Ava shakes her head as if I’ve got it wrong. “Isn’t your mother in a newrelationship?”
“I’m not sure if you can call what Mom and Brad have a relationship. He’s her ‘hot yoga’ instructor—as in yoga with a side of steamy and not hot in the traditional oh-my-God-he’s-so-good-looking sense. Brad reminds me a little of a toad. Have I mentioned they do it naked with a group of twenty others?Itbeing yoga.” Yes, my mother can out-hippy Gwen any day of the orthopedic sandal week. My mother may be loaded, but she’s all about keeping it crunchy—as in granola. I give my phone a quick check. “Besides, don’t worry about me or my future love life. I’ll be getting my needs more than met.” I frown over at Lucky. “And before you start gifting me dildos, I happen to have a flesh and blood male in mind. In fact, I have a date with one of those penis slinging primates in less than ahalfhour.”
“What?” they balk inunison.
Lucky growls low like thunder, and a part of me appreciates her viral anger. It almost matches my own. “Who, what, where, when, andwhythe hell is thishappening?”
“I’m going to kill the asshole,” Ava pants breathless with her own level of rage, and both Lucky and I gawk at her because, quite frankly, we had no idea that an expletive was a part of herlexicon.
“Knox Toberman at the Black Bear in t-minus twenty-nine minutes. I’m betting Justin and his brand new shiny whore will be there as well, so I guess in a way it qualifies as a double date!” I give it all the mock enthusiasm I can. Thank God I speak fluent sarcasm-ease or this entire process might have been hella painful. In truth, I’d rather eat a bucket full of live coals than put myself through any of this, but Justin has pissed on my love parade, and now he’s going to havetopay.
“Knox?” Ava shakes her head in disbelief once again. “As in his-girlfriend-just-left-him-for-your-boyfriendKnox?”
“Hold up.” Lucky strums a dark laugh. “The two of you are headed to the Black Bear, and you think the couple that shall not be named will be there too?Andyou happen to think this is a good idea? You’re not packing,areyou?”
“I’m packing, all right, but it’s not bullets I’m about to riddle him with. If Justin wants to have the talk, I don’t see why it couldn’t happen with my new faux fuck buddy bymyside.”
Ava groans like she might be sick. “You’re both hurt, you’re both going through something horrible right now, but emotions are running high. I’m pretty sure the only thing a sit-down at the Black Bear is going to do is blow up inyourface.”
“You’re right.” I step in front of the mirror and apply a little gloss that’s sitting on the dresser. “I’m hoping tonight’s reunion of the exes is going to do exactly that—blow up in their faces. That walking dildo and that blonde demon deserve to have a few ex-missiles launched their way.” I turn around and face them with my heart pounding, my adrenaline at its peak. “Are you just going to sit around and judge me? Or are youbitchesin?”
Ava and Lucky take a moment to takeitin.
“We’re in,” Ava says it with hesitation, and yet that look of solidarity on her face lets me know she’s on my side no matter how many bad moves I’m willing to make. But I’m not afraid of making any bad moves. I’ve already crested the biggest mistake of my life, and his name was JustinCramer.
It’s time to make a few fresh mistakes, starting with KnoxToberman.
* * *
The Black Beargleams like a drunken coed oasis with its steady stream of girls in short skirts flooding in and out of the establishment. The guys are usually tucked deep in the back playing pool, too cool to be seen dancing to the 12 Deadly Sins. But tonight is Mexican night, thus the sombrero sitting snug on the oversized bear that’s situated outside the saloon. I walked over with Ava and Lucky, the three of us boiling in our hate-filled juices for everything Justin has put me through all these years. Sure, we’ve been rocky at times, but neither of us has ever made out with a blonde skank before. The guy had red lipstick smeared from ear-to-ear as if she had the power to turn him into the undead—and they were eating one another’s faces, blood and gore and all. Theywouldbe that stupid. Any zombie worth his soulless salt understands the rudimentary rules of engagement. You don’t let other people eat your face off. Nevertheless, Justin and Super Skank make stupid humans as well. I mean, making out in the broom closet of your girlfriend’s sorority while she’s dealing with an idiot in the very next room? Not that I’m convinced that Knox is such an idiot anymore. And what about Oblivious Jen? Going at it hot and heavy while your ultra-hot boyfriend chases me around the room all night? Whoa. I stop shy of the foyer as we make our wayinside.
First, that ultra-hot comment was simply a factual observation. Nothing more, nothing less. Second, he did not technically chase me around the room all night. He was merely trying to warn me of the evils of my insignificant other. Had I been in a non-irritated frame of mind, I would have gladly opened my stubborn self up to what he had to say. It’s clear that Justin was tossing out the asshole vibes into the universe before I evercaughtthem.
“There they are.” Lucky points to the back and my stomach boils in its own acids. But to my quasi-relief, it’s not Justin and the nitwit she’s pointing to. It’s the boys, Rush, Eli, some dude I don’t recognize, and, of course, Grant, Lawson,andKnox.
Ava gives me a quick hug. “My eyes will be glued on you all night. Don’t let that idiot hurt you any more than healreadyhas.”
“Nobody will be hurting me anymore.” True as God. Because I won’t give them the opportunity to. “I’m the one that does all the hurting from hereonout.”
The music starts up as the live band takes the stage. Blake, the lead, gives the crowd a rousing welcome and dedicates the next song to his favorite girl, Annie. It’s a love song, one that I used to listen to, weepy and lovesick over the fact Justin was clear across the country on the opposite coast. And to think, I was actually paranoid that he might be cheating on me behind my back in California with all those beautiful blonde skanks, and here he flew back home to cheat on me in front of my facewithone.
Ava and Lucky head to the back and I spot Knox heading my way. I’d smile or scowl at him, but I’m too busy scanning the tables for my newfound, latest, greatest, and certainly last ex. I’m done with boys and all their noise. Not that I’m going after the female demographic either. If you have a beating heart, and you can break mine, I want nothing to dowithyou.
“Hey.” Knox comes up on me quicker than expected and I jump a little as I turn his way. His eyes connect with mine with a nuclear fission, something alarmingly bonding, and I can feel the room warble around us for a moment, the music turns into a demonic chant as if reality outside of the two of us considered erasing itself. A part of me wishes itwould.
“Hey, yourself.” He’s casual tonight, flannel over a T-shirt even though it’s still eighty degrees outside. A pair of worn jeans with a hole in the knee sits at his hips. All that wear and tear on his Levi’s looks to be the real deal, not some manufactured destruction they put out by the dozensthesedays.
Knox offers a pained smile, and something about the hurt hiding in his eyes makes this feel like a pity party more than it does some magnificent bout ofpayback.
“Let’s get a few things straight,” I start. “Once we make our presence known, you’re not just my best friend. You’re my whatever the hell I need you to be. If I need a kiss, you’re giving it to me. If I want an arm around my waist, then that’s where it’ll be. Get it? Got it? Good. Anyquestions?”
His lips purse as he gives my body a sober inspection. “I’mgood.”
Figures. Boys have always looked at me as if I were a piece of red bloody steak they couldn’t wait to sink their teeth into. Of course, Justin looked at me that way once, and that’s exactly what started us on this crazy train tobeginwith.
“They’re over there.” He nods to the left of the band, in a dark corner in what appears to be a private alcove. “You called it. I didn’t think they’d have the nerve to show, but apparently, they’ve got plenty ofballs.”
I smirk at the thought. “Justin’s balls are the size of peanuts. He might have them, but they’re too small to do him any favors. I hope that cow he’s hooked up with doesn’t plan on grazing down south. There’s not much for her tonoshon.”
