Page 3 of A Matter of Time
I raised my eyebrows at her. “I didn’t smirk.”
“You did,” she argued. “Your lips did that thing they do when you think you’re being clever about something. I know what I saw.”
“You think you know better than me what my own face is doing?” I knew she thought exactly that, and she didn’t disappoint me.
“I’m the one looking at it,” she pointed out. “Whether you meant to or not, that’s what you did.”
“Well, you’re the queen of deciding what other people’s actions mean, after all.”
I expected that to put a stop to her argument, which it did, but I didn’t expect her to stop dancing too. We ground awkwardly to a halt as she planted her feet firmly on the ground.
“Keep moving, Sugar,” I said through gritted teeth, trying to keep smiling as people began to notice us standing stock still in the middle of the dance floor. “The dance ain’t over yet.”
“Oh, yes, it is.”
Twisting out of my arms, she stormed off the dance floor, leaving me to shoot an apologetic smile in the direction of the bride and groom before taking off after her.
“Tonia.” I hissed her name, trying to keep my voice down as she pushed her way past the people gathered and headed down the dirt road that led away from the house towards the back fields. “Where are you going?”
“Far away from you.” The words were thrown back over her shoulder as she didn’t even turn around to talk to me.
Luckily, no matter how angry she might be, she was still wearing her heels, so it didn’t take much for me to catch up to her. I grabbed onto her arm to halt her progress. “Come on, stop. You really want to make a scene at your brother’s wedding?”
“Don’t tell me how to feel, Cam.” Her eyes were full of defiance as she tried to pull away from me, but I held her firmly.
“I’m not. I’m telling you how to act, since apparently you still haven’t grown up enough to figure it out on your own.”
I really should have seen that slap coming, but she managed to catch me by surprise anyway, and my face burned where her palm connected with it.
Shit, that really stung.
“Nothing in my life is any of your business, and it hasn’t been for the last five years. You’ve done your duty today, played the shining knight as usual, so why don’t you disappear now and let me enjoy the rest of the night with my family? They’re the people I actually came here to see.”
If she thought she could hurt my feelings, she was mistaken. “Fine with me. I didn’t actually come here to see you either. Not everything is about you, Tonia.”
I turned around and began to walk away, but I knew she wouldn’t let that go. She always had to get the last word in, no matter what, and once again, she didn’t disappoint.
“Maybe Marley Stevens is at home tonight. You could always go over there.”
Of course she went there. It always came back to that. Though my eyes closed and my jaw clenched, I still had my back to her and I didn’t stop walking, so from her point of view, it shouldn’t look like those words had gotten to me at all.
That was the one good thing about the whole damn mess: Tonia never knew just how bad she broke my heart, and I’d be damned if I would give it away now.
Sixmonthslater
~Tonia~
The click of my high heels sounded confident and poised as I strode across the lobby of the high-rise office tower in downtown Houston. My laptop bag slung over my shoulder carried not only my computer but all of the worksheets and handouts I needed for my presentation that day. My blonde hair had been neatly straightened, my makeup looked understated and professional, and my dress was a perfect mix of polished and sexy. The golden hue complemented my colouring and the cut of the fabric highlighted my curves without being too showy about it. My sister, Laura, had helped me pick it out; despite being a country girl through-and-through, she had the best eye for fashion of anyone in the family, and when I told her I needed a few pieces to help me look the part for work, she had been happy to lend a hand. As I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the window, I could tell she’d absolutely nailed it.
Anyone who saw me would think I looked calm and cool and completely in control. No one would be able to guess just how fast my heart beat as I went up to the reception desk with a smile on my face.
“Good morning, I’m here to see Jason Barnly at Barnly Oil.”
The man’s eyes widened just slightly in appreciation as he took me in, confirming my suspicions about how good I looked. “Name?”
“Tonia Callahan from A Matter of Time.”
He placed a call and told me someone would be down to meet me in a minute, so I stepped away and took a quick look around. The building appeared shiny and new, just like the business I’d come there to help, and just like my own business too.
