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I laughed as Melonie and Benapproached us. “I hate it so much.” We both giggled as I tried tohold back my tears.
“Well, that sucks for you becauseI’m not done shopping.” Melonie sneered my way as she held her armsfull of clothing.
I rolled my eyes at her beforelooking back at Anna. “I saw a little thrift bookshop down the way,I think I’ll take a walk down there and look around for a bit,” Isaid.
Anna opened her mouth but beforeshe could say anything Melonie spoke again. “Typical, Lindsey. Whycan’t you be like other girls and just shop with us? Your attirecould use some updating anyway.” She smiled at me. The longer wewere together this week, the more her pleasant mask she kept onaround Anna slipped. “I mean, really, some new clothes might makeyouappearless frumpy,” she snorted. “Lord knows you needall the help you can get,” she said under her breath.
Anna snapped her head in Melonie’sdirection. I could tell she was going to lay into her but I held myhand up for her to stop. I squinted my eyes at my bully and for thefirst time allowed the words that always flew through my mind outof my mouth. “When was the last time you read a book, Melonie? Imean, really, you would be surprised how much smarter it would makeyouseem. Maybe you wouldn’t act like such a stupid bitchall the time.” I smiled a sugary smile as she dropped her mouthopen wide in shock. She wasn’t used to me biting back at her. “Lordknows you need all the help you can get.” I copied her earlierwords, not bothering to speak under my breath.
Anna’s eyes widened before shebusted up laughing. When Melonie scowled at her she didn’t even tryto quiet her giggles. Her joy was contagious and I found myselflaughing with her. Melonie’s red face only made the wholealtercation funnier.
“I’ll meet you guys at therestaurant later.” I smiled at my friend before turning on my heeland bumping into a solid slab of warm muscle. I stumbled backbefore big hands gripped me around my upper arms to steady me. Iinhaled sharply as I looked up at Ian. His warm smile told me he’dheard our exchange and found it humorous.
“I’ve been wanting to go to thatbookstore too, I’ll walk with you,” he said before tearing his gazeaway from me. He tossed the keys to the vehicle to Anna and shecaught them without a problem. “You drive everyone to therestaurant later and we’ll walk.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Anna said asshe pocketed the keys. My head swung back and forth between them asif they were playing a tennis match.
“Let’s go,” he said as he grabbedmy hand. I was dumbstruck as he dragged me toward the door. Anyprotests that I may have had died on my lips as my feet moved.
“I’ll go with you too!” Bensuddenly spoke as he stepped closer to us. I immediately felttension radiate off Ian as he twisted to face Ben. He covertlypushed me behind him as if to protect me and then the two of themsquared off. Ian never dropped my hand in the process, a fact thatapparently only I noticed.
“Jesus, Dahmer, why don’t you letup just this once? Leave her alone and stop being a fuckingstalker,” Anna growled as she stepped up to Ben and grabbed hiswrist. Ben snatched his hand back viciously before glaring at her.I’d never seen him look so angry.
“You know, I’m getting prettytired of you acting like I’m a fucking psycho serial killer,” hegritted behind clenched teeth as he balled his fists up.
“Maybe you should stop acting likeone, then,” Anna scowled up at him, not letting him intimidate her.Ian’s hand flexed and released in mine as though he was gettingready to pounce on the person that looked threateningly at hisdaughter. I couldn’t help the upsweep of nerves that flutteredthrough my belly at the possible altercation.
I was getting ready to step awayfrom Ian and defuse the bomb that was Ben when Melonie whined andgrabbed his hand. “Ben,” Melonie pouted in that girlish voice thatground on my last nerve. “I want you to stay. I need your helppicking out some outfits anyway.”
I rolled my eyes at the obviousdisplay of her trying to take what she thought was mine. If onlyshe knew he could be hers at the drop of a hat. I held noinclination of my own toward him. If anything, the way he actedthis morning made me leery of him.
Ben ignored Melonie as he kept hisscowl directed at Ian. I needed to stop this before they made ascene and Anna figured out the hard way that I was a terriblefriend. “It’s fine.” I wiggled my hand away from Ian and steppedaround him. I could feel the annoyance from his stare as I did.“I’ll just meet up with you guys later,” I said to Ben, gaining hisattention. He looked down at me but the same hard look he threw atIan was now directed at me for a split-second before he calmed. IfI had blinked, I would have missed the way his expression shiftedfrom utter rage to a smooth smile. He gave me the chills.
“Have fun,” he murmured quicklyaround that sweet smile before twisting on his heel and grabbingMelonie’s hand. He pulled her behind him toward the dressing roomsand she had to rush to keep up. He twisted and gave me one more oddsmile before pulling Melonie past the door of the dressing room andslamming the door behind them.
I looked at that closed door andfelt a shiver crawl down my spine. Ben was starting to scare mewith how he’d been acting since coming to Colorado. He reminded meof someone who was becoming unhinged. Like he was slowly having amental breakdown.
“What the fuck is his issue?” Annamurmured as she watched the closed door as well. She shook her headand looked back toward me. “What are you still doing here? I canhandle them, go.” She waved me away before resuming hershopping.
I swallowed harshly before lookingup at Ian who was staring at me with curiosity written on his brow.I forcefully shook myself before I skirted around him and headedtoward the door.
Chapter Fourteen
The brisk winter air bit at mycheeks as I stepped out of the warmth of the store. I welcomed thecold after the way I felt like I was on fire inside. Nothing abouttoday was going as I’d planned. I just wanted to be able to sitdown with Anna and tell her exactly what was going on with me andher dad. I hadn’t been able to do the one thing I needed to becauseI was a fucking coward.
I walked fast as I swerved aroundother shoppers. I needed to get as far away from the others as Icould. I needed to clear my mind and figure out exactly what I wasgoing to do. The most fucked-up thing about this whole situationwas that I didn’t even feel guilty anymore. I should feel like thescum of the earth for messing around with Anna’s dad behind herback but I didn’t feel like that at all.
Ever since last night in thebathroom with Ian, I felt … different. Something had shifted insideof me like I was becoming a different person. The type of personthat refused to act embarrassed about the things that happened lastnight. This new person didn’t feel the need to explain herself toanyone when it came to what she wanted. And what she wanted wasIan.
I shook my head and scowled atmyself as I tightened the sash around my waist that held my coattogether. Maybe if I squeezed myself tight enough there would be nomore room for the anxiety building in my gut.
The old Lindsey would have nevereven thought about deceiving her best friend the way I was. Shewould have never bitten back at Melonie the way she did in thestore either. And when Ben offered to go with her to the bookstore,she would’ve happily let him tag along even if all she wanted was alittle alone time. I couldn’t recognize this new person I wasbecoming.
“Lindsey, wait,” Ian’s deep voiceshouted from somewhere behind me as I quickened my pace. I had noidea what I was going to say to him right now. He was expecting meto tell Anna exactly what we were to each other and I’d failedmiserably.
I spotted the bookstore up aheadand rushed for the entrance. I slammed into the quiet shop and madea beeline straight for the back of the building. I didn’t want todeal with Ian right now, I had enough on my mind as it was.
I hastily made my way past thetall rows of books. I normally would stop and gawk at all thedifferent selections but I had one thing and one thing only on mymind at this point—escape. It was agood thing there weren’t many people in the store, otherwise theywould’ve thought I was a madwoman with the look I’m sure marred myface.
