Once the pictures, hugs and wiped tears were done, we were out of there. I couldn’t escape fast enough. I wanted to be alone with Hailey. Just her and me. In our own little worlds.
“You’ll never guess who else is going to the Prom,” I said as we got settled in the car.
“Mark and Amanda,” Hailey said with a smile.
My draw dropped. Was I the only one who didn’t know? “When did you find out and why didn’t you tell me?” I demanded.
“A couple of weeks ago. I didn’t say anything because Amanda asked me not to. In fact, I went with her and your mom to help her pick out her dress.”
“You spent time alone with my mom?” I asked. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. What had they talked about? The idea of the two of them alone together made my insides turn to Jell-O.
Hailey laughed. “Don’t worry, she only told me a few stories from your childhood. Nothing too embarrassing. Not unless you count the story about you losing your pants at Target.” She laughed at the shock on my face. Mom had always promised to never tell a soul about that.
“You really are sexy in that tux by the way,” she said from the passenger seat. Changing the subject. A guy could put up with almost anything if a girl like Hailey said something like that.
“It could give a girl ideas,” she added as she touched my arm, then laughed at the blush that spread across my face. I swear the girl loved pushing me.
But, that was okay. The girl could push at me for the rest of my life and I would die a happy man.
Chapter Nineteen
Hailey
My heart beat a steady pattern in my chest. Ryan had to hear it. I was nervous, excited, and unbelievably happy. For the first time in a week, I thought things were better. At least on the road to better.
I couldn’t wait for the girls to see Ryan. They would be eating their hearts out. The man was full on hot with a capital H.
Tall, handsome, with intelligent eyes and a soft, caring smile. What girl wouldn’t melt?
As it was every year for the last twenty years, the Prom was held at the Ramada Inn. The only place in our town large enough to hold a party. I wondered where they held the Prom before then. Did kids even have Prom back in the old days? It would have been back in the nineteen nineties. I’m sure they did. It wasn’t like it was the seventies or anything.
Ryan took my hand as we approached. Suddenly my dress felt tight and I had a hard time getting a deep breath. I’d never been this nervous. Why? I wondered.
Because you want him to have a good time, I realized. It was important to me. Very important that Ryan enjoy himself. This was our last big school event, our first social coming out, if you will. I wanted him to enjoy himself. He deserved it.
The ballroom was decorated with a summer theme. Twenty large round tables covered in white linen surrounded a parquet dance floor. A stage was a little off center with all of the instruments set out waiting for the musicians.
I had been supposed to help with the decorating, but Cindy Harper had let me know that my assistance was not needed. I’d almost laughed in her face. One less headache. Instead, I’d smiled and said, “Thank you, now I can spend more time with Ryan.”
The look of pure hate in her eyes made me shudder. But, she was no match for Meagan, who was shooting me looks of death from across the table as we approached.
When Ryan dipped his head and said, “Hi,” Amanda shot up from her seat and reached for a quick hug. At least, there would be one person other than Ryan at our table who was glad I was there.
I returned Amanda’s hug, then stepped back to examine her.
“You look great,” I said. “Like, really great.”
She beamed and made sure I sat next to her.
The table was filled out with Howard Demont and his cousin from Edmonds. Tony and future murderer Meagan. I glanced over at Bri across the room. She was laughing at something David said, and looked to be enjoying herself. A small regret flowed through me, then Ryan reached over and took my hand.
I’m sure he’d seen me looking at Bri and my other friends. ‘Get over it,’ I thought to myself. In a few weeks, it is all over and you’ll hardly ever see these people, again.
Smiling, I turned and focused on our group. Howard’s cousin Emily didn’t know about the dynamics of the situation so she was easily incorporated. Howard and Tony were oblivious, like most boys. With the exception of Meagan, things were going well.
I settled in and started to enjoy myself. Having Amanda there helped a lot. But, it was Ryan more than anything that made things good. He commanded the table with his presence. I noticed how the others looked to him for his opinion. How they might tease him, but it was always with respect.
That meant something, I realized. These people were all high achievers. All, first rate minds. Yet, they showed deference to Ryan. Something to remember the next time he screwed up.
The waiters were clearing our plates when the band started up. Their first song was an Adele cover. Amanda squealed and immediately pushed her chair back to stand up.
“Here, hold this,” she said as she handed her cane to Ryan. Turning to Mark, she smiled and said, “If I waited for you, I’d never get a chance to dance. So … will you dance with me?”
Mark’s mouth dropped open for a split second. But, he recovered quickly.
“I thought you’d never ask,” he said with a chuckle.
We watched them make their way to the dance floor. Amanda’s hand on Mark’s arm. He stood straighter, taller, as if he was escorting a Duchess to the dance floor. Amanda’s smile was large and endless, as if she was savoring every moment.
Mark leaned forward to whisper something to her. Amanda nodded her head in understanding, then began dancing as if she owned the world.
Ryan shook his head, but he smiled. It made my insides turn to mush to see how much he loved his sister. How happy he was for her.
He caught my eye for a moment. We became lost in each other. I raised an eyebrow in question.
He coughed, then said, “I can’t ask you dance. Amanda said I had to hold her cane.”
“Ryan Hardy,” I answered, “If you can’t figure out a place to leave that cane, I am sure I can think a place to put it. Though, it might not be too comfortable.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Okay, Miss Martin, would you like to dance?” he asked.
I thought my heart would melt. “I would love to,” I answered as I held out my hand. The man looked delectable, had the class of an English Earl, and the brains of Einstein. What girl wouldn’t be thrilled?
.o0o.
Ryan
Okay, I had to admit it. The Prom was fun. Dancing with Hailey was fun. I still didn’t know what I was doing, but that didn’t seem to bother her. She’d smile up at me as if I was the greatest thing since the invention of the integrated circuit and my insides would turn to mush.
I ignored the ugly looks and snide comments. All of it was like water off a duck’s back. Jarret and his boys were passing around a flask, getting louder and even more obnoxious. It seemed all three of them had come stag. What a shame.
Every so often he’d look over at us as if he wanted to do something, but this wasn’t the place nor the time.
A part of me wanted to confront him. To rub his face in the fact that I was there with the most beautiful girl in the world. His ex-girlfriend, in fact. But, I decided to keep things peaceful. Two weeks and I’d never have to see him again.
Back at our table after several dances, I watched as Amanda and Hailey discussed some private woman thing. Both of them giggled like little girls. My heart melted. It was as if they had been friends for years.
“Amanda and I will be back in a minute,” Hailey said as she stood up and held an arm out for Amanda.
“Where are you guys going?” I asked. She shot me a look as if asking if I could be any dumber. The light above my head went off. “Oh. Okay.”
Mark and I watched them make their way to the restro
om. Mark kept shaking his head. “I still can’t believe she agreed to this.”
“Why? She’s my girlfriend. Of course, she’d go to the Prom with me.”
“Not Hailey,” he said. “Amanda. I was so nervous when I asked her. I figured for sure she’d laugh her head off or hit me or something. But, she didn’t. She just smiled and nodded her head, as if she were honored.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked. “That you wanted to take my sister to the Prom.”
He laughed. “Because you might have stopped it. And it was too important to risk that.”
I looked at him closely. He was totally and completely in love with my sister. When did that happen? I didn’t know how I felt about it. Mark was a good person and he’d never hurt her. But, this was my sister. She wasn’t ready for this.
He tore his gaze away from the girls and glanced at me. His eyes narrowed in a deep frown. “If you try to stop us seeing each other in the future. … Well, let’s just say that you won’t be able to.”
I laughed. “You do realize that she is going to rule your life. You won’t get a moment of peace.”
“I know, and I’m going to love every moment of it,” he said with a blissful smile.
I laughed again and sat back to watch the people on the dance floor. How things had changed. My sister was dating my best friend. Hailey Martin was my girlfriend. And, in two weeks, I’d walk away from school and begin a new life. Yes, life was pretty cool.
Jarret McGee barked out a drunken laugh from across the room. Life was great with the one exception.
.o0o.
Fifteen minutes later and the girls still hadn’t returned. It was just Mark and me at the table while we waited for them to return. I was beginning to get worried. Amanda was out of her element. Lost in a strange world. Hailey was with her, but anytime Amanda was in a new, strange place, it was always difficult for her.
I was thinking of getting up and going to search for them when Howard returned to the table. He was breathing harder than normal, as if he’d raced across the room. His face was white with a little bead of sweat on his forehead. He looked at me as if he were afraid to tell me something. His eyes were unable to meet mine.
My insides turned to stone as I held my breath.
“Jarret …” Howard started.
“What about Jarret?” I asked as I focused on him. This was not going to be good.
“I was in the bathroom,” he said as he tried to catch his breath. What else was new? Howard had a bit of a bowel problem and spent half the day in the bathroom.
“I don’t think they knew I was there. I was in the back …”
“Tell me what happened,” I said through gritted teeth. Howard could take a month to say, ‘hello.’
“Jarret said he was going to sleep with Hailey tonight. That he had it all planned out. He was telling Randy Oaks.”
I snorted. “Not likely. Hailey hates him,” I said with a sigh of relief. There was one thing in this life I was sure of. Hailey Martin wouldn’t do something like that. No way.
Howard’s face became even whiter. “That’s what Randy said.”
I froze while I waited for the rest.
“Jarret said she wasn’t going to have a choice in the matter.”
“What, What did he say?”
“Jarret said she …”
“Shut up, I heard you. Where is she?” I demanded. Blood was pounding in my head like a bass drum. I’d kill him.
“Where’s Amanda?” Mark asked.
“Where’s Hailey?” I said as I scanned the room for her.
“I didn’t see either of them,” Howard said. “I thought I should tell you.”
Pushing my way through the crowd, I forced a path through the dance floor directly for the restrooms. All I could think about was Hailey. How much I loved her. How nothing in this world could ever be allowed to hurt her.
I could feel Mark behind me, but I didn’t pay him any attention as I constantly scanned for her. My eyes searched for burgundy, warm dark chocolate hair, and white shoulders. Nothing. She wasn’t there.
As we approached the restrooms, Amanda stepped from behind a small clique. Her hands reaching out as if searching for a wall or obstacle.
“Amanda,” Mark yelled. Running around me, he took her arm. She relaxed and buried her head in his chest.
“I can’t find Hailey. We got separated. I left my cane back at the table.” She said. Her words were running over each other. A trait that always happened when she became scared. Her pale face shifted from Mark to me.
“It’s all right, I’ve got you,” Mark whispered. She smiled weakly, then leaned into him again.
“Take her back to the table. I’ll be there as soon as I find Hailey.”
“She’s not in the restroom. I checked twice,” Amanda said over her shoulder as Mark began to lead her away.
My sister was okay, I was able to breathe again. But, what of the girl I loved. Where was she? My heart began to race as what Howard had said continued to run through my mind.
I began a systematic search of the ballroom. I even asked Meagan to check the restroom again in case Amanda had been mistaken.
Meagan’s eyes got that hard, granite look like she was going to balk until she saw the look on my face. I would not accept any hindrance from her or anyone else. She swallowed and nodded her head.
Returning a moment later she shook her head. No Hailey.
Where could she be?
Chapter Twenty
Ryan
My heart continued to race as I made another round of the tables. Checking with Bri and anyone else who might know where she was. No one had seen her.
Where was Jarret? I searched the dance floor, nothing. His table was empty. My stomach squeezed into a small ball. No, this could not be happening.
Turning, I raced out of the ballroom towards the front desk.
“Is a Jarret McGee staying here tonight,” I asked. He wouldn’t be the first person to get a room at the Ramada on Prom night.
The young clerk looked at me as if I’d asked her for her first born.
“I’m sorry, we don’t give out information about our guests.” She returned to her computer, as if dismissing me as some crazy high school kid.
“Listen lady. I’m going to walk over there and pull that fire alarm if you don’t tell me, right now. Is Jarret McGee registered here and if so what room is he in?”
The color drained from her face as she thought about what a fire alarm would do to her night.
“Threatening to pull the fire alarm on false pretenses is against the law. If you don’t calm down, I will have to call the police.”
I stopped for a moment and took a deep breath.
“First off, that was not a threat, it was a promise. Second, please call the police. I want to report a kidnapping and the fact that you are stopping me from finding a young woman who even now might be held against her will in one of your rooms.”
She looked back at me with wide eyes and she tried to process what I had just said.
“Now,” I yelled as I slapped the counter top. “Is Jarret McGee here?”
She immediately returned to her computer as her fingers flew across the keyboard.
My heart stopped as she searched. At last, she looked up and shook her head. “No Jarret McGee is registered.”
The world slammed shut. Where was she? I had to find her. Frantically, my mind raced as it tried to come up with an answer. Nothing would ever mean anything again if I didn’t find her. The thought of Hailey, alone, hurt, tore my insides into pieces.
As I turned to return to the ballroom to begin searching again, a movement in the parking lot caught my eye. A flash of burgundy and white.
Hailey, Hailey being pulled by Jarret. He held her wrist as he pulled her away from the hotel. She had planted her feet and was twisting and turning as she tried to get away, but he was too big and too strong.
My soul froze with anger. Every fiber of my being explode
d with rage as the world around me turned red. All I could see was Jarret McGee trying to pull my Hailey away. Trying to force her.
I slammed through the front door and out into the parking lot. I didn’t yell. I didn’t scream. All I could do was focus on him. Years of humiliation and pain burst from me. A sickening fear of what would happen to Hailey flowed through me. This could not be allowed.
He saw me coming. His eyes were as wild and crazy as a hyena’s. It was as if he had passed over into some unknown universe. A universe only inhabited by Jarret McGee.
Before I could get to him, he released Hailey and turned to face me. She took a step while trying to gain her balance, then fell. Letting out a quiet “oompf” as she landed on her butt.
I didn’t wait. I didn’t give him a chance. I swung. Deep within me, every bit of power I had ever had focused into the end of my fist. As it connected, a sweet awakening occurred inside of me. I felt the power of a dozen suns flow through me, as if I could move a mountain.
The feel of my fist connecting with his jaw was delicious. A satisfaction that could not be duplicated again.
He reeled back before falling. The sight of Jarret McGee on the ground as a result of a punch I had thrown. Nothing could be sweeter.
I made a mistake, though. I didn’t follow up. I should have laid into him while he was down. Should have finished him then and there. Instead, I turned to check on Hailey. She was what was important. The punch had satisfied my need for vengeance. All I cared about now was making sure Hailey was okay.
As I turned to help her up, she smiled at me as if I was a knight in shining armor. A savior. My soul soared. My body felt as strong as a tank as the adrenaline rushed through me.
I held her hand and was lifting her up when her eyes turned dark. She let out a small scream just as a brick wall slammed into me from behind.
Jarret and I tumbled to the ground. The rough asphalt ripping at my tuxedo. He screamed and tried to grab me around the neck. I twisted away and bounced to my feet before he could take control.
Unbreakable Rules (Too Many Rules Book 3) Page 15
