Falling for You

r /> A swarm of butterflies flurry inside me. I can’t explain it. I’ve never felt anything so crazy, wonderful, and terrifying all at once. “’Bye, Josh.”

“Goodbye, beautiful.”

“There’s my baby sister!” Colson holds his arms out and swoops me into a hug, rocking me from side to side. The embrace is awkward. We aren't a lovey family. Growing up, the best we could hope for from our parents was a nod of approval and, if we were lucky, words of praise. With that as our model, Cole and I have shaken hands a total of four times. As for hugs, this is a first.

Cole pulls back, just as the hug goes from awkward to uncomfortable, and I smell vodka on his breath. It’s not a subtle hint either. He reeks of it, like the plane was filled with it and he went swimming. “Are you drunk?”

“Is there any other way to be on a guy’s weekend?” Ashley, my ex-boyfriend, inquires. He’s in the middle of a group of Cole’s friends; guys I recognize but don’t know by name.

I school my face, forcing the discomfort of being around him again behind a pleasant smile. Breaking off our wedding was the best decision I've ever made, but I’d be lying if I said the feelings were mutual.

Ashley may be a conniving, cheating scumbag, but for some reason he didn’t want to let me go. He never loved me, so I think it’s a possession thing. I was supposed to be his and I think the thought of me being with someone else irks him.

But I couldn’t do it. Not after I caught Sharon Deese, a waitress at the country club, on her knees in the girl’s bathroom. Ashley smirked when I found them, likely wanting me to see a glimpse of our future. I would have puked right there, but he was in my bathroom. The one space that’s supposed to be a sanctuary in life and he had invaded it.

I ran out with tears brewing in my eyes and slammed into my mother. I told her what I’d seen and begged her to call off the marriage.

Her reaction?

She popped a Prozac from the tiny bottle that lives in every purse she owns, and chased it with her vodka tonic, saying, “We marry for power, not for love, chickpea. Ashley will have his indiscretions and so will you. Dry your eyes and come back to the table with a smile.”

That was the day I decided to forge my own future. I would not be a pawn in my parents’ business and I damn sure wasn’t going to marry that pig.

“You would encourage this unbecoming behavior.” I roll my eyes at Ashley and smooth the invisible wrinkles on my dress. I walk beside my brother as we make our way to baggage claim, trying my hardest to ignore my ex. “What’s the plan for this weekend?”

“Boobs and booze.” Ashley smirks, knowing he’s working my last nerve. He raises his hand and one of the guys high fives him.

I scrunch my nose and shake my head. I could care less what Ashley does or with whom, but I’d rather claw my eyes out with a spork than spend the weekend at a strip club, watching girls fawn over my brother. “That sounds…”

Horrible.

Atrocious.

Like a living nightmare.

“Relax.” Cole chuckles and throws his arm over my shoulder. “That’s tomorrow. Tonight is your night, little sister. We’re going to hit up City Walk. Drink, dance, and listen to music.”

I perk up at the possibility of running into Josh tonight. Cole probably won’t like that I’m hanging out with anyone of the opposite sex, and there’s a chance Ashley will go full on douchebag. I don’t care. After an hour or so with the guys, I’m gonna text Josh and see if he wants to meet up.

“What are you smiling at?” Ashley asks in his all too familiar, demanding tone.

I ignore him and pull out my phone to search what City Walk has to offer. Tonight might actually be fun.

We squish around a table meant for four. Colson on one side of me, his arm thrown over my chair, and Ashely on the other. The guys, whose names I’ve picked up as being Jackson, Ambrose, Chris, and Austin, pull chairs from surrounding tables to sit with us.

Coles chugs another beer, his eighth one since arriving at this bar, and stands. He walks to one of the Piano Guys at the front of the room and drops a few bills into the jar, then hands over another song request. Instead of returning to the table, Cole stumbles towards the back of the establishment, likely to the bathroom.

I watch him, unease simmering inside me. Something is going on. I’ve never seen Cole drunk before. Tipsy, yes, but he’s hitting a new level tonight.

Two songs play and Cole still hasn’t come back to the table. I peek around the room and decide that since he isn’t anywhere in sight, I should wait for him by the bathrooms.

After ten minutes of standing in the hallway near the restrooms, I’m shaking with nervous energy. Cole was drunk, really drunk. He could be passed out on the bathroom floor and his buddies wouldn’t notice, let alone care.

I wait until another song ends, then decide I’m going in. No one has gone in or out of the boy’s bathroom for at least two songs now. I reach for the handle, but a figure coming down the hall causes me to hesitate. I frown, recognizing the man and cross my arms. “It’s about time.”

“Why? Have you been waiting for me?” Ashley chuckles and grabs my wrists, pulling me into him. I’ve kept my distance as much as I could tonight, but this close, I’m choking on his cologne.

“Ew. No.” I press my palms against his chest to add some space between us, but he just laughs and holds me tighter. “I’m worried about Cole. You should go into the bathroom and check on him.”