Loves Me NOT: A Small Town, Second-Chance Romance (Slade Brothers Book 4)

by Alexis Winter

  “I was just thinking that maybe we should skip the date. We could stay here and have some girl-on-girl action,” he jokes, offering up a goofy smile.

  I laugh and push him away. “Sorry, Krystal, but I only like men.”

  “Krystal?” he asks, confused.

  “If you’re going to be a girl, then you need a girl name. You look like a Krystal to me,” I joke, smacking him on the ass. “Let’s go!”

  “Come on. Look at me. Don’t make me leave the house like this.” He motions down his body.

  “A deal is a deal. Time to pay up,” I say, heading for the front door.

  13

  Wyatt

  When I try heading for my car like usual, she stops me. “Oh, no. A woman never drives on a date,” she teases, opening the passenger-side door of her car for me.

  I roll my eyes but climb in. When she gets behind the wheel, I say, “Well, at least I don’t have to pay.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” she says, reaching over and pinching my cheek.

  I smack her hand away. “Don’t get handsy.”

  When we get to the diner, I order a double bacon cheeseburger with fries and a shake.

  She looks up at me with wide eyes and a smile.

  “What?” I ask, confused.

  “Nothing. I love a girl who can eat,” she teases.

  “Ooooh,” I say, leaning my head back from her wicked burn. I pick up the napkin on the table, wad it up, and throw it at her, only making her laugh harder. The subject of how I’m dressed falls away, even though I get a ton of strange looks from everyone else, until we finish up and head to the bar for a couple drinks. When we walk in, Destiny is immediately rushed by some guy. He picks her up and spins her around. Finally, I catch a glimpse of his face and see that it’s my old buddy, Mark.

  He sets her on her feet then shoots me a smile and a wink. “Hey, Des, who’s your sexy friend over there?”

  “Man, fuck off,” I say as he lets out a long laugh. Finally he pulls me in for a hug. “I didn’t realize that life’s been so hard on you that you had to change sexes,” he teases.

  “Well, life’s been great, but this one won’t let up,” I say, pointing toward Destiny.

  “Oh, are we going to stand here chatting like little girls, or are we going to get drunk?” she asks, smacking my ass as she walks toward the bar.

  I shake my head as Mark laughs, but we both follow after her.

  The three of us get a table and a pitcher of beer to split.

  “When’d you get back in town, man?” Mark asks me.

  “About a week ago, but I haven’t really been going out or anything.”

  He looks offended. “You’ve been here a week and you haven’t bothered to let your best friend know? Been too busy sticking it to this one, huh?” he asks, motioning toward Destiny.

  “Um, excuse me, but I’m sticking it to her.” She smiles and winks at me, causing us all to laugh.

  “So, what’s the deal with the getup?” he finally asks.

  “I won a bet,” Destiny clarifies.

  Mark nudges me with his elbow. “If I were you, I’d stop betting.”

  “No shit,” I agree.

  “I was really sorry to hear about your dad, Des. How’s he doing?” he asks her.

  She nods. “He’s healthy but has a lot of physical therapy to do. He’s not getting around as well as he once did.”

  “Oh. Wyatt, how’s your dad?” he asks me.

  “What’s going on with your dad?” Des asks.

  “He’s fine. He had a heart attack a couple weeks ago, but he has a live-in nurse who’s not allowing him to have any alcohol, so he’s doing well and is expected to make a full recovery.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Mark says, pouring another beer.

  Destiny leans forward. “Why didn’t you ever mention it?” she whispers.

  I shrug. “It’s not a big deal. He’s fine.”

  She lets the subject go, but I can see she’s still thinking about it by the way she studies me.

  After a few minutes, our conversation goes back to being easy and fun. Mark tells us about all the women he’s been with now that he’s divorced, but I feel like it’s all a lie—just something to make himself feel a little better. He asks about what Destiny and I have been up to and he seems genuinely interested. We share another pitcher before we go our separate ways.

  I slide into the passenger side of Destiny’s car and she gets behind the wheel. I have a feeling that something’s off given how quiet she’s being.

  “Everything okay?” I ask, reaching over to rub her leg.

  “I’m just confused as to why you’ve never mentioned your dad. I remember the two of you always being close. Have you even gone to see him?”

  I shake my head as I divert my eyes. “Not yet.”

  She lets out a loud breath. “Wyatt, you’ve been home for over a week. Why haven’t you seen him?”

  “I’ve been busy at the brewery. I just haven’t found the time.”

  She gives me a sidelong look.

  “It’s just hard to see him like that, you know? My whole life, he’s always been strong, and now he’s frail and sick.”

  “Trust me, I know first-hand how hard it is to watch someone you love go through something like this. I mean, my dad was always big and tall and he did nothing but hard work every day, and now he can’t do anything but sit. Every time I look at him, I want to cry. But he’s still your dad. You need to go see him.” She glances over at me. “Just not dressed like that. You’d give him another heart attack for sure if he saw his son in drag.” She smiles wide and I roll my eyes.

  When we get back to the house, she insists on opening the car door for me. She takes my hand and helps me out of the passenger-side seat before walking me to the door. Turning, we face each other for a long kiss.

  “Have a good night,” she says, pulling away.

  “Hey.” I grab her wrist, stopping her. She looks up with a questioning look in her eyes.

  “Why don’t you stay?”

  She shoots me a grin. “A lady doesn’t hook up on the first date, Krystal,” she teases. “Plus, I think you have something to do.” She leans forward, gives me one last kiss, then heads for her car. I can’t do anything but stand there, watching as she gets farther and farther away.

  When her car is no longer in sight, I head inside and go straight to the bathroom to strip out of these girly-ass clothes and wash off all the makeup. I toss the clothes into the hamper and step beneath the flow of hot water. Taking a bar of soap in hand, I lather it up well before rubbing it all over my face. A little soap gets in my eye and it stings, but I’ll take the pain if it means this shit will be off my face.

  I take extra-long in the shower—making sure I let all the makeup wash off. By the time I get out, it’s going on 11 p.m. I pull on a pair of boxers and climb into bed. I’ll just have to swing by my dad’s place tomorrow. I know he’ll already be in bed with it being this late. The best I can do is stop by after I leave the brewery. I pull the blankets up around me and think about Destiny. I drift off to sleep within minutes.

  Mark and I are outside the school, playing basketball to kill some time, when I notice Julie heading over with another girl.

  “Hey, who’s that girl with Jules?” I ask, noticing how beautiful she is, the way her blonde hair catches the light, and how bright blue her eyes are.

  “That’s Destiny Parker. You’ve never noticed her before?”

  I shake my head. “Nope, but I hope she’s single.”

  He laughs as he bounces the ball. “You been under a rock, my friend?” He glances up at me. “She’s definitely single.” He shoots me a grin just as the girls are closing the space between us.

  “Mark, Destiny needs a ride home,” Julie says, glancing over at her.

  Mark looks at me, tosses over the ball, then looks back at Julie. “I’m sorry, I can’t today. I was just waiting on you. My dad wants me home right after school. If I’m n
ot there, he’ll kick my ass again.”

  Julie gives him a confused look. “For what?”

  Mark shrugs. “He wants help cleaning out the garage. I dipped out on him last time. He won’t let me this time. Hey, I bet Wyatt could take her home.” He smacks me in the chest with the back of his hand.

  The two of them look up at me. “Uh, yeah, I guess I can.”

  Julie smiles. “Great! Thanks, Wyatt.”

  I hold out my hand to shake. “I’m Wyatt.”

  She slips her small hand into mine. “Destiny.”

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  She smiles and nods. “You too.”

  I toss the basketball back to Mark, look at Destiny, and motion toward the parking lot. “Come on. My car is over here,” I say, trying to hide my excitement.

  When we approach, I open the passenger-side door for her and she slides in. The slight breeze catches her hair and I get a whiff of her perfume. It’s sweet and makes my mouth water. I close her door and rush around to get behind the wheel. I start the car and turn to look at her.

  “Where do you live?”

  She gives me directions and I start toward her house. “How have I never noticed you before?” I ask.

  She shrugs. “You always seem so busy. I’ve been in at least one of your classes every year. You always sit in the back, next to your buddies or with a group of cute girls. I’m always up front, you know, paying attention.” She smiles and it makes my heart skip a beat.

  I laugh. “You’re one of the smart girls; that’s why I never noticed you. I knew you were too smart to fall for any of my pick-up lines,” I joke.

  She giggles and it’s the most beautiful sound in the world.

  On the drive, we casually chat about people at school and events that happened throughout the day. When I pull into her driveway, she moves to take off her seatbelt. “Well, thanks for the ride, Wyatt.”

  “No problem,” I reply, trying to talk myself into asking her out. Come on, Wyatt. Just do it. You’ve never been nervous when it comes to girls.

  She steps out, and just as she’s about to swing the door closed, I blurt, “Go out with me?”

  She bends down. “Excuse me?”

  “Oh, um, I was just wondering . . . if you’d like to go out with me sometime.”

  Her brows furrow together. “Like on a date?”

  I nod. “Yeah. You seem cool. I’d like to get to know you a little better.”

  “Really? You and me?”

  I laugh. “Why does that seem so weird to you?” I ask, turning my upper body so I can face her directly.

  “I don’t know. It’s just that you’re Wyatt Slade—popular, cute. You could have your pick of any girl. Why me, the dorky, unpopular ‘smart girl’?”

  “Because you’re beautiful and I like you,” I answer.

  Her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink and she attempts to hold back a smile but fails. “Okay,” she finally agrees.

  A smile of my own breaks free now. “How’s Friday night? About 8 p.m.?”

  She nods. “See you then, Wyatt Slade.” She slams the door and I sit in the car and watch as she crosses the gravel driveway and enters the house.

  14

  Destiny

  I wake up bright and early and head straight to the kitchen to start breakfast, wanting to give Mama the morning off. I put on a pot of coffee then get busy cooking bacon, eggs, homemade buttermilk biscuits, and gravy from scratch. I’m just putting everything on the table as Mama enters the kitchen.

  “What do we have here?”

  “I made breakfast. You needed to take a morning off.”

  “Isn’t this lovely!” She picks up a piece of bacon and pops it into her mouth as she goes to pour a cup of coffee.

  “Want me to get Daddy?”

  She looks at her watch. “He still has another half hour before he wakes up. Let’s sit and eat, then I’ll get him cleaned up before bringing him around for breakfast.”

  I take my seat and start making my plate.

  “So, how are things going with you and Wyatt?”

  I laugh. “Good, Mama.”

  “You think things might work out this time?”

  “I haven’t given it much thought yet. I mean, I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch. Right now, we’re just becoming friends again.”

  “But you love him, right?”

  “Mama,” I groan.

  “What? It’s a simple question. Do you love the man or not? It’s easy to see that he loves you.”

  I have my fork in hand, ready to dig in, but I freeze. “I do love him, Mama. I always have, even when we were apart. Every guy I’ve dated since him, I’ve compared to him. They can’t live up to his memory.”

  She smiles sweetly. “Sounds like you have your mind made up.”

  “Shouldn’t you be telling me to slow down—to think things through? Not to rush into this?”

  She shakes her head as her eyes fall to her cup of coffee. “At this point, I couldn’t imagine telling you to wait one more day, Destiny. I’ve been with the love of my life for nearly 40 years, and if I could get one more day with him before his stroke, I would do anything for it. You’re so worried about the future that you don’t see what’s right in front of you: a man who’s head over heels in love with you—a man who would do anything for you. Don’t waste that by worrying about what the two of you will become. The two of you are here—together—now. Take advantage of that, honey.” She reaches over and rubs the top of my hand.

  As I sit and pick at my breakfast, I wonder if she’s right. I guess I know she’s right. She’s my mother. She’s always right. But can I do as she says? Can I let go of my worry about the future to enjoy today? Can I let go of my concerns from the past? I know one thing: I’m going to try. I’m going to be with him today and not think about tomorrow or remember our past. I’m going to live each day with him, one day at a time, and see where we end up.

  After work, I waste no time in going to him. After the talk with my mom today, I haven’t been able to think of anything but him. Us. Together. I knock on the door and he answers it wearing nothing but a loose-fitting pair of basketball shorts. He’s shirtless and his hair is a mess like he’s been sleeping.

  “Hey,” he says when he sees me standing before him. He offers up a sleepy smile.

  I can’t reply. I can’t do anything but launch myself into his arms, kissing him like he’s the air I need to breathe.

  He kisses me back for a long minute. Finally, he pulls away, cupping my cheeks. “What’s gotten into you?”

  I let out a nervous giggle and shake my head. “I just didn’t want to waste any more time.”

  With that, he moves his mouth back to mine as he picks me up against him. Spinning us around, he carries me into the house and kicks the door closed behind us. I wrap my arms around his neck, holding on tightly as he carries me up the stairs to his bed. He lays me down gently, his hips resting between my parted thighs. He pulls away, staring deeply into my eyes as his thumbs brush the hair from my face.

  “You’re beautiful, you know that?” he asks, making my heart flutter.

  I offer him a smile as I gaze into his dark eyes. Moments later, the pull between us becomes too great and he moves his mouth back to mine as his hands get busy freeing me from my clothing.

  We’re lying in bed, wrapped up in each other’s arms. The house is quiet around us, the sun streaming in through the window above the bed. All I can hear is the sound of his breathing and the lull of his heart as I rest my head on his chest.

  “How was your dad?” I ask.

  He takes a deep breath and lets it out. “I didn’t go last night. It was too late by the time I got out of the shower.”

  I lift my head up to see his face. “Did you go today?”

  He shakes his head.

  I rest my hand on his jaw, directing his eyes to mine. “Wyatt, you have to face him. How would you feel if he died tomorrow? You’d regret not going to
see him.”

  “I know,” he breathes out. “I’m just . . .”

  “Scared?” I ask, and he nods. “I understand. I felt the same way when it came to seeing my dad after his stroke. But he’s my dad. He would be there in a heartbeat for me. It’s only right to do the same for him.”

  “I know. It’s just hard to make myself go. I always find something that gets in the way—work, going out, you—there’s always an excuse.”

  “Well, what if I went with you?”

  “You’d do that?” he asks, eyes locking on mine.

  In this moment, he seems like a scared little boy and my heart hurts for him. I nod.

  “Thank you,” he breathes out, kissing me softly.

  We get up and make the drive out to his dad’s house. We exit the car and head up to the door, where he knocks a couple of times.

  A woman wearing scrubs answers the door. “Good evening, Wyatt. I’m glad to see you made it over. He’s been asking about you.”

  “How’s he doing?” Wyatt asks the woman.

  “He’s doing well—eating healthy, getting exercise daily, and staying off the booze. That’s the most important part.” She leads us into the living room where an old man is sitting in his recliner, watching TV.

  “Hey, Dad. How you doing?” he asks, walking in ahead of me.

  “Wyatt, is that you?” the old man asks, attempting to get up.

  “Yeah, it’s me. Don’t get up, Dad. You need your rest.” He leans down and hugs him.

  I take a seat on the couch.

  “Dad, this is Destiny. You remember her?”

  He laughs. “Of course I do. How you been, honey?”

  I smile. “Great, thanks.”

  “You’re looking good, Dad. I think your nurse may be on to something,” Wyatt teases.

  The old man waves his hand through the air. “When it’s my time, it’s my time. I’d rather spend the little time I have left living a normal life. My normal life.”

  “Well, all that whiskey can’t be good for you. And you’ve been drinking like a fish for years. I’m surprised you still have a liver.”