What Might Have Been (8 page)

When the elevator pinged, Tanner stepped through the open doors. He stared down at his dishevelled attire. His jeans rode low on his hips. Shit. He’d forgotten his belt and his boxers somewhere on her floor. Should he retrieve them? Nah. She needed time to think.

On the ground level, Tanner strode across the foyer and into the parking lot. His brain remained on a constant thread—Macy. Maybe the rumours were true. If Will had indeed told her she was unlovable because of her size and her delicious curves, he deserved a lobotomy.

Tanner stopped at the trunk of his BMW. Macy outshone other women without trying. Her inner beauty made the rest of her sparkle, and he’d spent years trying to forget her. He unlocked the vehicle and tossed his wallet onto the passenger seat.

Something his father said flicked into his mind.
When a man wants something, he’ll work like hell until he gets it. Never give up.
Tanner nodded. He’d give her time. If it took the rest of his life, he’d be patient and let her come to him. He’d waited fifteen years to see her. He’d found out what could’ve been and wanted more—lots more. What was a few more days? Every moment since she’d first stood in his embrace, he’d fallen more and more in love with her. His future was reflected in her eyes.

Determination flowed through his veins. If he gave her another taste of his love, maybe the promise of his devotion would be enough to turn her thoughts of what might have been into something that felt right.

Tonight.

He dipped his head as he passed the main entrance of the hotel. “No matter how long it takes, Macy, I’m waiting for you. I love you, sweetheart.” He pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards home. “Just realise, soon, that you love me, too.”

Chapter Eight

Two and half hours after Tanner left, Kealie stood behind Macy wielding a hot curling iron. Macy blew a stray curl from her eyes and stared at her sullen reflection in the mirror. More tears threatened behind her lashes. Even if she got on her knees and crawled, no man, including Tanner, would take her back after she had coldly asked him to go. The thrill of being the queen of solitude was gone. Being with him, held tight in his arms, wasn’t a dream—it was fate. Macy brushed her hand over her cheeks and focussed on Kealie’s jabbering.

“Did you know my graduating class named me a home-wrecker?” Kealie pursed her crimson lips and aimed the hot iron at their reflections. “For the record, I destroyed one living room. That’s it. I can’t help it that guys seem to follow wherever I go.”

“You’re beautiful, that’s why they flock to you.” Macy sagged down in the chair. Just when she’d thought she’d be able to give her heart to the one man she loved, the past had bitten her in the ass. Women like Kealie, women with confidence and inner light, drew men like flies. Maybe Macy was meant to be an isolated wallflower after all.

“I’m nothing more than a good time, and you’re crying—again. You’re going to wreck your makeup.” Kealie put the styling tool on the counter and threw her arms around Macy’s shoulders. “Tell the divine Miss Kealie all your problems—she’ll make it all better. And if she can’t, she’ll find a man to take your breath away. Berto and Remi mentioned a threesome. I’d say take them up on it.”

“They would.” She sighed. “Have you ever seen your future and, even though you wanted to grab it, you let it slip away?”

“Tanner?”

“Does it show?”

“Cellophane.” Kealie’s chin dug into Macy’s shoulder. “You wear your heart on your sleeve, whether you believe it or not.”

“He said he loved me.” Macy forced herself to remain calm. “He wanted me to move in with him, but—”

“Sshh.” Kealie clamped her hand over Macy’s mouth. “You’re a beautiful woman. He sees how he screwed up in the past. Granted, he might be moving at warp speed, but at least he’s being honest.” She grabbed a comb and teased a section of hair at the crown of Macy’s head. “I still don’t see why you tossed him out on his ass. Didn’t you say he was the marrying type?”

“He wants a forever I can’t give him.” God, even she hated the whiny tone in her voice.

“Damn it!” Kealie threw the comb across the room. It landed with a thump by the bathroom door.

Macy flinched. Kealie wasn’t one to show anger often. When she did, hell really had no fury like a pissed-off Kealie.

“Will Tuttle screwed you up one side and down the other because of his own insecurity, Macy. I hate him.” Kealie leaned against the counter under the mirror and folded her arms. “You used to be so innocent and trusting until he twisted it all apart with his bare hands and jack-ass standards no one could meet.” She slapped her thighs then took her place behind Macy. “But I’m just as angry with you.”

“Angry with me?” Macy replayed the conversation with Kealie. The blame for the broken relationship sat squarely in Will’s lap. But she hadn’t been totally without fault. She’d stayed in the relationship past the point of redemption. Still, she wanted to know what Kealie had to say. “What’d I do?”

“You let Will hold importance. He’s a bastard who left you and good riddance.” Kealie’s shoulders slumped. “You have to let go. There’s a guy out there who may very well love you. Don’t let Will win.”

“I burned my bridges with Tanner.” Macy’s heart squeezed within her chest. “He won’t come near me if he has any sense.”

“Oh, no?” The smile returned to Kealie’s lips. She crooked her brow and resumed styling Macy’s hair. “Then we’ll give him a reason to crawl to you.”

“How?”

“Did you not invite the divine Miss Kealie here to costume you?” Macy nodded. “Then shut up and let me make some magic.” Kealie winked at their reflections. “No man can resist a woman in a little black dress.”

Although Macy didn’t buy into everything Kealie said, she knew her friend was right. Allowing her past to razor her future had got her nowhere relationship-wise for the past seven years. Macy swallowed her fears and a large share of her pride. When she saw Tanner that night, she’d show him where her heart lay.

With him.

“Move over, Miss Independent. Miss Commitment is ready to pounce.”

* * * *

At seven thirty, the limo pulled up in front of the school building. Macy leant back against the plush leather seat. The tapes from her garter belt dug into her thighs and her feet ached from the pointy black stilettos.

On Kealie’s orders, Gerard Andersen, Macy’s favourite cover model, sat next to her. Across the expanse of the limo, Kealie had tucked herself neatly between the twins—Cole and Eric McClure. Macy suppressed a snicker. Trust Kealie not only to make an entrance, but to up the shock value in the process. Outside the car, people cheered with hoots and catcalls. According to the reunion itinerary, the Class of ‘97 wanted the honour of having the last banquet-slash-ball in the building, complete with a gantlet for photo ops.

“I don’t know why they have to make such a spectacle over a reunion.” Macy buried her nose against Gerard’s shoulder. Either Cole or Eric had bathed in cologne. The tangy scent churned her already weak stomach. “I want to get in, dance with Berto and Remi, and get out.”

“That’s all?” Kealie snapped. “Come on. I didn’t fly here from sunny Vegas just to watch you wuss out.”

“What else are reunions for?”

“They’re a pissing contest, reunions.” Kealie grabbed Cole’s hand and plopped it on her thigh. “Who can shoot the farthest while wearing a designer dress or top-of-the-line tuxedo. It’s childish, really. Besides, do I really need a reason to crash a party? I didn’t go to school here, so it makes no never-mind to me.”

“You realise how crude you can be on occasion?” Macy asked.

“That’s why you love me.” She linked arms with Cole and Eric. “Come on, boys. Let’s show them how to have a wicked good time.”

The concrete entryway, complete with tiger sculptures guarding the doors, loomed before her. Macy dragged air into her lungs and squeezed Gerard’s hand. “Thanks for making me look good.”

“Make you look good? Honey, you look gorgeous.” Gerard cupped her chin with his free hand before they exited the car. “And if Chris and I ever decide to add a woman to our mix, you’re the first girl on our list.”

“Which will never happen because you’re crazy about each other, but you made my day. Thanks.”

“I aim to please.” He stepped out of the car and extended his hand. “Now, when your hunk shows up and whisks you away for hot sex in the bed of his truck, I hope you let him.”

“I will.” Macy grabbed his fingers and emerged from the limousine on shaky legs.

Gerard pulled her close and whispered in her ear as a flash bulb popped. “Show them your adorable smile so we can break some hearts.”

Chapter Nine

Tanner searched the throng of dancers. The banquet had started over an hour previously. As far as he knew, Macy wasn’t there yet. He leant back in his seat and crossed his ankles. Maybe she’d made good on her threat not to show up. Had he moved too fast? But fifteen years had seemed like ages to wait for her.

Silver and black crêpe paper dangled in sweeping arcs from the exposed rafter beams. The disco ball over the DJ stand threw rainbows of light across the room and glinted off the metallic streamers blossoming on each table. Purple, pink, and blue lights swirled over his fellow classmates on the gym floor.

Berto scooted back in his chair and patted Remi’s thigh. “He’s looking for her.”

“No shit,” Tanner grumbled. “Stop talking about me as if I’m not right here.”

“Oh sure. Why didn’t you make a move back in school?” Remi asked. He wrapped his arm around Berto’s shoulders. “Hell, we all knew you had a thing for her.”

“Seems to me you fucked up,” Berto piled on.

“I did.” Tanner stared at the condensation on his plastic cup. “When we were alone, I had guts. I could be myself and she’d take me that way. She told me how it was and didn’t hold back. But there was always something missing.” He snorted. “I was jealous of you two.”

“Us?” Berto and Remi asked in tandem. Berto stared at Remi. “I told you he wanted that three-way, but you said no.”

“All you had to do was ask, honey.” Remi bobbed his brows. “We’d have shown you the way.”

“Three-way?” Tanner rolled his eyes. “Actually, yes, I was jealous of the threesome you three had. I wanted Macy and the tight friendship you shared. I just couldn’t shake my expectations. And it’s funny. The guys from the team haven’t even noticed I’m here. Well, no, Stafford noticed—asshole.”

Remi stood and strolled around the table. “You served your purpose and then they moved on. Kinda like what you did with Mace. She was a great friend in secret, but the moment you had to admit it, you couldn’t.”

“Maybe that moment hasn’t come yet.” He peeked at the main entrance one more time and averted his gaze. “Dumb-ass at six o’ clock.”

Stafford snorted and folded his arms when he reached their table, obviously having overheard the comment. Faith strode up behind Stafford in a crimson, strapless dress that accentuated her narrow waist. Sure, she looked good, but she wasn’t the woman Tanner wanted to visually grope. “Staff and I thought we’d find you pouting at your table. He just got here first.” She crinkled her nose. “I didn’t know you palled around with these two. They have whips, you know.”

“And we make good use of them,” Remi snapped. “I’d love to break you in.”

“Go find some friends who like you.” She waved her hand at Remi and Berto. “Or just leave.”

“I’d say leave.” Stafford grabbed a chair from an adjoining table and turned it backwards. “We need to talk.”

Berto and Remi sat down. “Oh, do talk,” they said in unison. Snorting, Remi added, “I’m sure the world wants to know the next intelligent thing to come from your mouth.”

“Fuck off,” Stafford snapped.

 
Faith perched on Tanner’s lap and pressed her ample breasts against his chest. The slit along the thigh of her dress opened to show more leg than he preferred to see. “She replaced you quick.” She nodded to the smoke-filled dance floor. “He’s a real looker, too.”

“Leave me alone, Staff. Faith, get off my lap.” He squirmed to follow Faith’s outstretched hand to where she pointed, across the room. Macy laughed in the arms of a dark-haired, handsome man. Hell, every woman within a forty-foot radius drooled over the guy, with his brooding smile and grace on the dance floor. Tanner’s heart dropped to his toes. The guy looked familiar, but where did Tanner know him from?

“Shit, Remi. She brought him.” Berto grabbed Remi’s hand. “Let’s mingle.”

“Don’t say we didn’t warn you. She’s trouble and you were smart to ditch her in high school.”

Tanner groaned as his friends left the table. Being with Faith didn’t satisfy anything. “Please leave. Let me enjoy the evening in peace.”

“You don’t want me to go.” Faith smoothed her hands over his lapels and hovered inches from his face. “You still want me.”

Before Macy, Faith would have elicited a response beneath his trousers. Now, no one held a candle to Macy—the woman who broke his heart. Tanner growled. “I’d rather fly solo and keep my pride intact.”

“So you
are
still angry about what happened in college. That was ages ago.” Her voice came out in a tinny whine. “Let it drop already.”

“You fucked the starting string of the football team while you claimed to be monogamous with me!” Tanner’s anger hit its peak and he stood, forcing her off his lap. Fury boiled in his blood. “Shit like that’s hard to forget.”

“Please.” Faith rolled her eyes and folded her arms. “Macy’s pulling the same
shit
and I’ll bet you’re ready to crawl on your knees to get her back. Grow a set like Stafford and move on.”

Stafford shrugged and stared at his folded hands. “Faith’s shit in the sack, but she’s got connections.”

Tanner raked his fingers through his hair. The truth. Finally. He dug his fingers into her waist. “You know, Faith, there’s something I’ve been meaning to say to you.”

“You still love me?” A coy smile built on her blood-red lips. She rubbed her ring finger. “I knew it. We’ll get married as soon as possible. I’m not squandering my chance this time.”