“Let’s go, Mom.” My heart galloped as I pushed my parents out the front entrance of the resort. I had to get my mother out of there before she had a conniption in front of everybody. What were the odds that Calvin would announce that I loved him right in front of my parents? They were just about to leave — two minutes later, and they would’ve missed all of that.

I was going to tell them, of course. I just wanted to wait for the right time. Instead, they found out in the worst way ever.

I knew I shouldn’t be ashamed of how I felt, and I really wasn’t, but I also knew my parents were going to have a fit, and the whole town would be gossiping. I understood why Calvin was upset with his brother, but that confrontation would only reaffirm the town’s opinion about the Montgomerys.

My mother barely got past the threshold before she let loose on me, her lemon yellow purse threatening to go flying as she flapped her arms around. The balmy, early summer night air was too warm to cool her down. Her agitated voice pierced the relative quiet. “Layla Emerson, what was all that talk about you being in love with that Montgomery boy? Where on earth would he get an idea like that? I know he’s wealthy and handsome, but he’s still a Montgomery. You saw what his family is like.”

I opened my mouth in between each sentence, trying to defend myself, but she wouldn’t let me get a word in edgewise until she was finished ranting. Even then, I knew she’d be too worked up to listen to me. There was no contradicting with my mother. Either you agreed with her, or you were wrong.

Daddy either felt the same way or was smart enough not to argue with Mother. He stood beside her, hands on his hips, nodding his head and murmuring his agreement.

While my mother raved, I watched the resort security team haul Calvin’s brother outside. Two beefy men in black suits with coiled wires in their ears had him by the arms, and they didn’t let go till they were several feet away from the entrance. He stumbled forward, barely catching his balance in time to avoid face-planting on the cement.

“Get out of here, Mr. Montgomery, and don’t come back. You’re not welcome on this property. If you show up again, we’ll call the police and have you arrested for trespassing.”

Steven staggered towards the valet stand, digging in the pocket of his jeans. The guards moved towards the doors and stood by, hands on hips, muscles bulging against the fabric of their suits, making sure he didn’t attempt to go back in the building. When Steven unearthed a wadded ticket from his pocket and held it out, the valet took it and went to retrieve his vehicle.

I was so distracted, I didn’t notice my mother had stopped talking till she grabbed ahold of my arm, yanking my attention back towards her. “Layla, what do you have to say for yourself?”

I barely glanced at her before my attention was drawn away again by the valet pulling a rusty, gray Grand Am under the portico. He got out and left the door open for Steven. I pulled my arm out of my mother’s grasp and hustled over to him.

“Layla! Don’t walk away when I’m speaking to you!” she squawked behind me.

I slipped in between Steven and the open car door and gawked at the valet. “You can’t let this man drive. He’s obviously intoxicated.”

“You’re pretty. Are you a movie star?” Steven put a hand out to touch me and swayed towards me. I leaned away from him.

The valet shrugged. “That’s not my call to make.”

“Yes, it is!” I turned towards the security team. “Can’t one of you take him home?”

One shook his head, and the other one said, “We’re on duty; we can’t leave the property. But we can call the police, have them come for him.”

I didn’t want that. Steven would get arrested, and he obviously had enough trouble to deal with. He didn’t need to be charged with public intoxication. All he needed was a ride home.

I glanced back to the valet, and he stuck his hands up. “Don’t look at me. I’m not driving him.”

I huffed in frustration. They were playing it off like they were devoted employees, but the truth was, no one was willing to do anything to help a Montgomery. Well, I was sick of everyone thinking the worst of them. Steven’s reputation was a direct reflection on Calvin, and I didn’t want anything to make it harder on him.

“Fine, I’ll take him home. Will you at least help get him in the passenger seat?”

The valet nodded grudgingly and guided Steven around the front of the car.

My mother hissed at me. “Layla, what are you doing? Have some decency!”

I dropped down into the sagging, filthy seat of Steven’s Grand Am. So much for my pretty, new dress. I’d probably have a grease stain on my backside. The odor inside threatened to choke me. It was twice as bad as standing next to Steven. I swallowed a gag and glared at my mother. “I am being decent. Decent enough to care about another human being, regardless of what his last name is.”

She leaned over the top of the door, preventing me from shutting it. “Don’t confuse decency with common sense. You’re not responsible for that man. Why can’t you let the police take care of him? Are you in love with him, too?”

I dared to roll my eyes at her. Why hold back? She couldn’t get much madder at me. “Of course not. But the police won’t take care of him; all they’ll do is throw him in jail. He doesn’t need that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to drive him home. I’ll see you later.” I tugged on the door, forcing her to move her fingers to avoid having them pinched.

She pulled her hands off the door and crossed her arms, scowling as she backed away. Her low heels scraped against the pavement.

The passenger door squealed open, and Steven slumped down into the seat beside me, stirring up a cloud of stench. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment to keep them from watering.

I knew where the Montgomery house was, thankfully, so I didn’t have to rely on Steven for directions. I turned down the radio that was blasting hard rock and drove off. Steven lolled beside me, groaning.

Eventually, he flopped his head towards me and mumbled. “You look familiar. Do I know you?”

I snorted. So much for my fame. He grew up with me, and he still didn’t recognize me. Of course, he was also high intoxicated. “I’m Layla. We went to high school together. You were a couple years ahead of me.”

“Lay-luh, laaaay-luuuuh.” He repeated my name like it was a foreign language then suddenly jerked upright and spoke more clearly. “Calvin’s Layla?”

“Yeah, I guess so. I work for him.”

Steven dropped his head back against the headrest again then lowered the seat back till he was almost horizontal. “He says you’re in love with him.”

I sighed. “Yeah, that too.”

“Why do you like him? He’s a jerk. I wouldn’t wanna work for him.”

“But I thought you came there tonight to apply for a job?” I bit my tongue as soon as I spoke. I didn’t blame Calvin for not wanting to hire his brother, and I was probably stirring up a hornet’s nest, asking about it.

Steven rolled his head around in a gesture halfway between a yes and a no. “I need a job, but he won’t hire me. Some kinda brother he is. But he don’t pay insurance anyway, and I needa go to the doctor.” His voice was garbled, but I caught the gist of what he was saying.

“You need to go to the doctor? What for?” I glanced at him worriedly. He still looked the same — drunk, but no other obvious problems.

Steven stuck his hands up in the air then let them flop into his lap. “Don’t know, tha’s why I needa go to the doctor. Needa find out wha’s wrong with me.”

He sat back up with a grunt and a heave then popped open the glove box and started rooting around inside, knocking out dirty napkins, old maps, and half-empty food wrappers.

“What are you looking for? Do you need something?”

Suddenly, his body stiffened then jerked uncontrollably for several seconds. When it stopped, he slumped back in the seat, shaking. His eyes bugged out, staring blankly.

“Steven? Are you okay?” I shook his shoulder, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he made gurgling noises. Fear draped over me like a cold, wet blanket, sending shivers through my body.

I quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road and put it in park. Then I scrambled for my phone. I didn’t have it! I’d left my phone and my purse in the office, back at the resort.

I leaned over and turned Steven’s head towards me. His eyes were moving again, but he wasn’t focusing on me. Rancid breath hit me in the face, so at least I knew he was breathing. “Steven, can you hear me?”

He squinted his eyes and clutched his head then said something that might’ve been, “Head hurts.”

Then he curled up, holding himself while rocking and moaning. I had no idea what was wrong with him, but he needed to see a doctor. Had this happened to him before?

Since I didn’t have a phone and Steven seemed out of immediate danger, I decided to drive to the hospital. It was only a few minutes away and would be quicker than trying to call an ambulance.

I wiped some drool off Steven’s chin and patted his hand. “Don’t worry, Steven. I’m going to get you to the doctor. I promise I’ll take care of you.”

As soon as there was a break in the traffic, I veered back out onto the road and pushed the accelerator down. The car rattled and whined out a complaint, but eventually it took off. A minute later, I drove past a car sitting in a parking lot and knew immediately it was a police officer. He pulled out behind me, spraying gravel.

My heart doubled it’s pounding, but I didn’t stop even when he turned his lights and siren on, filling my back window with red and blue lights, the wailing siren making me want to clamp my ears shut. I just kept driving. It actually helped to clear the traffic out from in front of me.

Another minute later, I turned into the hospital and pulled up to the emergency room doors. The police car stopped behind me. I jumped out and scurried around the front of the car.

“Layla? Is that you? What are you doing in Steven Montgomery’s car?” I turned my head to see Neal Dickerson climbing out of the cop car, his thick, broad chest bulging in a starched, dark blue uniform. He sauntered towards me, hands on his gun belt.

“Hey Neal, sorry I didn’t stop, but I have a medical emergency.” I pulled the passenger door open just as Neal approached it. He leaned down to look inside. Steven looked as good as he could, considering.

“I think maybe he had a seizure, or something.”

Neal cocked an eyebrow at me. “I’ll go get a wheelchair.”

A moment later, he was back with a chair and a couple nurses. Together, they got Steven out of the car and wheeled him into the hospital. I started to follow them inside, but one of the nurses shook her head. “You need to move your car first. Can’t leave it blocking the entrance.”

“Sure, sure.” I hurried back to the driver’s side and jumped in then found a parking spot. Neal got in his car, too, but he must’ve gotten a call, because he drove off. I was glad. I didn’t want to have to talk to him; I wanted to be with Steven. A minute later, I was inside again, looking for him.

The nurses were lifting him onto a gurney, and Doctor Morris, a tall, thin, white-haired man who’d looked the same age the last time I saw him, headed towards him. When he saw me, he gave a wry smile, wiped his hands on his white lab coat, then held one out for me to shake.

“It looks like he belongs in the drunk tank, not the emergency room. How are you doing, Layla? Good to see you again.”

I shook his hand and my head, too worried about Steven for niceties. “He is probably drunk, but there’s something else wrong with him.”

Dr. Morris and the nurses listened as I explained what had happened in the car. When I was finished, Dr. Morris took a pen light out of his jacket pocket and shined it in Steven’s eyes.

“Hmm, could’ve been a seizure. We’ll have to run some tests. You can fill out some paperwork in the meantime.”

One of the nurses led me over to the check in desk. Thankfully, I didn’t recognize the girl behind it. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. I didn’t really know anything about Steven except his name, his age, and his family, but they already had a file on him. I was surprised at first, since he said he didn’t have insurance and hadn’t gone to the doctor even though he needed to, but knowing Steven, he’d probably done a lot of stupid things that ended in a trip to the emergency room.

When she’d gotten all she needed from me, the receptionist pointed to the waiting room. I slumped down in one of the chairs and let myself relax for the first time in what felt like hours but had probably been less than one. I pulled my legs up under me and tried to get comfortable in my tight dress and the stiff chair. I didn’t intend to leave till I knew if Steven was going to be okay.

The day had taxed my emotions to the breaking point. First, the stress and excitement of the party, then Calvin’s kiss followed by my parents’ unexpected visit, the confrontation between us, and finally Steven’s medical emergency. I felt like my blood had been replaced with pure adrenaline, and now that it was dissipating, there was nothing left inside to keep my body from shriveling up.

I didn’t have the energy to do anything, not even think, but the thoughts came unbidden, demanding my attention. Calvin’s kiss was the only good thing that had happened that night, and my mind went to it first. I’d be craving it for weeks, but how did I feel now that it had happened?

I was still planning to go back to Hollywood, and Calvin intended to stay in Sweet Bay. If I was being honest, the thought had crossed my mind that maybe I should stay. Was Calvin worth staying for?

Calvin wasn’t the only thing my hometown had to offer. I was no one in Hollywood, but in Sweet Bay, I had friends, family, and someone who said he loved me. I’d already proven myself a failure in Hollywood, but was I willing to give up my dream forever, in exchange for small town life?

Of course, staying meant dealing with the scorn of my family, maybe the whole town. Would they ever learn to respect Calvin the way I’d come to? I thought tonight would’ve gone a long way towards that, if he hadn’t had the confrontation with his brother.

Possibilities whirled in my mind like a spinning teacup ride till I couldn’t focus on any of them. Eventually, I must’ve worn myself out and fallen asleep. I woke to a hand shaking me.