All the Wrong Reasons (23 page)

“Surprise!” I heard my mother shout, her voice louder than the others that shouted with her.

My eyes grew so big they immediately dried out while my stomach rolled as if tumbling downhill. My mother rushed to me, hugging me fiercely while my dry eyes roamed the bar area. I spotted Bailey and Morgan standing awkwardly –Bailey with a cool mask on her face and Morgan looking exactly like how I felt.

“Um, thanks, Mom,” I said as I pulled out of her embrace. “Um, how’d you manage to do this without telling me?”

She shrugged, a slight pink tint on her cheeks. “Dustin did it all. He didn’t tell me anything until last night so I wouldn’t spill the beans. I called Bailey and Morgan last night and arranged for them to meet me at the house while you were out shopping. Dustin called us at the last minute and told us the location.”

“Oh,” I said. My eyes darted automatically to the stage as Tommy tugged on my sleeve. I started to bend to his level but froze when I saw Lucas, Collin, and Spencer poised and ready to play – their faces grim.

“Irelyn,” Tommy said, tugging away at me. I shook my head, kissing his cheek absently while my entire insides trembled and bile rose in my throat. “Are you surprised?”

“Um hm,” I said, not wanting to open my mouth.

Dustin draped an arm around my shoulder, radiant smile bursting from his lips. “Isn’t this great? We rented the whole bar for the night. Oh, and I hired the band that you and your friends like. What do you think?”

I couldn’t look at Lucas – I wanted to but I couldn’t. My mind was numb and I had no idea what to do. Did Dustin know? Was this some elaborate scheme to out me? I sucked in a breath – did Amber tell him?

“Are you all right, sweetheart?” he asked, his forehead creasing in concern. “I thought you’d rather do this than something at the country club.”

“It’s fine,” I said, my head spinning and my stomach churning. “Who are all these people?” I asked in a low voice. Some of them looked vaguely familiar but the others I hadn’t a clue.

“Just a couple of my buddies from school and some of the gang from the country club,” he said. “I wanted you to have more than just your roommates.”

Wonderful – more witnesses to my complete humiliation. Still, I supposed I’d asked for this. “Oh.”

“Happy birthday, Irelyn,” Bailey said, stepping forward to rescue me from Dustin’s arms. She pulled me into a hug and whispered in my ear. “No one knew, Irelyn. No one or else we would have warned you.”

Nodding, I stepped back to allow Morgan a chance to hug me. “We’ll get out of this somehow.”

I laughed – couldn’t help it because after all, my entire life was turning into a huge joke. I wondered vaguely if there were video cameras around somewhere. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Hey, guys!” Dustin shouted toward the stage. Spencer stepped forward and nodded. “Go ahead and play.”

Spencer shot a glance at Lucas who merely shrugged and started strumming chords on his guitar. The others joined in and shortly after, Dustin’s friends began dancing.

“These guys are pretty good,” Dustin said, bobbing his head in time to the music. He kissed my cheek. “Isn’t the singer the guy we met at a club one time? A friend of Bailey’s or something?”

“Yes,” I squeaked as Lucas’s voice filled the room.

“Oh, he’s so nice,” Mom said as she joined us. “I was talking to them before you got here.” She blushed and I raised a brow, forgetting my own discomfort. “I told them how I used to sing ages ago and they were trying to talk me into singing with them.”

I smiled softly as my eyes drifted back to Lucas. When he caught my gaze, his lips turned up in the corner ever so slightly and I knew things would be okay.

Chuckling, Dustin kissed my mother’s cheek. “Now, now, Ms. Colby. It’s been awhile and I don’t think you want to embarrass Irelyn that way.”

My brows dropped over my eyes as I turned to him. “She can sing if she wants. She won’t embarrass me. She has a wonderful voice.”

I yanked out of his embrace so I could stalk off to the bathroom. I was eager to splash a little water on my face. I felt Lucas’s eyes on me as I made my way across the room and just wanted to jump on stage to hug him. That would make me feel much better.

I was happy to find the bathroom empty as I hurried to the sink. The nausea was still lurking, waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself.

The door flew open, allowing Bailey and Morgan to march in, rushing to my sides.

“How are you?” Morgan asked, her pretty eyes full of worry.

“I’ll make it,” I said. I ripped some paper towel off the holder to blot my face. “I…um…was going to break up with Dustin sometime tonight.”

“Wonderful,” Bailey grinned. “Do it now then we can really party.”

“Bailey,” Morgan chastised.

“I can’t do it now,” I said with a sigh. “Not in front of all his friends. I’ll do it later.” My nausea roared as I wondered why the hell Lucas would agree to this madness. “What the hell were the guys thinking?”

“Relax,” Bailey said, placing her hands on my shoulders. “I talked to them before you got here and they had no clue this party was for you. Rusty asked them last night to play today – told them they’d get paid twice the usual amount. They agreed. They didn’t even know it was a private party.”

“But, how did this all come about? Do you know?” I stammered. They both shook their heads.

“Your mom called us and asked us to meet at your house,” Morgan explained. “She said that Dustin was throwing you a surprise party but he hadn’t even told her all the details. When we got to your house, you were gone. When we were getting ready to leave, that’s when your mother casually mentioned Rusty’s – but we didn’t know the guys would be here.”

“I haven’t talked to Spencer since Thursday,” Bailey said. “I didn’t know they’d be here, either. But they were pretty mad when they saw us and figured out this private party was for you.”

“They were livid,” Morgan corrected. “Lucas was worried that Dustin somehow found out and planned all this to humiliate you.”

“That’s what I thought, too,” I said, biting my lip. “But I don’t think so. Dustin seems too…innocent, I guess. I think he just thinks he planned a successful surprise party for me – something I’d really like.”

“Well, the guys aren’t too happy,” Bailey said. “They’ll be watching, trust me.”

“Shit,” I said as I leaned against the wall. “Well, it’s not all bad, I guess. I’ll just have to endure and once this whole fiasco is over, I’ll tell Dustin that I want to break up with him. It sucks but it has to be done. I can’t keep putting it off.”

“Are you and Lucas hooking up, then?” Bailey asked.

“Good question,” I said. “I think so, but I can’t be sure.”

“Do you love him?” Morgan whispered in awe.

“Lucas?” I asked. She nodded. My heart warmed as a wistful smile slipped across my face. “Yeah, I do.”

“Aww,” Morgan cooed.

“Yeah, great, wonderful,” Bailey said as she grabbed each of our arms and whisked us out of the bathroom. “We need to rejoin the party before one or both of Irelyn’s men comes looking for her.”

I shushed her and blushed.

Lucas’s eyes followed me again, doing crazy things to my heart but it also gave me strength and courage. I would get through this party.

Dustin was mingling with his friends near a long table full of food. The smell assaulted my nostrils and gave my stomach a whirl. I longed for a good, stiff drink.

“Irelyn, sweetheart,” Dustin called and I groaned. I didn’t dare glance over my shoulder at the band. I wished I could be inside their heads to see what they thought of this whole situation.

I slowly made my way to Dustin, enduring his possessive arm around my waist as he introduced me to his friends. I faked polite smiles, shook many hands, and muttered how nice it was to meet everyone over and over. I moved robotically by his side, keeping my eyes from drifting to the clock. All in all, it was the worst birthday party of my life.

The band announced that they were taking a short break about an hour after they’d started. I watched as they each jumped off the stage and headed for the bar.

Bailey and Morgan huddled near them and I could tell they were discussing me as one of them would periodically shoot a look my way.

“Um, excuse me, Dustin,” I said as I interrupted his roommate’s long, drawn-out story about a law clerk in his father’s office. “I need to talk to Bailey for a second.”

Sure,” Dustin said slowly, a frown marring his face. He pecked my cheek before I spun on my heel and hurried toward the bar.

“Need a drink?” Bailey quipped.

“More than you could ever know,” I said, not daring to look at the boys.

I sensed Lucas next to me and my body instinctively inched closer. I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see him leaning his forearms on the bar, a beer clenched in his fist. “Relax, love,” he said softly, his lips barely moving. “No one knows anything but us and we’re keeping it to ourselves. Try to enjoy yourself, okay?”

“Yeah, easier said than done,” I whispered as Bailey stuck a cranberry and vodka in my hand. “I still have to … you know…have that talk with him.”

Chuckling, Lucas sipped at his beer. “Don’t embarrass him in front of his friends, Irelyn.”

Confused anger straightened my spine. “So you’d rather me go home with him tonight?”

He whipped his head to glare at me, his eyes blazing. “Not in the least. I just suggested that you don’t do it in front of his friends.”

“I hadn’t planned on it,” I said through clenched teeth. My nerves were nearly shot and I couldn’t take a silly argument with Lucas, too.

“Okay, love,” he said as he released a long breath. “Sorry. I just can’t stand the thought of him touching you.”

Smiling shyly, I ducked my head. My heart fluttered at his words and I knew I was making the right choice. “I’m sorry, too. I’m sorry about this whole mess.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry. Now relax – you’re doing a great job. It will be over soon.”

“Irelyn?” Dustin said over my shoulder. I turned to face him. “I want you meet someone.” His eyes were hard and a tremor shook my heart. Nodding, I set my glass on the bar. Dustin took my arm, leading me away. “Why the hell do you want to stand around and talk to the help?”

“What do you mean?” I sputtered. “They’re friends of mine – not your mother’s servants.”

“They were hired to do a job,” he said. “And besides, I don’t like the way that Luke guy looks at you.”

My heart stuttered. “He doesn’t look at me.”

“Yes, he does,” Dustin insisted. “Now smile. You’re supposed to be having a good time.”

Lucas and the other guys jumped back on stage but instead of playing, they called out to my mother, cajoling her until she joined them. I stepped back from the group of Dustin’s friends and smiled as my mother stood in front of the microphone.

The boys started playing a Janis Joplin song that made me laugh – how many times had I heard Mom singing it as she washed dishes or folded laundry or prepared dinner. And she sounded wonderful as she stood on the stage, belting out the words like she was truly on tour.

Bailey, Morgan, and Tommy stood with me. When Mom finished, we cheered wildly for her. She bowed, her face bright red, and kissed each of the boys on the cheek. My insides swelled and I couldn’t wait to tell my mother that Lucas was the love of my life.

“Are you all right?” Dustin asked as he wormed his way next to me.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked.

Pressing his lips together, Dustin shook his head. He nodded toward the stage and my eyes widened as Tommy joined my mother. Lucas and Spencer gave him a tambourine, explaining the beats to him as my mother laughed.

“It’s time to sing ‘Happy Birthday’,” Lucas announced as his eyes lit on mine. “Irelyn, could you please make your way to the stage?”

I shook my head fiercely. There was no way in the world I was getting on that stage. But Dustin thought otherwise as he clutched my elbow and damn near dragged me to the stage. Spencer and Lucas offered me a hand and I reluctantly let them yank me up. I scurried next to my mother.

Tommy played the tambourine while Mom led the crowd into a couple verses of Happy Birthday. I blushed the whole time, my cheeks hot enough to grill chicken. When they finished, Rusty wheeled out a huge birthday cake through the crowd. I prepared to jump down to dig in and hopefully end this massive joke of a birthday.

But Dustin would have none of it. And the nausea that had dozed off stirred as he made his way to the stage, a strange glimmer in his eye. He climbed up next to me, taking the microphone from the stand. Lucas moved to stand by his brother, curious expression on his face.

“Thanks for coming everyone,” Dustin began in his crisp, succinct voice. “I thank you all for sharing in Irelyn’s birthday. But, before we have cake and ice cream, I’d like to give Irelyn her gift right here in front of all the people she loves.”

The nausea yawned and stretched as my heart slowed, waiting to get a signal to stop.

Dustin turned to me, huge, dopey smile on his face, and took my hand. “Irelyn, I love you more than anything.”

I swallowed, hoping the saliva would somehow quell the nausea as I discreetly shook my head, hoping Dustin would see it and stop.

But he didn’t.

“We’ve been together for a couple years now and I know we’re still young – but I think love knows no age.” He pulled a box out of his pocket and I squeezed my eyes shut. “I am asking you to marry me - your friends and family my witness to how much I love you.”

I couldn’t think. I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t do anything. But I had to – the room had suddenly gone silent. I cracked open my eyes in time to see Dustin’s smile falter.

I took a step toward him. “Could I talk to you alone?” I whispered.

Pain shot through his eyes and straight to my heart. He smiled again and nodded, replacing the microphone. He took me by the hand, helping me off the stage. When he found a storage room, I knew I was going to be sick – it had a dirty floor and smelled like mop water.

“Oh, hang on,” I said, pressing a hand to my mouth, shooting off to the bathroom. I vomited quickly and efficiently and after I flushed, I heard the door open.