Broken Promises (Broken Series) - By Dawn Pendleton Page 0,15

a guy back in LA?” Gabby asked.

“Uh, that’s a no. Aside from buff Hollywood movie stars, of whom I haven’t met a single one, by the way, men in LA are kind of … feminine. And I don’t just mean the gay ones. It’s weird,” Rainey replied.

I laughed. “Guess you’ll be looking for the strong, silent type once you’re back for good.”

Her shocked expression was priceless. “You think I’d rather have some small town hick? No thanks. For the time being, I am perfectly happy being single,” she said. Her eyes met someone else’s across the bar and I turned around to see whom. She put a hand on my arm to stop me. “You don’t want to do that, Mal. It’s Luke.”

I groaned.

“I thought he was staying away from you?” Gabby asked.

“It’s not like I posted a sign that I would be here. He probably just came to see the band,” I said, unconvinced.

News traveled fast and Luke could have easily found out that the girls and I were at The Landing. I was already on my fifth drink and I was pretty sure I wasn’t even sitting on my stool straight. It was hard to tell.

“Just ignore him. We’re having a good time and hopefully he’ll leave us alone,” I assured them.

“Oh, shit!” Gabby exclaimed, her eyes glued to the place I figured Luke was standing somewhere behind me. “He’s got Carrie Williams with him.”

“Who’s Carrie Williams?” I asked as I tried to push down the pang of jealousy that ripped through my chest.

“His girlfriend,” Gabby informed me.

Girlfriend? The guy who almost kissed me just that afternoon had a girlfriend? Oh, I couldn’t wait to rub it in his face. What a two-timing asshole. I knew exactly how to get under his skin, too.

“Did I mention Luke almost kissed me today?” I asked Gabby and Rainey with a smirk.

Time to kick up some of my own gossip, I thought. The drinks made me bold. And reckless.

“What?” they both exclaimed.

“Yeah, it was at the hospital. He pulled me into an empty room and came this,” I spread my thumb and forefinger apart less than half an inch, “Close to kissing me. It was crazy.”

“What an ass,” Rainey said.

“Someone should tell Carrie who she’s getting involved with,” Gabby muttered with a slight slur. Her buzz was affecting her judgment.

“We should tell her!” Rainey blurted.

“Carrie!” Gabby waved her arms at Carrie across the bar and gestured for her to come to our table.

I didn’t turn around, afraid that if I saw Luke’s expression, I might burst out laughing, so I sipped more of my drink and stayed quiet.

“Hey girls,” Carrie said as she walked up to our table. “I just love this band. Oh, hi,” she said to me. “I don’t think we’ve met.” She stuck her hand out to shake and I could barely contain my drunken humor.

I shook her hand but didn’t get a chance to tell her my name.

“Carrie, why don’t you sit with us for a while? I’m sure Luke wants to chat with Baker at the door,” Rainey said.

Carrie pulled up another barstool and sent Luke packing. I still hadn’t turned around to face him, but I was betting he was pissed.

Rainey introduced us. “I’m Rainey, and this is Mallory. I remember you from high school. I think you were a few years ahead of us.”

I didn’t remember the woman at all. Of course, I’d been too wrapped up in Luke to notice anyone else in high school. Not to mention Carrie was kind of ordinary. She had the girl next door thing going for her, but that was it.

“Right, I remember you now. What have you girls been up to?” she asked politely.

I couldn’t help but notice how old she was. Granted, she couldn’t be more than three or four years older than our group, but she looked at least ten years older. Time had not been good to her.

“We were just talking about Luke,” Gabby said with a giggle.

“He’s pretty great, isn’t he? We’ve only been dating a few weeks, but I think he might be the one,” Carrie said.

I’d just taken a sip of my drink when she said it, rum, orange and pineapple juices exploded out of my mouth and across the table.

“Oh! I’m so sorry.” I was horrified, but Gabby and Rainey burst into laughter.

“No harm done, Mallory. Mallory. Are you the Mallory? As in, Luke’s ex-girlfriend?” She glared at me.

“Guilty,” I muttered.

“Actually, Mallory had a run-in with Luke earlier today.