Chapter Eight
Duke
Every interaction with Wade all day is strained.
I’ve known the man for most of my life. He’s like a brother to me.
We’ve seen each other through so much shit.
I hate keeping this from him, even if it’s just for a few hours.
Mostly because I figure Principal Hayes will be on the phone with him before the end of the day and this whole thing will blow up in our faces.
“Jake is going to stay late to finish the trim on the floors. If you want to come in early to do the moldings, that works. Tomorrow I’ll be in to work on the last of the plumbing, so I can grab breakfast. The diner has a special on coffee and sandwiches.”
“I saw that. Three dollars is a pretty good deal for everything they’re offering.” I don’t even know what I’m saying at this point. Words are just coming out of my mouth. “Bacon alone costs more than that at the market.”
His phone buzzes in his pocket and he pulls it out slowly, scanning the screen quickly before answering it. “What the hell is Principal Hayes calling me for? God, I hope nothing is fucked up over at that cabin. He’s way up on the mountain. I don’t want to deal with that right now.”
Fuck. “Yeah, don’t answer it.”
He laughs. “Don’t answer it? Why wouldn’t I answer it? We’re kind of obligated to answer when our clients call.”
“The call gets forwarded to Charlotte, right? Let her handle everything today. We’ve got enough going on here, and you know Hayes. He’ll go on for days if you let him.”
My chest tightens as I wait for him to take the bait, but he doesn’t.
“Charlotte is busy enough. I’ll take it quick.”
He answers the call. He answers the fucking call!
What the fuck? I can’t let him hear this from Hayes.
My heart hammers. I can’t let him hear this from Hayes.
No matter what, I can’t let him hear this from Hayes.
Fuck!
I grab the phone from his hand and disconnect the call.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Wade laughs. “You losing it?”
“Yeah, I think I might be losing it.”
“Okay. You want to tell me what the hell is going on?”
I nod slowly, unsure of what the fuck to do. On one hand, I told Kit I’d wait. On the other, I have to tell my buddy now or I risk fucking everything up forever. So, before I lose the nerve, I take a deep breath and speak. “This morning, I kissed Katherine outside of the school.”
He doesn’t respond. He doesn’t move. He just stands, arms crossed over his chest, his face dark red as though he’s going to blow.
“I’d love to tell you it was a mistake, but it wasn’t. I’ve been in love with her for quite some time. We, ugh, we just recently got the nerve up to act on it.”
“Act on it?” I realize now I’m not talking to my best friend. I’m talking to Katherine’s father, and he’s an angry fuck.
“Not act on it… act on it. We just told each other how we feel.”
“How you feel?”
Repeating my words can’t be good.
“And you feel like somehow you love my twenty-five-year-old daughter? The girl I trust you with.”
“Yes. I love her.” Damn that feels good to say out loud.
“So last night, was that the two of you shacking up?”
“No. We haven’t done anything like that at all. I just… this morning Hayes saw us kissing, I knew he’d call you, and I—”
“You need to get the fuck out of my face before I murder you.”
I tilt my head to the side. “Look, I get it, Wade. I do.”
“How the fuck would you ever get it? You don’t have a daughter.
You don’t have anything. You’re a lonely piece of shit, praying on my fucking family.
The only reason I’m giving you mercy right now is because you saved my life out in that desert, but I swear to fucking God, if you don’t take this grace quickly, I’ll kill you right here and now. ”
“You can’t make this disappear. Trust me, I’ve tried. I’ve struggled with pushing these feelings down for years. It doesn’t work. They always creep back in.”
He laughs under his breath and turns away. “If you want to continue breathing, you should plan on opening that new branch in Wyoming. We don’t have to interact, and life will go on for everyone.”
“Wade, we can work this out. It’s not that bad. I love her. I’m telling you I care about your daughter.”
He darts a glare back, his fist aimed at my jaw before it flies toward me, knocking me into the drywall.
I deserve that. Probably a lot more.
“That’s the last fucking warning you’ll get from me. You don’t pack up your shit and leave by morning, I’ll watch your fucking soul leave your body with a smile on my face.” He spits and turns away, his footsteps echoing in the empty building as he walks.
That did not go as planned.
I reach for my phone and text Kit. I know she’s in class and she can’t get away easily, but she needs to know what could be coming at her.
Me: Your dad knows. Principal Hayes called him and I had to say something. I’m sorry.
An eternity goes by as I wait for a response.
Kit: He’s already calling me. Let’s meet at your place after work. I just want to be with you. We’ll figure everything else out later.
I should be headed home to drink myself into some kind of self-loathing stupor.
I betrayed my best friend. I ruined a lifelong friendship.
Instead, all I’m thinking about is Kit. I’m glad she wants to come over.
And even though Wade hates me, I’m glad the truth is out in the open.
Now, I just have to figure out how to stay on the mountain without making everything ten times worse.