Loyal Love

by Henry, Max

  “Fine.” She fights a smile. “But let me break it to him, okay?”

  I can’t contain myself. Greer laughs while I clap my hands, squeeing a little. Mandy and Cate have been fabulous, and Maggie is a treasure, but there’s nothing like dress-ups and gossip with my Riverbourne bestie.

  Greer excuses herself, heading out to let Colt know the plan. I watch—like the nosey creeper I am—from the kitchen window. I don’t want either of them to get hurt, but this is something they need space to work out before they dive in amidst the heat of the moment.

  If I had my time again, I might have taken it slower with Tuck for the same reason. But I don’t regret what we have anyway. Whatever that truly is.

  Colt waves before he disappears inside his car, his face an unmoving storm. Greer turns for the house, head down, and seemingly fights the urge to turn around as my brother reverses out the driveway.

  She steps into the kitchen with an enormous sigh. “He said that he’d call you in the morning. He’s coming to the party tomorrow to keep an eye on you.”

  Of course, he his. “I don’t have my phone anymore, remember?”

  She closes her eyes briefly. “Yes. But I have mine.”

  Right. I step forward, sliding my hands beneath hers. “Hey.” Greer lifts her head to look at me. “I’m sorry for being weird about it, okay? It just … took me by surprise.”

  “You and me both,” she weakly jokes.

  I tug Greer closer and throw my arms around her neck. She could have chosen to stay with the crowd in Riverbourne, to remain a sheep for the slaughter in the name of avoiding confrontation. But she didn’t. She’s here. And the familiarity of an old friend is a comfort I can’t find anywhere else during all this drama.

  “It’ll work out,” I soothe. “He’s stubborn, and he hides how he feels, but one thing I know about my brother is he doesn’t care for anyone without good reason.”

  “I know.” She sniffles, pulling free. “I’m torn, Lace. He’s your brother,” she half-laughs. “I never thought I’d feel this way about the great player, Colt Williams.”

  I giggle. “Hon, I didn’t think he’d ever settle down, either. But stranger things have happened, right?”

  “Stranger things are happening,” she corrects. “Who would have thought our lives would have changed this much in the past twelve months?”

  I start toward my bedroom, leading the way. “I know. Sometimes, I wake up, and I have to remind myself that half of it isn’t a bad dream.”

  “Have you heard from your mum?” she quietly tests as we cross the threshold into my space.

  I shake my head, beelining for the wardrobe. “Not since my last meeting with the psych. She’s probably busy working her way into Derek’s house and uprooting Marion from the marital bed.”

  Greer snorts, dropping her arse to the side of mine. “I still can’t believe they’re, like, you know.”

  “Doing the wild thing?” I tease, working my way left to right through my dresses. “Bumping uglies? Dancing the horizontal tango?”

  “Ugh,” Greer cries, falling to her back. “Stop.”

  I chuckle, pulling out four choices from my meagre line-up. “Pick one.”

  She narrows her eyes at my selection. “Is that all you have left?”

  “It’s all I have left that I can match with a jacket,” I tell her. “It gets cold out here at night, and we’ll be walking a fair distance.”

  “Are you sure your dad will be okay with this?” Greer pushes to a seated position, gesturing for a black BY JOHNNY number.

  I pass it over, saving the pink Haney for myself. “He already thinks I’m staying at Maggie’s tomorrow, so he should be fine.” I set the playsuit down on the bed and then shrug out of my blazer and school shirt. “You better let your parents know you won’t be home.”

  “In a minute.” Greer shakes the dress over her bra and leggings. “I want to see how this looks on me first.” She smiles at my quizzical look. “I’ve wanted the damn thing since you bought it in May.” She removes her leggings from under the skirt and sets her clothes on the foot of my bed.

  I quickly change into my outfit as well, toying with my hair before the mirror to decide if I need to change the style or not.

  “We’re not expecting any guys or anything, right?” Greer queries, pushing her tits around so that they sit just right.

  “Nope.”

  “So why are we getting dressed up again?” She leans forward, testing the security of the low-cut neckline.

  “Because it makes us feel good,” I reply with a roll of my eyes. “Duh.”

  “I can work with that.” Her hands circle her waist. “Do you have a belt that would go with this?”

  “I think so.” I dive into the wardrobe again, only to be confronted with the visible corner of the Manilla folder Derek gave me.

  What on earth am I doing? I don’t need a girl’s night. I need a distraction, and that’s the only reason I’ve asked Greer to stay.

  So that I won’t be alone with my conscience.

  “You okay?” Greer stops fussing with the dress and turns to face me. “You want to share?”

  I sigh, bypassing the folder to reach for a leather wrap belt. “Not really.”

  Of anyone, she’d be the best to talk to about it. Aside from Colt, there are only three people who know about the document: Greer, Tuck, and Maggie.

  “Put this one on with it, and I’ll give you the matching leather jacket.”

  Greer winds the belt around her trim waist, securing it with the subtle catch. I hold the cropped jacket out for her to slip her arms into, and make sure it sits square on her shoulders.

  She really is quite pretty. It’s no wonder Colt fell for her. A beautiful smile and a genuine heart. If he’s to be happy with anyone, it should be a girl who has both those qualities.

  I snatch up a distressed denim jacket and toe my cowgirl boots back on. “Message your mum, hon. I’ll leave a note for Dad.”

  The sooner I get out of here and immerse myself in a good time with my two best girlfriends, the better.

  TUCK

  “She’s not home, man. Come on!” Ed leans out the window of the truck; elbow slung over the side.

  I fire off a quick message to Maggie, right as her mum opens the door. “Oh, hey, Tuck.” She wipes her hands off on a striped cotton apron. “I didn’t hear you knocking at first over the hum of the pottery wheel.”

  “No problem.” I give her a quick smile. “Is Maggie in?”

  “No. Not yet.” She jerks her chin toward the road. “She’s at the shops but should be back for dinner if you want to stick around.”

  “Um, nope. That’s okay.” I lift my phone between us. “I messaged her. It wasn’t important.”

  Her mum’s gaze drifts over my shoulder to the guys waiting in the Hilux. “Three of you, huh?” I don’t miss the suspicion in her tone.

  “Yep.” An awkward silence hangs between us. “Well.” I take a step back. “Thanks anyway.”

  I can’t get back to the damn truck quick enough. Maggie’s old lady stays fixed to her spot at the door, head slightly tilted to one side while she watches me reverse out of the driveway.

  “What was that about?” Ed asks from his spot behind me.

  “I think she’s only just got used to Beau and sometimes me being her daughter’s friend, so having a whole mob of guys show up asking after her was a bit weird.”

  “Huh,” Beau huffs, lifting his hand to wave at Maggie’s mum as I pull away. “Did she say where she is?”

  “At the shops.” I glance to Beau and then Ed in the rearview. “You guys want to see if we can find her?”

  “Nah.” He lifts both arms to set his hands behind his head. “We’ll get her up to speed in the morning.”

  “We need her, though,” Beau states, deadly serious. “If anyone can get through to Lacey and be trusted by the rest of the school, it’s her.”

  “Yeah, I know.” This whole plan seems farcical. I m
ean, what the fuck do we think we are? Some TV show where it all works out fine in the end through the power of community love?

  Who’s to say that half the wankers at our school don’t see an opportunity to win over new rich friends and decide to knife us in the back?

  “Did either of you think it was weird how easily Johnson came around in the end?” I voice as I settle into my seat.

  “I did think it would be a bit harder,” Beau agrees.

  “Although, he has been strange for a while now,” Ed ads before chuckling. “And you do have a wicked bruise on your puhrty face.”

  I flick my eyes to the rearview. “You think we can trust him, though?” Of the three of us, Ed’s the closest to Johnson right now.

  He stares out the window, jaw moving side-to-side. “We’ve only got to wait twenty-four hours to find out, right?”

  In other words, he has no idea. Johnson’s suggestion to use the power of the whole school to make or stand wasn’t far-fetched. He has a valid point, but I can’t shake the creeping suspicion that he’s up to something. My gut refuses to settle; a chill wrapped permanently around my spine as we head for home.

  “You guys want to hang out at mine, or get dropped home?”

  “Home,” Ed answers. “I got shit to do for the old man.”

  “No worries.”

  “I’ll hang out,” Beau mumbles, gaze fixated on the houses that slide by amidst the array of paddocks.

  He’s more reserved than usual, and I’m not sure how to crack the subject with him. I told the guy what I think he should do about Maggie, so if he doesn’t want to man up and tell the girl how he feels then I guess there’s nothing I can do, right? Other than stick by while he figures it out for himself.

  The sun fades behind the horizon in the time it takes to drop Ed home, the shadows long on the ground when we pull up two doors down from the bottle shop. Beau straightens in his seat, highlighted by the single light that hangs over the back door of the liquor merchant.

  “Really?” A grin takes over his usually sour face.

  I shrug. “Why the fuck not, right?” Tomorrow is bound to be a shit, and we need to unwind before we take that load on.

  “Be right back.” The stealthy shit slides out of the Hilux and tugs his hood up over his head.

  Sheathed in black, he melts into the shadows, making his way down to the alley that runs through to the main entrance. He’s gone for no more than a minute before he re-emerges with a box of beer cradled between his arms.

  I check my mirrors, run my eye over the shop for any signs of trouble, and slot the car in gear.

  Beau clambers into the seat, beer at his feet, with a chuckle. “Drive, motherfucker.”

  He barely has the door closed when I speed down the road, making our hasty getaway. The two of us laugh like lunatics, the thrill of pulling it off never a high that gets old.

  Stealing is wrong, kids, but making your best friend laugh like he hasn’t in months? That can’t be anything but right.

  ***

  “You think things with you and Lacey will be good now?” Beau asks, reclined on our lawn in the dark, beer in hand.

  I stare up at the night sky, bottle to the side and flat on my back like a damn starfish. “Dunno. She hasn’t met the old man yet.”

  “He asked?”

  I nod, then realise he’s not looking. “Yeah.”

  Beau snorts. “I’m surprised he’s not out here now reaming your arse for drinking.” He sits up and lowers his voice to mimic my old man. “Where did you get the booze from, Tuck? You wanna go to jail, boy?”

  I snort and then choke on the chuckle caught in my throat. “He’s been better lately,” I admit. “Maybe this is his way of letting me feel safe before he flips it around again.”

  “Such a pessimist,” Beau teases.

  He shifts to exchange his empty bottle for a new one. We’ve managed half the box between us so far—six bottles each. The buzz has well and truly found home in my chest and head.

  “You ever wonder what it would be like if your mum were still around?” Yeah. Beau loses his sensitivity filter when he drinks.

  The weight of the question presses me down into the cool grass. “Most days.”

  He leans back, propped on his elbow. “Tough, huh?”

  “Yeah.” I hoist myself up into a seated position and promptly down the remaining half of my bottle. “So.” Clearing my throat, I reach for another. “You picked out your engagement ring for Maggie yet?”

  The prick punches me hard in the arm. “Funny, arsehole. Real funny.”

  I laugh, uncapping the bottle. “We could head over and see if she’s home now, you know.”

  “Drink and drive?” Beau scoffs. “Your dad might be letting you away with this, but I don’t think he’d be down for that.”

  “Not in the Hilux, you tool.” I huff. “Doesn’t take much to steer a horse in the right direction.”

  I expect laughter or protest from him. Instead, he narrows his eyes at the orange lights glowing from within my house and scratches his chin with the hand that holds his drink. “You get Major. Who would I ride?”

  “Sally. She’s not long broken in, but she’ll be okay with you.” Animals respond to the nature of their master. Beau’s usually calm demeanour will help her stay settled.

  “What the fuck would I say?” He takes a healthy dose of Dutch courage.

  “Oh, hey, Maggie,” I mock. “Couldn’t stop thinking about you, so thought I’d stop by and see if you were thinking of me too.”

  “Corny,” he snorts.

  I rise to my feet and then awkwardly stoop to retrieve our remaining drinks. “Why do you have to plan it out first?” I should be able to strap the box to Major somehow. “Just say whatever comes to mind first.”

  “That’s the problem,” Beau whines, joining me on his feet. “Nothing comes when she’s around.”

  “So, say it without words.” Jesus. Why is this such rocket science for the guy? “Do whatever feels right, man.”

  He open-throats the rest of his drink. “Fine. But if I fall off this fucking horse and break my neck, you’re the one telling my mum that I died as a heroic Romeo.”

  I snort and then laugh, giving the dweeb a shove.

  Beau smiles, missing the box on the first go to return his empty and stumbling into a rose bush. “Ah, fuck!”

  I’m a goner. By the time we reach the stables I have fucking tears leaking down my face we’re laughing that hard.

  Man, I’d missed this.

  LACEY

  “Maggie! You have guests!” Her mum gestures for Greer and me to come in. “You both look absolutely shattered.” She grins wide. “Would you like a drink?”

  “Please.” I smile. “I hope you don’t mind us stopping by.”

  “Of course not.” She ushers us into the living room as Maggie emerges from her bedroom. “Did you walk all the way here?”

  “We did,” Greer answers politely.

  Maggie stands in the doorway, eyes wide. “Dude. I would have picked you guys up.”

  “I, uh, lost my phone,” I hedge, figuring it’s easier to explain than the truth.

  “We’re in the White Pages,” her mum calls from the kitchen. “You could have looked us up.”

  I literally face-palm. Of course. I never thought of that.

  Maggie snorts. “What brings you two over, anyway?”

  “Well,” I say, realising I might have misjudged this. “I thought it would be cool for all three of us to hang out. Greer’s staying the night.”

  I catch Greer carefully watching Maggie in my periphery.

  “Sweet.” Mags claps her hands together. “We going out, or hanging here?”

  Her mum emerges with our drinks in hand. “You’re going out tomorrow, honey, so you can stay home tonight.” She passes the glasses of refreshing juice to Greer and me. “Sorry, girls.”

  “That’s okay, Mrs… um.” Greer frowns, silently searching for help.

  “C
all me Mum,” Mrs Epsom answers. “It’s easier for everyone to remember.”

  I chuckle. “Um, okay?” Although I secretly like the idea of having her as my mother over my own.

  Is that bad?

  “Bring those to my room,” Maggie instructs, leading us toward the back of the house. “I was just playing around with some clothes. Nothing major.” She swings the door mostly closed behind us.

  Greer makes a beeline for the articles laid out on Maggie’s bed. Setting her drink down on the bedside table, she scoops up a black acid-washed denim jacket, inspecting the alterations Maggie has pinned out. “This is awesome.”

  “Eh.” Mags downplays the praise. “I can never find what I want in the stores, so I thought I’d try my hand at making it. If I fuck anything up, Mum knows how to sew properly.” She chuckles.

  “She’s right.” I step closer and discover that the pins aren’t holding the unmade alterations in place—they are the alterations. “This is amazing, Mags.” Using nothing but gold safety pins, she’s managed to outline a bird on the back panel.

  “I’ll fill it in with a mixture of gold and silver,” she explains. “Give it contrast.”

  Greer clutches the jacket to her chest. “Can you make me one?”

  Mags winces. “They take a while, and I’ve only really started with this one. I don’t know if it’ll work out right, yet.”

  “I’ll pay you for it,” Greer states. “Same as anyone else.”

  That piques her interest. I clutch Maggie’s arm with my free hand and lean my head on her shoulder. “Puh-lease?”

  She laughs. “Seriously, you two. Fine. I’ll do it.”

  Greer sets the jacket down, moving her attention to the shorts and skirt waiting to be turned into works of art. “You could honestly create a business out of this.”

  Maggie’s blush surprises me. “I kind of hoped to, but you know …”

  “Stop it.” Greer throws a limp hand her way. “Stop doubting yourself.”

  I give her another squeeze before letting go. “Don’t let us hold you up.” I find a space on her floor and promptly make myself comfortable. “We can gossip while you work.”

  The joy slides from Maggie’s face. “Yeah. About that. I need to clear something up.” She reaches past Greer to grab the jacket and settles on the foot of the bed next to the container of assorted safety pins. “Are you going to race tomorrow?”