Flex exhaled a long, tired breath. “Well, at least now you know I’m a fraud. I don’t have all the answers when it comes to relationships. I can’t manage my own love life.”
Lincoln diverted his gaze from his friend’s pained expression. “You’re right. This isn’t the Flex I know. You would have told me that honesty was the best policy and to lay all my cards out on the table.”
Flex sighed.
“Fortunately for you, I’m not going to give you that same ridiculous advice. If you go out there with your tail tucked between your legs, you might as well paint the word loser on your forehead. Tell you what, I’m going to help you out,” he decided. “This, uh, Morgan dude pulled a fast one on you, right?”
“Look, Linc, you don’t have to. This is my mess. I’ll figure something out.”
Lincoln tossed up his hands. “Have it your way. Go out there and tell Morgan and his new friend the truth.”
Flex hedged.
Lincoln paced around. “Why would Morgan bring that guy here if not to rub it in your face?”
“Maybe he thought I was bringing you?”
“Nah, not after the way I left last night. I’ll tell you why—he’s still trying to pull your strings. He saw how you froze up last night. Hell, a blind man saw that.”
“I forget, are you supposed to be helping?”
“Of course I am.” Lincoln slapped a hand across his back. “But you have to toughen up. Morgan came here to play mind games, and we’re not going to let him win.”
“We’re not?”
“Hell no. Morgan has to know he can still get you. And that could only mean one thing.”
“What?”
Lincoln announced the obvious answer. “He wants you back,”
Flex blinked. “You really think so?”
Lincoln slowed his pep talk to study him. “The question is whether you want him back.”
A toilet flushed and both men turned as a stall door swung open.
A pencil-thin Caucasian in office blues emerged and glanced nervously at them.
At six-four and six-three, Flex and Lincoln towered over the skittish man as he rushed to wash and dry his hands.
“Excuse me,” he said, edging around them to get out the door.
Lincoln’s gaze returned to Flex and the two men burst out laughing.
“If you say so.” Flex walked over to the sink and began washing his hands.
Lincoln studied him. “You know you didn’t answer my question. Do you want to get back with this dude?”
“Not on your life.”
Lincoln pounded his friend on the back. “This guy messes with a friend of mine, then he’s messing with me.”
“That’s nice of you, Linc, but—”
“C’mon. We can do this. We’ll just put on a little show for him—make him jealous.” He headed toward the door, and then stopped. “Problem.” He turned back to face Flex. “Peyton is also out there, too. You haven’t told her the truth yet, have you?”
“I haven’t had a chance, but surely the sisters’ network has caught up with her by now.”
Lincoln shook his head. “No, she doesn’t know. We have to talk to her first.”
“Okay.”
Lincoln nodded and drew a deep breath. “And another thing. What happens here at the Peppermill—”
“Stays at the Peppermill,” Flex finished for him. “Got it.”
The men waltzed out of the restroom confident in their new agenda. However, getting away from Morgan and Vince wasn’t such an easy feat.
“Wait, where are you two going?” Morgan asked, jumping to his feet. “The waitress has been by twice asking for your drink order.”
Lincoln tensed when Flex draped an arm around his shoulder.
“Ah, Trey told me he hitched a ride with my sister, so I just want to go by her table and say hi.”
“You mean Peyton?” Morgan asked.
“Uh, yeah,” Lincoln said, frowning. “Why, did you see her?”
“Yep. She just passed by here a few minutes ago on her way to the restroom. I told her you two were here. She said that she’d stop by when she came out.”
Vince tugged Morgan’s arm. “I thought she said she hadn’t had the chance to meet Trey yet.”
Morgan’s brows furrowed in thought. “Maybe we misunderstood her.” He gestured to the empty chairs in front of him. “Anyway, have a seat.”
Lincoln tossed a worried look over his shoulder.
“Guys?”
Flex’s arm fell from Lincoln’s shoulder.
“Oh, here she comes now.” Morgan’s chair screeched as he stood up and called, “Peyton. Peyton. Over here.”
Neither Lincoln nor Flex turned around, but at the sound of her sandals clicking against the floor, Lincoln felt sick.
“There’s my baby brother.” She rushed up into her brother’s arms. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get a chance to see you last night.” She squeezed him tight and kissed his cheek. “I’m so happy you’re home.”
“P.J., there’s something I have to tell you,” Flex began.
“There you are.” Peyton slid out of his arms and cast her eyes toward Lincoln. “I was wondering what was taking you so long.” She moved from her brother to Lincoln.
Lincoln tried to pull her away. “I need to talk to you for a minute.”
“I’m confused here,” Morgan said, easing closer. “Peyton, I thought you said that you hadn’t met Flex’s new boyfriend?”
She perked up and looked around. “I haven’t. Where is he?”
Lincoln and Flex tried again. “Peyton—”
Morgan crossed his arms. “What are you talking about? You have your arms around Trey right now.”
Chapter 29
“What are you talking about? This is my boyfriend.” Peyton laughed, and then glanced up at a frowning Lincoln.
His arms tightened around her. “Peyton, we need to talk.”
He tried to lead her away, but she instantly sensed something was amiss and refused to budge. “Talk about what?”
“Yeah? This I’d like to hear, too,” Morgan said, crossing his arms.
“Wait.” Flex huffed out a breath. “I have something to say.”
“Flex.” Lincoln gave him a strained look, while he continued to tug Peyton.
“Oh…my…God!” Peyton’s eyes rounded with disbelief, a wave of panic seizing her as the entire restaurant began to spin.
Morgan chuckled. “It looks like someone is playing both sides of the fence.”
Vince snickered. “At least he’s keeping it in the family.”
“Oh…my…God,” she exclaimed again, jerking from Lincoln’s grasp. “You’re Trey?”
“Yes, my name is Trey, but—”
“Oh, my God!”
“It’s not what you think,” Lincoln and Flex said simultaneously.
Peyton kept backing up, shaking her head. Finally, the bomb had dropped. She had finally discovered what was wrong with her perfect man—he was…on the down low.
Michael’s words roared in her head. “You’d be surprised how many men swing both ways.” Her voice was quickly replaced by Lincoln’s earlier confession. “I’m a friend of your brother’s.”
“I think I’m going to be sick.” She bolted from the small crowd.
Both Lincoln and Flex reached for her in a few quick strides.
“Don’t touch me!”
“P.J. Liste
n to me,” Flex said. “I—”
“I’m going to be sick!” She pushed her way between them.
“Peyton,” Lincoln shouted and once again caught up with her in two long strides to block her exit. “Why won’t you listen? I’m not Flex’s—” His head jerked back from the hard blow of her hand.
“I wish I’d never laid eyes on you,” she seethed. Pain consumed her heart and she was possessed with the need to retaliate. “You disgust me!”
An unfamiliar male voice interrupted them. “Excuse me, I’m the manager on duty. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you two to leave.”
“Gladly,” she said, lifting her chin and meeting Lincoln’s angry glare. “I never want to see you again.”
From over his shoulder she saw her brother now move toward her, but she quickly turned and headed out of the restaurant. And then something akin to an iron vise fastened around her waist and lifted her off her feet.
“You’re going to listen to me whether you want to or not,” Lincoln said in a low growl.
Peyton’s anger morphed to pure shock over the fact that she was being manhandled. “Put me down!”
When Lincoln shoved open the glass door, the couple was instantly drenched in sunlight. They received a few stares from people heading into the restaurant, but neither Lincoln nor Peyton cared.
“Put me down,” she demanded again, and was stunned when her feet unceremoniously hit the concrete. Her knees buckled, but she was saved when Lincoln’s strong hands steadied her.
“What is wrong with you?” he growled.
“Me?” she thundered back.
“I’m not your brother’s boyfriend!” His features hardened into stone. “How could you even think that? You believe me to be so low that I would be having an affair with both of you? I don’t even know what to say to that.”
Peyton’s ready retort dissolved on the tip of her tongue. For several heartbeats, she could only manage to blink at him.
“I thought that you knew me. I thought you knew my heart.”
His words crushed her soul.
“It’s true,” Flex said softly.
Her gaze shot over to her brother.
“That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you,” he added.
She stepped back and stared at the two men, while a gamut of emotions warred within her. “So…you’re not Trey?”
Lincoln turned to Flex angrily. “Why don’t you explain?”
Flex nodded and stepped forward. “P.J., you first have to know that I never meant to hurt you.”
“Is he or is he not your Trey?”
“Yes and no.”
Peyton’s head threatened to explode. “C’mon. Give me something. I’m starting to feel like the butt of a joke.”
“I lied, P.J.,” Flex finally blurted. “I lied to you about Trey—Lincoln. I wanted word to get back to Morgan that I’d moved on and I used the first name that popped into my head. Lincoln had no idea about any of this until yesterday. He was willing to play along in there to help me save face in front of Morgan.”
“What?” She shook her head. This was all too much information to take in at one time. Her boyfriend was her brother’s boyfriend and now he wasn’t. It was as if they were purposely trying to drive her insane.
“That doesn’t make sense. Why would you lie about something like that—and why with him?”
“Because I thought he was someone my family would never meet,” Flex reasoned. “It’s stupid, I know. You have to believe me. Lincoln didn’t know anything about my lying to my family until yesterday. His willingness to lie to Morgan was nothing more than him trying to help a friend.”
Peyton stared at her brother in outrage, but when her gaze swung to Lincoln, humiliation rose and clogged her throat. “So you’re not on the down low?”
His features twisted in confusion. “The what?”
At long last, she released a relieved breath. She even tried to laugh at herself and the situation, but her voice shattered like glass. When she took a tentative step forward, Lincoln’s hard gaze smote her where she stood.
Flex turned his attention toward his friend, as well. “This isn’t her fault.”
Lincoln gave him a small nod, but his gaze was now infused with hurt.
Peyton couldn’t shake the feeling of being the prosecutor and the defendant. She was at a loss as to how to repair the damage her harsh words had created. The only thing she could think to say was, “Seems like I owe you an apology.”
Another slow nod.
“Given the circumstances, you can’t blame me for—”
“Not listening?” he supplied for her. “Automatically thinking the worst of me.”
Flex stepped forward. “Linc—”
“Do you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?” Lincoln’s hard gaze swung to Flex.
Flex folded his meaty arms as if he was going to refuse the request. But when Peyton laid a hand against his shoulder, he quickly acquiesced.
Peyton watched her brother’s reluctance as he turned and walked away. A couple exited the Peppermill and cast their curious gazes in their direction. “Do you mind if we could at least go somewhere where we have a little more privacy?”
She pretended her heart didn’t break at his hesitancy, just as she pretended she wasn’t drowning in an ocean of shame. Neither spoke as they walked toward her car and even long after they had settled into their seats.
“I’m sorry,” she, at last, said with a shrug. “There’s nothing else I can say. I should have given you more time to explain, but I was duped in this whole thing.”
“I know.” He glanced out of his side window. He seemed determined to end the conversation before it ever got started.
After the long seconds stretched into minutes, he glanced over at her. “Is it always going to be like this between us?”
She frowned at the question.
“You waiting for the bubble to burst, the shoe to fall—this whole ‘when is this man going to turn into a frog?’ thing you have going here. How much longer is this going to go on?”
Peyton opened her mouth, but when she realized that she didn’t have a ready answer, she closed it again.
Disappointment etched into Lincoln’s features. “You know, as long as I can remember I just wanted to understand women. And now I think I understand you all too well.”
Though she feared his next words, she lifted her chin high as she met his gaze.
“It seems like you just won’t let go of old baggage.” His words softened as he held her gaze. “Not every man wants to use or hurt you. And as much as I want to be your prince, I fear the day you truly discover I’m not perfect. My faults will just be added to a growing list of things you can’t stand about men.”
“I don’t know about that. This time it was my brother who lied to me.”
“And yet you wouldn’t give him the opportunity to explain, either.”
Peyton knew that she should be defending herself. She was, after all, a product of her past relationships, but the line blurred between what were lessons learned and what was considered baggage. “So what are you trying to say?”
He lowered his gaze. “I want to end this. I don’t think we have what it takes to make this relationship work.”
Chapter 30
The wedding
“He doesn’t think you have what it takes to make the relationship work?” Michael repeated, pacing back and forth in her wedding gown. “He actually
said that?”
Joey tossed up her hands. “Will you please be still? I’m trying to fasten your dress.”
Michael rolled her eyes and forced herself to stand still, but her foot tapped nonstop against the floor.
Frankie turned her soured expression toward Peyton. “So what did you say?”
Peyton shrugged as her gaze fell to a patch of her blush-pink gown. “What could I say?”
Her sisters waited for her to continue, but the sad fact was there was nothing else to tell them.
“Don’t tell me you just sat there,” Michael said in astonishment. “You were just telling us that you thought he was the one.”
“Mike, be still,” Joey barked.
Peyton swallowed the rising lump in her throat and fought back the threat of tears. “I’ve been wrong before.”
Frankie settled a hand against her shoulder. “Are you going to be all right?”
“Aren’t I always?” Peyton forced her chin up and ran through a short list of affirmations, but they were all crap and she knew it.
“You know, this is all Francis’s fault,” Michael started up again. “None of this would have happened if he’d just been honest.”
“It’s not his fault.” Peyton shook her head as she stood up. “Lincoln said that I have too much baggage and severe trust issues.”
The room fell silent.
She glanced back at her sisters. Their gazes darted around the room.
“What? Don’t tell me that you agree with him?”
“Well,” Joey began, but quickly clamped her mouth shut when Michael elbowed her.
Peyton rounded on her sisters. “You have to be kidding me. All of you feel this way?”
Everyone’s eyes continued to avoid Peyton’s.
“Okay. So I might be a little selective or even picky when it comes to men, but that doesn’t mean I have baggage. Baggage is having umpteen children—each one having a different daddy. That’s not me. I’m a successful, if I do say so myself, independent woman—”
“Maybe too independent,” Sheldon chimed in from across the room. She shrugged when everyone’s gaze swung in her direction, and then reclined back against the chaise with her belly protruding outward. “Well, if she has to hear the truth, it might as well be from us.”
Measure of a Man Page 21
