Page 5 of Tattered Souls (Whispering Falls #2)

Tatum

I was nervous.

Why was I nervous?

I shouldn’t be nervous.

These girls were awesome.

They made me laugh. They were loyal. And it needed to be repeated; they were awesome.

My shoulders dropped.

No... I wasn’t nervous about them or anything that would take place tonight.

At the vibrating my phone was doing once again, I sighed.

Pulling it out, I saw Lance’s name on the screen.

I took in a deep breath and answered the seventeenth call he had made to me since I left the apartment over two hours ago.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Why’d it take you so long to answer? You shouldn’t be in the bar yet,” he said with a snapping bite.

I held in the sigh; I wanted to unleash.

Instead, I said, “Because I was walking down the street and I just noticed it was vibrating.”

“Hmm. Well. Have a good time.” And then he clicked off.

I sighed.

Lance and I had gone out to dinner a few times. A few coffee dates. But that was the extent of it.

Then, to make myself smile, I texted my brother.

Me – Headed into the bar with the girls.

Granger – Okay. Have fun. Miss you.

Me – Miss you, too.

I was right. I smiled.

I pocketed my phone as I reached the bar, Virgin Mary’s, and then opened the door.

Seeing the girls, I smiled as I walked over to them.

Harlee saw me coming first, stood up, rounded the table, smiled, and then pulled me in for a hug.

Lila was next. Followed by Talia, and then Everly.

I’d ordered my drink, a dirty Russian, and commenced in girl talk.

“Okay, so now that my bestie is off the market, care to take bets on who will be claimed next?” Talia asked.

I looked right back at her.

As did Harlee.

Lila.

And Everly.

Her eyes narrowed at all of us, and then she let out a snort, “There is no sausage getting into this.”

I snorted, Harlee chuckled, Lila giggled, and Everly snickered.

But it was Lila who said, “Right. We all know a certain someone would like to get in there.”

Talia looked so confused.

Then she asked, “Who?”

I knew that we all saw it, and how Talia didn’t see it was crazy.

Harlee was the first one to say, “Dom.”

Lila nodded.

Everly nodded.

Even I nodded. I had seen the way the two of them interacted with each other.

Talia had just taken a sip of her martini, and then promptly snorted.

Thankfully, she had covered her mouth when she did that, or else we would be wearing that sip.

“Y’all are insane,” she said as she started laughing.

When she realized none of us were laughing, she stopped.

Then she shook her head, “The day I ever even think about kissing Dominik, I will let all of you plan a date with the ugliest person you know.”

I could see minds spinning.

And then... well... to take the attention off Talia, I said, “Umm, so, I forgot to tell y’all that I met someone.”

Their mouths dropped open.

Talia gasped, “Who?”

Harlee asked, “When?”

Everly asked, “Where?”

Lila narrowed her eyes. “I’ll repeat... who?”

I shook my head at them. “Well, his name is Lance. And I met him when he came in to buy a present for his mother.”

The questions and answers flowed like clockwork.

“Do you like him?”

“Is he handsome?”

“How tall is he?”

“Does he have any tattoos?”

“Is he nice to you?”

I answered them all, but told a little white lie about him being nice to me. I mean he was, don’t get me wrong.... but when you're treated your whole life by someone who is supposed to love you... It jades you.

***

Climbing into the Uber, I sighed as I watched them all climb into Dominik’s SUV.

I wish Lance was like that.

I wish every man who had come into my life since the day I was born were like Dom and the Griggs siblings.

Other than my brother, I’d had no one else.

***

I slapped the alarm clock and then climbed out of bed to get ready for work.

I loved what I did. On some days.

On other days, not so much.

And that was proven true when three hours later, I was standing at the counter with a couple who had purchased rings, and the bride-to-be was now pregnant.

And it went like this.

Her fingers were swollen.

Her ring wouldn’t fit her finger anymore.

And she didn’t like all the options we had available.

It would take too long to size it.

It wouldn’t be here in time for her ceremony.

I don’t like the way that would look.

Therefore, I suggested purchasing a dummy ring that was similar to her actual ring.

And she thought I had called her a dummy.

My boss, Linda, chuckled, then came over.

“Hi, my name is Linda. I am the owner of this store. Tatum has inevitably told you everything we can do for you. Unfortunately, I’m sorry that the ring won’t make it back in time.”

“And for the record, she didn’t call you a dummy. She said a dummy ring. A ring that is similar to yours, so while it is being sized, you can wear it.”

The man sighed, then nodded, but the woman looked like she was geared up to go again.

Linda smiled, “I truly am sorry, but that’s all we can do.”

After a few more back-to-backs, I knew we didn’t do this.

.. but... I looked at Linda, and then I looked at the bride-to-be and said, “If you take it to the mall, there is a guy there on the first floor. He can size it. Takes him about half an hour. However, if you do go that route, it will void out the warranty you have on your ring.”

I knew exactly what they were going to do.

Once they left, Linda looked at me and then said, “She was a dummy.”

I giggled. “I mean, come on. You bought rings. Which is fine. You get pregnant. Which is totally fine too. Wouldn’t you have checked way before a week before your wedding if it would still fit?”

I was shaking my head when my phone pinged with a text message.

Garrick – You doin’ okay?

I grinned at the sight of his name on my phone.

I knew that the moment Lance saw it, he wouldn’t be happy about it.

But there was just something about Garrick Griggs that called to me.

I couldn’t explain it, and I wasn’t even going to try to.

Which was why I texted him back.

Me – Yeah.

Then I told him about the bride-to-be.

Garrick – The fuck is wrong with some people?

Me – If I had a penny for every time I asked myself that, I’d be a rich woman.

Garrick – Ditto.

“What has Lance done now to put that smile on your face? Have to say, sweetheart, it’s been a while since I’ve seen it.” Linda asked.

I felt my smile fall from my face, which caused concerned eyes to look back at me. Linda whispered, “What is it?”

I shook my head, “It, umm, it wasn’t Lance.”

Her brows lifted. “Well then, tell Linda all about it.”

And I did.

Moments later she said, “Sounds to me like you need to dump that prick and take Garrick for a ride.” Then she waggled her eyebrows.

I swatted at her as customers came into the store.

Then I got back to work.