by L A Cotton
“Dempsey, please,” Sharon hushed.
“Only saying what we’re all thinking.”
My spine was rigid, my fingers clutching the stem of the glass in my hand tightly.
Kyle.
They were talking about Kyle.
“As you can imagine, we were shocked to find out,” Mom added.
“Oh, Gabi, me and my big mouth. I can’t begin to imagine how hard it’s been for you all.”
“Are you kidding me?”
Three pairs of eyes snapped to mine, and I sucked in a sharp breath when I realized I’d said it out loud. Nate snickered beside me, but I didn’t acknowledge him, too overcome with anger.
“Laurie,” Mom kept her tone light, but the warning was there in the tightness around her mouth. “Now is not the time.”
“Kyle Stone is a good guy. He didn’t ask to be abandoned. He didn’t ask for his mom to be a drug addict. And he certainly didn’t ask for your judgment. I mean we’re all here to raise money for a rehab center for Christ’s sake.” I seethed. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need some air.”
I left them standing there, mouths slack and eyes wide. Mom didn’t even try to come after me, but then, she was probably too busy making excuses for my outburst.
It’s been hard on her.
She’s young.
She thinks she’s in love with him.
I weaved through the crowd, the dress like a straitjacket as I tried to hurry for the French doors that led out to the marquee and lawns. “Laurie, wait up,” Nate called after me, but I kept going. Past the buffet table, past the curious stares and pointing fingers, until I reached the edge of the lawn.
“Jesus, you’re quick.” He came up beside me and leaned on the fence. “You okay?”
I flashed him a hard look, and he threw up his hands. “Whoa, I’m only asking. I take it they were talking about your guy.”
“My guy?” I got ready to chew him out but mashed my lips together at the last second. Nate wasn’t the enemy, not really. Even if he did represent everything I hated, it wasn’t his fault my mom was a judgmental stuck up bitch. “Kyle,” I let out a long sigh. “His name is Kyle.”
“I know.”
“So why’d you say that?”
He shrugged, raking a hand through his perfectly messy dark hair. “You know, my parents are just like yours.”
I snorted at that. “I find that hard to believe.”
“True story. I didn’t want to go to Berkeley, I wanted to go to Cal State.”
“So why didn’t you?”
“It wasn’t worth the guilt trip. Besides, I knew they’d cut me off.”
“You sold out.”
“Maybe. But I realized Berkeley wouldn’t be all that bad. It’s still college, one of the best fucking colleges in the country at that.” He puffed out his chest. “Now everyone’s happy.”
“And are you”—I met his eyes and raised a brow—“happy?”
“For the most part, sure. I agree to a couple of things like this a year and they let me live it up at college.”
“Live it up? Who says that.” I rolled my eyes.
“Smartass.”
A smirk tugged at my lips. “But doesn’t it bother you? All of this?” My hand swept between us. “It’s so fake.”
“Chaperoning a pretty girl for the evening is hardly a death sentence. Besides, if it gets them off my back about ‘settling down’, then I’m all for it.”
“Huh.”
“Huh?” He smiled and oddly, I found myself smiling back.
“You know, you’re not all that bad, Nathaniel Teason.”
“So I’ve been told.” His eyes dropped to my mouth and his tongue darted out, swiping his bottom lip. The air shifted, the hairs along the back of my neck standing to attention, and I shuddered.
“Okay.” I frowned. “What the hell just happened?” Stepping back, I put some distance between us, and he laughed smoothly.
“Come on.” He stalked closer, a predatory glint in his eye. “It would give them something to really talk about. Besides, you look so fucking hot.”
“Ugh. Gross. Just when I thought you were a decent guy you had to go and spoil it. I have a boyfriend. And you’re... not my type.”
“Not your type?” He chuckled again raking a hand through his hair. “Baby, I’m everyone’s type.”
“You’re such a self-absorbed pig!”
“Come on, just one kiss. Make the parentals happy.” He crowded me against the fence, arms planted each side of my body and I froze, panic radiating through my chest. “I won’t even use tongue, if you don’t want me too.”
“Laurie, is everything okay down here?”
I’d never been more relieved to hear Jared’s voice, but Nate growled, “Fuck off, man, we’re busy.” He kept his hungry gaze on me.
“Not going to happen, dude. I think she said she had a boyfriend.”
Nate let out a frustrated breath and ripped himself away, setting his glare on Jared. “Who isn’t you. So, I’ve got to wonder, what is your deal, Teller?”
The air crackled between them, my eyes darted from one to the other. This was bad. This was very bad. But Jared was unwavering as he stepped up to Nate and said, “I’m a friend. And you’re leaving.”
“Who the fuck—”
“Or we can make a scene. You know, in front of everyone?” Jared flicked his head back to the party.
“Whatever.” Nate dragged a hand through his hair, meeting my gaze with his icy one. “She’s not even worth it.” His mouth curled with disdain as he stalked away not even sparing me a backward glance.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my body sagging with relief, unable to meet Jared’s heavy stare.
“Are you okay?” He moved closer, but I pressed back against the fence, finally lifting my eyes.
“Yeah, he’s a dick.”
“You’re telling me. I should have throat punched the guy.”
“Nah, he’s not worth the energy.” For a second, I thought Nate got it, I thought he understood what it was like to live in your parent’s shadow. Under their crushing expectations and standards. But in the end, he was just another self-absorbed douchebag.
“I thought you weren’t coming?” I changed the subject. Jared had said his parents would be here, but I wasn’t expecting to see him.
“Turns out I’m a glutton for punishment.”
“Jared, I—”
“It’s cool. I get it. You’re with Stone. But I couldn’t just leave you to the wolves. It didn’t feel right, you know.”
“You’re a good friend, Jared.”
He winced at the word, but I needed to say it. He needed to know that while I appreciated everything he’d done for me, it was all we could ever be.
“Okay.” He clapped his hands together breaking the tension swirling around us. “I don’t know about you, but I could really use a drink.”
“Hmm, I don’t know, I think I already made my mom mad.”
A mischievous smirk spread over his face. “So what’s the worst that can happen? I just happen to have insider access and we’re stuck here for at least another two hours. May as well make the best of a shitty situation, what do you say?”
I pictured them gossiping about Kyle. About his mom and sister. And my blood boiled. I didn’t want that for my life. I was tired of seeking my parents' approval, of wishing they were someone they weren’t. It was a bitter pill to swallow but after seventeen years, they were never going to live up to my expectations, and I was never going to live up to theirs. So maybe Jared was right. If I was going to always be a disappointment in their eyes, I might as well embrace it.
“Let’s go.” I said pushing off the fence and hiking up my dress.
“For real?” He jogged up beside me.
“Yes. It’s either we hang out and get drunk or I call Kyle and he comes to pick me up and my mom causes a big scene. Either way, I’m screwed.”
And strangely, I was okay with that. Because hearing th
em talk about Kyle like that only reaffirmed my decision to stand by him.
Jared extended his arm to me. “To the bar?”
I linked my arm in his and smiled. “To the bar.”
Chapter 27
KYLE
I was out of the Jeep and stalking toward Jared and Laurie with anger simmering in my veins. His eyes went wide when he saw me, and he scrambled to put as much space between him and my girl as possible, which wasn’t much given she was plastered against him like a ragdoll.
“What the fuck, Teller?”
“Easy.” He tried to move Laurie into the crook of his arm. “I called you remember?”
Okay, he had a point. But I still didn’t like the fact he’d called me from Laurie’s cell phone. Because what the hell was he doing with my girlfriend’s cell phone? It was bad enough knowing she’d been there with Nate Teason, but Jared, too? I’d almost burst a blood vessel when his voice came over the line.
“You let her get drunk?” I asked as I reached them. He shot me a ‘really’ look as he handed me the drunk girl who melted into my arms on a soft sigh.
“Kyul, it’s my Kyul. I misseded woo.”
“Fuck, Teller, how much did she have?” I smoothed the hair from her face as she fought to keep her glassy eyes on my face.
“Sorry, man. I tried to stop her. We hung out for a while, but she gave me the slip and managed to lift a bottle of vodka from the bar. I found her like this.” He dragged his hand back and forth over his head.
“What the hell happened?”
“Nate Teason happened.” His jaw clenched, and my spine went rigid.
“Start talking.” I hiked my arm further around Laurie’s waist tucking her close to my side. She was small, weighed next to nothing usually, but right now she was a dead weight.
“Let me help you get her inside.” He flicked his head to my Jeep. “And then I’ll explain everything.”
Reluctantly, I nodded, and it took the two of us to get her inside. I rolled up an old hoodie, pushing it under her floppy head and Laurie drifted off into a vodka-induced coma. When I closed the door, I folded my arms over my chest and said, “Talk.”
“I wasn’t coming,” he sighed. “I hate these things. But I knew Laurie was coming, and I’d gotten wind that Teason was chaperoning her. He’s a sly fucker. Thinks he’s God’s gift. I knew you wouldn’t be coming, so I came.” His eyes dropped away, but it was too late. I’d already seen what he didn’t want me to see.
He cared.
He cared too much.
But given the circumstances, what could I say? My debts owed to him were stacking up. Dammit. I wanted to hate the guy, but how could I when he always seemed to be there for Laurie when I couldn’t be?
“Did he hurt her?” Anger punctuated my every word, but he shook his head, finally meeting my murderous gaze.
“No, I don’t think so. He was crowding her, he tried to kiss—”
I saw red. Fists curled, heart jackhammering in my chest, I roared, “I will kill that motherfucker.”
“He’s not worth it.” Jared stepped between me and the back entrance to The Coastal, pulling to his full height. My nostrils flared, eyes narrowed to thin slits. I wanted to plough straight through him. To put him on his ass like I had at Brendon Palmer’s party. But a little voice held me back. He’s not the enemy.
“She’s fine.” He gave me a pointed look, one that told me he would defend himself if I hulked out on him again. “Laurie is fine.”
I couldn’t argue with that and my body sagged, the fight leaving me as I absorbed his words.
She was fine.
My girl was fine because he was there when I couldn’t be.
Shit. This was messed up.
“Thanks,” I forced out. It was something I never thought I’d find myself saying to Jared Teller and for as much as it pained me to say, he’d earned it. “For looking out for her.”
“Don’t mention it.” He clutched the back of his neck and the air shifted with mutual understanding.
But then I saw the flicker of something pass across his face.
“What?” I pushed because he wanted to say something. I could sense it right there hanging in the space between us.
“You’re a lucky guy, Stone.” He looked me dead in the eye and my respect multiplied for him. “She loves you. Hell, she’s told me enough times tonight. I won’t come between that. Just promise me something?”
“What?”
“You won’t hurt her again. She’s fragile, man. More than she lets on.”
“You have my word.” I glanced back at the Jeep, just able to make out her profile in the back. It wasn’t that Jared was saying anything I didn’t already know, and I didn’t need to make him any promises, but I needed to say them for myself.
For the comatose girl in my Jeep.
I’d hurt her, I knew that, but I would spend every second of forever trying to make amends because he was right.
She was worth it.
She was worth everything.
“Get her out of here and I’ll go try run damage control with her parents.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
He nodded tightly and went to go back inside but at the last second, he glanced back. “And Stone?”
“Yeah.”
“I know your secret is out, but I would never have told anyone. I just wanted you to know that.”
It was my turn to nod. Jared disappeared inside, and I went to the Jeep and got inside. Before I buckled up, I craned my head around and reached over, ghosting a finger over her face. “What I am going to do with you, babe?” I whispered, and she sighed as if she heard my voice. And then she murmured. “Wuvmeforever.”
It was a drunken whisper, but I couldn’t help the smile that formed on my lips. Because that, I could do.
If she let me, I would spend my life loving her.
“I THINK I’M GOING TO hurl,” Laurie groaned into my arm, the one locked around her as we slept on the sofa bed in the pool house.
“Not possible.” I brushed the hair off her neck and pressed a kiss there. “You were sick a lot before you crashed.”
Maverick was probably going to make me disinfect the bathroom twice for good measure, but I could live with that. As long as Laurie was okay, I could live with anything right about now.
“I was?” A deep shudder rolled through her. “I don’t remember.”
“It’s probably for the best. It wasn’t pretty, but I held your hair like a good boyfriend.”
“You did?” She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “I’m a lucky girl.”
“The luckiest. What do you remember?”
She closed her eyes and then groaned some more. “Nate was...”
I flinched. Jared had told me what went down but hearing her say his name was like a knife to the chest. “He was kind. My parents said some things and I ran off. He came to make sure I was okay...” she trailed off. “He, hmm, he tried to kiss—”
My thin thread of control snapped, and I ground out, “I will kill that bastard.”
“He didn’t do it but...” She paused for a beat and I held my breath, hoping there wasn’t more to the story. “Jared showed up.”
Relief washed over me, and I breathed out, “I know.” I swallowed hard, my body tense behind her. “He called me to get you.”
“H- he did?”
When I didn’t answer, she went on. “Kyle.” Laurie wriggled closer, hugging me tighter, bringing me back to her. “Jared has been a good friend.”
Something changed. Her body went rigid as she said the words and I peeked down at her. “Laurie?”
“I ... nothing,” she whispered. “It’s nothing.”
Rolling her back, I arched my brow, waiting.
“Ugh. I didn’t want to do this now, but I have something to tell you. It’s nothing. I mean, it’s something because obviously I wouldn’t have to tell you if it wasn’t.” She was rambling, and it made my brows furrow and my heart thud again
st my chest.
“Laurie,” I was firmer this time, wondering she could possibly have to tell me.
“A few months ago, after I found the text on your phone and we had that stupid fight at school, Jared started texting me...”
“He what?” I bolted upright, anger igniting my blood.
“Kyle, wait.” Her hand slid over my arm. “It wasn’t like that. He always knew I was with you and he’s never tried anything, I promise.”
“So what? He was texting you to exchange style tips?” I narrowed my eyes and her lids fluttered shut on a heavy sigh.
“I thought you were cheating on me.”
Shit.
That hurt.
It wasn’t the first time she’d said something like it, but it still stung.
“Laurie, I...” My fingers danced over her jaw, coaxing her to open her eyes and when they did, all I saw was love. Blinding, beautiful love.
“I never wanted Jared, Kyle. Ever. But he was there. Lo wanted me to tell you, she wanted—”
“She knew?” This was just getting better and better.
“We talk, she’s my best friend.”
“So much for family first,” I grumbled still trying to process what she was telling me.
Laurie sat up and came as close as she could without kissing me. “I love you. I’ve only ever loved you. Jared is a friend. Nothing more. But I needed to tell you, I don’t want any more secrets between us.”
I scoffed at that. Just because I didn’t hate the guy anymore didn’t mean I had to like him—or his boner for my girl. But in the name of being the bigger guy, I swallowed the bitterness on my tongue. “I’m glad you told me.”
“You are?” It was Laurie’s turn to quirk her brows.
“I am. I still want to kill him with my bare hands, but he did me a solid at the gala. So I guess I can overlook the fact he wants in your panties.”
“Kyle.” She pressed her palms against my chest.
“What, it’s true. If he ever—”
“Ssh.” Laurie cut me off with her lips. A long lingering kiss until Jared was a distant memory.
Well, almost. I mean, I was only human. And a guy. And the dude had practically tried to steal my girl right out from under me. When she broke away, I said, “Now, want to tell me why you gave him the slip and stole a bottle of vodka?”
