Chapter 31

Ted

I threw my cell phone into the passenger seat and cursed Luke for calling with Lauralee right there in the room. Luckily, he’d caught on, and I’d given him a cover story that might hold up if I were a lucky man.

I turned into the horseshoe driveway in front of Katie’s house. The huge Colonial had always seemed like a mansion to me when I was younger, now the place seemed to have gotten smaller. Or was it that I’d gotten older. I stopped behind her car, and she hurried from the house to meet me.

“Did you manage to sneak away? I’m surprised that girl lets you out of her sight. I know I wouldn’t.” She ran her hand through her thick ponytail, and then I followed her inside as it bounced in front of me, like a pendulum swinging with purpose.

The large foyer was decorated for Fall, and I tried to keep a straight face as I passed the elaborate scarecrow she’d propped up against a hay bale. Things that I was sick of looking at, she saw as fancy décor. “Yeah, I’m surprised I haven’t ruined it already or given it away. I’ve tried to stay away from her as much as possible, but it’s hard. I like being near her a lot better.” She waved me into the living room next, and it was adorned with oak leaf swags and wreaths with burlap bows. She motioned me toward an oversized brown leather chair that swallowed me up as I lowered myself into it.

“The dress is ready to go; the size was confirmed. You need to get it before one though. They close early today. The flowers are ready, anytime today is fine. Here is the card and you need to remember your tux. Bentley’s is open all day. You did remember to go in and order that, right?” I nodded as she ticked through the list, counting everything off on her fingers as she did.

“I remembered. But I’m still not sure how I’ll look in it. They said last minute wouldn’t be a problem and they deal with that all the time.” I had no desire to dress up in some monkey suit, and I hoped that gesture, if any, proved my love to her.

She reached across and brushed my hair off my forehead. “You’ll look amazing, which reminds me. Shave and haircut? Did you schedule that too?” She let out a long breath and slapped her hand on my thigh. “You’ve got me so worried trying to do all this on such short notice.”

“I got it. I can’t believe it’s all going off without a hitch. So far, anyway.” I placed my hand over hers and gave it a pat. “Thanks so much, Katie. I couldn’t have organized all this without your help. You’ve always been a good friend to my Lolly.”

“Well, she promised me that I’d be her bridesmaid one day, so I guess I should at least earn the honor.” I wanted to correct her and tell her that I wasn’t going to propose, but part of me wondered why not? Because it’s absolutely nuts, that’s why. Baby steps.

“I can’t promise that anytime soon, but who knows. It’s what I want someday. I want to give her everything. The house of her dreams and the love she deserves.” I imagined I sounded like a fool, but I wanted Katie to know I meant it all. I had a feeling that if anyone understood the story of Lauralee and me, it was her. If I ever screwed things up, I hoped she’d remember this moment and share it with her.

“Well, the gym is all yours from seven until twelve. There’s an away game tonight, and the team doesn’t come back to the gym before midnight. You’ve got permission to be there, but wrap it up before then.” She threw her head back and laughed. “You know, when I asked Mr. Otis about using the gym, he remembered the night you hit that poor kid at prom. Said it was about time you made it right.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I remembered the old man pulling that kid off the ground. I realized in that moment that I was in deep trouble. He put me in detention until graduation and worse, called my dad. “It’s nice of him to help.”

“Yeah, I think everyone’s been rooting for you two for a while now. I know I have. She deserves to be happy. She’s a good friend and one of the best people I know.”

“I don’t know about everyone. I’m not sure her old man is keen on the idea of me. Maybe I’ll make that right tonight too.”

She patted my back for reassurance. “It’s going to be perfect. I’m so excited for it to be over so I can hear all about it.”

I rose to get a move on, chuckling at the thought of what Lauralee might have told her about us over the years. I had a feeling it was more than her heartache, but the good times too.

I said my goodbyes and rushed out to make my appointments. I had planned on getting back to the house before Lauralee left for home but was cutting it close. I decided to call Mason and get him to have her wait around.

“She went home early. Said she was sick,” he said. My brain came to a skidding halt, and I could almost smell the rubber burning.

“She’s sick? Is it bad?” Maybe a headache or sniffle wouldn’t ruin the night, but I couldn’t expect her to go on a date if she should be in bed resting.

“I don’t think so. She seemed fine enough earlier, but she hauled ass before I could get back to the office.” Her being in a rush to get home didn’t sound promising.

“I’ll stop by her house. Maybe it’s not as bad as it sounds.” I glanced at her dress laying across the seat beside me and wished so much to see her in it. She would have been so surprised, and I was long overdue to produce the kind of excitement that she deserved.

“Well, good luck. Sounds like you’re gonna need it.” Mason’s end went silent and I was left alone with my thoughts. The night of drinking had been rough on her. I wished I’d slowed her down then and maybe she wouldn’t be feeling so terrible now. She hadn’t felt feverish, so maybe it was a headache or lady troubles. Maybe she was better now that she’d rested. The hope of my night faded away, and I suddenly understood how it had been for Lauralee all those years ago. If it all blew up in my face, I deserved it.

I tried to call her as I put the pedal down, but she didn’t answer, which made me worry more. I barreled into her driveway, not minding the mud holes that had me bouncing in my seat, and skidded to a stop. Granny met me out on the porch, and I approached the woman so out of breath you’d think I ran the whole way. “Where is she?”

“She’s in bed. She’s been feeling poorly all day.”

“I need to see her.” I loved Granny Langston and respected the hell out of the old woman, but I was ready to argue my way upstairs.

She narrowed her eyes and then reluctantly stepped aside and waved me in. “Don’t blame me if you catch her germs.” As she wandered back toward her kitchen, I bounded up the stairs taking two at a time. Lauralee’s door was closed, so I knocked.

“I’m sleeping.” Her voice sounded so small that I could almost imagine her younger, that sulking little girl sitting in the shade of the big oak, avoiding a sunburn.

I turned the knob and pushed the door open. “You sound awake to me.” She lay bundled up under her covers, her face smashed against her pillow, which was wet from tears that had reddened her eyes. She seemed so sweet and docile until a hint of recognition sparked in her eyes.

“Why are you here and what do you want?” She rose up, sitting amongst the fluffy layers of covers with daggers in her eyes sharp enough to shred it all to ribbons. My sweet, docile angel had sprouted horns and fangs.

I crossed the room toward her bed. “Mason said you’re feeling bad. I came to check—”

“What do you care? Get out of here and leave me alone.” She scrubbed her eyes with balled fists, and her tone threw her words on me like iced water.

I stopped in my tracks at the foot of her bed. Sick or not, I hadn’t done anything to warrant that attitude from her. “I beg your pardon?”

“I know all about you and Katie, so don’t you dare come in here asking me how I feel.” Her voice rattled off the walls, and I expected her grandmother to come up at any moment. She thought I was with Katie? How? Why? I wondered for a moment if one of my brothers had said something. I guess my expression must have shown that I was dumbstruck because she offered up her explanation. “I caught her adding her number into your phone and then I saw your text. I guess you two had to have a trial run today before your big date tonight.” She reached over to her nightstand toward a candle and all of a sudden the damned thing flew across the room at my head. I ducked away from it and met her eyes, which were wide with challenge.

“You are out of your damned mind.” Fuck taking this crazy ass anywhere. She wasn’t ever going to trust me or believe me. But then as she sank down in her bed and pulled the covers over her head, I remembered I loved that crazy woman. Dammit, I did. “I haven’t been messing around with Katie, and if you’ll wait a minute, I’ll prove it to you.”

“Go home, Ted. I know what I saw.” Her voice broke, and she cleared her throat.

I headed toward the door. “I don’t know what you read, but you’ve got it all wrong.” I left her redheaded temper, passing Granny Langston on the way down the stairs and leaving her to pause in a wake of confusion. I stormed to my truck and threw her dress over my shoulder along with her shoes and the corsage I bought her. Then I stormed right back inside and up the stairs passing Granny, who had not moved an inch from where I left her.

Lauralee slipped on her robe, no doubt to come after me, as I marched into her room and threw the dress on her bed. “Here. This is what I’ve been doing with your best friend Katie. Planning a night for the two of us. I didn’t realize how little trust you have in people, so I guess I’ve really screwed you up over the years.” Not trusting me was understandable, but Katie? The girl had been a loyal friend for as long as I could remember.

She glanced down to the bed as if lasers would shoot from her gaze and burn up whatever it was, and then after a moment, her jaw fell slack. She pulled back the plastic and rubbed the soft blue chiffon. “It’s like my mother’s dress. The color, it’s the same.” She scooped it up and out of the plastic so fast and held it up against her at the mirror. “It’s so close. How did you—”

“Put it on.” Her eyes shot up to meet mine in the reflection, and her brows pinched tight with her frown. I took a deep breath knowing that ordering her around was only going to fuel more anger. My heart was doing summersaults as it was. I had never known a woman so difficult in all my life. She would probably stand me up, burn the dress, and stomp on my flower. And I’d deserve it. I totally fucking deserved it. “Be ready or don’t. I’ll be back at seven.”

Still facing the mirror, as if the reflection worked as a buffer or shield, she glanced up at me. Her red-rimmed eyes were now softer than before. “Where are you going?”

“I have a few more things to take care of.” I walked away still wondering what she’d do, but I didn’t know what else to say to her and was afraid that if we talked too much, we’d end up arguing again and the whole night would be ruined. To think she thought I had screwed her friend and the fact that she’d snooped in my phone—it didn’t matter. None of it mattered. Our entire relationship had always been rough for some reason. We were like oil and water the two of us. No, we were fire and fire. Both of our tempers getting the best of us. I don’t know why I expected things to magically change. Lauralee was a challenge, and her love was a chore. But I knew down in my soul, I’d gladly work my ass into an early grave for it. That same fire we shared burned with passion, and when it was good, it was amazing.

Granny had disappeared back to the kitchen, and on my way out to my truck, I spotted Mr. Langston winding a hose beside his porch. I had one more thing I needed to do before I left.

I stepped up to the railing where he stood on the ground below. I had been in denial about this conversation most of my life and wasn’t sure how to begin. At least if he decided to punch my face in, I’d have that rail to slow him down and give me a head start to my truck. I wasn’t afraid of the man, but of what his daughter would do to me if I got into a fight with her Daddy. If he decided to whoop my ass and drag me across the property line by my neck, I’d let him.

I’d do anything for her.

“Mr. Langston, do you have a minute?” He slowly glanced up from his task, his eyes hard as stones and his lip curled in contempt.

This would be a long talk.