Page 20 of Unravel Me

We didn’t run into Rhett for the remaining time, and then suddenly it was closing time, and time to leave. Penny requests an Uber as we made our way out into the night.

“Holy shit, you can really see the stars out here,” I drunkenly mumbled, my head cocked back, arm linked with Penny’s as we swayed on the sidewalk.

Loud laughter captured my attention, and I turned to see a group of guys with Rhett at the center. A cigarette dangling from the lips that I couldn’t stop thinking about.

It’s the tequila talking, of course.

A beautiful girl comes up to him and pulls him into a friendly hug. I avert my eyes, knowing I have no right for the tightness in my throat as her hands linger on his forearm. She was pretty, in a pair of bell-bottom jeans and crop top.

“How's your mama?” she asks with an accent as thick as his.

“Oh, my god I would kill for red hair like hers. Do you think it’s natural? I want to tell her how beautiful she is,” Penny mumbles, sloppily holding onto me a bit too tight.

I shush her and take a step back into the shadow of the building while we wait for the ride. Lots of people start pouring out into the parking lot but I’m still focused on him.

Rhett exhaled his cigarette smoke away from the southern belle and flashed that charming smile. “Oh, she’s doing good…”

“You tell her I said hi!”

“Will do, she’d love to hear from you.”

“And how’s Miss Mabel? Your mama was going on and on about her at the farmer's market.”

Rhett’s smile grows even larger, and he does that boyish thing where he blushes and looks away. “Mabel is as crazy as they get, but you know I've got a thing for those wild girls.” They both laugh, an inside joke she must be privy to. Maybe everyone knew Rhett’s reputation but me. Of course, I couldn’t know. I don’t belong here. I don’t belong in his world. That was just a three second, drunken daydream.

“You ain't kidding, you sure do. Well, I’m glad you have her. I was beginning to worry about you up there at the farm all alone. As was your Mama.”

“She is convinced I'm going to die alone in that house, but I’m perfectly fine now that I have my girl.”

She laughs and hugs him again. “Give Mabel a big hug and kiss from me.”

“I will. Take care.” Rhett tips his head and stomps his cigarette butt on the ground beneath his boot.

It may as well be my heart.

“The Uber is here!” Penny exclaims and as she slides into the back seat, I look back one more time at Rhett, who finally sees me. He almost looks like he is going to say something, but someone else comes up to talk to him, so I take my shot and climb in after Penny.

“I had so much fun. We are definitely coming back,” Penny announces as we pull out of the lot, and I use every fiber in me not to turn around to see what wreckage is left in that parking lot. Because this is the last time I'll be seeing Rhett. I would make it a point to avoid this town.

“Count me out.”

“What? What are you talking about?” My best friend swivels in the dim backseat of the SUV.

“He has a Mabel.”

“A what? Is that a disease?” Penny gags.

“He has a girlfriend, Penny. I heard him talking to that beautiful redhead all about Mabel.”

“What the hell…I’m so sorry…”

“He hit on me all night, right? I wasn’t imagining that, right? I thought there was a spark. Of course, he has a girlfriend. I’m beginning to truly believe all men are the same.”

“Wait, you have spent the whole evening avoiding him, and telling me it’s nothing, and now you’re heartbroken?”

“I know. It just felt good to be wanted...I haven’t felt that in a long time. But I’m done…I can’t handle any more rejection.”

I’m leaving this state soon anyway.