Chapter 12
Wes
Strangely Enough, No Regrets
The second I walked out of the kitchen, Finn grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “What is going on?”
“With?”
Narrowing his eyes, he looked past me to the retreating women. “Clare? What the fuck are you doing, Wes? And don’t tell me you’re dating her because you like her. A couple months ago you could hardly stand to be in the same room with her.”
“That’s not true.”
He stared at me. “Really? The bickering?”
I shrugged.
“And what about Mandy?”
Clearing the instant frog in my throat, I asked, “What do you mean?”
“Look me in the eyes and tell me you’re over her, Wes.”
When I looked everywhere but at my brother, he cursed under his breath. I wasn’t sure how to answer him. I was confused, and even more so before the kiss in the kitchen. I knew one thing: I didn’t regret kissing Clare.
Finn growled under his breath. “If you’re only dating Clare to make Mindy jealous, and you end up hurting Rory’s best friend, I’m going to have to kill you.”
I laughed. “I think you’re overreacting a tad bit, don’t you, Finn?”
He lowered his voice. “Tell me you’re not using Clare in some weird ass way to win Mindy back or make her jealous.”
I swallowed hard. “It’s not what you think, Finn.”
Finn dropped his head back. “Jesus. What the fuck, Wes. I’ll tell you what I’m thinking. My brother is wanting to get back with his ex, who is getting married, by using his sister-in-law’s best friend to make said ex jealous. Clare is going to be devastated when the truth comes out, which means Rory is going to be pissed, and do you know who is going to get shit about this? Me!”
I rolled my eyes and started to walk into the dining room where everyone was gathering around. “Wes.”
Spinning back around, I glared at my brother. “Drop it, will you, Finn? Clare isn’t going to get hurt because she already knows I want Mandy back.”
A look of horror and confusion washed over his face. “Wh-what?”
“Can we talk about this later, please?” I asked in a hushed voice.
“What do you mean, Claire knows?”
Sighing, I turned and faced my brother. “Clare has agreed to help me make Mandy jealous.”
His eyes went wide. “What? Then what the hell was going on with that kiss? Was it a practice round because it sure didn’t look like you were fake kissing.”
Winking at my younger brother, I said, “Please, Finn. The kiss didn’t mean anything. Just playing a role.”
One of his eyes narrowed. “For whom, though? You were both alone in the kitchen?”
I saw Clare coming out of the kitchen and turned away from my brother and focused on my parents who were standing at the table, a knife in my father’s hand ready to cut the dessert. When he sliced into the cake, everyone cheered, and I took that moment to glance over to Clare. She was smiling as she watched my parents, and I couldn’t help but notice the room seemed to be a bit brighter since she walked in. Or how my palms suddenly felt sweaty, and all I wanted to do was be back in the kitchen with my mouth covering Clare’s.
The lie I told Finn only moments ago felt like lead on my tongue. The kiss had meant something, I just wasn’t sure what.
I shook away the feelings and fought the urge to rub at my temples to ease the sudden headache starting to come on.
Clare quickly jumped into action and started to cut pieces of the cake for everyone, insisting that Harmony and Rory go relax and enjoy the cake with our parents. Once everyone had gotten a piece, I made my way up and took one of the plates that had a cut piece of cake on it.
Doing her best to ignore me, Clare kept a smile on her face as she nodded her head in agreement to whatever the older woman standing next to her was saying.
“Clare, we need to talk.”
With the smile still plastered on her face, she shook her head. “Not here. We can talk later.”
I went to argue with her, but Rory suddenly appeared on the other side of Clare.
“Your brother Tim called my cell. He said he’s been trying to get a hold of you.”
Clare’s smile instantly fell. “It’s in my purse. Is something wrong?”
Rory’s gaze swung to me, and something on her face told me that whatever she was about to say wasn’t going to be good news. Looking back at Clare, she grabbed hold of her hands.
“Your mother and father have been in a car accident. That’s all he said. They’re at Massachusetts General.”
Clare swayed slightly, and I quickly wrapped my arm around her waist. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.”
Her voice sounded the weakest I’d ever heard as she asked, “Are they…are they okay?”
Rory swallowed hard and replied, “He didn’t say. Just that you needed to get there as soon as you can.”
“I…I…” Clare mumbled as she looked around. “I have to call an Uber.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Clare,” I said as I took her hands in mine. “I’ll take you. Come on.”
She stood frozen in place. Standing in front of her, I cupped her face in my hands and leaned down to look into those eyes that were filled with fear.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay. I’ve got you.”
When her eyes met mine and I saw the tears, I just about fell to my knees.
“Let’s get your coat and purse and we’ll go there right now.”
Clare stared at me for a few moments before the fog cleared. She nodded. “Thank you, Wes.”
I kissed her on the forehead. “Of course.” I looked at Rory. “Would you mind letting Mom and Dad know why we’re leaving in a rush?”
“Of course. I’ll get her stuff.” Rory turned and headed off in a flash.
Wrapping my arm back around her waist, I guided her through the crowd of people. Everyone went on with their conversations as if nothing was wrong. Not knowing that the woman I was holding on to was shaking as we made our way across the house. Once we finally got to the front door, Rory was there with Finn and my father.
“It’s going to be okay, Clare,” Rory said as she handed me Clare’s coat and I helped her put it on.
All Clare could do was nod.
“Wes, you’ll stay with her, right?” Finn asked, giving me a hard look.
“Of course, I will, Finn,” I said, a bit of resentment in my voice that my father obviously caught but remained silent.
“I’ll call you, Rory, as soon as we find out how her parents are. Will you let Tim know I’m driving her.”
“Yes, of course. Please be safe driving.” Rory reached out and grabbed my arm. I knew she was silently asking me to stay with Clare and make sure she was okay.
With a nod, I placed my hand on Clare’s lower back and ushered her out the door. Once she was in and buckled up, I started the car and headed back into Boston.
“Do you need me to call anyone? Your brother or…”
It was then I realized I didn’t know a whole lot about Clare’s family other than what she already told me.
Her hands shook as she pulled out her cell phone. Once she found what she was looking for, she tapped her phone.
“Tim? I’m on my way. Are they okay?”
I couldn’t hear her brother on the other side of the phone, but I could see her tense up. “Both of them?”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Please don’t do this. Please don’t do this.
“Okay. No, I’m not driving, Wes is.” Then I could hear her brother’s mumbled voice through her cell.
“Wes Ward, he’s…”
Her voice faded off and I could feel her eyes on me. When I looked at her, my heart squeezed in my chest.
I held my hand out. “Give me the phone.”
As if on autopilot, she handed me her cell.
“Tim, this is Wes Ward, I’m a close friend of your sister’s.”
“Hey, Wes. Thanks so much for driving her to the hospital. They took both of them straight into surgery, so I’m not sure how they are or what is going on. I got the call when they couldn’t get a hold of Clare. I hate that I’m not there for them or for my sister.”
“It’s okay, I will be. We’re about thirty minutes or so out. Where do we need to go?”
He paused for a moment, and I heard paper being moved around.
“You’ll want to go to the third-floor nurses’ station.”
“Okay, third floor, nurses’ station.”
“Hey, Wes?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for doing this.”
“Of course, I’d do anything for Clare.”
The words came out automatically. I would do anything for her, and that thought didn’t scare me. Confusion swept over me. What in the hell was happening? Was I falling for Clare? Was it because she was going along with this crazy plan of mine to win Mandy back. Clare didn’t owe me anything, she didn’t have to do or agree to any of it. She could have easily pushed me away in the kitchen earlier as well. But she hadn’t. And the bigger question was…did I even want Mandy back?
I gripped onto the steering wheel tighter. Why didn’t she push me away? I knew the moment we drew apart and looked at each other that she had been just as confused by that kiss as I had been. Everything was starting to feel blurred. I had no idea why in the hell I said we were dating when Clare made it clear she didn’t want to lie to my family. And because of that, now she felt obligated to stick to the story that we were dating.
My hand pushed through my hair, and I almost slammed my fist down on the wheel. Instead, I turned to see Clare staring out the passenger window, completely lost in her own thoughts. I reached over and took her hand in mine.
Once we got to the hospital, I pulled into a parking spot, shut off the car, and jumped out, expecting Clare to already be ahead of me. Instead, she was sitting in the passenger seat staring out the window.
Opening the door, I bent down and gently touched her arm. “Hey, are you okay?”
A tear slid down her cheek and it felt like my breath had been sucked from my lungs. I reached in, pulled her out, and wrapped her in my arms.
“They’re going to be okay, Clare.”
She practically sank into my body as she lost the battle and started to cry.
“They’re all I have, Wes. My parents and Tim. They’re all I have.”
I drew back and cupped her face. Using the pads of my thumbs, I swept her tears away. “That’s not true, Clare. You’ve got Rory, Harmony, Angie, Finn, Preston. My parents. Me. You have all of us.”
She sniffled and shook her head. “I’m scared, Wes.”
Pulling her back into my arms, I held her tightly. “I’m here, Clare. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere, I promise you.”
? ? ?
Rory walked up and handed me a cup of coffee before she sat down next to me.
“How long has she been asleep?”
I glanced over to see Clare curled up sleeping on the small sofa in the waiting room. Both of her parents had made it through their surgeries, but they were in ICU. Her brother got clearance for an emergency leave and had flown straight to Boston from where he was stationed in California.
I exhaled. “She fell asleep about an hour ago.”
Rory sipped her coffee as I stood and paced while I drank mine.
I’d finally talked Tim into heading to his parents’ house for a shower and a few hours of sleep, but Clare had refused to leave the hospital. I called Rory to see if she or Autumn might be able to bring Clare a change of clothes since she was still dressed for the anniversary party.
“Wes, it’s nearly six AM, why don’t you head on home.”
“No,” I said with a shake of my head. “I told Clare I would be here for her and I’m not leaving.”
I could feel her eyes on me, but I ignored it and kept walking back and forth.
“Wes?”
The sound of Mandy’s voice caused me to instantly stop walking and freeze in place.
“Wes, is everything okay? Why are you here? Is everyone okay?”
Turning to face Mandy, I cleared my throat. “Mandy, hey. Yeah, I mean, everyone in my family is fine. I’m here with Clare.”
I pointed to Clare curled up on the small sofa sleeping. “Her parents were in a car accident.”
Mandy covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh no. I hope they’re going to be okay.”
All I could do was nod. Having her here felt…wrong.
“I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve met,” Rory said as she stood and made her way to Mandy. “I’m Rory Ward.”
Mandy looked confused.
“She’s Finn’s wife,” I stated as I motioned between to the two women. “She’s also Clare’s best friend.”
Mandy smiled and shook Rory’s hand. “I’m so sorry, I hope her parents are okay. Clare seems like a very…sweet person from the few times I’ve met her.”
Rory’s brows raised ever so slightly. “You’ve met her?”
With a soft laugh, Mandy said, “Yes, um, I’ve run into her and Wes a couple of times.”
Turning to look at me, I could see the questions zipping through Rory’s head.
“If you need anything, Wes, please let me know. I volunteer here at the hospital all the time, so I know the best places that deliver food, or if you want to leave and grab a bite to eat. I can also send some pizza’s here to the hospital.”
“Thanks, Mandy, I appreciate it, and I know Clare does as well.”
Smiling once again, Mandy’s eyes moved across the waiting room to Clare, then back to me. “Well, I need to go. I was dropping off some pizzas for the nurses on this floor. I’ll talk to you later.”
I awkwardly waved goodbye. “Yeah, see ya around.”
Mandy walked up to me and gave me a hug. “Everything will be fine. Promise.”
Turning on her heels, she started to walk toward the nurses’ station. When I turned around, I found Rory standing there, her hands on her hips and a pissed-off look on her face.
“Why are you giving me that look?”
“Finn was right. You’re using Clare to make your ex-girlfriend jealous.”
I should have known my brother would share his thoughts with his wife. Traitor. I let out an annoyed laugh. “Yeah, because I had it all planned out that we would run into Mandy here, Rory. You caught me!”
She walked up to me and lowered her voice. “Finn told me you’re fake dating. That kiss didn’t look like fake dating to me, Wes. So help me God, if you are playing my best friend.”
“I’m not, Rory. Will you please stop.”
She tilted her head and regarded me. “Then are you both truly dating? Is this really a game like Finn said?”
My feet froze, and for a moment I felt like turning and running in the opposite direction.
When I looked over at her, she looked more concerned than angry.
“It’s complicated.”
Her brows rose. “Why is it complicated?”
“It just is, Rory.”
She slowly shook her head. “I don’t believe this. How in the hell did you talk Clare into going along with this charade? And why were you kissing her in the kitchen earlier? None of this makes sense. No one was in there with you two.”
I rubbed at the back of my neck. “Like I said, it’s complicated.”
“Uncomplicate it for me, then, Wes. I swear to God, if you do anything to hurt Clare, I will make you pay for it dearly.”
Looking at Rory, I could see why she was a good lawyer. She made me want to curl up in a ball and confess everything.
“Clare is an adult.”
“What does that mean? Explain this to me, Wes. You somehow managed to talk Clare into dating you, does she really know it’s to win back Mandy, or are you using her?”
“Of course, she knows! I would never deceive her like that.”
Rory gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh my God. It’s a ruse? The whole dating thing is a ruse?”
“No. Yes. I mean, no. I don’t know!”
Rory sat down and set her coffee on the small table at the side of the chair.
Slowly shaking her head, she looked up at me. “You lied to your Mom. Was the kiss fake? Did you know your mother would be walking in? You thought you could get a two for one with Clare as your fake girlfriend? Win back Mandy and get your mother off your back.”
“Rory, you don’t–”
She started to talk over me. “What do you have on Clare that would make her go along with this ridiculous game?”
I jerked my head back in surprise. “I’m not bribing her with anything. And I’m sorry, but aren’t you the one who kept your relationship with Finn a secret so your father wouldn’t find out?”
She stood again. “That is completely different, Wes! You’re using my best friend to break up an engaged couple!”
“Stop it, both of you.”
Rory and I both turned to see Clare standing there. My heart felt like it cracked open at the sight of her. She looked so damn defeated and tired.
“Clare, honey, why don’t you let me take you home so you can take a shower and get some decent sleep,” Rory said as she took Clare’s hands in her own.
“Thank you, Rory, but I’m not leaving. Not until I make sure my parents are going to be okay.”
Rory gave me a pleading look.
“Clare, I can stay, and if I hear anything I’ll call you.”
She shook her head. “I’m not leaving.”
“Clare, let’s get some food in you and some rest. We can also talk about this mess Wes has gotten you into.”
I wanted to say something to Rory but kept my mouth shut. I got that she was worried about her best friend, but she also had no idea what was going on.
“Mess?” Clare asked.
Rory motioned between me and Clare. “Yes, this mess he has somehow managed to talk you into.”
Clare’s gaze met mine. Without looking at Rory, she softly said, “I appreciate you worrying about me, Rory. But I’m fine.”
“Clare, you can’t seriously be willing to go along with this crazy idea of his. It’s insane!”
Turning to face her best friend, Clare put her hand to her forehead. “Stop. Rory, please just stop! This isn’t the time to talk about what is going on between me and Wes.”
Rory instantly shut her mouth.
“I need you to trust me, please. I also need you to back off right now. If you care anything about me, you’ll please let this go.”
Rory’s eyes went wide before her entire body relaxed and she released a breath. “I’m sorry. You’re right. Now isn’t the time to do this. But I’m not leaving. I want to be here for you.”
Clare gave her a tender smile. “Thank you. But if you stay, you have to promise me you won’t bring this up again.”
Chewing on her lip, I could see the inner battle Rory was having.
“For now, I’ll let it go. But only for now.”
Clare relaxed and sank down in the chair. I sat down next to her, picked up my coffee, and handed it to her. “It’s coffee.”
She sighed and took a small drink of it, then shivered. “That is so gross.”
She closed her eyes and leaned her head against my shoulder. I instantly felt her warmth spread through my entire body. When I looked over at Rory, I saw her watching us with a confused look on her face.
I wanted to laugh. She wasn’t the only one confused.