“I would ask him for his number right now without even seeing his face, but he was obviouslywayinto you, Kerra.”
Blushing, I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh, I do,” she contradicted with a giggle.
Lexi was definitely a flirt and she didn’t mind taking guys home to her bed as often as she wanted. She owned her sexuality and I loved her ability to do whatever she wanted regardless of what others thought of her. I’d never been that bold. I was shyer and more reserved by nature instead. Funny how opposite we were in personality and yet we adored one another. She was someone I could always trust and that meant a lot in my world.
Lexi tilted her head to the side, frowning before she grabbed my arm. “Babe, we got a problem.”
Sometimes I thought my best friend was completely crazy.
“What are you talking about?”
“Very slowly, turn around and look at the far end of the bar.”
Her words didn’t cause any alarm until I found the reason that she was looking across the room like she wanted to beat someone. My boyfriend Tony stood next to the bar with one arm around a skinny blonde wearing a short, tight dress. While that was cause enough to be pissed, it was the way he was pressing his lips to her neck and nibbling on her ear that confirmed he was not only a cheat but a liar.
Oddly enough, it only confirmed what I had suspected for quite some time. All the late-night meetings. Drinks with co-workers. Coming home smelling like booze and perfume. We had a lot of disagreements lately to prove my suspicion. I had been distancing myself from Tony without realizing it until this moment. He refused adamantly that he wasn’t messing around with anyone else but clearly that was untrue.
Sighing, I met Lexi’s stare. “I’m not surprised.”
“Oh, but youhaveto be pissed.”
I was. We discussed his possible infidelity numerous times. “I am.”
“Then let’s do what that Carrie Underwood song says.”
I didn’t know what she meant. “Huh?”
Rolling her eyes, she tugged me toward the front entrance of Riley’s and out into the parking lot. “That song Before He Cheats. Remember?”
Snorting with mild humor, I listened to her offkey rendition of the chorus.
“I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive. Carved my name into his leather seats. I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights. I slashed a hole in all four tires. Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.”
I had to admit the idea was appealing. “We can’t do that.”
“Oh, yes we can!”
She clutched her keys tightly in her right hand and approached Tony’s cherry red Dodge truck. Before I could stop her, she was sliding her sharpest key through that glistening paint and suddenly all of the anger, frustration, and hurt poured out as I watched. Locking my jaw, I pulled out the multitool from my purse – the same one my sister Kacie gave me for Christmas last year – and flipped open the mini blade included. Not pausing to consider the ramifications, I jabbed the damn thing right into his tire as hard as I could. The resulting hiss was nothing to be proud of but attacking all four tiresdidhelp. When I glanced in Lexi’s direction, I caught the scratches that formed the word CHEATER on both doors.
“We need to get out of here!” Lexi yelled as a familiar voice yelled from the entrance of the bar. She grabbed my hand as we jumped into her car and laughed hysterically, pulling out of the parking lot like the hounds of hell were on our heels. Daring to look back, I caught Tony’s shocked and enraged expression as he kicked at one of the tires. The blonde from earlier was nowhere in sight. I had enough grace not to roll down the window and flip him off, but my best friend didn’t hesitate. She gave him the universal single finger salute as we drove away, both of us satisfied with the results of our rebellious crime.
