Left Behind: Left Behind Series #1 (22 page)

Eventually,
we all shift to the dining room where more of the same talk continues. How these
wives can stand listening to the same shit at every dinner party is beyond me.
The staff serves dinner. It’s filet mignon and lobster, which causes my stomach
to turn. Seafood is my least favorite thing of all. The smell of it is enough
to send me running for the restroom, but I swallow it down and try not to
breathe in too deeply. It wouldn’t surprise me if this was also done
intentionally but, then again, my mother doesn’t care to know much about her
daughter’s likes and dislikes. Using the spoon next to my plate, I try to push
the lobster tail away from the rest of my food without being obvious. Addison,
who is sitting on my left, is doing the same thing. I guess she doesn’t like
seafood, either.

“Kacie,”
my mother calls from across the table, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Just
so you’re aware. I gave Sean your phone number. He’s so kindly offered to
escort you to the annual gala next weekend and will need to be in touch to set
up the details. I’m sure this gives you enough time to find a suitable gown.”
She says it as if attending the gala is something I’ve always done. I’ve
never
gone and have no desire to do so.

“This
is the perfect excuse for us to go shopping,” Addison chimes in. “Maybe you can
take me to the store where you got this dress.” She’s playing right along with
my mother’s game, only she’s on my team and I love it. My brother seems to be
just fine with it, which is odd. He’s usually trying to extinguish the flames,
not fan them.

“You
have much better fashion sense than my daughter, Addison. Perhaps you could
show her where she should be looking for clothes.”

“Actually,
Mrs. Foster, ever since Kacie walked in tonight, I’ve thought of nothing else
except for finding the store where she bought that dress. She looks stunning.”

Dinner
progresses so damn slowly, my hair may start to turn gray. The food is not
appetizing. It just gets pushed from one side of my plate to the other. When I
can no longer stand listening to these grown men talk about how perfect they
are, I push my chair away from the table and politely excuse myself. My father
sends me a nasty glare for interrupting his story. My mother sets her fork down
as if I ruined the entire evening.

Sean
grabs the arm of my chair and gives me a look closely resembling my father’s.
“Where are you going?” he asks.

“The
restroom. I wasn’t aware I needed your permission.”

“Kacie,”
my mom says, clearly appalled at my rudeness. She’s glancing to her other
guests to see if any of them are offended.

My
sigh is loud enough that it’s audible to everyone. As I walk down the hallway
toward the powder room, I can hear my mother apologizing for me. Once I’m
safely behind the closed door, I lock it and relax against it. My hands reach
up to rub both sides of my neck where the stress has settled. How the hell do I
get myself stuck in these situations? How long can I possibly stay in here
before someone comes looking for me? Not long enough, I’m sure.

Eventually,
I make my way back into the dining room, but don’t return to my chair. “You’ll
have to excuse me, but I need to be on my way.”

“Sit
the hell down, Kacie,” my father slurs, taking another sip of his whiskey.

“I’m
starting to get a migraine from such a long day. I do apologize for leaving
before dessert. I’m sure it’s delicious.”

Noah
starts to get up. “I’ll take you home and be back before dessert is served.”

“I’ll
do it,” Sean says, practically jumping out of his seat. “That way, I’ll be able
to find your house next week when I pick you up for the gala. I need to head
into the hospital anyway to check on a few of my patients before going home.”

“That’s
what residents are for, son,” Dr. Harris tells him.

“It’ll
make me rest easier if I do it myself, sir.” Sean slides his chair under the
table. “Dr. and Mrs. Foster, thank you for your generosity this evening. I
thoroughly enjoyed myself and look forward to the next time.”

“You
are sweeter than my daughter deserves, Sean. Thank you for making sure she gets
home,” my mother says. Ignoring her, I whisper goodbyes to Noah and Addison,
then say goodnight to Dr. and Mrs. Harris. Both of my parents meet us at the
doorway to the main hall, but they only acknowledge Sean. Whatever.

He
places his hand on my back to lead me down the hallway. Just the thought of him
touching me has the Cosmopolitans threatening to make a repeat appearance. I
try to walk faster to get him off of me, but he only matches my speed again. If
these heels weren’t so high, I’d run out of here. When we get through the door,
I immediately step away from him and watch him run down the steps.

He
yanks his keys out of his pants pocket and calls out to me, “Let’s go. I have
somewhere to be.”

“Just
go. I’ll get my own ride.”

“No
way. You’re my ticket out of this hell hole. I can’t afford to let them see me
leave without you. Get in.” His car chirps as he turns off the alarm. He goes
around to the driver’s side and opens up the door. “It would have been helpful
if your headache kicked in a little earlier. I hate to be late,” the prick
says, ripping off his tie and throwing it in the back seat.

The
fact that he calls this a hell hole isn’t lost on me. “Why did you come here
tonight?”

“Get
the fuck in before they see us out here. Do not think I’m above putting your
skinny ass in the trunk, either,” he barks.

“Who
the hell do you think you’re talking to?”

Sean
sighs and leans his elbow on the roof of the car. “Look, I want to leave and
you want to leave. Please, just get in so I can take you home and we can be rid
of each other.”

As
much as I can’t stand him, he has a point. I don’t want my parents to know I’m
still here, so I walk over. Before I get in, the light reflecting off of the
top of his sports car catches my eye. For such an extravagant car, it is the
ugliest shade of orange I’ve ever seen. Sean disappears in the car and starts
it up. He’s revving the stupid engine as if I give a shit what it sounds like.
The moment my butt hits the seat and the door closes, he’s speeding down the
driveway and out onto the road. Perfect. I’m going to die beside the biggest
asshole in the history of assholes.

“Why
do you need to make this so difficult?” he asks.

“Why
do I need to make what so difficult?”

“Us.”

“There
is no
us
. There will never be an
us
,” I say, without hiding my
irritation.

“If
we fake it, we’d both win. Your parents see us together a few times, I’d get
the promotion your dad keeps dangling in front of my face, and you’d get your
parents off your ass. What’s the big deal?”

“The
big deal is simple. I don’t like you, nor can I even stand to be in the same
room as you.”

“Are
you always such a bitch?”

“Pretty
much.”

His
phone starts ringing and connects automatically to his car speakers through his
Bluetooth. “Murphy,” he answers.

“Are
you on your way yet?”

“About
ten minutes out. Are you there?”

“Yeah.
You should see the crowds of people here, man. Do you even know them all?”

“Most
of them. The more people there to bet, the more money we take home. Are the
other guys there?”

“They
were here before me.”

“Don’t
fuck this up. If we don’t win, I’m selling your car for parts.”

“We
got this.”

“Good.
I’ll see you in a few,” Sean says before hanging up.

“Not
sure where you’re going, but you aren’t going there until you drop me off at
home,” I tell him.

“Sorry
to disappoint you, but you’re going to have to wait,” he replies, pressing on
the accelerator.

“You
better take me home, right now,” I insist, starting to panic. Where does he
think he’s taking me?

“Shut
up before I reconsider letting you sit up here rather than in the trunk.”

“I’m
sure my parents would be thrilled to know the real you,” I utter, looking out
the window.

He
laughs. “They’d still pick me over you.” Sadly, there’s not a doubt in my mind
that he’s right.

The
rest of the ride to wherever the hell we’re going, I sit there trying to figure
out how to get home. If I call Robert, he’ll be mad I didn’t call when I left
my parents’ house. Jade’s on a date with Kyle, so she’s not an option. Evan’s
at work. Not that he’d hesitate to come get me, but that probably wouldn’t be
the best thing to do, given the situation. There’s always Jake, although he’d
probably react the same way Evan would. Is that really all the friends I have?

Just
when I think the situation can’t get any worse, Sean pulls down a vacant
street. It looks like an industrial park, but there aren’t any lights on,
making it hard to see more than what the headlights illuminate. As the car
rounds a bend in the road, the flashing lights of a police car cut through the
darkness. The officer is standing in front of a barricade. Sean pulls up to him
and lowers his window.

“Sorry,
buddy. Road’s closed for maintenance. You’ll have to go another way,” the
officer tells him, as if he’s said it plenty of times tonight already.

“Chris
is waiting for me,” Sean remarks.

“Name?”

“Sean
Murphy.”

The
officer nods and motions for him to go around the barricade. Sean puts the car
in reverse to cut it wider to make sure he clears the wooden obstacle. Unlike
the entire ride over here where he practically floored it, he drives slowly.
When he clears another turn, the two lanes split into four in between
businesses on both sides of the road, but that’s not what shocks me. There are
at least fifty to seventy-five people standing in the parking lot of the second
building on the left, and three other sporty-looking cars in the middle of the
road. All of the street lights are off, but there are a few free-standing
lights along the edge of the parking lot, and the cars have their headlights
on.

“What’s
going on?” I demand.

“I
just have to win my money back from these punk ass, wannabe racers. Once it’s
over, I will take you home,” he tells me. Sean pulls his car next to some guy
standing in the middle of the road, looking down at a tablet.

“Are
you fucking kidding me?!” I scream. I’ve seriously had enough bullshit for one
damn day. My patience is gone. “You are going to take me home right now!”

The
guy looks into the car. “No passengers during a race.” His attention goes back
to the tablet.

“You
heard him. Get out,” Sean smirks.

“So
you’re just going to leave me on the side of the road while you race? There is
something really wrong with you!” I haven’t lowered my voice. I’m pretty sure
they can hear me at the finish line, wherever the hell that is.

“I
bet you’re second-guessing wearing that dress now, aren’t you?”

“You’re
a fucking asshole!” I get out of the car and walk around behind it.

As I
walk toward the parking lot where everyone else is standing, the idiot with the
tablet says, “You need to get that one on a leash.”

“A
leash?” Sean replies, aggravated. “A muzzle wouldn’t work on her.”

Idiot
starts laughing. “Let me guess. Listening to her bitch is worth it because the
sex is great?”

“Go
ahead and find out. Let me know how that works out for you. Be careful. She
probably bites.”

I
find myself looking around for something, anything that could be used to smash
in his windshield. Not only would it make me feel better to mess up his pretty
little car, I’d get a ride out of here when the police come to lock me up.
Before I spot anything, my phone starts buzzing inside my purse. Pulling it
out, I see Jake’s name. “Damn it!” I say to myself, but answer it anyway.
“Jake, now is really not a good time.”

“Kacie,
what the fuck are you doing here?” his voice growls.

“I’ll
call you later… Wait? What did you just say?” Did he say what I think he said?
My eyes start scanning the sea of people, looking for him.

“You
heard me. What are you doing here?”

“Where
are you?” I ask as my eyes land on the second car from the left. Jake’s Camaro.
“Jake, tell me you aren’t stupid enough to be racing.” Then, I see his shadowy
figure standing next to the car.

“Kacie,
you need to listen to me.”

“No,
Jake, you need to listen to me!” I snap. “You are not doing this!”

“Kacie,
I’m not playing around. Shut up and listen to me.” What is it with people
telling me to shut up tonight? Someone is going to get their ass kicked really
soon. “I don’t know most of the people here. It’s not safe for you to stay. You
need to call Jade and have her come get you. Now.”

“I’m
not calling Jade. She’s on a date.”

“Fuck
her date!” He’s taking deep breaths, trying to regain some sort of composure.
“I don’t want any of these people to know I know you. They’ll use you to
distract us. You have to go.”