Rest Thy Head (2 page)

“I believed in you! I
believed
in you!” She jerked her arm from Drew’s grip and ran for her car. He and that little heifer deserved each other! Megan had a bad reputation in Milford, and the entire town talked about her. If that’s what Drew wanted, let him have her.

***

Peyton sat up when she heard the front door slam. Great. Her mother had returned. She considered jumping out the window and escaping. Of course her room was on the second floor, but who cared. Maybe if she got lucky she’d kill herself, and no one would ever know Drew had dumped her for Megan Thomas.

She heard Eleanor coming up the steps and braced herself. Knowing her mother, this wouldn’t be pretty.

“Why are you still here?” Eleanor demanded as she burst into Peyton’s room without knocking. “You aren’t even dressed yet. Don’t you know how important this evening is?”

Peyton stared at the wall just below her mother’s left ear. “I’m not dressed because I’m not meeting Drew’s grandparents.”

“Why not? Did they cancel?”

“Let’s just say that Drew should take Megan Thomas to meet them, not me.”

Eleanor frowned. “You’d better tell me what you mean. I don’t like riddles.”

When Peyton told her, Eleanor sank down onto the side of the bed as if she couldn’t stand up any longer. “Sweet goodness! Why now?” she exclaimed. Peyton watched as her mother tried to control her emotions. She seemed to have a harder time of it than usual, but she eventually got her ‘I am your mother, and I know best’ look firmly in place.

Eleanor reached for her hand. “Darling, I know this hurts. I can imagine what you must be feeling right now, but truthfully, this isn’t the end of the world. Megan Thomas gets her reputation honestly. I’m sure the entire thing is her fault.”

“I saw her in his arms.”

Eleanor nodded. “I understand. She undoubtedly offered, and Drew gave in to temptation this once, but he loves
you
, Peyton, not Megan. Go and call him, and give him a chance to apologize. I’m sure he’ll never do a thing like this again.”

Peyton’s bitter anger subsided as she stared at Eleanor. Could her mother possibly be that naive? “You can forget it. Drew and I are through.”

Eleanor smoothed the fat fringe on one of the decorative pillows on Peyton’s bed. She sounded calm and composed. “You’re not thinking with your head. A marriage to Drew is a dream come true for a girl like you.”

Peyton bristled. “What’s that supposed to mean, a girl like me?”

“A girl with no money, no family, and no prospects.”

“Gee, thanks, Mother.”

“Be sarcastic all you want,” Eleanor shot back, “but if you want an easier life than I’ve had, get off this bed, and let Drew make it up to you.”

“Why would he want to make up with me?” Peyton sniffed. “As you’ve pointed out, I’m not exactly the kind of woman you’d expect Drew to be interested in. You remember; no money, no family, and no prospects.”

Eleanor turned a cold eye on Peyton. “I’ve done a lot for you. I scrimped and saved and did without so you and Ashley could have opportunities I never had. You owe it to me to marry Drew.”

Peyton’s mouth fell open. “I refuse to discuss this anymore. This is my life we’re talking about. I’m not a bargaining chip in a marriage market to ensure your future.”

Eleanor’s hands clenched. Her face looked so angry that Peyton shrank back into the pillows. “Oh, you refuse, do you? What’s wrong? Are you ashamed of your selfishness? I’d counted on you and Drew to be there for me in my old age. Huh! Ashley sure can’t. She couldn’t even manage to get herself a husband before she got her baby.”

“Let it go!” Peyton cried. “I’m sick of hearing you talk trash about Ashley.”

With a suddenness that stunned Peyton, her mother grabbed her and shook her until her hair tumbled around her shoulders. “Don’t ever speak to me in that fashion again!”

The ringing of the doorbell brought Eleanor to her feet. “You remember what I said. I’ve got a lot invested in you, and I have no intention of losing Drew to a hussy like Megan Thomas.”

She strode from the room, leaving Peyton too shocked to even cry. A moment later Eleanor called from downstairs, “Peyton, Drew is here to see you.”

What now? What should she do? Peyton pressed her hands against her burning face. She didn’t want to talk to Drew, but stunned by her mother’s attack, she called, “I’ll be down in a minute.”

She ran into the bathroom and splashed cool water on her hot face, careless of the makeup that she had so carefully applied earlier in the day. Her mascara dribbled down her cheeks like black tears. Staring at herself in the mirror, she swiped at the streaks with the backs of her hands. Great. Now she looked like a raccoon. She’d die before she let Drew know how badly he had hurt her, so with hands that trembled she snatched a washcloth from the linen closet and scrubbed her face. She hated Drew, she hated Megan Thomas, and she hated her mother most of all!

With her head held high, she descended the stairs to find Drew and her mother waiting for her in the living room. She paused for a moment to listen when she heard Drew’s contrite sounding voice. “Mrs. O’Malley, I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I don’t know how I could do such a thing. She came over, and…I am so sorry.”

Peyton clenched her teeth as Eleanor patted his shoulder. “I understand. You don’t have to say anything else.”

“I feel…”

He broke off when he saw Peyton standing in the doorway and rose to his feet. “Could I talk to you for a minute?”

Eleanor smiled at him. “I’ll leave you two alone to talk.” As graceful as any ballerina, she left the living room and shut the door behind her.

Peyton retreated as Drew reached for her hand. She’d throw up if he touched her now. “Why did you come here, Drew?”

“To explain. Honey, you’ve got to believe me. I…don’t…I don’t know why I did it. She just showed up at the door, and…”

Peyton threw her hands over her ears. “I don’t want to hear the dirty details.”

“I love you, honey. You’re the woman of my dreams. I’d never do anything to hurt you. Please tell me I haven’t wrecked everything. Don’t let my mistake ruin things for us.”

Peyton turned her back on him and moved to the window to put a little more distance between them. A pretty cardinal landed on the bird feeder. He flashed his wings at a female who moved aside for him to eat. “We don’t have anything to say. Go home and leave me alone.”

Drew didn’t go. He joined her at the window and pulled her stiff body into his arms. “It doesn’t have to ruin anything, baby. Don’t you know how much I love you?”

Ice dripped from Peyton’s voice. “Actually, I don’t.”

“Well, I do, and you know it. Please, sweetie, don’t do this. Everyone expects us to get married. Your mother likes me, and my folks like you. Don’t let one mistake screw up our future.”

Yes, Eleanor certainly liked Drew. Peyton remembered what her mother had said. Eleanor had raised two children without a father to help her; Peyton knew how hard her mother had worked for her and Ashley. She bit her lip. Maybe she did owe it to Eleanor to marry Drew. He certainly seemed sincere when he said he was sorry. Maybe Megan really was to blame. She’d give anything to think so.

Her chin went up. “I’ll think about it, but I can’t promise anything.”

“Thank God! I love you, Peyton; you won’t be sorry that you gave me another chance. Uh…you don’t still want to have dinner with my grandparents do you?”

“No.” Ugh, she’d rather die than sit through dinner with him.

“I’ll make your excuses and reschedule dinner.”

“I didn’t say I’d still marry you,” she snapped, resisting the urge to slap his handsome face.

“No, but, baby, I have to believe you will.”

He attempted to kiss her, but Peyton pushed him away. If he tried to kiss her she’d barf all over him. Thankfully, Drew accepted her rebuff. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Don’t bother.

The minute he let himself out the door, Eleanor joined Peyton. “You did well. I knew you’d do the right thing. You’ve always been my good girl.”

Peyton pressed the tips of her fingers between her eyes where she’d developed a massive headache. “You eavesdropped on us.”

“I’m sorry about that, but I had to make sure you didn’t make a mistake you’d regret.”

What would her mother have done if she had told Drew to get out and never speak to her again like he deserved? Probably throw her out of the house like she did Ashley when she had Griffin. “I’m exhausted. I’m going to my room.”

“Of course. Can I get you anything?”

“No, nothing.”

Eleanor leaned over and kissed Peyton’s forehead. “You did the right thing. You go and rest now. You’ll see; you did the right thing.”

****

“You’re an idiot,” Ashley bluntly informed Peyton as she took a bite of the chocolate chip cookie Griffin had rejected. “You know he cheated on you with Megan Thomas, but you’re letting Mother bully you into marrying him anyway.”

Peyton sighed as she shifted Griffin in her arms and tried to find a more comfortable position in Ashley’s old, broken down recliner. She loved that little boy almost as much as Ashley did. He had come running down the sidewalk to meet her when he saw her car stop in front of Ashley’s apartment, and they had played until he finally ran out of energy and climbed into her lap for a little nap. “Drew’s sorry. He didn’t mean to do it, but Megan…”

Ashley snorted. “Save it for somebody who doesn’t know better. You’re doing this because of Mother. Did she give you the old ‘I’m depending on you’ speech?’

Peyton squirmed in her chair. “Well, she is, and no matter what you say, you know how hard she worked to give us a good life.”

Ashley rolled her eyes. “I don’t think she deserves any special credit for that. Parents are supposed to take care of their children.” She gave a bitter, little chuckle. “Anyway, look how she’s treated me and Griffin. Oh, yeah. She has our best interests at heart, doesn’t she?”

Peyton couldn’t deny it. Once Ashley got pregnant Eleanor had washed her hands of her. Their mother could have made Ashley’s life a whole lot easier if she had wanted to. Instead, she left Ashley to fend for herself. With a small child and no education, Ashley hadn’t had an easy time of it.

Peyton indicated the butter yellow bridesmaid dress that hung in the doorway to Ashley’s bedroom. “Does your dress fit okay?”

“All right, Peyton. I’ll drop the subject, but I intend to bring it up tomorrow and every day after that until you see reason. Yeah, my dress looks fine. Mrs. White told me she could cut it off after the wedding and make a regular dress for me if I wanted.”

Peyton nodded. “That’s exactly why I picked it. It isn’t fussy and doesn’t have sequins and junk on it.”

Ashley smiled, looking very much like the little girl Peyton had loved from the moment her mother returned from the hospital with a bundle wrapped in pink. “I appreciate it, too. I’ve been dying for something new, but I haven’t had the money to waste.”

She knew Ashley hadn’t exaggerated. When she and Drew got married, she intended to help Ashley as well as her mother. Ashley had planned to study small business management until she got pregnant because she had always dreamed of owning an inn. Not a motel, an inn. Months ago she and Drew had agreed they’d help Ashley financially until she finished school. Yeah, she had plenty of reasons to marry Drew.

Peyton stood up and passed Griffin to his mother. “I’ve got to go. Drew and I are having dinner with his grandparents tonight.”

“Won’t that be fun?” Ashley scowled at Peyton. “Old Mr. Hamilton is nothing but a pervert.”

“Why would you say a thing like that?” Peyton pulled on the pretty eyelet jacket she had bought to wear with her jeans. “You know he isn’t a pervert.”

“I think he is. He brought his car to the car wash, and while he was paying me, he asked me if I’d care to go out with him.”

“Then I guess he thought you were pretty,” Peyton retorted, but inwardly Ashley had shocked her. Mr. Hamilton had always treated her like a lady. She wouldn’t have dreamed he’d go around making dates with young women behind his wife’s back.

Actually, a lot of things had shocked her lately
.
I guess it’s best
not to think about it.
I’ll feel better if I don’t.

Chapter Two

“You look absolutely wonderful,” her mother gushed. “I think you’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”

Peyton took a long look at herself in the full-length mirror that the church had placed in the bride’s room. Her mother had booked an expensive stylist to do her hair and makeup, and the man had made her look as beautiful as any Hollywood star. Her dress was lovely too. Mrs. Jenner at the local bridal store had ordered it out of a magazine for her. The dress was strapless and white with small blue rosebuds embroidered on the skirt. On the day she first tried it on, it had taken her breath away, but today…

“Something doesn’t look right.”

“What is it?” her mother instantly queried, anxiety scrunching up her face. “I don’t see a thing.”

“I don’t know.” Peyton turned around to look at the back of the dress. “Ashley, what do you think?”

Ashley shifted Griffin to her other hip and came to look. “I don’t see anything wrong.”

Eleanor patted at her veil. “You’re just nervous, baby. Once we get started you’ll feel fine.”

A knot rose in Peyton’s throat. “How long until the ceremony starts?”

“Another fifteen minutes yet. I’ll be back in a second. I want to talk to the photographer one more time.”

She let herself out, leaving the sisters alone in the elegant bride’s room.

Ashley set Griffin down and handed him a small car to play with. “Listen to me.” She grabbed Peyton’s arms for emphasis and gave her a shake. “You don’t have to do it. He cheated on you, and if he did it once, he’ll do it again. Stop this farce before you get hurt.”

Peyton managed a feeble smile even though her lips felt frozen. “Mother would hurt me if I backed out now.”

Ashley smacked her forehead and made Griffin laugh. “Peyton! This isn’t mother’s life we’re talking about. It’s your life, and if you don’t want to marry him you don’t have to.”