Almost Beautiful, page 11
Her eyes filled with tears. “I know. You’re right. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. I acted impulsively in a moment of desperation. He was there, and ... he agreed to help me if I had coffee with him.”
I closed my eyes. “Abby.” I took a deep breath. “Tell me you didn’t.”
I looked at her, my stare probably more severe than I’d wanted it to be toward my wife. Tears toppled over her lower lashes and streamed down her face. Every muscle in my body tensed as I waited for her answer, on edge about her news and that she was upset.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
I let out a sigh. “Goddamn it, Pidge.”
“I didn’t go because I wanted to. I don’t want to be anywhere near him.”
“Then why?” I yelled. She winced, and I stood, pissed that I wasn’t handling the situation better. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to yell, but damn it, Pidge.” I began to pace, my hands perched on my hips. “Do you know how satisfying it must’ve been for that piece of shit? That you agreed to spend any time with him alone at all?”
“I know. I’m sorry, Travis. I did go, but I left. I left before the coffee was even on the table, the second I got a better idea.”
I stopped to look at her. “You met him there, right?” My heart felt like it was about to blow right outta my chest. “You didn’t get in his car with him.”
Her face paled. “He drove.”
I looked away, trying not to lash out. “That’s just fucking great. Parker Hayes on a lunch date with my wife!”
“I ubered back to campus when I realized I didn’t need him.”
“Why in the fuck would you need him, Abby? You don’t need him!”
She held up her hands, attempting to calm me down. “I know. I know that now. I was considering borrowing money for a bribe, but …”
I turned to her, feeling my anger about to boil over. “I don’t want my wife owing Parker Hayes anything! Do you hear me?”
“I know. I know, and I’m so sorry, but I was desperate, Travis! I can’t lose you!” she cried.
We were both breathing hard. Her cheeks were soaked with tears. I’d never seen her so frantic. She was screaming that she loved me and needed me and all I could think about was my damn ego. My shoulders sagged. “But you left?”
“I’m so sorry,” she said, wiping both cheeks with her wrists. “I feel terrible. I would never intentionally embarrass or hurt you. It was what I thought I had to do at the time, but I should’ve thought it through. I was wrong, and stupid, and I wish I could take it back.”
I blinked a few times, realizing this was the first time she’d fucked up. She was the one in trouble for once. I sat next to her and frowned, trying my best to look stern. “It better not happen again, Pidge. I mean it.”
She shook her head. “It won’t.”
“I can’t believe you did that,” I said, my voice thick with disappointment. Her bottom lip quivered, and she burst into tears again.
I couldn’t take it anymore. “It’s okay,” I said, sitting next to her. “It’s okay, Pigeon, I’m not that mad.”
Her entire body shook as she sobbed. “I know you’re disappointed. I’m disappointed in myself.”
I cupped her cheeks in my hand, forcing her to look at me. “Don’t you know?”
She sniffed, shaking her head. “I hate disappointing you.”
“There is nothing you could ever do to make me think less of you. You think I don’t know what’s at stake if the Feds find out the truth? We’re not in the clear, yet. How can I blame you for doing whatever it takes to keep me home?”
She turned, kissing my palm. “I was so stupid, Travis.”
“You are many things, Pigeon, but never stupid.” I leaned in to press my lips to hers, and she pulled me closer.
I could feel her hot tears smear on my cheeks, her soft tongue caressing mine. For the first time, I realized Parker was a pointless source of contention. He was no more a threat than her ex, Jesse. She felt the same for me as I did her, and that kind of crazy love led to irrational behavior at best. But she didn’t want him. It was me and her, and no one else. A switch flipped in me, and it took that moment to finally realize all the jealousy I’d felt was pointless.
I was going to ignore that Parker tried to take advantage ... for now.
“You came up with another plan?”
“I did. It’s risky, but the benefit outweighs any risk. Parker let it slip that Justin and Ricky are in major debt. They show up to the Sig Tau poker nights.”
My brows pulled together. “Those games get insane, especially when the rich kids like Parker are at the table.”
“Yes, but I’ll win. They’re going to owe me, Travis, and then we don’t have to pay them anything.”
“What do you mean? I thought you said you were done?”
“This is important. If you’re okay with it, I think it’s the best option.”
I thought for minute, wondering if keeping me out of the local school paper was worth Abby going against the one thing she’d promised herself she’d never do again. “I don’t know, Pigeon. You said …”
“I know what I said!” she yelled, covering her eyes with one hand. Her next words were quieter. “I know what I said.” She put her hand on my knee. “But if I can do it for my loser father, I can do it for you. Please, Travis. Don’t argue with me. I feel helpless and it’s making me crazy. Just … let me do this.”
I glared at the television, and then looked at my wife. “You’re sure?”
She nodded.
“Okay.”
“Really?” She sniffed.
I wiped her cheeks with my thumbs. “Just you and me against the world, right, Pidge?”
She managed a small, tired smile. “You bet your ass it is.”
I planted a kiss on her mouth, her cheeks still wet from her tears. She pulled away, and then crawled into my lap. I held her tight, her head fitting perfectly between my neck and shoulder.
“Do you forgive me?” she whispered.
“That’s what marriage is, right? Love, patience, and infinite second chances.”
Chapter Twelve
Cake
Abby
I GLANCED OVER THE CONTENTS inside the glass casing. As my mouth watered, I wondered which cake Travis would like best.
After almost an hour, I had finally narrowed my choices to just three: yellow cake with chocolate frosting, Neapolitan cake, also with chocolate frosting, or wedding cake.
Travis had made a fuss over the tiny cake at our wedding in Vegas, so I knew he liked white on white, too.
“Jesus Christ, Abby, pick one already,” America said, bored. She pulled a string of pink gum from her mouth and wrapped it around her finger. “I hate to think how long it took you to choose a wedding cake if it’s taking you this long to pick one for a casual birthday party for Travis.”
I didn’t take my eyes off the contents of the case, which included tiered cakes, cupcakes, round cakes, and rectangles, all decorated as differently as any personality one could imagine. “A wedding cake is for guests. This is for Travis. It has to be right.”
“You didn’t have guests,” she said, rolling her eyes. “So, yeah, if you had no guests, I see how it would be an easy choice. Ya know—if you’d bothered to invite anyone who wanted to be there, anyone who expected to be included in the biggest day of your life. Like your best friend.”
I wrinkled my nose. “What the hell, Mare? Why are you so cranky?”
She put her gum back in her mouth and then crossed her arms. “They’re not going for it.”
“Who isn’t going for what?”
“My parents. They said if Shep and I move in together, they won’t pay for my college.”
I was stunned.
America’s parents weren’t exactly pushovers, but they’d always made a point to support whatever truly made their daughter happy.
If America wanted to continue to attend college, I couldn’t imagine what the difference was. America spent the night with Shepley almost every night.
“I’m ... I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
She shrugged. “How could you?”
“I’m surprised, actually.”
“Well … your wedding scared them. They think if we move in together, we’ll run off and get married. I’m not saying it’s your fault, it’s just the truth.”
I hugged her. “I’m sorry. I really am, Mare.”
“It’s just that … I’m going back to Wichita for summer break. Shep’s freaking out a little. I am, too ... and I know how that sounds, okay? I’m not the type to care if I spend three months away from a guy. Normally it would be a breath of fresh air. But I don’t want to miss him. Ever since we broke up ... it’s just different, you know? I really, really love him, Abby.”
I gave her a squeeze and then held her far enough away to look into her eyes. “Stay with us, Mare. You do, anyway.” I smiled. “It will be fun.”
She shook her head. “They won’t let me.”
“Why?” I asked, frustrated.
“I told you, they’re scared. Dad said he doesn’t want us getting too serious too fast. I understand their concern, but it just sucks.”
“You could still do it, you know. Get a job, and we’ll move your things.”
America’s eyes glossed over. “Easy for you to say. You have a scholarship or five. They pay for my tuition. If I want that to continue, I have to follow their rules.”
“Fair enough. But you can come visit on the weekends, right? They’ll at least let you come see me.”
“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” She released me, wiping her nose. She smiled and shook her head. “God. This is stupid. There are much worse things happening in the world.”
“Not to you, and not right now. It’s okay to be upset about being apart from Shep for three months. You’re right. It does suck.”
She smirked. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Not making me feel like an asshole.”
I made a face. “That wasn’t intentional. You’re still an asshole.”
America playfully elbowed me as a woman behind the counter stepped in front of us with a smile.
I pressed my index finger against the glass, pointing to the white cake. “It should say, Happy 20th Birthday, Travis.”
“Actually,” America said. “Can you make it say Happy 20th Fucking Birthday, Travis?”
The woman smiled. “Sounds like a fun party.”
I mirrored her expression. “It will be.”
“Kegs. Ice. Cups. Music. Cake ...” I said, pointing at the various stations. “We’re missing something. I feel like we’re missing something.”
America crossed her arms, nowhere near my level of stress. “If you’re comparing with years past, I’d say you’re missing at least two dozen sluts.”
I shot her a look. “Funny.”
America giggle-snorted, and then walked across the room, picking up a small balloon and touching it to her lips. Her cheeks bulged; her face turned red.
I looked at my watch. “Less than an hour.” I glanced outside. “Why isn’t anyone here, yet?”
“Spring training,” America said.
I hissed the word fuck under my breath, and then froze when I heard a commotion just outside the door.
“I said no! Stop! Fucking stop, Travis!” Shepley said as he fell backward through the door and onto the living room floor.
Travis stood in the doorway, breathing hard, a wide, triumphant grin on his face. “Honey, I’m home!”
My mouth fell open, and in what felt like slow motion, I scream the word No!
“Why is he here?” America asked her boyfriend, accusation in her voice.
Shepley stood up and brushed himself off, red-faced and annoyed. “The second I tried to get him to go anywhere but home, he knew, okay? I did my best!”
Travis smirked, but his expression fell away when he saw mine.
“You couldn’t have just pretended? You had to force your way in here to ruin all my plans?” I whined. I wasn’t going to try to pretend. It was unfair.
“Baby,” Travis said, shoving Shepley to the side as he walked toward me, arms out.
“No,” I said, pushing him away. “Don’t touch me. Don’t!” I said, sulking. “Do you know how long I’ve been planning this? I didn’t run around trying to ruin my surprise party!”
“No,” Travis said, encapsulating me in his thick, inked arms. “Parker ruined it.”
I frowned, pushing him away. “I was still surprised! You still pulled it off. Get off me!”
Travis leaned in to kiss my cheek. “I wanted to come home and see my wife, who I knew was working hard to make my birthday special.”
“And then you ruined it!” I snarled, still shoving him. I didn’t bother trying too hard. Travis didn’t budge.
America hugged Shepley, and then kissed his cheek. “Do you ever get tired of him getting you in trouble?”
Shepley smoothed his hair, his brow furrowed. “He would have stolen my car and left me in the parking lot had I not jumped in the passenger side.”
“Aw!” America said, unable to stop from giggling.
Shepley’s arms were crossed, and he tried to pull away from his girlfriend—also, not very hard.
Travis grabbed my jaw and forced me to look at him. Once our eyes met, I stopped struggling.
“Thank you, baby,” he said, smooching my already protruding lips. He let me go, and I felt a bit disorientated from the kiss and my futile struggle.
Someone knocked on the door, and a second later, Jason Brazil opened it and walked through, abruptly stopping when he saw Travis standing amid the half-decorated apartment. “Oh. Damn. Are we late?”
“Yeah,” I said, throwing a balloon at Travis. “And he’s in trouble.”
“I am not,” Travis said, half playful, half annoyed.
“Is the, um,” Brazil stuttered, “the, uh ... the party still on?”
“Yes. I can’t exactly cancel ten minutes before forty people are supposed to be here,” I grumbled.
“Forty?” Travis said. “Is that all?”
“Minus the sluts,” America explained, straight-faced.
Travis wasn’t amused.
A couple of girls walked in behind Brazil, overly fake-baked, layers upon layers of makeup, and double D implants bulging from their tight V-neck Ts.
“April Fools’!” America said. “The sluts have arrived.”
“Uh … this is Alexis,” Brazil said, pointing to one. “Tabitha, Meg, and Bonnie.”
“Of course,” America said.
“Easy, babe,” Shepley said.
The carbon copy sorority sisters wrinkled their noses at America but, after that, paid her little attention. They followed Brazil as he hunted for the keg tap, and then laughed when he held it high in the air.
“Found it!” he said, waving it around like a toddler with a toy on the playground.
Brazil and his friends helped finish decorating by blowing up balloons and stringing streamers.
More people arrived and joined in. The more Travis helped, the more disappointed I became. Not in him—but in myself.
I had a famous poker face. I could hustle Vegas veterans for tens of thousands but couldn’t pull off a small surprise birthday party for my husband.
As the sun set, the last of the guests arrived. Trenton limped in with Camille on his good arm. She moved slowly, still sore from the accident. She’d suffered a concussion, bearing black stitches along her hairline. I was surprised she was there at all.
Trenton helped remove her coat, slowly and gently. His lime green cast was covered in black ink, some signatures, but mostly drawings.
“Want some help?” Travis asked.
“I got it,” Trenton said, winking at Camille. “I always take care of my girl.”
“Even one-handed, still does it better than anyone else,” she said, kissing his cheek once he was finished. “Thank you.”
Trenton turned to hug his little brother. “Happy birthday, ass hat!”
“Hey,” Camille said, hugging me. “Looks great.”
“You didn’t have to come. You were just in the hospital for a major car accident. I know you’re not feeling the best and you’re still healing.”
“Yeah, we’ve both got a long way to go. But we wouldn’t miss it. And it’s kind of nice to get out of the house.”
“Trenton said you’ve been getting migraines.”
“The meds help. But to be honest, I probably won’t be able to stay long. We’re just stopping by for a sec. I know it’s probably … awkward for everyone.”
I gave her the nicest smile I could manage—which was dry at best—and then watched Travis hug her gently.
“Looking good, Cami! Glad you made it,” he said. He turned to Trenton. “And that has to be the coolest fucking cast I’ve ever seen.”
Trenton held up his arm, turning it back and forth to show off the artwork. “Yeah, I got bored.”
“You did that?” I asked, surprised. “That’s incredible.”
He shrugged. “It was kind of fun. Like starting all over. It’s itchy as fuck under there, though. Driving me insane.”
Travis hooked his arm around his brother’s neck. “I really appreciate you guys being here. Love you, brother.” He kissed Trenton’s head and then grabbed my hand. “Can I talk to you a minute?”
“Is everything okay?” I asked as he pulled me into the bathroom.
“Can you please—for me—be nice to Cami?”
My eyebrows shot up. I felt instantly defensive. “I didn’t say a damn thing to her, Trav. I was nice.”
“I know … you’re just … I mean this in the nicest way possible. You suck at faking it with Cami, which is weird considering your gift of indifference.”
“I’m trying. How do you do it? How can you act like she didn’t do what she did?”
“It was an accident, Pidge.”
“I’m not talking about the wreck, and you know it.”
Travis sighed. “Trenton loves her. She loves him, too. She makes him happy. C’mon. We’ve had our problems and she’s not a bitch to you.”
