Shrinking Violet (Colors #2) (24 page)

“Hell yeah! If you were my girl, I’d be showing you off, rubbing it in all these dickheads’ faces.”

He leaned in close, and I could smell the whiskey on his breath. It should have been off-putting, it should have turned my stomach. But even the smell of alcohol did nothing to overpower my need for the attention. Jesus, I was pathetic.

“I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off you,” he said with a lascivious lick of his lips. “I’d have already dragged you out of here and ripped that dress off your killer body.”

I knew I shouldn’t do it. I knew it would be just another horrible mistake to add to the running tally I kept track of in my head, but I didn’t care. I already hated myself; what was one more bad choice? Besides, he wanted me…and I needed to be wanted. So I buried my self-loathing deep down inside of me and acted on instinct.

Taking the flask from his hand, I chugged the remainder of the whiskey, relishing the burn it left behind as it made a path to my stomach. Then I took Seth’s hand and stood from the table, giving him my most sultry smile.

“Then what are you waiting for?”

“Cassidy? You okay?”

I shook my head to clear away the fog of the past that had temporarily pulled me into its clutches.

“Huh?”

“You spaced out there for a few minutes. Are you all right?” Navie asked, concern etched into her face in the mirror in front of us.

“I’m good, sweetie. Just concentrating,” I lied easily, pasting a smile on my face and trying to ignore the chill that flashback sent along my spine.

“God, I’m so nervous.”

I couldn’t help but smile at Navie as she sat in front of me, wringing her hands in her lap. I put the last curl in her long hair and used a few bobby pins to hold a few pieces back from her face.

“You have nothing to be nervous about,” I said as I placed my hands on her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “You look so beautiful. This Mark kid is going to lose it when he sees you.”

“You really think so?”

Her wide, deep blue eyes shined brightly as she gazed at me through the glass. I’d done her makeup in shimmering colors of copper and gold, keeping it somewhat natural and accentuating her already-natural beauty. Her full lips were colored with a pale pink gloss and two coats of mascara made her long lashes stand out even more. Navie was absolutely stunning.

Taking her hands, I pulled her up from her seat and turned her around so I could get the full effect. With her thick hair worn down in long, wavy curls, she had an almost angelic look. The dress we’d picked out was a deep cerulean blue, chosen because it made her eyes pop and hugged her curves in a way that made her look classy, but still held just a hint of sex appeal. The three-inch heels on her feet gave her a little more height, even though she still remained shorter than the average girl. She was a tiny thing, but the hair, dress, and makeup made her look like a young woman.

Carson was going to lose his shit, but it was totally worth it.

“I think you’re going to make every other girl there look like crap in comparison.”

Navie giggled as she pulled me in for a quick hug. “What was your prom like? I bet you were the popular girl who was voted Prom Queen, weren’t you?” I knew she was joking around, but a flood of memories came rushing back from that night, making me feel a little sick to my stomach. I didn’t want to answer her. I didn’t want to lie, but I also refused to tell her the real story of what a disaster my prom night was. In the end, I decided evasion was the best option.

“Come on,” I told her as a pulled on her hand. “Let’s go show everyone how good you look and watch Carson’s head explode.”

Sure enough, the moment we stepped into the crowded living room, Carson showed his ass.

“What the hell! What about that dress is conservative? Are you trying to give me a stroke? I can see her…her…” He waved his hand frantically in front of Navie’s chest. In her defense, the sleeveless, sweetheart neckline only showed about an inch and a half of cleavage. Hardly anything when you really thought about it. He ran his hands anxiously through his hair. “Jesus Christ, I’m gonna have to punch this kid in the face when he gets here, aren’t I?”

“Oh, will you stop it?” Milly swatted Carson with a dishtowel none to too softly. “You’re being absolutely ridiculous. Navie, honey,” she said, coming up to take her hands. “You’re a vision, child. So beautiful.”

“Gonna be the prettiest girl in the room,” Uncle Kal announced.

The rest of the guys who worked on the ranch let out a few whistles and catcalls, led by Zeke who still liked to give Carson a hard time. Over time, those two managed to form a mutual respect for each other. That didn’t mean Zeke didn’t love needling Carson whenever the chance arose.

“Girl,” Zeke drug out. “You’re lookin’ mighty fine. Gotta say, I’m feelin’ a little jealous of your date tonight. Ow! Damn, what was that for?” He rubbed his arm where Carson had just punched him.

“Stop hitting on my sister,” Carson grumbled.

“Just speakin’ the truth, brother,” Zeke egged on with a wink.

Carson lunged again, causing Zeke to jump back and hold up his hands in surrender. “All right, all right, I’ll stop.” He chuckled. “I gotta get back to work, but you really do look pretty, honey. Have fun tonight, and if he tries to make a move, go straight for his balls. Takes a man down every time.” With that, he darted out of the room laughing, barely missing Carson’s attempt at another punch.

“Mommy!” Willow shouted—because she could never say anything quietly. “She looks like a pwincess!”

“That she does, baby girl.”

Just then, the back door crashed open, followed by Lana’s loud voice as she ran into the living room. “Did I miss it?! Did I miss it?! Oh, thank God. You’re still here,” she puffed out, bending at the waist and resting her hands on her knees, obviously trying to catch her breath. “Damn, I’m out of shape,” she huffed once she could breathe again. As soon as she stood and caught sight of Navie, she let out a low whistle. “Damn, girl. You. Look. Hot!” All I could do was laugh as Carson threw his hands up in exasperation and looked at the ceiling as though he was praying for strength.

“I brought my camera,” Lana announced to the room. “Let’s get some pictures of you and the family before your boy-toy gets here.

Navie beamed at Lana’s use of the word ‘family’ at the same time Carson said, “He’s not her boy-toy. Ah, hell, I think I’m having a heart attack,” he whined dramatically as he rubbed at his left arm. “I have shooting pains in my arm. That’s one of the signs, right?”

Uncle Kal smacked him in the back of his head as Lana waved her hand dismissively and began taking picture after picture of Navie, posing her in various positions before placing me, Carson, Bug, Kal, and Milly around her for the group shots. My chest grew tight with emotion as I watched Navie basking in everyone’s attention. I’d never seen her shine as brightly as she did as everyone showered her with love and affection. Despite his gruffness, I could tell even Carson was moved by the display.

As the minutes ticked by and more pictures were snapped, I could see Navie beginning to grow anxious, looking over at the large grandfather clock in the corner of the room.

“Shouldn’t he be here by now?”

A feeling of uneasiness began to take hold as I looked to see Mark was already fifteen minutes late. A shared look between Carson and me showed he had noticed, as well.

“I’m sure he’s just running late, sweetie.”

Lana walked over to her and wrapped her arm around Navie’s shoulders. “Yeah, teenage boys have no concept of time. Just give him a little longer. He’ll be here.”

Fifteen minutes turned into twenty; twenty turned into forty, and with the more time that passed, the mood in the room grew thick and morose. When Navie’s cellphone chimed in her purse, there was a collective sigh of relief.

“Maybe that’s him,” Navie said hopefully. She snatched up her phone and studied it curiously. “It’s a Facebook notification. Someone tagged me in a picture.”

“What is it?” Milly asked tensely.

The moment Navie’s finger slid across the screen, a thick sheen of tears formed in her eyes before breaking free and trailing down her face.

I rushed to her side as a heart-wrenching sob broke free from her. “Oh, honey. What was the picture of?”

She held her phone up for me to see. It was a selfie of a girl and boy kissing, dressed in formal wear. The background showed a dance floor full of other kids. “It’s Mark and M-Meredith,” Navie cried.

“Oh, God,” Milly gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. Kal hung his head and Lana looked on the verge of tears. Carson, on the other hand, looked capable of murder at that very second.

“It was all a joke,” Navie whispered as she studied the picture. “It was just another stupid prank.”

“Sweetheart—” I started, but she didn’t hear me.

“I’m such an idiot. I should have known he didn’t really like me. Meredith was right. No one wants me. I don’t know why I thought Mark was any different.”

“No,” I insisted, grabbing her cheeks in my hands so she was forced to look at me. “Don’t ever say that. Don’t even
think
it. You’re standing in a room right now filled with people who love you. You mean everything to us. Don’t for one second think no one wants you, because we all do.”

I couldn’t stand it, the slouch in her shoulders, and the defeat in her voice. It ripped me to shreds seeing her broken like that, and I would have given anything to take her pain away.

Navie wiped at her tears with the back of her hand and sniffled, offering a weak smile that came nowhere near meeting her eyes. “Thank you for everything y’all did for me tonight, but I just want to go home.” We all stood motionless as she walked from the room, broken-hearted and full of sorrow.

I took a step to go after her when I felt a hand wrap around my arm, stopping me. “Don’t,” Carson spoke softly. “Let me go. I’ll take care of her.”

“I can’t just leave her like that.” I felt my own tears break loose as I thought about the pain on Navie’s beautiful face.

“I know, baby. But let me take care of her tonight. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay? Just let me handle this right now.”

I hated being so helpless, but I trusted that Carson knew how to handle it. He’d been doing it for years. “Okay,” I relented hesitantly. “But you’ll let me know if you need anything?”

“I will, Violet.” He placed a quick kiss on my lips and pulled away.

“I love you.”

“Love you, too, Cass. I’ll call you later.”

As he walked away from me, I heard Uncle Kal’s deep voice. “You need me to help you hunt that little shit down and kick his ass, you just give me the word, son.”

“Thanks.”

As he passed Kal, Milly grabbed hold of his arm. “You take care of that little girl now, but the moment she’s feeling up to it, you bring her right back here. You hear me? Bring her back to her family so we can help put her back together. That’s what family does.”

He placed a gentle kiss on Milly’s forehead before disappearing out the back door. I felt the crushing weight of Carson and Navie’s absence the moment the door closed. And I prayed I could find a way to make that sweet girl feel better.