“That’s harsh.”
What else can I say? I’m not family, and I doubt he’ll be too pleased that I’m getting the dirt on him even if I’m not even trying. And I hate gossiping. Hate it, but short of telling Molly, my new bestie to shut up, there’s nothing I can do.
“Quite. He booted her right quick and hasn’t been serious about a girl since.”
“Hhmm.”
“Oh look, Fanny and her bunch are headed over. How thrilling. Why I’m about to swoon with excitement!” she mutters, plastering on a smile that’s says—“I’ve just swallowed a roach and I’m trying not to hurl.”
Now we’re twins.
“Why hello there. You must be Shaw.”
She sounds like a cross between Hermione Granger and Professor Snape with the oily air of Voldemort and that Scampers guy who’d been a rat that belonged to Ron Weasley.
Yeah, Harry Potter is big over here, and I am now a total fan.
“Shaw Mallory.”
I don’t expound because it’s not nice to meet her or her mean girl crew and I’m not a liar.
“Sooo, there’s been some speculation since we heard that you’re pregnant and living with the Stones, and we’ve just been dying to know…”
She breathes, leaning in conspiratorially and winking at me as if we’re friends or as if I’m dumb enough to think we could ever be.
“Hhmm?”
“Well. Someone got you in trouble,” she says as a hint, staring pointedly at my middle, and I smile when Molly growls beside me.
“True. I’m not a frog or a lizard,” I muse.
Molly giggles when Fanny’s eyes glaze over a little, and I can tell the statement has flown right over her head. So, not intelligent. Check.
“Well, uh, are you going to put us out of our misery and clear up this week’s mystery? My money is on one of the cousins. Sad that side of the family and so not a surprise that one of them couldn’t keep their dirty laundry out of the public eye.”
Is she really likening me to a used gym sock? And did she really just insult the Stone cousins?
Okay, now I’m annoyed. I’ve met some of the Stone cousins from Wales, and while they may be a little wild, they’re sweethearts. Flirtatious but harmless.
“I rather think you’re overstepping, Fanny dear. Why don’t you run along and go kill a few more brain cells with more hairspray and Botox.”
That gets the toothpicks all aflutter, and I tense when she smiles and gives Molly a sneering once over.
“You’d do well to stay in your corner where you belong and leave us alone, Molly. Or have you forgotten that slumber party we had three years ago. If I remember you’ve been carrying a torch for a certain Stone. Wouldn’t want that getting out.”
Molly tenses, and I almost feel the embarrassment radiating from her before Fanny looks back down at me and smirks.
“So who knocked you up and gave you a ticket to the high life? I can’t imagine one of the Stones would find a plump hen like you attractive.”
I’m literally flapping my mouth when I feel him come up behind me and lay a hand over my shoulder. God, wasn’t he just across the room talking to anorexic Annie?
And God, does he always have to be around when something embarrassing happens.
“Not all men like fucking a bag of rattling bones, Fanny dear. Why don’t you take your friends and run along now. You’ve lost nothing here.”
Oh ssnnaaap!
Did he, Mr. Sauerkraut just defend me to his little society misses?
I’d better go check and make sure the freaking sky isn’t falling.
But first I need to surreptitiously dry my eyes before he sees how silly I am. I’m mostly teary because I’m mortified, but if asked, it’s the hormones—and I’m sticking with my story.
“Have you eaten yet?”
His voice is clipped, and when I look up, I see the same pinched expression that I’ve become so familiar with.
“Uh not yet. Molly and I are waiting for the others to clear off.”
“Yes. The last time I tried to fill a plate with one of those in the vicinity, my mother was so embarrassed she made me eat carrot sticks for a full week. Daddy had to sneak me food after she went to bed, but I can’t stomach another carrot for at least a decade. Carrot tops should not eat carrots.”
We giggle, and I see Cameron’s mouth curl indulgently.
“I’ll bring you each a plate. Oh, and Kent is here Molly. He’s been looking for you.”
She blushes and blows out a breath when he sidles off to the buffet, and I raise a brow.
“Oh shush, don’t look at me so. He’s just…”
“Your secret looovah?”
Her face goes even redder, and I swear I didn’t think it was possible for a redhead to look that good with a red face and neck.
“So. You and Kent, huh?”
“No. Kent Stone is just looking to apologize for a comment he made when he wasn’t aware that I was within hearing distance.” She sniffs, keeping her eyes down.
“Nasty, huh?”
I’m currently watching the man make his way through the crowd, his blonde head turning this way and that before he spots us and starts making a beeline our way.
“Quite. Too be fair he was a little worse for the wear on whiskey, and his brother was teasing him unmercifully. It’s my own bloody fault. I had the biggest crush on him, and he likely wouldn’t have needed to say anything if I hadn’t been staring at him like a moon-eyed ninny.”
She’s still looking down and hasn’t seen Kent, so she almost squeals when a pair of black leather shoes comes into her line of sight and she looks up to see Kent standing over her.
“Molly love. Can we talk?”
“No. Go away,” she hisses, glancing around nervously. “You know what they’ll do to me if they see you talking to me.”
I see Fanny and the motley crew of airheads glaring our way, and I almost pity poor Molly until Kent leans down, grabs the back of her neck and plants a hot, wet, tongue kiss on her open mouth.
Oooh my.
What I wouldn’t give for one of those.
“That should keep them busy enough,” he mutters before dragging her up and hustling her out of the room.
“About time that idiot did something about that. I thought he’d die for pining after the poor girl.”
I snort when Cameron sits down beside me and hands me a plate heaped with food and starts digging in to Molly’s.
“You told him where she was?”
“Yes.”
“Why? He said something mean about her. She doesn’t need his pity.”
That gets his attention, and he looks over at me for a second before grinning.
“He called her a ranga, that’s Australian for Redhead and said she was full figured. He was drunk and trying to save her virtue. When he woke up the next morning and recalled what he said, you’d have sworn the world was ending. He’s been trying to see her for months, but she’s never alone.”
“Ah, so you’re a romantic.”
“No. And there’s no need for bloody sarcasm. I just don’t think that she’s doing herself any favors running from him when she so obviously wants more. She’s a nice girl; she deserves more than a mother who starves her and ‘friends’ who humiliate her in public. Kent’s a good bloke.”