Chapter Fifteen
Oakley
W hen I wake up, pots and pans are banging around, and I can tell it’s later in the morning. I pad to the door and listen, but can’t hear anything. I didn’t fall asleep until well after two, and even once I did, I kept tossing and turning and jerking awake. It was awful.
I step quietly into the hall and make my way towards the racket. I don’t expect to find Terry. She turns with a spatula in hand and gives me a big smile.
“Hey, Bestie. I hope you like pancakes.”
My stomach grumbles at the mention of food, and we both end up laughing.
“I borrowed Mom’s car so we can go on a shopping expedition for anything else you might need while you are staying with my brother. Like, I don’t know, stuff that doesn’t smell like the inside of a cop gym.”
“A cop gym? What exactly does that smell like?”
“You know, all aggressive testosterone and control issues. You need some candles up in this bitch and some shampoo that doesn’t put hair on your chest.”
“I’ve been using the shampoo you left over here. It happens to be the same kind I use anyway.”
“Oh, well then, I’m happy I could help. Oh, by the way, Mom sent you some extra blankets, but I left them in the car.”
As she speaks, she walks to the door, so excited about these blankets that she’s going to grab them right now. When she pulls it open, her smile melts from her face, and she shuts it quickly putting her back to it like she might be trying to keep something out.
“What? What is it?”
“Um…we should call Waylon.”
“Why?”
“Because we, uh, need him here.”
“Why?”
“Because we just do.”
“What’s wrong, Terry?” I step around her and try to open the door, but she won’t let me. “Terry, what is going on?”
“Just, please go call Waylon.”
I rush back to the bedroom for my phone, but find I don’t want to be the one making the phone call. I bring it out to find Terry holding something in her hand. It looks almost like a photo.
“Terry?”
She jumps and puts the picture behind her back, frowning at me.
“What is that? And why are you hiding it?”
“Did you call Waylon?”
“I thought it would be better if you called him. I don’t want to bother him.”
“He’ll want to know…”
“Know about what? Terry, what is going on?”
“When was the last time you kissed Waylon?”
Well, I wasn’t expecting that question.
“What?”
“When was the last time you kissed my brother, Oakley?”
“Um,” shit, “last night.”
“Was it in the car?”
“How…?”
“Last night at dinner, you were wearing that green blouse that makes me look sick, so I gave it to you. The one with the tiny buttons up the front.”
“Yes.”
“Did you kiss my brother while wearing that shirt? In the car? Did you kiss him in the car?”
“Yes.”
“Give me your phone, Oakley.”
Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate to hand over my phone to my best friend, but right now she’s scaring me a little.
“Oakley…I need the phone.”
“Why?”
She looks at me while gnawing on her bottom lip before finally bringing her hands -and the picture she’s been hiding- around for me to see.
“Oh my God!”
It’s a picture of me and her brother in the car from last night.
We’re kissing, but that isn’t what has my pulse jackhammering through my temples and my heart racing to catch up.
It’s the fact that the word Whore has been painted over the picture in red paint.
And it was taped to the door. I hand over my phone with trembling hands as Terry checks the locks on the door and starts going through the house to check all the windows to make sure they are locked too.
By the time she’s done doing her checking, I’ve settled a bit.
“Surely, it’s a prank. Right?”
“Listen, hon, we’re just going to sit here and wait for Waylon to come because whether it’s a prank or not, I’m not taking any chances.”
It doesn’t take Waylon long to come back. He brings others with him and it isn’t long before guys with powder are brushing the door, and I’m being asked questions again.
“Look, when I came over, Waylon was still here. He didn’t see anything there because there wasn’t anything to see. I started breakfast, and then Oakley came out. We were going out the door to grab some blankets Mom sent over for them when I saw the picture hanging there.”
“And you, Ms. Nesbit? Anything you can add to this?”
I shake my head. The only thing I can add is that I’m exhausted and scared and don’t have a clue what my next move is going to be. Can I even stay here now? Will I put Terry and Waylon in danger? Rowan came over as soon as Terry called her. Is she in danger?
“Here, dear. Some tea to help you relax.”
“Unless it’s got alcohol in it, Mom. I doubt it’s going to do any good.”
“Terry Abernathy, you watch yourself. It’s not the tea, it’s the warmth it gives you from the inside out.”
I take the cup and take a sip.
“And I put a splash of Brandy in it.”
I have to suck in breath and fight the watering in my eyes. That’s more than a splash. That’s hot water and Brandy. She left the tea out of it.
Waylon comes in after talking to some of the men outside. “You okay, sweetheart?”
I nod absentmindedly and let him take the tea out of my hands and pull me to a stand. He searches my face before pulling me to the back of the room and down the hallway. Once we’re inside the bedroom and the door is shut, he sits me on the bed and kneels in front of me.
“Tell me what’s going on inside that beautiful head of yours, sweetheart.”
“I…I should leave.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not! Why would you try to leave?”
“I’m worried, Waylon.” Before he can ask me, I stand and slip by him so I can pace back and forth in front of him.
“What if something had happened to Terry? What if someone was waiting on the other side of that door? It would be my fault! I would be the reason she got hurt. The reason you got hurt. What if they had pointed more than a camera at us? I can’t let that happen.
I can’t put you and your family in danger. I won’t. I absolutely wo…”
He stops me with a kiss, spinning me around and taking my mouth with more zeal than before. He doesn’t ask permission this time, doesn’t make it soft and slow. This time, his mouth takes mine, and our tongues clash for dominance.
By the time he pulls back, I’m breathless and limp in his arms. “No more talk of leaving.”
“Waylon…”
The door pops open and Terry comes in, shutting it behind her. “Are you two kissing again?”
“She tried to leave. It was the only way I could think of stopping her.”
“Leave! Why the hell would you be trying to leave?”
“I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to bring…”
“Oh, please. Leaving is not even an option for you. And if you leave, I’m leaving with you.”
“Terry, you don’t understand.”
She puts her hands on her hips and starts, “I understand that you are safest right where you are. I understand that this guy could be trying to scare you into running, making you easier to get to. I understand that you need to stay with Waylon because that is who is going to keep your ass safe.”
She rolls her eyes at me before blowing out a stream of air that moves her bangs.
“Besides, I just got used to you two kissing.”
“Oh, Terry, no…”
“You two are pretty cute in the photo.”
“Only you would take evidence and turn it into a memento, sis.”
She gives him a smart-assed smirk and blows him a kiss.
“Thank you, dear brother. So, what’s our game plan now?” Silence hangs in the air for a moment. “Come on, Waylon. I know you got one.”
When I look over at Waylon, who has yet to let go of my hands, he looks like he clearly has been called out. He does have a plan!
“I think whoever did this got good and pissed and lashed out. I think we should take our relationship public.”
“Public?” That doesn’t sound good.
He nods, “I think we should go on a date. A very public date.”
“Oh, I see.” Great, because I don’t see at all. “Date night!”