Malibu Love Story: A Novella

Chapter 17: Pissed Off

The rest of the party went by in a blur for Reed. Duncan kept her close, anchoring her to him with an arm around her waist. There could be no doubt to anyone with eyes what their relationship was.

Duncan, too, felt amazing, happy and relaxed like he hadn't been in weeks. To know that Reed was near him, that he could touch her again, that she welcomed it, made him want to shout from the rooftops. He found himself leaning into her body from time to time, just to sniff her hair, or feel her against him. He couldn't wait for the party to be over so they could have an encore, but in bed this time.

Reed felt Nancy watching them, and honestly felt bad for her. She wanted Duncan, but couldn't have him; how awful to feel that way.

And Reed didn't let herself think about what would happen in September, or of Sam, or Oklahoma.

"Dunc? Could we step into your office for a mo'?" It was a friend of his, a fellow songwriter. "I want to play something for you, get your opinion."

Duncan looked down at Reed. "You mind, darling?"

Reed shook her head. "Of course not, go do your thing."

Duncan dropped a kiss on her nose as he released her. "Won't be long."

Reed went out to the deck to enjoy the evening, knowing Duncan would come and find her when he was finished. She walked to the very edge, where there weren't many people, and was pleased to find she had a little privacy.

"How long have you and Duncan been seeing each other?"

Reed turned around to see Nancy, drink in hand, regarding her quizzically, head tilted.

Reed shrugged. "Not long."

"I would think not, since you just met him a few months ago." There was a little bite in her words. "However did you manage to snag him?" And Reed could hear the slight, sarcastic emphasis on the word "you," the implication behind the question.

Again, Reed shrugged. "We spend a lot of time together, we have a lot in common—"

"Oh, but you don't," Nancy interrupted. "You're nothing like the women he usually dates, you know nothing of the music business, you're from—where? Florida?"

"Yes, that's right."

"And you just happened to wash up here in Malibu and land in Duncan's lap." Now the hostility was apparent, out in the open.

"Well, he dashed out in front of my car on his bike, you know that," Reed countered. "There was no planning involved, if that's what you're insinuating."

"Oh, I'm not 'insinuating' anything, just trying to get a read on you, dear Reed." Nancy's voice was oily, prying. "Where in Florida did you say?"

"I didn't, but I'm from Orlando."

"Orlando, right. No family to speak of, just showed up here, fresh and clean, to worm yourself into Dunc's life."

"I didn't worm my way into anything," Reed retorted, turning back to face the ocean. "It just happened, it was totally organic."

"Believe me, there's nothing organic about what's going on here," Nancy countered, stepping up next to Reed. "You might have him fooled, but I'm paid to take care of him, and I'm not just going to stand idly by and watch you make a fool of him."

"It seems to me you're paid to do a whole lot of nothing." Reed finished her drink and turned to face the blonde woman. "One of us is definitely taking advantage of Duncan, and it isn't me, I know that."

Nancy gasped. "You bitch!"

"Whoa, what's going on here?" Duncan was crossing the deck quickly, having heard Nancy's last words. "Nancy, you've no call to be speaking to Reed that way."