“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you smiling anymore?” Mack tried to move in closer. “It’s because you didn’t get any tongue action, isn’t it?”
I shook my head, forcing thoughts of Bradley to leave my head. Until he showed up or I went back, I could pretend those problems didn’t exist. I could do that for Mack, at least.
“No, that’s not the reason.”
“You know it is. Come on now, pretty girl. I’ll give you another chance.”
Being called pretty girl like that probably should have offended me as a strong, professional woman, but instead it warmed me to my core and made me want to go explore that little spot behind the tree. I shook my head at myself. This sexy cowboy really knew how to press my buttons and make me forget what I was supposed to be doing - namely, detaching and preparing to leave.
The sound of a loud vehicle pulling up and an even louder horn announcing the arrival of someone special distracted both of us from our silly flirting games.
“Oh, shit,” said Mack, sighing as he looked out towards the main gate. His shoulders sagged low.
“Who’s that?” I asked, trying to see the person getting out.
“Welcome to my nightmare,” he said, dropping his arm from my back and stepping away to greet the visitor.
“Hannah Banana!” yelled Boog from across the tent area as the Barbie doll beauty came from around an old beat-up truck to join the crowd mingling by the front of the house.
“Don’t call me that, Boog!” she yelled back, sounding like a country singer the way she said it. Then her face turned into pure sunshine as she noticed Mack coming in her direction.
Jealousy overwhelmed my thoughts and had me staring daggers at both of them. Where are those poisonous snakes when you need them, anyway?
“Hey, Mack! Hey, Miss Maeve. How’re y’all doing?” Hannah chirped. “Brought my blueberry tart, just like I always do, every year.” She held something wrapped in tin foil up above her head like she was the Betty Crocker Statue of Fucking Liberty or something.
I tried to use pure brain power to tip the thing out of her hand and onto her head, but apparently I have zero psychic connections because nothing happened. She brought it down in one smooth maneuver and peeled the foil back to reveal the food beneath for Mack. Unfortunately for her, he walked right past her and towards his brother Ian who was standing off to the side.
My jealous heart plumped up to three times its normal size. He really doesn’t like her! He wasn’t lying!
“It’s your favorite,” she said in a singsong voice over her shoulder, not at all dissuaded by his brush-off.
“No, it’s not,” he deadpanned. “I’m allergic to blueberries.”
“Since when?” she asked, clearly offended.
“Since the day you were born.”
His insult echoed throughout the entire party and everyone went dead silent for several seconds, before the singer in the band broke the mood by working on his equipment. Even I felt a little bad for Hannah, as obvious and obnoxious as she was, when I saw her face fall.
“Mike check one! One, one, one. Mike check two! Two, two, two. Mike check three four and close the door. The door, the door. Five and six that’s Nikki Sixx. Of Motely Crue and me and you. Mike-a, mike-a, mike-a-phone check, check, check…”
“We hear the goddamn microphone, okay?!” screeched Hannah, her pie trembling in her hand.
The singer banged his forehead into the microphone when he bent down and sent a squeal of feedback through the tents. Everyone either ducked or covered their ears, me included. I could still hear the ringing in my head for a while after it stopped.
Hannah turned to me when the recorded music started coming out of the speakers a few seconds later, her snarling anger going all fake sweetness and glaring sunshine in the space of two seconds. She twitched her head once to the side and then took a long-legged, high-heeled step towards me, the promise of retribution for man-stealing in her eyes.
I threw my shoulders back and angled my chin up, bracing myself for her arrival.
Time to shine not burn, Andie.
And, snakes? If you’re still out there? Now would be a good time to make yourselves known…
Chapter Forty
HANNAH STOPPED IN FRONT OF me, the music growing louder and people moving around to get some shade under the tent. The party was officially in full swing with people drinking beers and sodas while they munched on appetizers scattered around the various tables.
“So. You’re still here.” Her smile reminded me of a reaction to biting into a fresh lemon.
“Yes, I’m still here. But I’m leaving.” I glanced around, but no one seemed to be paying us much attention anymore. Mack was watching from a safe distance with Ian, making me want to stick my tongue out at him for being such a chicken shit and leaving me to deal with her alone. He would pay later, and it wouldn’t be pretty.