“Stop that,” Lauren interrupts. “Cara’s a nice person.”
“I didn’t say she wasn’t,” Misty agrees. “But she’s so not his type. He’s a ten and she’s a three on a good day.”
“At least she’s straightened her hair.” Sunny giggles. “Remember her hair, Lo? Oh, God, what a mess!”
“Tell me about her hair!” Misty is smiling giddily and I just want to throw up. I’m mortified. I want to run away, but I can’t make my feet move. They still haven’t seen me, and the people in front of me haven’t noticed me standing here either.
“She had this horrible, curly frizzy hair.” Sunny gasps for breath from laughing so hard. “It was all over the place.”
“I think it looks nice now.” Lauren is scowling at both women. “You two are ridiculous. This isn’t high school.”
“Oh, loosen up, Lo.” Misty waves Lauren off dismissively. “It’s all in fun. And trust me, girls—Cara Donovan is no threat.”
“You’re right,” I call out, to the surprise of everyone around me.
The three women turn, eyes wide and mouths open. Lauren and Sunny both blush, but Misty quickly recovers and narrows her eyes viciously at me.
I can’t stay quiet one moment longer. “There’s no threat because Josh has chosen to be with me. I guess he’s just not into catty bitches.” I prop my hands on my hips and tilt my head to the side. My heart is racing with adrenaline. “It’s good to see Lauren has grown up. When are you two going to join her?”
Before either Misty or Sunny can respond, Lauren grabs both their arms and yanks them into the restroom.
“Those girls always were trouble.”
I spin around to see Mrs. Baker, my eighth-grade math teacher, standing behind me, her eyes narrowed and hands planted on her ample hips. She always was a force to be reckoned with, and retirement hasn’t changed that.
“It doesn’t matter,” I murmur.
“It does too matter. I don’t like that new girl one bit. If she were in my classroom, I’d make her life a living hell.”
I smirk and silently agree. Maybe Misty needs a scared-straight field trip.
The line moves, and before long all three girls leave, walking quickly, not glancing my way.
By the time I walk back toward Josh, I can’t help but feel just a little twinge of doubt because, at the end of the day, what if Misty was right? What if Josh just feels the need to swoop in and save me?
The part that pisses me off the most is that she’s made me doubt why he’s attracted to me, despite the fact that Josh himself has never given me a reason to doubt him.
God, Jillian would smack the shit out of me right now. After she smacked the shit out of Misty and Sunny.
I almost trip on my own feet when I see Misty sitting on our blanket next to Josh, smiling up at him adoringly, her hand planted on his shoulder. Her raven hair is pulled over one shoulder, exposing her other naked shoulder and showcasing her cleavage.
She’s thin, with big gray eyes and plump lips.
And her hands are on the man I’m currently sleeping with. The woman has balls of steel.
I’m going to rip her hair out by the roots.
I force my feet to move, propelling me forward as I glance at Josh for the first time. He has a small smile on his lips, but it’s forced. His eyes are combing the crowd, and when he finds me, his smile widens and he immediately stands, ignoring whatever it was that Misty was saying.
She glares at me, but I ignore her and focus on the magnificent man striding toward me.
“There you are.” He takes my hand in his and pulls it up to his lips.
“There was a line,” I mutter, and offer him a small smile. He narrows his eyes at me, sensing the change in my attitude, I’m sure.
I’ve been stupid to just jump into whatever this man is offering without being cautious.
“As I was saying,” Misty begins. “My parents own a house . . .” Her voice fades as Josh drapes an arm over my shoulders and turns us to look over at her. She’s standing next to the blanket now, twisting her fingers at her stomach.
“Hey, Misty, let’s go get our spot back for the next movie,” Lauren calls from a few feet away and gives me a sympathetic smile as if to say, Sorry.
“I’ll call you, Josh.” Misty smiles sweetly and joins her friends.
“What’s wrong?” Josh asks me when she’s gone. “What happened?”
I just relived my junior year, that’s what. “Nothing. I think I’m ready to go now if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll take you wherever you want to go. What I mind is whatever has upset you.”
Before he can stop me, I begin gathering the blanket and the picnic basket. He takes the basket from me and I immediately walk toward the truck.
I’m embarrassed. That’s what it is. I’m just so damn embarrassed.
He’s silent as he stows the blanket and basket in the backseat and helps me into the truck, turns the ignition, and pulls away from the park.
“Where would you like to go?”
I really want to go home.
But that’s not an option.
“Your place is fine.”
His eyes narrow on my face, watching me. “Talk to me.”
I swallow and look out the passenger window and ignore the expletives he mutters under his breath. The lights from the city dwindle as we head out of town toward the ranch, and with each passing mile I get more and more angry.