Read Online Saving Ever After (Ever After #4) by Stephanie Hoffman McManus - Free Book Online Page A

back from me, but I easily kept it away from her
while still holding her upright with my other hand on her elbow.
    “Mia. You’re
drunk,” I said flatly.
    “I’m having fun .”
Hazel green eyes narrowed on me. “So don’t you worry about me. You just go back
to Ellll-vira the vampire succubus over there and let me dance.” She yanked her
arm from my grasp and turned back to the other two.  They seemed to finally be getting
that they were creating a bit of a spectacle and quit dancing. Mia didn’t, or
just didn’t care.
    “Mia,
seriously, this is enough.” My irritation was growing.
    “If you’re
not going to give me back my champagne, you can just go, Chrissstian.” I
was taken aback by her hostility. This was a side to her I hadn’t seen, and one
I really didn’t like. I couldn’t find any trace of the sweet girl I usually saw,
in those cold eyes. Whatever was going on with her, I had a hard time accepting
that this angry, out of control person was really her.
    The real
Mia, her eyes were usually warm and sometimes a little sad, but when she smiled
it was dangerous, because it made you want to work your ass off to be the one
to put it on her face, even when you knew that job didn’t belong to you and
never would. And her laugh, the genuine one that bubbled up from inside her and
spilled over, infecting everyone around, was nothing like the flat, listless
giggles that fell from her drunk lips now. I knew, because I’d heard and felt
the real one. I’d seen the real Mia. She didn’t stay with us very long last
year, but it was enough for me to see the girl that she was when she wasn’t
trying to be anything else. The girl who was now hiding behind this hard,
defensive exterior.
    “Hey Chris,”
Sadie came up beside me, but before she could say anything else, Mia turned and
threw her arms around her sister.
    “Sadie! My
favorite sister, the only one doesn’t think I’m a complete screw up. Dance with
me. You’re getting married!”
    Sadie’s face
fell as a wobbly Mia tried to pull her into dancing. “Mia, that’s not true. You’re
not a screw up, but I think you should come sit down with me for a while and
sober up.”
    “Sober is no
fun,” Mia whined playfully, and then sighed, “Sober Mia is no fun. I’m fun now
though, and the champagne makes it not suck as much.”
    “What sucks,
Mia?” Sadie asked her softly.
    “All of it,”
she whispered, and the heavy sadness clinging to her words ebbed some of my
irritation with her. This was more than her letting loose and not knowing her
limits. She was clearly not having a good time and trying to cover it up. She dropped
her head to Sadie’s shoulder. “I don’t feel so well. I think maybe you’re right
and I do need to sit down.”
    “Come on,” I
put one arm around her back and let her lean on me so I could get her over to
the couch. Mia finally seemed to notice the few eyes that still lingered on her,
and realize that she’d caused a scene.
    “I’m sorry
I’m ruining your party, Sadie. You’re the only one who still cares and I just
wanted to be happy for you. I tried to make myself happy, but now I think I’m
just drunk.” She tipped her head back against the sofa cushion and closed her
eyes.
    “Oh, Mia,”
Sadie whispered, pained, but I don’t think Mia heard her.
    “She needs
to go home,” I told her.
    “I know. Ace
and I will take her. I just want her to rest a little first.”
    “No. You
guys can’t leave your own party. I’ll take her,” I offered.
    “ Chris,” a
voice sounded behind me. I hadn’t even realized Katrina had followed us over,
but she appeared more than slightly annoyed.
    “You don’t
have to do that, Chris,” Sadie said.
    “It’s okay,
I don’t mind.” I looked at Katrina. “You can follow in my car, and then we can
come back or head home, whatever you want,” I told her.
    “Fine.” Her
mouth was pinched in a tight line.
    “Thank you,
guys.” Sadie sounded relieved. Katrina gave her