Blinding Rain, Season 2, Episode 7 (Rising Storm) by Elisabeth Naughton Read Free Book Online Page A

are.”
    Mary Louise’s face heated. Was it obvious to everyone in town but Tate that she was hung up on the man? Apparently it was.
    Tate’s scowl deepened as Mary Louise drew close and he spotted the drinks in her hands. “Those don’t look like beers.”
    “They’re not. They’re attitude adjustments.” She slid onto the seat across from him. “You could use a big one. Sadly, this is the only size they make.”
    He glared at her across the table as she leaned forward and sucked back a sip through her straw. “Very funny.”
    He took his own sip and coughed. “Dear God, that’s awful.”
    Mary Louise stirred her drink with her straw. “Expand your horizons, Tate Johnson. In fact, expand them in all areas.”
    “What the heck does that mean?” He obviously didn’t think the drink was too awful. He was taking another sip. “I’m running for mayor, aren’t I? I’d say that’s expanding my horizons.”
    God, he was dense. “In your career, maybe. But if you don’t learn to cool your jets with your brother, you’ll never win the election.”
    He tipped his head and stared at her. “I don’t need—”
    “Yeah, actually, you do. You need someone to tell it to you like it is because you’re not getting it on your own. So here it is. You’re mad at your brother. I get that. What he did was a dick move. But being angry isn’t going to change anything. It’s not going to make him break up with Hannah, and it’s not going to make her run back to you. And let’s be honest, here, shall we?”
    Tate leaned back against the booth and crossed his arms over his chest, clearly not liking her bluntness, but she didn’t care. “Sounds like you already are.”
    “Hannah Grossman obviously didn’t love you if she so easily fell into bed with someone else.”
    “I already know that,” he said between clenched teeth. “You don’t have to state the obvious.”
    “Clearly I do, because you’re acting like she broke your heart. She didn’t break your heart and we both know that. Face it. You wouldn’t be this upset if she’d cheated on you with anyone else. You’re ticked because she did it with your brother.”
    “Of course I’m pissed she did it with my brother!” When Mary Louise eased back and looked around the bar, Tate’s gaze followed, and he realized several heads were turned their way. Frowning, he leaned toward her and tried to quiet his voice when he said, “If you had any siblings you’d understand why I’m so mad, but you don’t, so don’t try to act like you know what I’m feeling.”
    “You’re right,” she said softly, trying to calm her own frayed temper. “I don’t have any siblings. So maybe I don’t know what it’s like to have a brother or sister betray me, but I can sure as hell tell you that I know what it’s like not to have a sibling at all. Or parents, for that matter . ”
    The fight seemed to slide right out of him. Tate’s shoulders relaxed and the fire she’d seen flare in his eyes moments before died down. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about your own family.”
    “Thank you.” Mary Louise reached for her drink and took a small sip. She wasn’t sure how they’d gotten off on this tangent, but she had a feeling maybe it was for the best. “And I’m not trying to sound ungrateful. I love my aunts and everything they’ve done for me. It’s just... I’d give my left arm for the kind of family you have, Tate, but you’re so blinded by your anger you can’t see what you’re about to throw away. All over a woman you wouldn’t even want back. Would you take her back right now if you could?”
    “No.”
    “Do you love her?”
    He scowled and reached for his drink. “No.”
    “Did you ever?”
    He lifted his drink and sucked through the straw until his drink was gone and all that remained was a slurping sound from the bottom of his glass. “I don’t know.” He set his drink down. “I thought so. Now I’m not so