Scott could have kicked him in the teeth for that one. Scott gave him the fuck-you glare but Blaze didn’t seem to give a shit.
“Oh, thank you for the offer, but I have papers to grade, first week of school and all.” Brandi tactfully declined.
“You’re a teacher?” Tori asked, cocking her head to the side. “What do you teach?”
Tori was obviously trying to play nice.
“Special education.” Brandi cleared her throat and ruffled her hair. “So, maybe I’ll see y’all at church on Sunday?”
“Well, of course. I never miss a Sunday,” Blaze said in his most angelic tone possible.
What the ever-loving fuck?
Scott was practically waist deep in the shit that Blaze was spewing out. Ok, it was time to shut this down. Brandi was far too sweet for the likes of Blaze. He may have been his best friend, but he was a damn son of a bitch.
Scott barely refrained from rolling his eyes while Tori held back her laughter, but he could see the smile tugging at her lips threatening to break loose. Meanwhile, Presley couldn’t help herself and she let out a huge snort, causing Brandi to stare curiously before retreating.
“Scott, it was nice seeing you again, and nice meeting you all.” Brandi nodded goodbye and went on her way.
They quietly returned to the car.
Presley turned to Blaze. “What in God’s name was that?” Her eyes bulged.
“What?” Blaze asked.
“The whole charade you just put on for Texas Barbie,” Tori chimed.
Texas Barbie.
Scott chuckled. That was a perfect way to describe Brandi with her sweet, southern twang and curves in all the right spots. Tori may not have seen her, but she knew the type he would go for.
Blaze shrugged. “Hey, you know me, I always hit on hot girls. This is nothing new.”
“I mean—church? Are you friggin’ serious?” Presley laughed. “Do you honestly plan to go to church to try and get laid?”
“God does work in mysterious ways, you know.”
“Isn’t there some sort of rule-book in the bro code that you can’t fuck your best friend’s ex-girlfriend?” Tori turned toward Scott and raised her brow.
Yeah, she was testing him all right to see if he’d own up to it. Of course he’d own up to it. Not like Tori hadn’t fucked her fair share of men in their time apart. She’d been fooling around with some French fucker named Bastien while Scott was dating Brandi.
“Brandi is off limits,” Scott said adamantly. “I’m serious.”
Brandi is off limits?
What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
Tori wasn’t delusional. Scott had fucked his fair share, but this girl seemed to mean something more to him. She could feel it in the nervous energy radiating off him. Not to mention the possessive way he had told Blaze that she was forbidden.
Church on Sunday? She wouldn’t miss it for the world now, knowing that Texas Barbie would be there to sink her hot-pink claws into her man. Well, she assumed her nails were hot pink. She probably had pink lipstick too, and a pink top. Tori imagined this girl wore a lot of pink from that meek, little, southern voice of hers and the smell of the sweet, strawberry shampoo that made her want to gag.
Brandi’s cute laugh and smooth accent lingered in her head on the quiet ride back to Scott’s parents’ house. Something tugged at the back of her mind. It was like recognizing an actor doing a commercial voice over. You know that you’ve heard the actor—but you can’t remember from where. Brandi’s voice was perfection, unlike Tori’s deep, throaty tone and obnoxious laugh. Tori’s mom used to always tell her to keep her voice down and scold her for how unladylike her laugh was.
Finally, the car came to a halt. All Tori wanted was a warm meal courtesy of Judith and a glass of whatever alcohol she could get her paws on.
“You’re thirty minutes late! Dinner is getting cold!” Scott’s mother scolded them as the screen door slammed.
“I texted you. Told you to eat without us,” Scott replied as they walked up the porch and into the house.
“And you, Victoria? Do you have any idea how worried I was when I got back to the house and couldn’t find you?”
“I’m sorry, Judith, I—” Tori started, but Scott put his hand on her arm to stop her.
“Lay off her, Mom.” Tori’s heart teetered between pride and fear that he was standing up to his mother on her behalf. She could tell he was growing weary of her overbearing nature. Well, it ran in the family—he’d inherited it from her. “She went to see Chad’s shop. She’s not a child; she can come and go as she pleases.”
“I’ll have Scott give me your number so next time I’ll text you, Judith. Just so you won’t worry; deal?” Tori said, trying to soften the tension in the house. She’d had enough drama today to last a lifetime.
Judith let out a sigh and threw her arm over her shoulder, giving her a squeeze. “That would make me feel better. I like you too much to let anything happen to you.”
More than Brandi?
She immediately hated herself for thinking that. She was being ridiculous. Tori was not the jealous type.
They all filed inside, and Scott introduced Blaze and Presley to his father as they settled around the table.
“Mamma Harris cooked us up a storm.” Blaze sounded excited at whatever the spread was in front of them. “I think I can get used to staying here if I have this to look forward to every evening.”
“Judith, it smells wonderful. What are we eating?” Tori asked as Scott slung his arm over the back of her chair, squeezing her shoulder.
“Chicken-fried steak with gravy, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, green beans, and freshly baked bread,” Judith replied with pride.
How that woman wasn’t two hundred pounds the way she cooked, was beyond Tori’s comprehension. No wonder Scott was as big as an ox.
A smack of the hand echoed from across the table. “Boy, we say grace in this house before you go digging in,” Judith scolded.
“Sorry, Mamma Harris,” Blaze gulped.
“Wayne, if you would please,” Judith said with an edge. Wayne quickly said the blessing over the meal and they plated their food.
Scott dished Tori’s for her, whispering the placement of the items, like always.
He wouldn’t have to do that for Brandi—a thought that settled like a heavy brick in her stomach.
Stop. Stop it now.
She needed a drink.
“We should’ve had Blaze say the blessing, ya know, since he doesn’t ever miss a Sunday,” Scott teased.
Tori, Presley and Scott busted out laughing.
Just like that her spirit was lifted; Scott’s big belly laugh always had that effect on her.
“Very funny, Harris,” Blaze said around a mouthful.
“Say what?” Wayne muttered.
“We ran into Brandi at H.E.B.,” Scott explained to the group. “Blaze got all googly-eyed and promised her he’d be at church on Sunday.”
“Ian!” Judith sounded disgusted. “You will not use the Lord’s house to try to weasel that lovely girl into your bed. I won’t have it.”
“That’s what I told him. Brandi is off limits to this clown,” Scott said.
“Brandi is far too smart of a girl to be taken by the likes of him,” Wayne chimed in. He’d apparently sized Blaze up in a matter of minutes. “Judith filled me in on your little escapade with Dolly last night.” Wayne let out a bemused chuckle.
Judith sighed next to her. “Brandi is such a good girl, and so pretty. It’s a shame she hasn’t found someone yet.”
Heat rose to Tori’s cheeks the way they all talked about Brandi, especially Scott’s mother. She could agree, Brandi was sweet and she seemed genuinely happy for her and Scott.
She treated Tori like some long-lost familiar friend.
Judith had hinted there was someone else after Scott’s injury. Was it Brandi? How serious had they been? Tori slid her hand across the table and palmed her glass of wate
r, wishing it was something stronger.
“Well lookie there; it actually looks edible. What the hell is this thing anyway?” Blaze asked as she felt his hand reach across her to grab some of the fruit she was chopping.
“It’s a fruit pizza. I always liked it because it was pretty with all the colors on it.” Tori shrugged.
“It looks good. It’s not jacked up or anything,” he teased.
Tori elbowed him in the side.
“Ow! No need to get violent. I just wouldn’t have taken you for a chef.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tori growled at him as she placed the last bit of fruit on top of the pizza.
“You don’t seem like the type of girl that would cook.”
Seething quietly, she listened to him rifle through the cabinet for glasses and heard his footsteps grow faint as he walked toward the back door and back out onto the patio with everyone else.
Tori crossed her arms and frowned. She grabbed her cane next to the counter and followed him outside. “Seriously, Blaze, what the fuck is that supposed to mean?” She’d knocked back a couple drinks and her filter was loosened. Everyone’s chatter died down as she raised her voice. She shouldn’t have cursed in front of Scott’s parents, but she was growing weary of the jabs they were taking at her. “Dessert is ready, by the way, everyone—if you’re brave enough to eat what I cooked.”
“Oh Lord,” Blaze groaned. “Don’t go getting all defensive and start crying and shit. It’s not because you’re blind as a bat. That has nothing to do with it.”
Glasses clanked on the patio table.
“You don’t seem very….what’s the word, help me out here, guys.”
She heard Presley take a gulp of the liquor, letting out a breath. “Domestic.” She snapped her fingers. “That’s the word.”
“Yes, domestic!” Blaze exclaimed and laughed.
Tori placed her hand on her hip and tried not to look as wounded as she felt. Her sadness quickly morphed into anger. “Just because I’m a bold woman who speaks my mind doesn’t mean that I can’t cook.”
Or that she wouldn’t be a decent mother, or wife.
“Domesitc is just a stupid, out-dated word used to fit women into a conformist box of what society thinks they should be.”
“You all, stop teasing her this instant!” Judith came to her defense. “I didn’t even know how to boil water when Wayne and I got married.”
Within a moment, Scott was by her side giving her a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek. “I’m sure it’s wonderful. They’re only busting your chops. It’s what we do. Sit,” he said, guiding her over to the patio sofa. “I’ll bring out dessert.” Scott disappeared into the house.
“I actually had to cook a lot growing up; my mom wasn’t much of a chef,” Tori mumbled. She didn’t want to get into the why’s of that. “Plus, cooking is an art form.”
Scott came back out moments later and placed the dessert on the patio table. “It looks great, babe, even if it’s got damn kiwi on it.”
Tori chuckled. “Everyone dig in.” Tori waved toward the table. She could already hear them cutting pieces.
“You want some?” Scott asked, swallowing with a gulp.
“Nah, I’m ok for now.” Tori was stuffed from dinner still. “Just a drink please.”
“Well, it turned out prettier than anything I could ever make,” Blaze said with a mouthful. “Tastes damn good too. I’m impressed, with that and the welding today.”
“You did what today?” Wayne snorted.
The glass clanked as Scott poured her a drink and she waited for him to place it in her hand.
“When I showed up at Chad’s shop today she was making metal art, with a plasma welder,” Scott said with a mixture of admiration and fear. “On Friday she’s heading to San Antonio to work with a blind painter to help her with tactile techniques to get her painting again.” Scott rubbed her leg.
“That’s quite impressive,” Judith said. “I’m glad you’re finding an outlet for your creativity still.”
Tori settled in and crossed a leg under her, resting her left arm on Scott’s shoulder, twirling a strand of her hair. “I’ve had to adjust how I perceive art and beauty.” She took a sip of her drink. Truth was she was terrified to pick up the brush again. She didn’t know if she could do it.
“Scott said you were working on an exhibition that features art done by people who are visually impaired, right?” Presley chimed in. “When will that be? I’d love to come see it.”
Tori’s heart swelled that he’d bragged to his friends, and a wave of embarrassment washed over her about the entire Brandi situation.
“Hopefully, in the middle of November.” Tori took a large gulp of her drink and a slight grimace passed across her face. That would nearly be a year to the date of her accident. She pushed that thought out of her mind.
“Well I think it sounds freaking awesome,” Presley said. “I love art. Thought about dabbling in computer graphics, until I landed in the military. Not quite the job I originally envisioned but I was damn good at it and it worked out well for me.”
“Worked out well for us, also,” Scott added. He had an admiration for Presley it seemed.
“Doesn’t hurt that Shey is sex on a stick,” Blaze added.
Blaze was not helping.
Had Scott and Presley fucked?
She assumed Presley was a lesbian, but maybe she was bisexual. God, she was even worrying about Presley. This jealousy thing was getting ridiculous. It was like Tori didn’t even know herself anymore.
“Ian is there a beautiful woman in the world you don’t try to chase after?” Judith scolded.
“Not really,” Blaze said unapologetically, causing them all to chuckle.
“Lord, Blaze, you know you aren’t my type,” Presley groaned. “You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“Actually, I could almost imagine the two of you together. I have a feeling Presley wouldn’t put up with your shenanigans.” Judith chuckled.
Presley snorted, which caused Scott and the rest of his team to laugh, uncontrollably. “He is most definitely not my type, Judith.”
Tori imagined that a befuddled look crossed Judith’s face.
“As in he has a penis,” Presley confirmed.
That eased some of Tori’s concern. Luckily, Scott hadn’t dipped his pen in the company ink.
Tori waved her hand with a chuckle. “Well, I guess that takes away the twinge of jealously I felt wondering about you and Scott getting along so well.”
Scott slung his arm around her. “You were jealous? That’s not like you.” He sounded almost flattered as he kissed her cheek.
“She wasn’t the only one who made me jealous today,” Tori mumbled and took a swig of her drink.
The weight of the air shifted uncomfortably. Scott’s entire body tensed next to her and he cleared his throat. Apparently, they all heard that.
Maybe it was time for her to stop drinking. She wasn’t supposed to be drinking this much anyway. Doctors’ orders. Yet another thing in her life she was supposed to give up. Well, fuck the doctors. What the hell did they know? They told Jane she’d probably have severe deficits after her brain injury, and here she was, wits intact.
“Anyhow, Tori, have you tried sculpting?” Presley quickly switched the subject. Too quickly.
Tori shook her head. “Only once since losing my vision. When I was in school in Baltimore a bunch of us went to a sculpting class one weekend.” She didn’t go into how difficult that was for her emotionally not near as hard as painting was going to be. She’d lived for her painting. It was how she released all her hidden emotions. Now all those feelings were balled up in the pit of her stomach with no avenue of release. Maybe she should dig into sculpting. New life, new art form. “Judith and I are going to a class later this week here in town. Sculpting was never my thing in college, but it seems the more reasonable choice now since my hands can do a lot of the work my eyes can’t.”
“I bet t
hat works out well for Harris.” Blaze snickered.
“Aw, Blaze, really?” Presley groaned along with everyone else. “Do you ever take that mind of yours out of the sewer?”
“Not really.” Blaze laughed.
“Boy, you’re going to church this Sunday. You need Jesus,” Judith teased.
“Do you have any remaining vision?” Wayne asked. “I only ask because I know an ex-Marine who still can distinguish shapes and light.”
“No; I don’t see anything. I have no light perception,” Tori answered, tracing the rim of her cup with her fingertip.
“So, it’s just black?” Presley asked.
“Yeah, kinda like that.” Tori nodded and took a sip and shifted in her seat.
“What do you mean kinda like that?” Judith asked.
“You guys,” Scott groaned, obviously uncomfortable with them prodding her.
Tori’s spine stiffened and she dug her hand into Scott’s leg. She was growing weary of him always speaking up for her. Besides, she was still pissed he told his mom not to touch her. “It’s fine,” she sucked in a breath. “Yes, I guess you would call it black. My brain doesn’t think about it like that anymore though, it’s just…gone, unless I think about it.”
“What do you mean think about it? Don’t take this wrong but how can you not think about it?” Blaze almost sounded terrified.
“For people that are blind from birth it’s like trying to see out of your elbow or the back of your head. There’s no concept at all. For me, it’s a mix of that and what my brain makes up. I don’t see the black, I see what I imagine in my head around me. My brain ignores the rest.”
Tori sensed that they were all confused. Hell, she’d have wondered herself before she lost her vision. “Ok, I’m giving you all five minutes; shoot as many blind girl questions at me as you want. This is your one chance to ask a blind person everything you’ve ever been curious about but were too polite to ask.” If they were going to keep asking she may as well be nonchalant about it.
They all chuckled at her boldness.
“Seriously, have at it,” Tori said with a nod.
“How do you pick out your clothes and know you match?” Judith asked. “Or shop for clothes? Your clothes are so quirky and cute.”
Smoke and Mirrors: (Fire and Fury Book Two) Page 18
