Chapter 23
Bennett
"Are you sure this is okay?" Clarissa asks from beside me as we walk on the grass toward the backyard.
"Of course." I smile over at her. “I called ahead and asked just to make sure." I look down and then look up again, and I see her walking toward me. My heart stops in my chest when I see her, just like every single time. She doesn't see me watching her as she makes her way closer to me. It takes a couple of seconds before she looks up, and I see that her eyes are a darker blue. Usually, when something is bothering her, they turn that color. "Hey." I hold up my hand as we get close enough.
"Hi." She puts on the fakest smile that I've ever seen on her.
"Were you leaving?” I ask, looking at her with her purse in her hand.
"Oh, no." She shakes her head. “Forgot my phone in the car."
"Do you want me to go get it?" I point back at her car with my thumb.
She shakes her head again. “No, that's okay." She looks down. “You should go in there.” Neither of us says anything else, and it gets super awkward. I don’t want to walk away from her. I was hoping that since we were going to be seeing each other, we would sit down and talk.
“Hi,” Clarissa interrupts us and extends her hand to Presley. “I’m Clarissa,” she says, smiling.
"I'm Presley,” Presley responds, extending one hand, and I see that the hand that is holding her purse, her knuckles are white. "Nice to meet you." She shakes Clarissa's hand for a couple of seconds. “If you will excuse me, I want to get back in there before they run out of food."
My eyebrows pinch together at this comment because there is no way that any of their parties will run out of food. Ever. Presley avoids making eye contact with me as she walks around Clarissa and goes to her car. I take an extra second to watch her, and if it was up to me, I would wait for her to go to her car and come back, but Clarissa says, “Shall we get in there?" I look back at her.
"Yes." I nod my head and turn to walk into the backyard. The minute the gate opens, showing me the party, my mouth almost hits the floor. There have to be about four or five bouncy things set up with kids running all over the place. There are not one but three barbecues set up side by side on the other side of the yard. There is also a small tented area where I see Harlow's grandparents sitting. Her grandfather is the picture of a cowboy. I have never ever seen him without his hat on. Even at their wedding, he wore it. Also one look from him when he's mad, and you know that he'll whip your ass.
"Now this is a birthday party." Clarissa laughs from beside me, and she is not wrong.
"Obviously, it's a ‘go big or go home’ situation." I chuckle as my eyes roam around the yard to see if I see Travis or Harlow anywhere. I also stand close to the gate, secretly waiting for Presley to come back to make sure she is okay. But Clarissa starts to walk farther into the yard, and I have to follow her.
"There you are," I hear from the side and see Travis walking over to me. “Was wondering when you would get here," he says with his lips tight between his clenched teeth.
I fold my arms over my chest. “You just wanted someone in your corner."
He scoffs at me. “No." He shakes his head. “I have Billy." He motions with his head toward Harlow's grandfather. “And I'm sure Olivia wouldn't let them shoot me."
"Clarissa," I introduce, looking over at her. “This is my best friend, Travis."
"Nice to meet you," Clarissa says to him.
"Did you get something to drink?" Travis asks us.
"We just got here," I say, and I look around, trying to see if Presley came back in. “I'll go and get something to drink." I make the excuse to get away. “What do you want to drink?" I ask Clarissa.
"A water is fine," she says, and I nod at her.
"Whatever you do." I lean in and try to whisper, but with so many people here there is no such thing as whispering. “Don't drink the sweet tea."
Travis laughs. “That sweet tea is how I slept with Harlow on my would-be wedding night."
I shake my head. “You can explain that to Clarissa," I say, laughing as I walk through the yard and making my way inside to see if maybe she is there.
As soon as I step inside, I see even more people. I knew Harlow had a big family, but having them all together is over the top. I zigzag through so many people, finally seeing Harlow. “Hey, have you seen Presley?" I ask, looking around to see if she is sitting somewhere, and I don’t see her.
"She went to the bathroom," she says to me, and she's about to say something else when someone calls her name. "Shit," she says, rushing away from me.
I walk to the bathroom and see the door closed. I'm mentally deciding if I stay by the bathroom like a Peeping Tom or just go back to the living room and wait when the door is pulled open. She gasps when she sees me standing here. “Oh my God, you scared the shit out of me," she says, and I love what she is wearing. The blue of the dress makes her eyes pop even more.
"Sorry." I smile at her. “I was just seeing if you were okay." The echoing of my heart beating is now filling my ears. My stomach feels like it's moving to my throat. “I didn't text you today." My head is yelling at me to shut the fuck up, but my mouth is deciding that today is a good day to have word vomit. “I know I usually text you, but I figured since we would be here, it would be better to ask you in person." I was also wondering if you wanted to sit down and talk, I want to add, but I don't.
"The baby is fine," she says, looking at me, and I can see that her walls are up. Her eyes are giving me nothing, but they look a little red.
"Okay, that is good to know," I say, putting my hands in my pockets before I do something stupid like wrap my arm around her waist and kiss her just like I've been dreaming about for the past fucking month. "But I was asking if you are okay?"
"I'm totally okay." She swallows. “You should get back to your date."
I just stare at her as I let her words replay in my head twice. “Not that it's any of your business." My heart breaks saying that because I want it to be her business. I want her to fucking care. “But she's just a friend." I turn and walk away before I say something I will regret.
I grab a couple of water bottles and walk out of the house. I look around for Clarissa but see that she's talking to Harlow's cousins. I walk over to one of the chairs at the far side where no one is at and sit down. I put my head back and close my eyes as I exhale. “What are you doing, hiding out?" I hear Travis and look up to see him walking toward me.
"No," I deny, shaking my head. “Just…" I put the water bottles down by my feet and then lean my elbows on my knees. “It's just fucking…" I can't even say the words. They all get stuck in my throat. "I'm dying inside," I finally say to him, and I really fucking wish that I wasn't here right now. “Every fucking day, I expect my feelings for Presley to get weaker, but then I see her, and it's just so much stronger." The tightness in my chest makes it even harder for me to breathe.
"I don't know what to say," he says softly, and I look over at him. “I wish I had the answer for you."
"Well, well, well," I hear and look over and see Clarabella and Shelby coming our way. “What are you two doing?" Shelby asks.
"Just enjoying the party." Travis covers for me as the two of them now stand in front of me.
"I have to say.” Clarabella glares at me. “Took balls to bring a date today."
"A date?" I say again, confused. “She's not my date." I shake my head. “We went to school together. She's my co-worker from out of town. She was supposed to go back home to her husband yesterday, but that changed." I look at both of them as they stare at me with their mouths hanging open now. “We are finalizing the merger tomorrow, so she stayed, and instead of leaving her all alone in a hotel room, I invited her here."
"So you're not dating her?" Shelby asks just for clarification, and I can't help but stare at her dumbfounded.
"Did you miss the point where she is going back home to her husband?" I glare at her. “Why the hell would I bring a fucking date here?" I throw my hands up in frustration.
"Well, I don't know." Clarabella rolls her eyes. “Maybe because you can," she huffs. “Maybe to make Presley see that you've moved on."
"Yeah, moved on," I say sarcastically. “I've moved on in what, a month."
"What the hell were we supposed to think?" Shelby shrieks. “You show up with a woman. We assume that this is a date."
"So you guys think, not only am I dating after being in love with your sister for—I don't know—almost my whole life, that I'm going to bring her here to your family's party." I glare at both of them. “Wow."
"I want to go on the record as saying I knew he wouldn't do it," Travis cuts in, and I side-eye him.
"I would never do that to her," I say softly.
"She just…” Shelby says softly. “She’s working it out."
"But is she?” I ask, getting up. “Because she seems to be fine."
"She just needs space,” Clarabella explains, and I snap. “She cares for you."
"Oh, goody," I say, clapping my hands. “She cares for me. Just what I wanted to hear."
"Okay, maybe that wasn't the right word to use," Shelby hisses, looking at Clarabella.
"You know what? None of this is right.” I hold up my hand. “Nothing about this is right.” I bend down and grab the bottles of water. “Now if you guys will excuse me, I have to go back to my friend." I look at her sisters. “Not my date."
They both fold their arms over their chests and roll their eyes. “Suddenly, he's a comedian."
"Whatever," I huff and start to walk away before turning. “Also, can someone go and make sure she is okay?"
"Who do you want us to check on?" Clarabella rolls her lips. “Your baby momma or your date?"
Travis snickers, and all I can do is flip her the bird as I turn and walk away. "We love you!" Clarabella shouts.
"Great," I mumble under my breath. “Well, at least one of you does," I say, making my way over to Clarissa and forcing myself not to look around for her. The whole time, all I can do is hear her sister’s voice play over and over in my head. “She cares for you.”