June, Reimagined (53)

“Angus hates that you spent the day with Amelia. He’s madly in love with her.”

“Then he can back the fuck off. She’s hot, for sure, and in the past, I definitely would have indulged in a horizontal refreshment with her, but not now. Can we just sit here, away from that fucker? Just you and me.”

Matt ordered two more pints, and for the next hour, he and June sat at the bar. June tried to focus on him. She kept eye contact as best she could. She responded and nodded and hmm-ed at the appropriate times, and she thought she had done a good job of acting engaged, until Matt touched her leg.

Her attention had drifted to Lennox, who sat at the table with her housemates, the seat next to him empty.

“June. Are you OK?” Matt asked.

“I’m fine.” She took a long sip of beer, wishing it wasn’t lukewarm.

“How well do you know Lennox?” Matt’s voice was flat and unemotional.

“Why?”

“Never mind.” Matt put his hand on June’s, again asserting a touch that felt anything but genuine. “We should take a trip to New York City this summer.”

“What?”

“It’s the perfect time. Before we graduate and all hell breaks loose. We’ve always wanted to go together.”

Had they? June didn’t remember that. Angus ambled over to them then, empty pint glass in hand. He put it down on the bar, right between Matt and June. “Are you two done yammering? Come back to the table. We’ve got more games to play.”

“We’ll stay here,” Matt said. “But thanks.”

“Is he holding you hostage?” Angus asked June. “Do you need me to save you?”

Matt stood up. “She doesn’t need saving, especially from me.”

Angus grew two inches instantly. “I’ll let the lass answer that question.”

The men were too close, too postured for June’s liking. Lennox had gotten up and was now approaching slowly.

“You don’t need to worry about me, Angus,” June stated.

“I’m just looking out for you, Peanut.”

“Jesus, fuck off,” Matt said. “She doesn’t need you to look out for her.”

“What did you say?” Angus was tense and cold.

“Matt.” June pulled on his arm. “Let’s just go.”

Matt shrugged out of June’s grasp. “Fuck. Off. Was that slow enough for your dull-witted brain to follow?”

What happened next transpired in slow motion. Angus pulled his arm back, fist clenched, and aimed at Matt’s face. June saw taut muscles, the bulge of the tattoo cross on Angus’s forearm, the veins running down his arms like vines. None of this was supposed to happen. If June hadn’t left Matt with Amelia, Angus wouldn’t be jealous. If she had been honest with Matt years ago, she wouldn’t be in Scotland right now. The list of June’s transgressions was growing. In a moment, a pub fight would further swell the list. She needed to control the situation.

June threw herself between Matt and Angus before the whole scene could unravel. What she didn’t take into account was that a man intent on punching another human being can rarely stop himself. Physics and ego prevail.

June had never been punched before. In fact, she had never been hit, not even slapped, though she had seen the desire in her brother’s face more than a few times. Angus’s fist was inches away from knocking June square on the cheek when, at the last minute, his body turned, held back by Lennox. Angus spun, narrowly avoiding contact, but he lost his balance, and his shoulder collided into June with the force of a boulder. She flew forward and fell, her head hitting the wood floor.

“Jesus Christ, Peanut!” Lennox was at her side, though June had no idea how he got there. She was shaking, and her head hurt. She touched the tender spot on her forehead to check for blood. Thank God, there was none.

“June, look at me.” Matt knelt beside her. She bit back tears. He snapped at Angus. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Me? You think I did this on purpose?”

“You’re a fucking thug. I wouldn’t put it past you.”

“It was your face I was aiming for, Yank. I would never hurt her.”

“Angus, stop,” Lennox said through tight teeth.

Angus knelt over June, regret boldly written across his face. “You know that, Peanut. You know I would never hurt you.”

“Why do you keep calling her Peanut?” Matt exploded.

Lennox lashed out, shoving Matt so hard that he fell onto his ass with a thud. Lennox was over him instantly, holding a startled Matt by the shirt, his free hand balled into a fist. “Get the fuck away—” Lennox growled, pulling Matt closer, but Amelia stopped her brother.

“It’s alright, Len,” she said calmly. “Let him go.”

Lennox released Matt’s shirt. The pub had gone quiet, a crowd gathered around the scene. Lennox stepped back from Matt and forced open his clenched fist.

Angus stepped to Matt, who was still on the floor, shocked. “The only reason your girlfriend is alive, Yank, is because we saved her goddamn life when she almost died from eating a peanut.”

Matt climbed to his feet, brushing his pants off. June was still in shock. “You never told me that.”

“Sounds like there’s a lot she doesn’t tell you, mate.” Angus slapped Matt on the back, too hard, and Matt had to catch himself on a chair.