Breathe Me

Chpater 17

Chapter Seventeen

"WHAT DID I miss?" The red cup was freezing up my hand, even in the heat, as I was left there standing and utterly confused.

"She found out we set her up with you at the fair and wasn't exactly okay with it." Joss took another swig of her margarita, emptying the cup as she stood. Her stance wavered a bit, as though she's had her share of the margarita machine.

"I see." I closed my eyes, knowing full well how furious Cathy would be. I can't say we didn't deserve it, she hated being deceived. "I'm going to head over to her place and see if she's okay."

"No, no... don't do that." Joss grabbed my arm, making the soda spill partly onto the grass. "Bad idea. Give her a bit to cool off. She needs some time to herself."

A crinkling crack of plastic and cold fluid running down my hand made me realize I had smashed the cup I'd been carrying. "Did you tell her?"

Joss huffed, her face screwing up. The margarita was making her moody, and I sighed, slipping down into the chair Cathy had abandoned. Could it be over now? I was so seriously screwed. Cathy could hold grudges like the best of them. She'd never forgive me for withholding this from her. I glared angrily at the shimmering waves reflecting the blinding sun off the ripples of water as everyone continued on with their partying, unaware of the turmoil flooding my head.

Heat swept over me as the wind picked up and made my already flushed face hotter. The rush of disappointment made me want to smash something. Instead, I gritted my teeth and burned a hole in the grass with my eyes. It'd been going so well with Cathy, and I'd finally believed it could actually work this time. Each painstaking moment I had planned to win her over again had all gone swirling down the toilet so quickly, I was left with nothing but tattered shreds of a tapestry I'd worked so hard to put together.

Jumping to my feet, I rushed out of the backyard party, tossing the crushed cup into the trash and wiping the remnants of the drink on my shirt. I had to get my head together and figure out how to salvage what was left. There had to be some way to get Cathy to see how innocent it had all been. There was nothing more I wanted than to hold her in my arms again and smell her intoxicating scent until I passed out after making mad love to her over and over. I needed her more than she'd ever know, but I was willing to spend all my life letting her know just how much.

But first, I'd give her some space, though it the last thing I wanted to do. She needed to think it through right now, I could feel it. Sooner or later I'd cave in and call her or just show up randomly like a lost puppy at her doorstep—that's how far gone I was. I just hoped that when I did get to see her again, she'd be willing to reason with me, and it wouldn't be too late.

I couldn't lose her again. It would be nearly impossible to survive.