In the Dark
Page 60

“I don’t know what I want from you either,” I return.
“Yo, G!” Tristan yells from the back porch. He was manning the barbecue last I saw. He really irritates me sometimes. He’s just so…arrogant. And I don’t think he likes me much. Jade said he didn’t like her at first either so I don’t know what his problem is. “Where you at? Dinner’s about to be served!”
I roll my eyes. “Your people request your presence.”
Gabe glares and I immediately feel like a shit. I’m being awful, but it’s like I can’t help myself. I’m an emotional wreck. “I’d like you to come with me,” he says. “That is, if you want.”
Swallowing hard, I stand up straighter and tell myself to get over it. All the stress and bullshit of the past few weeks is getting to me and making me act like a jerk. “I’d like that.” I pause. “And I’m sorry.”
He doesn’t even hesitate, just pulls me to him and hugs me, my face buried against his chest, his hand cupping the back of my head. “I’m sorry, too. For whatever I did. I don’t like thinking you’re mad at me, Luce. It sucks.”
“I don’t want you mad at me either,” I confess, trying my best to push past the fear.
But it’s no use. He’s going to hate me when the truth comes out. It’s something I have to deal with whether I want to or not.
“Tomorrow I want to buy you a pregnancy test. We’ll do this together, okay?”
I nod, pressing my face more firmly against his chest. He smells so good. Feels even better. Having him hold me like this would never grow old. “Okay.” His chest muffles my voice and I breathe deep, inhaling his fresh clean scent.
“I’m here for you no matter what.”
I hope he means that.
I hate that Lucy and I argued tonight. I don’t like seeing her stressed and I swear at one point she was going to cry. That’s the last thing I wanted to see. Her tears would kill me. She’s extra emotional lately and that scares the ever-loving crap out of me. Seeing her act like that just reconfirms my suspicions.
I’m pretty certain she’s pregnant. Not that I have any experience in dealing with pregnant women but I’ve heard stories that they cry over everything or get irrationally angry. That describes Lucy’s current emotional state perfectly.
After calming her down, we went to the kitchen and she helped me set out the food, plates and silverware. I like having her in my kitchen fussing over me, helping me organize this last minute get together I decided to throw. I feel like we’re a real couple, like hosting this party is a declaration that we’re official.
I want to be official with Lucy. I don’t know if she senses that, but I want her to be my girlfriend. And this isn’t just about her being pregnant either. I care about her. I want people to realize that she’s an important part of my life.
Now if I can just gather up the nerve to tell my parents how important Lucy is to me…
Yeah, that’s going to take some time.
I make sure everyone is fed and has a drink before I make my own plate. I end up eating in the kitchen and chatting with one of the guys who works part time for us. Lucy’s in the living room with Jade talking and eating. I like that they’ve become close. Lucy is being brought into our fold more and more and I’m comfortable with that. I like having her around, someone I can count on. And I hope she knows that she can count on me too.
When I start hearing more and more voices out back, I decide to check out what’s happening. The second I walk outside I see there is a large group of women standing on my back patio, each one of them clutching a beer bottle in their hands and not a one of them were invited. I send a questioning look in Shep’s direction, who merely shrugs and indicates with his beer bottle that the person I need to talk to is Tristan. He who is standing among the group of women with a giant smile on his face as they all watch him with adoration glowing in their eyes.
Of course.
I stalk toward him, irritation making my blood pump hot when he turns and smiles drunkenly at me. “Hey, look. I found some girls to liven up your party, G.”
“Tristan.” I clap him on the back, then pull him in close so I can mutter in his ear, “You need to get rid of them.”
He pulls back, smirking at me. “Since when did you become so boring? This is supposed to be our last year of fun before we have to get all responsible and shit. You said this yourself.”
“I’ve had enough fun like that,” I say and he starts to laugh.
“What, are you so pussy whipped you’re afraid you’ll piss off the missus?”
“More like you’re the one pissing me off.” I offer him a bland smile, trying to contain my anger. He’s drunk. And when Tristan’s drunk, he says stupid shit. He doesn’t think and in the past, that sort of drunken attitude has gotten him into many a bar fight. I don’t know how many times Shep and I had to pull some huge guy off of Tristan. Or we’re pulling Tristan off of some dumb drunk dude. “Now take your dates and go.”
“Are you really going to kick me out because I brought some entertainment with me? That’s how we used to do this, Gabe, or have you forgotten? Has your new chick brought you so far down you don’t know how to have fun anymore?”
I send him a warning glance, feel the presence of Shep looming behind my shoulder. “Tristan…”
“You’re so dull now. You and Shep both. We used to have fucking fun but not anymore. It’s like I lost you both to chicks and they’ve turned you into domestic sheep. Fucking sucks.” Tristan shakes his head, looking disgusting. “Next thing you know you two assholes are going to have a double wedding together and shit. Way to make me sick.”
He’s not really making much sense but I get the picture. He’s a little jealous. We three don’t spend as much time together anymore, but lately Shep and I have been hanging more because Lucy and Jade have each other. Tristan feels like the fifth wheel—and quite literally, he is.
“Hope the sex is good because you’re trapped bro. You don’t have a choice anymore,” Tristan says, laughing as he stumbles over his own feet. The girls stop talking, every single one of them watching the spectacle he seems intent on putting on and I tamp down the anger rising inside of me.
“Shut up before you say something stupid and make me angry.”
“What, you’re not angry enough? Fine, let’s talk about how your newfound girl is trying to trap you by getting knocked up with your baby,” Tristan taunts, his tone mocking, making me fucking furious.
Making me see red.
The shitty smirk on his face is all I can focus on before I rear my arm back and sock him square on the jaw, so hard my knuckles hurt like hell the second I make contact.
Tristan goes stumbling backward, clutching at his face and all the girls standing around us begin to scream, jumping back as if I just tried to bite them. Shep grabs hold of my shoulder and keeps me from going after Tristan again and I push against his hold, loving the idea of hitting Tristan again.
The fucker deserves it. I can’t believe what he said. Worse, he’s one of my closest friends, so he knows just how to hurt me. And his words hurt.
So fucking much.