Carol Ann Hunter didn’t burrow. Oh, hell no. She didn’t understand the concept of backing down. She accepted every challenge, every fight. She was hardened and jaded when I came to Southern three years ago. I knew I couldn’t be her and achieve my goals, so I changed, a metamorphosis of my own. Carol Ann is the old me and I thought she was gone until last Saturday night, when somehow, Reed set her loose. And that scares the shit out of me.
My only consolation is that I’ll probably never see the man again. But instead of easing my prickled conscience, it stirs an ache deep inside. I find myself surprised that I want to see him again.
Apparently, I’ve become a masochist now.
I pick up my drink, a cosmopolitan, and take a larger sip than I intended. Dylan’s fingers brush the flesh underneath my breast. I shift in my seat, forcing his hand to drop, but he shoots me a cocky grin. This guy thinks he’s getting lucky tonight. Obviously, he’s never heard about my five-date rule.
I can’t help thinking that Reed wouldn’t treat me this way. No, Caroline, he wouldn’t because he’d be with his girlfriend.
What the hell is wrong with me? I’m obsessing over some man I hardly know. Get over it.
The band goes on stage, and Tucker whistles to his friend. The guitarist straps his instrument over his shoulder and waves to Tucker.
Dylan’s hand slides on my hip, trailing down to my thigh.
I stand abruptly. “I’m going to the restroom.”
My sudden behavior draws the blank looks of the three people with me. Dylan’s face darkens, but Scarlett kisses Tucker’s cheek and stands. “I’ll go with you.”
Scarlett doesn’t say anything until we get into the ladies’ room, not that I could have heard her if she tried. The band has begun to play, deafening my ears.
“What’s going on?” she asks the minute the bathroom door closes behind us.
“Dylan’s handsy. More so than I’d like.” I’m used to guys like him. I know how to handle them, a skill learned long ago when teenaged boys expected poor white trash trailer park girls to be easy. The problem isn’t how to get him stop. The problem is my bitter disappointment.
Scarlett leans her back against the wall and releases a heavy sigh. “What do you want to do?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. I just needed a moment to regroup, is all.”
“We can leave.” I think she secretly wants to leave. She hates this kind of thing and only tolerates it because Tucker wants to come. That’s the beauty of their relationship. They respect each other’s needs and try to make it work. They’ve definitely learned the art of compromise.
“No.” Although I want to leave, I have to save face. I’ll look like a fool if we leave now. “But I don’t want to stay out too late. I still need to figure out my designs for the fashion show.”
Scarlett grins. “Look at my Caroline, all grown up. Thinking about work on a Friday night.”
I stick out my tongue.
She laughs. “Okay, maybe not so mature.”
The bathroom door opens and Reed’s girlfriend walks in and heads straight for a stall. I cast a glance toward Scarlett, but she doesn’t seem to notice. I’m suddenly very interested in the girl Reed is dating. I decide to hang around until she gets out of the stall and try to learn more about her.
I think this might technically be called stalking, but I have just enough alcohol in me to convince myself otherwise.
“I want to freshen up my lipstick.” I tell Scarlett. “If you want to get back to Tucker, I’ll be there in a minute.”
Scarlett’s eyes narrow slightly, then shift to the stall Reed’s girlfriend disappeared in. So her entrance didn’t escape Scarlett’s notice. To my surprise, Scarlett agrees. “I’ll see you at the table.”
Then she walks out, a grin lifting the corners of her mouth.
I move to the sink and run my fingers through my hair, fluffing it a little before I pull a tube of lipstick out of my purse. Reed’s girlfriend’s door opens, and she walks to the sink to wash her hands.
I know I shouldn’t call attention to myself, but the only thing I’m learning about her is that she’s an extra-thorough hand washer. That’s obviously not enough to satisfy my curiosity.
I force a smile and twist to face her. “Didn’t we meet at Scarlett’s party last week? You were with Reed.”
Her wary gaze brightens. “Yes, you’re Caroline, right?”
It’s my turn to hesitate. I never introduced myself. “Yeah….”
“After you left, I insisted that Reed tell me your name.” She smiles. It seems genuine and not the smile of a jealous lover. She must not have figured out that he asked me out.
“Are you with Reed tonight?” I ask before I can stop myself.
She sighs, the first sign of disgust crossing her face. “He’s here but we’re not here together.”
The way she stresses the word makes me think she wants me to be aware that he’s unattached. If they broke up, what ex-girlfriend would encourage the woman her boyfriend had been interested in? “You should come out and say hi.”
I shake my head, my eyes widening. “That would be a very bad idea.”
Her grin turns playful. “Oh, come on. It will only take a second.”
Before I realize what’s happening, she’s looped her arm through mine like I saw her do with Reed last week, and she’s practically dragging me into the bar.