by Elaine Meece
Annie and Brice found their names at a table. Whoever had planned this had seated them with his ex-wife and boys. Brice pulled Annie’s chair back and waited for her to sit.
Shea sashayed to the table with the boys tagging along and Hayden following not far behind. The guy reminded Annie of a washed-out beach bum. His reddish blonde hair hung below his ears. While probably expensive, his suit appeared flashy and out of place for a wedding. Rather than a tie, he wore his shimmering dress shirt open at the neck, revealing a tattoo on his chest.
Annie couldn’t believe Shea chose this guy over Brice.
“Annie,” Gabe shouted and ran over to her.
Shawn plopped down in the chair. “I got another knock knock joke for you.”
“I’d love to hear it.”
“Not now,” Shea said, then glanced at Brice. “Brice this is Hayden, Hayden, Brice.”
The two men stared like mountain goats ready to lock horns.
“And this is Annie,” he said proudly.
Shea flashed a catty smile, while Hayden gave Annie the once over. Shea nudged him. “Get my chair.”
“You got a chair, sit down,” Hayden said.
“I meant for you to pull my chair back for me,” Shea said. “Never mind.” She pulled her own chair back and sat.
Annie held back the smile. To fill in the silence, she glanced at Shawn. “So, let’s hear this joke.”
“Knock knock.”
“Who’s there?” Annie replied.
“Spinach.”
“Spinach who?”
Shawn laughed. “Silly, spinach doesn’t have a last name.”
Gabe cracked up laughing.
Shea shook her head. “You shouldn’t encourage him.”
Hayden frowned. “He’ll keep this up all day.”
“How long have you worked in the pool business?” Brice asked.
“Ten years.”
“Odd occupation. How’d you get into it?” Brice asked.
“A friend got me started.”
“But it’s seasonal, right?”
Hayden nodded. “Yeah, but I find other things to do in the off season.”
“So, Annie, you work with Brice?” Shea asked, taking the focus off Hayden.
“Yes. I’m a flight attendant for Zurtel.”
“Oh, for some reason I thought you held as much clout as Brice or at least be his equal on an educational level.”
Brice frowned. “Annie’s job required a lot of training. If you choke on that olive in your glass, she could save your life.”
Don’t count on it.
Annie flashed Shea a confident look. “I have a degree in art.”
“What a waste of time and money,” Shea said.
“That’s what the people with no talent say,” Annie countered.
Brice grinned. Annie had jabbed right back.
“You look too damn sexy to be the artsy-fartsy type,” Hayden commented.
Shea cut Hayden a sharp look.
While people ate dinner, the bride and groom came down from a private room where they had eaten alone. Annie twisted in her seat to see the bride dance with her dad.
“We’ve known her since she was nine or ten,” Shea said to her. “We used to go skiing with her mom and dad at their lake house.” She offered Brice a warm smile. “We had some really romantic weekends there.”
“Yes, we did.”
Shea giggled softly. “If I’m not mistaken it’s where Gabe was conceived.”
Brice blushed. “That wouldn’t surprise me.”
Annie’s throat thickened with regret for coming, regret for getting them back together. “Excuse me.” She stood. “I’ll be right back.”
She walked to the powder room. Once inside, she sat on a small sofa. Tears clogged her throat, but she held them back not wanting her eye makeup to smear.
The thought of calling a taxi and leaving tempted her. It beat sitting back and listening to Brice and Shea stroll down memory lane.
When she returned, Shea and Hayden danced. Shawn and Gabe ran around the large room with kids they knew. Brice stood as she approached. “Let’s dance.”
She nodded. “Of course, it’s like the icing on the cake to your plan.”
“To be honest, I’ve been wanting an excuse to hold you in my arms all evening.” He escorted her to the floor and embraced her gently. “You’re tense.”
“Some. Your ex-wife reminds me a lot of a rose.”
“How’s that?”
“She’s beautiful, but has thorns.”
“Seeing how you grew up with Renee, I’m sure you can handle her.”
She laughed softly. “True.”
As they danced together, she relaxed a little and leaned her head against his chest. She loved the way he smelled. Warm and sensual.
When the song stopped, he held her. They didn’t move. Another slow song began, and they continued to move together.
“Annie, look at me.”
She stared up at him with sad eyes.
“You look so beautiful tonight.”
“Thanks. You look nice as well.”
Brice kissed her. The kiss lingered and became deeper.
She wished this was because he had feelings for her, but she had to faced reality. Despite what he had said, this was for Shea’s benefit.
Before she could return to the table, Gabe asked her to dance. While they danced, she noticed Shea and Brice dancing together, then they stood to the side laughing and talking with old friends.
How could she compete with this?
After the dance, they joined the others at the table where the towering, ornately decorated wedding cake sat.
When the bride and groom cut the cake, Shea smiled at Brice. “Remember us doing that. You actually bit my finger when I fed you the cake.”
“We had icing all over us.”
“You had fun licking it off of me.”
Hayden appeared as uncomfortable as Annie felt.
Near the end of the event, the bride prepared to throw her bouquet.
“Ladies, you’re both single. Get in there,” Hayden insisted.
“I’d rather sit this out,” Annie said.
“Go. Join the others,” Brice encouraged.
Annie didn’t want to catch another damn wedding bouquet. As the bride tossed it, her reflexes took over, and her hand shot up. She gripped the bouquet only to realize Shea had a grip on it too.
Immediately, Annie envisioned Brice in the place of the bouquet. Remembering her plan to fight for him, she gripped harder and grimaced as she tried to pull it away from his ex-wife.
Shea snarled and tugged back. “I had it first. Let go, bitch.”
“Screw you. It’s mine.” Annie heard herself say.
Where the hell did that come from? Maybe I’m more like Renee than I realized.
Finally, they fell back, each holding a half of the bouquet. Flowers and ribbons covered the floor. The guests stared with a bewildered look still trying to figure out what had happened.
As Annie turned and faced Brice, her cheeks warmed.
“That was a blooming disaster,” Brice said.
She glanced at her half of the pitiful bouquet. “It might be time to leave.”
Brice grinned. “You think?”
“You’re the one who insisted I go for it.”
“Let’s go boys.” He turned to his ex-wife, who held half the bouquet. “I need their things from the car.”
She nodded. “We need to leave also.”
At their mom’s car, Shawn and Gabe ran around the car chasing one another.
Hayden grabbed Shawn by the arm and shook him. “Stop acting like you’re three years old.”
Shawn stared at Hayden with frightened bulging eyes.
“I’ve already warned you about running,” Hayden warned.
Brice stood before Hayden. “Let my son go. Don’t ever lay a hand on either one of them. Am I clear?”
Hayden released his grip on Shawn. “She
a gave me permission to discipline them.”
“You don’t have my permission.” Brice turned his attention to his ex-wife. “You may want to ask him what his real name is, because it’s not Hayden Green.”
Shea turned to Hayden. “Is that true?”
Hayden shrugged. “I can explain.”
“Boys, get in my car,” Brice said.
Annie had never seen him this angry. For a moment, she thought Brice was going to punch Hayden.
At Annie’s house, Brice parked in the driveway. “What was with that fight over the bouquet?”
“We weren’t fighting over it. That was about you.”
Brice had never realized how vicious woman could be. “I hope I don’t end up like that bouquet.”
She laughed softly. “You won’t.”
“Pack a bag and spend the night with us. We can watch movies and play games.”
“You need the time with your kids.”
“Pleeease, Annie. Stay with us,” Gabe requested.
“Can we order a pizza?” Shawn asked. “I didn’t like the wedding food.”
“Sure.” He glanced over. “See what fun you’ll be missing.”
“Where would I sleep?”
“Shawn and Gabe can sleep on the sleeper sofa, and you can have their bed.” Brice removed his hands from the steering wheel and turned toward her. “Tomorrow, we wouldn’t be that far from the Conner’s house.”
Annie opened the car door. “Come inside while I pack.”
“Can we, Dad?” Gabe said. “I want to see Annie’s house.”
“I need to pee,” Shawn said.
“Okay, let’s go. And don’t pee all over her bathroom floor. Aim.”
Annie changed into jeans and a shirt. She slipped on sandals, then removed a tote bag and packed it with clothes and toiletry items.
When she walked out, Brice and the boys were in her art studio. She quickly covered up sketches of Brice she hadn’t wanted anyone to see.
They walked around looking at the different paintings she’d done. “You did all of these?” Brice asked.
“Yes. I have one on exhibit”
“At a gallery?”
“Yes, of course a gallery.” Actually, it hung on the wall of a local restaurant. She scolded herself for the little white lie.
♦♦♦
Friday night back at his condo, Brice couldn’t concentrate on the board game they played. He couldn’t believe Shea and Annie had fought over the bouquet. Somehow, he thought it was more about him. He had been the Thanksgiving wishbone.
He’d expected to feel a deep feeling of passion and love when he’d danced with Shea but he hadn’t. Instead, Annie made him feel all those things. It pleased him she was staying over at his house.
Annie rolled the dice. “Move me up three spaces.”
“Hey, look you can kill Shawn’s man,” Gabe said.
“You’re a freakazoid. You’re not supposed to tell her that.”
Annie smiled. “I should kill your man, but I think I’ll move one of my other ones.”
After the game, they ate pizza and watched a scary movie. Gabe cuddled up with Annie. Hiding his eyes against her in the terrifying parts.
“Bedtime, guys. Miss Cynthia has invited you swimming tomorrow.”
“I can tell Mallory and Gina my new joke,” Shawn said.
“I like their pool,” Gabe said. “Our pool doesn’t have a slide.”
“Let them sleep in their beds. I can sleep on the couch,” Annie said.
“You sure?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine out here.”
After Shawn and Gabe had been put to bed, Brice patted the seat on the sofa. “Let’s talk.”
“It’s late. Shouldn’t we turn in?” Annie suggested.
“We need to talk about us,” Brice said.
She sat and curled her legs beneath her, appearing nervous and apprehensive.
“I’d said the other night was a mistake, but that’s not true. Being with you wasn’t a mistake. There’s something I realized tonight. I’m not in love with Shea anymore. I’m not sure when it happened, but it did. You’re the one that makes me feel passionate and causes that deep warm feeling to explode in my chest. You make me complete.”
Her eyes lit with happiness. “You make me weak in the knees and breathless. I realized when Evan kissed me, I didn’t feel anything for him. Everything I feel is for you.” She let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t want to become involved with you and come to love you and your children only to have you run back to Shea.”
He’d intended on telling her he loved her, but she’d said come to love him which meant she didn’t love him yet.
“I tried to deny that she was involved with Hayden before we split, but there’s no doubt in my mind, he’s the reason she wanted the divorce.” He twisted slightly facing her more. “Seeing her with him, left me disgusted.”
“So, you’ve dropped your plan to remarry her?”
“Yes. I feel stupid for even considering it. I want to date you and give us a chance as a couple.” He gently lifted her chin and kissed her.
“I’d like that,” she whispered.
“Sleep with me.”
“What about the boys?”
“They’re sound asleep. A 6.7 earthquake wouldn’t wake them.” When she hesitated, he offered his hand. “Come on, you, diva. Sleep with me.”
Annie stood. “It will give me a chance to work off some of the hostility I built up fighting over the bouquet.”
“I can’t wait.”
For the next two hours, he and Annie indulged in really hot sex, adding foreplay to the mix and learning what each other liked. Never once did he think of Shea.
♦♦♦
Megan and Libby met inside the barn. The horses standing in the stalls neighed.
“It’s all right. Easy does it,” Libby said.
“Are you ready to do this?” Megan asked.
“I am. Where are we meeting Connie?”
“By the north end of the cornfield near the road. The corn will keep us hidden. There’ll be a car coming by to pick us up.” She hugged Libby. “If all goes well, we’ll be out of here tonight.”
Before leaving the barn, they looked both ways. Not seeing anyone, they headed for the cornfield. The corn was tall and full. Meagan pushed the stalks from her face.
Her eyes grew accustomed to the dark, allowing her to see silhouettes.
They walked for what seemed a long way. In the cooler night temperature, sweat ran down her back. Finally, she could see where the corn ended.
She tripped over something solid in the trench between the rows.
“Mom, are you all right?”
“Yes.” She stood, then brushed her hands on her dress. “What’d I trip on?” She stared down at the dark lump wondering what it was. When she kicked it, a sickening sensation ripped through her. “Oh, God, no.”
Chapter Fifteen
“What is it, Mom?”
Instead of answering, Megan knelt down and ran her hands like a blind person over the large lump. Her fingers swept over a nose and mouth. She touched something wet and sticky and wiped it on her dress. “It’s Connie. They’ve killed her.” Hearing voices coming toward them, she stood. “We’ve got to get out of here. Now.”
They started back the way they had come, but the rustling of the cornstalks made them stop and crouch near the ground. Megan hoped no one had heard them.
“Where’d you leave the body?” Hawkins asked.
“A few yards from the end of the row.”
Megan recognized Dan’s voice.
“Anyone with her?” another elder asked.
“No. The others are asleep.”
“Did you see who she was meeting?” Hawkins inquired.
“No, I didn’t. He hasn’t shown up yet.”
“Have someone posted along the road. Let’s see who this phantom is,” Hawkins ordered. “You two drag her down to the old mill and bury her with the others.”
As the man grabbed Connie and pulled, she moaned.
“Bitch isn’t dead yet,” Dan said.
“Finish it,” Hawkins ordered. “Here, I’ve got a knife.”
Megan had no idea Connie had been alive. She would’ve tried to save her.
Megan flinched when the girl cried out and squeezed Libby’s hand.
Once they had left, dragging Connie through the dirt, Megan and Libby stood. “We’ve got to get back.”
They turned and ran through the corn toward the houses. The stalks slapped them and dust from the corn showered them. Sweat ran down Megan’s face. At the end of the field, they stared in the darkness for any sign of Hawkins and the others returning.
“Get back to your bed. Take that dress off and put another one on. Can you do that without being caught?”
Libby nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “I hate them.”
“I know. And we will get out of here. Somehow, just not tonight. If you’re caught tell them you heard the dogs barking and went out to check.”
“Got it.” Libby hugged her before leaving.
Megan stood a moment watching Libby disappeared in the darkness. Then she hurried toward Dan’s house. One dog barked until it recognized her. Once again, she eased her bedroom window up.
Dan’s truck lights flashed over her as he drove up the driveway.
As the light spotlighted the house, Megan dropped to the ground and curled into a ball. Her entire body trembled. If found and thought to be escaping, she’d end up like Connie.
He left his engine running and lights on. The beam shined near her. She wasn’t sure she could make it through the window without being caught. Rather than attempt it, she crawled to the dark end of the house, stood, and walked the circle around the entire house until she came to the back door. She stood on the porch as though she’d just stepped outside.
Dan walked from a shed, carrying two shovels. He spotted her and walked over to her. “Why are you out here?”
“I heard your truck. The lights were shining through my window. I came out to see what’s going on. Is everything all right?”
“Yes, now get back in bed.”
“If you get back anytime soon, I’ll still be awake.”
“Not tonight.”
