“Something tells me Victoria’s mom will sort it out.”
“Mm-hmm.” I’m sure my aunt will be all over it as soon as she hears what happened. The thing is, I don’t want to be in the wedding, not like this. If she’d asked me months ago, I’d have been thrilled, honored really, but being the alternate and only used because she needs a body to fill in? Well, it stings. No, thank you.
“Why’d you do it?” Alec’s brows are furrowed, concern written all over his face.
“Do what?”
“Get in the middle of them?”
That’s a good question. “I just reacted.”
“Why?”
“Well, I kept thinking that it would be terrible if Vicky ended up with a black eye or worse on her wedding day.”
“You mean like having a four-inch scratch on her face?”
I smirk. “Yeah, like that.”
“She could have covered a black eye up with makeup, right?”
Probably. “I love Vicky. She’s like a sister to me, even though she doesn’t feel the same about me. I didn’t want her to look terrible on her big day. She doesn’t deserve that. And Chrissie is a witch on wheels.”
“All right, come on.” He pats my knee. “Let me get you home so we can sort out that scratch on your face.”
“Okay.”
Alec shuts my door to his rental car. His door opens, and I watch him fold his big body into his seat. “What’s your address?”
The ride to my parents’ house in Oak Park is quiet and seems to be taking longer than usual.
“There’s a lot of traffic,” I say to break the silence.
“Cubs game tonight. Probably just got out.”
“Ah, right.”
“What caused the fight in the first place?”
“Uh, I’m not exactly sure what happened for the first swing to be thrown, but it had something to do with Chrissie and your brother.”
“Anthony?” He looks over at me, his eyes round with surprise. “That’s news to me.”
“Callie told me as we waited for the police to finish their questioning.” Did I forget to mention that part? Well, the manager of the club called the police as soon as the tussle started. They arrived not long after Alec pulled me from the fray. “Chrissie confessed to having slept with Anthony. It was years before he and Vicky got together, but the fact that the two of them didn’t bother to tell Vicky is problematic. Except, from the looks of things, Vicky isn’t upset with Anthony, not in the least. She blames Chrissie for the entire thing. Not that she shouldn’t be mad at Chrissie for not being forthcoming, but the same should be true for your brother. It takes two to tango, am I right?”
The low rumble of Alec’s laugh fills the rental car. I’ve kind of gotten used to the sound of his laugh, but I’m not sure I care for it right this minute. “What’s so funny?”
“You are.”
“Me?” My voice sounds a bit squeaky.
He repeats my words. “It takes two to tango.”
“It does.” I cross my arms and slump in my seat but regret it. My ribs hurt, as does my ankle. When Alec pulls up in front of the brick bungalow that has been in my family forever, I pull the handle on the door. “Thanks for the lift.”
“Lift?” He smirks.
I pause in my seat. Looking back at him, I explain, “It’s what they say in old movies. I love old movies.”
