AIDYN
Garrett steps closer,his hands balled into fists. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Lanie gasps and tugs on my arm. “How about some punch, Da?”
I shake my head, not taking my eyes off the man in front of me. I’m interested in punch, just not the drink. I’ve wanted to punch this man for way too long.
My offhanded remark isn’t anything new. Garrett doesn’t prioritize his family, and that’s a fact. He can’t even make it home for Christmas. But the glare he turns on me is filled with…passion. Which is an odd way to think of it. Rage. Hurt. Pain. Those are more accurate, but my mind is stuck on how passionate he is.
Lanie tugs again on my arm. She adores her uncle. This is why I’m so angry. He could make it home more often to see us. No, not us. Lanie.
Garrett gathers himself and stretches out his elegant fingers. Not calloused like someone who actually works for a living. He takes a deep breath. The minute he’s back in control, he smiles ruefully at Lanie. “Sorry, Tato.”
The way he turns it off and on heats my blood. I go from simmering to boiling over in an instant. It’d be nice to be able to do that. Tuck away my anger. Put away my grief. He gives me a forced smile, and I want to shove his perfect teeth down the back of his throat. And don’t get me started on the damn nickname he has for my child. Sure, it was cute when she was two, and he’d throw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Lanie would giggle her head off. But now, it’s not so damn cute.
She smiles at him. A rare honest smile that I don’t seem to get anymore, and I want to push him out of the way so he can’t hurt her again. “It’s okay, Uncle Garrett. I’m just glad you’re here.”
“Lanie,” I say, and she glances up at the sharp tone in my voice. I try to soften it. “I’ve changed my mind. Can ya get your uncle and me some punch? Take your time, lass. We have some discussing to do.”
“Da—” Her eyes plead with me to be good. And I plan on it. A few words never hurt anyone.
“Go on now.”
She glances at Garrett, and he nods, giving her an encouraging smile. Lanie sighs and walks away. But she glances back at us a few times and almost runs into a server.
Garrett watches her and then glares at me. “It’s my sister’s wedding, Aidyn. You could at least try to be civil.”
He uses my first name like his own personal weapon. I let my anger take over. Not completely, though, because he’s right. I can’t make a scene. Jane would murder me. “You’re the one who was practically yelling.”
“What can I say? You bring out my best side.”
I snort at that. “That’s your best, eh? I wouldn’t want to see your worst.”
“If you have something to say, Christy, just fucking say it already so I can enjoy my Jane’s wedding.” His voice is calm. But his eyes remind me of a storm. So full. So passionate. Theword hits me again like a smack in the face. I’ve felt nothing but sadness for so long. Anger. Annoyance. Yes. But not this overwhelming need to do something. Like crush our mouths together?—
My breath catches at the thought and my chest locks up. What the hell? I don’t think of Garrett like that. Not since the day we met. He was so gorgeous standing by the bar, and I’d never thought of a man like that before. We’d started playing darts. But then Emily showed up. Sweet, beautiful, fierce Emily. The interest I thought I’d seen in Garrett’s eyes was gone when he introduced me to his sister.
“So this is how it’s going to be?” he asks, and I realize I never answered him. “Whatever. Forget it. That’s what I get for trying.”
He turns as if to leave, and I grab his arm. Touching him is a mistake because now all I want to do is touch him. What the hell is wrong with me? He shoots daggers at me, and the fire is still there as he yanks his arm away. “Just leave me?—”
But his words are lost as I let go and his arm flies back and hits the cake behind him.
The wedding cake.
As I watch in horror, bits of cake and icing take flight. He’s only clipped the top layer, so maybe it can be saved.
My vision narrows to the icing sliding down his clenched fist. I spent hours on that cake. Rage fueled by adrenaline pumps through my body, and I can’t control it. Can’t stop it.
“You fucking bastard!” I push him, not hard, but he must be off balance already because he starts to fall. And the rest of the obscenities get caught in my throat as he grabs my arm and takes me down with him.
We crash into the table, and then it’s done. The table lays uselessly on its side next to us. I’m on top of Garrett, and his arm is around me, for some reason, as I lie on his chest. Cake iseverywhere. Including on top of Garrett and me. I stare at him in shock as other sounds filter in. Jane yelling. The gasps of the crowd.
I keep my head down. I don’t want to see the fury in Jane’s eyes. Or the disappointment in Lanie’s.
“Great job, Aidyn,” Garrett says. “You’ve managed to fuck everything up. As usual.”
And just like that, my anger is back and aimed at the right person. “Piss off, you wanker.” Grabbing a handful of cake, I slam it into his annoying face.
