“Well lookie there; it actually looks edible. What the hell is this thing anyway?” Blaze asked as she felt his hand reach across her to grab some of the fruit she was chopping.
“It’s a fruit pizza. I always liked it because it was pretty with all the colors on it.” Tori shrugged.
“It looks good. It’s not jacked up or anything,” he teased.
Tori elbowed him in the side.
“Ow! No need to get violent. I just wouldn’t have taken you for a chef.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tori growled at him as she placed the last bit of fruit on top of the pizza.
“You don’t seem like the type of girl that would cook.”
Seething quietly, she listened to him rifle through the cabinet for glasses and heard his footsteps grow faint as he walked toward the back door and back out onto the patio with everyone else.
Tori crossed her arms and frowned. She grabbed her cane next to the counter and followed him outside. “Seriously, Blaze, what the fuck is that supposed to mean?” She’d knocked back a couple drinks and her filter was loosened. Everyone’s chatter died down as she raised her voice. She shouldn’t have cursed in front of Scott’s parents, but she was growing weary of the jabs they were taking at her. “Dessert is ready, by the way, everyone—if you’re brave enough to eat what I cooked.”
“Oh Lord,” Blaze groaned. “Don’t go getting all defensive and start crying and shit. It’s not because you’re blind as a bat. That has nothing to do with it.”
Glasses clanked on the patio table.
“You don’t seem very….what’s the word, help me out here, guys.”
She heard Presley take a gulp of the liquor, letting out a breath. “Domestic.” She snapped her fingers. “That’s the word.”
“Yes, domestic!” Blaze exclaimed and laughed.
Tori placed her hand on her hip and tried not to look as wounded as she felt. Her sadness quickly morphed into anger. “Just because I’m a bold woman who speaks my mind doesn’t mean that I can’t cook.”
Or that she wouldn’t be a decent mother, or wife.
“Domesitc is just a stupid, out-dated word used to fit women into a conformist box of what society thinks they should be.”
“You all, stop teasing her this instant!” Judith came to her defense. “I didn’t even know how to boil water when Wayne and I got married.”
Within a moment, Scott was by her side giving her a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek. “I’m sure it’s wonderful. They’re only busting your chops. It’s what we do. Sit,” he said, guiding her over to the patio sofa. “I’ll bring out dessert.” Scott disappeared into the house.
“I actually had to cook a lot growing up; my mom wasn’t much of a chef,” Tori mumbled. She didn’t want to get into the why’s of that. “Plus, cooking is an art form.”
Scott came back out moments later and placed the dessert on the patio table. “It looks great, babe, even if it’s got damn kiwi on it.”
Tori chuckled. “Everyone dig in.” Tori waved toward the table. She could already hear them cutting pieces.
“You want some?” Scott asked, swallowing with a gulp.
“Nah, I’m ok for now.” Tori was stuffed from dinner still. “Just a drink please.”
“Well, it turned out prettier than anything I could ever make,” Blaze said with a mouthful. “Tastes damn good too. I’m impressed, with that and the welding today.”
“You did what today?” Wayne snorted.
The glass clanked as Scott poured her a drink and she waited for him to place it in her hand.
“When I showed up at Chad’s shop today she was making metal art, with a plasma welder,” Scott said with a mixture of admiration and fear. “On Friday she’s heading to San Antonio to work with a blind painter to help her with tactile techniques to get her painting again.” Scott rubbed her leg.
“That’s quite impressive,” Judith said. “I’m glad you’re finding an outlet for your creativity still.”
Tori settled in and crossed a leg under her, resting her left arm on Scott’s shoulder, twirling a strand of her hair. “I’ve had to adjust how I perceive art and beauty.” She took a sip of her drink. Truth was she was terrified to pick up the brush again. She didn’t know if she could do it.
“Scott said you were working on an exhibition that features art done by people who are visually impaired, right?” Presley chimed in. “When will that be? I’d love to come see it.”
Tori’s heart swelled that he’d bragged to his friends, and a wave of embarrassment washed over her about the entire Brandi situation.
“Hopefully, in the middle of November.” Tori took a large gulp of her drink and a slight grimace passed across her face. That would nearly be a year to the date of her accident. She pushed that thought out of her mind.
“Well I think it sounds freaking awesome,” Presley said. “I love art. Thought about dabbling in computer graphics, until I landed in the military. Not quite the job I originally envisioned but I was damn good at it and it worked out well for me.”
“Worked out well for us, also,” Scott added. He had an admiration for Presley it seemed.
“Doesn’t hurt that Shey is sex on a stick,” Blaze added.
Blaze was not helping.
Had Scott and Presley fucked?
She assumed Presley was a lesbian, but maybe she was bisexual. God, she was even worrying about Presley. This jealousy thing was getting ridiculous. It was like Tori didn’t even know herself anymore.
“Ian is there a beautiful woman in the world you don’t try to chase after?” Judith scolded.
“Not really,” Blaze said unapologetically, causing them all to chuckle.
“Lord, Blaze, you know you aren’t my type,” Presley groaned. “You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“Actually, I could almost imagine the two of you together. I have a feeling Presley wouldn’t put up with your shenanigans.” Judith chuckled.
Presley snorted, which caused Scott and the rest of his team to laugh, uncontrollably. “He is most definitely not my type, Judith.”
Tori imagined that a befuddled look crossed Judith’s face.
“As in he has a penis,” Presley confirmed.
That eased some of Tori’s concern. Luckily, Scott hadn’t dipped his pen in the company ink.
Tori waved her hand with a chuckle. “Well, I guess that takes away the twinge of jealously I felt wondering about you and Scott getting along so well.”
Scott slung his arm around her. “You were jealous? That’s not like you.” He sounded almost flattered as he kissed her cheek.
“She wasn’t the only one who made me jealous today,” Tori mumbled and took a swig of her drink.
The weight of the air shifted uncomfortably. Scott’s entire body tensed next to her and he cleared his throat. Apparently, they all heard that.
Maybe it was time for her to stop drinking. She wasn’t supposed to be drinking this much anyway. Doctors’ orders. Yet another thing in her life she was supposed to give up. Well, fuck the doctors. What the hell did they know? They told Jane she’d probably have severe deficits after her brain injury, and here she was, wits intact.
“Anyhow, Tori, have you tried sculpting?” Presley quickly switched the subject. Too quickly.
Tori shook her head. “Only once since losing my vision. When I was in school in Baltimore a bunch of us went to a sculpting class one weekend.” She didn’t go into how difficult that was for her emotionally not near as hard as painting was going to be. She’d lived for her painting. It was how she released all her hidden emotions. Now all those feelings were balled up in the pit of her stomach with no avenue of release. Maybe she should dig into sculpting. New life, new art form. “Judith and I are going to a class later this week here in town. Sculpting was never my thing in college, but it seems the more reasonable choice now since my hands can do a lot of the work my eyes can’t.”
“I bet that works out well for Harris.” Blaze snickered.
“Aw, Blaze, really?” Presley groaned along with everyone else. “Do you ever take that mind of yours out of the sewer?”
“Not really.” Blaze laughed.
“Boy, you’re going to church this Sunday. You need Jesus,” Judith teased.
“Do you have any remaining vision?” Wayne asked. “I only ask because I know an ex-Marine who still can distinguish shapes and light.”
“No; I don’t see anything. I have no light perception,” Tori answered, tracing the rim of her cup with her fingertip.
“So, it’s just black?” Presley asked.
“Yeah, kinda like that.” Tori nodded and took a sip and shifted in her seat.
“What do you mean kinda like that?” Judith asked.
“You guys,” Scott groaned, obviously uncomfortable with them prodding her.
Tori’s spine stiffened and she dug her hand into Scott’s leg. She was growing weary of him always speaking up for her. Besides, she was still pissed he told his mom not to touch her. “It’s fine,” she sucked in a breath. “Yes, I guess you would call it black. My brain doesn’t think about it like that anymore though, it’s just…gone, unless I think about it.”
“What do you mean think about it? Don’t take this wrong but how can you not think about it?” Blaze almost sounded terrified.
“For people that are blind from birth it’s like trying to see out of your elbow or the back of your head. There’s no concept at all. For me, it’s a mix of that and what my brain makes up. I don’t see the black, I see what I imagine in my head around me. My brain ignores the rest.”
Tori sensed that they were all confused. Hell, she’d have wondered herself before she lost her vision. “Ok, I’m giving you all five minutes; shoot as many blind girl questions at me as you want. This is your one chance to ask a blind person everything you’ve ever been curious about but were too polite to ask.” If they were going to keep asking she may as well be nonchalant about it.
They all chuckled at her boldness.
“Seriously, have at it,” Tori said with a nod.
“How do you pick out your clothes and know you match?” Judith asked. “Or shop for clothes? Your clothes are so quirky and cute.”
“Maybe her clothes are quirky because she’s blind. I mean, that crazy shirt you’re wearing. You look like you fell into a vat of Albuquerque.” Blaze laughed like a hyena and fell into her.
“It’s Aztec print, you turd.” Tori elbowed him in the side. “I pick my own clothing intentionally.”
“Don’t listen to him; he has no style, Tori. Right now, he’s wearing a tacky Hawaiian shirt.” Presley chuckled.
“I have a color identifier app.”
“Which apparently Blaze could use as well,” Presley joked.
Tori giggled. “As for the shopping, I feel it by touch first and determine if I like the feel of the fabric and then I have friends go shopping with me to help me out, or I ask a sales associate to describe it in the store
“What about groceries? Since, apparently, you are domestic.” Blaze chuckled.
“I usually order online and do a delivery, and I label everything with braille when I get it.”
Scott shifted next to her before he got up and went inside. “My sister usually helps me, because I still have to figure out what everything is. The canned goods and such. If, for some reason, she can’t come over I FaceTime her and she hooks me up.”
“Braille seems like it would be difficult. Was it hard to learn?” Judith asked.
“Really hard. I don’t read it very well. I get by enough with labels and such. But I don’t think I could ever read a novel that way. I’m far too slow still.”
“How do you use the phone and the computer?” Wayne asked.
“I have a screen reader on both with voice over that reads everything for me,” Tori answered. She pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket and turned up the volume and touched the screen on the phone as it spoke everything aloud for her. She switched over to the camera setting and flipped the camera around. “Blaze, come close.” She motioned for him. “See it tells me if my face is in the shot, or if there are two faces.” She turned the phone to where it spoke aloud one face as it was pointed on her and Blaze stuck his face next to hers and it said two.
“Selfie,” Blaze said with a lisp as she snapped a photo.
Scott returned and sat back down next to her.
“You and your selfies.” Scott chuckled.
Tori chuckled. “Text photo to Blaze,” she said as she pressed the home button. Texting photo to Blaze, the voice over spoke. Blazes phone chimed in his pocket.
Blaze leaned into her as he grabbed his phone.
“And it’s now set as my screensaver to piss Harris off,” Blaze teased.
Tori giggled, hoping it would make him a little jealous after the whole run in with Brandi today. “With accessible technology, I can pretty much do everything. Post my own Facebook status, Google search, etcetera.”
“Do you dream with sight?” Presley asked.
“Yes,” Tori placed her phone back in her pocket. “My visual cortex, the part of my brain responsible for visualizing things, still works. It’s my optic nerves that are damaged. I still remember what things look like, and I can still visualize and dream with vision.”
“How do you read mail? Does someone have to do it for you?” Wayne asked.
“No, I have a scanner with software that will read the printed material and read it for me out-loud. Apps are getting better for signs and things like that, also.”
“How do you differentiate money?” Wayne asked.
“I have a money reader app that tells me the bills and I fold them differently in my wallet.”
“How do you wipe your ass?” Blaze shot at her next.
“Ian!” Judith scolded. “That’s not an appropriate question to ask a lady!”
“Ok, maybe blind girl Q and A was a bad idea.” Tori clutched her stomach, she was laughing so much. “Just like you do. With toilet paper, dumbass.”
“I wouldn’t be so certain he actually uses toilet paper, babe. I’ve seen his dirty laundry,” Scott chimed in.
Everyone laughed hysterically.
“Fuck you. Fuck you all.” Blaze huffed loudly.
“Language, boy!” Judith hollered at him in between giggles.
“Oh, come on now! You all were thinking it. Not a damn one of you had the balls to ask it though!” Blaze shouted over the gang. “I mean how do you know you’re ya know…good.”
Tori could hardly breathe she was laughing so hard. “I’m extremely thorough.” Tori took a big drink as she caught her breath. “Ok, that’s it. Q and A time is officially over.” Tori let out a big sigh and patted Blaze on the thigh. “Ok, Blaze. I want to hear your best Scott story.” It was time to move the spotlight.
Blaze clapped his hands. “Hell, this should be fun; this one is a good one.” He laughed even before the story began.
“So, this one time in Afghanistan, around two-thousand eight, we were training some goat-fuckers on doing a route recon.”
“Oh god…” Scott’s embarrassment was obvious. Also obvious, he knew what tale Blaze was about to share.
“Blaze!” Tori chastised him for saying such a thing.
“What?” Blaze snarled, “oh, goat-fuckers, whatever, pfft.” Blaze dismissed her concern.
“You will stop saying the f word this instant!” Judith reminded him.
“Just finish the story, Hodges.” Wayne gave a hearty laugh.
“Ok, so, I was driving and Harris was in the hatch on the gun. We were taking the off-road route, because we'd learned that it was safer than driving the primary route. Fewer IEDs, local checkpoints, you know. That, and you know, off-roading is just bitchin.”
Blaze gulped, then his glass clanked on the table. “So, we come around the bend in the route, around a little hill, and what the fu…hell, there are like two hundred goats about fifty meters ahead of us. Imagine goats everywhere, blocking the route. So, we pull up in our gun trucks and this mut-hut dwelling shepherd barely even glances at us, not even bothering to move the herd. I wail on the horn and nothing…” he chuckled, “so, SOP is that we shoot off a small pen-flare above the herd to scare the damn goats off the road.”
“SOP?” Tori asked.
“Standard operating procedure,” he explained then continued. “So, SOP is to shoot the flare above the herd, except…maybe I just so happened to hit a ditch at the exact same time Harris was setting off the damn flare.”
Blaze laughed uncontrollably, “and then...and then…” he couldn’t control his giggles.
She could imagine the tears of laughter pouring down his face.
“The flare went RIGHT INTO the herd! It bounced off a goat or two, then set this one poor bastard on fire!” Blaze fell off the patio bench, landing at her feet, still crying and laughing. "Harris was so pissed. He jumped out with a fire blanket and a bottle of water and ran to put the damn goat out. So here was Harris, pouring bottled water over a poor screeching goat engulfed in flames, running all over the damn place. Goats were running everywhere to get away from the Fire Goat.” Blaze couldn’t stop laughing. “Harris fell like ten times trying to extinguish the flames!”
Tori was doubled over, giggling, envisioning Scott running around the desert trying to chase a burning goat. “So, what happened to the goat?”
“Oh Lord, the goat was barbecue,” Scott chimed in. “I gave the shepherd twenty dollars and the blanket.”
“I could see him cussing and mumbling ‘F this shit’ as he walked back to the truck.” Blaze finally composed himself. “Funniest damn thing I've ever seen.”
The group’s laughter died down. “So Tori, tell us how you met my boy? College right?” Wayne asked.
Tori nodded and rotated her cup, twirling the ice around in it. She leaned her head on Scott’s shoulder. “Yeah. He was in his final year at the Naval Academy in Annapolis and I was in art school at Georgetown.” Tori’s mind went back to that night, the smell of the smoke in the small dive bar, Alice in Chains playing in the background, and Scott walking in with his short military cut and slightly leaner build, clean shaven baby face, still attractive as ever. Still very much a young boy compared to the man he was now. She gave a sheepish grin. “We had a lot of fun back then, but neither of us were ready to settle down.”
“I was leaving for BUD/S and she was finishing school. It made little sense back then,” Scott explained. “Speaking of leaving, we underestimated our alcohol consumption.” She heard Scott put the empty bottle on the table. “I’m gonna make a quick run to the store.” Scott kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll be right back.”
Tori took another drink. She believed most of the consumption was her fault. She was on her fourth glass of whiskey and coke. Still, she was shocked they all went through an entire bottle.
“I’ll roll with you. I need to grab smokes,” Presley said and Tori heard her excuse herself. It was just Blaze, Tori and Scott’s parents left on the patio.
“Why not after his injury?” Judith asked. From their conversation in the car earlier, Tori knew Judith had put two and two together why Scott stayed put in DC and didn’t come back home.
“He was still finding himself. I was heading to graduate school in New York, followed by my internship at the Smithsonian.” Tori shrugged. “It wasn’t our time yet.”
“Was your vision declining by then?” Wayne asked.
What? They don’t know?
Her ears grew warm.
“No.” Tori tilted her head. She was a little shocked that Scott hadn’t told them it was a freak accident.
“We were just curious, if…” Judith stumbled over her words.
“If it’s genetic?” Tori asked plainly.
Her boldness and their silence told her she’d hit the nail on the head.
“Not that it matters,” Judith backpedaled.
Of course they were thinking about grandkids. All the grandkids she’d probably never give them. Her stomach sank.
Tori could understand their position. She could also kick Scott for not telling them and putting her in this awkward situation.
“It was a car accident last November,” Tori blurted.
She cringed at herself and put her drink on the table for spewing out the date, they didn’t’ ask that information. Drinking was her Achilles heel when it came to hiding her secrets.
Loose lips sink ships, Tori.
“Hmmmm,” Wayne mumbled curiously. Tori imagined him—an older version of Scott—narrowing his brown eyes and scratching a greying beard, putting it all together.
Tori’s stomach lurched. Being former military, Wayne was probably up to date on current events just as much as Scott was. Her spine stiffened. She couldn’t believe she’d opened her damn mouth. Scott was probably not wanting to sour his parents’ first impression of her, and she’d blown it.
Tori’s stomach was in knots and she was now breaking out in a sweat. If she was going to marry their son, they’d figure it out eventually. May as well just rip the damn band-aid off.
“I was in the car accident with Representative Donaghue the night he was killed last year,” she said. “That’s how I lost my sight.”
Nobody muttered a word as her confession hung in the air. The only sound was the crickets chirping in the distance.
Ironic, yet fitting.
“Damn, Blondie.” Blaze let out a whistle. “So that was the car accident. Scott never told me.”
Probably because he’s ashamed.
“Well, you poor thing. That had to be terrifying. Did you know him well?” Judith asked sweetly. “Were you two,” she swallowed hard, “involved?”
Tori grimaced. “No, we were not in a relationship. I love how the news keeps trying to paint it that way. We only met that evening.” She didn’t plan to elaborate past that. Scott’s parents knew all they needed to know.
Everyone was quiet. It was well known Donaghue had a bad reputation with women. It was easy to put two and two together where they were heading.
“Tori, I didn’t mean to bring that up. I’m very sorry.” Wayne reached over and patted her on the leg.
“It’s fine.” Tori brushed it off. “I was just at the wrong place, wrong time. It happened. No use trying to hide it.” Tori stood, swaying as the full effects of the alcohol hit her. Her hands trembled and she wanted nothing more than to get away and lick her wounds. “Not like I could if I wanted to anyway.” She reached for her cane. “That night will be with me the rest of my life.”
“You ok, Victoria?” Judith’s voice drooped. There was the pity that Tori despised. She couldn’t fault Judith for it. She was pretty damn pitiful at the moment.
“I’m fine.” She donned her best fake grin, but the pressure in her head was building at a rapid pace. “Just a little sleepy. I think I’m gonna call it a night.”
She went to the bedroom, shut the door, and flopped down on the bed. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry or scream. She was so weary of that night haunting her. She was tired of not feeling good enough for Scott, but the truth was, she wasn’t.
How would Scott feel when he finds the rest out?
Her mind swam—taking her back to age fourteen, and her mother’s boyfriend Russell’s face flashed in her head. His last words to her seemed hauntingly accurate at the moment: you’re a worthless piece of trash, and always will be. Of all the faces dimming in her memories, why couldn’t his fade?
A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, jarring her from her dismal thoughts. She didn’t respond. A second knock came, louder.
“Come in,” Tori groaned.
“Look at you, moping in the dark,” Blaze said. She heard the light flick on, then he shut the door.
She gave a wry laugh. “I’m always in the dark, dork.”
“Stop acting like a sad, pitiful, blind girl. That’s not the Blondie I know,” he scolded. “Mamma and Papa Harris went to bed.”
“Looks like I put an end to the party.” Tori frowned.
“Nah, it was getting late. Mamma Harris wanted to run in here and love on you, read you a bedtime story and say your prayers, I assume.”
Tori chuckled.
“I convinced her it was best to let you be.”
“Thank you.” The last thing Tori wanted right now was a long talk with Judith.
Blaze’s footsteps shuffled about the room. He chuckled.
“What?” Tori asked.
“This was definitely Scott’s teenage room. Mamma Harris has left it untouched. Sports trophies, geeky photos of him with braces.” Blaze snickered. “Better photos of him with the braces off. Of course Harris played football, the man’s a fucking ox. Holy shit; was Harris in a band?” Blaze giggled like a kid.
“Just as I imagined.” She grinned, thankful to Blaze for filling in the blanks.
“You’d think his mom would’ve at least pulled down the poster of half-dressed Carmen Electra.” Blaze snorted. “I bet if we shined a black light on it, Scott’s DNA would light up like the night sky.”
Tori rolled over, clutching her stomach—giggling so hard it hurt. Finally, she caught her breath.
Blaze patted her on the leg. “Come with me. Let’s go check out the land.” Blaze grabbed her hand and pulled her off the bed.
Tori groaned. “I don’t want to go out there. I’ll get eaten by mosquitoes.”
“Come on, city girl.”
“Fine,” she reached for her cane next to the bed.
Reluctantly, she let Blaze lead her outside. The blazing August heat had dissipated, but a thickness still hung in the air. Buzzing cicadas and chirping crickets were the only sounds other than their footsteps through the field. At least she was still wearing her boots, so the tall grass didn’t itch her ankles anymore. They walked for a long time, saying nothing until the house had to be far in the distance.
“How far are we going?” Tori finally asked.
“Just out to the barn—far enough to not be seen.”
“Hey, I may not be the girl next door, but I’m Scott’s girl.” Tori nudged him.
“Hey, I may be a bastard, but I’d never make a move on my best friend’s girl. Now sit.” Blaze eased her downward. Pinpoints prickled her backside as she sat on a bale of hay. “I have something to ease the tension of tonight for ya.” A lighter clicked as he lit up and sucked in a long breath. It only took two seconds for the weed to hit her nostrils.
“Damn, Blaze! At Scott’s parents’ house? Are you suicidal?” she gasped.
“We’re far from the house. Nobody would smell it anyway over the shit stink coming off this barn.”
“How the hell did you get that on the plane?”
Blaze laughed. “Pfft. Please. Child’s play.” He lifted her hand to place the joint in it.
“Please don’t tell me this was shoved up your ass.” Tori pulled back her hand, unwilling to take the offering.
“Do you want it, or not?” Blaze asked.
“Not until you tell me where it’s been.”
Blaze grunted. “I may be a disgusting pig, but I’m not that foul. I stole Dolly’s stash last night. That was the one thing she didn’t steal back. Bitch knew she owed me one.” He laughed. “Don’t tell Scott.”
Tori offered her hand and he placed the joint between her fingers. She lifted it to her lips and sucked in a deep breath. She held it in as long as she could, then exhaled with a long, relaxed sigh.
“Hell, Scott is the least of our worries. If Judith catches us we’re dead.” Tori took a second hit of the joint and let out a cough. “If they don’t like me now, they’d really hate me then.”
“Eh, whatever. It’s nothing. So, you were with Donaghue. Big deal.” Blaze grabbed the joint from her hand.
“Because there’s still so much even Scott doesn’t know about me. I’m not Brandi. I’ve never been that type of girl and I never will be.”
Least of all, Brandi could see. That’s not what bothered Tori the most. Brandi could probably have babies. Brandi was probably domestic. Brandi didn’t have skeletons lurking in her closet that could send Scott packing.
“I’m not the girl next door. I’m not the girl you bring home to meet the parents.” Tori chuckled nervously.
“But you’re the girl Scott brought home to meet the parents. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.” Blaze grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “You two are perfect for each other. Brandi’s got nothing on you, Blondie.”
Tori chuckled. “Surrrre she doesn’t. I could practically hear the drool from your mouth hitting the floor.”
“Ok, I won’t lie.” He sucked in another hit then passed it back to her. “She’s smokin’ hot. Her and Harris could have probably posed for the top of the wedding cake couple.”
“If you’re trying to make me feel better, you’re doing a really shitty job of it.” Tori let out a snort and sputtered out another cough. At least the weed was making her feel better.
“What I’m saying is, yes, it would’ve been picture perfect, and so very boring.” Blaze made a snoring noise.
“Yet you wanted her?” Tori raised her brow to him.
“Yeah, to fuck her.”
“Liar. You got all tongue-tied and acted like an actual gentleman around her. You liked her!” Tori nudged him. “She was all cute, sweet, smelled like strawberries and had that sickly perfect, southern voice.” Tori shook her head. “Good grief, the woman teaches sweet, little special ed kids. How much more selfless could she be?”
“She did have a killer smile and brown, puppy-dog eyes that were hard to resist. Oh, and this little, cute freckle right above her lip.”
“Again, not helping,” Tori growled.
“Listen. I’m not Harris.”
He shrugged, his shoulder rubbing against hers.
“Maybe I need a little normal and sweet in my life to balance me out. Harris, he needs more. He needs someone that will challenge him. You, Blondie—fit that bill perfectly.”
Tori took a hit and let out a long breath. Maybe Blaze was right. She passed the joint back out to him.
“Now, Blondie, I have one question about Donaghue out of shear filthy curiosity—”
“Yes. I fucked him,” Tori beat him to the punch.
“Look at you, you little minx. Scoring yourself a congressman. Nice.”
Tori lifted her hand and he high fived her, which made them both laugh. “I bet Scott was insanely jealous.”
“Oh, he wasn’t thrilled one bit.” She giggled. “Mainly because I think he hated his sleazy politics. I did too, but come on, it’s a congressman and he was gorgeous. That silver fox was quite the fuck-trophy to have, especially for the girl who’d never been DC royalty.”
“Hey, at least he got laid right before he died. I can’t think of a better way to go,” Blaze joked.
Tori laughed. “Hey. My brain feels really big.”
Blaze giggled. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re smarter right now.”
“No, not like a brainy smart thing. Like my head weighs more.”
Blaze clutched his stomach and Tori heard him fall off the bale of hay and roll on the ground. “OMG, Blondie, you’re fucking high as a kite.” He couldn't contain his laughter. “You’re cut off.”
The bed dipped as Scott climbed in. Tori continued to scroll through her phone, the VoiceOver on Facebook blared every social media status, keeping her up to date.
“How’d the rest of the evening go with my folks?”
Tori’s lips tightened. “Fine.” She didn’t want to talk about it.
He placed his hand on her leg. “Blaze told me what happened. I’m sorry.”
Tori sighed and put the phone down. “How could you not tell them?”
“I was waiting for the right time.”
She snorted. “No; what you were doing was avoiding having an uncomfortable conversation with your parents.”
“Says the queen of avoidance.”
She huffed and folded her arms across her chest. “Are you embarrassed of me?”
“Of course not.” He pulled her in close.
She tried to wiggle away but he just held to her tighter.
“Tori, none of this stuff is their business.” He sighed. “Listen, my dad is into politics and news, like me. When Donaghue died the media painted you in such a poor light and I feared they saw the stories. I knew once they met you they’d fall in love with you, just as much as I have. I was never embarrassed of you, ever. I only wanted to protect your privacy.”
“When do you plan to tell your folks that I can’t have kids?” she mumbled into his chest.
“We don’t know that for certain. Hell, we haven’t even tried yet. Also, that’s our issue, not theirs.”
She grunted. “Tell that to your grandbaby-crazed mom.”
“We decide together when we’ll fill them in.” He kissed the top of her head. “It’s you and I, baby.”
He had a point. She went back to scrolling on her phone.
His chin rested on her shoulder. “Facebook?” He chuckled. “You crack me up, taking selfies, posting on social media still.”
“Just trying to catch up. See what’s going on in the real world.” Tori laughed wryly.
“You know, there’s life outside DC?” Scott wiggled his chin, tickling her with his beard.
“Oh, you know what I mean.” Tori smiled and nudged him off.
The screen reader spoke aloud Scott Harris is in a relationship with Victoria Johnson.
“Well, I guess we’re official if it’s on Facebook, right?” Tori chuckled. She was amused that he did that. Scott wasn’t one for social media.
“The entire world knows now that you're all mine.” Scott put his head in her lap.
She placed her phone down and ran her fingers through his hair. “I wonder how many girls are sobbing into their pillows right now?”
“Not too many, babe.”
I bet one of them is named Brandi.
“We’ve never discussed…others.” She didn't understand why she was letting this girl get the best of her. Or his parents. His folks were actually great people. So great, in fact, she desperately longed for their affection. She didn’t know why she cared so much. It wasn’t like her to normally give a shit about what people think.
“Nobody could ever compare to you.” He rubbed her leg. “None worth changing my stupid Facebook status over.”
That should be enough for her, but somehow it wasn’t. She stopped running her hands through his hair. “Even Brandi?”
Scott let out a long breath. “Even Brandi.” He rubbed her leg under the covers and let out a long, sleepy yawn.
“Were you two…” she swallowed the lump in her throat, “serious?” She hated asking, and she really wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.
He started to speak, then hesitated. “Not really.”
Her brow went into a crease and she grunted. “Why’d you tell Blaze she was off limits then?”
“I think that’s pretty self-explanatory.” Scott snorted. “I’m certain there’s a plethora of STD’s living in those damn Bermuda shorts he wears.”
Ok, fair enough. Tori chuckled and went back to lacing her fingers through his hair. She rubbed his back for quite some time until his breathing turned to heavy slumber. She wiggled down under the covers.
Scott stirred, rolled over, then she heard the click of the lamp on his side of the bed. His arms enveloped her snugly as he yawned again.
“Goodnight,” Tori whispered, taking his hand and giving it a kiss.
Scott’s arm and body twitched, shaking the bed, pulling her from sleep. She’d barely dozed off after lying awake for so long with all the swarming thoughts in her head. Incoherent mumbles came from his mouth as his body jerked.
Tori held her breath and waited to see if he’d still.
More gibberish and a twitch of his arm followed.
Should I wake him? That was always the inner demon she wrestled with any time this happened. Typically, she’d let him be and he’d eventually still.
“Scott?” Tori whispered, seeing if he’d rouse.
“No, not her,” he said as his arm flailed across her chest. “I said to stay away.”
Not her? Stay away from who?
“No, no, no!” His shouts grew louder, and his thrashing intensified.
“Scott!” Tori hollered, praying she didn’t wake up his parents.
There was an intake of a huge breath and she could feel the weight shift as he sat up in bed. “Tori?” He cleared his throat as his hand stroked her cheek. “What’s wrong?” His breathing was intense and labored.
She snorted. “I should ask you that.”
“Huh? Why’d you yell at me then?” His voice was still hoarse from sleep.
“You were the one shouting, babe.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
“Yes. You were.” She frowned.
“Oh. Sorry to wake you.”
They lay there silent for a few moments.
“Bad dream?” she finally asked.
“Guess so.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek then his weight landed hard on the pillow next to her as he flopped back down. He then rolled over and within a few moments his breathing evened and he was back to deep sleep.
What the hell was that?
Stay away? Oddly enough, those were the words he told Blaze earlier that day. It couldn’t be Brandi he was dreaming about, could it? Maybe he was worried about her after the run in with Jett. Or, it was highly possible it was something unrelated. Hell, if she had a clue. She rolled over and hugged her pillow tighter and tried to go back to sleep.