Perfectly Broken (28 page)

“This I know.” Reed chuckled then his face tensed. “So tell me about her and Griffin.”

Quinn took a deep breath. “Griffin and I took turns staying with her during the day, but I had the nights to myself. After the black eye, I knew I needed help. Plus, I still had classes I needed to study for, so Griffin started staying at our apartment at night. He slept on our sofa at first, but it really didn’t help. Then he started sleeping on the floor or in a chair next to Peyton’s bed, so he could be close when she woke up.”

“Quinn, I really don’t ....”

“One night she woke up — it was a bad one. She grabbed a metal nail file off her nightstand and tried to....” Quinn stopped, holding back tears. “She was just in so much pain, so much emotional pain. She just wanted it to stop. Griffin was there, thank God. He grabbed her and held her in his arms until she dropped the file to the ground. Peyton cried and cried, as Griffin just held her. After a few minutes, she fell asleep in his arms. His arms were like a straight jacket or something. So that became the routine: Griffin slept with her, his arms wrapped around her, for months.”

Reed wanted to throw up, but a part of him wanted to thank Griffin.
Why is he always saving my girl?

“I promise you nothing ever happened between them. Griffin can be a complete ass, but he never crossed the line.
Never
. He wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t take advantage of her like that.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive,” she said. “I’d have killed him.”

Reed smiled. “I believe you.”

“Once Peyton started sleeping, she got better slowly. And Griffin slowly fell in love with her. Maybe he already was before, but with her needing him so much, the physical closeness just made it stronger. Peyton had no idea then. And she still doesn’t, of course. Griffin wants there to be more between them, but Peyton just can’t see it.”

“You said they did that for months? Why’d they stop?”

“One night Peyton fell asleep on the sofa watching
House Hunters.
She slept the whole night while Griffin just watched her from a chair.”

House Hunters!

“He stayed over on the sofa for a week or so after that, just making sure. But Peyton didn’t need him anymore. She would still have bad dreams occasionally, but she could settle herself. He helped strengthen her.”

“She’s incredibly strong.”

Quinn smiled. “You know, I really didn’t think you were right for Peyton, but you stuck it out, broke down her walls. You’ve been good for her.”

“She’s been good for me.”

“Who knows what will happen with you and her down the road, but don’t try to get in between Peyton and Griffin. They have a bond that neither one of us can understand.” She stood up to leave.

“Thanks for the talk.”

She narrowed her eyes. “We never had this conversation.”

“What conversation?” Bret asked, returning to the table and putting his phone away.

“Nothing.” Quinn kissed him on the cheek. “Go over the list and text me.” She gave Reed a small pat on the shoulder before leaving.

Bret raised an eyebrow. “Everything OK?”

“Yeah, but I need you to do me a favor,” Reed said. “I need you to add a song to the list.”

* * *

Reed woke up in a sweat, breathing heavily, as if from a bad dream. But it hadn’t been bad at all. He’d been dancing with Peyton in Audubon Park, feeling her soft skin, tasting her lips, smelling the vanilla. He cursed the dream was over then looked outside, the moon shining brightly through his bedroom window. He thought about calling her and reached for his phone. He saw it was the middle of the night, so any call would have to wait.

Then he decided he wasn’t going to call her at all. He’d be seeing her tonight at the engagement party — for the first time in 36 days. He flipped through the photos of her on his phone, landing on the one he loved the most, her resting her head on his chest, a small smile on her pink lips. He’d give anything to go back to that moment, to have her in his arms again. It seemed as if Griffin had held her more than he ever did. He threw the covers over his head, trying to get back to sleep and desperate to return to his dream.

But thoughts of tonight, thoughts of Peyton, kept him awake. Over several weeks, he’d tried to let her go but just couldn’t. Despite all the boxing, all the exercise, trying to bury himself in work, he wasn’t strong enough. He’d fallen in love – the first time ever – and now couldn’t recover. She’d been his soft spot, and he’d hit concrete without her, shattering his heart. He had no idea if she was as tortured, conflicted, unsettled as he was, or whether she’d just moved on without a second thought. He hoped she felt like he did.
But she sure found a roommate pretty damn quick!
His talk with Quinn helped put some things in perspective, but he still didn’t trust Griffin living in Peyton’s house, just a few doors down from her bedroom.

His mind flashed to the possibility that she was bringing some guy tonight.
Griffin
? And he wasn’t going to ask Bret if he knew whether she was. That would be pathetic and weak. He needed to be calm and strong, though not too strong. He couldn’t just wail on some new guy tonight, not even Griffin — no matter what he saw, even if her lips, God forbid, touched Griffin’s or some other man’s.

He gripped his pillow tightly then threw the covers off his head, the moonlight hitting him again, shining down an unmistakable truth, one he already knew all too well. He needed Peyton. He needed her to love him.

THE PARTY PLANNERS
scurried about while the jazz band got ready in a large white tent outside Nottoway Plantation. But Peyton wasn’t ready at all. Though her hair and makeup were done, she was still in her bathrobe. She chewed her thumb nail and twirled her locket, staring at a skimpy slate blue dress Quinn insisted she wear, hanging on the closet door in the old historic bedroom. Peyton thought to look around the plantation for something else, anything else, to wear. An old Southern belle dress might be hanging around somewhere, perhaps left over from the 1800’s. And even if torn and frayed, it would at least cover her up – certainly more than the blue dress.

Quinn barged in the bedroom, in a white strapless dress that made her golden skin and hair shine. “You’re not dressed yet? I’ve got 150 people coming, but you are most important. Get moving, sister!” Peyton gave her a frown then frowned at the blue dress. “It’s just a dress.” Quinn ripped it from the hanger. “You’ll look hot in it!” She pulled at Peyton’s bathrobe, but Peyton clutched it in her hands. “Look, I want my best friend and maid of honor to look hot at my party. Wear it for me, please?” Quinn batted her eyelashes.

Peyton rolled her eyes. “I hate you.”

Quinn flashed a wink and a smile. “See you outside in five minutes.” Then she turned to leave.

“Is Reed coming?” Peyton asked.

Quinn turned around. “Of course he is. He’s Bret’s best friend.”

“Is he coming alone?”

“I think so, but I can’t say for sure. I know Bret’s said he’s been a mess.”

Peyton looked back at the dress, wrinkling her nose as if it were some awful vegetable she didn’t want to eat.

“I’m sure he’ll like the dress,” Quinn said and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Peyton smiled and slipped off her bathrobe.

* * *

As the sun set over the Mississippi River, only a few hundred yards from the plantation, Peyton stepped inside the tent filled with white lights and Casablanca lilies. It looked more like a wedding reception than an engagement party. She estimated about 100 people had arrived, and surely more were on their way, still making the drive from New Orleans. She saw many people already eating dinner, having availed themselves of the huge buffet and carving table, and decided to check on her pies before people went for dessert.

She shuffled around a few items on her table then adjusted a special tower she’d brought – much like a cupcake tower – to hold individual-sized pies she and Julia had made. She took a step back to inspect the tower from all angles, and after satisfying herself, she motioned to one of the catering staff, instructing that the table stay filled, with the pies on the tower being replaced first. She took one last look at the table before turning to join the party and looking for Quinn in the thickening crowd.

Peyton saw Griffin instead, right in front of her. He flashed a smile, his dimples in full force, and slid his hand into hers. He gave her a slow twirl towards the dance floor and pulled her into his arms. “Come on, let’s dance,” he said, holding her close.

Peyton took a deep breath. “OK, just one,” she said, starting to sway with him, carefully scanning the crowd, hoping Reed — if he was there — wasn’t looking.

“You look different tonight.”

“It’s the same old me.” Peyton smiled. “Just a new dress.”

“Well, whatever it is. It’s working.”

She slapped his shoulder. “You’re such a flirt.”

Griffin gently rubbed his hand against the slate blue, and she rested her head on his chest, smiling slightly. Peyton listened to the sound of his heart, its steady beat once bringing her so much comfort, sending her into peaceful dreams night after night. His arms slid all the way around her, more like a hug than a dance, as they moved slowly together. Peyton peeked up at him, as he rested his head atop hers. She suddenly felt his heartbeat quicken, sensing something wrong, something bothering him. She looked up expecting to see Reed nearby but instead saw Griffin looking down at her.

He swallowed hard and mustered some courage, knowing it was now or never. “You have no idea how completely sexy you are.”

What?
Her head bolted up from his chest, and her mouth dropped open, finding his cute dimples replaced by desire, a fire in his eyes. It was obvious he wasn’t teasing this time. She felt chills on her arms, convinced her dress held some magical power throwing her world into orbit.

Griffin cupped her cheek. “You’ve never thought about us being together?”

What, again?
Her eyes bulged in shock. But the truth was she had thought about them together — many times, a long time ago. She softened her eyes and tried to respond, to think of something to say, but nothing came out. The jazz band ended one song and segued into “Let’s Stay Together.” Her heart began to pound.
This is too much!

“I think about you a lot,” Griffin said, gazing into her eyes. “The way your body felt pressed against mine while we kissed.” He pulled her a little closer. “I’ll never forget the way you looked in that black strapless bikini, with those little ties on the hips of the bottoms.”

“You remember what I was wearing? That was like 10 years ago.”

He tilted his head and leaned closer, his eyes on her lips. “I remember wanting to yank on that little tie. But you were too young, so I had to be good.” Griffin’s hands fell to her hips, gently drawing circles with his fingertips. “I wonder what would have happened if I’d ....”

“Mind if I cut in?” Reed asked, his eyes on Peyton, wearing a white cotton shirt, the top few buttons undone, and light brown slacks hanging on his hips. He put his hands on her waist, throwing off her balance a bit more.

Griffin narrowed his eyes. “Actually, her dance card is full tonight.”

Reed kept his eyes on Peyton. He hadn’t seen her in over a month. He wasn’t about to waste time with Griffin. He scanned her body up and down, her slate blue dress melted to her body, hugging the curves of her hips, her locket sitting perfectly between her breasts. She was the sexiest girl on the floor — that wasn’t new — but now she dressed so everyone else knew. He wondered, though, if she’d dressed up for Griffin, whether they’d come together. After all, Griffin’s hands were all over her, while she smiled and laughed and danced.
She hasn’t suffered like I have.

“Just give us a minute,” Peyton said to Griffin. “Maybe check on my pie table, if you don’t mind.” Griffin did mind but did what was asked.

Reed took her in his arms and started to move her to the music, a rush of heat shooting between both of them. She pushed back gently, creating a slight distance. “Did you bring the devil’s food chocolate praline?”

“I don’t make that one anymore,” Peyton said quickly.

Reed gave a tight smile, not knowing exactly what that meant, but figuring it wasn’t good. “Do you remember this song?”

She nodded, her eyes down. “I assume you asked the band to play it?”

He tilted his head to catch her eyes. “I realized I loved you that night, and I....”

“This isn’t the time or place,” Peyton interrupted.

“It seems never a good time. You don’t return my calls. You return my flowers. You....”

“You haven’t called me in over a week.”

“So you’ve been keeping track?”

“Not really.”

“I was just trying to give you some space. You weren’t calling me back anyway.”

Peyton waved him off. “Look, our best friends are getting married. We should talk later. Let’s just try to enjoy the party, OK?”

“Probably so. Seemed you had the right idea with Griffin.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just that you seemed to be really enjoying yourself with him.”

Peyton released his hands. “He’s just a friend. I’ve told you that before.”

“Did you guys come together?” Reed took her hands again.

“No, we didn’t. And I don’t like whatever you’re implying.”

“Were you trying to make me jealous?”

“I didn’t even know you were here!”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I don’t
have
to answer your questions.” Peyton let go again. “And no, I wasn’t trying to make you jealous.” The song ended, and she walked off the dance floor, taking a seat at a table, with Reed following behind.

“It just looked like more than dancing,” he said.

Peyton looked away, still in shock over Griffin’s confession, not ready to discuss it with Reed, pissed Reed was even focusing on Griffin. She would’ve rather Reed focus on her, on their relationship. She drew a deep breath. “OK, he told me he wanted more, but....”

“When? Tonight? What did you tell him?”