Perfectly Flawed (2 page)

“Well, do it. As a favor to me.”

Sean had no idea what had gotten into him. Well, actually, he did. Adrianna was in his blood; the sight of her heated his veins and stirred a flame that would need little fanning to roar to life. He should forget her, forget he met her. But he knew he wouldn’t. No chance.

Spotting his faded blue Chevy, he headed in that direction, his buddies on his heels. He was more inclined to turn and race after Adrianna instead of hopping in the truck with his pals. An ache started in his chest and drifted down to his gut. The knowledge that she was going to get in a car and leave was a knife in his chest.

Sean wanted her. And despite the unlikely chance that he would ever have her, plans of what to say when he called were already forming in his mind. With the right approach, it was possible she’d agree to see him. After all, he did save her. That was a good start, something to build on. Having no idea what he would really say when he called, Sean felt bereft, like he’d lost someone that meant a lot to him.
Which was true. But he was going to fix that. He was going to see Adrianna again.

Chapter 2

From the back seat of the cream-colored Mercedes, Adrianna watched thick green trees roll by. Looking beyond into the expanse of blue sky, she wished the luxury car weren’t taking her home. An elusive thought that she might escape flitted through her mind and left before she could consider it seriously.

The soft beige leather seat cushioned her ride, giving her a false sense of comfort. The sedan was a graduation gift.
Cari Harper had been Adrianna’s best friend since she could remember. The car had been the Harpers’ idea of the proper way to acknowledge their only daughter’s graduation. Completely overdone, but generous.

Cari
had ash-blond hair and gray-blue eyes. She was pretty and naturally thin, which Adrianna wasn’t, much to her detriment. Her mother and Cari’s were both affluent; appearance was a high priority. Adrianna wondered if she’d ever be able to live her life without caring about what other people would think. It was so ingrained she had trouble imagining life without it.

But
Cari was a good friend, a nice person. She just seemed more acclimated to the high-class lifestyle in Beacon Hill, never complaining and only enjoying the benefits. Having kind, loving parents didn’t hurt. Whereas Adrianna’s mother carped continually, finding fault with everything about her one and only daughter, Cari’s mother showered her with approval.

The other girl that had come with them, Shelby Logan, attended the same private school. And though they weren’t as tight, Adrianna liked her well enough. Brunette with hazel eyes, she was pretty enough but never entered any of the contests. She was rail thin, and though attractive in her way, didn’t get as many offers for dates. Her lips were overly full, which looked a bit odd on her, and were out of balance with her other features.

Often Adrianna was jealous because Shelby’s mother didn’t rag on her to change, or pressure her to be different. Adrianna couldn’t imagine. Since she was a child, it seemed her mother had forced her into one type of beauty pageant or another. The fact that she developed curves as she entered her mid-teens aggravated her mother.

Hannah Lane Brooks, her annoying mother, had been born into wealth and married wealth. It was all she knew. And showing off her daughter seemed to be her sole career, other than charity luncheons or society parties, if that was what they even called them anymore.

“That was a bust,” Shelby said. “All the cute guys were with someone. What a waste. I didn’t find anyone to hit on.”

Cari
turned down the music and said, “Yeah, me either. And the game was boring.”

“I met someone,” Adrianna blurted out.

“You?” her friends said in unison.

“Why is that so shocking?”

“Because you know you’re always the shy one. We didn’t see you with anyone. Who did you meet? Who is he?” Cari glanced in the rearview mirror, anxious for details.

“Sean Reid.”

“You’re kidding.” Shelby’s mouth fell open.

“No, I’m not kidding. Why? Do you know him?”

“No, well I don’t
know
him, not like that. I know
of him
. And he’s not the guy for you.”

“How would you know? I liked him.”

“For starters, he’s Irish.”

“Oh, and now you’re a bigot.”

“No, I am not a bigot. But your parents are…don’t act like you don’t know what I mean. Your mother would kill you if you were with him.”

“Why?”

“Okay, well, I saw him at a party. It was at a friend’s house. I’m not even sure what he was doing there. But he’s not just Irish, he hangs out with these other guys—tough guys, you know. They have a reputation for fighting. And he doesn’t live in our neighborhood.”

“Really?
So that rules him out…that he doesn’t live in our snooty, stuffy neighborhood?”

“Don’t be bitter. I’m just saying how your parents would see it. You’re supposed to marry a nice Protestant boy.”

“Yes, I’m sure. But I’m eighteen; I’m an adult. They can’t rule my life. If I want to see the guy, I’ll see him. And as soon as I graduate I’m moving out anyway.”

Shelby shrugged, and
Cari glanced in the rearview mirror again. Miffed, Adrianna looked out the window, distressed to see they were nearly at her house. The Mercedes glided effortlessly up the hill and pulled to the curb. From the street, the brick home didn’t look so bad. It was the same architectural style as so many in the area. Surrounded by trees and lawn, it was impressive—if one didn’t know what was inside, that is.

“Okay, see you later.” Adrianna got out and watched her friends drive off. Delaying the inevitable, she looked around at her neighbors’ homes, at least what she could see. The brick buildings with wooden shuttered windows and ironwork spoke of an earlier time. The mansions were as elaborately decorated inside as one would expect. She’d been inside many of them for events she would have rather skipped.

Knowing her mother would likely be home, Adrianna didn’t hurry to go in, dreading the encounter. Reluctantly, she stepped inside and instantly felt claustrophobic. The mint-green walls with white trim gave the main room a cold, formal feel. The room was rarely used, though it had a white wood-framed fireplace, great for cold winters. It was mostly for show.

Everything was for show: the room, the house, their life, and most of all, Adrianna.

Her mother stuck her head around the corner. “I thought I heard you.” Like her daughter, she had blond hair and blue eyes. Her perfect bone structure and trim figure were a source of pride. “Why did you wear that shirt? Long sleeves? It’s warm today. What were you thinking?”

Adrianna didn’t bother to answer; the question didn’t deserve an answer. There was always a critical remark as a greeting, and she was used to it. She walked past her mother, going straight to her bedroom to lock the door.

“Adrianna, you’re coming out for dinner. You can’t stay in that bedroom all the time.” The sound of her mother’s voice grated her nerves and was a source of depression. Again, she didn’t answer. It wasn’t expected.

Flopping on her bed, Adrianna breathed in the odor of furniture polish and disinfectant. The maid must have cleaned.
When I have my own place I’m never going to clean
, she thought. She bent her knees, putting her dusty shoes on the pure white quilt. Her mother would have a fit if she saw her. An advantage to having a lock on her door. Staring up at the ornate edging separating the stark white ceiling from the sunny yellow walls, Adrianna tried to imagine she was somewhere else.

She grabbed her iPod from the drawer, and blocking out all other sound with her earphones, she cranked up the music, letting Death Cab for Cutie belt out “You Are
A Tourist” to drown out anything her mother might shout from the hallway. Music was an escape, a necessity, the one thing she could look to for comfort. And a distraction from what she might otherwise do. Lifting her sleeve, she looked at her wrist. It would be okay. It wasn’t much.

Adrianna would have felt better, having seen Sean. The vision of him, buff and heroic, was
enough to make any day better. A warm tingle went through her as she recalled how he looked, standing there all muscle and brawn, his warm eyes melting her. Oh, if life were different; he would have swept her up into his arms and carried her away. And there wouldn’t have been a shred of resistance—not from Adrianna.

But it was a dream; she knew what Shelby had said was true. He wasn’t for her. Sure, her parents would object. That was something she no longer cared about. But he seemed like a nice guy, even though her friend seemed to see him as some type of rowdy gang member. So what if he fought? Sometimes that was called for. Adrianna knew a few people that could use a tussle with someone to put them in their place. Her own father for one; at the idea of her father getting what he deserved, she nearly smiled.
But not quite.

No, Sean was a good guy. That was it.
Too nice for her. That was the problem. Adrianna knew what she was worthy of, and it wasn’t Sean. He didn’t know her well enough to be glad he’d never see her again. But if he did know, he would be glad. She wasn’t his type. There was more to Adrianna than Sean could see on the surface. Much more. The thought pushed her mood toward a blackness she held fast to avoid.

She wouldn’t go there. The day before, her father had upset her. Well, more than upset her. The argument had been over her propensity to sit at the computer. It annoyed him; he wanted her to work out more to stay in shape or do something constructive. Nothing she ever did was right. Recalling the crease in his forehead and the coldness of his blue eyes when he looked at her, Adrianna shuddered.

She knew better than to talk back, but Adrianna had lost it. “Leave me alone,” she’d screamed. And the hard slap of her father’s hand that followed had sent her flying; her hip had banged into the dining table. The clap of his palm against her skin sounded like thunder in the small room, shocking her to reality. There was no way she’d give her father the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Fleeing to her only sanctuary, she’d locked the door behind her. There she’d reacted in the only way she knew, the only release she had.

Adrianna swore not to let it happen again. She couldn’t let it. Not much longer and she’d be out of there for good, away from her parents. Adrianna hated them; despising her father more than her mother but desperate to get away from both. For the next few weeks, she’d have to avoid contact with her father, as he was easily provoked. Since he often worked late, the best plan was to eat early and go to her room, claiming lots of homework.

Her aunt was nothing like that. Even though Krista Cooper was her mother’s sister, she was so much nicer. Having wealth hadn’t perverted her, and she’d offered for Adrianna to come and stay with her after graduation, at least until she could afford her own place.

“It would be a pleasure,” Krista had said. “After all, I’m between husbands. I would enjoy the company.”

If possible, she would have left that minute but she feared her father would come after her. Graduation, the ceremony, all of it was a big deal for the Brooks. It was a chance to brag, show her off, and claim credit for their beautiful daughter. Disgusting. But Adrianna would have to suffer through it. Then she was leaving, for good.

Chapter 3

Sean leaned back on the sofa, legs splayed, lost in thought. He took another sip of the whiskey, letting it burn on the way down. Then another. And another.

He felt comfortable in his parents’ home, a nice condo in a row building. His father, Patrick Reid, was a third grade teacher and well respected in the community. True, they didn’t live in the expensive section of Beacon Hill; they couldn’t afford it. But the home was their home and Sean was close to his family.

He relaxed on the soft fabric sofa, surrounded by the earth tones of the décor: beige walls, cream and gold rug, dark wood furniture, and dark wood floors. It was warm. It was home. He’d acquiesced when his mother asked him to stay until graduation. She’d miss him, even though the apartment he’d rented close to the business district wasn’t that far away. Molli Jane Reid was a hundred percent Irish, and family was everything.

“How did the game turn out?”
Bradan was Sean’s younger brother by a year. They both had brown hair and were naturally muscled, which was enhanced by the hours they spent in the gym. But Sean was the tall one, whereas blue-eyed Bradan was average height, five feet eight. That didn’t stop him from being a force to reckon with. Solid, sculpted muscle, and mean when someone he cared about was threatened. He was good to have around in a fight.

“It sucked. We lost.”

Bradan sat across from his older brother. “What are you drinking?”

“Whiskey.”
Sean held the flask out. “Help yourself.”

“Nah, bit early for me. What’s the occasion?”

As brothers, they shared everything. Well, almost everything. And there was no confidence too private not to tell each other. That was just the way it had always been.

“Oh, a girl I met.” Sean looked into space as if she might materialize right there in the living room.

“Hmm. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Yes, but this girl is special. She’s different.”

“What’s her name?”

“Adrianna Brooks. You know her?”

“Yeah, she attends private school. I’ve seen her picture. She won some beauty contest. Kind of a celebrity, I guess.”

“How is it everybody knows her but me?”

“Well, you know her now. How’d you meet her?”

Sean recounted the story.
And ended by telling Bradan that he was going to call her. “Tomas says his sister knows her. He said he’d get the number for me.”

“Going after the beauty queen, huh?”

“Don’t call her that.”

“Didn’t mean it derogatorily.
She is quite something, if she looks anything in person like she does in photographs.”

“She does. No picture could do justice to her beauty.”

“She does sound special.”

“She is, brother. She really is.”

*****

Tomas came through with the phone number, and even better, the name of the school Adrianna
attended. Not that great at talking on the phone, Sean decided to go to her school. Physical was better. Phones were just if you had no other alternative.

Tomas, Nic, and Sean piled into the Chevy, heading for the elite private school they’d only seen from the outside. Just because they couldn’t attend didn’t mean they couldn’t visit. That was how Sean saw it. So they skipped their last class and made it to Adrianna’s school before last period let out. All the way over, Sean’s gut was in knots.

Having girls had never been a problem. For some reason, they were attracted to him and he often had his pick. But he never let it go to his head. They probably just liked his muscle. Something about a guy fighting was a turn-on for a girl. Go figure.

But Adrianna was different. She wasn’t just any girl. She was one of a kind. And this time he was doing the chasing, not the other way around. Sean didn’t expect her to reject him, since she owed him a thank you, at least. He didn’t expect her to fall into his arms either. Really, he didn’t know what to expect, which was why he was all wound up about it.

The parking lot was rather empty; some students must have left early. Sean panicked for a minute, thinking he might have missed her.

“Do you see her, guys?”

“Looking,” Tomas said. “That blond hair sorta stands out. Should be easy to spot.”

“
Keepin’ my eyes peeled,” Nic chimed in.

Suddenly Sean’s heart began to pound.
Oh my God
. There she was, wearing a short blue skirt and ivory silk blouse. Her blond hair looked like a lion’s mane, all tousled and messy, like she’d just had sex.
God
. What was he thinking?

Hesitating at the sight of her, Sean’s eyes followed her long, lean legs down to the high heels that made them look a mile long.

“Do you see her? She’s right there.” Tomas pointed.

“Yeah, yeah, I see her, man.” Before rational thought could resume, Sean pressed the accelerator and sped closer. Within a safe distance, he hit the brake and skidded the truck so it slid sideways, screeching loudly. The maneuver always impressed girls. It was so macho, the tough-guy image they liked.

But when Adrianna looked up, her eyes showed alarm at the squeal of the Chevy’s tires on the blacktop. Bad start. What was he thinking? Trying to be some cool, truck-driving Irishman. Wrong approach. This was a girl used to the finer sensibilities of life—not some gang sliding toward her in an old truck.

Sean got out of the truck, afraid that she would make an escape before realizing who he was. Striding toward her, holding to a slow, steady gait so as not to alarm her further, Sean approached.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Adrianna, it’s Sean. Remember me?” He tried to come off relaxed, put forth a cool persona, but knowing he failed even as he attempted it.

But then she smiled. Adrianna smiled, and the whole world lit up. “Yes. Hi, Sean, I remember you.”

“Didn’t mean to frighten you. That’s the last thing I’d want to do.”

“No, you didn’t. I thought it was
kinda cool. How do you make it do that, skid like that?”

Sean regained confidence, boosted by her willingness to talk with him and her admiration. “Oh, it’s not hard.
Been doing it for years. It’s just for the thrill.”

“Do you often do things just for the thrill?”

That was a loaded question. “Uh, I could. I mean, maybe. Do you?”

“No, never.
At this school it’s unheard of.” There was that beautiful smile again. Adrianna’s blue eyes gleamed when she smiled. Why hadn’t he remembered that? Or maybe she hadn’t smiled at the ballpark. It wasn’t an occasion for smiling.

“Well, you should try it sometime.” Sean felt momentarily bold.

“I’d like to.” The smile disappeared, almost as though Adrianna had remembered something—something important. “And anyway, I didn’t thank you properly the other day. But I really appreciate you coming to the rescue. That could have ended much worse.”

“Well, you’re welcome. If you ever need rescuing again, I’m your guy.” Sean didn’t even know what he was saying. He was babbling.

“Adrianna, you ready? We gotta go.” A shout came from a couple of rows over—a female voice, clearly her ride.

“It’s nice to see you again, Sean. I have to go.”

“Wait.” Sean’s heart was pounding so hard he could barely hear. She couldn’t leave. If he lost her this time, it might be for good.

Adrianna
stopped, her blond hair ruffling in the afternoon breeze. Her flawless skin was radiant, but the look on her face didn’t reflect inner radiance to match it.

“Could I…see you? I mean, could I call you?”

Adrianna didn’t move or respond. She was a perfect beauty, flawless, standing there in the middle of the parking lot looking like a blond princess.

“Sean.” The way she said it didn’t sound good. There was no joy. Her voice was somber, serious. What could be so bad about seeing each other? They seemed to get along okay. “Sean…I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t? Why not? Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Not right now. But it wouldn’t work out.”

“How can you know? You don’t even know me. I’m a pretty nice guy, really. If you can overlook the antics with the Chevy, I have other good qualities. I promise.”

“I know you do. That’s not the problem.”

“What is the problem?”

“It’s not something I want to talk about. I have to go. Just take my word for it, we can’t see each other. We just…can’t.”

Adrianna didn’t look any happier than Sean felt. He was crushed, and couldn’t believe that she was shutting him out before they even got started. Sean watched her walk away, wanting to sweep her up and drive her off in his old Chevy. So powerful was the urge that he barely resisted. He clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth. This really sucked.

When she got in the friend’s car and they drove off, Sean finally went back to his truck.

“Well,” Tomas said, “what happened?”

“She didn’t look too happy,” Nic commented.

“No, she wasn’t. I don’t know what happened. I really don’t. She shut me out. Just like that. ‘Don’t call me. Thanks for the rescue. Have a good life.’”

Tomas tried to lighten the mood. “Just because the girls in our school fall all over you, doesn’t mean you have universal appeal.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Tomas. That makes me feel a lot better.”

On the way home, Sean decided that he knew the reason for her rejection. He wasn’t good enough for her. Of course he wasn’t. He wasn’t from the right neighborhood, didn’t go to the right school, didn’t wear the right clothes or have the proper manners. The list was long. What could he have been thinking? That she’d fall into his arms because he saved her once?

He needed to face reality. The fact that reality wasn’t
at all
what he thought it was, escaped him. Sure that he’d pegged it Sean tried to push Adrianna out of his mind. He couldn’t be something he wasn’t, and if that was what she needed, some high-society guy,—well, he was out of luck. He was going home. And he was getting a bottle of Irish whiskey on the way, whatever he could find. He’d need it.