Conleigh
I wake up to the sound of hangers moving furiously on the rack. I peel back my eyelids reluctantly as my body protests, in desperate need of more sleep. My eyes flutter demanding more sleep.
I crack one eye open as I struggle for coherency. Ezra is here.
“What time is it?” I croak.
“Early. I just needed to grab some of my stuff. Go back to sleep,” he says, all without turning to look at me.
My jaw hurts as I go to rub my eyes. The night before comes rushing back at me. Ezra. Holden. Wren. Men are jerks and right now, I think I hate them all.
“Where did you sleep last night?” I ask, not sure why I care or why I am bothering with speaking to him.
“The office,” he grunts in response.
I watch as he starts packing up a bag, and I feel guilty when I shouldn’t, but this was his place well before it was mine. I’m the one who should be finding a new residence. I wish I could afford an apartment of my own. I don’t want to go back to the dorms either though. I’m sure as fuck not going to live with my mom.
I don’t know what I’m doing. “Ezra, you don’t have to do that. This is your home. I plan to find my own place. Just—we can both sleep here until we figure things out, okay?”
“No, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine. I promise,” I tell him weakly. Once upon a time I loved this man. He was my best friend and things are happening so fast I don’t know which way is up. “Right now, I think we could both use a friend.”
He laughs dryly. “A friend.”
“Why not?” I shrug as I get out of bed. I go over to him and put my head on his shoulder, missing the way this once had made me feel—safe.
He exhales. “Okay.” He turns to face me and strokes my sore cheek. “I’m a lousy shit.”
“Yeah, you are, but we both pretty much suck at the moment.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Con.”
I did but he doesn’t know that. I should tell him, but I won’t. I can’t. The words hang on the tip of my tongue.
I change the subject. “So, who is Wren to Holden?”
“His brother.”
“And Reese?” I press.
“His wife.”
“Wren’s?” I ask, hopeful. I have this terrible sinking feeling in my stomach as Ezra studies me.
“Holden’s. It’s a long story and not mine to tell. Its fucked up, but Reese and Holden were together from junior high until his freshmen year of college. He married her right out of high school. Wren’s band started gaining popularity and well…Reese was their manager and when they hit the road, so did she.”
Wow. “So…um her and Holden are still married?”
“As far as I know. Why the sudden interest?”
“I’m not really. Just curious. Wren said he was going to be staying here for a few weeks.”
“Really?” Ezra appears skeptical.
I nod and he shakes his head, muttering, “Whatever. Just steer clear, it’s a bomb waiting to go off. I have to get to work. I guess I will see you later.”
“Yeah. Later.”
Once he has gone, I flop back on the bed and groan when I see the clock reads six AM. I’m tired as hell but there is no way I can go back to sleep now. As much as I want nothing more than to curl up in a ball and forget the world for a while longer, I know I need to apologize to Holden for puking on his floor.
I find Wren asleep on the living room floor behind the couch.
The dining room table is littered with beer cans and liquor bottles. It smells like smoke in here also.
I can’t help but wonder if Reese stayed with Holden last night and if she is here for him? Did she come back for him? I can’t believe he’s married. Married as in he has a wife. A beautiful wife at that. But Ezra also said she left him. I want to be angry that Holden never told me he was married, but why would he have. It isn’t like we were close friends who talked and shared our deepest secrets with one another.
We slept together. He confessed his supposed feelings for me then I told him I needed space. Now look where we are.
The scent of freshly brewed coffee attracts me to the kitchen. Reese is leaning against the counter drinking a cup out of my favorite mug. I want to rip it from her hands and shatter it against the wall but I don’t. I pretend she’s not staring a hole through me and grab Holden’s mug out of spite. I shouldn’t be so petty I suppose. I don’t know their history. I don’t know why she’s here, but won’t ask her that very question either even though I want to.
“You’re up early,” she muses over the brim of my GOT mug that says, ‘Winter is coming.’
I offer a very weak smile.
“I guess you are wondering why I’m here? You’re Ezra’s girlfriend?” Her brow arches like that of an evil villain in a Disney cartoon.
“Nope.” I pop the p and take a glorious sip of caffeinated heaven.
“Not very talkative, are you?”
“Nope,” my reply is short and I turn away to go get in the shower, taking my coffee with me. I’m afraid of what I will give away if I say anything else to her.
“What happened to your face? You smack the floor or something?”
“I tripped,” I call over my shoulder and remind myself to wear makeup today.
————
After taking an Uber to university and meeting with my advisor and deciding to take a deferment I find myself back at The Grill to open with Waylon. When I walk in there is a baby on the bar in a carrier. “Well, hello there, little one,” I coo, but not getting too close. I know some people are weird about strangers and newborns. “Who’s this?”
“This is my daughter, Taitlyn.” Pride seeps from him as he smiles down at his baby girl.
“How old is she?” I take a seat at the bar a stool away from her.
“Five and a half weeks. My wife, Missy had a doctor’s appointment but she’ll be back to pick her up in an hour,” he explains.
“She’s beautiful,” I tell him, although truthfully, she is making a weird face and making a bit of a grunting sound.
Glancing around, I search for signs of Cheryl. “Is it just us?”
“Missy will be returning to work once Tait is two months old. Cheryl is off today but chicken George will be in about noon to man the kitchen. I’m sure Holden will make an appearance at some point.”
I nod unable to suppress my smile at Cheryl’s confirmed absence.
Then the god-awful smell of death assaults my nose and I now know why the baby was making that face along with the noises.
“I don’t suppose you do diapers?” Waylon asks, hopeful.
“Wishful thinking, buddy, but no.”
“Right.” He grabs a bag from under the counter and proceeds to carry his daughter to one of the pool tables.
My nose crinkles as he gets down to his fatherly duty.
“Is there anything I should be doing?”
Waylon shrugs. “Nah, not unless someone comes in. I’m not entirely sure why he had you come in today.”
With nothing to do, I go to a booth and settle in. I take out my notebook and work on the outline for my book.
There was a curveball Miranda hadn’t seen coming. Bryant had a past. He was harboring a dark secret. One that would wrack her to her core. He was already taken. His heart stolen by someone when he was just a boy. He hadn’t gotten his heart back yet and until he did, Miranda would never fully be his nor he hers. There was one problem among many that stood out to her. It coiled under her breasts, and weaved its tail through her ribs, cracking them as it constricted her bones. The monstrous thought clawed at her heart. What if Bryant didn’t want his heart back? What if he loved this other woman? What if he wanted to go back to his wife?
The door chimes and pulls me from my heavy thoughts. I look up to see a pretty woman smiling as she walks toward the bar where Waylon is swaying from side to side with his baby cradled in his arms. This must be Missy. She’s a petite woman with dark features, heavy lashes, and wide hips.
“How was your appointment?”
“It went great. I have the all clear to return to work.” I don’t miss the pout on her lips.
“We’ve talked about this. If there was a way you could stay home full time, I’d give anything to make that happen, but even with me working two jobs, we can’t afford it.”
“I know.” She sighs and he steps around the counter to hand the baby to her awaiting arms.
I feel awkward listening to such a private conversation, but it isn’t as though I can abstain from listening.
“Oh, Babe. This is Conleigh.” Waylon waves a hand in my direction and I smile.
“Hello. Lovely to meet you. I hope my husband isn’t giving you a rough time.”
“Not at all.” I wave dismissively. “You have a beautiful baby.”
“Thank you.” She turns her attention back to him and gives him a soft peck on the lips. “We will see you at home. Don’t be too late. Tell Holden, I’d prefer you home before two AM.”
He grins at her. He attempts to drop his voice down low, but I can still hear what he says to her. “You want me home so I can pay worship to that pussy that’s been without my attention for far too long.”
“Way!” She averts her eyes as her cheeks flame in embarrassment.
My cheeks redden as well but I think it is sexy and sweet that he talks to her like that. I look down at my notes pretending I didn’t hear their exchange.
“Hey, Conleigh. Hold down the fort, I’m going to see them out.”
“No problem. Take your time.”
I get up from my spot and decide I had better start doing something to earn my pay.