Ever Enough (8 page)

We made our way back to our table and sat down. I picked at my dinner roll, hoping it would settle my stomach but it was no use. Between knowing Finn was in the room and getting over my hangover, I couldn’t eat anything on my plate.

Harper noticed I wasn’t eating and asked if I was feeling okay. I wasn’t sure how to answer, so I told her I was fine and said I was still hung over from the previous night.

“Yeah, probably a good idea to stay away from the booze tonight hon. We don’t want to be carrying you out again. That would just give the triplet bitches ammo to talk.”

“Definitely no alcohol for me tonight, I’m sticking with the sparkling water.” I nodded in agreement.

A few more minutes passed without event. I refused to look up and scan the room for the one person that I knew was here and was watching me. I knew this because I felt the prickling sensations on my neck.

Harper and I were approached by a few classmates that we had been friendly with in school but who were never part of the crowd we spent most of our time with. We weren’t part of the popular group but when I started dating Finn, more people began to pay more attention to us. Since Finn and Kyler were both athletes, we immediately became connected to the jocks of the school. And since both boys played music, all of the musically inclined students also considered us friends. They were all pretty nice, well except for the few girls that would glare at Harper and I. Those girls were never as mean as the triplets, but some of the looks we used to get made me uncomfortable.

A little while later, after two of our old classmates had chatted with Harper about her blooming business and how well she was doing, I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

In that sultry deep voice from last night, Finn asked, “Are these seats taken?”

Closing my eyes tightly I took a deep breath, re-opened them and looked up at a smirking Finn. “No, you can sit there.” I’d hoped Kyler would take the seat next to me but of course I had no such luck. Finley planted himself in the chair beside me and I inhaled deeply. He smelled like he did at the bar the previous night; a spicy manly scent that was strictly
him
. My pulse was racing. I began my mantra to myself over and over; you can do this, you can do this.

Kyler sat in the seat next to Finn and began digging in to his food. “Hey Shorty, how are you feeling after getting wasted last night?”

This was
so
not what I wanted to talk about right now. I didn’t need a reminder of Finn carrying me out of the bar, or a reason for him to possibly want to talk about it. Pushing the thought away I decided to just focus on the question. “Fine, thank you. I ended up sleeping a bit late today and I’m still feeling somewhat queasy, but I’ll be better tomorrow I’m sure.” I went back to pushing around the green beans on my plate. With Finn sitting this close to me, I’d officially lost my appetite. I risked a glance up in his direction, and saw that he was watching me with furrowed brows.

Kyler laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so trashed Em. Even after that one time in high school when you gave Harper and lap dance and then jumped Finn’s bones in the backseat of my…” he trailed off when he noticed Harper giving him a ‘I’ll fuck you up if you say one more word’ death stare. “Shit, sorry I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“What? I’m not uncomfortable. It’s fine Kyler. Promise.” I gave him a small smile and moved on to picking at the mashed potatoes on my plate. I was intent on looking down because there was no way I could look at Finn. I felt my face flush ten shades of red. That was one of the million memories I had locked away never to be thought about again, and one that I’d safely tuck back away when I wasn’t sitting so close to Finn.

“What about you Harper, are you feeling okay?” Kyler was now smirking at her.

“Oh I’m definitely fine. I’ve had worse nights drinking than last night. I ended up spending part of the night staying up with party girl here,” she nudged me smiling “to make sure she didn’t throw up all over herself.”

“You got sick again?” Finn questioned, obviously feeling the need to interject. Awesome! He was acting like he cared.

“Yeah she got sick a few times but nothing a puke bucket and buddy couldn’t fix.”

Damn it. Why was Harper over sharing? I glared at her, my eyes conveying that she was going to be hearing it when we left. “It’s not a big deal. I shouldn’t have been drinking that much anyway. Harper took care of me and I’m good as new.” I kept my face down refusing to look him in the eye. I knew that’s what he wanted, but his concern wasn’t something I needed.

He leaned over and spoke next to my ear, making it so the other two couldn’t hear him. “Em, can you look at me and tell me you’re fine?”

Seriously, was this him caring? Just as I was about to look him in the face, I heard a couple of boisterous voices at our table. I looked up to see Michael Brant and Corey Landry slapping Kyler and Finley on the back.

“Good god look what the cat dragged in!” Michael, a high school football player and one of the guys that frequented the infamous parties, was grinning from ear to ear. He was a good looking guy back then and the girls all loved him. He was also quite the ladies man. Michael was given a football scholarship to Texas A&M, but he was involved in a motorcycle wreck the week before he was leaving for training, and injured his back. The doctors told him that if he played then he risked getting hit and becoming paralyzed. He ended up turning down the scholarship and went to some college in Florida. He got a degree in business and actually helped Harper start her realty company. She confessed to me a few months ago that they dated and slept together while they were working out the logistics, but they’d both since moved on and stayed good friends.

“Hey man, how’s it going?” Kyler was smiling a huge smile at Michael but it was quickly wiped away when Michael leaned in and gave Harper a hug and quick kiss on the cheek.

“I’m doing pretty good man! Went off to do the college thing and decided to come back home to get some of my shit squared away. Ended up using that degree I was given and started helping people get their new businesses off the ground. Turns out I’m pretty good at it so I decided to help start-up companies. I’m doing so well with it I actually just signed on my first house a few blocks from the high school, thanks to Harper!”

“Oh yeah?” Kyler didn’t look impressed. In fact he was now looking at Harper with disdain. “Harper seems to be good at a lot of
things
.”

I glanced at Harper and she looked like she was about to choke the life out of Kyler. What in the hell did he mean by that? Apparently I’d missed something. I thought about dragging her to the ladies room and beating it out of her but, she was still staring at Kyler.

“You bet your ass I’m good at a lot of
things.
One of those things being selling houses.” I’ve known Harper long enough to know that she was well and truly pissed. She turned her glare away from Kyler and plastered a smile on her face for Michael. “Are you settling in okay? I could stop by and suggest some paint colors or help remove some of that nasty seventies wallpaper
.
”

The smile that was on Ky’s face was wiped off and now he was fuming mad. Clearly deciding to ignore it he said, “Well congrats on the house man. And congrats on the booming business. I’d heard you were doing well.” Turning the attention away from Michael he spoke to Corey. “What about you man, how’re you doing?”

Corey was a quiet guy and had been that way in school. He was one of the few that married his high school sweetheart. They married shortly after high school and they both went to college close to home at Boise State. She went into dentistry and he graduated with a business degree. Callie currently had a dental office on the outskirts of town and Corey ended up going into business with Michael. He didn’t run their company but they worked well with him being second in command.

“I’m great! Business is going good with Michael, and Callie is at full capacity for patients. And we just found out we’re expecting our first child.” He was beaming.

“Holy shit dude, congratulations!” Kyler got up from his chair and shook Corey’s hand, bringing him in for one of those ‘guy hugs’. “I can’t wait to see the little crib midget!”

I noticed Finn was pretty quiet during this whole exchange. In fact neither he nor I had spoken since Michael and Corey had approached the table. I was relieved that I didn’t have to answer his question earlier, but when Corey announced his baby news I couldn’t help but notice that Finn had glanced over at me. I risked glance in his direction and we made eye contact. Why was he looking at me like that? I felt uncomfortable and yet I couldn’t look away from him. His tongue came out and licked his bottom lip. When he closed his mouth my eyes went back up to his. His pupils were dilated and he tracked me watching him. He opened his mouth like he was about to say something but I abruptly stood up from the table. My legs hit the table top causing some of the silverware to clang together and my napkin to fall to the floor. Everyone stopped talking and looked at me.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make so much noise. I’m just headed to the ladies room.” I could feel the heat creeping onto my face.

“You want me to come with Em?” Harper asked.

“Nah, I’m good stay and talk. I’ll be right back.” I wanted to ask her what was going on with Kyler but I needed to get my own shit sorted out. Harper watched me but nodded her head before I turned and walked away from the table.

I made a beeline for the ladies room I’d seen outside the banquet door. I was relieved to see that the triplet bitches were no longer manning it; they must’ve gone inside to torture someone else. I walked into the bathroom and found a stall. Thankfully I was the only one there so at least I had some peace to freak out. Locking the stall door, I leaned my back against it and let out the breath I’d been holding. I had no idea what that was out there but it about did me in. Why did Finn have to look at me like that? His eyes seemed so intense. When he licked his lips I thought I was going to melt into a puddle. He was
not
supposed to be bringing out these feelings in me. I collected my thoughts. I just needed to get through this night and then I would go back home to Weston on Monday.

Fuck! Weston!

I hadn’t even thought about him this afternoon while staring into Finn’s eyes, and that wasn’t acceptable. I couldn’t do that staring swoony thing with him. I needed to push whatever this was out of my head, and get through the next couple of hours like an adult. An adult that had been married for eight years and felt nothing for her high school boyfriend.

With a new sense of resolve I stepped out of the stall, washed my hands and walked out of the bathroom. Just as I turned out of the door I ran right into a hard chest. I looked up and saw Finn standing in front of me.

“Are you okay?”

And there went my new resolve.

“I’m fine, why do you ask?” I was wringing my hands together. “I just had to pee. Can’t I pee without people checking on me?” For fuck sake I’m not even drunk tonight and I can’t shut my mouth.

He smirked… the bastard was smirking at me?! “Of course you can pee without being checked on but I thought you looked a little pale. You got up and left so abruptly I thought I’d make sure you didn’t need anything.”

“Nope”, I said, popping the ‘p’ in the word. “I’m all good. Shall we go back inside?” I started to walk away but Finn grabbed my hand to stop me. Oh god, what his touch did to me. I felt something in that slight touch that I hadn’t felt in ten years and it was a shock to that dormant part of my heart. It was a feeling that West had never been able to invoke. Finn’s large hand holding my smaller one sent tingles all over my body and my breathing picked up, causing my chest to rise and fall. His eyes wandered down to my cleavage and back up to my face. I shook my head and tried to clear my head of the sensations. Clearing my throat I asked, “Was there something else?”

He paused watching my face for a long moment, “Well I guess not, other than I wanted to see if you would like to dance later.”

As much as I knew it wasn’t in my best interests to let Finn hold me that close, once he gave me that heart-stopping smile, I knew there was no way I could tell him no. “Of course.”

He let go of my arm and allowed his hand to drift to my lower back leading us inside the banquet. This was
so
not a good idea!

When we got back inside and made our way to our table, we walked right into the middle of a conversation Michael, Corey, Harper, and Callie were having about some of the stupid things Kyler had done in high school. They were all laughing so hard that Harper and Callie were doubled over, holding their stomachs.

“Oh my god dude, you remember that time senior year Ky tried to superglue his hand to Mary’s boobs?” Michael said between catching his breath laughing. “He’d slept with her at a party the weekend before and he said her rack was so awesome he wanted to be attached to them permanently?”

Ky looked like he was in a dream state. “Those were some great boobs. And I would have done it if someone hadn’t ratted me out to coach.” He sighed. “Eh, glad I never went through with it though. I’ve seen better since then.”

Corey was chuckling, holding on to Callie’s waist while she had her hand over her mouth hiding her smile. Michael pushed it a step further. “Yeah I bet you have. Living in Los Angeles you and Finn probably see some pretty hot women. You two must have a new one every night! I’ve heard women throw themselves at musicians out there.”