Once Upon A Half-Time 2(48)

“That doesn’t matter. Even if it wasn’t my first time—”

“Holy shit! You were a virgin?”

Pretty sure the elderly couple passing on the sidewalk heard him through the phone.

Rick swore. Something crashed in his room.

Yeah. We definitely weren’t telling him about the baby yet.

“Rick, listen to me,” I said. “It’s just confusing. Nate’s been nice and supportive and…it’s not like he’s looking to score.”

“That’s all he’s ever wanted from anyone.”

“Then why would he come back for more?”

“Because he can take advantage of you.”

“That’s not it, and you know it.” I heaved a breath. “This past weekend, when he was at the cabin with us, I thought…he seemed so…”

“Don’t say it.”

“I think I have feelings for him.”

This was the moment Rick’s head would explode, but, fortunately, I only heard the crash of his coffee cup in the sink. I flinched. He exhaled.

“Look, Mandy. I know he’s a smooth talker. After Jada left me, he taught me a couple tricks so I could hook up with girls at the bar—”

“You did what?”

“Let’s focus on your fuck-ups now, okay?”

My words caught in my throat. Rick apologized and softened his voice.

“My advice?” He hesitated. “Stay away from him. You’re not his type, and he is definitely not yours. I want to see you taken care of. Loved. In a nice big house with a boatload of kids running around giving you a headache.”

Mission-partially-accomplished. I swallowed.

“And I don’t want you to get hurt,” he said.

“I don’t either. But everything is getting more and more complicated.”

“If anyone can untangle things, it’s you.”

Sure, when the rope wasn’t looped around my neck. I forced a smile into my voice. “I’ll sort it out.”

“Don’t make me whoop your ass too.”

Oh no. That was still to come. “Please…don’t tell anyone? I’m trying to keep the wedding as drama-free as possible.”

“Oh yeah.” Rick gave a deep belly-laugh. “Lindsey’s drama-free wedding. Right. Am I invited to that one too?”

“I won’t tell her you said that.”

Rick kept laughing. I ended the call.

My phone immediately buzzed. I bit my lip.

Nate.

Part of me actually fluttered as I considered answering. I had no idea why, but I wanted to hear his voice. Except he would want an explanation I couldn’t give.

His messing around bothered me, but I wasn’t just a jealous lover. I knew the type of man he was and why it was a bad idea for me to get too close.

This wasn’t about me. I had to worry about the baby.

I hated to do it, but I ignored the call. I didn’t pocket my phone. I expected Nate to call back, like he had done all week.

I gave it a solid two minutes.

The phone stayed silent.

And that hurt most of all.





12





Nate





I sat outside the country club, waiting for the right moment to confront Mandy.

I was done with this passive aggressive bullshit.

Mandy refused to answer my calls, texts, or emails? Fine. Then I’d talk to her face-to-face. Explain myself.

Except I had no idea why I felt the need to justify my actions—especially since I fucked the other bridesmaids before I slept with her.

And I didn’t know why it pissed me off so much to be ignored. Or why it panicked me.

Or why it…hurt.

I wasn’t in the wrong. I did exactly what she wanted. She asked me to stay at the cabin. She walked with me to the dock. She was the one whispering don’t stop.

So why was I being punished? Hell, why did I even care?

Easy. Because Mandy was keeping something from me.

She had no reason not to trust me and every reason to answer my calls and give me an honest explanation of what really bothered her.

I’d never hidden the truth from her, so why was she so damn secretive with me?

Bryce gave me the info on the family tour of the venue. The Prescotts and Washingtons were doing a walkthrough of the reception hall for last-minute measurements and pictures. It was the only place I could pin Mandy down.

I shouldn’t have gone to find her, but if I didn’t untangle myself from her now, I’d be knotted up forever.

And if we were being real honest? I’d make sure those ropes bound us together tight.

Lindsey decided to get married in my family’s church, humble and quiet, but she demanded the party be held in a ritzy country club, the type that demanded their security deposit in gold. I stalked inside, prepared to grab Mandy and get my answers.

I was used to pissing women off, but they never cried in my presence. Never wasted a tear on me.