Love Me Back (37 page)

We show up at a club called Spades that is in the town over.  There is only a short line but Caroline prances up there and gets us all in while she puts her hand on the bouncers arm pretending to feel how big his muscles are.  I can’t believe that actually works.  The bouncer who is six feet four inches tall with a bald head and tattoos covering his arms looks Caroline up and down appreciating her body before motioning with his hand to go on in.  We all file in line while the bouncer stares at each one of us evaluating our appearance. 

The room is dark and with color lights shining down on the packed dance floor.  Girls are grinding their asses into boys while their hands roam the girl’s bodies.  Caroline finds us a table at the far end of the room in the back.   I have never felt more on display walking through the crowd of people with men’s eyes on me.  I really wish I had changed from Ian’s suggestion.  We all make it safely to the table and Caroline instantly orders a round of shots.  Lindsey definitely picked the right maid of honor; she is bossy and pushy as hell. 

Before the shots arrive Lindsey and a couple of her bridesmaid make their way on the dance floor.  I sit down with Mackenna, my mom and Lindsey’s mom.  The shots are delivered and I order a vodka tonic and the other three order sodas.  Lindsey is dancing with her girlfriends and whenever a guy comes near her she flashes her ring telling them to stay away.  Again why can’t guys just let girls have a night out with her friends?  Lindsey is clearly getting married in a couple days.             

After a couple songs the girls come over taking their shots while Caroline orders another round for the table.  Lindsey downs hers and then grabs me.  “Come on Maddy, you are going to have fun tonight.”  I stand up letting her lead me out there and I swear Caroline gives me a dirty look on my way.  I’m not ignorant to the fact she hasn’t said two words to me all night.

I dance a couple songs with Lindsey letting the music relax my body.  I push off any guys that come by us informing them this is a girl’s night.  Lindsey smiles thanking me for taking care of it.  I am in desperate need of a drink so I wave Lindsey signaling where I am going.  She nods her head but continues to dance.  Seriously, is this girl ever going to stop dancing? 

On my way back to the table, I spot Caroline cuddled up to some guy at another table.  She is practically on his lap while his arm is draped over her chair.  She gives me an evil stare as I walk by before smiling nicely at the guy next to her.  I collapse into the chair next to Mackenna sipping my drink waving the sweat and heat off my body.

“You should dance Kenna.  Come on I will go out with you.”  I say close to her ear so she can hear me.

“No way Maddy.  Don’t get me wrong I am practically about to dance out of this chair but I can’t go out there shaking my body with this.”  She points at her stomach.

“Kenna, it doesn’t matter.”  I argue.

“No way, I’m surprised I even came tonight.” She admits taking a drink of her clear soda.

I know better than to push Mackenna so I let her be while I observe the people in the club.  It is a mixture of twenties and thirties with a few older men and women.  I can see couples making out in corners and others appear like they are getting to know each other.  My eyes land on a guy standing at the bar looking my way.  He is tall with spiky dark hair.  He is wearing a black button down shirt tucked into a pair of jeans.  The shirt is tight around his shoulders and arms letting me know there are muscles under there but it flows into his pants flaunting his taut waistline.  His lips smirk up to me and I smile in return. 

I didn’t notice him making his way over to our table but he puts out his hand asking me to dance.  I don’t bother looking at the raised eyebrows around me before I accept his hand.  Upon closer observation I see his sharp jaw line and hazel eyes with flecks of green in them.  After leading me to the dance floor I hear it is a slow song and I suddenly wish I had declined.  He wraps one arm around my waist while taking my other hand in his holding it close between us.

“What’s your name?”  His deep voice asks.

“Maddy” I respond.

“Chris” he informs me.

“Nice to meet you Chris.”  I say.

“Nice to meet you Maddy.”

I dance with Chris for a couple songs before he suggests we go to the bar to talk and have another drink.  Since I am here for Lindsey I am about to politely decline when I hear voices caring on behind me and I feel someone grind against my back.

“Little Jennings, you are looking H.O.T. tonight” Shawn Edwards says from behind me.

I turn around smacking him on the shoulder pushing him a couple steps.  Obviously he is already wasted.  “Get away from me Shawn.”  I yell.

“Do you know this guy?”  Chris pushes between us holding me behind him.  He looks like he is ready to fight Shawn.

“Yeah, don’t worry about him.  He’s my brother’s friend.”  I say pulling on Chris’s arm to relax.

“What are you doing here?  You are supposed to be at the barn.”  I ask.

“We got bored and decided to join you guys.”  He shrugs his shoulders.

My eyes search the dance floor and I find Jack dancing with Lindsey, the other boyfriends of the bridesmaids are dancing with their girlfriends and Bryan has persuaded Mackenna out to the dance floor.  I smile admiring them, Bryan has always had a way with Mackenna.  Back at the table I see Mitch sitting next to my mom chatting with Lindsey’s parents.  It isn’t until further inspection I see those blue eyes staring right at me while a red head is leaning in front of him whispering something in his ear.  He isn’t paying attention to her, his eyes are fixated on me giving me goose bumps through my body.

“Shawn, go find some drunk ass girl to grind against.”  I turn him around pushing him towards the dance floor.  He walks towards a group of some girls and they are immediately laughing at something he said.

“Chris, thank you for the dance.  I am here with my sister-in-law to be and I need to spend my time with her.”  I say to him.

“Looks like she is keeping herself entertained.”  He sneers glancing at Jack and Lindsey dancing.  I never knew how much my brother enjoys dancing as well.

“Well…there are a lot of other people here” I look back at our table noticing Caroline is gone but Gabe is standing up looking right at us.  “That I don’t see very often.”

“Oh you’re from out of town.”  He isn’t questioning it. He is more stating a fact.  This peaks my curiosity.

“Where are you from?”  I ask as casual as possible.

“Milwaukee.”  He states but starts looking over at Gabe.  He isn’t surprised that he is staring over at us ready to pounce, which I find odd.

“Oh, why are you down here when you could be at the clubs up there?”  I ask another question trying to make him stumble on his own answers.

“I have friends down here.”  His shoulders rise and fall but he is no longer looking my way but he is searching the bar for someone.

“Listen, I got to go.  Thanks again for the dance.”  I turn to walk around.  I know who he is looking for and I am not about to let him find him.

“Maddy, why don’t I escort you back to your table?”  He grabs my wrist and I close my eyes because this is not going to go as smoothly as I hoped.

“Get your hands off her.”  The deep voice speaks from behind me.  His breath tickles my neck and I smile out of uncomfortableness.

I quickly turn around aggressively pulling my wrist out of Chris’s hands.  “Don’t do anything.”  I put both my hands on Gabe’s chest but he is standing firm.  I could feel the anger pouring from him.

“Maddy, please step out of the way.”  He speaks through his teeth as his eyes never leaving Chris’s.

“Chris, just go.  I know who you are and I am begging you to leave here tonight.”  I turn back around towards him standing in front of Gabe. 

“You have to be kidding me.”  He laughs and raises his arm snapping his fingers.  Before I can ask there is another man in front of Gabe and me snapping our picture with his camera.

“What the hell?”  Gabe shouts. 

“So, you two are together now?”  Chris asks us. 

“Who are you with?”  I ask.  I peer around not finding Trent, which I am thankful but worried about what compromising situation he might be in.

“No one. But I will be soon after this.”

“After….” Gabe speaks behind me placing a possessive hand on my waist.

“I get the scoop on Trent Basso, his brother and his girlfriend.”  He confesses to us.

“So, you knew who I was the whole time?”  I ask and I feel Gabe tense behind me.

“Yeah, I was waiting for one of you to show up.”  He motions his head at Gabe.  “So, where’s your brother?”  He directs his question to Gabe.

“Not here.” Gabe answers.

“So, she’s yours for tonight and then tomorrow she’s your brothers?”  He sneers.

I know what he is doing.  Trying to get a rise out of Gabe.  I feel Gabe’s body move forward but I throw myself in front of Chris knowing he won’t do anything with me there.

“Maddy, get.out.of.the.way.”  He slowly says staring directly at Chris.

“Gabe, he is trying to get you to hit him.”  I look around trying to find someone to help me.  I can’t stop Gabe for very long especially if Chris keeps running his mouth.  Everyone is dancing or drinking.  Surprisingly no one has noticed what is going on here.

Luck is on my side when Chris’s sidekick takes another picture making people turn their heads towards us.  Jack, Shawn, Doug, Mitch and a couple other guys make their way over to us standing shoulder to shoulder with Gabe.  The rest of our bridal party is standing behind them.

“Maddy?”  Jack questions wondering who this man I am protecting is.

“This is Chris, he wants to be some piece of shit reporter and thinks an exclusive on Gabe, Trent and I will make him somebody.”  I sarcastically speak moving from Chris to Gabe. 

“Really?”  Shawn speaks up stepping toe to toe with Chris.  “Listen dipshit. I suggest you get the fuck out of here before I knock you out because no one gives a shit if you get a picture of that.”  Then he steps over to his friend grabbing the camera out of his hand.  “Kenna?”

She comes over taking the camera away from Shawn.  She takes the memory card out handing it back to him.

“Thanks babe.”  He says handing the camera back to Chris’s partner.  “Now the two of you need to leave right now and I better not see your faces anywhere near here again.”  He is practically spitting on Chris he is so close to his face.

Chris and his friend remain quiet when they turn around walking out of the bar.

“Thanks Shawn.”  I put my hand on his shoulder.

“Anytime Jennings.”  He picks me up swinging me around.  “What a bunch of assholes.”  He puts me down while his hands graze my ass. 

I am going to let him have that one for helping me out but someone else isn’t.  “Easy Edwards.”  Gabe says behind me.

“Oh, don’t worry Basso.  I know whose she is.”  He smirks down at me and then walks away to dance with a group of women who seem impressed by his display of protectiveness.

“Do you want a drink?”  I ask Gabe.

“No, thank you though.”  He stares at me for a few minutes before turning around towards the table.

“Gabe?”  I scream over the music.

He turns around looking at me.  I can see the torment in his eyes.  “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry.”  I mouth to him.

He walks over to me with purpose before he grabs my arms pulling me into him.  “Don’t ever think I wouldn’t have chosen you.  You are the one for me…always.”  He kisses me on the cheek close to my ear.

Before I can respond he is already gone.  I see his back making his way to the front door.

Chapter 26 – Present Day

The next morning I am sitting down at the kitchen table drinking my coffee when Ian walks through the front door. 

I look up at him questioningly when he holds up my mom’s extra key from the faux rock out front.  He makes his way to me in the kitchen still wearing the clothes he wore last night.

“Where were
you
last night?”  I snicker.

“Well…” he insinuates he might have met up with someone else.  “Taking care of your drunk ass ex.”   His voice sounding annoyed.

“Oh, I was wondering why you didn’t show up at Spades.”  I get up grabbing him a cup of coffee.

“You don’t have to Maddy, I can get it.”  He moves over to the cabinet to get his own coffee.

“No, I insist.  Sorry, I know this trip hasn’t been that fun for you.”  I raise my shoulders tilting my head displaying my best sorry face.

“It’s fine.  It actually hasn’t been all bad.  I love your family and your friends.  Just wish I could have spent more time with you.”  He blows into his coffee mug staring at me and I notice a speck of sadness in them.

“Ian, I’m going home with you.”  I joke.

He remains silent taking a gulp of his coffee resting his head in his hands from exhaustion. 

“So, how bad was Trent?”  I ask.

“Remember when he won the Cup?”  I nod.  “About twice as bad.  Mr. Soccer stud threw up in the woods, wouldn’t leave the barn, pulling out some old ass blanket sleeping on the upper level.”  He shakes his head in disbelief.  “I couldn’t even get him go up to the main house this morning so Gabe came down throwing a bucket of cold water on him.”  He starts laughing.  “Oh, you should have seen Trent, it was hilarious.” 

“Glad to hear the Basso pranks are back on.”  I smile.

“After last night they are in full swing.  What Trent did to Gabe after his stunt…” he continues.

“I don’t want to hear about it Ian.  I’m glad you had fun with them.  They are a great group of guys.  I just can’t bear to talk about them right now.”  I grab the pot refilling my cup.

“Them or
him
?”  He grabs the pot out of my hand.  “Never mind, I already know the answer.”

“Funny Ian.” 

“Maddy, we need to get to the beauty salon.”  My mom walks into the kitchen completely put together without an ounce of a hangover.

“I know, I just need this last cup of coffee.”  I sit back down but my mom comes over lifting me up pushing me out of the kitchen,