Vicious Circles - By Leann Andrews Page 0,72

too much.

“I think this was a really good idea,” Lynn informed me as she walked through the glass doors at the back of my house. “Everyone loves a good Fourth of July party.”

“You seem to have forgotten what happened last time I had a party, Lynn.” I poked the charcoal in my grill and frowned. “I have never cooked on a grill before.”

“Move.” She pushed me out of the way with her hip.

“Hey, watch it.” I handed her the tongs. “Fine you be meat master. I’ll make lemonade.”

“Meat master? Really?” She giggled.

I laughed to myself and made my way inside to do something that didn’t require using fire and metal utensils. I’d recently mastered the art of lemonade so I grabbed what I needed for the job and got to work. My mind wandered, as it did in those days. It had been a month since the confrontation with Mason in Hollywood. He never called to apologize though Dave sent me a text. Chris felt like shit about the whole thing, but it wasn’t his fault.

“Hey you,” Chris announced his presence. He kissed me quickly on the top of my head on his way through my kitchen and his girlfriend waved, then kept right on walking.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll make the lemonade by hand. Keep on walking! Slackers.”

In my mind, a party meant lots of people, but in Lynn’s mind it meant a small gathering of people who wouldn’t mind not drinking on such a booze driven holiday. Of course, Lynn was my miracle worker and she made shit happen. One by one I watched my backyard fill with people I knew and some that I didn’t. I made myself available to each and every one of my guests like a good little host. The more I mingled the less I thought about the things that had been haunting me for months. The pull between my head and my heart for Mason was still there but muted by the fact that I wouldn’t allow myself to go under for a man. Not many people got second chances after the things that I’d done to myself and those around me. Hell, my sister never took another breath.

It hit me that night as I watched the fireworks, tucked under Lynn’s right arm; I was in control of my life for once. I looked at Chris, who was wrapped around his girlfriend and back to Lynn who looked back at me questioningly.

“You OK?”

I turned my head back to the colors exploding in the sky but I still answered. “I’m fantastic.”

She smiled and I smiled. We broke into giggles that couldn’t be heard over the fireworks.

“I think we’ll all be just fine,” Lynn said trying to calm her laughter.

Someone tossed a random noise maker at our feet and Lynn squealed in response. She ran off looking for the culprit leaving me to admire the night sky alone.

Eventually, people started to disperse. I suspected that they were off to a place that wasn’t dry as a bone, but I couldn’t really blame them. I thanked everyone, shocked at my sweet host skills.

Lynn tried to stay and help clean but I forced her to leave. She walked out with Chris’s girlfriend still complaining about not being able to help. Chris was hugging me goodbye when Dave stepped through the front door that I was holding open.

“Hey man,” he gave Chris a wave and smiled at me. He stood, twisting his feet back and forth like he was nervous.

“Well, I’m headed into the night. Who knows where it might lead me.” Chris hugged me, kissed my forehead and left.

“So, I know I wasn’t invited-“

“Dave, you’re always welcome…you know that.” I interrupted him.

He grinned and shoved both hands in the pockets of his sweat jacket. “Listen, I want to talk to you about Mason. I…I know this is none of my business but I’ve watched him mope around for fucking months.”

“I don’t want you to be mixed up in all of this.” I sighed and leaned against the door that I had yet to close.

“I know, I know. It’s just he had some fucked up reasons for leaving you, Fallyn. You two were…are perfect for each other and believe me I wouldn’t say that if it wasn’t worth saying.”

Dave looked around at the house and laughed. “I heard you were having a kick ass party tonight. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

I rubbed my face with both hands. “You know that all of this could have been avoided if