by Blue Saffire
“I’m here,” I say as I join the room from my thoughts. “I was just thinking of how amazing the night has turned out.”
“You sure, because you looked like you were somewhere deeper than that. You’re not having second thoughts about me are you?” He says this teasingly, but the look in his eyes tells me that he is only half joking.
I place my champagne glass on a passing tray before wrapping my arms around his neck. “I have not had one second thought since I said yes,” I say and peck his lips. “Well, except for when you put that cowboy hat on this evening,” I tease.
“Oh really, is that right because I do believe I saw your eyes light up. I was thinking I would get you and Ellie matching hats and we could go to the rodeo as one big happy family,” he smirks at me.
I love this man. Does he even know how much? I’m thrown back to the night we met and the easy banter we had while he made me laugh. To think I was trying to pawn him off on someone else.
“While I think Bri would love that, I think you will have a much tougher sell with me,” I smile up at him.
“I’m going to make a country girl out of you yet,” he murmurs against my lips before pressing in for a tender kiss. “I love you.”
“Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you,” I whisper back, breathless from the simple kiss.
“Bradley, I hate to interrupt, but I have someone here that wanted to say hello,” Donna’s annoying voice cuts through our moment. I just bet she didn’t want to interrupt.
Brad releases his hold on my waist and places his hand on the small of my back before turning. When he gets a look at the woman standing with Donna he stiffens and the smile falls from his face. I am instantly on alert. I look this woman over with her platinum blonde hair and tight bandage dress. I know she looks familiar. When a camera flashes from somewhere nearby, I know exactly where I know her from. This is his ex-girlfriend, what was her name, Tiffany. You have got to be kidding me.
Why is his supermodel ex at our engagement party? I glare at Donna, from the smug look on her face she knows exactly who this is and how inappropriate this is. It is taking everything in me not to slap the piss out of her right now. We usually stay clear of each other, because the feeling of dislike is mutual.
It looks like today this heifer wants to turn things up a notch. Before I can say a word, to my surprise, Brad grabs Tiffany and storms off with her in tow. I am stunned and a bit hurt. I blink a few times to make sure this is really happening.
“Guess you don’t have this one as locked up as you thought,” Donna snarls.
“What is your damn problem,” I hiss back at her.
“You are. You come in here with your little brat. She is so cute and everyone is falling all over themselves to please her and you. You have no right to be here,” she says with venom dripping from her words.
“I have no right to be here,” I scoff. “By who’s rules?”
“Oh come on honey, you aren’t stupid. Name one star football player with a black wife. Name one quarterback… name an open relationship between a white player and his black plaything.
“Didn’t think so. You see honey that is all you are, a plaything. When Brad gets tired of playing house with you he is going to find himself the right kind of woman to be by his side, a woman that will fit into his world. Nope, you and that brat won’t be around long at all, especially when he remembers how good he had it before you,” Donna finishes with a nasty grin on her face.
I refuse to let her words sting me. I won’t allow her to plant this poison. Not tonight of all nights. I have always known Donna disliked me. A large part of me has suspected that my color plays a part in it, but this confirms it all. I stand up taller and narrow my eyes at her.
“Last time I checked Brad and I could care less what other people do. Who cares? Our relationship has nothing to do with his game on the field,” I snap. “If you have a problem with me and my daughter than that is on you. But I will tell you this…call my daughter a name again and you will find out what a plaything is, because I’m going to whip your ass like a ragdoll.”
I turn and walk away from a stunned looking Donna. I look around the crowded tent for my fiancé but I don’t see him or the woman he stormed off with. I refuse to acknowledge the tears burning the backs of my eyes because that means I will have to acknowledge the fact that some of her words did get to me.
“Hey Tam, there you are,” Ann says cheerfully. “Mama has been looking for you and Brad. They want to start the presentation. Where’s Brad?”
“I have no idea,” I say more bitterly than I mean to.
“Is everything okay,” Ann asks looking confused and concerned.
“I don’t even know right now,” I huff and pinch the bridge of my nose. Ann grabs my hand and pulls me off to the side away from prying ears.
“Okay spill, what is going on,” Ann demands. I need to vent to someone.
~B~
“What the hell are you doing here?” I growl at Tiffany once I have pulled her from the tent.
She pouts at me and moves closer to rub her hand up and down my arm. I snatch my arm away and cross my arms over my chest. I can’t believe she is here. I have been avoiding her calls and even blocked her number a few times as she has started to call from different numbers.
I have never invited her to meet my family, so I have no idea why she would even be here now. How the hell does she know about tonight? We may have invited a lot of people, but it was made clear this was a private event for me and Tam. We didn’t want the press getting wind and ruining things. I have a million thoughts running through my head and I need answers.
“Aren’t you happy to see me?” she purrs.
“No,” I hiss.
“Oh come on Brad. We were so good together. Why are you being like this? You can’t really be in love with this woman. Not after the chemistry we had,” Tiffany coos as if she has lost her mind. She must have.
“I don’t know what chemistry you are talking about. Maybe we were in two different relationships because I told you from the start I wasn’t in to it. You pushed for more and I gave you the only thing you were going to get. We are over and have been way before I got together with my fiancée,” I snarl at her.
“Oh please Brad, she will never fit into your world and you know it. We on the other hand fit together. With you on your way to the super bowl and my new movie coming out we can really give this a go and make so much happen for both our careers,” she says with an enthusiastic look on her face.
I groan internally. Was she always this out of it and I just ignored it? I can’t believe she is this delusional. I couldn’t get rid of her things from my place fast enough. I made it pretty clear back then that it was over. What the fuck is she rambling about right now?
“Look Tiff, I don’t know if you are on something or not but you have lost your mind if you think I am leaving my woman to be some publicity stunt for you and your career. I want you gone. How the hell did you get in in the first place? It was by invitation only,” I narrow my eyes at her with my last question.
“I came as Collen’s plus one,” she says with a smug smile that I want to slap off her face. If my mama didn’t teach me better I would.
I can’t believe that bitch Donna. Collen is her little brother. There is no way he met up with Tiffany on his own. He is barely a kid. This has Donna written all over it. I plan to have it out with my brother’s wife once and for all. I warned her about messing with my family.
I am fuming. I know I need to get back inside to my woman. Tiffany is just staring at me with crazy eyes. I pull my cell phone from my pocket and text security to come and collect her. I want to watch her be removed from the premises. I plan to have a restraining order filed first thing Monday. Tam was right, we have a little girl to protect. I won’t let any harm come to my woman or my child.
“Brad, can’t we work things out,” Tiffany asks sweetly just as security walks up behind her. I nod my head at them and she turn
s to notice the two broad men ready to escort her off the premises. “Oh my God Brad, seriously? We have been friends for so long. Are you really going to throw me out?”
“See that she leaves the property and does not come back,” I snap.
~B~
“He just took off with her and said nothing to me,” I finish in a hushed whisper to Ann.
Ann opens her mouth as if to say something but closes it quickly. I freeze as large arms wrap around my waist. “Mama wants us up front,” Brad says with no explanation of where he has been. I turn in his arms and glare at him. “We’ll talk about it. I just don’t want to ruin the night.”
I just nod and follow him as he leads us to where the rest of the family has gathered. Donna is there with a smug smile on her face once again, as she clings to Trevor. He looks none too pleased with her as usual. Brad steers us clear of them, but I can feel tension rolling off of him. I’m not sure what to think about it.
Ann stands between Sam and Trevor and whispers something to Trevor that makes him frown and snatch his arm from Donna’s hold as he turns to glare at her. The stupid smile on her face melts a little as panic starts to rise in her eyes. Trevor puts as much distance between them as he can without making a scene.
I am pulled from watching their interaction by Bradley squeezing my hand. I look up at him and he gives me a weak smile before placing a kiss to my lips. Vernon and Gloria join us with Brielle hanging from her grandfather’s hip. He is telling her something that has her quiet amused as she giggles in his arms.
“Okay everybody,” the DJ calls out. “It looks like we have the whole family here now. I’m getting the head nod that we can start this little show.”
The projector lights up and I feel myself relax as pictures of Brad as a little boy come up on the screen. Everyone aws and ahs at the pictures and then a few of my baby pictures come up pulling the same reaction. I smile when my pictures are followed by Brielle’s. I love that they have included her in this moment. When Ann asked me for Brielle’s pictures I had no idea it was for this.
The crowd roars with laughter as a picture of the three of us hits the screen. Brad and Brielle are making silly faces at me and I am laughing to the point of tears. I remember that day. We were all at dinner over Ann’s. It is just dawning on me how much time we spend with Ann and her family. I have really taken these people in as family, which means Bri is as attached as I am.
This fact stings as uncertainty tries to creep in. Looking at the three of us we look like the perfectly happy family, but how long will that last? What am I signing up to put my daughter through? I could forgive Brad for breaking my heart, but never for breaking Brielle’s. She loves her father so much.
As my thoughts start to stray the pictures disappear from the screen bringing me back from my reverie. I look around to see the confused faces of Ann and Gloria. A rumbling voice rings out through the room instead of the soft music that had been playing with the video.
It’s Brad’s voice. I could never mistake his voice. I look to the screen to see him shirtless lying in bed. At first he is all you can see and hear, but then a female voice joins in.
“Babe, do you love me,” the woman says.
“Of course I do,” Brad says in return.
Tiffany comes into view as she lays her head on his shoulder. “It will be just like you promised. We will always be together. Nothing can keep us apart,” Tiffany says while looking up at him longingly.
“Yeah baby, just like I promised. No matter what I will always come back to you. This is only temporary. When I get my head cleared we will be together. I just need some time, but you know I have never loved anyone the way I love you….”
The rest of his words are lost on me. Brad and Trevor both have run to the projector trying to cut it off. I can hear Brad shouting. “Turn that fucking thing off.”
It doesn’t matter. I have heard enough and so has everyone in this room. I feel stupid and embarrassed beyond belief. Brad told me he never loved her. I remember asking him. I remember his words, but the words on that screen tell me something else.
Brad is a liar. I am barely holding onto the tears that are threating to spill over. I back away from everyone, ignoring Vernon and Gloria calling my name and start to run. I don’t know where I am running to, I just run.
I can’t breathe. Why is this happening to me? I finally have to admit to myself how much I have really wanted this with Brad. However, I have not signed up to be humiliated or to ruin my career. I have been so stupid in really thinking about changing my life for him.
I choke on a sob as I think about how I was considering being a stay at home mom and giving Brad the baby he has been asking for sooner, rather than later. I often regret the time I have missed with Brielle as I have built my career over the last four years. Even without Brad I could afford to take a break. I just thought it would be better to do it with him and for our family.
This ranch is huge and Brad drove so I don’t have keys to just take off. I know Bri is in good hands. When I get far away from here I’ll text Ellerie to drop her off to me once I find a hotel to stay in. We rented out my old place just last month. Maybe my parents will take Brielle for a few days while I figure things out.
I look around frustrated and see the stables. Thinking of the horse Vernon gifted me with this evening, I head there. I snort as I think of the car Brad gave me. I would take off in it but it is blocked in by everyone else.
I slip into the stable and the calm of the horses grounds me. I head straight to Autumn, my new horse. I see a blanket outside her stall and reach for it as it has gotten cooler out. The tent for the party itself was actually heated. I wrap myself in the blanket and lean my head against Autumn’s, as I pet the side of her head. She is such a sweet horse.
“What do I do, Autumn?” I whisper. “I have never been so hurt. All of his promises mean nothing because he lied.”
I don’t know how much time goes by while I continue to plea with Autumn for answers she will never give me. I haven’t been able to stop the tears that started the moment I realized she wouldn’t be answering me and that I still don’t know how I got here.
I feel him in the stable with me before I see him. I look for the nearest exit but I am too late. He wraps his arms around me and buries his face into my hair. In that moment, I shatter. This is home for me, what do you do when your home is taken from you?
~B~
I have looked all over for Tam. I had come into the stable to grab a horse to broaden my search and cover more land. I have no idea why I didn’t think to look here first. My head is still too messed up at the thought that Tiffany and Donna would go so far to ruin my engagement party.
That video was not what it looked like, but I know that it looked a certain way to Tam and our hundreds of guests. This is all on me. I let my family down once again, but I won’t lose my woman over this. I can’t.
“Tam, baby, you have to listen to me,” I say gently into her hair.
She spins in my arms and my heart breaks even more as I see the tears soaking her face. I never want to see my baby hurting. I love this woman with everything that I am. I go to cup her face but she pulls away. I place my hands on the stall behind her and bend to place my forehead to hers as my own tears form.
“You hurt me,” she chokes out. “How could you lie to me like that?”
“I have never lied to you,” I say as my own tears start to fall. I have never cried like this, but with Tam I feel everything in the depths of my heart. This lie that I have no control over has hurt her, but it is not a lie I have told.
She scoffs and turns her face away from me. I press my forehead to the side of her face and move my arms to wrap around her. She struggles at first but I tighten my hold.
“Just leave me alone,” she whimpers.
“I can’t. I love you. I would never lie to you Darlin’, I swear it,” I respond.
“You told me you didn’t love her. You said you never had those types of feeli
ngs for her. You said you made that clear to her. So what didn’t you lie about Brad? Because that video made it clear about everything you did lie about,” she snaps.
I cup her face and turn it, forcing her to look up at me. “I never loved her and that tape proves nothing. I told you Tiffany was into acting. She would come to my place and ask me to rehearse lines with her. A few times she taped it. She said she wanted to watch the videos back to see what she could improve on.
“I never saw any harm in it back then. I had no idea she would try to use the footage against me. Baby, that was a skit from a movie she was trying to get a part in. We had been at it for hours. I was tired from practice and she pounced and begged for me to help her as soon as I crawled into bed for a nap.
“I knew those lines by heart by the time she started to tape. That was not a conversation between lovers. It was a boyfriend helping his girlfriend run lines. You are the woman I love,” I place a gentle kiss to her lips. “You are the only woman I want. I have never lied to you Tamara and I don’t plan on starting now. I have a buddy that actually worked that audition. I plan to call him and see if he can send me the script and Tiffany’s audition tape so that you can see I’m telling the truth.”
She eyes me warily as her tears continue to fall. I move my hands to her waist and pull her to me, kissing her passionately, trying to show her how I feel with my lips. To my relief she doesn’t pull away. Her arms lock around my neck and I groan in relief.
I need to make her understand what she means to me. I pull away and hold a finger up. I pull my phone out to text Trevor to let everyone know I have found her and then I text security to have them make sure we are not disturbed in this barn.
I tuck my phone away and reach for her hand. I pull her along down a few stalls to an empty one. I grab one of the blankets we keep in the stable. Once inside the stall I lay out the blanket before lowering to it and tugging Tam down into my lap. She straddles my hips and I cup her face.
“I love you, Tam,” I say as I swipe at her tears. I place a soft kiss to her trembling lips. “You are everything to me.”
