“See y’all later. If you need anything, Hutton, just call me,” Ford shouts as he walks away from me without a backward glance.
I watch his retreating form as he makes his way toward his beat-up rancher’s truck and climbs inside. The thing looks like it’s been part of the demolition derby every spring, but in reality, it’s his work truck and Ford is a working man. He’s the exact kind of man that I thought I would end up with. Never did I see myself with someone famous, with Beaumont. I’d always imagined that ship had sailed.
Yet, here I am, with all of the drama that being with him includes. I know that he is worth all of it, but that doesn’t mean that I want to feel this way. That I want people to think that they can post private, stolen, photographs of me for the world to see, online or all over my storefront.
“He’s worth all of it,” Louis says.
I’m still standing on the sidewalk, staring straight toward my once vandalized windows. Louis is standing next to me, Ford has left, and Laurie is opening up the door and getting everything ready for the rest of the afternoon.
I’m frozen, unable to force my legs to move.
“He is,” I agree.
Louis clears his throat so I turn to look over and up at him. He’s so tall, so massive that if I didn’t know him, I certainly would be intimidated by him, no doubt about it.
“It takes a strong woman to be with men like us, but it isn’t because of who we are, but the world that surrounds us. I think you’re stronger than you think, Hutton. But, this will be the moment that will make or break you, both of you.”
I nod, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip. “Yeah,” I agree.
Louis doesn’t say anything else and I’m glad for it. I’ve already made one decision today. I’m going to my grandfather’s this weekend. I need a moment to myself, out in the country, away from everyone else and everything else.
I need to think and the only way I can do that is out there, plus I need my PawPaw’s advice on what to do about this situation I’ve found myself in. I’m pretty confident that Beaumont is for me, but the rest of this stuff, I’m just not sure if I can handle it. Even if I can, I’m totally positive that I won’t be able to handle it with grace.
BEAUMONT
“Thanks,” I sigh before ending the call with Louis.
“What’s going on?” Austin asks.
I eye him up and down and try to figure out if he already knows and is trying to pry information out of me, or if he’s being truly concerned. Shaking my head, I lift my hand and run my fingers through my hair, tugging on the ends.
“Hutton’s salon was vandalized with pictures of us,” I sigh.
There’s a moment of silence, a pause. I watch him, waiting to see if he’ll give me a sign that he knew, but he genuinely looks surprised. This whole thing, sobriety, Austin, Daniel, and Chelle, it has me questioning everything and everyone in my life. I hate it.
“What kind of pictures?” he asks.
I snort. “Ones that they would have had to be spying on us to get,” I state, arching a brow. Austin’s eyes widen and he lets out a low whistle.
“Fuck, man. How’s Hutton doing?”
“Do you care?”
He frowns. “I’ve made peace with the changes, Beaumont. I thought we were cool. Obviously, you haven’t forgiven me.”
I let out a long exhale. “I’m just on edge. I don’t know who’s doing this. I don’t know who to trust and I can’t be there with Hutton.”
He nods, but doesn’t say anything else. Deciding that I may not be able to do much from where I am, I know that I can do one thing. Finding Hutton’s name in my phone, I call her. Thankfully she answers on the third ring.
“Is everything okay?” she asks. Fuck, she’s asking me that shit.
Shaking my head, I chuckle. “It’s all good, darlin’ girl. But I want you staying at my place from now until you come out here. Louis is right there, Ford and Wyatt are close by too. Plus, my security system is fucking phenomenal.”
“I don’t think—”
Opening my mouth, I interrupt her. “For me, Hutton. Please.”
There’s a moment of silence and my lips immediately lift into a huge smile when she agrees. She already has my key and my alarm code information.
“The only thing you’ll need is clothes and food. Thank you for doing this for me,” I say.
She laughs softly. “Okay, Beau.”
“Fuck,” I sigh. “Love it when you call me Beau,” I admit.
“Really?”
I hum my response. “Nobody really calls me that, sounds sexy coming from your sweet lips.”
“Just a week until I see you again,” she offers.
“Thank fuck,” I grunt.
We end the call, though I would keep her on the phone twenty-four-seven just to ensure her safety if I could. I let out a heavy exhausted fucking sigh. I honestly don’t know how much sleep I’m even going to be getting while this shit is going on.
I’m so fucking on edge and a drink would certainly help me, but I’m trying really hard not to go down that path. Hutton’s parents were alcoholics and I can’t do that to her, I need to be better for her, but also for myself.
“Everything good?” Brian asks as he makes his way toward my side.
I hum, letting my head fall back against the wall. “Just getting Hutton all straightened out.”
“Those pictures mess her up?” he asks.
I nod, then freeze. My eyes pop open and I look over to him. He’s watching me, waiting for my answer, but I don’t know how he got the information to begin with. I haven’t told anyone other than Austin and that’s only because he was sitting in front of me when Louis called.
“How’d you know about that?” I ask slowly.
His eyes widen and then shift to the side, before they come back to me. “You told me about it, earlier,” he says as his knee begins to bounce.
I didn’t tell him shit, but I don’t call him on that. Instead, I just lift my chin. “Yeah, it’s been a rough afternoon, I’m just really fucking tired,” I say.
It’s not a lie, that much is true, I am exhausted, but Brian, he’s lied and now I have to figure out what the fuck he knows and how he knows it. Something is fucking rotten, and it’s the one person that surrounds me that I would never expect.
Fuck.
Chapter Thirty-Three
HUTTON
After a long afternoon of clients, Laurie being mostly quiet the entire day and Louis hanging out and playing on his phone, I’m thankful when it’s time to go home, pack and hit the grocery store.
“Want me to follow you?” Louis asks.
Shaking my head, I give him a smile. “Laurie is going to take me home then I’m just going from my house to the store before I head over to Beaumont’s.”
“Sure you want to go home alone?” he asks, so sweet and concerned that it makes my heart jump.
I don’t know why he’s single, but he shouldn’t be. This man should have someone to take care of. I give him a smile, my eyes shifting over to Laurie who is cleaning the hair washing station and bowl. Then I decide she would chew him up and spit him out. Plus, she’s already slept with Ford and that would be weird.