One Bride for Five Mountain Men

My mouth falls open. Nance laughs too loud and lays a hand on his arm, trying to push him away. But he won’t turn around and leave, just walks closer to me, grinning.

“Why don’t you come upstairs with me?” he says, swaying and drunk. Reaching out, he circles my arm in his fist, tugging me toward him.

“Let go of my arm, Tucker,” I growl. “You’re drunk. You’re acting stupid. Let go.”

“That’s not what you said last time,” he sneers. “Last time, you were begging—”

I do not even see it, that’s how fast it is. I don’t even realize right away whether it’s Liam or Kill until there’s a flash of black tuxedo in front of me, and the sound of Tucker hitting the floor. I yelp as I’m twisted forward, landing painfully on my tender ankle.

Instantly, Jake is magically in front of me, lifting me off my feet and running with me across the ballroom to safety. Timothy and Carty appear right behind, followed closely by Liam and Kill.

“What happened? What just happened?” I babble.

“I knocked that sucker out, hopefully,” Liam announces proudly.

“Oh, I don’t think you knocked him out,” Kill counters. “I would’ve knocked him out, but you got there first. And I’m pretty certain he’s still conscious.”

“Well, shit. I can go back there—”

“You’re going to get us sued. Is that what you want?”

“—nobody is going anywhere!” I exclaim. I try to stand up straight, but my ankle gives out underneath me. “Goddammit! Ow!”

“Lola, just breathe,” Jake insists, and somehow I find myself doing what he is telling me.

“I don’t want to breathe,” I snap for no reason. “You didn’t have to hit him, Liam! Why would you do that?”

Liam shrugs helplessly, his expression honestly confused. “What did I do? You said he was hurting you.”

“He was hurting you? Where did he hurt you?” Carty starts yelling protectively.

“No! He didn’t hurt me, he just grabbed—”

“—is she hurt? Lola?”

“I’m not hurt!” I insist, but nobody is listening to me.

The guys start talking all at once, crowding all around me until I feel like I can’t breathe. Finally I just put my hands up and push, hard, trying to get a whiff of fresh air. I’m unsteady on my feet, and I’m extra pissed that I can’t be angry with a little bit more dignity.

“I’m going to the bathroom!” I announce loudly. “And don’t follow me! I mean it!”

I stomp off as gracefully as I can, favoring my right leg because I know they’re watching. Thankfully, the ladies room is just around the corner and I duck inside, perching on the counter and trying to breathe normally. But I can’t. For some reason my chest keeps quaking, and I want to cry. Not cute cry, but ugly cry. Cry like a toddler.

“Jesus, what the hell was that?” Nance asks, bursting through the door.

“Oh my God, can you please leave me alone?” I bawl. “Really, Nance? Can I just have a little time to myself?”

Nance presses her lips together and leans against the far wall, crossing her arms over her chest. She doesn’t say anything for a few minutes while I gather myself, and eventually I make peace with the fact that she is not leaving.

“This night is so fucked up,” I finally sigh, shaking my head. “Why did it have to be this way, Nance? Couldn’t we have just had a dinner? Maybe a couple of photographers for the story?”

Nance shrugs dismissively. “It’s just one night, Lola. It’s not that big of a deal.”

Shaking my head, I try to see this as some kind of small deal. But it’s not. It’s a disaster, and it’s making me sick to my stomach.

“We could have arranged sightings or something… Like Sasquatch. We could have done this a hundred different ways. It didn’t have to be this kind of ambush.”

“Jesus, you’re so dramatic.” She rolls her eyes.