Drake"You sure you don't mind stopping by my momma's house real quick? I just want to give everyone a hug before we head back to Maine." She leaned over and puckered up, looking too cute for her own damn good."I don't mind at all, plus, we're already here." He kissed her. "Tease.""You don't have to come in." She kissed him once more and got out of the truck, jogging toward the door. Her white coat fit her well, her jeans beautiful on her pert little butt.He smiled, letting his thoughts dive into the night they would have when they got back to his place.A knock right beside his head on the window had him stifling the need to jump. He turned to find Johnny standing out in the snow.Drake rolled down his window and nodded. "What's up, man?""I was thinking about what you said the other day about loving my sister." He glanced around, obviously uncomfortable. "I can't do anything about who she falls in love with, and I know I don't need to do the 'kick your ass if you hurt her' spiel,
Drake"You sure you don't mind stopping by my momma's house real quick? I just want to give everyone a hug before we head back to Maine." She leaned over and puckered up, looking too cute for her own damn good."I don't mind at all, plus, we're already here." He kissed her. "Tease.""You don't have to come in." She kissed him once more and got out of the truck, jogging toward the door. Her white coat fit her well, her jeans beautiful on her pert little butt.He smiled, letting his thoughts dive into the night they would have when they got back to his place.A knock right beside his head on the window had him stifling the need to jump. He turned to find Johnny standing out in the snow.Drake rolled down his window and nodded. "What's up, man?""I was thinking about what you said the other day about loving my sister." He glanced around, obviously uncomfortable. "I can't do anything about who she falls in love with, and I know I don't need to do the 'kick your ass if you hurt her' spiel,
Kari"Are you excited at all? You look rough, like you might throw up any minute." Lisa reached over in the front seat of the car and poked Kari, whose hands were shaking slightly on the wheel.Kari laughed sarcastically and glanced toward the fiery redhead beside her, a smile on her mouth as nervousness churned from her stomach to her chest. The big day was tomorrow and she was beyond blessed to be marrying someone like Frank, but that didn't ease her worry, her thoughts. To be tied down to someone for the rest of eternity and hope that they would remain loving, faithful, fun?Impossible. Her own parents were a great match and yet they'd fallen apart her senior year, leaving her to celebrate most of her high school events with her brother, Marc and her mom's youngest sister, Katie. If two of the most compatible people in the universe hadn't made it, what chance did she and Frank have?"Hey, that was a question.""Oh, yeah, sorry. I was thinking about my folks again." Kari shrugged, g
Kari"You’re worried about marrying Frank because he's not good for you. He's not even big and all muscled up like you like." Lisa leaned forward and rubbed Kari's shoulder, her voice louder from her new position."I am a little surprised you've lasted this long," Sicily added from her seat, pushing the mirror back toward the ceiling and reaching for her purse before pulling out gum. "You guys want a piece?""Frank's a good guy. He's handsome and smart, has a great job, and was really there for me in college no matter what I wanted. Lately it's been a little ehhh...""That's because you locked down the goods." Lisa sat back and Kari turned the radio on, keeping the volume low. Kari reached for a piece of gum, smiling at Sicily."Boys are weird about the 'P', Kari. I know my last boyfriend was sex first and talk later, which wasn't such a bad thing, seeing that he was dumb as dirt." Sicily leaned back in her seat, her hands cupped together in her lap."The 'P'? What are you, ten?" Lisa
Kari"Actually I'm waiting on some friends, so grab me in a bit and I'll definitely show you how it's done." She waggled her eyebrows, knowing he'd find someone else and she wouldn’t be tempted to have a one-night stand before the big day. No need in dragging guilt down the center aisle of the church."I'll hold you to it." He rubbed her back in a small circle and moved out to the floor by himself, the music shifting from fast and grind-line material to sensual and enticing."I'd like you to hold me to something else... namely that wall." Kari spoke softly to herself, her eyes following the sharp curves of his shoulders, his large arms, and his butt in his jeans. Was she really getting married the next day? Surely not."Oh my. Look at that hot piece of ass. I'm out, ladies. Don't leave without me." Lisa started for the floor before Sicily pulled her back."Hell no. This night is about taking care of Kari and making sure she bleeds out her last chance desires. You go out there now look
Kari"That stupid asshole. I cannot believe he would be so dumb to go to a club and get it on with some skank when he’s getting married tomorrow!" Lisa ranted, her hair a mess from running her fingers through it over and over."Was getting married," Kari murmured as she slid the small glass of water between her hands on the kitchen table before her."Exactly. Was getting married. It's going to be okay, honey. Thank God you found out tonight instead of years from now. Creepy bastard." Sicily sat beside her, her voice soft and comforting.Kari didn't dare turn to look at her friend, the gaze of sorrow that most likely sat on Sicily's face would be her undoing. She didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her or to worry over her. She'd lived most of her life on her own and she would get through this too. The urge to tell them to just go home washed over her, but Kari pushed it back, knowing that they wouldn't budge from her side no matter what."I'm going to kill him. Sorry piece of shit,"
KariKari’s phone buzzed again and she left it ignored for the moment, sliding down against the door until her butt touched the cold tile. She let her legs extend out and concentrated on her breathing, the overwhelming sense of lost self-worth swimming precariously around in her thoughts.If she was good enough this wouldn't have happened. If she was worth the wait.Was it her fault?She knew how sexually active Frank wanted to be and yet she'd asked that they take a break, purify themselves for the wedding night so that it would be something truly special, a gift of sorts instead of business as usual.How long had he been sleeping around? How many people had he slept with?A sob left her lips and she let her guard down, her tears rushing to wipe away the pain of loss and devastation. She let herself cry for as long as it took to release the pent-up portion of what she'd been through, her phone buzzing over and over again.Suddenly anger birthed from the wound in the center of her che
KariThe rest of the weekend was a blur, her mother and Lisa helping her to cancel everything related to the wedding with the thought of calling the various vendors to see about partial refunds being on the back burner. Her kitchen table looked like a file cabinet exploded all over it, her mother and Lisa moving papers around to find this and that.Kari sat at the bar top, looking into the kitchen on her mother as she worked to grill everyone a cheese sandwich, her long dark hair, full hips, and sleek figure very much Kari's older version. Her mom glanced over her shoulder, almost as if she could hear Kari's thoughts and smiled."You sure are beautiful, baby.""Thanks, mom." Kari took another sip of her coffee and set the mug down. "I wish I could wake up from this and it be a lie.""Me too, but it's better to know now than waste twenty years of your life." Her mother gave her a silly look and yet the sadness still lingered under her cheerful disposition."I couldn't agree more. That