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

a strained smile. I’d have to
make it up to her later.
    Despite
Mia’s attempts to refuse my help, I was able to get her outside and to her car.
It took ten minutes of arguing with her before she handed over her keys. She
kept shoving at me, trying to get back inside, demanding somebody else drive her
home. I hated that she wouldn’t let me help her, that she seemed to want anyone
but me to help her. I didn’t know what her sudden problem with me was, but my
frustration mounted and I snapped.
    “You’re a
fucking mess right now, Mia! Nobody else wants to deal with you,” I shouted at
her, instantly wishing I could take it back when I saw the look of hurt on her
face.
    After my
verbal slap to the face, she handed the keys over without anymore protest and
dejectedly climbed into the passenger seat. She managed to buckle herself in
while I stood there regretfully, trying to think of something to say that would
take away some of the sting of my harsh words, but I didn’t know what. I just
walked around to the driver seat and slid in.
    “Look Mia,”
I started once we were driving, but she stopped me.
    “Don’t bother
apologizing. We both know it’s true.” She leaned her head against the window. Her
eyes stared straight ahead.
    “Not it’s
not,” I tried to say.
    “I said
don’t,” she bit out sharply, trying to mask the emotion in her voice. The rest
of the ride passed in silence.
    When we
pulled up outside her dorm, I found the closest parking spot and shut off the
car. I climbed out and walked around to the other side to help her inside. She
was still being stubborn, refusing my help and pushing me away. My patience was
wearing thin and my irritation was flaring again. I wanted to demand she tell me
whatever her issue was with me helping her. Instead I made another asshole
remark.
    “Mia, you
can’t even walk straight, especially not in those damn shoes. Just let me help
you inside before you fall on your face.”
    Her
stubbornness only rocketed up, and she started kicking off her shoes. “Look,
now I can walk just fine. You can go home and leave me alone.”
    Before I
could argue with her further, or shake some sense into her, we were
interrupted.
    “Mia, that
you?” We both looked over to see a small group approaching, three girls and two
guys. Even with the lack of lighting in this parking strip, I could see one of
the guys was very blatantly checking Mia out. Ignoring my presence, he let out
a low whistle, “Wow, you look good tonight. What’s the special occasion and where
were you all day?”
    Mia looked
me dead in the eye, “Somebody doesn’t think I look like a mess tonight,” she said
in a small voice, and then turned toward the guy who couldn’t keep his eyes
above her neckline.
    Fuck, of
course she looked beautiful, even sloppy drunk, and yeah, I noticed, even
though I shouldn’t. She had to know it. She had to own a damn mirror and be
able to see what I did, and that jackass did and every other male with eyes. Obviously
my comment had wounded her more than I thought.
    “I was at my
sister’s engagement party,” she explained to her friends, not giving me a
second look.
    “Oh that was
tonight? I completely forgot you told me about that,” one of the girls said.
    “Well, what
a coincidence,” Mr. wandering eyes drolled out lazily, “you’re just coming from
a party and we’re just headed to one. You still in the partying mood, pretty
Mia?” He flashed a sleazy grin at her.
    “Mia, I
don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said softly in her ear and then fixed a hard
glare on the asshole that didn’t even care that Mia was in no shape to party
anymore. “She’s all partied out for the night guys. You should go on without
her.”
    Mia snapped
her eyes to mine. “Go home, Chris,” she hissed and then bent down to grab the
shoes she’d kicked off. “Hell yes, I’m still in the partying mood. Lead the
way!”
    Everything
in me wanted to stop her from going with them,