The Unexpected Series (Unexpected #1-3) (76 page)

Her face grows somber and she looks away, her body beginning to shake with sobs. I scramble to put on my boxers, walking over to her and pull her half-naked body into mine. “Tell me why you’re crying. I just don’t understand. What can I do to make it better?”

Her arms drape around my wet torso, her hair sticking to our bodies, as she continues to weep. When she begins to shiver, I look around for a towel spotting one on the far end of the wall. I manage to hold onto her and navigate to the other side of the pool and grab for one. She allows me to pull her off of me so I can wrap it around her before she sits on a nearby chair and I follow, wrapping the white linen around my waist. Her head falls into my lap, and we just sit there as her cries grow silent.

“I wanted that too, Ryder,” she finally speaks. “I wanted all of that. I wanted to hear you say you loved me so much you wanted to marry me. I wanted to tell them all to mind their own damn business. I wanted you there for me when I needed you the most.”

I rub her back as she tells me the words I longed to hear years ago. “Why didn’t you stay long enough to let me tell you them? Why didn’t you let me prove to you that our relationship could survive anything?”

She looks up from my lap, her eyes red with hurt. “I wanted to.”

Her face splotchy from crying is tearing my insides apart. “I would have given you everything. Anything you wanted,” I tell her, gliding my palms over her shoulders.

When her breathing calms and her tears stop she sits up. “I’d like to go home.”

I nod my head and stand up following her over to her clothes. She picks them up and drops her towel but the swinging open of the door surprises us. We quickly move into the corner and I cover her. I can feel her heartbeat beating erratically out of her chest but can sense she loves the rush. Always has. I smile knowing I just might have given her exactly what she needed tonight.

After a minute of holding our breath, the door opens again and whoever it was leaves. I look down, just now noticing our bare skin touching. Her covered breasts are pushed up and her skin is prickled with goose bumps.

“Being friends is going to test all my self-control.”

“D
o you have everything you need?” Noelle asks through the other end of the phone as I’m walking into Chevy Chase Country Club for the final walk through. Tonight is Braden’s work Christmas party and the guests are arriving soon.

It’s been two weeks and I haven’t heard from him, nor have I had an in person meeting with Janie. Despite him telling me he isn’t cheating on me with her, or anyone else, I just prefer to be ignorant and use the break to clear my head. But all its done is messed with my mind more.

So many times I’ve wanted to call him. I just can’t and so I poured myself into this event, booking more clients for Noe, working out and spending some time on myself.

“I think so,” I answer, pushing the door open to the building where I’m met with the most amazing sight. “Wow!”

The venue is stunning. I ignore Noelle’s continuous questions and hang up in complete awe of my surroundings. I know that I was the planner but seeing it all come to life almost brings a tear to my eye. I’ve helped on numerous occasions with different events but this my first solo one.

Entering the lobby, I find all the lights dimmed and snow globe candles illuminating every flat surface. Beautiful sparkling snowflakes hang from the ceiling and silver cloths adorn the end tables and coffee tables.

I slowly make my way to the room where the dinner and dancing will take place and am transformed into a winter wonderland. The walls are draped with white tapestries, spotlights of alternating gold and silver, shining on each one. The dance floor is towards the back of the room and the DJ seems to be finishing his set up. Each table is topped with the same silver tablecloth as the lobby tables and each are set up for ten people. The place settings consist of crystal and china. They have spared no expense and the commission off this event alone will pay my rent for six months.

Walking around I drag my hands along the chairs covered with soft fabric. The centerpieces are a larger version of the snow globe candles but are surrounded by stemless red and white roses. Each seat has a place card written by a calligrapher. Janie did the seating arrangement, so I have no idea where Braden is going to sit or if he is even attending. There will be over three hundred people here.

My phone vibrates in my hand alerting me to a text.

Ryder: I miss your voice.

I smile knowing that my friends don’t text things like that. He’s been trying to get me to hang out with him again but I really need a clear mind and he truly clouds my judgment when he is around. He asked me to go out tonight but yet again I declined his invitation. So he has been sticking to sending messages like that every day. It’s more than Braden has done.

When I’m finished going through the final checklist with the kitchen, I excuse myself to the bathroom before everyone starts to arrive. After washing my hands I take a look into the full length mirror making sure my eyeliner has not run and my lipstick is still intact. I turn to the side taking in the beautiful dress that I splurged on just for this event. It’s a floor length off white gown. The top half is crystal beaded with a sweetheart neckline and spaghetti straps. It cinches on one side just at the waist and flows freely down with layers upon layer of chiffon. My favorite part is the slit that runs from the bottom of the dress on my left side all the way to my mid-thigh. It’s formal and sexy and it makes me feel beautiful. My long brown hair is loosely pulled up on top of my head giving it a formal but casual look. I wear the diamond studded earrings that my grandmother gave to my mom. My thin silver bracelets clang as I smooth my hands down the dress before heading out into the party.

I walk out confident and ready to make sure the event runs smooth until I hear a voice that stops me dead in my tracks. “You look beautiful.”

I whirl around to find Braden leaning up against the wall adjacent to the bathroom. His smirk plastered on his face as he takes in my dress and for some reason it makes my skin crawl. I can tell his thoughts are anything but pure and I can’t even look at him that way right now especially since he is drunk.

I look down at my silver peep-toe shoes accepting the compliment. “Thank you.”

When he doesn’t respond I look up finding him walking towards me, his arms reaching out as if he wants to bring me into them. I step back not letting him anywhere near my personal space. “Don’t,” I warn. “Don’t you dare touch me. Remember? You didn’t even want me here.”

The hurt in his eyes is evident but I don’t care. He’s here and he doesn’t want me to be. I walk with purpose away from him and into the lobby filled with people dressed to the nines. Men in tuxedos and suits, and women in striking gowns. Husbands and wives using the excuse to get done up and go out. Others bringing dates they hope to impress.

“Hadley,” a female voice calls out. I turn towards my right finding Janie nearing me. “Hadley, this is stunning. I’m in awe of it all. I’m so glad I hired you.” She laughs. “If I planned it we would be at Lou Malnati’s eating pizza in jeans and sweatshirts.”

I smile at her compliments but have a hard time looking her in the face. She seems sincere, and I know she can tell something is up by the look that crosses her face. I instantly feel terrible. I have no proof Braden is cheating with her–or anyone for that matter.

“Thank you.” I look around. “It was a combination of both our visions.”

Bringing me in for a hug, she kisses my cheek. “But it was you who made it come to life.” She pulls back, her hands still on my upper arms, and smiles. “Walk around, enjoy. I put you and Braden at table eleven.”

Great! I think when she finally walks away. He must not have told anyone and now I am torn on whether or not to sit with him so that he doesn’t get embarrassed, not that he wanted me here anyways, or leave him to explain to the others why his date isn’t at the table.

Fuck him.

He can sit alone.

The cocktail hour and dinner go off without a hitch, but I have this feeling that it’s too perfect and something has to go wrong. I call Noelle and after five minutes of her telling me to simmer down I finally hung up when she says she needed to finish riding Trent. She always goes for shock value.

As the plates are cleared, the DJ changes from soft music to upbeat rhythms. A few attendees head to the dance floor, and I stand on the outskirts watching them be carefree. Their job is so intense that it’s nice to see them relax. I haven’t seen Braden since our run in outside the bathroom, and I am thankful that this will be over soon and I can go home, pop open a bottle of wine, and take a hot bath.

“Hadley!” Janie yells from the middle of the dance floor waving her hand frantically for me to join her.

I shake my head no but she runs over and grabs me by my elbow and pulls me out there. I hesitate for a second before deciding the hell with it and start moving my body to the sounds of Ariana Grande’s “Break Free.” Seems like a fitting song right now, and it feels amazing just to let loose and, as Ariana suggests, break free.

When the song changes to a sweet melody, I try to turn and get off the dance floor before it’s flooded with couples. I freeze when firm hands grip my hips from behind. I roll my eyes at Braden’s attempt to show nothing is wrong, but the look on Janie’s face tells me something isn’t right. She seems confused, and her eyes are wide as saucers.

I feel his breath on my neck before his words hit my ears. “I didn’t know you could move like that, Spark. I’m trying not to get hard in front of all these people.”

My heart flutters, his breath tickling my ears. My body immediately responding to his, molding into him. Our bodies sway to the soft beat but after a moment I remember where we are and scramble out of his arms, turning to face him.

“Ryder. What are you doing here?” I search him for answers but a scuffle behind me attracts his attention.

Confusion crosses his face as he looks across the dance floor. He braces himself, nudging me to the side and I get a better view of Braden coming full force at Ryder.

“BRADEN, NO!” I scream as his fist flies through the air towards Ryder. Ryder ducks down, missing the blow, and throws one of his own directly into Braden’s gut. He hunches over in pain but still charges Ryder.

He hits his target, tackling Ryder to the ground, and all I can do is stare, my hands over my mouth. A few guys run up pulling Braden off of him and Ryder stands waving off the men who try to hold him back.

I’m in shock as I stare at Braden and then over to Ryder who is holding his bleeding lip but looking right at me. “Braden?” he asks confused.

I nod towards the man who filled my days for the past two years and feel tears falling down my face. The DJ stopped playing the music and the entire room is silent. Three hundred people all waiting to hear their interaction or to see whether they will go at it again.

Ryder points at Braden. “That’s James. My old partner. That can’t be Braden.”

I follow his finger back to a seething Braden. If it weren’t for his buddies he might still be trying to fight Ryder.

Braden speaks up, venom in his voice punctuating every single word. “Braden. James. Bolter. Hadley’s boyfriend.”

Everyone collectively gasps, including me, and a few things start to make sense. Braden has always gone by James at work, ever since he started there, so I understand how Ryder didn’t make the connection. Ryder said Braden and he were partners. Braden is a police officer and that must mean Ryder is too. They both work for Buffalo Grove and in the same department.

It all makes sense now how Braden knew about Ryder and why he didn’t want me here. Ryder must have been talking about me at work.

How did Ryder being a police officer never come up in any of our conversations?

Well, that’s fucking great! Now I’ll be the topic of everyone’s gossip at the PD from now on.

I turn to the DJ motioning for him to put the music back on and storm my way towards the exit. Everyone is staring at me and I ignore the knee jerk reaction to flip them all the bird. I think I’m in shock because before I know it I’m back in the bathroom, door closed, head resting on the back of it. I hear when someone enters but I make no motion to move.

“Had.” A soft voice calls out. Janie. “Hadley, come out and talk to me.”

When I continue not to respond, I hear the door open back up as she leaves. I feel terrible. Here I thought Braden was cheating on me with her and all she has done is be nice to me. I’ve been a total bitch to her. I was short with her on the phone, ignored her suggestions of meeting in person.

After a few minutes, I feel it’s safe to escape and find my phone. I can’t leave because I set this party up but I can’t stay either. Lowering my head, I walk through the tight spaces left by the hundreds of people here tonight, spotting my purse on a table. I reach out, pick it up, and finally raise my head. Across the table is Ryder. In the seat next to him is Wendy, the girl from the sledding hill, holding a pack of ice against his mouth. My insides coil up. My mind on overload.