Promises Made, Promises Broken - SYTYCW (Bad Reputation)

Present Day (Chapter Twenty-Seven) Friday

Tucker 

I pried myself away from Mark, using a quick trip to the restroom to reapply my lipstick as an excuse.  I figured I could put in another hour and be done with it.  I hadn't seen Joey again since leaving the church, and I couldn't decide if I was relieved, or disappointed.

Maybe you imagined him.

And then a warm hand found the small of my back.  I turned into him automatically.  He led me to a corner of the dance floor, and wrapped his arms around me.  I glanced around.  There was no way for me to get away without causing a scene.

“You’re here with Mark,” he said into my hair.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes.”

“Tucker, I want it to be my business.”

“You have a funny way of showing it.”

He stiffened. “My father and I haven’t seen eye to eye for years. I wanted to explain to you before we took things any further. If I could go back and do it over, I’d come clean with you from the first second.”

I desperately wanted to believe him.  “Even if I took you at your word about that…I saw you last night at the bar.”

“The bar?”

“With the girl in your lap.”

"I saw you yesterday morning, talking to Mark."

"That's a far cry from what you were up to."

“My point is…I want us to be honest with each other. I want us to be the kind of couple who can work things out.”

I considered his words. “I agreed to come here with Mark because he offered me an explanation for cheating on me.”

“He’s an asshole, plain and simple.”

“And the girl in the bar?”

“If you had stayed for five more minutes, you would’ve her leave. Nothing happened. All I want is you.”

We were moving way to slow for the music that played around us.

“There’s more things I’d like to tell you about,” Joey said. “If you want to get out of here.”

I nodded. “Give me five minutes.”

***

I shook my head at my mirror image.  I straightened my hair, and smiled.  There was nothing I wanted more than to leave with Joey.

The door swung open and the other girl appeared as if I'd summoned her with my thoughts.

"Tucker!" she greeted sweetly. "I saw you with Joey. Are you working things out?"

"Trying to.”

She put her hands and her hips and cocked her head to the side. "I'm just so glad he decided to come clean with you."

I decided not to bother telling her that he hadn't exactly done it on purpose.  "It's not his fault that his dad's an asshole."

"His dad?" Amber shook her head. "I know the guy's a jerk, but I meant coming clean about the other stuff."

"What stuff?" I was losing my patience.

Her eyes widened innocently. "About his wife."

I laughed. "What?"