Chapter 35
Layla
“I’m so happy we’re having a girls day today.” I grin, holding the glass door at the mall entrance open for Chloe.
“Me too. Now that I’m finally in Love Canyon full time, I barely ever get to see you,” Chloe complains, linking her arm through mine as we walk over the white tile floors.
“What about right now?”
“Of course, but we had to drive a few towns over to get away from everything else going on. The only place we’ve been able to spend time at together recently is at book club.”
“Guess we need more book club.” I joke and we both laugh. “I know I’ve been MIA, I’m sorry.”
“Please, don’t apologize. You have so much going on, especially with your mom, but I miss hanging out with you.”
“I miss you too, Chloe.”
“How is your mom doing?”
“Okay, I think. I’m grateful Gabe is home.”
“But he goes back in two months?”
“Yeah.” I attempt to gulp down the sudden lump in my throat.
Chloe stopes, drawing my attention. “No matter what happens, it will be okay–eventually.”
“You know, with my mom sick, I hate my dad so much more. I can’t help but wonder if maybe he stayed if this would be happening.”
“Oh, Layla,” she murmurs my name, full of empathy.
“Irrational, right? Or if he was here, maybe he could take some of the weight off Gabe and me and help care for her, but then I’m mad at myself for even thinking that. I wouldn’t wish him on my worst enemy.”
“It’s okay to feel that way. We all agree she’s way too young for this to be happening to any of you.”
“Thanks,” I say giving her a sad smile.
“I’m not placating you, Layla, you know I mean it.”
So, after some Christmas shopping, we’ll grab dinner and wine closer to home so we don’t have to drive later. Plus, Scotty asked if we wanted to meet up after dinner if that’s okay with you?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Have you talked to Levi about the possibility of moving yet?”
“Not you too,” I whine.
She arches her eyebrow in question. “Me too?”
“Gabe. He keeps insisting but every time I open my mouth to say something, I clam up. I’m afraid of pushing him away for something that might never happen, especially with how we got started.”
“So that’s a no. Wouldn’t how you got started be a reason alone to tell him? You don’t want to spring it on him, Layla.”
“No, but what if I never have to tell him?” My face scrunches up knowing how childish I sound.
“I’m pretty sure we both know that won’t be the case. Maybe you need a little of me in you so you can just blurt everything out there at once like verbal diarrhea.” I snort. “You laugh, but seriously it could do you some good.”
“You’re probably right, but what am I supposed to say?”
“The truth.”
Heaving a sigh, we step into a Christmas store filled with ornaments, considering each one. “Look at this,” I say, picking up a lion dressed as a baseball player. “This is adorable. I have to get it for Levi.”
“See, you can’t stop thinking about him or wanting to do things for him. You’ve got it bad for him. Yes, I’m probably the worst one to give any advice regarding men, but–”
“Why?” I interrupt. “You have Beck.”
She rolls her eyes. “You know me better than anyone, Layla. Do you really need to ask that question?”
We giggle and I insist, “He’s damn lucky to have you.”
“Anyway…”
“What advice were you going to give me?” I prompt.
“Oh, yeah. You were the one who told me you couldn’t date someone who wasn’t honest. Is that fair when you can’t be honest with him?”
I groan, suddenly dragging my feet. “I’m not lying to him.”
“No, but you’re holding too much back to claim you’re being open and honest with him too.”
My eyes narrow at her, but it’s not her I’m mad at. “Why do you always have to be right?”
“That’s not the first time I’ve heard those words, and I know it won’t be the last,” she pauses, smirking, “but I do enjoy hearing them every single time.”
I huff a laugh. “You’re lucky I love you.” Holding up the ornament, I tell her, “I’m getting this for Levi. I’ll be right back.”
On my way to the counter, I spot one with a black momma bear cuddling her two little bear cubs. Claiming it for my mom, I carefully remove it from the tree and make my way to pay for both of them at the register.
Chloe and Gabe are both right, it’s time to step out of my comfort zone and talk to Levi before it’s too late.
“Why the hell is Levi Brennan still dating Layla? He’s so hot and she’s just…plain,” the woman finishes, the same woman that used to torture me growing up, with a shrill voice I will never forget. Getting older seems to have made it worse or I’m just more sensitive to it–to her and her friends.
I spotted her almost immediately and attempted to ignore her, pretending I didn’t but hearing my name as we walk by makes my footsteps falter, mirroring my heartbeat.
“What’s wrong?” Chloe asks, her eyes falling on Sacha and Rachel browsing women’s lingerie in the store behind me. “Oh.” She frowns.
“We have to get him to come out to the bar one night without her, I bet we could get him to change his mind.”
My stomach drops and I grab Chloe’s arm for support, my fingers unconsciously digging in. “Ease up there, Supergirl.”
“Sorry,” I mutter doing as she asks. She’s about to drag me away when their next words halt our footsteps.
“When I get a few drinks in him, I’ll just seduce him. Once I’m in his bed, he won’t be able to remember her name.”
Spinning on my heel, I stalk over to them, Chloe on my heels. “You’re still talking about other women? Don’t you get sick of being a bully?” Chloe accuses.
“It’s okay, Chloe. I got this.”
Rachel sticks out her hip and arches her eyebrows, looking down on me as if I were the dirt beneath her Jimmy Choo’s. “What do you think you got?” she scoffs.
“I’ve got Levi because he wants a woman who not only respects him but also respects herself enough to show some class. He wouldn’t stoop so low.”
She laughs like what I said is funny. “You’re just a temporary fixation. As soon as the season starts up again, he’ll go back to being the player he always was.”
Chloe tugs on my arm. “Come on, Layla. Like you said, they aren’t worth it.”
My heart lodges itself in my throat, their words making an impact and infesting my thoughts, their poison spreading like the plague.
Allowing Chloe to pull me far away from them, she finally stops and turns to me.
“Do not let them sink their ugly teeth into your brain. They are wrong. Levi is crazy about you.”
“But what if they’re not?” I ask, my voice trembling.
She shakes her head and puts her arm over my shoulders in support. “If by some ridiculous cosmic force, they’re not wrong,” she says dramatically and then her voice softens, “he doesn’t deserve you. But I don’t believe it. He would be a fool not to love you.”
“He doesn’t love me,” I deny, my heart skipping a beat.
“Yes, he does, but you’ll know soon enough,” she claims.
Even holding myself back a little bit, I’ve been falling for him, but could he truly love me?