Chapter 32 Bailey #2
“Yeah, that’s really subtle. No one will stare at you now,” Cheyenne retorted.
“Shut up. I’m trying to hide from the world. Don’t mock me.”
Cora hurried over with a pot of coffee in hand, grinning from ear to ear as she turned over our mugs and started to pour. “It’s like you’re a celebrity this morning.”
“Don’t remind me,” I grumbled, already sick of this day.
“What’s the word around town?” Cheyenne asked.
Scooting me over, Cora took a seat beside me. “Well, the rumor mill says that Bailey went home with Archer last night, but when he didn’t satisfy her, she drove out to Liam’s to get something more fulfilling.”
“Oh God,” I thunked my head on the table. “That makes me sound like a whore.”
“Oh, that’s just one version,” Cora grinned, her older face wrinkling with how wide she was smiling.
“Ooh, give us the juice!”
“Excuse me,” I snapped at Cheyenne. “A little sympathy. It’s your friend being gossiped about.”
“I’m just butt hurt because you slept with my man,” she said, sticking out her tongue.
“Didn’t sleep with,” I stressed. “This woman didn’t get laid at all last night!”
My face flamed red as heads swiveled in my direction. The whole diner was on pins and needles now, listening to every last detail they could gather.
Cora lowered her voice so only the two of us could hear. Not that that stopped Roger Fleming from peeking over to the back of his booth to get closer.
“Well, the other version is that you were so devastated by your breakup with Liam that you couldn’t um…
perform with Archer,” she said hesitantly.
“After that, you went out to Liam’s and begged him to take you back.
He threw you out of his house, into the mud, and Archer had to drag you out of there while you begged and pleaded for Liam to reconsider. ”
That was a little more on point, though embellished in places.
“Well, it seems that everyone in this town needs to mind their own business,” Cheyenne said, getting louder with each word until heads turned back to their own tables and pretended to ignore us once again.
“Thanks, Cora.”
She smiled happily at us, getting up and taking her pot with her. “Any time. Are you ready to order?”
“Not yet,” I muttered, still reeling from the gossip that was spreading like wildfire.
“Well, it could have been worse,” Cheyenne winced. “At least they’re not spreading the rumor that you’re pregnant.”
“What?” That was even worse than everyone thinking I was throwing myself at Liam, which I was, but no one needed to know that.
“Oh, it’s just some of the gossip I’ve heard. I would ignore it.”
“Could you ignore it if everyone thought you were pregnant?”
“I did, remember? Senior year of high school, the whole town thought I was knocked up by Billy Grainger.”
“Oh, right.”
“And you believed them.”
“I did not,” I said indignantly. “Just because I asked didn’t mean I believed it.”
“Well, you don’t see me asking if you’re pregnant.”
She might not have been asking, but her eyes kept flicking to my stomach in question.
“Since I haven’t even thought about it, how would I possibly know?” I hissed.
“Well, you would know before anyone else. Just don’t keep that secret to yourself. Inquiring minds want to know.”
“That’s the problem with this town. Inquiring minds always want to know.”
I snatched the menu out of the holder and looked at every single item that just made my stomach churn. There was nothing I wanted, or even thought I could stomach, but I knew I couldn’t go without food. That would only make the hangover worse.
“Uh…Bailes?”
“What?” I asked, still trying to decide what to get.
“Not to interrupt your deep thoughts, but you should probably look up.”
I snapped my gaze up to meet her wide eyes, and then slowly turned my burning face to the man standing beside the table with a very satisfied Cora.
“You don’t mind if he sits here, do you? There are no other tables available.”
Liam’s jaw clenched hard as he stood beside Cora, clearly pissed that she had dragged him into this situation. I couldn’t say I disagreed with his anger. I was a little peeved at the moment as well.
But causing a scene would only fuel town gossip, so I slid over in the booth and grinned up at her. “Of course not.”
Liam took his seat beside me, just as uncomfortable as I was.
“How’s your head?” he asked in a gruff tone.
“Perfectly fine. And yours?”
Sighing, he snatched a menu and studied it, though he always got the same thing when he came in here. I knew because I had studied him over the years. As much as he had watched me, I had done the same to him.
“I think I might get the pancakes,” Cheyenne said. “It’s a double-stack kind of morning.”
“You didn’t have to let me sit here,” Liam muttered.
“You didn’t have to sit down,” I snapped.
“Chocolate chip pancakes sound really good,” Cheyenne said a little louder.
“What was I supposed to do? Should I have refused to sit with you and fueled the gossip?”
“I’m sure you could have gotten a seat with Ellie May over there,” I nodded my head across the diner, then resumed perusing the menu. “I’m sure she would have been more than happy to sit in your lap and nibble on your ear as an appetizer.”
“Wow, would you look at the special today?” Cheyenne chuckled. “What a deal!”
“I’m not trying to hurt you.”
I barked out a laugh at that. “Well, you’re sure doing a bang-up job of that.”
“It was one night.”
“And that’s all it took,” I said, slamming the menu down. “Do you think with anything other than your dick?”
“And homemade orange juice. My favorite.”
“I wasn’t the one who came over last night, begging to be fucked.”
“I was drunk!”
“You were with another man!”
“And that applesauce. I bet that would be a good treat.”
Shaking my head at the indignant tone he was spewing, I let him have it. “Oh, that’s rich. You’re calling me out for getting a ride from Archer when you had another woman in your bed two nights after you were with me?”
“You already had our wedding planned.”
“My mother did!”
“And that’s different how?”
“Because I wasn’t the one who planned it! I would think that would be obvious, even for a meathead like you.”
“Wow, pancakes and eggs! It’s amazing!” Cheyenne shouted.
“You would follow anything your mother tells you to do.”
“Ha! You still have your mommy do your laundry!” I snapped.
“Because my washer is broken!”
“Then fix it! You’re a grown man. I’m sure there are enough brain cells in that head of yours, even if Ellie May did suck every last one out of your cock!”
“You know, I’m really not that hungry anymore,” Cheyenne yelled, kicking me under the table. “I really think we should just leave.”
The bell over the door dinged, and all the heads in the room swiveled at the same time, staring right at Archer.
“Just freaking perfect,” I muttered.
“Look, Bailey, there’s another dick for you to ride.”
“Better than yours!” I shouted as he got up from the booth, stalking away from me.
“Maybe we could just get some food to go,” Cheyenne said, slipping down in her seat.
I grabbed my purse and shot out of the booth, ignoring everyone who stared at me in amusement. I was tired of being the talk of the town.
But as I got closer to the door, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I turned just as Liam charged at Archer, who was already headed toward our booth.
Gasping, I removed myself from the path of destruction just in time for Liam to slam his shoulder into Archer’s stomach, sending both of them flying across a table fully laden with food and drinks.
“Oh my God!”
Liam and Archer slid over the table and hit the floor as silverware and dishes clattered to the linoleum.
Cheyenne pulled me back as Archer rolled over Liam, landing a solid hit to his jaw, but Liam didn’t give in that easily.
Twisting his body, he got back on top and landed a few hits of his own with his left hand as Archer pushed Liam’s injured wrist away from his body.
“Stop it!” I shouted, trying to get through to the guys, but it was like they didn’t even hear me.
“Let’s go!” Cheyenne urged, tugging on my arm, but I yanked myself away from her and charged at the men destroying public property.
“Liam, knock it off!” I shouted, grabbing his arm.
He jerked his body away from mine, and the momentum sent me flying into him, landing on Archer, who was just taking the opportunity to use the distraction to his advantage.
A hard fist landed against my cheek, and the hit sent me flying into Liam’s chest. Stars burst in front of my eyes as pain ricocheted through my head.
“Bailey!” Liam shouted, grabbing me by the arms, but two other hands enclosed my arms and dragged me away from the fight.
My brother was pissed as hell when he turned me in his arms and stared at the damage done to my face. His hand gently brushed against my cheek, and his eyes flamed with anger as I winced at the touch.
Liam and Archer were on their feet in seconds, both of them staring at me in horror.
“Get the fuck away from her,” Brody growled, shoving me behind him.
I felt Cheyenne tuck me into her side, and thankfully, was holding me up since my head felt like it had been kicked around a few times.
“Haven’t you two done enough damage?” Brody snapped.
I winced at the statement. Technically, Archer hadn’t done anything wrong, but I wouldn’t argue about Liam’s part in all this. He never should have attacked Archer.
The door opened again, and this time, Maverick stepped in, whistling under his breath as he caught sight of the mayhem. “What the hell happened here?”
Ruthie Kearns came running out of the back, staring in shock at the state of her diner. Guilt washed over me that I had played any part in the destruction. This diner was her home, and we had destroyed it.
My brother stepped forward, shoving Liam and Archer toward her. “Ruthie, we’re sorry about this. These two will make sure your diner is cleaned up, and they’ll pay for the damage.”
“And they’ll wash dishes the rest of the day,” Ruthie snapped.
“Yes, ma’am,” they both answered at the same time.
Brody was beside me the next second, his fingers turning my chin from side to side as he inspected the damage to my cheek. “Are you okay?”
“Who the hell put that shiner on your face?” Mav snapped.
“It’s nothing—”
“It is not nothing,” Brody argued.
“Just drop it!” I snapped, storming out of the diner.
“Bailey!” Brody shouted, running after me. “Bailey, stop!”
I didn’t stop until the diner was out of sight. I couldn’t believe what had just happened, and on top of my miserable night, I was ready to go home and sleep off the rest of the day.
“Bailey, look at me!” Brody shouted, grabbing me by the arm and spinning me around. “Would you just hold on a minute?”
“What?”
I could already feel the tears pricking my eyes as he studied my cheek. I hated to cry, and even worse, in the middle of town where anyone could see.
“I can’t believe he fucking hit you.”
“It was an accident,” I huffed. “I never should have gotten involved.”
“No, you shouldn’t have, but those two are out of control. What the hell were you thinking, stepping between them?”
“I was thinking that I wanted them to stop fighting in the middle of Ruthie’s diner.”
“You’re lucky he only hit your cheek. How bad is it?”
“Well, it doesn’t exactly feel like butterfly kisses,” I muttered.
Sighing, he pulled me into his arms and rubbed my back. “Bailey, you’re a fucking mess.”
Chuckling, I buried my face in his chest. “I know.”
“Those assholes don’t deserve you.”
“I didn’t sleep with Archer,” I mumbled, not even sure if he could hear me with my mouth pressed against his shirt.
“What?”
I stepped back, ducking my head. “I said I didn’t sleep with Archer!”
Brody winced as he nodded to Mayor Cameron as she hurried past us.
“Maybe this isn’t the right place for this conversation.”
“Why? The whole town is already talking about me. What’s a few more tidbits of gossip for them?”
“Piglet, you have to stop giving them things to feed on.”
“I didn’t give them anything on purpose. All I did was go for breakfast at the diner. Cora made sure the rest played out precisely how she wanted.”
“Well, if there’s gossip, Cora would be right in the center of it.”
“The whole town is, Brody. Let’s not place the blame all on one eager waitress,” I sighed. “Well, I guess that’s the rest of my day ruined. Along with my outstanding hangover, I now have a pounding headache to match it.”
“Come on,” he held out his arm. “I’ll take you home. Then you can tell me all about what really happened last night.”
“I thought you wanted me to stop spreading gossip.”
“I do. To everyone else, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to know what really happened.”
We started off toward my apartment, but it was clear he wasn’t going to let this go.
“And what did you hear?”
“Well, I heard that after you dragged Archer out of the bar, Liam was pissed as hell and got blind drunk. He followed you outside…”
I only half listened as he rambled on about the latest slice of gossip about his dear sister. My thoughts kept drifting back to the diner and the way Liam reacted. He’d swung at Archer, and for what? He made it perfectly clear he didn’t want me.
Now that my memory was back, though a little fuzzy, I remembered the way he talked to me last night, how he threw me out of his house. There was no mistaking his desire for me to leave.
So, why did he hit Archer?
Why cause any trouble at all if he no longer wanted me?
That thought plagued me the entire way home, all through the day, and at night when I was lying in bed, trying desperately to think of anything but him.