being with Kyle. For once I’m being normal, broken and hurt inside, but as normal as a twenty five year old can be.

I glance out at the crowds of people and see everyone else just enjoying themselves, and that right there, is a reason for living. Life can hurl as much as it wants at you but you have to fight through it. In my case, I’m fighting for me and showing that I have enough power in me to fight for Kody, too. He’s gone but not forgotten and will live within me for eternity.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a commotion by the side of the dance floor. It grabs my attention and I quickly realize I wish it hadn’t. Ryan is holding Kyle back as they both scream at each other. Nod tries to get in between them. I feel a bit bad that I’ve dragged those two into it, but I never imagined him staying. I can almost see a vein pop out of his neck as his arm flies out and point in my direction, my knees quiver at the sight of him this mad. I’ve never seen him like this, ever!

I stop dancing as Kyle turns to look at me, the look he shoots my way is almost demonic. Hell, I wonder how he’d feel if he saw what I saw. That is definitely something that would warrant a mood like that.

Life starts moving in slow motion as I see Ryan lose his grip on Kyle’s shirt and he makes the first few steps over towards us. My heart kicks into gear, beating as fast as my legs are shaking. I grab hold of Ben’s neck to get his attention and scream, “We’re leaving, now!”

He looks over his shoulder and must see Kyle, “That’s him? Shit! Come on,” he instructs as he grabs hold of my hand. “Out of all the people in the world, it had to be him.” He doesn’t shout much more, his face screwing up like he’s chewing on a bee. He pulls me through the crowd and towards the exit, people being shoved out the way as he takes no prisoners when it comes to escape. Bless him, he’s doing a lot for someone he barely knows.