Running in Place (Mending Hearts) (2 page)

“Cash. I’m going to give you about five seconds to backtrack your ass out of what you just said to me and think about it before you decide to break the date I have been planning for
months
.” My voice shakes as pure anger courses its way through my vocal cords, but if I have any chance to salvage this evening, I have to play it cool. Yelling about what a shithead boyfriend I have to my shithead boyfriend really isn’t going to help matters.

“Babe. I said I’m sorry, but no can do tonight. We’ve got some family coming in from out of town at the last minute. Gotta be there. Rain check?”

Rain check?

Total
shithead.

Facing the mirror, my mouth dips in disappointment as my eyes rake over the gorgeous black mini-dress I bought
specifically
for this evening. I don’t want to
even
think about the money I spent on the shoes. Money I definitely don’t have.

I let out a breath as I slide my feet out of my fabulous five inch black patent leather heels. “Fine. I guess.”

“Aw, babe. Don’t be like that. It’s not like we can’t do it some other time.”

An audible gasp escapes my mouth as it drops wide open, only to be followed by pinched lips and narrowed eyes as I gaze at my reflection.
Some other time?
It’s official — he’s an idiot. It’s not like I wasn’t aware of this fact before this very moment, but yeah, this pretty much seals the deal in my mind.

This
date
was not just a normal date. It was supposed to be a nice, romantic evening to celebrate our one year anniversary. Well, actually,
that
was about two months ago, but I’ve been trying to get shithead nailed down on a night to take me out. A night like, I don’t know, tonight maybe?

He’s officially upgraded to
asshole
.

My eyes roll on their own accord as a loud exhale escapes my lips. “Yep,” I state with an exaggerated popping sound at the end of the word. “Totally fine, Cash. Though, I’m already dressed since we were supposed to head out in thirty minutes —
nice
notice, by the way. I’ll just call Sadie. See ya.” I push the “end call” button before I’m subjected to any more of his half-ass apologies.

After setting the phone down on the bathroom counter, I release my long, black hair from the make-shift French twist I attempted and shake it out until it falls over my shoulders, tickling the middle of my back. Yeah, no back on this dress either. I sigh out loud, defeated.

Oh well, his loss.

Bending toward the floor, I hook the straps of my heels with my finger, throwing them over my shoulder while carrying them into the bedroom — Cash’s bedroom. Placing them gingerly in their box on his bed, I make sure to wrap the tissue paper around each one so that they don’t scuff. Who knows? Maybe
someday
I’ll get to wear them. With one last lingering touch, I place the lid on the box and set them by my overnight bag.

Throwing myself onto his raggedy ass comforter, I fold one of his pillows underneath my chin and breathe in deeply, once again contemplating my life.

What the hell am I doing?

Nothing
, that’s what I’m doing.

Absolutely nothing.

After Mother died last year, I pretty much have been doing precisely that. Not-a-damn-thing.

I have no place to call home because I refuse to go back
there
, so I crash in this hellhole. I
do
pay half the bills, and for my part of the food because I refuse to be a mooch. But it’s not really a place I can call mine. I feel like more of a guest here, never really bringing more than what I can fit in my bag. I could stay with Sadie I guess, but she has three roommates that I absolutely cannot stand. Rich entitled bitches.
No, thank you.
I could stay with Trace, my wonderful all-of-a-sudden-want-to-be-present-in-my-life brother. I laugh out loud to myself. Um, again, no thank you.

I have no money to my name and I can’t get any of my inheritance until I graduate, a wonderful stipulation that my mother fucked me with. I’ll be damned if I ask Trace to co-sign a loan for me, which I would have to do because Baylor isn’t cheap. And Baylor happens to be where all of my one hundred and forty-five hours are. Maybe dropping out with one semester left to go wasn’t the smartest thing to do, I’ll admit, seeing as how I lost my scholarship when I withdrew, but the decision was
mine
. I had my reasons, and I stand by it regardless of how stupid it was.

I
do
, however, have a job. A job that I was pretty much forced to take, due to the fact that I’ve worked and quit most of the equal opportunity employers here in Waco, TX. But, unfortunately, it requires constant contact with my wonderful all-of-a-sudden-want-to-be-present-in-my-life brother since it’s
his
bar and all, that employs me. Well, technically it’s Trace and his best friend’s bar. Blake Morgan. Now, I like
him
. Why couldn’t
he
be my brother?

Over the last year, I’ve become very well acquainted with him, his beautiful wife Alex, and their son and his adorable step-girls. I babysit often for them and I love every minute of it. But still, I need to figure out what I actually want to do with my life, and I’m pretty sure babysitting doesn’t hold much potential as a long-term career.

Rolling over, my stare drifts to the ceiling and an empty feeling begins to claw at my chest. So, I’m twenty-three years old. I work as a waitress and a part-time babysitter while pseudo-living with my shithead boyfriend. I have no money because I give it all to my shithead boyfriend so he can pay my half of the expenses for the place I don’t technically live in. Oh, and I have no college degree because I dropped out of school.

Tears surface, burning my eyes. I’m sure Daddy would be
so
proud. The feeling in my chest begins to ache even more.

I’m lost.

I’m alone.

I’m going nowhere in my life, and I have no reason to.

How fucking depressing.

Well, enough of this shit. Wiping the moisture from the corners of my eyes, I sit straight up and push myself off the bed towards my overnight bag. After removing my dress and laying it gently inside the bag, I grab my frayed jean shorts, white tank top, and my old worn out cowboy boots. Definitely not a gorgeous black dress and stiletto heels, but it’ll do for what I have planned tonight. Which is getting utterly shitfaced.

Zipping it closed, I throw my bag on the bed next to the shoe box before fetching my phone out of the bathroom, unlocking the screen and selecting Sadie’s name from my recent calls list. Another reminder of how sad my life is. There are only three call names that fill the screen — Sadie’s which I accept, Trace’s which I avoid, and Cash’s which are all outgoing since he never bothers to call
me
.

“’Sup girl! Where are you? Ready for your hot date?” Sadie’s sunny sing-song tone filters through the phone. I breathe out a small breath of relief as the dull pain in my chest lessens with the sound of her voice.

“Well, I
was
ready for my hot date. Now I’m just ready to get the hell out of here.” I glance over my new attire as frustration resurfaces. The smoky grey outlining my blue eyes is definitely a little too city for my country apparel. I force a fake smile at my reflection, knowing damn good and well that it will remain plastered on my face no matter how shitty I feel. “But, it’s cool. I always have you, right?”

“Are you kidding me?
Again
? What the hell happened?” The anger in her voice along with the twang of her strong southern accent replaces my fake smile with a genuine one. She’s pretty funny when she’s pissed.

“Are you capable of communicating in any other way other than in question form this evening? Is this a requirement for me as well? I’m just trying to figure out how to word my next sentence,” I add through my grin.

“Seriously, Tate, what the hell?”

I let out a laugh. “Well, I guess that answers my question.”

Sadie exhales loudly into the phone. “Tate.”

“What do you think happened, Sadie? He cancelled. He has family coming into town, last minute. There’s nothing I can do about that, so now my dear,
you
are my date for this evening. Are you dressed?”

“Tatum O’Connell! Are you kidding me? I picked up your shift at the bar so you could go out tonight, dumbass! I’m talking to you on my break!”

Shit. That’s right. She did.

Damn it.

“Well, can’t you switch with someone? Maybe get off earlier? Aren’t you screwing Daniel now? Can we not use that to our advantage?”

Sadie giggles into the phone. “Who’s speaking in questions now?”

Another broad smile magically appears on my face. “Well?”

“Ohh, okay. I’ll see what I can do. Just come up here and hang out at the bar until I can get something worked out. He owes me a favor anyway…” she trails off with another giggle.

“Gross, Sadie. Is this fellatio related?” When I’m met with silence, I make exaggerative gagging sounds into the phone.

Laughing she responds, “Just come up here, Tate. I’ll be off soon. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Okay. Who’s managing tonight anyway?
Please
tell me it’s Daniel.”

“No such luck. Noah’s on duty. No free shots for you tonight.”

I roll my eyes. “Wonderful. As if my night didn’t suck enough.” Grabbing my purse, I head towards the door. “I’m on my way. See ya soon.” Chunking my cell into my purse, I exit Cash’s house.

Noah Reese. The bane of my existence. I’m absolutely overcome with joy.

Getting in my old mint green Honda Civic, I shut the car door and pause in thought before starting the ignition.

Noah Reese.

Mr. Perfect. I honest to God cannot stand him. He’s always watching me, most likely judging every single
imperfect
thing that I do.

I chuckle to myself as I turn the key.

Well, there’s no doubt about it. I can feel it.

He’s
definitely
going to get a good show tonight.