Without You: A Friends-to-Lovers Small Town Romance

by Jennifer Van Wyk

  “Butt hurt, huh? Do I look butt hurt to you? Think I’m all tore up over not calling you mine?”

  “Don’t look butt hurt or tore up to me,” Chad says. I glance behind me and do a double take when I see he has a plate of food in his hand, shoveling some potatoes into his mouth. He points to the plate then leans over so he can see the not-so-happy bride and groom. “Good choice on the garlic mashed, Han Han. They’re fucking amazing. And this pork?” He leans back and lets out a loud, “Whoop! Have mercy!”

  Ah, hell. The booze is definitely getting to him. The one who was supposed to keep Johnny and me in line is now off the rails completely. Fuck, I love my friends. They’re the best.

  “Holy crap, y’all are so annoying! Just get on with it, already,” she half growls/half screams. Fists tight at her sides and face getting red. I don’t really mean to laugh but damn, it’s funny. Probably not my most mature moment, coming here and interrupting her reception, and I feel a twinge of regret for it. But I can’t let that get to me right now. Even though…

  She’s pissed.

  Like raging mad, pissed.

  But she won’t show it, and I know this because in…

  3…

  2…

  1…

  She shakes off her anger, smiles, places a hand on her new husband’s shoulder, and looks down at him lovingly. It’s so classic Hannah, so predictable that it doesn’t even surprise me. Now, I have no doubt she doesn’t love him, but I see the façade she’s putting up. Hannah might love him. She might even be happy with him. But I can see in her eyes that he’s not the person she wants him to be. He’s not nearly man enough for her. She might want the appearance of being with someone who doesn’t get dirty for a living, but at the end of the day, I know without a shadow of a doubt that she wants a man in her life who can fix shit and take care of whatever she needs.

  Probably makes me sound like a jerk, but fact is, his version of working hard is putting in forty-one hours rather than the standard forty. He doesn’t know the difference between a Phillips screwdriver and flat head screwdriver. His hands are softer than most women’s. I know this because I shook his hand once when I met him. He winced at the pressure from my completely normal handshake.

  But, maybe I’m wrong and that’s what she was looking for all along and if that’s the case, I definitely wasn’t the right guy for her.

  I smile wide. “There she is. Mask firmly in place so I can continue?”

  She falters, her smile dropping for a second before it’s back.

  “Let’s just get on with this, shall we? You need money? Is that why you’re here?”

  What a bitch. Johnny actually coughs the word behind me. She knows damn good and well I might not be in the tax bracket that she wanted so desperately to live in — or, wasn’t, anyway — but I make pretty good money and bonus for me? It started with me. No money backing me when I decided I wanted to open my own shop. No daddy’s inheritance to get me started. I worked my fingers to the bone working construction, roofing, laying cement — whatever it took — by day and as a mechanic at night. I took on side jobs and did them in my own garage for over ten years, not getting to sleep until the early hours of the morning, only to have to be up and alert by six ready to do it all over again.

  “Yeah. That’s it. I’m praying that you kept a spare twenty in your wedding dress and I came over here to see if you could give it to me. Fuck no, I don’t need money.”

  She rolls her eyes and scoffs. “Right. So what is it then?”

  “I wanted to congratulate you, like I said.”

  I’m being aloof only to piss her off further. I might have started it but her snarky comment about me needing money then her clear dismissal of me saying I don’t need it pissed me off, too. Eye for an eye, I guess you could say. We were always pretty good at that. Growing up the poor kids in a rich kid town, we knew how to use our words to get our point across if someone was making fun of us.

  “Thanks, man. Appreciate it.” Cameron swallows hard after saying those four words, like he just poked a bear and is terrified of the ramifications of it. Another glaringly obvious difference between us. I would have said it along with a satisfied smirk knowing that I was getting to the girl. Cameron’s voice trembled.

  I glance at Hannah but her mask doesn’t cover the twinge of annoyance that brought her. It almost brings me a bit of happiness, but I’m a big enough person to admit that I don’t want her settling. Cameron might bring her financial stability, but I pray there’s more to it than that.

  Looking behind me, Johnny nods once, encouraging me to do what I set out to do. He now has a plate in his hands, too. Johnny lifts his fork in my direction and says around a mouthful of food, “Chad was right. This is fucking delicious. You need some before we leave.”

  I shake my head and turn around.

  “Hannah.”

  “Brody.”

  “Congratulations on your wedding.” I wonder if she realizes that I said wedding and not marriage. Because that’s what she’s all about. The show. The party. Not what comes after.

  “You said that already!” she shouts.

  Several times, actually. Just to annoy her. It worked, too. Looks like after all these years, I still know how to set her off. “I know. I know. I just… I also needed to tell you thank you.”

  “Thank you?” she asks, skeptically.

  “Yeah. Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “Well, you see, since I wasn’t distracted by you, I focused on my work.”

  She rolls her eyes. “Oh, good. Your fabulous job as a mechanic. Bless your heart.” She giggles like she just really dug in there. She says the word mechanic like it’s a curse word. What she doesn’t realize, is that not a single other person in this room is laughing with her. Not even Cameron’s seemingly stuffy family. She’s only acting like a snob and no one missed it.

  “That’s right. My job as a lowly mechanic. The one that I’m so damn good at, it caught the attention of this fancy shmancy big wig,” I say, letting my southern twang really hit home. If she thinks I’m nothing more than a redneck hillbilly, I can act the part. I shrug as if I’m stupid. “They used a lotta big words I didn’t really understand but I signed the contract anyway.”

  Oh, that gets her attention. Her back goes straight and she narrows her eyes. “Contract?”

  “The one with lotsa numbers. Yeah. I don’t really know what I signed, since I’m a hick, and all, but hopefully that doesn’t bite me in the ass.”

  “Cut the crap, Brody. What contract?”

  Chad and Johnny chuckle behind me. “She’s about to blow, my friend. Better wrap it up so we can get on with our night celebrating.”

  “Celebrating what?” she huffs, irritated with me. I’m not even embarrassed to say that it makes me a little happy.

  I look at my friends briefly and then a quick glance at Katie because I can’t seem to take my eyes off her. She smiles and I want to say screw it, drop the microphone, grab her hand and drag her out of here so she can join us for the night. But that’s not why I’m here. And I know that will only cause problems. Or… more problems, anyway.

  “Seems like you’re right, boys. All right.” I take a deep breath and look to Hannah and hold her eyes so I know she’s paying attention to what I’m about to say. Thinking about the song, I take a few steps and steal Cameron’s glass of champagne and lift it to my lips, chugging down half of it before returning to my spot by the guys. “Ahh. Good booze, Hannah.”

  Her jaw clenches and eyes narrow. “Okay, okay. I’ll get on with it so you can get on with your night. I just wanted to let you know, before you saw it somewhere else, life might get a little crazy around here. For me, anyway. You see, I did some work for a guy who spread the word to some of his friends. Seems as though these friends have quite deep pockets. The Nashville kind of deep pockets. They started talking, think my work needs to happen on their trucks and whatever else they drive. The vehicles that end up in their country
music videos.”

  She shakes her head and furrows her eyebrows. “I don’t get it.”

  I glance over at Katie who’s smiling wide, her hand pressed to her chest as she nods at me. She bites her bottom lip, her eyes alight with happiness. For me. I don’t know how I know it, but I do. I smile back at her before regrettably turning my attention back to Hannah.

  “I signed a contract with a company that produces those videos, Hannah. They want me to do all the work to get the trucks and other vehicles ready per the talent’s specifications.”

  “Talent?” she asks quietly. I know her well enough to realize that the wheels are turning inside her head right now. She’s hoping that I’m lying, but even if she doesn’t want to admit it, she knows the talent I possess. Plus, I’m not a liar. Never have been. What’s the point in lying when it only causes problems?

  “You know. All those guys who I listen to on the radio but you can’t stand because you say their music sucks? Yeah, those are the ones. My customer, the producer, had me sign a contract that I’d do all their work. It was a nice little bonus.”

  I spin around and face the crowd. “I apologize, y’all, if your quiet lives are interrupted once in a while when they come here. Seems these country music guys know what they want and like to be pretty hands-on. Might be around quite a bit.”

  Murmurs of excitement happen but it’s Uncle Zeb’s voice that breaks through the crowd, “You shitting us, boy?”

  I chuckle. “No, Uncle Zeb. I’m not shitting you.”

  “He’s not your uncle!”

  “He can call me uncle all he wants, Hannah! That boy’s family!”

  She rolls her eyes and huffs. “Fine. Whatever. Congratulations, I guess.”

  I smirk and face her. One last time.

  “Thank you, Hannah. Means a lot to me. I know I wasn’t the man you wanted and I’m happy about that. See. You cheating on me with Cameron did me a favor. Helped me to clearly see what — and who — I want in my life. And someone who’s,” I turn and quickly say to her parents, “sorry about this, but you know it’s true,” then I say to Hannah, “a stuck-up bitch who thinks she’s better than everyone else, has no room in my life. I signed a seven-figure contract with a company I never saw coming my way and I can’t tell you how excited I am about that.”

  I don’t miss the quick inhalation of breath when I say the figure out loud. It’s really no one’s business, and I didn’t intend to say it, but the alcohol has loosened my tongue a bit. Besides, it kind of helped drive the point home.

  Hannah clears her throat. “Well, good for you. Hope that works out for you.”

  She just blessed my heart again without saying the words. ‘Hope that works out for you’ is her way of saying, good luck, you’re going to need it, because you’re just a grease monkey and will find a way to screw it up.

  I don’t let her words get to me, though. Because I know the truth. I’m amazing at what I do, and the fact that I just signed this contract is proof of that. Customizing a truck that comes off the line is what I do best. Working on their motors, making the exterior and interior unique so it doesn’t look like another one out there, it’s what I was born to do. And now, I’m getting recognized for it.

  I offer her my biggest grin, hoping that she realizes that I didn’t come here to impress her. “Thanks, Hannah. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have celebrating with my buddies to do. See, they’re actually happy for me.”

  “I’m happy for you, boy!” Uncle Zeb hollers.

  “Us, too.” I hear behind me and turn around. Hannah’s mama is standing, her hands clasped together in front of her. “We are so proud of you. Always knew someone would take a second look at you and never look back.” She walks around the table and comes to me, hugging me tightly. “Not that this was the best time to let us know, but I’m still very happy for you,” she whispers.

  “Sorry about that. Might have had a little to do with the celebrating that happened beforehand.”

  “Figured as much,” she says, wrinkling her nose at me. “It’s okay. I understand.”

  “It wasn’t because of this,” I say, throwing an arm behind me toward Hannah and Cameron.

  “Figured that, too. You two didn’t belong together.”

  I chuckle and widen my eyes. “You’re right about that.”

  “Not that I don’t want to spend more time with you and hear more about this new venture, but it’s probably time for you and the boys to head out. This is her reception, after all.”

  I wince. I know it’s not my best moment. “Sorry, ma’am. Truly.”

  “Enough of the reunion, already, Mom!”

  “Hannah. Cameron. I apologize for the interruption. I wasn’t thinking clearly, but I wish the best for you both. May you have a long and happy marriage.”

  “Thanks, Brody,” Cameron says, giving me a nod. “But if you don’t mind, we’d like to get on with our night.”

  “Of course.”

  “Thanks for the meal, Han Han!”

  “Ugh! You’re so annoying, John!”

  “It’s Johnny!”

  Cameron might have been civil, which is impressive considering I just acted like a drunken asshole, but Hannah is clearly not of the same mindset. She clears her throat to get my attention. “So that’s it, huh? You just wanted to brag about your new job? Is this really the tactic you’re using now?”

  “Tactic?” I question.

  “To get me back,” she says in a bored tone. She stands up and shrugs off Cameron when he tries to stop her, walks around the table, and comes to stand in front of me. I’ve long forgotten the microphone in my hand, not needing it because the entire room is silent, waiting with bated breath for what’s about to happen and be said. Hannah pokes me in the chest, her eyes close to shooting fire in my direction. “Lying about some big company that miraculously found you. Brody Redding. You’re nothing but a guy with zero goals and nothing to offer anyone. There’s no way what you’re saying is true.”

  Instantly, my ire kicks up and I squeeze the metal handle tightly. Until this moment, I’ve been the one doing the digging and now it’s her turn. I work hard to not let it show that she got to me. She didn’t, at least not in the way that she was trying, but it does irritate me because I’m a guy and don’t like someone telling me that I don’t have ambition. “Lying, huh?”

  “Of course you’re lying.”

  “And… I’m nothing?”

  “You heard me. Proof of that is you showing up here tonight. What kind of dickhead does that? I’m so glad I dropped you. I should have done it months before I did, actually. Especially since that’s how long I’d been cheating on you.” She shrugs as if she now has an upper hand. What she doesn’t know, though, is that I found that out long ago. Because the woman Cameron was with was being cheated on as well. She tracked me down on social media and let me know, even though Hannah and I had been broken up for a year and I no longer cared, she wanted to make sure I knew. She wasn’t quite as over the breakup as I was, apparently.

  I snap my fingers and make an a-ha motion. “I heard something about that. Too bad I don’t give. a. shit. Didn’t when I heard about it from the girl Cameron cast off and definitely don’t now. But, you’re right, coming here was kind of a dickhead move. I’m sorry for interrupting your fine evening,” I say into the microphone before lowering it and leaning in close. “I’m sorry for putting a damper on your wedding reception but something tells me, this won’t be your only one. Best of luck to you and Cameron, Hannah. I want you to have everything in life you deserve.”

  Before walking away, I stop at her parents’ table and notice that the couple sitting with them, who I assume are Cameron’s parents, are sitting quietly, barely paying attention. Huh. I would have thought that at least someone would have stopped the insanity of me being here brought on. Apparently not.

  “Sincerely apologize, sir. I shouldn’t have stopped in tonight. I hope you know this isn’t normal for me.”

  “Apology a
ccepted, Brody. Congratulations to you. Never met a harder working man and I have no doubt you’ll do great things.”

  “Thank you, sir. Means a lot to me. We’ll leave now,” I say to him, gathering Chad and Johnny.

  With one last look over my shoulder, I make eye contact with the one person I wished was coming with us. Not Uncle Zeb. Though, that would be fun. Definitely not Hannah.

  Katie.

  With a small smile, she offers up a wave and I give her one in return.

  It’s crazy that I haven’t thought of Katie in years, but something tells me now I won’t get her out of my mind for quite some time.

  Chapter Two

  Katie

  Holy crap. That just happened. I want to laugh but I know Hannah would murder me so instead, I fist my hands so my nails bite into my palms. I can’t decide which was the best part, Hannah’s obvious frustration not by the fact that Brody and his friends showed up here, but because of his announcement about signing some sort of huge contract or if it was just getting to see Brody again. It was clear that he didn’t show up here tonight because he missed Hannah or wanted her back. Even though I’m pretty sure that’s how Hannah will spin this story for the rest of her life.

  I watch as Brody, Chad, and Johnny walk out the door and can’t help but wish I was going with them. I didn’t grow up with them like Hannah did since my family didn’t move here until I was a junior in high school but I always liked them. A lot more than I care to admit, actually.

  When Hannah called me a year ago to tell me she was getting married and asked if I’d be a bridesmaid, I thought it was a joke. We hadn’t really spent much time together in years and had barely kept in touch. We both moved away from this small town and as things happen, we only checked in with each other for birthdays and such, commenting on each other’s posts on social media.

  I still remember trying not to feel happy when Hannah made a big showing of changing her relationship status to Single after her breakup with Brody. Then it went back to In A Relationship soon after, only with Cameron this time. Again, I was a little ashamed of myself for the little flutter of giddiness I felt knowing that Brody and Hannah were no longer together.