Fender Bender Blues (30 page)

She wasn’t sure what to think of it, either. Since they’d met, she’d wrecked her car twice, which couldn’t be a good omen. If she were Leah, she’d be freaking out right now and slamming the front door in his face.

The corners of her lips twitched, but she fought against the frown. She’d just have to suck it up. At least she was healthy, had a roof over her head and her dad’s Toronado in the parking lot.

They walked up the sidewalk to the porch where Tally waited, shaking off her coat. Rach patted her head as she passed. She opened the front door and Tally bounded in. Too preoccupied to worry about Tally tracking water all over the house, Rach headed straight for the stairs, silent and contemplative.

Behind her, Craig said brightly, “Now we can go car shopping.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She let out a disheartened sigh and stepped into her bedroom. “But it was so pretty.”

Craig frowned in her bedroom doorway. “I’m sorry, Red. It’s my fault, I must not have shut the front door all the way and Tally got out.”

“It’s okay.” Except it didn’t sound okay, even to her own ears. She sounded about three seconds from losing it in a hysterical bout of tears. The clothes she yanked out of her dresser in search of a pair of sweat pants made a disheveled pile at her feet. “It’ll be fine, really. I’ll figure something out.”

“I’ll get it towed back to my shop,” he promised, already heading out the door. He paused in the hallway to look back at her. “You don’t even need to report it to your insurance. I own a dealership, remember? If it can’t be fixed again, you’ll get full retail for it. I’ve got this under control, it’s what I do.”

She shook her head at his generous offer. “I don’t know. I’m just your…girlfriend, not your wife. You can’t be pulling any strings for me.”

“It’s not pulling strings, it’s accepting responsibility for an accident I caused. No more discussion.”

And then he was gone. She turned back to her dresser and wondered how her dad would react once he heard the news.
Maybe I’ll just keep this little accident to myself.
It was probably better for all of them involved if he didn’t ever know how close he’d been to getting his Toronado back for good.

Chapter Thirty-Six

While Rach dressed for Craig’s housewarming-party-turned-celebration for his latest accolade, Man of the Year, awarded by the city’s Community Foundation, she considered faking a migraine, the stomach flu, anything to get out of attending. Not because she didn’t want to support him, but because she didn’t want to meet his parents for the first time at a party full of strangers.

When Craig had asked her to be there with him, he’d been so genuinely excited for her to meet his parents, she hadn’t had the heart to tell him no. So instead of bowing out with a fake illness, she zipped herself into a conservative pale green satin dress, slipped on a pair of cream high heels and smoothed her long auburn hair into submission. At a quarter past six p.m., she rushed out of her townhome to Leah’s waiting SUV.

A few hours later, standing alone on the patio next to a table decorated with fresh cut flowers and silver plates of hors d’oeuvres, Craig’s ex-girlfriend stared at Rach with icy blue eyes. If Rach had known Maggie would be in attendance, she definitely would have faked an illness. Rach shifted uncomfortably under the woman’s penetrating gaze, pretending great interest in a fern beside the table.

“Lynette went all out for this one.”

Rach looked up from the table and smiled at Leah, now standing beside her. The ten minutes she’d been alone while Leah went in search of Rick had been excruciatingly uncomfortable. Fingering a light blue linen napkin, she said, “I can’t believe his mom managed to pull this all together in a week.”

Lynette Larsen had transformed her son’s backyard into a photo shoot for Better Homes and Gardens with white tents, round tables decorated with fresh flowers and a string quartet playing soft music on a raised platform under the furthest tent. Rach had been more comfortable with the idea when Leah had described a backyard barbeque with a few close friends and family.

Leah plucked two champagne flutes off a passing waiter’s tray and handed one to Rach. “Would you like to know what Craig’s mom had to say about you?”

Rach smiled. “Only if it’s good.”

Leah’s eyes twinkled. “Well, she told Rick and me that you’re a peach and she can’t wait to plan a double engagement party. I informed her that you and I would like nothing more than a double engagement party, double wedding, double everything.”

Rach nearly choked on the chilled alcohol she’d just swallowed and stared wide eyed at Leah. “You said
what?
You did not.” Leah’s wide grin left no question about it. “Of course you did.”

“She thinks it’s so cute that her boys are going to marry best friends. I told her that Rick and I nearly had to tie you and Craig together before you both finally admitted how much you really care about each other,” Leah said and danced out of her grasp before Rach could smack her. “She mentioned a few times she wants grandbabies as soon as possible. Rick turned bright red. It was adorable.”

“I’m sure little Ricky was super duper cute,” Rach teased but she quickly dropped the smile and made a short nod of her head in Maggie’s direction. “She’s kind of freaking me out. I don’t think she’s taken her eyes off me since she came sashaying through the patio doors.”

Leah didn’t care to be so discreet and instead turned to stare right back at Maggie, wiggling her fingers in a mocking wave. “I think Rick might be right; she might be a little whacko in the head or something. He calls her the Ice Bitch Stalker.”

“Eeekkk.” Rach giggled, resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at Maggie. “I told Craig I’m going to leave early, but I promised to wait until he’s done talking to his dad. They went inside to Craig’s office a little bit ago, so I hope they don’t take too long.”

Leah turned to study the trays of hors d’oeuvres behind them on the table. “I’m ready to go, too. I have an early dye in the morning so I need my beauty sleep.”

Rach rolled her eyes. “You and I both know you don’t need beauty sleep. You roll out of bed and look adorable.”

“True,” Leah said with a shrug. “But still, my pjs are sounding pretty good right now.”

“I’m sure Craig will be out shortly.” She hoped so. Her feet hurt and so did her face from hours of smiling. Mostly, she was tired of trying to steer every conversation with every person she’d met that evening away from what she did for a living. Discussing the last year of job hopping with a bunch of doctors, lawyers and business owners wasn’t exactly pleasant. She hated the feeling of inadequacy; it wasn’t her.

“I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed someone hate you so much.” Leah tapped her own glass to Rach’s in cheers. “Well, except for Jackie.”

“I’m a popular girl, ya know.” Rach took a small sip of champagne. There was no point in being subtle—the other woman wasn’t—so she turned her gaze out across the pool, looking straight into Maggie’s eyes. Rach whispered, “So weird. I mean, she’s not even trying to hide that she hates me.”

Leah shrugged and made a small circle in the air with her pointer finger next to her ear. “Cuckoo.”

Maggie’s face tightened in outrage.

“You think anyone else besides you and I can tell she’s imagining hitting me with her car after the party’s over?” Rach asked. They both looked around at the guests mingling. Laughter filled the air and booze flowed freely. Not one person noticed the invisible daggers Maggie chucked at Rach from across the patio, and if they did, they weren’t obvious about it by staring.

“Hm,” Leah drawled, “I think by now everyone’s pretty liquored up and no one gives a hoot either way.” She looked up at the sky, turning shades of pink and orange and shadowy blues as the sun began its descent to the horizon. “It’s getting a little chilly, don’t you think? Is it supposed to storm?”

The breeze had picked up, caressing Rach’s skin and causing her to shiver. The sunset was a clear pallet of beautiful colors, but living in Nebraska, one learned not to take for granted the unpredictable summer storms.

“I don’t think it’s supposed to rain. I have a cardigan in the house if you want it,” Rach offered. She wished she’d have thought to bring two, feeling the chill now despite Maggie’s heated glare.

The small yard lamps staked close to the ground lit a soft glow around the pool and cut a trail down along the path that led to the lake. It was beautiful. The paddle boat Craig had purchased a few days ago so they could paddle around the lake bobbed on the water next to the dock at the end of the path. They’d paddled out there for an hour, had no luck fishing, though their interest in trying had waned due to Craig not being able to keep his hands off of her. The memory made her smile. They’d ended up on his living room floor where she’d been unable to keep her hands off of him. Afterward, wrapped in nothing but a soft blanket, they watched the sun set behind the lake until Rach had fallen asleep in Craig’s arms. The last week had been the happiest of Rach’s life and the butterflies hadn’t yet gone away.

Rach frowned and turned to Leah. “Should I be annoyed that she made the guest list? Because I am.”

Leah gave a small shrug and turned to pluck another hors d’oeuvre off a tray on the table behind them. “No, but I’d be annoyed at the way she keeps draping herself all over Craig whenever she has the chance. It’s inappropriate.”

The woman had made herself known the second she’d arrived, sweeping around the room like she were royalty, laughing too loudly and smiling gorgeously. Then she’d stopped beside Craig’s parents, looking perfectly at ease with them, sharing a joke with Craig’s dad and giving Craig’s mom a hug. Then she’d leaned up and kissed Craig on the cheek. His surprise was evident, but Maggie had acted as if she did that sort of thing every day. Rach could only bite her lip and look away, not wanting to make a scene in front of Craig’s parents or his guests. The woman’s audacity was appalling, but Rach knew a challenge when she saw one. It was better to keep mum than to fall for Maggie’s bait.

“I was hoping she’d leave soon, but it’s apparent she plans on staying until the end.” She sighed and sipped at the champagne in her hand. It was very good, but she wasn’t in the mood to drink so she set it down on the table. “It’s like she wants me to confront her or something. Seriously creepy.”

“Definitely creepy. I’m creeped out and she’s not even glaring at me.” Leah popped a square of cheese into her mouth. “We should stick our tongues out at her.”

“Super creepy.” Rach crossed her arms and considered it. “We definitely should stick our tongues out at her. Maybe she’d be shocked at our level of maturity and just leave.”

Leah puckered her lips together in exaggerated consideration, tapping them with a pink fingernail before shaking her head. “Nah. She’d probably do back flips over here and karate chop us. She seems the type. No one stares like that unless they can back it up.”

Rach laughed and gave Leah a quick, tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re here. If I had to come alone, I’d be a mess right now.”

Leah grinned and gave Rach’s shoulder a soft nudge with her fist. “Yeah, I’m pretty swell, aren’t I?”

Rach rolled her eyes. “Yeah, swell.”

Leah’s eyes widened and she grabbed Rach’s wrist. “Oh my God, she’s coming over here.”

“Crap,” Rach muttered and decided she wanted a drink, after all. She picked up the champagne flute and downed the rest of the liquid in the glass.

“Do you want me to stay, or leave?” Leah whispered.

“You can stay. If I lose my temper, drag me away.”

“Just tell her how it is,” Leah instructed firmly. “Craig loves you and she’s history. Enough said.”

There was no time to respond as Maggie planted herself in front of Rach, and said, “It’s time we have a private talk, woman to woman.” The determined set to her shoulders made Rach straighten to her full height, a couple inches taller than Maggie.

A few of the guests stared in their direction—an ex-girlfriend and new girlfriend faceoff. Who wouldn’t be interested in watching?

Just what I need, a damn scene.
Fed up with the entire situation, Rach stated, “I think if you had any class at all, you’d leave. You’re not welcome here.”

Maggie sucked in a breath and in the waning light of the sun with the exterior lights to cast a soft, yellow glow, she turned pink in the cheeks and fisted her hands.

“
I’m not welcome here?”
She spat incredulously. The intense look in her eyes, as if she’d like to reach out and strangle her, made Rach take a step backward. “You’re mistaken. You have no idea what kind of man Craig is. You’re just a joke to him—to everyone here.”

Rach glanced around at the nearby guests who were now whispering. She wished Craig would come outside and chase the woman off, but with Rach’s luck, he’d be in his office until midnight.

“Do you know that everyone on this patio knows you are unemployed? How do you think they know that, hm?
Because Craig told everyone.
I’m sure they’re all laughing behind your back. But not me, I’ll do it to your face—it’s
pathetic.
” Rach flinched at her words. Seeing the questioning draw of Rach’s brows, Maggie grinned. “Do you really think his parents will let him date someone like you? He’s way too good for you.”

Maggie’s words hit straight home to Rach’s insecurities. A once successful, happy, employed Rach was now a failure and everyone at Craig’s party knew it. She just didn’t know how. Maggie had found out somehow and she’d come to this party with the intention of embarrassing Rach. She almost yelled out,
I’ve got a job, bitch,
but then she’d have to follow-up with where, and since the onion ring factory didn’t sound very prestigious, she kept it to herself.