Up in Flames
Page 25
The tip of your tongue across your lip. A sweep, not a lick. One of the things that make you beautiful.
That was it. All it said. My tongue instantly went to my lips in habit, and I froze, wondering if that was what he was talking about. If so, why? What was his purpose?
The purple envelope now joined the pink one on my nightstand. I’d reread both before going to bed last night. I slipped on the heels I was wearing to Blaire’s baby shower at the Carters’ house. Hanging out at my ex’s house with his perfect little wife who was also my half sister wasn’t my idea of fun. But it was for Rush. I was going.
I had no doubt I’d love this child as much as Nate when she got here. The gift, which I had wrapped in pink paper with a satin sheen, wasn’t all I planned on giving my niece. But this would be her first present from me. Turning from the envelopes, I picked up the gift and glanced at myself in the full-length mirror.
My dress was simple, and the cream fabric hugged my skin. It made me appear confident and sure of myself. Something I definitely was not. My clothes, however, would lie for me. I’d learned that trick from a young age.
Major
Mase pulled up beside me just as I was climbing into my truck. I had thought he and Reese were back in Texas. They didn’t normally stay here for long periods of time. He had a ranch to run and horses to train.
“What are you still here for?” I asked, glad to see him.
“Baby shower, remember? Rush and Blaire’s. Harlow is hosting it, and I had to clear out. Figured I’d come see you.”
An afternoon spent with Mase talking about anything but my damn job sounded good. “Want to go get a beer?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yup. All that damn estrogen in the house has me in knots. Had to talk to Nan. She always makes me tense. Never know when that bitch is gonna blow. You still smoking cancer sticks over her crazy ass?”
I didn’t want to talk about Nan, but I also didn’t want anyone talking about her. Not like that. “She’s not a bitch, and she’s not crazy,” I said, slamming my truck door a little too hard.
Mase shrugged. “Whatever. You can be hot for her, but she’s still a mean-ass woman who drove you to smoke.”
“She’s misunderstood. I drove myself to smoke. I made mistakes, and I was stressed. I’m done with the smoking, so let that go, would ya?”
Mase grunted and motioned for me to get into his truck. “Let’s go get a beer and discuss shit that isn’t Nan-related.”
I’d started to open his truck door when my phone buzzed.
She’s at Harlow Carter’s house. Give her the cream envelope.
Cope wanted me to bust up in a baby shower full of women and give Nan another fucking weird envelope? Shit.
I debated for a second before giving in and reaching into my truck to grab the cream envelope I had in my glove compartment.
“What’s that?” Mase asked when I climbed into his truck.
“I need to drop something off at your sister’s place . . . for your other sister. Let’s stop there first.”
“What?” he asked, looking at me like I was insane.
“Just do it. Please. Won’t take me but a second.”
Mase shook his head and started up his engine before heading to the Carters’ house where I’d find Nan.
Nan
“That dress is fantastic,” Bethy said as she came up beside me.
Bethy was Blaire’s best friend. We had never been buds, but lately she’d gone out of her way to speak to me in passing. She had once been the cart girl at the country club, and now she was married to the owner of the only five-star hotel in Rosemary Beach. They had built it together. Again, another nauseating love story I’d never experience.
“Thanks. It’s from Milan,” I replied, knowing that would impress her, even though the truth behind it was that my mother had bought it for me three weeks after my birthday this year because she forgot my actual birthday while in Italy.
“It looks like it,” Bethy replied. “I’m impressed that you’re here. I know you love Nate, and your relationship with Blaire has gotten better lately, but I honestly didn’t expect you to come.”
How was I supposed to respond to that? I had to come. This was for Rush’s baby. Did they all not want me here? Did my RSVP cause problems for Harlow?
“Don’t get me wrong. Blaire was pleased that you were coming. Harlow even said more than once how happy she was that you were coming,” Bethy quickly followed up.
I nodded, unsure what to say, and the front door opened. In walked Mase Colt-Manning and Major. My stomach sank. Not what I had been expecting.
“Mase, what are you doing back here? I told you when it’s over, you can come back with Rush and Grant and eat all the leftovers.” Harlow playfully scolded the brother we shared. A brother who adored her and hated me. I looked away from both of them and stared out the window, hoping that I looked bored with life in general.
“We’re leaving, just needed to drop something off first,” he replied. I glanced over out of curiosity to see what they were dropping off, and my eyes collided with Major’s. He was approaching me, and in his hand was a cream-colored envelope. I stared down at it until he lifted his hand and held it out toward me.
I quickly took it and turned my attention back to the waves outside without saying a word to him. Every eye in the room was on me. As much as that made me uncomfortable, what I really wanted to do was open the envelope and see what strange thing he had written this time.
That was it. All it said. My tongue instantly went to my lips in habit, and I froze, wondering if that was what he was talking about. If so, why? What was his purpose?
The purple envelope now joined the pink one on my nightstand. I’d reread both before going to bed last night. I slipped on the heels I was wearing to Blaire’s baby shower at the Carters’ house. Hanging out at my ex’s house with his perfect little wife who was also my half sister wasn’t my idea of fun. But it was for Rush. I was going.
I had no doubt I’d love this child as much as Nate when she got here. The gift, which I had wrapped in pink paper with a satin sheen, wasn’t all I planned on giving my niece. But this would be her first present from me. Turning from the envelopes, I picked up the gift and glanced at myself in the full-length mirror.
My dress was simple, and the cream fabric hugged my skin. It made me appear confident and sure of myself. Something I definitely was not. My clothes, however, would lie for me. I’d learned that trick from a young age.
Major
Mase pulled up beside me just as I was climbing into my truck. I had thought he and Reese were back in Texas. They didn’t normally stay here for long periods of time. He had a ranch to run and horses to train.
“What are you still here for?” I asked, glad to see him.
“Baby shower, remember? Rush and Blaire’s. Harlow is hosting it, and I had to clear out. Figured I’d come see you.”
An afternoon spent with Mase talking about anything but my damn job sounded good. “Want to go get a beer?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yup. All that damn estrogen in the house has me in knots. Had to talk to Nan. She always makes me tense. Never know when that bitch is gonna blow. You still smoking cancer sticks over her crazy ass?”
I didn’t want to talk about Nan, but I also didn’t want anyone talking about her. Not like that. “She’s not a bitch, and she’s not crazy,” I said, slamming my truck door a little too hard.
Mase shrugged. “Whatever. You can be hot for her, but she’s still a mean-ass woman who drove you to smoke.”
“She’s misunderstood. I drove myself to smoke. I made mistakes, and I was stressed. I’m done with the smoking, so let that go, would ya?”
Mase grunted and motioned for me to get into his truck. “Let’s go get a beer and discuss shit that isn’t Nan-related.”
I’d started to open his truck door when my phone buzzed.
She’s at Harlow Carter’s house. Give her the cream envelope.
Cope wanted me to bust up in a baby shower full of women and give Nan another fucking weird envelope? Shit.
I debated for a second before giving in and reaching into my truck to grab the cream envelope I had in my glove compartment.
“What’s that?” Mase asked when I climbed into his truck.
“I need to drop something off at your sister’s place . . . for your other sister. Let’s stop there first.”
“What?” he asked, looking at me like I was insane.
“Just do it. Please. Won’t take me but a second.”
Mase shook his head and started up his engine before heading to the Carters’ house where I’d find Nan.
Nan
“That dress is fantastic,” Bethy said as she came up beside me.
Bethy was Blaire’s best friend. We had never been buds, but lately she’d gone out of her way to speak to me in passing. She had once been the cart girl at the country club, and now she was married to the owner of the only five-star hotel in Rosemary Beach. They had built it together. Again, another nauseating love story I’d never experience.
“Thanks. It’s from Milan,” I replied, knowing that would impress her, even though the truth behind it was that my mother had bought it for me three weeks after my birthday this year because she forgot my actual birthday while in Italy.
“It looks like it,” Bethy replied. “I’m impressed that you’re here. I know you love Nate, and your relationship with Blaire has gotten better lately, but I honestly didn’t expect you to come.”
How was I supposed to respond to that? I had to come. This was for Rush’s baby. Did they all not want me here? Did my RSVP cause problems for Harlow?
“Don’t get me wrong. Blaire was pleased that you were coming. Harlow even said more than once how happy she was that you were coming,” Bethy quickly followed up.
I nodded, unsure what to say, and the front door opened. In walked Mase Colt-Manning and Major. My stomach sank. Not what I had been expecting.
“Mase, what are you doing back here? I told you when it’s over, you can come back with Rush and Grant and eat all the leftovers.” Harlow playfully scolded the brother we shared. A brother who adored her and hated me. I looked away from both of them and stared out the window, hoping that I looked bored with life in general.
“We’re leaving, just needed to drop something off first,” he replied. I glanced over out of curiosity to see what they were dropping off, and my eyes collided with Major’s. He was approaching me, and in his hand was a cream-colored envelope. I stared down at it until he lifted his hand and held it out toward me.
I quickly took it and turned my attention back to the waves outside without saying a word to him. Every eye in the room was on me. As much as that made me uncomfortable, what I really wanted to do was open the envelope and see what strange thing he had written this time.
