One Wrong Choice (A Cruel and Beautiful Book Book 3)

by A. M. Hargrove

  Jenna

  Today is my birthday. I’ve been at work all day, and no one has even mentioned it. My parents haven’t called, Ben hasn’t texted me, and Cate hasn’t emailed or called either. The fact that the people at work haven’t said anything doesn’t bother me because I haven’t mentioned it to them. Besides, I’m not that close to anyone here. But my family? I’ve never, ever forgotten any of their birthdays. And then there’s Kenneth. He’s in D.C. with his dad, the big senator, but he hasn’t mentioned a word, by way of flowers, phone, text, or email either. Ever since Cate left I feel like I’m the lone wolf here. And it’s no fun at all. If I didn’t have so much work piled in front of me, I’d go home and wallow in self-pity.

  My boss comes in and tosses another pile of folders on my desk. Our business is soaring. Aaron replaced Evvie with someone who actually works, and it’s made such a difference in my workload I was able to bring in more business. So now the company is expanding. Kenneth keeps telling me to quit, and so does Mom. But I love the job, other than our need for more employees. With this added pile of work Aaron just gave me, it looks like I’ll be here at least another hour or so.

  My phone rings, and I answer it without looking at the caller ID.

  “Jenna Rhoades.”

  “I’m doing my civic duty,” he says.

  “What’s that?”

  “Wishing you a happy birthday as required!” His deep raspy voice sings the words to me, and I can’t help but feel a bit more melancholy by them. When I don’t respond, he asks, “Everything all right with you?”

  “Yeah, it’s fine.”

  “It doesn’t sound like it.”

  “It’s been a busy day.”

  “And?”

  Damn, he knows me too well already.

  “The truth?”

  “Nothing but.”

  “I’m down in the dumpster,” I admit.

  “But today’s your day to be on top of the world.” He sounds sympathetic.

  “Yeah, I know. Can I tell you something embarrassing?”

  “Absolutely. What are friends for?”

  “You’re the only one who remembered my birthday.” And that is pretty damn sad.

  He doesn’t say anything for a minute. “It’s still early. Give everyone some time.”

  “That’s no excuse, and you know it.”

  “You never know. Maybe they are trying to surprise you.”

  “I doubt it. See why I need you as my friend? You are the only one who cares enough.”

  “Okay, it sounds like I’m going to have to bring in the big guns.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’ll have to sing you happy birthday. It’s a sure-fire way to make you smile,” he says.

  “Do it. I dare you.” Already a grin has formed on my face.

  He sings the first chord. “Now, aren’t you happy I won’t sing anymore?”

  “No way. I want to hear the entire song.”

  “You don’t. Your ears will be wrecked for life.”

  Chuckling for the first time today, I say, “Let me be the judge of that.”

  “Promise me one thing.”

  “You got it.”

  Laughing, he says, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He breaks into “Happy Birthday” and has me seriously giggling by the second line. When he gets to the end, I’m crying. He throws his voice into a false vibrato that is so exaggerated I end up snorting out my laugh.

  “Oh, God. Don’t ever give up working as a car mechanic. You will be in financial ruin.”

  “Hey, I warned you, didn’t I?”

  “You did.” I wipe the wet off of my face. Thank God for Brandon. He made me laugh on my birthday.

  “So, what are you doing right this minute?” he asks.

  “My boss just tossed a pile of to-do files on my desk. Therefore, I am working. And probably will be for at least another hour.”

  “Does he know what day this is?” he asks with mock surprise.

  “Whatever. It’s not like I had great plans or anything. Without Cate here, my life is totally drab.”

  “Damn. What about me?” Then as if he’s caught what he says, he adds, “Kenneth?”

  I stare out the window of my office, which overlooks King Street in downtown Charleston. Tourists are out on this fall day, but the temperatures are well above eighty. I’m sure the beaches are filled with people, too. My mind wanders a bit over how my mother would be thrilled about a match between the esteemed Balfours and the Rhoades.

  “Jenna? You there?”

  “Oh, sorry. Kenneth, yes. He’s in D.C. He works for his dad, Senator Balfour. He didn’t change his plans for me.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know that’s who he was.” And then the expected dead silence. I can imagine what’s running through his head, but I’m quick to stifle it.

  “Kenneth is fine, but I’m not really sure about his parents. I haven’t met them, but I can only imagine.” My voice, along with my stomach, sours.

  “You don’t sound too excited about them.” Brandon’s right. I’m not.

  “No, but I can’t hold that against Kenneth.”

  “Now isn’t that the truth? No one can choose who their parents are, can they? That’s good you accept him for who he is and not for that parent BS.”

  “Well, I could never be like that.” I’m more than a little surprised he would mention it. But then again, maybe he thinks because of who Kenny is, it’s expected he would date someone of his social caliber, of which I am not. “But I need to get off here if I ever want to leave my office tonight.”

  “Oh, sorry I kept you,” he says.

  “I’m not. You’re the best distraction I’ve had all day.” I mean it.

  “Maybe I need to distract you more often.” I can hear the smile in his words.

  “Yeah, maybe you do.” By the time I hit the End button, I’m grinning. Until, that is, I look back at the pile of folders on my desk. Ugh. Oh well. What do I have waiting for me at home? Nothing, that’s what.

  It’s close to seven by the time I pull into the driveway of my house, which is located in the upper peninsula of Charleston. Everyone always used to say this part of town would never be what it used to be in the 1920s. But they were wrong. My house is newly remodeled, but it’s in an old neighborhood, close to The Citadel, the military college in Charleston. My mother nearly died when I told her I was going to buy it, saying it wasn’t appropriate for me to live here alone. But I did it anyway, and it’s turned out to be the best decision ever. It’s a three bedroom, two and a half bath home that’s perfect for me. When Cate lived here, it was like old times from college, and today I miss her like crazy. But I get why she went.

  My front porch has a couple of UPS packages on it, so I scoop them up as I walk through the door. One is from Amazon, and the other is in a plain brown box. Before opening them, I head to my room to change. My skirt is the first to go, followed by my blouse, and finally I kick off my shoes. Then I slip on my favorite pair of worn-out jeans that have been washed to a softness impossible to attain by any other means than age. Next, I pull on a black tank and some flip-flops, and I pour myself a hefty glass of birthday chardonnay.

  The packages are on the counter, so I gather them and head to the couch, but right before I sit, there’s a pounding on my door. I bet it’s Ben coming to wish me a happy birthday. I open the door, ready to mouth off some snarky comment, when I look up into a pair of pale blue eyes and a face that’s covered with the right amount of scruff that’s soft enough not to irritate a girl’s skin.

  My jaw sags open, and Brandon hits me with a, “Surprise,” and pulls a little cake from behind his back. He hands it to me and ducks down to pick something up. A gift bag dangles from his index finger. “Happy Birthday, Jenna.” He doesn’t sing it this time.

  When I don’t say anything, but only stare at the sexiness that stands before me, mute as can be, he says, “Did I interrupt something?”

  “No, no! I’m just surprised t
o see you.” I move to the side and wave him in.

  He sets the cake on the counter and turns to me. “Have you eaten?”

  “I haven’t. I just got home.”

  He then notices the packages on the couch.

  “Presents?”

  “Yeah. I was just about to open them,” I say.

  “Don’t let me ruin your birthday.”

  “Aren’t you funny? You’re the only one who cares. Sit with me, please. You can watch.”

  He takes a seat, and I open the brown box to find that inside is another box. When I see where it’s from, I get slightly nervous. I can’t hide it either—the box, that is.

  “Tiffany’s, huh?” he asks.

  “Er, yeah.” I read the card, and it’s from Cate. “Aww, listen to this. It’s from Cate.”

  I read the note out loud to him. Jenna, this bracelet reminds me of us. Infinity—because we’ll be friends forever. I can’t possibly thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me. Happy birthday and love always. Your bestie, Cate

  I open the box, and it is, indeed, an infinity bracelet. There are two infinity symbols on it, and they are embedded with diamonds.

  “Good Lord, it’s gorgeous,” I say.

  I hand it to Brandon so he can see. “It certainly is. It looks like she didn’t spare any cost either.”

  “Yeah, that’s Cate.”

  I open the other package and immediately start cracking up so hard, tears flow down my face. I pull out a stuffed animal and hold it up.

  Brandon eyes me curiously. “What’s so funny about that?”

  “It’s a Sasquatch.”

  “And?”

  “She named it Louise.” I’m laughing so hard, my fists pound the cushions of the couch. No doubt Brandon thinks I’ve lost my mind.

  “A Sasquatch named Louise. There has to be a story behind this.”

  “Oh, Brandon, there is.” I get my hysterics under control and tell him when Cate first went out with her husband on their kind of, not really, blind date. They had met at a party, but Cate had a little too much alcohol to remember him. She fell head over heels that night, and he invited her over. His intentions were quite honorable, only Cate panicked and realized she hadn’t done any woman-scaping in a while. So instead of just letting things take their course, she decided to take the path of brutal honesty and told him that Louise looked like Sasquatch.

  Brandon looks confused. “I still don’t know who Louise is.”

  A giant roar of laughter bursts out of me, and I must admit, it’s not very ladylike. “Louise is what she used to call her, you know.” I point between my thighs.

  His brows go sky high, and my head falls between my legs as I crack up all over again.

  “Jesus. Will I ever understand women?”

  “Doubtful.” The word is muffled, as my head is still crammed between my legs. When I lift my head, he’s holding Sasquatch, a.k.a. Louise, and eyeing it as he would an alien. I’m still giggling at the distant memory of Cate telling me that story. Her face was the color of a tomato.

  Brandon is wearing a comical expression.

  “What?” I ask.

  “I’m imagining being that poor guy.”

  “Right? He handled it well, like everything else he did in life.” Suddenly, I grow solemn.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to throw you back like that,” Brandon says.

  “Nah, it’s fine. We all still miss him. But if there ever was a moment in time where I could’ve been a fly on that wall, that would’ve been it.”

  He shakes his head. “Not me. I would run from that shit.” We both laugh again. Then he hands me the bag he brought in. “Okay, don’t expect anything from Tiffany’s.”

  “Oh? And why not?” I tease.

  His expression grows serious, and all of a sudden I wish I hadn’t said that. “You deserve Tiffany’s, you know.”

  “I’m joking. I hope you know—”

  He stops me with his hand. “Yes, I do. Now open it.”

  The colorful gift bag is stuffed with tissue paper, so I pull it out to unveil what’s inside. The first thing I see is a pen like thing.

  “That’s a tire gauge, so you can check the air in your tires.”

  “Ah, very useful. Thank you.”

  Next, I pull out a can that says Fix-A-Flat.

  Brandon advises, “Only use that if you get a flat and can’t reach me. Like if you’re in danger of being abducted by aliens.”

  “Okay. What will happen if I use it?”

  “It’ll allow you to drive on your flat tire until you get to safety. But then your tire may be useless afterward.”

  “Really?”

  “Sometimes it totally fucks them up. But, if it’s that or being stranded somewhere, it’s worth it.”

  “Thank you. I’m touched you’re concerned with my safety.” And I am. No one has ever given me anything like this before, even my dad.

  “There’s more.”

  I dig to the bottom and pull out some gift certificates. One is for a year’s worth of oil changes.

  “Wow! This is awesome! Thank you.”

  He asks, “Did you see the other?”

  I glance at what’s in my hand and see a gift certificate to a local spa for a manicure and pedicure.

  “Oh, Brandon, this is way too much.” And it is. I know this spa, and they overcharge for their services.

  “It’s your birthday. Enjoy it.”

  The smile he gives me is worth more than the presents.

  “You just made my birthday the best one ever. Thank you.” I reach out to hug him, and right then my phone rings.

  “It’s probably your parents. You’d better answer.” So I do.

  “Hello.” Pause, and then a smacking belly flop, because it’s not Mom or Dad. It’s Kenneth. “Oh, hi, Kenny. Thank you.” Pause. “Yes, I’ve had a very good birthday,” I say, staring at Brandon. “You what? I mean, you are? Now? In Charleston?” I look at the time. “Oh, that’s great. Then I guess I’ll be seeing you in about thirty minutes.”

  With those last words, Brandon is already moving toward the door, but I want to tell him not to go. How can I? Kenny is on the way here. He decided to surprise me for my birthday, and why am I so unhappy about that?

  When he opens the door, my voice stops him. “Brandon, you made this the best birthday ever. And I’m sorry. Thank you for everything.” With a slight nod, he leaves, and that’s when I see the small cake on the counter he left behind. Happy Birthday Jenna! Looking at it makes me want to cry.

  Guiltily, I keep staring at the cake. Do I hide it in the fridge, or do I leave it on the counter? Then again, I can’t possibly let Kenneth eat some of the cake Brandon got me. That seems wrong. I rush and place it in the almost empty refrigerator. I really should start cooking more.

  When Kenneth arrives, his first move is to kiss me. After a quick meeting of our mouths, I step back and offer him a drink.

  “I thought maybe we could go out. It is your birthday,” he says, giving me his winning smile.

  “Yeah, that sounds great. Let me change.”

  But he stops me with a tug on my arm and gives me a more passionate greeting. I want to feel all weak-kneed like I did when we first met. But something’s missing, which only makes me feel worse.

  “You look fantastic,” he says.

  His hands glide down my back to cup my ass, and with us so close, I feel his growing excitement.

  Playfully, I dance out of his embrace and chide him. “None of that or we’ll never leave for dinner.”

  His boyish lopsided grin is so damn cute as he speaks. “We could eat in.” He licks his lips with promise.

  For a second, I stand there, half of me wanting the man in front of me, the other fantasizing about the man who left. Why is life so unfair? Why can’t I have my cake and eat it, too? And doesn’t that remind me of the cake sitting in my fridge? I have this image of a little naked Brandon popping out of it, saying, Eat Me, Lick Me. I have to bite
down on my lips to suppress a giggle. Now I’m hopping on the crazy train.

  Groaning, I turn back around and scurry to my room. Kenneth follows, assuming my groan is for him, and in part it is, but not for the reason he thinks. Though as I undress, I start to feel shy and give him my back when I remove my shirt and bra. With my hands covering my breasts, I take my shyness a step further and dart into my walk-in closet. Why am I hiding myself from him? He’s seen the goods.

  “If you are teasing me,” Kenneth says from the bedroom, “it’s working.”

  “Speaking of work, how’s yours?” I ask, trying to change the subject.

  He doesn’t deserve my divided attention and sudden squeamishness.

  “You know Dad. The man keeps me busy. He wanted me to do some business thing tonight, but I put my foot down.” For once, I think. “I told him it was your birthday, and I wasn’t going to miss it.”

  “You didn’t,” I say. “Now he’ll hate me.”

  “He won’t hate you.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I’ve told him all about you. He can’t wait to meet you. You’re probably the one thing he thinks I’ve gotten right.”

  Guilt assaults me again. How can I be right for him when I’m torn up over another man?

  “He hasn’t met me yet,” I counter.

  “No, but he’s seen your picture and knows your parents. Your dad handles all of my dad’s accounts.”

  “Yeah, I forgot about that.”

  “Anyway, he’s anxious to have you over for dinner the next time he’s in town. Oh, and there’s a ball coming up in D.C., and I want you to go with me.”

  Dressed, I step out of the closet, and the way he stares at me makes me feel beautiful.

  “Damn, Jenna, if it wasn’t your birthday, I would insist we stay in so I can help you out of that dress.”

  A blush blooms on my face. “You don’t think it’s too much?”

  He shakes his head. “I’ll probably have to have our driver run over the assholes who try to take you from me.”

  Although I hear his compliment, I focus on one thing he’s said.

  “Driver?”

  “Yes, I want to drink tonight, and I’m sure you will, too. So, Jimmy is giving us the royal treatment. I hope that’s okay. I know you don’t like the pretentiousness of it, but think of it as a one night celebration.”