Five Ways to Fall (Ten Tiny Breaths, #4)(76)

Mason pushes a hand through his hair for the tenth time. I wonder what’s stressing him out more—being in a women’s bathroom or having no clue what the hell is going on and who Caroline is. Clearing his throat, he manages to get out, “I believe Reese would have a very strong case. In fact, we should call the police and file assault charges right now.”

I don’t believe it. Jiminy Cricket is actually defending me. Sure, it probably has more to do with him wanting to please my best friend, but . . .

I’m going to buy him a club-sized pack of Lysol wipes as a thank you.

“Caroline?” We all turn to find Jared stepping into the women’s washroom with what I presume is the manager behind him. I make sure any trace of a smile is wiped clean off my face as I clutch my throat a little more obviously. Not that Jared is necessarily going to buy the wounded act coming from me, but . . . “What’s going on in here?” He looks from her to me, to the paper towel across my neck, and back to her with surprise. “Tell me you didn’t just attack Reese in the bathroom.”

Caroline’s face turns an even darker, more unflattering shade of red. I think the sweet little Georgia peach has been caught with her prissy drawers down, exposing the very unladylike underside that she prefers to hide.

“I’m not going to press charges. I just want to go back to celebrating Ben’s night with him.” Looping arms with Ben, who’s still watching me with an odd look on his face, I walk out of the bathroom and down the hall with my head held high, the others trailing.

“We’ll catch up to you guys in a minute,” Ben calls out, pulling me back and into a small alcove near a service entrance, off from the main room and away from spectators.

“Sure. Maybe Lina can fill me in while we wait,” Mason mutters, shooting me a glare as they continue on.

Ben lifts my chin with his finger to inspect the scratch. “It’s not too bad.”

“Unless she’s rabid.”

That earns a small smile. “She was practically foaming at the mouth. I’m surprised you didn’t hit her back. Then again, I figure that all went down exactly like you wanted it to, didn’t it, Miss Devious?” The smile falls slightly as he asks a little bit more softly, “Was all of this for him?” I hear the question behind it. Was any of tonight for me?

Shit. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Ben does actually care.

Ben’s eyes drift to my mouth, reminding me of last weekend, making me feel as though I’ve somehow just betrayed him. Even though I haven’t, because we’re just friends, something both of us were adamant about. Are adamant about. Still, I’m starting to feel a little bit guilty.

“Hey, Reese, are you okay?” I guess we’re not as well hidden as we think, because Jared has easily found us.

“She’s fine. Take your crazy wife and get out of here,” Ben answers for me, his hands tightening around my waist as if to hold me in place.

Jared’s gaze hardens as he stares at Ben. I’ve seen Jared turn into a hothead before, ready to pick a fight.

“Don’t even think about it, man,” Ben murmurs in warning. “Just turn around and take that welted ass of yours home.”

He did not just say that.

Jared’s light green eyes narrow as if processing, darting from me to Ben and back to me. And . . . there it is. The recognition. Oh my God. My stomach just dropped to the worn wood floors. I’m going to kill Ben.

Jared opens his mouth to say something, but a sobbing Caroline comes out of the ladies’ room and, from the looks of it, she’s being escorted out of the restaurant by the manager. With a small head shake, Jared turns and follows her, his jaw set with annoyance.

Ben pulls me around the other side of the alcove, until we’re practically in the kitchen.

“I can’t believe you just outed me like that! Now he’s going to file a restraining order!”

“No he’s not. And no judge will grant it, anyway,” Ben states, shaking his head. “Please tell me you don’t actually want that * back?”

“No.” Maybe. “I want to hurt him,” I admit openly. It’s the truth, and when I say it out loud, I can’t help but accept that Lina is right: I am a bad, bad person. I also can’t help but think that maybe this is too much drama for Ben. Maybe he’s going to throw his hands up right now and hightail it out of here.

And something about the idea of that pricks at my stomach.

Ben nods slowly as if he somehow understands, as if he gets me. That doesn’t mean I can’t see the disappointment in his light blue eyes, dousing my moment of malicious glory. “You know you’re only going to hurt yourself in the end, right?”

“It’s a risk, yes.”

“Well then why bother? You could be spending all that effort impressing me.”

That earns a raised brow. “To what end?”

“To a king-sized bed with Buzz Lightyear sheets,” he answers matter-of-factly.

The snort escapes unbidden. Well, at least he’s consistent. Folding my arms over my chest, I challenge, “You do not have Buzz Lightyear sheets.”

He shrugs, his eyes dipping down the top of my dress. “Only one way to find out.”

Checking behind him, likely to ensure we have no spectators, he turns back to stare at me for a long moment, his eyes searching my features. I’m still a little high on revenge fumes, but I’m pretty sure the sudden quickening beat of my heart has more to do with flashbacks of being in the pool with Ben than to anything related to Jared.