Chance Encounter

by Tabitha Marks

  Kevin cleared his throat, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to the task at hand.

  “Umm, I’m very sorry I barged in here and interrupted the game,” she said, only stuttering a bit. “It was very rude of me and my language was inappropriate. I apologize for acting like a crazy person.”

  Angie watched all of the men relax, even Bobby. Chris looked even more confused, but Keith and Derek each gave her a little nod before they turned back to the television. She glanced at Kevin to see if her apology was sufficient. Taking the small smile on his face as confirmation that she was done, she turned and scurried to the safety of his bedroom, silently thanking him for grounding her.

  She couldn’t imagine having to sit out there with them, wondering what they heard and what they were thinking. Kevin had done her a favor by saying she had to stay in the bedroom. Otherwise she would have looked like a bitch if she’d hid in here, yet she would have been terribly uncomfortable if she’d tried to join the party.

  Flopping down on the bed face first to avoid sitting on her sore behind, she vowed to show Kevin just how much she loved him for thinking of her feelings. Just as soon as everyone left.

  Chapter 10

  After the big basement spanking, as Angie referred to it in her head, life was smooth sailing for another week. No more punishments and she and Kevin grew even closer after admitting their love for each other. She’d never felt this way before, never truly been in love with a man. In lust definitely, but she’d never really cared for anyone like she cared for Kevin. She wanted to spend time with him and get to know every little thing about him. Sometimes, real late at night, she even dared to hope that they could possibly spend the rest of their lives together. It was far too early to think that far into the future, but since she never imagined anyone would want to marry her after her bar trolling days were over, Angie couldn’t help but secretly dream.

  Tonight they were going to her co-worker’s wedding. The same one whose bachelorette party Kevin had crashed to tell Angie how he felt about her. They’d never gone to a formal event like this together and Angie was excited to be getting dressed up and going out on the town. Most of their evenings were spent having dinner in and watching a movie afterward. Just seeing Kevin in a suit was enough to make the night special. That the wedding was being held in a fancy hotel downtown made it even better. They had booked a room for the night to avoid having to drive home and Angie was ready to have a good time with her friends, followed by some sexy time with Kevin.

  The night didn’t start off as well as she’d hoped. Kevin picked her up fifteen minutes late and seemed miserable. He didn’t comment on the new dress she’d bought that cost her half her paycheck. Nor did he notice the complicated updo that took over an hour to build at the salon. He just gave her a kiss on the cheek when she met him at the door, then hustled her into the car without another word.

  After a silent twenty-minute ride where she fumed and he pulled at the collar of his dress shirt every two minutes, they arrived at the front entrance of the hotel. The valet helped her out of the car and Angie stepped onto the marble front walk to wait for Kevin to give her his arm. Except he didn’t.

  Kevin strode past her and mounted the steps to the lobby door without a glance back toward Angie, only noticing her absence when he reached the top.

  “Aren’t you coming?”

  Angie bit back a smart retort when she saw the doorman watching them, looking very amused. Instead of making a scene, she nodded and started up the stairs, taking it slow so she didn’t topple over in her new heels.

  When she finally reached the door, she snagged Kevin’s arm and looped hers tightly around his elbow before he could take off on her again. She wasn’t walking into this wedding without her date! It was the first one she’d been to where she actually had a boyfriend to escort her and not just some random guy from the weekend before. Luckily for him, he didn’t try to pull away. He just glanced down at where she clung to him with an iron grip and grunted. Standing in the lobby of a fancy hotel, dressed in a nice suit, he actually grunted at her!

  “What’s the matter, Kevin?” she asked, almost to the end of her rope. She’d been looking forward to tonight for weeks and he seemed intent on being miserable.

  He looked down at her again and must have seen the frustration and disappointed she felt. “I’m just not big on wearing suits, but it’ll be fine. Let’s go in and get a drink. I’m sorry I’m being grumpy.”

  His apology made her feel better although he didn’t look any less grumpy. But if that were all she could get out of him right now, it would have to do. She’d just have to do her best to have fun despite his crappy attitude. No use wasting a pretty dress and nice hair sitting around being angry with Kevin.

  They followed the signs to the ballroom where the wedding was being held and waited in line to retrieve their seating assignment from a table set up in the hallway. Angie could hear a string quartet playing inside and spied tuxedo-wearing waiters passing scrumptious looking hors d’oeuvres among the guests. It looked so elegant and refined. And expensive. She supposed if you were marrying a doctor like Lola was, then elegant, refined and expensive was the way to go.

  Their relationship had been the talk of the hospital when they finally went public. Both recently divorced, she was a surgical nurse, and he was a well-respected surgeon. Everyone thought it was a fling or hot affair that would burn itself out in a few weeks, but the couple surprised even their closest friends, dating for two years before finally becoming engaged. They were truly in love and made their relationship work in the face of gossip and any other obstacle that was thrown at them.

  Angie felt herself being tugged forward and realized she and Kevin were finally at the front of the line. She scanned the small cards searching for her name among the sea of calligraphy. Apparently the bride and groom had invited every single person they’d ever met to their wedding!

  Angie was again marveling at the cost of this event when she heard Kevin let out a low curse.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked, wondering what the hell the problem could be now.

  “Nothing,” he answered quickly. “Did you find us yet?”

  She glanced at him but didn’t say anything, not wanting to question his odd behavior and hold up the line. Finally she found their card in the far corner. “Here it is. Table five.”

  “Okay, let’s get in there,” he said, steering away from the table and towards the door. “I need a drink.”

  “Kevin, slow down,” she said, struggling to keep up with him. “My heels are really tricky to walk in.”

  He let out a loud sigh, looking like he wanted to say something about the foolishness of wearing shoes she couldn’t even walk in, which she would have deserved, but he slowed down.

  They found their table without further incident, although Kevin seemed to be hyper alert, scanning the room continuously. Angie introduced him to the people from the hospital they’d been seated with, then Kevin took off for the bar as soon as her ass hit the chair. She watched him go, wondering what his problem was now.

  * * * * *

  Kevin could not believe that his fucking ex-girlfriend was a guest at this wedding. He hadn’t seen her in five months. Hadn’t heard a word from her after he texted her to inform her that her shit was in a box on the front porch. Now, on a night that Angie had been looking forward to for months, Krista, the raging bitch, just happened to be here. Although he hadn’t actually seen her yet.

  Angie knew something was up from his behavior. Hell, he knew he looked like an idiot, constantly searching the room for Krista, but he couldn’t help it. He did not want her to come over and make a scene, or say something that would upset Angie.

  He managed to make it through dinner without any incidents or sightings and even relaxed to enjoy himself. Maybe Krista hadn’t shown up tonight. He wouldn’t put it past her to say she was coming, then blow it off. He had no idea how she was connected to the bride and groom, but they weren’t peo
ple he’d ever met while they were dating.

  The food was good, what there was of it. They never served you enough to eat at these things, another reason he hated any kind of formal function. Dressing up in a suit and uncomfortable shoes was just not the way Kevin liked to spend an evening. Some guys thrived on it, felt more powerful all dressed up, but not him. He’d rather be in jeans, a t-shirt and leather jacket. If he wanted to feel powerful, he just hopped on the back of his bike and took off.

  Unfortunately, it seemed like Angie really enjoyed getting all gussied up and was disappointed that Kevin didn’t. She looked damn good, but he had barely noticed until a few minutes ago. He realized that he hadn’t commented on her sexy black dress and heels at all, too wrapped up in his own misery. Shit. That’s why she was so quiet on the ride here. He needed to do something to rectify that situation, now!

  Kevin swung his gaze towards the bar, where Angie had headed a few minutes ago when they reopened it after serving cake. He figured it would take her a while so wasn’t worried that she’d been gone for ten minutes. Except she wasn’t waiting in line for drinks. Instead he found her off to the side, standing at a tall cocktail table, talking to a woman whose back was to him. At first he assumed it was another co-worker, but then the woman in question turned and Kevin got an eyeful of Krista. She was smiling and laughing, then she said something that made Angie laugh and Kevin lost his mind.

  Visions of Krista recounting tales of their failed relationship flashed through his head as he stood. How she’d embarrassed him in front of everyone he knew, how he’d stupidly thought they were in love when she was trying to break it off. He pushed through the crowd, not caring that he was being rude. He watched as Angie shook her head at something Krista said and smiled. Unfortunately, he didn’t notice that her smile was strained and she practically radiated tension. All he knew was that he had to get Angie away from Krista, immediately.

  He approached the table where they stood chatting like two old friends and, again, missed that the smile Angie gave him when she spotted him coming was one of utter relief.

  “What’s going on here?” he ground out, not bothering with preliminary niceties. There was absolutely no need for him to be nice to Krista. And what came out of her mouth next proved that completely.

  “Oh, Kevin, there you are,” she said, with such a heavy dose of syrupy sweetness he almost gagged. “I was just telling Angie about our history. Giving her the scoop so to speak.” With the way she accentuated the word ‘history’, he knew whatever she’d said was bad. Probably some twisted version of their relationship that made him look like a raging lunatic.

  He saw Angie open her mouth to speak, but cut her off. “We’re leaving,” he announced.

  Angie’s jaw dropped and her eyes grew round with surprise. “But Kevin, they haven’t even started dancing yet.”

  “I don’t like dancing and didn’t plan on doing any. We’re leaving now.” A pain sliced through his gut when he saw the surprise turn to hurt and disappointment, but he ignored it. He had to get her away from Krista before he she did any more damage. He turned to the bitch in question and saw she appeared quite pleased with herself. “You stay away from Angie.”

  Krista gave him a smug smile, but when she spoke it wasn’t to him. “See, I told you he was controlling and bossy. He doesn’t care what you want, he only cares about himself.”

  “That’s it, we’re done here." He grasped Angie’s elbow and steered her towards their table so she could get her shit and they could go.

  “Kevin,” she said quietly, “I don’t want to leave.” She wasn’t resisting physically, but her words and tone made it clear that she was not happy, but that was too fucking bad.

  “Babygirl, I’m telling you we are going and that’s what we’re doing. If you fight me on this, things will not go well for you tonight.”

  “Are you threatening me, Kevin?” she gasped and he felt her entire body tense next to him.

  “No, I’m telling you how it is.” They arrived at their empty table. Everyone was mingling, which was great since they didn’t get sucked into explanations or goodbyes. “Get your purse.”

  She obeyed without a word, collecting her purse and the little bags of candy favors from the table. Unfortunately, he failed to notice that, in addition to not speaking, she didn’t even glance at him and her body was strung tighter than a bowstring. She followed him out of the ballroom to the coat check and out to the valet stonily silent, her face drawn into a blank mask. None of this registered with Kevin. He was so focused on controlling the fury boiling inside his gut that the building could have started on fire around him and he wouldn’t have blinked.

  It wasn’t until they pulled into his driveway and Angie rushed out of the car, slamming the door behind her, that Kevin realized she hadn’t spoken the entire ride. Hadn’t even shot a glance in his direction since he told her she needed to get with the program and follow his instructions.

  She waited at the door for him since he had the keys, but still refused to look his way. She had her gaze trained down the street towards her house, like she wished she could teleport herself out of his presence.

  “Angie,” he started, but this time she cut him off.

  “Let’s just get in the house, Kevin. I don’t want to do this out here.”

  Her cold words made his temper flare and he shoved the key in the lock and threw the door open with more force than necessary. “Fine. After you.”

  She walked in and headed straight to the kitchen, not taking off her coat or shoes. Kevin followed her, a sense of foreboding creeping in, but instead of heeding it and backing off, he surged forward, speaking before she could get a word out.

  “Babygirl, you better tone down the attitude. I’m already not happy that you were talking to Krista and letting her fill your head with her bullshit.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me, Kevin?” she screeched, slamming the fridge closed after snagging a bottle of water.

  “Watch your tone,” he warned.

  “No, I will not watch my tone, Kevin. I cannot believe that you embarrassed me like that, dragging me out of the ballroom in front of all my co-workers and friends. What is your problem?” She opened the water and took a drink, all the while glaring daggers at him.

  “My problem is that you were being all friendly with Krista and I don’t want you talking to her, listening to her shit.”

  “Well then, we have something in common, because I did not want to be talking to her or listening to her shit, but I couldn’t very well be nasty to her since we were at a fucking wedding!” She paused, chest heaving with the force of her emotions. “And since when do you tell me who I can talk to? That’s not our deal.”

  Kevin took a step towards her, backing her into the counter. Without thinking, he spoke, enunciating each word. “I do not want you to ever speak to Krista. She will talk shit about me and try to turn you against me. She’s mean and spiteful and a bitch.” He paused and took a breath. “Now turn around, pull up your dress and bend over the counter, babygirl. I do not like your attitude or the way you’re talking to me, at all.”

  “I will not do any of those things, Kevin,” she said, freezing him in place with her rebellion. “Me letting you punish me when I break one of our established rules does not mean that you get to be an asshole, then punish me when I call you on being an asshole. You humiliated me, clearly don’t trust me or think I can make my own decisions about what people say to me, and ruined what I hoped would be a fantastic evening. Don’t forget I used to be a mean and spiteful bitch, I know her game because I played it. There’s nothing that she could say to me that would change the way I feel about you.”

  Kevin held her eyes as she spoke, his chest tightening with every word. His anger melted into guilt and fear as he listened to her very correct words. The fear began to ebb away, only to return quadruple with her next.

  “Your actions, however, did alter my feelings for you. I am not a child that you can order around
and keep in line with threats of spankings. Especially when you issue those threats where other people can hear.”

  His mind raced back over the night and he realized that, while she was speaking quietly, he was not. He’d seen people’s eyes turn and watch their progress through the room but ignored them, and heard a few gasps when he told her that she wouldn’t like what would happen later. Shit! They probably thought the worst.

  “Ah, now you see what the problem is. I’m going to have some explaining to do since you dragged me straight through a group of nurses from my floor.”

  “I’ll call them and explain,” he offered.

  “Yeah, that’ll go over real well. No. I’ll take care of it,” she said, then took another drink but didn’t speak.

  “I’m sorry,” Kevin finally said after a long minute. “I saw you with Krista and flipped out. I hate her so much that I wasn’t thinking.”

  She studied him some more, considering something. Kevin wanted to close the distance between them and take her in his arms, but suspected that wouldn’t go over well. She was still wound tight, back straight and shoulders tense. Then she came to a decision.

  “I’m sorry too, Kevin. I’m sorry you were so upset and angry that you couldn’t act like a reasonable adult and ignore her for the rest of the evening. I’m sorry that you assumed I would believe anything that woman said. I’m sorry you didn’t catch that I did not want to be speaking to her in the first place and was praying you would come over and rescue me.” She paused again and Kevin knew that he would not like whatever came out of her mouth next. “You obviously have a lot of unresolved feelings about Krista. I know you don’t love her, but you can’t carry around all that hate for one woman and claim to love another.”