But even with his gorgeousness, he was a pain in her ass. She loved him. She did.
But man, he bitched like a chick. If it wasn’t her cooking, it was her obsessive need
to have everything clean. Just because he was a slob didn’t mean that she had to be.
When he left stuff lying all over the place, it drove her crazy, but she loved him
so much that she looked past it. She never complained and would clean up after him.
Pathetic, she knew, but she loved him. Her sister and her sister’s soon-to-be husband,
Lucas, had told her countless times to leave Levi, but she couldn’t lose the only
man who ever really wanted her.
Looking around the outside of the bar, Audrey begged her tears to stay at bay as Levi
screamed at her through the phone.
“You are probably out whoring yourself all over Broadway! It’s disgusting, but don’t
worry, I won’t be here when you get home!”
Audrey rolled her eyes. “For one, I am not whoring myself all over the place, and
second,
weren’t you just out for Lucas’s bachelor party last night?”
“We didn’t do anything! We played hockey and drank beers while Lucas talked on the
phone with Fallon all night!”
“And that’s my fault?”
“You didn’t cook dinner for me before you left and now you are out at some club, probably
picking up guys,” he snapped.
Audrey pinched the bridge of her nose. “I am not picking up anyone. I am trying to
enjoy my sister’s last weekend as a single woman. Everyone does this, and it doesn’t
mean I’m gonna cheat.”
“I don’t care. We’re through. I’m done with you.”
Audrey shook her head as she looked up at the sky. How was he dumping her when, according
to Levi, they weren’t really together, as he’d told her so many times before? The
tears threatened to fall because she knew the real reason he was breaking up with
her. He was messing around with someone else. Someone who apparently was better than
her.
“If you leave, you aren’t coming back, Levi, so make sure she is worth it,” she said
as strongly as she could.
Levi’s laughter made Audrey want to puke. “She is worth it,” he said. “She is way
better than you’ll ever be, you fat whore.”
Then the line went dead.
Audrey’s hand fell to her side, her phone held loosely in it. She could have done
without his exiting line, but she knew she’d brought it on herself. She should never
have brought up the other girl. She had known about her for months. So why was she
letting it bother her now? Levi was a wanderer, she’d known that when she started
things with him. She also knew that in a couple weeks he would call her, apologizing,
and she would be right back with him.
It was a vicious cycle.
Audrey knew it was wrong, and knew that if Fallon found out, her sister would probably
kill her, but it didn’t stop her from taking the crap Levi handed out. He might be
an ass and say the most awful things, but there were good times between them. Like
when he would hold her in his arms and run his lips down her temple. Or the way he
loved watching chick flicks with her. Or when he would trace hearts along her palm,
or when she would come home and he would rub her feet.
She loved him. It was sad, but true.
Audrey shook her head sadly. She didn’t understand why she hadn’t met her Prince Charming.
The man who would sweep her off her feet. The man who would love only her for the
rest of their lives. The man who would think she was all that he needed. Audrey shook
her head again and wiped away the stray tears that escaped as thoughts of never being
able to find a man who would love only her ran through her head. She couldn’t think
like that right now. There was no sense thinking about things she couldn’t change.
She would be a ball of tears in no time if she did.
So she did what she did best.
Audrey stood tall in her Christian Louboutin black studded pumps and slid her hands
down the tight black sparkly pencil skirt she had paired with a low-cut gray blouse.
She couldn’t go inside looking as if Levi had just crushed her heart, not tonight.
Tonight was Fallon’s night, and she generally had no difficulty hiding her distress.
She was the queen of hiding emotions. She had lots of practice.
She knew she looked hot tonight, and if Levi Moss didn’t want her, well, damn it,
someone freaking did. She made her way back inside to the VIP area Lucas had rented
for Fallon’s party. Audrey couldn’t help but be a little dreamy at the thought of
her future brother-in-law. He was the perfect man and everything her sister could
ever want. She only hoped that she would find a man even half as good as Lucas. He
treated Fallon like a queen, was the best father imaginable to her son, Aiden, and
he loved her like a sister.
Yup. He was Prince Charming.
She had cheered for Fallon and Lucas since the day her sister told her about him,
and would never forget meeting Lucas Brooks outside her family’s wine company. He
looked like a lovesick fool, and she couldn’t help wanting to help him. Man, so much
had changed since then. A small smile crossed Audrey’s face as she thought that within
a week, Fallon and Lucas would be married. They had been through so much, and thank
the sweet baby Jesus, Fallon finally got her head out of her ass and saw what was
right in front of her.
The perfect man.
Sigh
.
When Audrey’s eyes drifted over to where Elli Adler and Harper Titov sat, her envy
grew. Elli and Harper were the epitome of happy women. Both were married to amazingly
gorgeous, sweet hockey players …
sigh
… and both had perfect little children … another sigh. It wasn’t fair, they were
like a club. An “I’m married to a sexy hockey player; have amazing children; and life
couldn’t be better; and oh! I look good while doing it all!” club.
It was sickening, really.
When she glanced over at Piper and Reese Allen, Harper’s twin sisters, she felt a
little more in control. They looked as miserable as she felt, and that alone made
her feel a tad bit better. She had heard about the twin sisters but hadn’t met them
until recently. Reese was a gorgeous brunette with hair all the way down to her bottom.
She had moss green eyes, full lips, and the sickest style imaginable. She actually
looked more like her older sister, Harper, than her twin. Reese had just moved back
from New York to open a dance studio in Nashville, and from what Audrey heard, she
was good at getting what she wanted.
It was nice to meet Reese, but Audrey didn’t click with her the way she had with her
twin sister. Piper was a hoot. When Audrey went to Tiffany’s to buy Fallon’s bridal
gift, Piper was her sales clerk, and Audrey knew from that moment on that she would
be her friend. Unlike Reese’s dark features, Piper’s were fair. Her hair was light
brown and her eyes were an intense blue. She had the same full lips and cute button
nose as her sister, but hers were in a very petite package. Piper was shorter than
Audrey, and that was saying something. But all in all she was a doll, and Audrey just
adored her.
Piper glanced up and smiled as Audrey made her way to the spot beside Fallon. When
she sat down, her sister looked at her, grinning as she held out a shot glass. “You’re
behind!” she said. “Drink!”
Audrey obliged, not only because Fallon asked her to, but because she needed to forget
her conversation with Levi. As the five women threw back shots, Elli sat on the side,
watching.
Audrey felt bad as she smiled over at her. It had to be hard for Elli to watch a bunch
of women drink when she couldn’t. But being the sweet person she was, Elli didn’t
seem to mind.
“Please get your tubes tied after this one!” Audrey said as the alcohol burned down
her throat. What the hell had Fallon given her?
Elli nodded. “Already planned. I’m done. No matter what Shea says.”
Harper hiccupped before giggling. “Whatever. He’ll knock her up a week before the
procedure! He’s on a mission!”
The women laughed as Fallon shook her head. “So is Lucas,” she noted before taking
another shot, then shook her head. “I’m pretty sure if he had his way, I’d be pregnant
now, and thank God that didn’t happen! I wouldn’t be able to fit in my dress!”
The girls all nodded while Audrey shook her head. “It wouldn’t matter anyway, since
you won’t pick a damn dress!” she retorted, and everyone laughed. “Thank God she’s
narrowed it down to two. But still! The wedding is a week away!”
Fallon shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know what I want. I’m about to walk down that
damn aisle in a raincoat! Lucas would love that!”
That had all the women laughing drunkenly, as Audrey watched Fallon blush. A smile
tugged at Audrey’s lips, and even with all the jealousy eating away at her, she loved
that her sister was so in love. It was good to see Fallon happy. Audrey had spent
years watching her living day to day just to get by. Now she lived for a man who loved
her more than he needed his next breath, and for a son who thought she hung the moon
and the stars.
She was so lucky.
Audrey stood up, smiling down at Fallon, “Well, if it’s a damn raincoat, please let
it be white, while my dress is sparkly as all hell!” The women all cheered as she
raised her glass in the air. “To the indecisive bride-to-be!”
“To the bride!” everyone chanted along before tapping their glasses together and drinking
their shots. Audrey slammed her empty glass down before letting out a loud
“Yeehaw!”
that was returned by the many patrons at the bar. She grinned as she fell into the
seat beside her beautiful sister. Fallon wrapped her arms around her neck, grinning
happily back at her.
“I’ve missed you,” Fallon whispered in her ear. She was drunk, and Audrey had to giggle.
She was close to drunk too; those last couple of shots were doozies.
“I’ve missed you too,” she whispered back.
“I’m nervous.”
Audrey smiled as she shook her head. “Don’t be. It’s gonna be fantastic.”
“But what if I pick the wrong dress and Lucas doesn’t marry me?”
Audrey sighed. Her sister was entirely too insecure for her own good.
“Never gonna happen. Lucas loves you something serious. Like you said, you could show
up in a raincoat and he would be happy.”
Fallon nodded, then leaned her head against Audrey’s, looking deep into her eyes.
“You’re the best sister ever.”
The tears came fast, filling Audrey’s eyes as she looked into her sister’s caramel-colored
ones. Fallon was the most beautiful woman she had ever known. She deserved the world,
and Audrey knew that Lucas would give it to her. But now wasn’t the time to cry, even
if they were happy tears. Audrey leaned over, kissing Fallon on the cheek before breaking
their embrace to scream, “Let’s dance!”
* * *
As Audrey made her way to the bar from the dance floor, she had to admit the night
was a huge success. And she hadn’t even thought of Levi once. She was too busy having
a blast with her sister and their friends. With the music pulsing around her, she
leaned against the bar and ordered another round of drinks. As she waited, the pain
unexpectedly began to rip through her. Even though she hadn’t been thinking of Levi
while with her friends, he was now heavy on her mind. She dreaded going home, knowing
that when she got back to her condo he wouldn’t be there. It made her want to die
inside. No matter how much alcohol she drank, or how much fun she had, it would end
tonight, and by tomorrow she would be all by herself once again.
“Someone as beautiful as you shouldn’t be sad.”
Audrey looked over and then up, locking with a pair of ocean blue eyes. She blinked
as she took in the hotness that stood beside her.
Wow
.
A strong, square chin was covered in blond stubble, his nose had a pronounced bump,
his top lip thin, while the bottom lip jutted out a little, just begging to be bitten.
His hair was in a messy, tousled cut, and reminded her of the sparkling vampire she
often fantasized about, and while “Flightless Bird” by Iron & Wine instantly played
in her mind, her eyes drifted down his neck to his broad shoulders. She could see
he was strong, but not overly muscular. What he was—was perfect. Her eyes met his
again and she couldn’t breathe. He oozed sex. She couldn’t believe how quickly she
got turned on just by looking at him.
She breathed in and out a few times before croaking, “Excuse me?”
She watched as his lips moved. “I was wondering why someone so beautiful looked so
sad,” he said.
Audrey’s eyes left his mouth, to gaze into his eyes. “I’m not sad,” she lied.
“Yes, I think you are.”
He had an accent.
Sexy.
“I’m fine. My sister is getting married, that’s probably why I look sad.”
He shook his head. “Isn’t a wedding a good thing?”
She smiled again. “Of course it is, but I’m losing my sister.”
He nodded. “Yes, but you are gaining a brother.”
Her smile grew as she gazed up at him. He was tall, really tall. She had always been
with little guys, since she was so short herself, but at that moment she liked being
with the giant who stood in front of her. “I think you’re right,” she said.
He chuckled, a deep throaty sound that made Audrey’s stomach flutter. Oh, he was sexy.
“I am always right.”
She giggled at his cockiness. It was totally something Lucas would say, and thinking
of him made her smile. “Is that right?”
“Yes. I’ve been watching you, and I’m glad I came over to talk, because honestly,
you are the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen.”
Oh, wow
.
* * *
Tate Odder was nervous.
He wasn’t lying to the beautiful brunette when he said he had been watching her. He
was sitting at the bar when she walked in with her phone at her side, looking so gorgeous
it took his breath away. There was something about her that had him begging to know
her name. He’d spent the last hour or so watching her with her friends. He recognized
the team’s owner, Eleanor Adler, and assumed that one of them was Fallon, the soon-to-be
wife of his good friend Lucas Brooks, but he wasn’t sure which one. Not that he cared.
He had eyes only for the curvy brunette and had to figure out a way to approach her.
He was not one of those guys who would mess with another man’s woman, but from where
he’d been sitting, he saw that her ring finger was bare.