She took a breath and let it out slowly. “And I hate him so much for what he did to my mom. It’s almost like I lost two parents when he left us. I know he hurt me, but he devastated her. And now she works so much that I barely see her. And when she is around, she’s too exhausted to do anything with me. It’s not her fault and I don’t blame her, but I know how it feels to have parents that let you down, Wyatt. I’m on your side.”
I swallowed the anger that bubbled up again. How could some people be so heartless? To leave your wife and little daughter? It was unforgivable.
I clenched my jaw trying to get a hold of my emotions. When I opened my mouth to respond, I surprised myself with my honesty. “Sometimes I wish my dad would just leave.”
“Why?”
“It would be easier than hoping he might change. He’s never around. He and my mother basically live separate lives already. And honestly, it’s easier that way. When he shows up, he expects us to drop everything and do what he wants, like his life is so much more important than anything else we could have going on.”
I exhaled and scrubbed a hand over my face in frustration. “Do you know he never even came to see me play this year? It’s my senior year and my dad never bothered to make time to see me play baseball.” I stared down at my throbbing foot. “And now he can’t.”
I shook my head, upset that I still let him disappoint me after all this time.
Layne reached over and threaded her fingers through mine. “Your dad’s an idiot.”
I huffed a laugh. “Thanks.”
“But,” she added. “Don’t make the world suffer for one blind man’s mistakes.”
This time I laughed for real. “I’m gonna stop sharing my wisdom if you’re just going to use it against me.”
We both laughed and fell into a comfortable silence, our shoulders resting easily together as we leaned against my headboard staring at the stars outside my large picture window.
“I’m sorry,” Layne said interrupting the silence. “About your ankle. I don’t think I’ve said that before.”
I refastened my boot and leaned back against the headboard, turning to face her.
“What do you have to be sorry for? It’s not your fault.”
“I know. It’s not that. I guess, I just know it’s awful to lose something you love. If I lost music, I don’t know what I’d do.”
I shook my head. “I don’t love baseball.”
“But I heard your mom say you’ve played for a long time.”
I shrugged. “I have. But it was just something to do.”
Layne scooted closer, moving her hand to my arm. “Still, I’m sorry that you can’t play anymore. I know how hard it is when choices in life are made for us.”
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, trying to push back the emotions her words stirred. Because she was right. That was the part that sucked about all of this. My injury had taken baseball away, and it was the straw that finally broke the camel’s back.
So much of my life was out of my control; where we lived, how much time my parents spent with me, even this competition. My eyes opened and my head snapped up. I looked at Layne, suddenly wondering if that’s what she meant.
Lola getting mono had forced Layne to lose her partner, then my mother had basically forced me on Layne as a replacement. My heart sank. I didn’t want to be one more choice Layne didn’t get to make. But even more than that, I didn’t want Layne’s pity.
I was about to open my mouth to say so when she surprised me by threading her fingers through mine again, her dark eyes full of a kindness I wasn’t used to.
“I know singing together may not have been our first choice,” she said, “But I’m glad it happened.”
I watched her bite her lip as if deciding to say more. I prayed she would because I liked the way the tiny tremble in her touch made my pulse race.
“I’m really, really glad it happened,” she added, tipping her face up to lightly kiss my cheek.
The gesture was so intimate and kind I sat frozen in my spot.
Layne was talking about us, but not in the way I expected.
She was actually grateful we’d been forced together!
My heart pounded in my temples. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Well, that was a lie. I knew exactly how I felt. I just wasn’t supposed to feel that way.
But as I stared at her perfect heart-shaped lips wanting nothing more than to taste them again, I forgot all about the rules. I wanted to live in this moment and pull her into my arms, kissing her until nothing else mattered. Because that’s how she made me feel when she looked at me like she was now—like I was the only person in the world.
I don’t think anyone had ever looked at me like that before.
I never wanted it to end.
As if sensing my intentions Layne cleared her throat, dropping my hand to put some separation between us. “It’s getting late. I should probably get going.”
Disappointment speared me. “Don’t you want to finish watching the movie?”
She shrugged. “I know how it ends.”
I looked at my watch. “Why don’t you just stay? I mean, you’re still planning to come over tomorrow to finish recording, right? It’ll save you a trip.”
“Yeah, but my mom needs the car tomorrow.”
“Oh. Okay, then I’ll follow you home,” I said, sliding off the bed.
“You don’t have to do that.”
I walked around the bed, picked up my jacket and draped it over her shoulders. “I know,” I whispered into her hair. “But it’s late and I want to make sure you get home safe.”
She blinked up at me with those gorgeous brown eyes. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Who’s going to make sure you get home safe?”
I winked. “I’m okay on my own. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“But what if I want to?” she asked, softly.
Her words warmed my soul through, sparking indecent thoughts. I took her hand, trying to fight my grin. “Come on, Penny Layne. Let’s get you home before I change my mind about letting you leave.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Layne
“Thank you for tonight, Wyatt.”
He smirked. “You’re welcome.”
We stood on my dark front porch, much too close together. Wyatt insisted on walking me to my door again and this time I hadn’t really tried to fight him. I’d been the one to say it was getting late, but for some reason now that I was home, I found myself wanting to prolong the night.
Trying to think of something else to say, I swallowed my pride. “You were right about the song.”
Wyatt’s grin turned electric, his perfect white teeth glowing in the moonlight. “I’m sorry, can you say that again?”
I shoved his arm. “Don’t ruin the moment.”
“I can’t help it. This is momentous! I was right!” he shouted.
I covered his mouth. “Shhh! You’re going to wake up the whole neighborhood.”
“I’ll wake up the world if it means you’re going to record with me tomorrow,” he said, trying to speak around my hand.