Love You Anyways (10 page)

Chapter 11

Bitch

I gave Tessa two days before I texted to check in on her. She responded immediately that she was fine and busy with wedding plans. She asked if we would be there, she hadn’t heard back from Ashley.

I told her we’d be there. Ava was in the wedding and of course we wanted to share the big day with Harper. I asked if she needed anything and her response was prayers for strength and then a lol with a smiley face.

I told her she didn’t have to ask for that it was a given, that me and the big guy were on good terms so she shouldn’t be afraid.

Two days later I texted her again. She didn’t respond. I called the house and Harper told me she was jogging and asked if everything was alright. I told Harper I just wanted to be sure they got the RSVP and that we would be there and were very happy for her.

I then texted Tessa that if she didn’t respond I would come find her. When she didn’t respond I headed up to the farm.

I went down to the falls and she sat there looking at the water again.

“Tessa.”

She looked up and smiled and wiped her tears. “You stalking me Links?”

“
You’ve been avoiding me. I’m not stalking. You answer your phone or respond to a text, I won’t go looking.”

“Easy as that huh?”

I sat down next to her and handed her my water bottle. “Yes.”

We didn’t talk much. We sat and watched the water.

While we hiked back up, I told her I was going to buy her a fish tank, a big one so she could sit in her house and watch them, because this hike was a pain in the ass. And that made her laugh, a sad one, which sucked but at least it was a laugh. This made me know that four days between seeing her was too long for me, but she needed it.

When we got to the SUV I gave her a hug.
“Message me, call me, whatever, just to let me know you’re okay.”

The hug was interrupted by the wicked witch ringtone alerting me when Ashley called. Nice timing Ashley.
Bitch
!

Tessa stepped back and
laughed a real laugh this time. The kind of laugh when something surprises you. I couldn’t help join her.

“What the hell is that?”

“Jade’s ringtone.” I lied, sometimes you really have to. This was one of those times.

“That’s awful.” She laughed again and covered her mouth, “Does she know that?”

“No and she better not find out either.”

“Oh no that is too funny to keep a secret.” She laughed harder.

“Think about it. Do you want Jade to know our secret?”

“Our secret.” She looked down and fiddled with her fingers.

I reached out and grabbed her hand. “Stop stressing.”

“Secret sound bad Lucas.”

“What we’re doing isn’t wrong Tessa. Two friends sending messages. Checking up on each other when we hurt.”

“I’m the one hurt. You’re married and…Lucas this is wrong.”

“Don’t do that Tessa. Nothing’s going on that I am ashamed of.” She nodded. “No matter what Tessa, we’ve always been on each other’s teams. That shit’s not changing now.”

I gave her a kiss, yeah ballsy move after that conversation. “Now get your ass home.” I opened the door and she climbed in. I shut it behind her and my phone blared alerting me that the wicked witch of the west probably needed something.
Bitch!

~

When I got home she was mad. “Where have you been?”

“Well hello there Ash.” I set the take out I picked up on the counter. “I brought dinner.”

“I’m going to Jersey,” she put her hand on her hip; I assume showing some sort of dominance.

“Be back Friday. Ava’s in a wedding.”

“I’m not going.”

“The fuck you aren’t.” Okay I was pissed, really pissed.

“You can’t make me.”

“Try me Ash.”

I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and walked past her. “You can fuck the worm after. I really don’t give a fuck.”

“So you’re going to bribe me Lucas?”

“Blackmail. Yeah if that’s what it takes for you to act like a mother.”

“I have to go watch you and her? How would you like it?”

“I can’t believe you. You’re fucking him again and you’re so fucking ashamed that you’re making it my fault. You made your choice. I told you already what that meant. Your daughter is in her best friend’s wedding, grow the fuck up. Suck it up. I’ve been living with you for years while you’ve been banging some fucking douche behind my back Ash. I’m giving you a chance to be the mom they need…”

“I’m not Katherine
, Lucas!”

I was so damn thankful that Logan was at a friend’s house because I was gonna kill the bitch.

“You shut the fuck up Ashley, because the way I see it you’re nothing different than she is. Where were you for Ava’s prom Ash?”

“Not in a rehab.”

I threw the beer bottle at the fucking wall and she jumped. “Fuck you.”

I walked out the door and slammed it behind me.  I jumped in my SUV and drove around for an hour. I was so pissed at her now. Beyond pissed. She was playing on a childhood insecurity.

My mom was no fucking prize but things had changed, she had changed. She and my step father Bob were good. She had been sober for years and she was fucking there to take pictures of Ava at prom.

Logan called and said he was staying at his friends. I drove by to make sure he was where he said he was going to be. He was and so were four other cars. I would be checking again later to make sure he stayed put.

I drove past the house hoping she had left and she hadn’t, so I drove over to Ryan’s.

When I knocked on the
door, Tessa answered.

Jade and Ryan had bought their house from me. It was my childhood house. It was also the place Tessa lost her virginity—to me.

Now old Lucas would have been making a phone call, hooking up with someone to fuck the frustration out on. Old Lucas still lived deep inside so fuck yeah I was probably looking at her a little different than I had earlier.

She stepped back, “Come in.”

“Ryan around?”

“Yep.” I went to walk by and she grabbed my arm stopping me. “You alright?”

“Yeah fine why?” I laughed making it look good.

“You sure?”

“I’m good Tessa. Come on girl, shut that door its cold out there.” I looked towards my house. “Real cold.”

“What’s up?” Ryan walked into the kitchen.

“Saw the light on, thought I’d stop by. Sorry if I’m interrupting.” He handed me a beer. “Perfect.”

“No you’re not interrupting Lucas. Come on in, we’re just putting labels on the wine bottles for the reception.” Jade smiled knowingly at me.

Okay Jade and Ryan knew every day things about what was going on and Jade had been asking me where I had been the couple times I disappeared. I never told her. This was mine to deal with. I didn’t need any help or hindrance.

I shrugged off my jacket ready to dive in to helping my friend, Tessa. She and Jade were sort of helping. They were actually drinking, by the looks of them they had been. Tessa had the perma pout going on. The one that held back a smile that played just beneath her pink lips. Her eyes were lit up and not sparkling, I mean lit the fuck up. So were Jade’s
, but she was grinning. I looked at Ryan and he shook his head.

“Been a long night Ryan?”

“Doesn’t it look like it has,” he glanced at Jade and then back to the wine bottle he was applying the label to.

“So what Lucas?”

I looked at Jade confused. I had no idea what the hell she was talking about.

“So what Lucas?” Jade repeated.

“Okay Jade I’m not sure if it’s a question or a comment and obviously you’ve been drinking…”

“So what? What are you, the fun police?” Jade laughed at her lame ass comment and Tessa did too.

“Is this a trick question?” They both laughed harder.

Typically I would have said something over the top perverted or suggestive, you know put ‘em on their ass with naughty but not now.

Jade grabbed hers and Tessa’s empty glasses and walked into the kitchen. She turned on some music and walked back in to the beat of the music. Then started swaying her hips and backed her ass up and sat on Ryan’s lap.

“Hey Jade.” She smiled.

“Don’t smile at me like that. I’m not that drunk.” She and Tessa laughed again.

“What are you the ass police?” I asked her.

They all laughed. And then my mother fucking phone chimed, yeah that one, the wicked witches’ damn anthem. I looked quickly at Tessa whose eyes widened and her mouth formed a perfect O. I looked across the table at Jade’s phone sitting there. I looked at Tessa; pretty damn sure I was busted. And she started laughing, stood up and walked into the kitchen.

“What’s so funny?”

Oh fuck
, “Jade please just go with it. Please.” I pleaded.

“Fuck that what’s so funny?” Jade laughed as Tessa walked in.

“Busted Lucas you better come clean.” Tessa patted my head and then sat with her legs tucked under her in the chair next to me. “When she goes after you, don’t worry, I got your back buddy.”

“Spill it Links.” Jade drank down her drink and looked at me.

“His ring tone for you…”

“Tessa please don’t…”

“It’s the wicked witch, you know when she rides her bike into the farm and…”

I locked eyes with Jade ready to do battle. She reached for her phone and looked at me confused. I closed my eyes and mouthed please to Jade.

“I’m the wicked witch?” Jade asked.

“No Jade you’re not…”

“I’m the wicked witch!” Jade stood up.

I looked at Ryan another silent plea. Jade had my back, always had but when she was drunk I never knew what the hell she was going to do.

Tessa sat next to me smiling a big goofy smile that would have been adorable if I was sure what the hell Jade was going to do.

Ryan stood and whispered in her ear.

“Until I fall asleep?” Jade asked her husband.

“Until you are so spent that you pass out with my head between
your….”

“Oh dear God!” Tessa covered her ears and laughed.

Jade flung her arms around Ryan’s neck. “Starting now.”

“After I take Tessa home.”

“I can take her home,” I offered.

“I bet you’d like…” Jade started and Ryan kissed her.

He pulled back and looked at me. “Cool, lock up when you leave?”

“Will do.” I smiled and continued attaching the label.

“I can call Alex, Lucas, you don’t have to…”

“Don’t be silly. We have what two boxes left here to do and then I can take you home. I need to check to make sure Logan’s car is at his friend’s where he’s supposed to be. It’s on the way.”

“You’re checking up on him?” She smiled as she was about to apply a crooked label.

I grabbed the bottle. “Maybe I should do this.”

She smiled, let go of the bottle, and sat back.

We didn’t say another word. She handed me the bottles, and
peeled the paper off the back of the label and handed it to me as I put them on.

When we finished I asked where her coat was and she stumbled as she stood.

“You drinking a lot these days?”

She rolled her eyes. “Not judging
, I was just wondering because…”

“Fun police.” She smiled as she walked past me.

“Oh no way. I’m a damn party waiting to happen.” As she put on her jacket, I quickly looked at my phone. Ashley was on her way to New Jersey.

“Prove it.” She poked me playfully in the chest.

“Is that a dare girl?”

“Double dare.”

“Okay let’s roll.”

~

I opened the door for her and she got in all giggly and cute as hell.

When I sat in the driver’s seat I looked over. “What?” She laughed.

“Seat belt bab…Tessa.”

“Right.” She said as she reached back and pulled it on. “Lucas does it go away?”

“Nope,” I smiled as I buckled my seat belt, “But the pain lessens.”

“Sure,” she whispered and looked out the window.

“I believe you dared me…”

She looked back again and smiled, “Double dared.”

“Oh that’s right. So let’s start off by going to a party,” I laughed as I backed out.

“Hell yeah,” she laughed.

~

We slowly rolled past Logan’s buddy’s house. Now there were two more cars.

“You ready to party?”

“Um, no,” she laughed.

I jumped out and opened her door. “A dare’s a dare, come on girl.”