Not Alone (16 page)

I didn’t know what her game was but it was past the point of getting old. “No, I can honestly say I don’t miss you, I don’t even miss the thought of you. I have a woman now, a fantastic one at that. She is everything you aren’t.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen you with her, definitely goes against your normal type. Going after the large ones these days, huh?”

If she was looking to rile me up, it was fucking working. Snapping the last of my control, I moved to grab her arm in a tight clench but retreated at the last second, as I bit out, through clenched teeth, “Don’t you EVER talk about Emmalynne like that again. She is three times the person you will ever be. I love her, and FYI, in case you’ve forgotten, you dumped me months ago through a fucking Dear John letter, no less.” Getting in her face I continued, “If you don’t leave and make yourself scarce, I’m going to be forced to call the Sheriff, and they don’t take too kindly to stalkers.”

Her eyes were now big and round and she flinched as she started stammering, “Yo…you love her? You must because you’ve never talked about me like that. You were always so cold and distant.” A few tears rolled down her face. “Okay Grady, I’ll be leaving now, but can I just have a hug first, as closure, as a last goodbye?”

Knowing this wasn’t such a good idea, but I didn’t see her relenting, I nodded my head and enveloped her in a hug. What was meant to last a few seconds seemed like hours because she wouldn’t let go. “Let go,” I growled in her ear. Finally she released her hold on me, as she stepped back, smirking at something over my shoulder.

I tried to turn around to see what she was smirking at when she threw herself at me and pressed her lips against mine.

I would admit, for a split second I had a positive reaction until it quickly turned negative. Forcing her off of me, I growled, “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Son,” Uncle Mac appeared, walking towards me with a murderous look upon his face.

“Just a minute, Uncle Mac.” I said as I put my hands on my hips, “Seriously Becca, why the fuck would you throw yourself at me like that and kiss me? I just got finished telling you about Emmalynne and that I love her. You really are a fucking bitch.”

“Grady,” Mac growled out. His tone was certainly not one to mess with so I focused my attention on him, at least until I heard someone throw open the door to the bar so hard it crashed against the side.

Turning towards the door, I saw a fuming Tessa thundering towards us. Uncle Mac had to quickly intervene because it seemed that Tessa wasn’t going to stop. Holding his arm loosely around her stomach, Mac calmly said, “Tessa calm down.”

“Don’t you fucking tell me to calm down!  That wasn’t your friend you just ran into in the parking lot, with huge tears running down her face, saying her man was sucking face with a brunette bitch,” Tessa barked out.

I glanced over towards one of the several empty tables, and sitting on top was a baking dish.

Emmalynne. FUCK!

“You,” she pointed to Becca, “you home wrecking slut. You are damn lucky that Mac here is holding me back, because if he wasn’t, I’d be on you like white on rice. I don’t know who the fuck you are or where you fucking crawled out from, but I suggest you go back there before this gets ugly.” Tessa sneered, she was on a roll.

“And as for you,” she looked pointedly at me, giving me a death glare.

“Tessa, I can explain. It really wasn’t what it looked like.”

“Save it for someone who actually cares what you have to say. Hot or not, you are a fucking asshole. And to think, I thought Bryce was bad. At least when he cheated, he didn’t do it out in the open, in goddamn public, for any Tom, Dick, or Harry to see.” Twisting out of Uncle Mac’s hold, she got directly in my face. “You can work all by your-fucking-self tonight, because the way she looked just now, you fucking crushed her. Her heart was apparently just shattered into a million fucking pieces.” She jammed her finger rather hard into my chest. “And I gotta be the one to pick them up and try to restore them.”

She took one last look at Becca, “I mean it bitch, you had better be gone. I know people in this town, and they will make sure you’re gone.” She stalked back out the way she came in, throwing the door open.

“Mac, get that fucking bitch out of here! Seriously, if I look at her one more time, I might actually hurt her. I guess I’m more like my father than I thought.” I stalked back towards the office and slammed the door shut. I planted myself in a chair, put my elbows on my knees, and dropped my head in my hands. I pulled my hair hard as I screamed, “SON OF A BITCH!”

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and saw a few missed calls from Emmalynne starting about thirty minutes ago.

Also there were two text messages. I plunged the knife deeper in my heart by reading them.

EMMY LOU: Hey babe, I tried calling, I’m on my way to bring you your favorite, Gooey Butter Cake!! ;)

EMMY LOU: I hope the meeting went well for you, I’ll see you soon!! XOXO Muah!!

Hitting the call button while on her name, I prayed to God that she answered. It went directly to voicemail. My only other option was to go to her house.

Making my way back through the bar, I saw Mac standing with his hands on his hips, and no sign of Becca. “I’m going to her house, I’ll be back. And no, I don’t know what I’m going to say to her.”

On the drive to her house, I thought about what a major fuck up I was. I’d never been in this situation, mostly because I never had a woman get as close to me as Emmalynne had.

Reaching Emmalynne’s house, I saw her minivan, Brock’s Camry, and Toby’s Jeep. I braced myself for a major letdown, but I had to know for sure.

I rang the doorbell, and a very broody Brock answered. “What do you want?” he exploded.

“Can I talk to Emmalynne, I need to explain…”

“She doesn’t want to talk to you! You need to leave!” Toby screamed from behind Derek.

Then I heard Emmalynne shout, “You mother fucking asshole.” Trying to look over the two men in the doorway, I couldn’t see her, but it sounded like the yelling was coming from her bedroom. “It took me five years to let someone else in again, and you betrayed my trust the first chance you got!” Em then let out a huge sob.

“And to think, Tessa and I rooted for you…asshole” Toby muttered the last part under his breath, as he slammed the door in my face.

Going back to my truck and peeling off of her street, I just knew that I’d lost her. I’d lost the only woman I’d ever loved.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Toby

Emmalynne was still holed up in her room, crying her eyes out. Tucker was so worried about his mom, he had no idea what to do. I offered to keep him last night and take him trick-or-treating today while Tessa stayed with Em.

Tessa was now at work and, since she walked out yesterday, she had to work today. So we enlisted the help of Mikey and our new bass player, Charlie. Charlie was kind of freaked to be volunteered to go to a woman’s house, one he hadn’t met yet, to watch over her and made sure she ate.

Mikey didn’t mind one bit. He loved Emmalynne, we all did, like a sister. She was always there for us, so it was now our turn to be there for her.

Tucker and I walked up and down the streets of Brown County so he could collect his candy.

Approaching the bar, I didn’t want to go in, but I knew Tuck would want to see his Auntie Tess. He had dressed up as one of his favorite Avengers, so he wanted to show off his costume, which Emmalynne had made.

Now, I knew it wasn’t the wisest thing to bring a kid into a bar, but Mac always set up a table out front, had it decorated, and dressed up himself. This year he was a scarecrow.

“Hey Mac,” Tucker called out as we approached him.

“Hey there Tucker! Are you getting a good haul this year?”

“Heck yeah! Uncle Toby is taking me around this year, because mom…uh…she isn’t feeling too well today.” Tucker was such a sweet kid.

“Hey Mac, Tess in there? Tuck wanted to run in and say hi real quick,” I asked Mac.

“Yeah, she’s in there, not in the best mood, but there are only a few customers in there right now, so head on in.”

Opening up the door and stepping inside, you could feel the tension emanating the room. I located Tess right away and she was giving her famous death glare to one asshole, Grady Finnegan.

Tucker took off running towards Tess, well, he was running towards her, but he bypassed Tessa and went straight up to Grady.

Hustling up towards Tucker, I would run, but one does not run in their Cole Haan Saddle Loafers, heaven forbid they get scuffed. I made it just in time to hear the conversation.

“Hey buddy,” Grady said to Tucker.

“Don’t you buddy me! You made my mom cry! She hasn’t even gotten out of bed since yesterday, how could you do that to her? How could you make her cry?!” Tucker screamed at Grady, starting to get teary eyed. I went to console him only to end up having to catch him as he tried to lunge for Grady.

Giving Tessa an apologetic look and Grady my own version of Tessa’s death glare, I took Tucker out of the bar, but not before turning around and giving Grady a little piece of my mind. “You are extremely lucky that there are little eyes and ears in here right now, because if not I would really show you what for, you prick.” And with that, marched straight back to Tucker.

“Come on Tuck, I think it’s time to go check in on your mom,” I told him while ruffling up his hair.

Such a sweet kid, that Tucker, defending his mother like that. He would be a great man.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Emmalynne

It had been two long and exhausting days since that disturbing image of Grady kissing another woman was seared into my brain.

I hadn’t moved from my bed except to use the bathroom. I was pretty sure I stunk, and I knew for a fact that my hair looked like a bird took up residence in it. I hadn’t eaten, even though everyone keeps trying to shove food down my throat, literally.  And I can’t sleep. Each and every single time I closed my eyes, I saw him wrapped up in that brunette bombshell.

It wouldn’t hurt so much if she wasn’t so beautiful.
Wait, what am I saying? Of course it would hurt just as much.
She was everything I was not: tall, beautiful, legs for days, and not an ounce of fat on her. She was more Grady’s type than I was.

I’ve cried so much that I honestly didn’t think I had any tears left. I knew sooner rather than later I was going to have to quit wallowing in my misery, no matter how hard that might be.

I had to do it for Tucker. He didn’t deserve to see me like this, especially over a man. I was not really setting a good example for my son.

Yeah, it was about time that I picked myself up, put on my big girl panties, and went about my life. But first thing’s first, I really needed a shower.

My bedroom door burst open and in stormed in a very serious looking Toby, Tessa, Brock, Mikey, and Charlie.

Staring at them, I wondered what would come out of their mouths, because anything was possible with this bunch.

Tessa decided she would be the first one to speak. Putting her hand on her hip, and stating in an authoritative tone, she said, “We all think it’s time for you to get your ass up and get on with your life.”

The others nodded in agreement. Toby chimed in, “Yes, you’ve been in here wallowing long enough, and you look like hell. You’re lucky I don’t throw your ass in the shower, clothes and all.” I just sat there, letting them all say their piece.

Brock was next, pointing towards the living room. “You have a little boy out there, sitting on the couch, wondering when his mom will quit crying. He’s scared shitless because he wants to protect you and doesn’t know how.”

Mikey was next, “Yeah, he tried beating up Grady on Halloween. I heard he got right up in his face and…” he trailed off while looking to the others, who each had their own version of Tessa’s death glare pointed right at him.

Turning my attention to Toby, I narrowed my eyes. “We will be discussing that.” I pointed to Mikey, referring to what he just said, “later.”

No one had told me about Tucker confronting Grady on Halloween, but then again I wasn’t exactly in the right state of mind to even listen if they had tried to tell me.

Charlie just stood there, minding his own business. My guess was they all had made him come in, and he was so new to the band, he didn’t want to refuse. I think he might have been here another time within the past two days, but I wasn’t paying attention.

I took my time, looking at each and every one of them. Studying their stances, which were prepared for a fight, and looking at their faces, which they all definitely had their game faces on. I simply shrugged my shoulders and said, “Ok,” as I got up off of my bed, a little shaky at first, trying to get my balance in my left leg.

Tessa continued on, “Emmalynne, come on don’t you think it’s…wait…what? Did you just say ok?” She looked confused now.

I took a deep breath, let it out, and said, “I had just finished deciding that it was time for me to get up and go about my life, if not for me, then for Tucker. I appreciate y’all for coming here and taking time out of your lives to help me pick up mine. It was totally selfish of me to behave like this, but I’m just so hurt, and I miss him so much. I know I shouldn’t but I do.”

I was wrong, there were still tears left and they were welling up in my eyes. “I tried dating again, fell in love, and was made a complete fool of. So, hey, the joke’s on me. Lesson learned. I have everything and everyone I need under this roof, well except for the Bookstore, and Miles and Rose.” I was rambling, “Anyways, thank you guys for being here for me, y’all are absolutely amazing.” Tears were streaming down my face as my bottom lip started to tremble.

Tucker came flying into my room, straight towards me, and wrapped his arms around me in the biggest hug. Cradling his head in my arms, he said, “I love you so much, mom.” My heart completely melted. How had I become so lucky to have such a wonderful son? I looked up towards Toby and Tessa, through tear-filled eyes. “It’s moments just like this that I live for, nothing else matters.” Whispering to Tucker, I said, “How did I get so lucky to become your mom? You are my whole heart, Tuck.”