Unlovely Things (Love By Design Book 2)

by M. C. Cerny

  Catwoman grazed her fake nails up my arm, exposed by my t-shirt as my head turned to see him pull out his phone and make a call. He was truly whipped and the only reason it didn’t bother me was because I liked the girl he was with like a sister. I was a jerk but I wasn’t that much of a jerk.

  “Make yourself comfortable, our best girl, Chanel is coming. She’ll see to all your needs.” Catwoman purred and shut the door leaving me in the small room that looked more like a make shift bang-den than the back room of a club.

  Nodding, I tested out the small leather couch. Fake leather greeted my fingers with a sticky residue and a faintly flowered smell, almost like cleaner, but heavily perfumed. Yeah, I was not sitting my ass on some prior dude’s spunk cushion. The hard backed dining room chair looked a hundred times cleaner to me. I sat down making myself comfortable to wait for the woman to show up. Adjusting my jeans, I pulled the denim now from my thighs to give me more room in case I did get excited by a little innocent dancing. Images of Kristen filled my head and I wondered what she was up to taking Taylor and the girls out for their own version of tonight. I wondered if she would hire male dancers and the thought made me frown. I didn’t really want to be here, but I was already here and now it seemed rude to walk out on the girl about to come in here and earn her money for whatever sordid things she did. Maybe I could just tip her really well, hang out and then leave. I could pretend it was a wild time and no one would be the wiser right?

  The door opened and shut quickly, the shimmer of an electric blue dress reflected the dim lights of the room blinding me for a moment. “Hello there, cowboy.” A sultry voice smacked out of her lips but all I could see were fishnet stocking legs, tiny ankles wobbling in shiny electric blue platform heels about six inches off the ground.

  “Hi there, I was wondering if…” Before I could finish asking her if we could abort this whole shit show I couldn’t get into, her shriek caught me off guard and it was then I took a really good look at the girl in front of me.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” Simultaneously we whisper yelled the question to each other shock of recognition flashing in her eyes and I imagined mine as well. A sheen of sweat beaded down my back plastering the cotton to my skin. I did not expect to see this blast from the past standing here precariously in a gentleman’s club of all places. I was in deep shit.

  “I think I asked you first,” she said inching her way back to the door. Her hand made a grab for the handle and my opportunity to stop this was evaporating quickly like water in the desert. I got up stalking her to the only exit of the room and placed my hand on the door crowding her in and towering over her despite the stupid shoes on her tiny feet.

  “Uh huh,” I shook my head negatively. “I asked you first, Blue. What the fuck are you doing in Vegas?” I stared down into the terrified eyes of my other best friend’s wife who I hadn’t seen since she left New Paltz under a cloud of mystery almost a decade ago. Andy hadn’t said Sierra’s name in years, but here she was a dead ringer for a midget sized Cindy Crawford in her heyday dancing in this shit hole.

  Her eyes squeezed shut like she was trying to block me out but I wasn’t going to go anywhere until I had figured out this little mystery.

  “H-how is he?” She bit her bottom lip and I dragged her over to the abominable couch sitting her down carefully on my lap. It wasn’t a sexual thing in the least. I was pretty sure my dick turtled back into my abdomen a good ten years into the past. I was trying to comfort her while her body shook like someone had doused her with ice water and the ghosts of Christmas past.

  “Sierra, what happened?”

  “I had to leave.” The answer simplistic and yet told me nothing at all. I cleared my throat hoping she would continue and she did. “It’s complicated.”

  “Isn’t it always?” and I thought about my situation with Kristen. Damn. She was going to kill me if she got wind of this too.

  She grunted and her hands rested on my chest as I looked down to see the thin black line of a tattoo circling her finger.

  “I couldn’t stay and look Andy in the eyes anymore lying to him.” I had no idea what Sierra would have been lying about but I’m sure skipping town and declining all his phone calls and not telling him was worse than anything else she could have done. Even her grandparents who owned the vineyard in town had no idea where she had gone.

  “Yeah, well tell that to your husband.” I grabbed her hand rubbing over the swirls of ink covering her ring finger.

  She pulled her hand away trying to leave my lap. I bear hugged her keeping her still. “I can’t. Please, Damien. Just forget you saw me here.”

  This girl was out of her mind. Who was going to forget a lovely girl like Sierra? She was nearly waif thin, scared eyes glazed with tears, and hitting a man’s protective instincts like a gong. Andy would flip his shit knowing she had been out here all this time alone doing god only knew what to survive. It physically pained me to respect her wishes.

  “Uh, that’s going to be hard to do. You realize I’m the worst secret keeper out of all of us, right?” It gets me a little laugh from her. I remember my buddy gushing over this girl in high school over that laugh that sounded like tiny little elf bells. I couldn’t keep this from Andy. Shit, the moment I walked out of here, Hunter would know something happened. I was screwed and so was Sierra when this all came out exploding in my face.

  She scrunched her nose sniffing and ran her hand down my shirt straightening the seams. “You, know, you’re not the asshole you try so hard to be, Damien.” Sierra must have seen something in me my Pebbles missed, it felt good to be understood and I knew Andy’s girl hadn’t had the easiest life until my friend heroically claimed her and then lost her in the span of a year. It was amazing the difference twelve months could make in someone’s life. Multiply that by ten and it seemed a lifetime ago.

  “Yeah, well, you’re not the bitch you’ve tried convincing everyone you are. Come back home. I can tell Andy misses you. I won’t lie, he’s pissed, but whatever that is–well, it’s between you two.”

  “I don’t know if I can go back.”

  “If it’s worth anything, I think Andy needs closure to whatever happened and I think you need it too. Whatever it was and you don’t have to tell me, but should at least be telling him.” Reassuring her, I prayed she wasn’t going to tell me because I knew one too many rum and cokes and I was bound to serenade all of Nevada with this information before the weekend ended.

  “You know, I’m not really his wife anymore.” Her voice was sad and I frowned for her. Andy never told us the details but I did remember an unopened certified letter dated about ten years ago remained unopened and pinned to his message board in the back office of Easton’s Pub collecting dust. A less than subtle reminder of the baggage my friend carried resting in between a thick pad of folded paper and less than two dollars’ worth of postage. I could have told her it remained unopened but some of this was beyond my helping.

  I rested my hand on her shoulder petting her hair gently because that seemed like a comforting thing to do. “Sierra, I wouldn’t be so sure of that, just–come home. When you’re ready, come home.”

  “Hurry up in there!” A bang on the door interrupted us and she looked frightened for a second before breathing deeply and calmly again.

  “Keep your knickers on!” Sierra yelled back at the door, her eyes closed off from emotion once again.

  I eased her off my lap and we stood in the silence of the room while the music pumped outside. “Please, Sierra.” It was the closest I came to begging.

  “I’ll think about it.” She opened the door and I grabbed her hand one last time before she slipped out into the seedy hallway. By letting her go I was essentially signing off my friendship with Andy once he found out. I did the only thing that would ease my consciousness in the moment and grabbed for my wallet.

  “Wait. Take this. Please.” She stood frozen in place as I opened my wallet and gave her the cash I had left. Something close to
seven hundred dollars wasn’t much, but if it got her out of here for a little while or helped her get home than it meant more to me than its monetary value ever would. That money amounted to one job back home, a few hours of inconvenience snaking a toilet or fixing a leaky faucet, and I wondered what it meant in her world.

  “And here–my card. In case you need anything.” I handed her my card from Hart Construction Company detailing my cellphone number.

  I grabbed her hand one last time. “I’m serious Sierra, anything.” At least she would have a way to reach someone from her old life if she decided to come home.

  “Thanks. You really are a Saint, Damien.” Her smile was the first I’d seen since I’d known her. The way her lips creased upward with hope shot me in the gut. I wasn’t good at this hero shit and Sierra Oocho wasn’t my girl to save but maybe, just maybe I slayed one dragon tonight.

  Awkward silence stretched out between us and I grabbed the back of my head rubbing my hand over my hair. “Yeah, maybe you could tell that to Kristen.”

  She gave me a tender punch in the stomach. “Oh, I think she’s always known.” Sierra turned and then paused speaking again. “But maybe you should tell her you never hooked up with that Frenchie.” Sierra left as abruptly as she came in leaving me more puzzled than before.

  I waited a good five minutes before leaving the room. No sense in having the guys think I’m one of those early ejaculators or some weird shit. When I peeked out into the hallway, the coast was clear of both Sierra–the ghost, and her companion–Catwoman.

  “Look what the cat dragged in.” Chase looked moderately tipsy, Hunter was still texting on his phone back and forth and Whit was dancing by himself next to the bar like some collage age freak.

  “So, who is ready to hit up the next place?” I asked, my glance darting around hoping like hell that Sierra was long gone.

  “Why? Are the girls in Vegas?” Hunter glared at me from his phone, a typical frown making him magically appear cover model handsome in a perfectly rugged way that had girls ready to drop everything for him, except he only had eyes for one. He should actually be thanking me in my opinion, but hey, whatever.

  “Surprise?” Hunter groaned at my reply that sounded weak and pithy but I was curious how Pebbles pulled this one off getting Taylor out here, we hadn’t discussed those details just the party itself. Maybe she thought this was a competition, but now I was eager to see her again in the perfect environment to sin.

  “I’ll be surprised if Kristen can stay out of trouble this weekend.” He grumbled walking out to the curb. We follow the man of the hour out of the club and caught a taxi back to our hotel. The guys’ weekend was now officially a couples’ weekend. Chase seemed bummed and that made me happy for a change because that made two of us.

  20

  Kristen

  “Buckle up bitches! Vegas baby!” I throw the bright blue Ford mustang convertible into drive and head toward the Bellagio.

  “I can’t believe you actually did it.” Taylor said amused. Bright lights that never seem to fade into the desert pop in brilliant whites and reds, signs pulse with the city’s heartbeat and with the top down our hair blows wild in the wind.

  “I can’t believe Lia found that awesome tattoo shop. It was like kismet.” My arms were wrapped in black plastic and I felt badass. Mostly sore, but badass. I couldn’t wait to see the twin wings healed and pretty with the black and violet outlining.

  “That guy was awesome who did your shading.” Lia beamed and tugged her pants down to check out the tiny camera etched into her hip bone forever.

  “I cannot believe you convinced me to come out here.” Taylor smiled wide looking relaxed and I winked at my best friend. What better way to send her off then to make sure she never forgets what it’s like to hang with her girls on this epic adventure. I’ve got the spa booked and fun mapped out for the weekend ahead.

  “Once I told mom, she was completely on board with it and booked the spa for us. Told me she regretted not having a last hurrah herself and insisted we go.” I don’t know if time softened my mother or the demands of being a judge wore her down, but she was all too ready to toss me her credit card and who was I to say no to a free trip?

  “This is amazing! Perfect night exposure for the camera.” Lia was in the backseat clicking away with her zoom lens looking dazed by all the bright lights.

  “Where are we staying?” Taylor was busy texting on her phone and I drove past bright lights and sidewalks filled with nut jobs.

  “Mom made me book a room at the Bellagio.” I pulled up to the curb and a valet jogged over to us ready to take our keys.

  “Ladies.” He said taking down my information.

  “Well, hello, hello….” The hair on the back of my neck raised in goose bumps taller than the Paris needle and the Luxor pyramid.

  “What the hell?” I turned to face my brother who was supposed to be at home running his vet practice and shagging his own girlfriend while we tore up the town. Taylor was already gone having jumped out of the car and was already locking lips with her fiancé while Whittaker pulled Lia into his arms for a little PDA groping. Chase observed the couples looking bored. Damien stood off to the side grinning like he knew this would have bothered me, and he was right.

  “Little sis.” Chase tried to rub my hair with his knuckles in a noogie and I pushed him back.

  “I guess this is why Mom wasn’t at all bothered to send us to Vegas knowing your responsible ass was going to be here.” I flicked my brother in the chest who smirked back, annoying man that he was.

  “Or… she’s just making sure you don’t end up married to some crazy asshole you met twelve hours earlier.” He said winking in the direction of Damien. Of course Chase would think that. Those two were friends on the football field since high school but barely on speaking terms off of it. Yet another glaring factor that stood in the way of Damien being anything more than secret sex buddies.

  I rolled my eyes hard enough I thought I strained the left one. The desire to poke him in the eye was strong but Chase was well aware that mom and I had an understanding. Unfortunately, having to see the arrest record with the alleged disorderly person charges from Taylor’s house party damaged my credibility. Thank god that was all dropped but it was good to know my own mother had thrown me under the bus and didn’t trust me on my own outside of town. This was exactly why I moved out as soon as I finished college and got my first accounting job at that shitty firm I was still at to this day.

  “Chase, I hate you.” Teasing my brother was better than stabbing him.

  “You know she loves you.” He said trying to convince me of the obvious I didn’t want to hear.

  Of course I knew mom loved me, but she had a funny hard ass way of showing it and whose parent practically expects them to make decisions like random Vegas weddings? She did raise me, didn’t she? It would seem one bad decision tainted me in her eyes forever. If she had been more involved growing up she might actually know me a person, an adult instead of her big disappointment. Chase and I had that in common. I would never make mom happy and dad would always be riding my brother about his bum knee.

  “Hey, we’re in Vegas. Let’s make the best of the time we have here, okay?” I said dismissing the hurt from home; I left that baggage in New York after all.

  “As long as you don’t expect me to get a tattoo from some guy you met online, or the airport, or wherever you found him.” He squeezed my shoulder.

  I pushed him back. “Whatever, let’s get settled in our room and go out.”

  Chase winced. “Should I break the news to you now or later?”

  “Oh please Chase, the second I saw your ass I already knew mom finagled rooms either next to each other or on the same floor.”

  “Okay, bad news then.” He smiled and we walked inside arm in arm to settle everything up.

  ****

  We were busy primping in the room because the guys decided to take us out to a late dinner. I suspected they wanted to s
hower off the smell of skank from the club they went to but I wasn’t going to oust them to Taylor and Lia who were way too gaga over seeing their guys.

  One – because this was Taylor’s weekend as much as it was Hunter’s and I had plans for her.

  Two – I also didn’t know what was going on with Whit and Lia enough and thought it would be better to curb my shenanigans. Even I wasn’t the kind of vindictive witch to ruin a brand new relationship fraught with possible insecurities. Nope. I was only good at ruining my own.

  In other words, this could be either a lame weekend or an epic one. It hadn’t manifested itself in one direction and instead remained to be decided.

  Lia dropped her bags on the sofa and told us she would take a quick shower before we left. Taylor was exploring the suite we would be occupying for the next few nights and I hit up the mini-bar. Hey, the Judge paid for it so I might as well take advantage of it. I had no plans on driving the sweet little car I rented anywhere except back to the airport at the end of the weekend. I was dangerous enough walking in high heels under the influence.

  “I can’t believe how pretty this room is, we need to call your mom and thank her.” Taylor peeked out of the bedroom with the king sized bed all three of us could fit on, though I bet Lia would take the queen sofa bed.

  Pouring in vodka into a tumbler filled with ice and orange juice I took a refreshing sip. “Can we do that after dinner?”

  Taylor smirked rolling her eyes. “Will you be sober enough?”

  Laughing I shrugged and she took out her phone dialing my mom. Taylor made sure I kept my manners. The phone rang and went to voicemail so we left a thank you message for her to hear later when she checked her phone. Mom probably didn’t want to know if we got into trouble, but Chase was here, so what could possibly go wrong?

  Right?

  We waited for Lia as we freshen up in the master bathroom. I’m sliding smoky black eyeliner over my lid when Taylor riffles through her own makeup bag. My best friend turns to me, our eyes meeting in the mirror. “You know I love you…” she says and I can tell she has something on her mind. “But I think we have to talk about… well, what’s been happening lately.”