Tracy

I was so mad I wanted to hit something. That bastard. I curled my hand tightly around my phone and resisted the urge to throw it. I should have known he would make things more difficult.

A call to my landlord had informed me Jack hadn't returned the key he had to my apartment. He had promised before I had left and I had naively believed him. I was such an idiot.

Mark's words from the previous night echoed in my thoughts. Damn it!

"Is everything all right?" My mom asked, jolting me back to the reality.

I smiled. "Yeah, everything's fine." My voice was breathless and unconvincing. It didn't help that I caught Mark's curious look from across the other side of the bar where he was talking to my father.

"Are you sure?" my Mom persisted. She knew me well.

I nodded. "As right as rain." I attempted another strained smile. My mother frowned slightly before she let it go.

After a day at the spa while the men had played golf should have relaxed me but I was so tightly wound I felt like I was going to explode.

My aunt distracted my mom and Sophie pulled me to the side away from the main group.

"What's going on?" she whispered.

I put my hand to my temple. "He didn't return the key."

"I knew it. I told you not to trust that weasel!" Her voice raised slightly, drawing attention.

"Shh!" I angrily whispered to her aware we had caught some people's attention. Mark was watching as well. Just what I needed. At least my bother was too preoccupied with Sarah to have noticed.

"Sorry. He just makes me mad."

I let out a heavy breath. "Me too."

"What are you going to do now?" She looked at me expectantly.

"I don't know." I chewed my bottom lip as I tried to think of a plan of action.

"Call him and tell him if he doesn't return the key you'll tell Matty," Sophie suggested but I shook my head. "Come on, maybe it's time to call in the big guns."

"I need to call Jack," I decided. It was the only way to sort it out. Maybe he had a valid excuse for not dropping the keys off like we had arranged. I was hoping it would be that simple and it could still be sorted out without becoming a bigger mess.

I didn't want to think about being away for the weekend while my ex-boyfriend still had keys to my apartment.

"Cover for me," I told my sister.

She nodded. I slipped out the side onto a dimly lit balcony which would have been a beautiful romantic setting with the pinks and orange of the sunset but I was in the mood to yell a bit. I took a deep breath before I dialled Jack's phone. I threw a cautious look over my shoulder as it rang.

Pick up. I kept chanting, just wanting everything sorted out but it continued to ring before it clicked over to voicemail.

I disconnected the call and put my phone back in my bag. I clutched the banister and gazed down to the gardens below, trying to calm my anger so I could go back inside and pretend everything was fine.

"What are you doing out here?" Mark's voice broke through the quiet night.

"Getting some fresh air." I turned to face him.

"What was the earlier phone call about?" he asked walking to stand in front of him. I swallowed trying to think of a lie that would pass his scrutiny.

"It was nothing. An annoying client who wants their photos sooner than I can manage." I felt the heat on his stare on me. Was he buying my little white lie? Okay so maybe it was a little more than a little white lie.

I should have just told him it was personal and none of his business but riling him up could make him more suspicious.

Not only did I have the task of keeping my bad break up from my family but also Mark who was proving to be more aware something was amiss no matter what my explanations were.

For a second I thought he was going to persevere with his question but instead he said,"Your mom's looking for you."

"Thanks." I made a move to walk past him but he caught my wrist with his hand. I stopped.

"Again if you need help with anything all you have to do is ask." He wasn't buying any of my lame lies.

I put my hand to my hip and levelled him with a sassy look. "I don't need a knight in shining armour Mark. Trust me if I need one I'll call you."

He held my gaze for a few intense seconds before he released me and stepped out my path. I hurried inside wanting to get away from him.

There was no doubt in my mind Mark knew something was up but he had no idea what. I just hoped he didn't share his concerns with my brother. I didn't Matthew sticking his nose in my business but my older brother wouldn't see it that way. He had always been protective over Sophie and I and regardless of the fact we were adults didn't make any difference, he would still take care of anyone who gave us any trouble.

From the boy who had teased me on the playground to the boy who had stood me up on my first date Matthew had always been there to make things right.

But I couldn't spend the rest of my life depending on him or anyone else. Besides I couldn't take one more joke about my lack of organizational skills. I would show my family I could take control of my life which included dealing with unsavoury situations like an ex-boyfriend who was making a breakup more difficult than was necessary.

I spent the rest of the evening keeping my distance from Mark but he never sought me out again. Maybe he was going to drop it. I could always hope.

I concentrated on taking some photos of my family including a few loved up ones of my parents. And when Mark wasn't aware I snapped a few of him too. It was a bad habit I had developed as my feelings for him had turned from platonic to the first flutterings of a first crush.

And depressingly I still felt the same. It hadn't weakened through the years.

I'd doodled his surname linked with mine more times than I could count. When I was younger I had been filled with hope but now when I remembered things like that it was mortifying that I still harboured a crush for someone who didn't see me like that.

I remember the first time I had seen him working out with my brother with his shirt off and I had felt the first stirrings something. And even now it only took a look from him to make my stomach do strange things.

Toward the end of the evening my uncle Dennis, my father's brother, pulled me onto the dance floor.

"I really don't think this is a good idea," I muttered looking around everyone dancing like they didn't have a care in the world.

"Come on darling," he prompting as he began to dance shifting from one foot to the other.

I giggled, mimicking his movements. It was the first time in probably a couple of weeks I felt light hearted. I probably looked ridiculous but I didn't care.

The more outrageous his moves got the more I laughed until I was holding my stomach I was laughing so hard.

The music changed to a slow romantic song and I was still smiling when my Uncle took my hand and put his hand on my waist.

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" he asked with a knowing smile. I giggled.

"No." It was exactly what I had needed, some light hearted fun.

Someone cleared their throat beside us.

"May I interrupt?" Mark directed the question to my Uncle. I frowned.

What was he playing at now? My uncle kissed my forehead affectionately before he released me. "Sure."

I stiffened when Mark pulled me closer and I was hyperaware how near I was to him. His hand held mine and his other hand settled on my lower back. Every inch of me was heightened to his touch and I tried not to show my attraction to him.

"What do you want?" I asked, knowing there had to be an ulterior motive to this dance.

In all the years I had known him, not once had we ever danced together. But in all fairness I rarely danced.

"Just a dance," he spoke softly.

I frowned unable to relax even when it felt like I was living out one of my teenage fantasies of him.

"Relax." He drew me closer and I lay my head against his chest. For a brief moment I breathed him in and let myself live in the moment which brought back all my teenage daydreams of him.