“Listen here, bitch,” Spencer said as he took a step toward Veronica.
I placed a hand on his chest and shook my head. “Don’t waste your breath on her –
she’s nothing. That’s why she verbal y attacks everyone – to make them look bad and herself look good.”
‘So, do your new friends know about your old nickname?” she asked as if I hadn’t just insulted her. “Easy Lay Bailey?” I laughed. “No, I didn’t tel them.” She lifted a brow. “Too ashamed?”
“No,” I snorted. “The nickname just sucks. You’d think that with your grades you would have more imagination and could come up with something better. Oh, wait –
your father had to make a huge donation to the school to keep you from flunking out. Damn, almost forgot.” She puffed up like a stuffed turkey, turned on her heel, and nearly fled. I cracked a satisfied smile as I watched her through narrowed eyes.
“What a dumb ass.”
Col in squeezed my shoulder and a wave of tranquility washed over my body. “Are you okay, Bailey?”
“Sure,” I said as I smiled at him over my shoulder. “Fine.”
“Bailey, if you don’t beat the living hel out her, I’l be highly disappointed,” Lucas said as he held Irelyn against his side.
“I’l get her,” I said as I pointed at the drink table. “Now let’s drink.” The rest of the party went okay and Veronica pretty much disappeared. Irelyn and Morgan lightened up and we actual y enjoyed the DJ’s music.
I relaxed after a few drinks and cherished Col in’s subtle boyfriend act.
When the party final y wound down, we al retired to our rooms. Daddy’s house had six bedrooms, besides the master suite, so no one had to double up. Of course, that didn’t stop Irelyn and Morgan from storming into my bedroom as I was pul ing on my pajamas.
“Problem with the accommodations, ladies?” I asked.
“Bailey,” Irelyn hissed. “We saw the mark on Col in’s neck. Just how much did you two act last night?”
“Oh,” I said, scrambling for a lie while my face flushed in pleasure at the memory.
“That was an accident. We were just horsing around, is al .”
“Spencer saw it,” Morgan said, her big eyes worried. “I can only imagine what he’s thinking.”
“Geez,” I said, rol ing my eyes. “He knows what’s going on.”
“Yeah, but he’s not the only one who is going to be hurt by this,” Irelyn said between clenched teeth.
Damn. Morgan. Damn. I sighed and plopped on the bed.
“We were dancing and Veronica was watching and we were laughing. I hid my face on his shoulder and I accidental y bit him. No big deal.” Morgan nodded, her brow furrowed. Irelyn just set her lips and left the room. Morgan shrugged apologetical y before she fol owed.
“Damn,” I swore. I shut off my light and fel into the bed. I stared at the ceiling, wondering what the hel to do. Twenty minutes later, a soft knock bolted me upright.
I heaved another sigh, this one in frustration, and stormed to the door. I ripped it open and gasped. “Col in?” He pushed me into the room and shut the door. His eyes quickly roved over my rather revealing pajamas before he spoke. “So, yeah, I caught a little razzing from the guys about your bite, darling.” His eyes were teasing even though he wore a serious face.
“Bet it wasn’t as bad as what I got from the girls,” I said as I returned to the bed.
“I’m in trouble.”
“Why?” he said as he sank beside me, al teasing gone. “Bailey, what’s the deal?
They both seemed sort of pissed al night.” I shrugged and tucked my legs under my body. “They think al this is going to hurt Spencer. I can’t blame them – they’re probably right.”
“Nah,” Col in said. “I talked to Spence and he said it was cool – especial y after he met Veronica.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said with a smile. “I’l talk to them both tomorrow.
I’l assure them that everything wil go back to normal once we leave.” His eyes darkened as he nodded his head. “Okay. I’l let you get some sleep.”
“Sure,” I said. I stood and walked him to the door. “Thanks, Col in, for everything.” Cupping my face, he kissed me softly. “Get some rest, Bailey. Everything wil look better in the morning.” With a wink, he slipped out the door.
I crawled back in my bed, feeling as if I could cry as hard as I had the day my mother died. I resisted and eventual y drifted off into a restless slumber.
Chapter 10
The next morning was anything but cheerful. Everyone seemed eager to go back to Dalefield – except me. I kind of liked the nice little game of deception I had going here with Col in as my loving boyfriend and my friends ignorant of the whole scheme while they went on with life miles and miles away.
But, I was my father’s child and I would not hide from my problems. I’d go back with the rest and meet al this conflict head-on. I’d start with Morgan.
“Morg,” I said as we gathered on the deck for a quick breakfast. “Do you mind if I ride back with you? I mean, you are going back to the condo, right?” If I hadn’t been watching her so intently, I would have missed the quick look she gave Spencer before smiling warmly at me. “Sure, but Spencer rode up here with me and he needs a ride back home.”
“He can ride back with me,” Col in offered. “He can help me unload al the equipment and take me to drop off the rental van.” He punched Spencer playful y in the arm. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Not at al ,” Spencer quipped. He fluttered his lashes at Col in. “Wil you buy me lunch?” Col in chuckled. “Sure, big guy. We’l stop on the way back and I’l buy you a kid’s meal with a toy.” Irelyn sat silently next to Lucas, hardly touching her food or saying a word. She would be the easiest to crack, I knew, for I could see the restraint in her face. She was doing everything in her power to not blow up at the table.
Yeah, I’d have to deal with her later tonight.
We packed up our belongings, hung out with Daddy and Steffi for a bit, and final y hit the road late that morning. Steffi hugged me extra long so she could whisper in my ear.
“Tel them al the truth, Bailey. Tel each one of them the truth,” she said. “You al need to hash this out and figure out where to go.” I nodded, composing my face before I stepped back, and pecked her cheek. “I’l cal you later.”
***
Morgan chattered happily as we drove, sandwiched between Col in’s van and Luke’s truck in our own little convoy. She talked about how cute Otis was and wondered what he’d weigh when he was ful grown and how we should enrol him in obedience classes. I let her words wash over me as I tossed things around in my head, wondering if I should just ask her outright if she had a thing for Col in. I needed to tel her what had happened but I couldn’t stand the thought of hurting her.
She was so sweet – even if she had been suffering from a long, drawn out bout of PMS lately. In the end, I decided it would be best to wait until we were home. I told myself it was because she was driving and I didn’t want to distract her but in al actuality, I wanted to be in a position where I could escape if I had to. I would stand up to any fight and not back down from any bul y – but I couldn’t stand to see hurt on Morgan’s gentle face.
Spencer cal ed my cel when we reached the halfway home mark and suggested we al pul over at the nearest fast food joint to eat. I consulted with Morgan and we agreed.
Morgan parked in the lot of a burger joint. Everyone got out of their vehicles, stretching their legs. It was only a two and a half hour drive but for some reason, it seemed like a lot longer.
Col in’s eyes sought mine after we got our food and found a big table. I raised a brow before dropping my head over my tray. The t-shirt he was wearing was loose and old – one he probably wore when he did heavy, dirty work – and occasional y, when I chanced a glance at him, I could see the bite mark peeking out from under the col ar. My constant reminder of how good it could be if only I wasn’t involved in a love triangle. No – it was more of a love circle – a vicious, blood thirsty one at that
- and I was stuck in the middle like the little dot you placed the tip of your compass on when measuring circumference. And let me just say – I loathe anything to do with mathematics.
He sat there, al nonchalant with his brother and his cousin, and for some reason, it drove my heart insane. Just to watch him be – just to see him chatting normal y with those around him made me love him even more.
I was seriously considering some heavy duty therapy.
We finished eating and hit the road again. The icy shoulder Irelyn had given me earlier that morning had worsened during lunch and made me long for a sweater. A thick one. And it was July!
When we final y got home, I dashed down the hal to fetch Otis. Mrs. Wesley wasn’t eager to give him up but I promised her she could puppy-sit every time I needed her. She kissed Otis’s furry head and reluctantly handed him to me. I cuddled him to my chest, stroking his soft fur while he wiggled and squirmed, wanting only to kiss my cheeks, and remembered the day Col in brought him here. I remembered how Col in and Morgan had shared that look and I wondered what had happened after that. Obviously nothing to make them a couple or else he wouldn’t have…wel , we wouldn’t have had sex on the beach.
I sucked in a deep, cleansing breath as I stood outside the condo door, preparing to enter and fix this mess one way or another.
“Hel o, sweetie,” Morgan cooed as she eased the puppy from my arms. She sank to the floor and bestowed sweet kisses al over his face. I wandered to the refrigerator, stal ing for time, and located a bottle of water from the back. I leaned against the counter, leg shaking in agitation, and pondered what to say to start the conversation.
“Screw it,” I shrugged.
With a sigh, I went back into the living room and stood over Morgan. She glanced up at me, alarmed.
“Okay, Morg – cut the shit. You’ve been mopey for weeks then sunshine and rainbows al of a sudden. What the hel is going on?” She dropped her eyes to Otis.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t lie to me,” I said. “We’re friends.”
She nodded slowly, patted Otis’s head, and stood. “Yes, we are. Friends. And friends go out of their way to avoid hurting each other, right?”
“That’s exactly right,” I said, swal owing my guilt. “They try like hel , at least.”
“So, why do you keep insisting on hurting Spencer?” she accused, her face glowing a bright red. “Do you know what you’re doing to him?”
“Spencer?” I asked, stunned. “What about him?”
“Bailey, he was in love with you,” she said. “And you just ended things without much of an explanation.”
“Wait a minute,” I said, holding up my hands. “Hang on – Spencer said everything was cool. He told me we were fine.”
“Of course he did,” Morgan said, her face growing a deeper, darker shade of red.
“That’s what he wants you to think. He doesn’t want to hurt you!” I rol ed my eyes at her theatrics and gulped at my water. “If he’s so hurt and so in love with me, then why does he act normal and al Spencer-like?”
“That’s just it –it’s an act,” Morgan said.
“No, it’s not,” I said, anger brimming to the surface. “And I think I know Spencer just a little bit better than you.”
“Maybe in the biblical sense,” she said, her angry red turning into an embarrassed red. “But I’ve talked to him. I’ve talked to him a lot lately. He cal ed me the day after you two broke up and cried on my shoulder.”
“Seriously?” I whispered, stunned. She nodded. “Damn!” My curse was so loud that it sent Otis scurrying under a chair, tail tucked between his legs.
“And then this boyfriend act with Colin over the weekend,” Morgan threw in my face. “That was realy the icing on the cake.” Pain deadened her eyes and weighed down my heart. Icing on whose cake – hers? Or Spencer’s? Or both?
“I’m sorry, Morg,” I said as I dropped my eyes from her face. “Real y.”
“Don’t apologize to me,” she said, her voice hard. “Bailey, I understand that you don’t like Spencer that way and I think you were right to break things off with him.
But when you said al that stuff about Col in pretending to be your boyfriend and then we saw that mark on his neck – that was going a little too far.” If only she knew…
“Why do you care so much?” I asked.
“Because I feel so sorry for him,” she said. “He was so pitiful.” Just great. Heap more guilt on me – I can never have enough. “He should have talked to me. He should have told me how he was feeling.”
“Why?” Morgan demanded. “Would you have taken him back?”
“Wel , no,” I admitted. “But I wouldn’t have behaved certain ways.”
“What ways?” she asked in a low, scary voice. “Like a whore?” She could have hit me in the head with a crowbar and it wouldn’t have packed quite the punch as her comment. I turned my head, bit back my retort, and then lifted my chin.
“Maybe,” I whispered. “Maybe not. I need some air.” I grabbed my keys and my bag and stormed out of the condo.
***
Okay, so why was it a surprise to me to hear my best friend voice her opinion? Did I think that Morgan was the only person on the earth – besides my Daddy – that didn’t think of me that way?
And what was this stuff with Spencer being in love with me? Surely, Morgan misunderstood. He’d never acted that way when we were together.
He definitely never told me. There I was believing he was over me and that was one less person who would be hurt should anyone find out that I’d slept with Col in.
Twice.
Running my hair through my fingers, I decided that I might as wel confront Irelyn while I was on a rol . Maybe once she got al her yel ing and screaming out of the way, I could talk to her and tel her what was real y going on. I’d tried to help unburden her guilt a few months ago, maybe she’d help with mine.
I parked in front of her building, relieved that Lucas’s truck was nowhere to be seen.
It was getting close to dinner time so I didn’t imagine he’d be gone long – al three of those boys had some sort of internal clocks that went off at meal times – never al owing them to miss a meal.
Irelyn met me at the door, phone in her hand. My heart fel to my feet – Morgan had beat me to her.
“I guess you’ve been talking to Morgan,” I said as I brushed past her and entered the apartment.