Shane (Damage Control 4)

We’ve stopped, and Manon has turned to face me. “Yeah, why?”

“You have to be blind not to notice your eyes are red. You’ve been crying. This isn’t like you. What’s going on?”

“Isn’t like me?” I step away from her, unexpectedly angry. “Why? I keep hearing this. What am I like? Don’t I get to have feelings?”

“Whoa.” Manon’s eyes have gone round. “Hold your horses. I didn’t mean anything.”

“Didn’t you?” The urge to run and hide, or just take the car and go is staggering. “None of you have forgiven me, have you? You pretend you have, but deep inside you think, she’s a whore with no feelings.”

“I don’t think that.” Manon’s face has paled. “How can you think that, Cassie? We’re friends.”

“But I screwed up so badly.” God, if I don’t leave now, I’ll start bawling again. “And there’s no forgiveness for what I’ve done.”

“Jesus, Cassie, of course there is.” She opens her arms and I let her draw me into a hug. “I’m sorry if I gave that impression. You’re sorry, and if Jesse hasn’t forgiven you yet, give him time. Maybe he didn’t know about you and Shane and got a shock.”

“Another wedding, another man kissed against his will?” I mutter against her shoulder.

“Something like that. I’m sure he’s mortified now that it’s been cleared up.”

Is it? Is he?

“Amber told me what happened. She’s feeling really bad about it.” Manon releases me, gives me a sad smile. “Other people make mistakes, too. We all do, and Jesse just made one. Okay?”

If only it was okay. Not Jesse’s fault.

Mine. All mine.

“I think Shane hates me,” I whisper. “I think he managed to forget about this for a while, and now… now it blew up in his face and he won’t speak to me again.”

“Oh, girl…” Manon takes my hands. “That boy really likes you. This past month he has changed so much. He’s less distant, he smiles more, and it’s all you. Ev and I were talking about it the other day. Shane has wanted you for a long time now. I don’t know why you think a stupid comment from Jesse would make him change his mind.”

“It wasn’t a stupid comment.” I draw a deep breath. “He’s right. Right to be angry, and right to ask what he asked. I never realized just how badly I screwed up. I thought everyone was making a big deal out of nothing, but Shane…” My next breath hitches. “I’m afraid he’ll never look at me as anything but the girl who forced Jesse.”

“Shane means a lot to you, doesn’t he? You said it before, but I admit I didn’t really believe you.”

“Yeah.” More than I ever thought possible. “He does.”

Manon is looking at me, pensive. “Okay. We’ll find a solution. Don’t worry. I’m sure it will turn out all right.”

If only I could believe it, too.

***

Rafe is giving his best man speech, and he looks coolly beautiful in his white shirt and gray pants, the only color the dark gold of his hair.

“This is my family,” he says and sweeps an arm to the side, where Zane and Dakota are standing holding hands. “And this is my family.” He gestures at the people gathered around, and I recognize the Inked boys with their girls, and also Micah and Jesse.

Crap.

I resist the urge to duck behind a woman clad in a very flowery dress and hide.

“I lost my blood family years ago,” Rafe says, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “But I found a new one, and I wouldn’t change these people for anything in the world. Some of them have saved me from myself, helped me find my way when I wasn’t sure I could make it. Here’s to hoping they’ll never regret it, because, let’s face it, I can be a royal pain in the ass when I’m in one of my moods.”

A muffled laugh, whispers.

I wonder what moods are those, and who helped him find his way—then he gestures again and a girl climbs onto the dais to stand beside him. He wraps an arm around her, and it’s sweet how they fit together—he’s white and gold, and she’s chocolate and caramel, and they’re perfect.

“I think Zane has a similar story. I’ve known Zane since school, and I know he went through some really tough times, times of loss and despair. He’ll always be my brother, and we’ll always have each other’s backs—but now he has a person to share everything with. A girl who put him back together, who holds his heart, and who has won us all over, too. That makes Dakota my sister, I guess, and gives me a say over who she goes out with.”