“Yeah, sure. It’s chilly in here anyway.”
“You’re cold? I could give you my jacket.”
“No. The warm breeze will help.”
She wraps her arms across her chest, rubbing her hands up and down the long thin sleeves of her dress. I step in close behind her not only to block the view a bit, but to help in her warming process.
We cross the threshold into the garden area and a few taller vining plants make the outside feel more private. “Is this better?”
“I needed a few. All that conversation started to blend together.”
“I know. Even I was starting to get a little lost. You know, we don’t have to stay. We could get a rideshare and go back to the condo.”
“No. I’ll be okay. It’s good for you to be here, and Eli and Dylan need the exposure. I can be a gracious tagalong until they’re ready to go.”
“You’re a guest, just like anyone else tonight. Have I told you how beautiful you are?”
“No. You didn’t, but thank you.”
“Your look is a vibe. I like the whole fifties style with the plunging neck in the front and the long sleeves. It leaves a lot and a little to the imagination.”
“That’s the point, isn’t it?”
Hayley
Wes pulls me back against his body as we look at the seascape. The sun is lower in the bright blue sky. Even through the many layers of my skirt, I can feel his cell phone vibrate about three times in the matter of the thirty seconds he’s had me in his arms.
“Aren’t you going to check that?”
“When I have you in my arms? No. I don’t care.”
“What if it’s important, Wes?”
“I promised you I wouldn’t be on it, so I’m not. Simple as that.”
“If only it was that simple.” Wes’s arms tighten around me. I can feel his lips press to my neck. As they make a path down the side of my neck to the start of my exposed collarbone, I start to hear voices just around the corner. “Wes? Wes, do you hear that?”
His hands grip tighter around me. Wes’s left hand lies flat against my torso. His right continues to play with my hair. “I can hear your heartbeat. I can feel it too. It’s racing like mine.”
Just then, a tall, curvy, beautiful woman with the thickest brown hair that I’ve ever seen comes around the corner and catches us in our private moment. “Hey, Sully, I’ll call you back.”
The sultry drawl of her voice not only engages my attention, but Wes’s as well. He finally realizes we have company. His hands that were gentle just a moment ago, now cling to me. I hear an audible stutter to his breath.
“Hey there, Taylor. Sorry to interrupt. Should I come back?”
Wes exhales in my ear as he releases his grip on me. He steps out from behind me and in between me and our third wheel. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Chapter 14
Hayley
“Gabrielle.” The minute the name leaves Wes’s mouth my confusion is gone. “I thought I heard your voice inside earlier.”
Gabrielle. The Gabrielle.
She lays a hand on his arm then leans up to kiss his cheek. I stare at these two points in my boyfriend’s life that are connecting. On one side, I have his past as represented by Gabrielle. You can smell the confidence on her, along with the amazing, sweet fragrance of her perfume. That is what he left behind? Where does that leave me? I can feel it now, out in the cold.
“You’re Gabrielle.” I manage to eek out between the ringing in my ears and the knots in my throat and belly.
“Hi. Yes, I am. You’re Hayley, right? It’s nice to meet you after so many years of hearing about you. Wes has mentioned you to me and Eli never stops talking about you.”
As I’m shaking her hand, I look down at where our palms meet. I’m the other side. My hand seems to fit into hers like that of a child. Is that what I look like to them? To him? I’ll be damned if that happens. “It’s nice to meet you too. I’ve heard some kind things about you as well. I didn’t know that you’d be here.”
“Wes didn’t tell you? That’s not like him. I texted him last night. I saw you on the Pier yesterday. I never quite got close enough to say hello.” She pats him comfortably on his back. “One of the drivers on Colton’s team is one of my clients. I flew down from Seattle just for this event to support it and to catch some face time. Wes needs to get to Seattle soon too. Don’t you?”
I look over at Wes, who is looking about as white as his dress shirt. He’s fidgeting back and forth from one foot to the other. His hands sit in his pockets as he finally answers her after a too long awkward silence. “Yeah, Gabs. I will shoot up there in the next couple of weeks or so. I just have a few things to work out in New York first.”
Gabrielle takes a step back. I think she’s finally reading the room and she likely stumbled into something she may want to take herself out of. “Of course. Well, I need to return to my client and get my donation in to Colton. Hey, Wes, Garrett wants a phone call. Nothing major, he just said tell that asshole I want a conversation.”
“I will call him as soon as I get back to the East Coast. And I’m not the asshole, he is.”
Gabrielle’s attention turns back to me. “It was really nice meeting you. I love your dress too, by the way. If I don’t see you later, I’ll see you in a couple weeks.” She gently squeezes his arm before walking away. I’m so angry my whole body begins to tingle.
My pounding head matches my pounding heart. I cover my eyes with my hand so he can’t see the rage I have building inside of me. I know this is not the time or the place. However, I don’t think I can keep a lid on this. “Hayles, I don’t….”
“Shut up. Just. Shut. Up. I don’t know if I can stand to hear anything that comes out of your mouth right now.”
“Hayley…” The way he says my name makes my skin crawl.
“Don’t you dare come at me with a dad voice right now. You can’t be so stupid to think I wouldn’t be pissed about this. You fucking promised me that this trip would be better. You fucking promised! Now here we are, not only with Hannah’s constant texts and distractions, but I get to look in the face of a blonde goddess who used to fuck you as well.”
“Jesus Christ, Hayley. Calm down. I didn’t tell you she was going to be here because I didn’t want you to be upset. We’ve been having a good time, a good day. I’m doing the best that I can. I’m juggling so much I don’t know if I’m coming or going. What I need is more support from you.”
I laugh so hard; I start to see spots in front of my eyes. They’re so thick I nearly think I could swat them away. “More support? What a joke! I’ve given you more support and understanding than I can even articulate. You choose not to see it. You choose to sweep everything under the rug.”