REED GOES PERFECTLY STILL NEXT to me.
His face pales, a harshness tightening his profile and removing any trace of the playful man I walked over here with. His breathing grows louder, seething against his teeth. I hiss when he bears down against my hand, wiggling my fingers when the pain dulls out. He has to be reacting to the man standing with Molly. I’m guessing it’s her fiancé. I’m also guessing based on the swift change in Reed’s mood that he might already know him. A thought stirs in my head, another possibility. Reed said he was over Molly. He said he stopped caring a long time ago. But maybe this is the first time he’s seeing her with someone else, and it doesn’t matter who it is standing next to her. He always thought it would be him.
I try to think of something else to keep myself from paling.
Reed’s hand on my hip. His breath against my hair. His words from earlier.
I’m gonna kiss that smile right off your face.
That does it.
Molly focuses only on Reed, ignoring my presence now that she’s not standing alone. She straightens with pride, looking up at the man beside her.
“This is Craig, my fiancé. We met back at Virginia Tech my freshmen year. Craig, this is Reed and . . .” She looks at me, squinting. “I’m sorry, what was your name again?”
“Beth,” I answer, straining to keep any attitude from reaching my voice. I’m sure she remembers my name.
“Right, Beth.” A grin twists across her mouth like a snake slithering in the grass. “Sorry. All the excitement of getting married has left my brain a little foggy. I’m sure you can understand.”
“Of course,” I reply.
What did Reed ever see in you? I don’t say.
Reed stays silent. Another squeeze to my hand. This time I don’t wince.
Craig takes his cue and tips his chin to Reed. “Hey, how’s it going?”
There’s no familiarity in his greeting, so maybe they don’t know each other.
His dark eyes lower to mine when he doesn’t get a response, and he lifts his eyebrows subtly. “Hi.”
As soon as he says the word, his eyes wander to his left, bored, looking for something else to engage him. As if trained to do so, his attention pulls back to Molly when she tugs on the front of his suit jacket.
I’m expecting her to slip a treat out of her cleavage and feed it to him.
Molly glares at Reed for long seconds, growing annoyed at his silence. She threads her fingers through the hand on her shoulder and wraps her other arm around Craig’s waist.
“Aren’t you going to say anything? Did you suddenly go mute or something?”
I look up at Reed, unsure of what to expect.
He’s staring directly at Molly, or Craig, I can’t tell, but it’s as if he doesn’t even realize it. He seems stuck in his head, or so intently focused on his own restraint that he can no longer see anything in front of him. I wonder if I pry my hand away from his if he would launch forward and tackle one or both of them to the ground. It’s not like I’m holding him back. I doubt I could, but he’s gripping me like he needs to be steadied. Like I’m the anchor he’s afraid to let go of. His nostrils flare as he forces the air in and out of his lungs. It’s the only noticeable reaction on his face. The tell-all to his torment.
The light from the chandelier above us catches in the stubble along his jawline, stubble I hadn’t noticed until now. He suddenly appears more rugged. Maybe even larger. I look down at his exposed forearm when he puts stress on my hand—again.
His dress shirt is pushed back close to the elbow, revealing the thick veins threatening to burst under his tan skin. His muscles roll as he adjusts his grip, causing the pressure to burn across my knuckles.
It’s not painful anymore, but I feel it. His distress signal. Maybe he can’t tell me this is too much, but he’s showing me.
Get me out of here, Beth.
All of a sudden I’m the girl in the bar again, needing to protect the man next to me.
I tuck myself against Reed’s side, shifting our joined hands to my back. My other hand presses against his hard stomach as I look up at Craig. “It’s very nice to meet you. Congratulations on your engagement.”
My eyes shift to Molly, and I keep them kind. “I’m sure you have a ton of people to mingle with so we won’t keep you. Again, thank you for inviting us.”
I push against Reed to turn him around, to get him away from this mess I put him in, but he doesn’t budge.
“Reed.” I look up at him, but his attention is over my head. Burning like a wildfire. My hand meets resistance again when I urge him to move, and I think this might be the only fight left in him.
Molly snickers behind me, then her tone changes as she demands something of Craig.