Unlovely Things (Love By Design 2)

“I know you've been distant with me.” That had been glaringly obvious and I felt guilty. She continued speaking and I paused putting my makeup on. “I know things have been different, but I don't love you any less. I just made room in my heart for more that includes Hunter.” We both stood still watching each other in the mirror and our eye caught filling up with tears. Our makeup would be a hot mess before the night was over at this point. Her words hurt but Taylor Jane wasn't cruel, it was the truth. The truth I couldn't handle right then.

“Can we talk about this?” she said a pleading look crossed her face. I nodded and let her continue talking while I grabbed my lipstick and slicked it over my lips. “I want things to be okay again. I asked you to be my maid of honor because you’re the closest thing I have to a sister. That's why we're here in Vegas. I feel like I'm losing you.” Her lips trembled as much as mine did and I interrupted her sad speech.

“You’ve been my best friends since we were five years old, we used to braid each other's hair and paint each other’s nails and now I feel like I'm not going to have that again.”

This time she interrupts me. “Kristen you're not going to get rid of me that easily just because Hunter is in my life doesn't mean you exit. You will always be a part of me. You will always be a part of our lives. Who else is going to be the godmother of our future children?”

“Yeah you're right, you would never get rid of me. Besides, I have all kinds of bad habits to teach your kids.” We laughed bumping shoulders and hugging.

“So we’re okay now?” Pulling out of the hug my bestie looked at me seriously.

“I’ll be honest, TJ. I’m going to have my moments adjusting, but I love you too much to let a little dick stand between us.” We laugh-snorted.

Leaning in she whispered, “It’s not little.” She joked seriously as her face suffused with a deep pink blush. I did a mini fist pump in my head. You go girl!

We would be okay, more than okay.

Lia emerged from the second bathroom turning on the music system in the room. A song by John Legend filled the speakers and the two of us started singing his song with the lyrics, all of me, loves all of you. Our hairbrushes became microphones and we shared the stage in the concert of our minds.

Taylor got this new look and I knew this wasn't about her and Hunter anymore. She flipped the table on me. “Are you ever going to tell me what’s between you and Damien?” A deep breath wouldn’t let the betrayal subside. Sure it had been years but I wasn’t over it any more than before.

“Do we have to talk about him?” No amount of grousing and complaints would get her to back off. Taylor had a bone and she would drag this out to the bitter end. “He has been the bane of my existence since seventh-grade.”

“True.” she said. “But you've never told me why. Is there any other reason?” I took a drink swallowing the burn of alcohol down my throat. I never wanted to talk about that, or the bad decisions I made after.

Taylor took my drink from me and downed the rest like a champ telling me, “I suppose you could have any reason, but is that fair to him? He has been there for you through a lot of things and yet you keep pushing him away and none of us can understand why–least of all Hunter who knows him like I know you.”

I let the words fall from my numb lips, “He broke my trust Taylor. That’s something that I can't forgive. I don’t know how, don’t know that I can. I know that he's been trying to be nice. I know that it's been confusing to everyone in our circle.” I wasn’t blind, just stubborn.

“I just can't.”

Taylor looked at me and moved a lock of her hair behind her ears as she licked her lips and spoke again, “If you can't be kind Kristin, let him go.”

My best friend was right, but I couldn't get to that place where I let him go and we were out of each other’s lives. I tried to give that to him. I tried to give it to myself, but that didn't work. Demon was my other half of a twisted up yin and yang.

****

We met the guys in the downstairs lobby. Everything in Vegas glittered, from the millions of twinkling lights to the specks of gold dust in the tile floors. Lia and I managed to dress Taylor in a short gold dress that accentuated her legs in strappy gold heels that gave her an extra four inches of height. I made her wear a ‘Bride to Be’ sash and crown while Lia and I had ones that read ‘Bridal Party’ rounding out our trio.

Poor girl wobbled on her heels but we made it downstairs to meet the guys. Hunter wrapped his hands around her waist immediately and pulled her in for an earthquake shattering kiss.

Whit followed suit by grabbing Lia who wore a navy silk halter top, no bra of course. I cursed her cute perky handful breasts as he let his hands roam her back before settling just about her ass. He gave her a peck on the forehead and seemed to be looking around the hotel lobby. You would think he was glaring at every male in the place who might have been looking at Lia’s legs. He was such a sucker and cradle robber it was cute to see him get a little crazy.

I stood in between my brother and Demon looking them up and down. “Well boys, I guess we’re the awkward wheels left out. Huh?”

“Not if Chase swings my way,” Demon joked making his eyelashes flutter. His boyish good looks irritated me like the secondhand smoke from the sidewalk pretty, but liable to slowly suffocate me.

My brother, clearly annoyed cracked the knuckles on his strong hands, capable ones that held me together when Demon had broken me long ago. Chase lifted me up and defended my honor even when the taint was of my own doing.

“Back off Hart. I used to kick your ass on the football field.” And he still could with a bum knee a decade later although Damien looked like he’d been bulking up more so recently.

“You wouldn’t dare old man.” I tried stepping between them but Damien picked me up and moved me behind him like I was nothing. They got into each other’s faces and I felt forced to step between them again. Family and foe were clashing and suddenly I felt like I was the center of some unwanted attention as both couples, previously engrossed in each other turned to watch our public squabble with wide curious eyes. Taylor would have questions later and I didn’t want to talk about this.

“Hey, that’s enough. Seriously.” I pushed them apart making sure I was firmly in between them. Eyes glinted and I sensed something else under the surface was between them. This would only escalate if I didn’t get them to stop.

He grabbed my arm a little roughly and lifted it up for Damien to see in the harsh light.

“Oww you big bear!” I tried slapping Chase away but he was unmoving.