What Might Have Been by Wendi Zwaduk

out of the car and extended his hand. “Now, when your hunk shows up and whisks you away for hot sex in the bed of his truck, I hope you let him.”
    “I will.” Macy grabbed his fingers and emerged from the limousine on shaky legs.
    Gerard pulled her close and whispered in her ear as a flash bulb popped. “Show them your adorable smile so we can break some hearts.”
     
     

Chapter Nine
     
     
     
    Tanner searched the throng of dancers. The banquet had started over an hour previously. As far as he knew, Macy wasn’t there yet. He leant back in his seat and crossed his ankles. Maybe she’d made good on her threat not to show up. Had he moved too fast? But fifteen years had seemed like ages to wait for her.
    Silver and black crêpe paper dangled in sweeping arcs from the exposed rafter beams. The disco ball over the DJ stand threw rainbows of light across the room and glinted off the metallic streamers blossoming on each table. Purple, pink, and blue lights swirled over his fellow classmates on the gym floor.
    Berto scooted back in his chair and patted Remi’s thigh. “He’s looking for her.”
    “No shit,” Tanner grumbled. “Stop talking about me as if I’m not right here.”
    “Oh sure. Why didn’t you make a move back in school?” Remi asked. He wrapped his arm around Berto’s shoulders. “Hell, we all knew you had a thing for her.”
    “Seems to me you fucked up,” Berto piled on.
    “I did.” Tanner stared at the condensation on his plastic cup. “When we were alone, I had guts. I could be myself and she’d take me that way. She told me how it was and didn’t hold back. But there was always something missing.” He snorted. “I was jealous of you two.”
    “Us?” Berto and Remi asked in tandem. Berto stared at Remi. “I told you he wanted that three-way, but you said no.”
    “All you had to do was ask, honey.” Remi bobbed his brows. “We’d have shown you the way.”
    “Three-way?” Tanner rolled his eyes. “Actually, yes, I was jealous of the threesome you three had. I wanted Macy and the tight friendship you shared. I just couldn’t shake my expectations. And it’s funny. The guys from the team haven’t even noticed I’m here. Well, no, Stafford noticed—asshole.”
    Remi stood and strolled around the table. “You served your purpose and then they moved on. Kinda like what you did with Mace. She was a great friend in secret, but the moment you had to admit it, you couldn’t.”
    “Maybe that moment hasn’t come yet.” He peeked at the main entrance one more time and averted his gaze. “Dumb-ass at six o’ clock.”
    Stafford snorted and folded his arms when he reached their table, obviously having overheard the comment. Faith strode up behind Stafford in a crimson, strapless dress that accentuated her narrow waist. Sure, she looked good, but she wasn’t the woman Tanner wanted to visually grope. “Staff and I thought we’d find you pouting at your table. He just got here first.” She crinkled her nose. “I didn’t know you palled around with these two. They have whips, you know.”
    “And we make good use of them,” Remi snapped. “I’d love to break you in.”
    “Go find some friends who like you.” She waved her hand at Remi and Berto. “Or just leave.”
    “I’d say leave.” Stafford grabbed a chair from an adjoining table and turned it backwards. “We need to talk.”
    Berto and Remi sat down. “Oh, do talk,” they said in unison. Snorting, Remi added, “I’m sure the world wants to know the next intelligent thing to come from your mouth.”
    “Fuck off,” Stafford snapped.
      Faith perched on Tanner’s lap and pressed her ample breasts against his chest. The slit along the thigh of her dress opened to show more leg than he preferred to see. “She replaced you quick.” She nodded to the smoke-filled dance floor. “He’s a real looker, too.”
    “Leave me alone, Staff. Faith, get off my lap.” He squirmed to follow Faith’s