Walk Me Down (5 page)

The sound of Tommie slapping his chest and the two giggling at his comment makes me smile and almost makes me feel normal again.

“Shorts?” Scarlett asks, holding up a little white pair.

“Nope.”

Tossing them back in her suitcase she lives out of she tries again. “Mini skirt?”

“Nope.”

“You stubborn asshole. You are gorgeous, Tess. Dress up a bit with me.”

“I can do a bit. Jeans, this white blingy, black tank top and my Toms.”

“Whoa, pardoner! Don’t overdo it. Jesus, I mean really tone it down, Slutty Sarah.”

“I’m doing tight on top and bottom and throwing in some bling with this tank, so suck it bitch.”

“I’ll give you that, I guess. Hair and makeup is mine,” Scarlett declares.

“Fine.”

I’ve kept my hair a dull brown that hangs halfway down my back. Messy buns and headbands are my best friends. Scarlett always begs to do my hair and on rare occasions, I let her have her fun with it, but only to stay in the dorms and study. Scarlett, too, has long, brown hair. The only difference is hers is always shiny, well colored with highlights and done to a tee. I swear the girl can wake up with it in perfect condition. She has her bump and back comb down to a science. The girl can fix up like no other.

“Hold still. Just a couple more sprays of this shining oil,” Scarlett growls, as she continues to plaster the finishing touches on my hair.

I’ll never admit to her, but damn the girl can work magic. She has my dull locks shined up and placed perfectly. Her signature bump has it going on the top of my head, with my bangs pulled back and a side braid trailing over my shoulder. She finished her work with a turquoise and white beaded headband wrapped around my forehead. She’s also bathed me in a fine, smelly, glittery body spray. Like I said, I’ll never admit how magical she is, and I’ll also never tell anyone, deep down, I sure do hope I get the chance to run into Finn tonight. 

“These, please?” Scarlett asks one final time, holding up the little white pair of shorts again.

“Not a fucking chance. This glitter and shiny hair are about enough to put me over the edge.”

“You are such a liar,” she counters.

“Am not. My skin is crawling.”

“Yeah, crawling with delight. I saw you checking yourself out in the mirror. You’re hot and you know it. Now, let’s go flaunt it. I’m horny as fuck tonight.”

“Let’s go,” I say between giggles.

The girl can read me like an open book. She’s right, I’m hot, and I feel hot. Will and Tommie are eating their takeout pizza as we enter the room. Will nearly chokes at the sight of us and Tommie lets out an audible gasp.

“What?” I ask.

“It smells like a whorehouse in here,” Will says.

Tommie elbows him in the gut and begins to talk, “You. You look. Dammit, I’m sorry. You look like the Tessa, I remember. Well, your hair is a little different, but you look beautiful and kind of happy.” Tommie finishes as the tears start to stream down both her cheeks.

“Oh, good gravy, she’s just going out to either A, make Finn jealous or B, get nailed in the closet again,” Scarlett pipes, as she snags a slice of pizza from the box.

My stomach is too nervous to eat, but as if in slow motion, I watch the only family I know sit around and laugh about the old Tess coming out to play while eating pizza. It warms my heart to hear and see this all play out before me, and at the same time it breaks the already shattered pieces of it again and again. Over and over in slow motion. Once a heart is put back together the only thing left to do is shattered it again and again. I need to remember my lesson. It was taught to me years ago.

“Tess. Tessss,” Tommie’s voice drags me from my thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“You okay, sweetie?” She asks.

“Great,” I lie between my teeth.

The answer isn’t completely a lie. I’m great, but scared to death, intimidated by Kara, head over heels for Finn and terrified of the outcome.

Tommie makes her way to me and wraps me up.

“Don’t make me cry, asshat,” I warn her.

“I’m not. I just want to tell you something, Tessa. I’m so proud of you. I don’t care what happens tonight or if things work or don’t work out with Finn. Just bring back that Tess Tickle Sparkle that Daddy always bragged about. He loved you. Momma loved you. Will and I love you. Get your sparkle back. I’ll have four slices of pizza waiting for us in the fridge tomorrow morning just the way Momma always did on pizza nights. Two pieces wrapped and put on separate plates for us. Scooby-Doo plate for me and Smurfette for you. Make me proud, little sis.”

“Can you trampettes get your asses out of my house. You’re stinking it up,” Will yells.

“Ahh, kiss my culo,” I holler back to Will.

“Be good, girls.” Are the last words we hear as we slam the door and make it to my truck.

“They really do love you, Tess. You should let go of all your fears,” Scarlett says.

“I know. Now, let’s get our Miranda Lambert on, biotch.”

Cranking up the radio, I drive carefree and happy-ish to the G Spot. I’m at the point in my life, whatever will happen will happen. Hearts are made to be broken, and you’ll never know if the person is really worth the fight until you pour every ounce of your soul into them. I’m ready.

Walking into the G Spot, I remember why pants and a hot Iowa night is not a good combo. It’s beyond humid and hot in the crowded bar with bodies everywhere. Some standing, others sitting and some already drunken girls grinding on each other on the dance floor to Jason Aldean is the scene that lies before us. They definitely know what they are doing as a quite large crowd of men are giving them plenty of attention with catcalls and stares.

“Shots now,” I yell in Scarlett’s ear.

As soon as the words leave my lips, I see him. Finn is in the group of guys admiring the girls on the dance floor. I’m not quite fast enough, and we lock eyes. Scarlett pulls me away before I make too big of a fool of myself.

“What do you want?” She hollers, as I scramble back trying to find Finn in the crowd.

The sea of bodies are too much, and the sight of him is gone. I’m sure by now he’s in the closet with one of the girls from the dance floor.

“Holy shit,” I holler.

“What?”

Grabbing Scarlett by the elbow and dragging her down, I begin to holler, “One of those girls on the dance floor was Kara. Finn was there watching her.”

Scarlett seems amused by the story and something beyond me has her really intrigued.

“Did you hear a word I said? Finn’s here and watching Kara,” I try yelling over the music

“I hear you. What shot do you want?” She asks with a wicked smile and an odd eye twitch.

Scarlett thinks she can wink, but really she looks like the entire right side of her face is spazzing, but it never stops her.

“I don’t see him anymore. They are probably back in our closet and I’m sure he’s dragging that tongue of his up her legs,” I scream trying to make Scarlett understand how very pissed off I am at the whole situation.

In this moment, I know I’ve fucked something up. Scarlett begins to mouth the word “abort” our signal word to abort mission and begins to wave her hand at her neck the second signal to shut the fuck up immediately.

“She wants a Copper Camel shot and then a crown and coke. You in too?”

Turning, I see Finn standing right behind me pointing at Scarlett waiting for her to agree on the drink order.

“Um, sure, that’ll be great,” she barely squeaks out before running for the bathroom.

Finn grabs me by the hips and turns me to face the bar again. I can feel every single part of him as he presses against me. His scent instantly invades my nostrils. From the quick glimpse of him I got, it looks like he just jumped off the tractor and headed in for a beer. Loose jeans, white tee and a ballcap with his long scruffy hair hanging out of.

“What were you saying about my tongue?” He asks, as he drags his tongue from the base of my neck to the back of my ear.

His hands move from my hips to the front of my stomach, he uses them to pull me back into him. My ass doesn’t miss a beat and begins to grind on him to the music while we wait to order.

“I WILL only be going into that closet with you. Do you hear me?” Finn hisses in my ear.

I slowly nod my head up and down as I continue to move my hips in circles against the front of him. Finn grabs both of my arms, raising them above my head and settling them on the back of his neck. My hands instantly clasp and my body enjoys the feel of him everywhere.

“Hey, dickweed, what can I get you? “

Finn raises his head and chuckles. “Two Copper Camels and three crown and cokes, asshole. Oh hey, this is Tess. Tess, this is my bastard of a brother, Wes.”

“Hi,” I barely squeak out ready to die from embarrassment.

Instantly, I try to free my hands that have glued to Finn, but he stops me. I try to step away to allow some air to flow between us, but he just gets closer.

“I’m not letting go,” he whispers in my ear.

“Where did your smoking friend with the huge tits go?” Wes hollers, as he makes the drinks.

“Sorry, he’s a bit vulgar, Tess,” Finn offers.

Spinning around in his arms, I say, “Well then you’ve no idea how perfect he and my friend with big tits are for each other.”

Once again we find ourselves drowning in the pool of people, music and humidity. The words of a song about being hard to love swirl around in the air. Finn hasn’t once looked away from my face.

“I’m going to kiss you right here and right now,” he whispers to me.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I say stealing his words from earlier.

I watch, memorizing the look on his face and every single one of his features burn me as he lowers himself to me. One of my hands holds his face, preparing me for the feel of his skin on me again. It’s only been days, but feels like years since Finn has been on me.

Before his lips reach mine, we both hear, “Finn.”

Neither of us have to look to know it’s Kara making her way to us, and she does it with a grand gesture. If I thought I was sparkly tonight she puts me to shame easily. Booty shorts and a sequin top with gorgeous wedge sandals. The kind I used to love to wear. With huge hair and painted on makeup, she looks stellar. I instinctively back away from Finn hoping to make a quick and clean exit.

“Finn, c’mon the whole gang from high school is here. We want a group pic and need you of course.”

The harder I tug away from him the tighter Finn clutches my wrist. The pain is unbearable, almost causing me to scream. This is a clear sign that my heart is neither ready nor willing to be shattered again.

“Finn,” I hiss.

“I’m not letting go.”

“Stop, please. You’re hurting me.”

My words cause Kara to look down at our joined hands and the proximity of our bodies. And as if clear as day, a light bulb goes off in her tiny little brain, her fake persona and willingness to act as a friend instantly vanishes as she realizes what she just stepped into.

“Well, Tess, right? I barely recognized you all dressed up with your hair done and everything. Well, I guess if you can call wearing jeans in a bar that’s over a hundred degrees dressed up. Makeup, hairspray and a little glitter sure do a lot for you.”

“Kara, enough,” Finn roars.

I finally catch him just enough off guard to rip my hand from his and make my escape. He hollers my name a couple of times before the sounds of the bar drown out his voice. I mentally will myself not to cry, not to shed even one small fucking tear, but after all, the truth is hard to handle when spoken out loud. Kara might as well cut off my other leg with her words. She nailed every single one of my insecurities in front of Finn, and the bitch knows it.

Finally, I spot Scarlett sitting at a table with Wes on the opposite side of the bar. Peeking over my shoulder, I see Finn and Kara with the group all getting ready to pose for their picture and actually mentally send up a silent prayer of thanks.

“We were wondering how long it would take you two to notice us over here with the drinks,” Scarlett says.

“Where’s Finn?” Wes asks.

“Where he belongs,” I scream over the music.

Wes must be the owner of the bar. I remember Will telling me more in depth the other night all the different businesses the Evans’ own. There was one brother lower on Finn’s dads shit list and that must be Wes. I can see how owning a bar called the G Spot could land you there.

The table is lined with four shots and four more whiskey drinks. Without asking or showing any emotion, I down all four shots. The look on Scarlett and Wes’ face is priceless, and if I was in a better mood or place in my life, I might laugh.

“This one is mine, right?” I ask then pick up a crown and coke and chug it.

“Everything okay, Tess? Where’s Finn?” Scarlett asks.

“With Kara and his class, where he belongs.”