"Derek is bringing a friend, right?" I asked as I continued fussing with my hair that had already been more than fussed with.
It was the night of my sister's engagement party and as much as I was absolutely thrilled for Amaya, I was not looking forward to seeing Sully again. Well, I mean, parts of me were, but there were also parts that were very much over the constant rejection, and they wanted to avoid the dark and broody fire captain at all costs. He'd rocked my usual confidence after denying me even a drink of gratitude. Look, I wasn't conceited by any means, but it had been a long time since I'd worried about a man telling me no. I had a fairly easy time getting what I wanted from the male species. Sure, I was a bit alternative to what the general population found 'beautiful' but I'd found my market and it had done well for me. At least until Bennett Sullivan strode back into my life. Jerk had thrown everything of axis. Especially me.
My best friend (and Goblin's second mother), Elladine eyed me oddly. "Yeah," she responded, a wariness to her tone. "I think Connor's coming but I'm not one hundred percent sure."
"Connor?" I repeated. Ella nodded."Okay, Connor. Yeah. Connor's good."
Ella's eyes narrowed even more. "Okay, what's going on with you? Since when do you care about showing up stag?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to hide my apprehension about the whole night as I reapplied my bright red lipstick. Dior 999. Never did me wrong.
"I mean," Elladine began, walking up and plucking the black tube right out from between my fingers, "the Gigi I know doesn't give two shits about walking into a party alone. She pops on her skimpiest dress, thrusts a hand on her hip and draws the attention of every man in the room without even trying, so why is having a date tonight so important?"
"It isn't!" I shrieked (a bit too forcefully.)
"Bullshit," Ella snipped. "I thought it was weird when you asked, but I let it go. Now you're acting even weirder than before so tell me what's going on or I'm telling Derek to take Connor somewhere else."
My eyes went wide. "You wouldn't."
"Try me, Galena Castellanos. Try me."
I fixed Elladine with my harshest gaze but she didn't even flinch, so I gave in with a sigh. "I just don't want to look like the single, sad girl, okay? I'm the last free agent here. I'm trying to cut out the 'Well, when are you gonna settle down' bullshit."
"Still not buying it," Ella argued with a wave of her head, though she did look at me a bit softer than she had before. "You love nothing more than giving the ol' feminist 'Not All Women Want Marriage' spiel so there's more to it than that. Just give it up already. You know I'm going to get it out of you eventually anyway."
You could've heard a pin drop in the silence that followed. Neither of us was willing to budge. I wasn't going to admit that Sully was my reasoning to walking in with a hottie on my arm, and Elladine wasn't going to drop it until I did. It was going to be a battle of wills to see who gave up first, but instead, Ella's next sentence came out softly:
"It's that friend of your dad's, isn't it?"
I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut. "Please don't call him that. It makes it sound weirder than it is. My dad's more like his... mentor... or some shit. I don't know."
Ella rolled her eyes and let out an affectionate chuckle as she flipped her red curls over her shoulder. "Fine, but all this nonsense is really about him, right?"
I winced at the accusation behind her words. "Would you believe me if I said no?"
"Not even a little."
I grumbled and stomped the heeled boots on my feet, but gave in. "Fine," I mumbled, chewing on the inside of my bottom lip as I barely said coherent words. "I just... I want him to think his rejection hasn't phased me as much as it has, okay? I don't know why this man has such a chokehold on me but I hate it and I'd rather pretend he didn't. There. That's why I need Connor."
Ella pursed her plush, pink lips and released a sympathetic sigh. "I'm sorry, Gal."
"No. Don't," I stopped her. "It's fine. I'll be fine. I just need to get the fuck over it already."
"Has he given you any actual reason why he doesn't want to even try?" Ella asked. "I mean, going to dinner or a movie or out for a drink doesn't mean you have to get married. I don't get what the big deal is."
I shook my head and shrugged in tandem. "The age difference... my dad," I answered meekly. "I mean, I can understand his apprehension to a certain extent, I guess, but it's still fucking obnoxious. Like, I know I'm not the only one that feels things. I can see it in the way he looks at me. I can feel it in the fucking air around us. I don't know that I would let anything stop me if I felt this electricity with someone. We're just... different people in that respect, I guess. I'm willing to chance it. He's just... not."
"I can see why that would be hard," Ella stated with a small, almost sad smile. She then straightened her posture and gave her hands a hard clap. "Well then, let's go make sure he swallows his fucking tongue, girl! Game on!"
I laughed at her newfound exuberance. "I don't know, I'm kind of second guessing this idea now. I feel bad for using Connor..."
"Don't. He's a man-whore and a kind of a jerk to girls that like him. He'll probably be thrilled to help you put on a show. Just let him cop a feel and he'll call it even."
"Jesus," I laughed as we headed to my front door. I stopped in front of the floor length mirror and gave myself another once over. Evergreen velvet that hung from every curve, every slope my body had to offer and a neckline that my parents would likely consider indecent. With a smirk at my reflection, every ounce of confidence I'd just moments ago been lacking came rushing back.
Swallow his fucking tongue indeed.
Ella wasn't kidding when she'd said that Connor would be into my little scheme. The second I spilled all of my somewhat dastardly plan, he was all in. Hell, at this point in the evening he damn near had me convinced he was Prince Charming. He was opening doors, pulling out chairs, grabbing drinks and flashing smiles to everyone in the room. The man was quite the actor, and for just a brief moment, I'd almost forgotten I had a plan to begin with.
Until he walked in the door.
I couldn't stop the audible soft gasp that Sully's entrance pulled out of me. I'd been so lost in flirting with Connor and flitting around for my sister, that I hadn't even realized he was late, but at nine o'clock on the nose, there he was, all ruggedly handsome six foot whatever of him.
Sully stepped in the front door and was immediately pounced on by Amaya, who threw her arms around him like they were long lost best friends. The bright white grin he gave as he embraced her almost knocked the wind out of my lungs even from across the room.
I took in all of him as my sister stepped back. A black pea coat hung unbuttoned down to the top of his thighs, beneath it laid a black dress shirt, unbuttoned with a speckle of ink and a glinting, thin gold chain beneath the lapel. The shirt was tucked into a pair of slate gray dress pants that were tight enough you could see the build of his thick legs. The pants cut off at his ankles that led into a pair of perfectly polished black loafers that I wouldn't have pictured him in if I'd tried, but it worked. Everything about his outfit was working for him. I was a bit surprised at how well. The man could fucking dress.
I tore my stare away as he moved to embrace my mother and my father, and by the smug look on my date's face, my reaction to Sully's entrance hadn't gone unnoticed.
"That's him, huh?" Connor asked as he popped a peanut into his mouth. He literally tossed it in the air and caught it, a move that anywhere else probably would've made me roll my eyes, but I was too stupefied by Sully to react.
"Mhmm," I murmured as I took a sip of the champagne in my hand. I was gonna need something a hell of a lot stronger than champagne if I was going to make it through the rest of this party. It was a good thing I knew where my dad hid the hard stuff.
"Seriously? He looks... old," Connor stated, the left corner of his top lip curling just a bit.
I shot him a glare and an unimpressed smile. "Spoiled frat boy doesn't impress everyone, Connor dear."
"Whoa, whoa," Connor interjected, holding his hands up in front of him. "I'm not judging, I'm just saying... you could probably do better. You're definitely hot enough."
I rolled my eyes. "Thank you for your valued opinion on my looks, Connor, but I brought you here for a purpose, not for you to feed me the same bullshit you feed the college girls downtown on Friday nights."
"You're kinda spicy, ya know?" Connor stated with the same smug grin as before and a wink. "I like it."
"Gross," I groaned.
"Ya know, just because you're a few years older than what I usually go for, doesn't mean..."
"A few years?" I interrupted. "Do we need to have a talk about age requirements, Con, or should I skip straight to calling the police?"
It was Connor's turn to roll his eyes. They were a pretty blue. Probably why half the ladies in the room would've jumped at the chance to take my spot at his side. "They're legal, thank you," he retorted snidely. "Gotta be at least twenty to ride this ride."
"You were a whole lot more charming five minutes ago," I grumbled as I drained the last of the flute in my hand. "I need a drink."
"Allow me."
I looked up just as Sully saddled up to the bar, flanked by two of my sisters and a couple of Amaya's friends. I could feel my hackles raising as one laid a hand on his forearm and squeezed as she laughed way too loudly at whatever he'd just said. I'd talked to the guy plenty. He wasn't that fucking funny. "I got it," I nearly snarled in Connor's direction.
Ella noticed the shift in my mood and followed my pointed gaze. "Shit, Gigi..."
"Don't. I got this."
Without so much as a thought, I squared my shoulders, puffed out my chest, and stomped toward the bar, not caring who or what was in my way. Amaya was the first to turn and look at me, casting me a confused glance, and just as Sully began to turn, I stepped to the side, cozying up to the bar and putting on my best flirty smile to the unsuspecting, barely twenty-one year old in charge of pouring drinks. "Can I get a Jack and Coke, doll?"
The curly mopped kid practically trembled behind his glasses. "Y-y-yes ma'am."
I picked up one of the tiny drink straws behind the counter and stuck it between my lips, rolling the tip of my tongue along the smooth plastic before I bit down. "Thanks, sugar."
I heard Amaya scoff and turned in time to see her roll her eyes, but all I cared about was Sully's stony gaze locked directly on me. "What, Maya? I'm not allowed to flirt with the staff?"
"You're ridiculous, Gal," Amaya chuckled softly. "Did you see who's here?" She wrapped both her arms around Sully's forearm and beamed up at him. "I'm so excited you came."
Sully tore his eyes from me to grin back at my sister. "I wasn't prepared for this warm of a welcome, Maya. You're making me blush." Both of the blondes between us chirped and giggled their agreement with my sister.
I rolled my eyes and snorted with disdain as my Jack and Coke arrived in front of me. "Fucking joke," I mumbled as I immediately downed the entire rocks glass. "One more please, sir."
The kid nodded at me and immediately scurried to make me another as I felt my sister's gaze burning into me. "Galena..." she began in a warning tone that sounded a whole lot like our mother's.
"Hmm?" I asked, feigning innocence as I turned to face her. "What's up, Amaya?"
"I thought we were doing champagne tonight?" Amaya stated, still staring at me like she was a peeved parent.
"Aw, come on, Maya. You know me. Champagne is way too classy for a girl like me," I retorted. "It's a good thing all your friends like it though, huh, girls?" I gave Sully a pointed look as the other ladies just looked confused. "I guess some of us just have a type."
"Galena..." Sully began.
"No, I get it," I interrupted with a dismissive laugh. "I absolutely get it. You all enjoy your night. I'm gonna get back to the slummin' side of things. Back where I fucking belong." I practically snatched my new drink from the poor bartender's hand before turning on my heels and stomping my way back to my friends. I could feel all of their gazes locked on me, but I didn't care.
Amaya's friends were barely older than me. Hell, Amaya was only fourteen months older than me. He seemed to be having zero issues being flirty and fun with them. Sully's rejection was obviously about more than my age. If he wanted the pretty, perfect blondes he could have them. I was officially fucking done.
"Outside?" Ella immediately asked the second I was within hearing distance.
"Fucking please," I agreed, trying to fight off the burn of the angry tears in my eyes. I cried more when I was angry than when I was sad. It pissed me off even more.
She looked up at Derek and gave his hand a squeeze. "Be right back."
I didn't even stop walking, just went straight through my parents' kitchen and right out the back door onto their snow covered patio, poor Ella practically running to keep up with me.
"What the heck happened?!" she hissed a bit out of breath as the door closed behind her. "What did he say?!"
"Nothing," I snapped. "Not a fucking thing. He didn't need to say anything. He made is position perfectly clear."
"What do you mean?"
I laughed humorlessly and tipped my head back, the heat of my breath clouding the air around me. "Those girls hanging all over him are barely older than me, Ella. This has nothing to do with my age. Look at them and look at me and you'll find out exactly why he shot me down. It has little to nothing to do with how old I am."
"Gigi..."
"Like, if you're not into the way I look, just fucking say that! Why is that so hard?! Just tell me I'm not what you go for and let it go!" I was practically shouting at this point, and really at no one. Just more getting my thoughts into the ether. "If he wants the perfect, blonde, little supermodels, he can have them! It's not like it'd be the first time I've been overlooked because of how I act or how I dress, but just be fucking honest!"
"Don't you think you're maybe jumping to conclusions here?" Ella asked. "From where I was standing, he had little to nothing to do with those girls hanging off him."
"Well, if he didn't like it, he could've told 'em off, but he didn't, did he?"
"He didn't really have much of a chance before you marched in all guns blazing," Ella stated with a chuckle.
I looked at my best friend over my shoulder, annoyed at her rational thoughts. "Who's side are you on here?"
Ella rolled her eyes but stepped toward me, wrapping her eyes around my midsection and squeezing. "Yours. Always yours. I'm just saying, maybe don't judge the man too harshly. At least not yet."
"Stop talking sense, okay? I'm trying to be angry here."
Ella chuckled and squeezed me a bit tighter. "Sorry."
I relaxed into her embrace and patted her forearm. "It's okay. You've always been the calmer of us."
"Facts," Ella agreed. "Besides, he did shake them off. You were too busy stomping to notice."
"Okay, okay. Maybe I overreacted."
"You think?"
"I said maybe. That's as good as you're getting right now."
"I'll take it." Ella rose onto her toes and kissed my freezing cheek quickly. "I'm going in. It's freezing and I don't have Jack in my system to warm me up."
"I'll be back in a second. I just need to cool off a bit."
"Okay. Don't freeze out here, weirdo."
I chuckled. "Just a few more minutes. I'll be fine."
"Okay. I love you."
"I love you, too, ya nut job. Go." I laughed as Ella reached for the doorknob and turned back to my parents' snow covered back yard. I didn't even flinch when I heard the door open again behind me, I just sighed. "Look, Maya..."
But as I spun around, instead of meeting the heated gaze of my sister, my eyes rose to a familiar mossy green pair, not angry, but somehow more intense. "Oh..."
"Galena..." his low voice rumbled. "We need to talk."