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Authors: Cheryel Hutton

Tags: #Fantasy, #Paranormal

The Ugly Truth (8 page)

BOOK: The Ugly Truth
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Whatever
.

Tonight, though, was about little girls. Ranging from three to twelve years old, they were adorable. Yes, there was some eye scratching and hair pulling going on behind the scenes, but for the most part it wasn’t the contestants—it was the mothers who behaved badly. I pointedly ignored that crap and took some awesome pictures of the most beautiful little girls in the world.

One of them had long, blonde hair and was dressed in a pink and purple fairy princess dress. She reminded me a lot of the pictures I’d seen of Maddie when she was a child.

I couldn’t believe a pageant could actually be so much fun. I shot pics and enjoyed myself immensely. The event took place in the high school auditorium, and a couple of nearby classrooms were set aside as prep areas for the smaller girls and their parents. The older girls used the actual dressing rooms for privacy. I was heading toward the second of the classrooms when I heard a voice.

“Hello,
Buffy
.”

Hearing my real name was bad enough. Hearing it in
that
voice made my skin crawl. Maybe he was talking to someone else. Yeah, someone else, that was the explanation. I’d ignore him and he’d go away.

And then Butch was in my face. “It’s no use pretending that isn’t your name,” he said, leaning close enough I could smell his expensive aftershave. “I’m not stupid, you know. I know how to use the Internet. Your name is Buffy and you’re from Alabama. Crooked Tree Hollow, Alabama, to be exact.”

I stared into washed-out brown eyes. Eyes that held scorn, annoyance, and lust. His lips pulled into a smile that sent my insides rolling around with revulsion.

I wanted to run to the nearest airport and fly back to D.C. as fast as the first flight out could take me. But that would only be playing into his hands, as would denying the truth. I gave him the glare I used to aim at my stepfather. “So. What about it?”

A bit of his arrogance seemed to slip. “You’re pretending to be some big old famous Yankee, when you’re just as Southern as the rest of us. I’ll bet you grew up in a trailer park, didn’t you?”

I physically felt the power shift toward my side of the equation. “Buying into stereotypes only makes you look dumb. For your information, I may be Southern, but I was never poor. Ever.”

I flashed my biggest, brightest smile, spun on my heel, and headed down the hall to take pictures of a gorgeous little girl with obvious Asian genes. She had on a lacy lavender dress embellished with tiny embroidered pink roses. The child was absolutely adorable. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Butch glaring. Then he turned and stomped out of the room. I took a big sigh of relief and focused on my shots.

While I worked I wondered what had crawled up and died in his pocket, and why I seemed to be the focus of his vexation.

I wondered what his next move would be. Because I knew for sure, this was far from over.

Two hours later, the pageant was in full swing, and I had all but forgotten Butch and his weird obsession with me. The little girls were cute, their talent segments were amazing, and I couldn’t wait to see who won.

“Isn’t this just the most fun in the world?”

Maddie’s enthusiastic smile was contagious, but I managed to hold mine back. “It’s not so bad.”

She turned up her perfect little nose. “You just don’t want to admit how much you’re enjoying yourself.”

Actually, there was some truth to that, but I’d be damned if I was about to admit to it. “This beauty stuff is more your thing than mine.”

She wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “It’s okay, I won’t make you admit how great a time you’re having.”

Giggling, the little rat wondered off to do her bit helping with the miniature beauty queens. I allowed my smile to emerge as I turned back to picture taking. She knew me far too well.

The time passed faster than I would have believed, and soon it was time for the climatic naming of the little winners. I noticed most of the kids got some sort of award, and all of the contestants got a ribbon and a certificate of participation. Whoever put this thing together seemed to have a real interest in making everybody happy.

Once the queen, cute little dark-haired Jodie Alonzo, was crowned, the crowd immediately went into a frenzy. Most of the parents and grandparents told the kids how well they’d done, but there were a few exceptions. A particularly harsh voice bellowed his kid would have won if she’d sang a little louder and had a better dress. The voice sounded familiar, so I peeked around the corner of the backstage area. Sure enough, it was my old friend Butch T. Jerk.

“She sings fine, and I could have got her a better dress if you would’ve given me more money, you stingy bastard.” The woman, probably his wife, stood a foot from Butch’s face and screamed right back at him.

“I ain’t made of money, you know.”

“Well, if people didn’t know what you did, you might get a better job.”

Butch’s face went blood red. “I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“Why do so many people think you do, then?”

“How the hell should I know?”

I turned off the flash and clicked a couple of stealth photographs. I had no idea what I’d do with them, but it seemed advisable to take advantage of the opportunity.

I caught both adults’ angry expressions, and the teary-eyed face of the little girl who was begging them to stop. My heart went out to her, and I wanted so badly to comfort her, to take away her pain, that I took a step in their direction.

Realizing what I’d done, I quickly retreated around a corner where I wouldn’t be seen.

The sound of footsteps shot a quick burst of apprehension through my chest. But it was the little girl who stomped around the corner, her lacy pink dress bouncing with each hard step. Her head was down, her tiny fists where clenched, and every few steps she’d swipe at the tears dripping off her cheeks.

“Are you all right?”

She stopped and stared at me. “Who are you?”

“My name’s Stephie. I’m taking pictures of the pageant for an article my friend is writing.”

She leaned her head to one side as if she was considering my words.

I gave her my best smile. “What’s your name?”

“Lexie.” She scrunched up her little face. “I hate my mom and dad.”

“No, you don’t.”

She could glare hard for a little girl. “Yes I do.”

“Okay. Why do you hate them?”

“Because they argue all the time.” Tears began to flow again, and she swiped at her face with one fist.

“I’m sorry, Lexie. Sometimes adults yell.” Boy, wasn’t that the truth. “Just try to ignore them.”

“They’re yelling because I didn’t win the pageant. I’m glad I didn’t win. I hate the stupid pageant stuff.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s silly.”

I sat on my heels and wiped a tear streaking down her face—and taking makeup with it. Foundation on a six-year-old. Freaky. “Your mommy and daddy want people to see how pretty you are.”

“I don’t want to be pretty. I want to be an astronaut.”

I bit back my smile. I doubted she would understand it was because I understood her. “You can be both.”

She blinked. “Mommy says I can’t.”

A flash of anger all but cooked my stomach. “Did she say why?”

“She said pretty girls should use what they have and not try to be smart too.”

“You should meet my friend Madison, she’s beautiful, and an award-winning journalist.”

“Really?”

I made an X on my chest. “Cross my heart.”

She leaned her head to one side again, as if contemplating my words. “You’re pretty. And you’re a picture taker.”

I gotta admit a tear or two burned in my eyes. “Thank you.”

“What are you doing with my kid?”

Uh oh, the jig was up. I stood and stared right into Butch’s washed out, not-too-bright, anger-filled eyes. “I was talking to Lexie about being an astronaut.”

He made a scoffing snort sound. “Girls can’t be astronauts.”

“Tell that to Sally Ride,” I said.

I saw his frown of confusion as I walked away. Stupid idiot. I hoped with all my heart Lexie managed to ignore the backward thinking of her parents and live the life she was meant to live.

Twenty minutes later, everything was pretty much over. Contestants and their families were leaving and some of the staff began to take down the decorations and such. I clicked a few quick shots as I wondered where Madison was. I knew she’d be wired for hours, but I was ready to go sit on the back porch, sip tea, and look for furry critters.

Remembering what I’d seen sent a wave of the jitters through me, but I was curious as hell anyway. Especially after the way Henry had reacted. What in the world was going on in this strange little town?

“I would have never pictured you at a kid’s beauty pageant.”

I spun, caught my foot on a thick black electrical cord, and almost fell on my butt. Jake’s rock-hard arms caught me, and I stared up into his handsome face. I probably looked like an idiot, but I didn’t so much care at the moment.

“Are you all right?”

I shook off the lingering stupidity and managed a smile. “I’m fine, thanks for catching me.”

He grinned, and I all but swooned. “My pleasure.”

We stood centimeters apart, our bodies aligned, our gazes locked. My heart beat faster, my breath came more quickly. I wanted to grab him and pull him closer. I wanted him to kiss me until I melted in his arms.

He leaned closer and hope rose like a balloon in a bright, sunny sky. Meanwhile, my conscience prodded me with a sharp stick. My very best friend had a problem with this guy. I had absolutely no business having the hots for him.

His lips touched mine, and I decided Maddie could fend for herself.

He pulled away and took a step back. “I’m sorry, Stephie.”

I wanted to say something smart and pithy and funny. But all I could think of was
play it again, Jake
. I’m such an idiot.

A beautiful redheaded woman sidled up to Jake and I had an insane moment of jealousy. “You about ready to get out of here?” she asked.

“Stephie, this is my sister, Valerie. Val, this is Maddie’s friend from D.C.”

“Nice to meet you.”

I shook her hand. Sister. I will not admit to a wave of relief. Nope.

“Valerie’s daughter was in the pageant.” He pointed to a cute redhead talking with another of the contestants.

“She’s adorable,” I said, because she was.

“Thank you,” Valerie said, her face beaming with motherly pride. “I think she might have won if I’d been willing to put makeup on her and spend five hundred dollars on a dress and take her to classes and stuff like the other mothers. But good grief, she’s six! I wanted to do my bit to support the town, and to give Sienna the experience of a pageant, but I refuse to be a stage mother.”

I liked this woman better all the time. Why was it I should be running in the other direction?

“Stephie.”

And then I remembered.

I turned. “Maddie. Do you know—”

“Of course I do,” she snapped. “I’ll be in the car.”

I watched her retreating back, while shame filled me with icy regret. What had I been thinking?

“Nice to meet you,” Valerie said, then turned and hurried toward her daughter.

“I’m sorry.”

I faced Jake. “It’s not your fault. She’s my friend.”

“She used to be mine.” I saw the flare of pain and regret in his dark eyes just before he turned and rushed after his sister.

I took a deep breath, turned toward the door, and hoped I had all my body parts when Maddie was through with me.

The parking lot was quickly emptying and Maddie’s Aveo was easy to spot. She’d pulled closer to the building, and the motor was running. I jumped in and she took off before I had my seatbelt fastened.

Instead of taking the opportunity to chew me out, she was totally quiet on the ride back to her mother’s house. I probably should have been grateful, instead I was worried. I figured the odds were excellent she was plotting my demise. If I was lucky.

Back at Margaret’s, Maddie rushed up the stairs as if Bigfoot himself was after her. I chose not to follow. Instead, I wandered into the living room where Margaret sat on the couch reading a book. She smiled. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

“I did.” I cringed. “Until Maddie caught me talking to Jake and his sister.”

Margaret shook her head in sympathy. “I’ll bet that went over like a gorilla at a formal state dinner.”

“Pretty much.” I sighed long and hard.

Margaret patted the seat beside her. “Wanna talk?”

I collapsed onto the couch, suddenly completely, utterly, exhausted. “I’m so confused.”

“So you met Valerie? She’s a sweet person.”

“She seems to be. And her daughter is adorable.”

Margaret smiled. “She’s a good mother. Was her husband there?”

“I don’t really know. Nobody introduced me to a guy, but then Maddie came up and everything got severely uncomfortable.”

“He was probably at the hospital. Casey is an emergency room physician. We’re all very proud of him.”

I cringed. “Except Maddie.”

“Madison isn’t thinking straight.”

“What happened between Jake and Maddie? Why does she hate him so much?”

Margaret stood and slowly walked to the doorway. She glanced up the stairway before sitting beside me again. “You have to understand, the fire scarred both of them, in different ways. You know Jake got trapped in the building, right? Virgil had to carry him out.”

My stomach twisted painfully at the thought of what he must have gone through. “I knew he’d been hurt in the fire. I didn’t realize...” I looked away, reluctant to let Margaret see the tears well up in my eyes.

“Both of them have deep scars. Some of Jake’s are on the outside, but it’s the scars we can’t see that hold them both hostage to the events the night of the fire. Until those wounds start to heal, nothing is going to change.”

I was sorry for both of them, but I was also confused. “But why do they hate each other?”

BOOK: The Ugly Truth
6.37Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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