I jogged to the car and slammed the door, watching as my mother shook her head as she came down the stairs.
My mother hadn’t brought any men home after she’d had my sister, probably because she didn’t want to introduce them to a small child and make herself seem less fun in their eyes.
My mother’s boyfriends had never touched me because my grandmother would never leave me alone with any of them, but a few had looked like they’d wanted to when I was around Taylor’s age.
Jared’s slimy stare had brought back that gross, dirty feeling that had always made my skin crawl.
If she thought she was bringing her parade of losers near my sister, she’d lost what was left of her mind. I’d have to call Aunt Lucy to get in touch with her lawyer and maybe get a restraining order going.
I texted Mrs. Ruiz as the cab turned onto the highway, letting her know my mother had stopped by and to keep an eye out if she tried to get inside.
Mrs. Ruiz:DON’T THINK ABOUT THAT WOMAN. HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL DRESS AND GET SOME.
The driver’s head whipped to mine when I let out a cackle. She never knew how to take caps off to text, but I could hear her yelling. She’d always hated my mother for what she’d put my grandmother and me through, and she’d adored my sister ever since she was a baby.
My small circle was good. A bad seed from the past wouldn’t ruin it. Being around a handsome man all night who drove me to reckless distraction didn’t seem so bad anymore.
It seemed like a beautiful escape, as long as I remembered not to run too far.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
SILAS
“Why are you so tense?”Lee asked me as he handed me a bottle of beer, studying me while he leaned back on the bar.
“I’m not tense,” I said all too quickly as I tipped the bottle back for a long pull.
“You’re full of it, but can I guess why?” Lee smirked around his own beer as he took a sip.
“If I said no, would it stop you?”
He leaned back on the counter and shrugged. “Probably not. You’re tense about seeing your reporter friend.”
“She’s not a reporter. She’s a writer for the PR agency.”
“So, you’re telling me I’m right?”
“I didn’t say that. Just clarifying who she was. You know I hate these things. I hated them in Washington where PR wasn’t this…” I trailed off, not sure what word to use for all the extra show we had to put on for the Bats in comparison to our old team.
“This…intentional,” Lee finished for me. “You had PR responsibilities back then too, but they were mostly keeping your nose clean and no bad press. Here is all about the face time, I get it. Remember that one gala in Washington?” Lee laughed to himself. “Katie tried so hard to win that purse on silent auction.”
I turned, taking a break from scanning the crowd for my “reporter friend,” whom I wouldn’t admit I was looking for.
“I remember. She was so determined that she didn’t even eat dinner so she could stand by and watch.” I smiled as Lee exhaled a sad chuckle. His wife had passed away after their daughter had turned two, and although she’d been gone for almost four years, his eyes would still gloss over whenever he said Katie’s name.
“But so far, I see nothing different from those awards dinners. There are no photo ops or anything out of the ordinary. But if seeing her tonight isn’t making you tense?—”
“It’s not,” I insisted, picking up the bottle and tipping it all back, the extra alcohol not taking the edge off like I’d hoped.
Seeing Rachel only at a distance after having that incredible taste of her, a taste I’d resolved to never have again because I’d never planned to see her again, wore on me in ways I couldn’t understand.
All those reasons I’d avoided getting involved with anyone didn’t seem so important right now, or maybe I just didn’t give a shit anymore. But hers hadn’t changed, and this sort of working relationship we’d fallen into had made the temptation for more even worse.
I either accepted it or did something about it, and I couldn’t figure out how to do either.
“Then watching her cozy up with Becker shouldn’t bother you, right?”
My head snapped to his. “What are you talking about?”
