Finding Forever (16 page)

“Yeah, Mel told me that, but I figured I’d ask for myself.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “You talked to Melanie?”

“Yeah… I stopped by your office day before yesterday to talk to you, but you were already in Chicago. Mel gave me a little pep talk, and sent me a list of my matches, said I might want to take a second look at some of the ladies.”

Des calling out to us from across the table interrupted me from reacting to that little tidbit. “What are you two whispering about over there?”

“Something that doesn’t concern you.” Avery shot back with a grin, which Des met by rolling her eyes.

She sat back with a huff, crossing her arms. “Right. You’re both being all secretive about stuff now that you’re working together.”

“I still can’t believe you two are working together on this,” Deidra said, accepting her drink as the waiter came back.

Des sat up again. “Why, because of the breakfast blow up? Avery apologized, and they got past that. I texted Avery after you and Wes decided to come, so we could have a do-over of that meal.”

“No, not because of that,” Deidra said with a dismissive wave. “I’m surprised because we saw them leave the reception together, so I was sure something was going on between them.”

Shit. This nosy ass girl and her big mouth.

My ears were ringing as I picked up the drink the waiter had placed in front of me and knocked half of it back with one swallow.

Des was on high alert now, sitting straight up in her chair as her eyes darted from me, to Avery, then Deidra. “They
left together
? Nobody told me that!”

“What are you implying, Dei?” Avery asked, completely relaxed as he sipped his drink. “You left the reception with Wes halfway through and then came back, so what’s your point?”

Deidra smirked. “Yeah, but Wes and I are a couple now, so what’s
your
point? Were you and Tori doing the same thing we were doing?”

“Fucking in the catering pantry? Definitely not.”

Desiree and Deidra both gasped, Drew laughed, and Wes buried his face in his hands. Me? I finished off the rest of my drink and motioned for the waiter to bring me another. I wasn’t saying a
thing.

“How the hell do you know that?” Deidra hissed across the table at Avery, who simply tipped his head in the direction of Wes. While she was scolding Wes for telling people about their little sex-capades at the wedding, Avery grabbed my hand under the table. When I looked up, he gave me a wink, and another feeling of déjà-vu washed over me. I just hoped
this
meal wasn’t going to end up like the last.

“The important question is why were you two leaving together?” Des asked, in a distinctly parental tone that was steadily wearing on my nerves.

Avery scoffed. “Because we wanted to talk. Is that a crime?”

“As long as all you did was
talk
,” she said, almost in a growl as she glared at him.

And if we did do more than that?

Avery’s response came before I could fully process that thought. “Des, Tori and I are grown as hell. Not saying we
did
do more, but if we wanted to we certainly don’t need your— or anyone else’s— permission, and it wouldn’t be anybody’s business. If something had happened that you needed to know about, you would have been told, okay?”

Her mouth, as well as a couple of others around the table was gaped open— including mine. After a few seconds, she responded. “Tori is my
friend
, Avery. It is
absolutely
my business to keep her from getting hurt, and I know that’s exactly what would have happened if she got tangled up romantically— or sexually — with
you
.”

A distinct flash of hurt and annoyance washed over Avery’s face, but he quickly masked it by taking a sip of his scotch. “Wow, Des. That’s what you think of me?”

“Don’t you ‘wow Des’ me. You know I love you, but everyone at this table knows you like to keep women in rapid rotation, and I’ve seen how you treat them.”

Avery scoffed. “Have you? Des, you
thought
you saw something, and you’ve been running with it ever since. Every woman I’ve
ever
slept with knew the deal beforehand, so you can save the bleeding heart for somebody else. If somebody wants to switch it up
after
we’ve made an agreement, that’s not my damn problem, and I won’t make it so to preserve somebody’s feelings because they got in over their head.”

Ouch
.

“Is this the attitude you’ve had to put up with, Tori?” The sound of my name coming up in the back and forth between the siblings sent my heartbeat into a rapid race. “I thought he was going to try to change, but I see that’s not the case.”

Everybody, including Avery was looking at me for a response. “Um… Des, the women I’ve sent out with Avery haven’t had any complaints about that type of thing,” I said, trying to give away as little as possible while still attempting to diffuse the escalation of this subject. “They haven’t claimed he was anything but a gentleman.”

Des sucked her teeth. “I’m sure they haven’t. He’s probably still screwing at least half of them, so they’re still happy… for
now
.”

My breath caught in my throat, and my mouth went dry. I hadn’t considered that, and now that the accusation was in the open, I felt a little sick.

“Des, what the hell is your problem?” Avery was visibly ruffled now. Underneath the table, he grabbed my hand again, holding on when I attempted to pull it away. “Tori, I have not slept with a single one of those women.” He turned to look right at me. “I promise you that, okay?” His eyes were pleading with me to believe him, but I looked away.

Where the hell is that waiter with my other drink?

Smirking as if she’d found a pot of gold, Des spoke up again. “Don’t you have rules about that, Tori? I remember you telling me you ‘strongly advised’ clients to not sleep together until they’d gone on several dates.” She had a vicious look in her eyes I recognized from the few times I’d seen her go at it with others. She didn’t care about hurting feelings at this point, she just wanted to win.

“Like we followed that!” Drew snorted. “We were all over each other the night of that first date, so why are you out here fronting, Des? Why are you going in so hard on Avery?”

She jerked her head in his direction. “Because I don’t like thinking he tried to make a move on my friend, especially
that
night. She was vulnerable, and he could have hurt her really bad!”

“And what about me, Des?” Avery’s words were slow, and measured. “I’m your
brother
. You don’t think hearing you say — and tell the whole damned world — this bullshit about me doesn’t hurt? You’ve
been
off base about who you think I am, no matter how I tried to correct you, so I stopped bothering. Yeah, okay, I changed after being away at school, I changed after Natalie, but I’m not this guy who’s running around mistreating women like you seem to think I am. I agreed to do this matchmaking thing because
you
asked me to, and I’ve been into it, full force. And now, because of some more shit you
think
I did, you’re gonna sit here and dog me out at this table full of people?”

Realization washed over Des, and her expression of triumph turned to one of remorse as her eyes welled with tears. “Avery, I’m not trying to dog you, I just got a little… carried away, I guess. I know you’re not a
bad
guy, but when it comes to Tori, she’s…. she needs a little more… she’s just… I mean, she’s…”

“I’m… what, Des?” Her lips parted when I spoke, catching her by surprise. Had she forgotten I was there? Tears pricked my eyes as I realized why she was being so protective of me. “You think I’m
stupid
don’t you?” It took her a second too long to answer, and I began shaking my head.

She held her hands up defensively. “Tori, of course I don’t think you’re
stupid
. More like… like…”

“Naive?
Ditsy
?” I assisted, not bothering to hide the disgust in my voice.

“
No
, Tori, will you listen? I just—.” She glanced around at the table full of people. “Do we have to have this conversation right now, in front of everyone?”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Are you serious? You wanted to discuss everything else, but now that
you’re
on the spot, you want the conversation to wait for another time?
Hell no
.”

“Fine,” she snapped, crossing her arms. “When it comes to men, you make
terrible
decisions. I’ve known you for years Tori, and I’ve watched you give your worst to great guys, and give your very best to
awful
men, including your ex-husband, who I
told
you wasn’t worth shit. I’m sorry, Tee, but that’s the truth.” She pressed her lips together in a tight line when she was done, leaning into Drew as if she were drawing strength from him.

A painful tightness gripped my throat as I clenched my hands into fists in my lap. “So… all of that stuff you were saying to try to convince me not to give up on love… what was that? Just platitudes? You didn’t believe any of that shit, did you? You were saying what a ‘good friend’ would say, anything to make poor, lonely, can’t-seem-to-get-it-right Tori feel better, huh?”

“Tori… you know I’m looking out for you.”

I sucked my teeth. “Well how about you try not doing that, huh? Because what we’re not going to do is act like you have it all together, as if you’re the queen of great decisions. Oh, and let’s not forget
I
introduced you to your husband!” I hissed across the table, trying my best to keep my voice down and not make a scene in the restaurant. “Des, you were in the same damn boat I am, whining about how you couldn’t find a good man, but refusing to— wait a minute, is
that
why you would never let me set you up with anyone? You encouraged me to start my business, but didn’t trust me to do it for you.”

“It wasn’t li—”

“Save it, Des,” I interrupted, pushing my chair back from the table. “I’m gonna go drown my helpless, lonely sorrows at the bar.
Don’t
follow me.” Ignoring the open-mouthed stares of my dinner companions, I walked away, purse in hand as I made my way through the crowded restaurant.

As soon as I sat down at the bar, I ordered a margarita. Maybe a little inebriation would bring about some much needed clarity, because I was confused as hell. I had been a little withdrawn from Des lately, and on the surface, I’d thought it was my guilt from what had occurred between Avery and me. I didn’t like keeping secrets from Des, but I realized now that keeping it to myself wasn’t
just
because Avery was her brother. I just didn’t want to hear Des’ mouth about it.

Des had been my friend for years, and I still considered her one, but she was being more and more vocal in her criticisms since she started dating Drew. Once they were engaged, it got worse, and now that she was married, the only time she wasn’t talking about her family or herself was when she had a ‘suggestion’ to make. Frankly, it was getting tiresome.
She
was getting tiresome, but I knew she was going through a lot of big changes at once, finding out she was going to have a baby just a few weeks after her wedding. Therefore, I tried to give her a little leeway, but tonight, she had gone too far. I didn’t need her protection, and I wasn’t a charity case. Going off on her brother on
my
behalf? Unnecessary, and rude.

This was definitely not turning out to be a good last night in Chicago, yet another parallel with the trip to the Maldives. When the waiter delivered my drink, I took a sip, hoping the cold, icy texture would sooth my residual anger, but the way I was feeling… I needed at least three more.

Thirty minutes later, I was still on the first one when I heard a familiar voice behind me. “You’re not gonna need a designated driver are you now Ms. Kennedy?”

With my guard significantly lowered by the tequila, I grinned up at Avery as he slipped onto the empty barstool beside me. “If all goes according to plan, I might. Are you volunteering?”

“If the need arises, but I hope you’re not gonna let my crazy ass sister drive you to drink.”

I shrugged. “Not just her… but, I’m joking anyway. That was the plan when I sat down, but now that I’m talking about it, it seems silly. Did they send you over here to get me?”

“Kind of. After the uh… incident, everybody decided it was best to call it a night. Des wanted to talk to you, but we— collectively— convinced her it wasn’t a good idea. I did promise to make sure you got back to your hotel safely though, so here I am.”

“What are you, my personal security now?” I asked, playfully bumping his shoulder with mine. “Why is everybody so concerned with
my
protection? Do I seem that fragile?”

“To me? No. But to Des… well, you’ll have to talk to her about that.”

A slight twinge of guilt pricked me as I thought back to the interaction between Avery and Desiree. “Hey… I know it’s probably not worth much, but I’m sorry about that stuff Des was saying.”

Avery chuckled, waving away my words as he motioned for the bartender. “I’m not too messed up about that. Des and I will be fine again in no time. The two of you, on the other hand… I’m guessing it’s the first time you’ve ever had a falling out?”

I pressed my lips together in a tight smile as I nodded. “I think it’s been brewing for a while though.

He placed his drink order, then turned to me before he continued. “Des, by nature, is the nurturing type. That’s why people love her, you know? She’ll give her heart, with no reservations, but in exchange,… she wants to mother you. With Deidra, she can let that controlling flag fly. Dei is my cousin and I love her, but she’s a doormat, and she rolls with whatever Des wants.
You
, one the other hand… you’re a challenge. You’re not one to be
forced
to do anything, so she couldn’t ‘protect’ you. After you didn’t listen to her about your ex-husband, she was in super-protective mode, so she went full force at whatever threat she saw —
me
.”

I frowned at what he was telling me. How could he say that so casually, with what appeared to be a hint of a smirk on his face? “But you’re her brother, Avery. How did I end up ahead of you in the hierarchy?”