Blushing Pink (39 page)

"Why's the cake important?" he asked, as they headed out into the hall.

"Because..." she said, shimmying a little in her dress, "that's when we give our toast."

* * *

The rest of the night sailed by in a heady, thrilling haze. Apparently Veronica had been so annoyed that Brian had disappeared that she'd left. So Reese could have spent the evening in Brian's arms... but she didn't.

They had agreed that they would start clean, and that meant there couldn't be anything between them until everything was settled with Veronica.

Luckily the other Brocks hadn't noticed Reese's absence. She had told them about his sister, and how he used the phone in her room, but she left out the part about earth-shattering sex on the bathroom counter, and all of their plans for a romantic future. She didn't want to jinx that future yet, anyway.

Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time at the reception. Remmi Collindyne had indicated to Joanna that except for the orchid boutonnières, the ceremony was in exquisite taste. The "compliment" had left Joanna glowing. Aunt Jacy and Aunt Aileen led their sons, Chris and James, in a conga line that never quite picked up.

When Reese danced with her father, she told him about Kenneth, and how he had been using her as part of a deranged ploy to get access to the worst book ever written. They both ended up chuckling at how ridiculous the whole thing was, and her dad said, "Well, I suppose it's true, after all."

"What?"

" 'There is a time to wink, as well as to see.'"

Reese rolled her eyes and laughed.

Although Reese and Brian had exchanged long, meaningful looks throughout the night, they didn't give in to temptation. The only time they came close to each other was when they gave their toast, which ended up being short and sweet. Joanna sighed hugely, never so relieved, and said privately, "Oh, sweetheart, it went great!"

Reese smiled and said, "I tried to tell you, Mom. You worry too much."

By the time Reese got to her hotel room that night, she felt a fuzzy kind of happiness float through her body. Ally and Ben were leaving for their honeymoon tomorrow, Angela and Drew seemed better than ever, and her parents were still the best, and life finally seemed to be heading toward something more than just
existing.
Who would have thought?

Chapter 30

"What the
fuck
is this!" Reese yelled to an empty apartment. She pulled out her glasses and tried to read the prescription label on the bottle in her hand.

To work out some of her bitter, miserable, incensed energy, she'd decided to clean out her apartment. And she was currently tackling the medicine cabinet. School had started that Monday, and it was just a banner
fucking
time. She hurled the bottle toward the garbage pail, perfectly aware that she was whipping it way too hard and fast to make it in. Like she cared.

"Okay, next, this stupid piece of
crap
left here by some
stupid
roommate I barely even knew!" She grabbed a box of who-knew-what, and hurled it across the room. Then she slammed the cabinet shut so hard it ricocheted back and swatted her in the face. "Stupid thing, I hate you!" she yelled, slamming it back in place.

Immediately she was struck by her reflection in the mirror. Weariness, anger, and heartbreak... suddenly some of her temper drained out, leaving her enervated. Dejected. Slumping down on the toilet lid, she let out a deep, depressed sigh.
Face it: This isn't working.

It had been almost a week and she hadn't heard from Brian. She couldn't believe it. How many times did she have to be hurt by him before she learned? Well, she supposed
no
more times now, since they were obviously finished. He'd never come for her, like he promised.

Oh, why should she even be surprised? She was just destined to be unlucky in love.

Dragging herself up, she went into her bedroom to clean her desk. Getting a sudden surge of rage—ahem,
gusto
—she began hurling the drawers open, grabbing their contents in both hands, and throwing them onto the floor.

Just as she was tossing some manila folders carelessly over her head, while papers dropped and scattered everywhere (and she really didn't give a
fuck!),
there was a knock at the door.
Oh, great.
With her luck, it was one of the Nazis from Res Life bearing new roommates for the spring semester.

Sighing and muttering obscenities to herself, Reese barked, "Coming!" and charged across the living room to whip the door open. (Well, to ask who it was, weigh if it warranted unbolting her five locks, and
then
whip the door open.) "Who is it!" she shouted, obviously uninterested in finding out.

"It's me... Brian."

Her stomach dropped... and then twisted into a big, painful knot. What was he
doing
there? And why couldn't he just stop hurting her? In fact, it was only with those questions in mind that she started unbolting locks.

Finally she flung the door open and glared at him.

"Hi," he said, beaming and apparently oblivious. He was holding a bouquet of daffodils, smiling at her like he was crazy about her. "Oh, I forgot you wear glasses. Damn, you look cute."

As he leaned down to kiss her she couldn't help wondering: Was he
insane?

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she barked, jerking her head out of kissing range.

He looked genuinely confused, and straightened slowly. "Wha—what do you mean?"

Reese's mouth dropped open. She held her hands out and started looking around to an imaginary audience—as if to say,
Is it just me, or is this guy a complete asshole?

"I don't get this," he said. "Did... what, you changed your mind about us?"

She scrunched her face at him as if he had several heads and said, "Did I change
my
mind? You were supposed to come for me! After everything was settled—
remember?"

"I know; that's what I'm doing here!" he said, handing off the flowers to her, even though she didn't want them.

She snatched them angrily and said, "It's been four days! You were supposed to end things with Veronica and call me the next day!"

He looked surprised... then understanding... then contrite. Reese looked as though she were about to strangle him. "Ah, hell," he said, "Reese, can I please come in? We need to get something straight."

For a couple of seconds she contemplated slamming the door, but ultimately she decided against it.

Really, why bother? It wouldn't make her feel any better at this point. "Whatever," she grumbled. "Like it makes a difference now."

She spun around to give him her back, and he followed her into the apartment. Carelessly she tossed his flowers onto the kitchen table. When she finally turned to face him, he held up his hands in a
Now, just listen
gesture of entreaty. She went along with it only because she'd temporarily run out of scathing things to say.

"Reese, I'm sorry, but I thought we agreed that we couldn't see each other until everything was settled. I thought that was how you wanted it."

"I did. What's your point?"

"Well, nothing was settled until today," he said apologetically. "Reese, I'm so sorry—I had no idea you thought that I was blowing this off. I
wasn't,
believe me. I mean, if I'd known you thought that... I thought you didn't want me to get in touch, until, you know—"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, all right?" she said impatiently, crossing her arms over her chest. "So what's the status now? Let me guess, you couldn't
bear
to tell her? What, did she threaten to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge? What? C'mon, let's hear it."

He tilted his head, and with a trace of wryness said, "You done?"

She just sulked.

He came closer. "No to all of the above. I had coffee with Veronica today and told her I was done with all of it—that our relationship had died two years ago—hell, probably a lot longer than that—and that I wasn't in love with her anymore. I told her I haven't been in love with her for a long time."

Reese swallowed and avoided his eyes.

"Wait. The reason I didn't do it before today was because she was away on a class trip to San Francisco since Monday morning. I had no way to do it before today." He gently tilted her chin so their gazes met. "Reese, I swear, I just assumed you didn't want to hear from me till it was done. I'm really sorry if you were... worried, or—"

"I wasn't worried," she lied. "I just figured you changed your mind about us."

"No,"
he said. "No way. I'm sorry; I just didn't think there was any doubt at this point." His voice dropped a little. "I want to be with you," he said.

"Well, I want to be with you, too—
jeez."
Then her face broke into a self-deprecating smile, and Brian smiled back. He pulled her into his arms, and as she hugged him, he picked her up. "Oh, not the picking-me-up thing," she said, giggling. "You're gonna slip a disk!"

"Psfft."

She smiled into his shoulder, and he set her back onto the floor. Leaning down to kiss the curve of her neck, he murmured, "Now are you gonna put those in water, or should I just toss them in the trash?"

"Oh, yeah!" she said, darting to the kitchen table and picking up the bouquet. She filled a vase with water and said over her shoulder, "So, was it difficult with Veronica? You know, having the talk?"

"Nah," he said. "I told her about you, and she told me to drop dead. After that, conversation seemed silly."

Reese twisted her lips into a smirk. "Really."

"Really. Well, she did lay into me a little about all my flaws," he replied absently, and shrugged off his jacket and tie.

"What flaws?" Reese said, defensive on his behalf.

He shrugged. "I don't know; I wasn't really listening. Anyway, she said it was for the best anyway, because she met a male ballerina on her trip and they had more in common."

Reese set the flowers down in the center of the table, and like Brian's presence, they brightened up the room. Walking toward him, she said, "Um, I don't think they're called that."

"What?"

"Male ballerinas," she said, smiling.

He chuckled. "Well, whatever." Then he surveyed the apartment. Papers were strewn everywhere, and tons of things were tossed and catapulted out of their proper place. "Uh, unique decor," he said, nodding slowly.

"Oh..." She bit her lower lip and said, "I'd been cleaning."

"Interesting results," he said, sounding slightly worried.

Reese slid her arms around his waist. "Ally's gonna kill me when she finds out."

"What? About us?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"You don't know Ally. She won't believe I kept this from her, and I can hardly tell her it's because of her big—albeit, well-meaning—mouth."

Brian smiled. "Speaking of telling people things, I think it's about time we told your mother about your writing career."

"Please, what 'career'—We?"

"Yeah, well, you can tell her, and then I'll be there to go on and on about how good you are." Reese smirked, and he insisted, "You
are—
you had me totally hooked."

"So I guess you're my biggest fan then."

"Always," he said, grinning, but there was a thickness to his voice that made her believe him. She even pushed away the cynical voice deep inside her saying,
That remains to be seen,
and just let herself feel happy.

"Come on, just tell me," Brian said. "Do Trent and Monique get together at the end, or what?"

She laughed. "I can't tell you," she said. "I don't know yet." That last part was a lie.

"Fine, well, I at least want to read what you've added so far," he said, and made a "gimme" gesture with both hands. "Get the laptop. Please."

She smiled—a big, open, airy smile—she could feel it on her face, welcoming him, inviting him in—into her world, into
her—
and said, "Actually, you're in luck." She went into her bedroom and over to her bookbag.

He followed, and she pulled out a stack of a hundred pages. "I printed this at the computer lab earlier," she said, handing it to him.

Loosening his tie, he took the pages, plopped down on her bed, and immediately began reading. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked.

"Okay, thanks," he said. "Whatever's fine."

As she turned, she felt his hand touch her arm, and he said, "Hey." Suddenly his arms snaked around her waist, and he was hugging her again.

Sighing, she tilted her head to kiss him. When she pulled back, they exchanged a long moment that meant so much, and Reese pressed her forehead against his shoulder, thinking that whoever had said New York was the loneliest city in the world may not have been looking hard enough.

She whispered against Brian's collar, "This is the beginning, isn't it?"

Brian tightened his arms around her, and buried his face in her hair. "Yeah," he said huskily. "It's the beginning... so how come I already feel far gone?"