Broken (13 page)

I swore I woke up with a goddamn smile on my face. I did nothing but dream of a stubborn, hardheaded, beautiful, green-eyed beauty last night. After I got dressed, I reached for my cell phone and headed to the kitchen where I could already hear Reed and Kevin arguing. It reminded me of Mike and me, and for one brief moment, I felt like my chest was being pushed in on me.

I glanced at my phone and saw a text message from Whitley. I smiled as I opened it up to read it.

Whitley: Good morning, Layton. Have a good day. I read that damn book until five thirty this morning. Thank you again for helping me yesterday.

“Jesus, dude, what in the hell has you smiling with that damn goofy-ass grin?” Reed asked as toast popped up from the toaster.

I looked between both of them. There was no fucking way I was telling them about my conversation with Whitley. They’d just go off on me about how much I liked her…which I didn’t.

“Nothing. So, what’s the plan for today?” I grabbed the eggs out of the fridge and started to scramble them.

Kevin stood and cleaned off his plate. “I’m going to head out for a quick run, and then I’d really love to just spend a bit of time on the ranch.”

I smiled as I looked at my brother’s best friend. I knew losing Mike had been hard for him as well.

“You want to saddle up a few horses?” I glanced over toward Reed, who was looking down at his phone.

He looked up and grinned. “That sounds good to me, dude. Kev, you up for riding?”

Kevin smiled and nodded. “Give me a good thirty-minute run, y’all.” He headed out the back door.

I turned back to cooking my eggs.

“Layton?”

I looked over my shoulder and smiled. “Reed?”

“Um…I don’t know how to tell you this, but—”

I turned and stared at him. “What? Is something wrong?”

“Uh…Olivia sent me a text a few minutes ago. She said some bullshit about worrying about you. She asked me if I was going to see you today and if I could let her know where you would be. What do I say to her?”

My heart instantly fell to my stomach. “Just don’t text her back.”

“What the fuck is her deal? Why is she all of a sudden so worried about you? Bitch wasn’t worried the night she walked out and left you.”

I felt the anger starting to build inside me.

She left me when I needed her the most. All women are nothing but selfish bitches.

“I don’t know what her deal is. She was texting me in the middle of the night last night. I just ignored her.”

“Bill said she was pissed when she saw you with Misty.”

“Do you think she’s jealous?” A part of me hoped so.

“Fuck yes, she’s jealous. From what I hear, Justin is getting sick of her high-maintenance attitude. He said she practically threw this idea of an engagement party at him yesterday. They hadn’t even talked about one before.”

“Really? Huh…yesterday, she sure jumped all over Whitley to organize it.”

Reed stood, walked over to the sink, and rinsed off his plate. He turned and shook his head. “Layton, think about it. Olivia saw you with Whitley, right?”

“Yeah. Olivia asked who Whitley was right from the get-go.” I put my eggs on my plate and sat down to eat.

“So, she sees you show up with this drop-dead gorgeous girl. Olivia has no idea who she is, so she starts thinking you’re together. What a better way to get to know Whitley than to have her organize a fucking party. Olivia never was one to miss the little things. She probably got the idea for the engagement party just on the spot.”

I sat there and thought back to yesterday. I smiled slightly.
So, Liv thinks something is going on with Whit and me. This could be fun.

“Layton, I know you keep saying that you’re not the least bit interested in Whitley, and that’s cool. From the short amount of time I talked to her yesterday, she seems like a sweet girl. Her friend, on the other hand, is…well, I don’t know what she is just yet. Annoying.”

I let out a laugh.

“Just don’t use Whitley to make Olivia jealous. I got the feeling that she’s been hurt before from the little bit I caught from Courtney. Don’t be a dick, okay?”

My smile faded as I sat there and looked at my best friend. Reed was about the same height as me. His brown hair was always messy, and his eyes were sometimes green and sometimes blue. I’d never understood how they changed colors. He’d said it depended on his mood. He was every girl’s dream—good looks, built, and had a heart of gold.

He loved his job as a horticulturist, working for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Of course, he loved helping me with the cattle and racehorses as well.

“Layton?” Reed asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Yeah…I mean, of course, I won’t do that. Shit, Reed, I’m not that much of a dick. Whitley is a tad bit annoying, but overall, I like her…as a friend.”

He smiled slightly. “Good. Just don’t let Olivia get you down, dude. You finally seem like you’re getting over her, and I haven’t seen you walk into a room with a smile on your face, like earlier, in a long time. I just want you to be happy, Layton.”

I smiled as I nodded. Reed was the only person in my life since Mike who had been there for me.

“Thanks, Reed, for everything. Thanks for never giving up on my crazy ass.”

Reed laughed and turned to head out the back door. “You know it, buddy. I’m heading down to the main barn. I need to find a horse feisty enough to buck Kevin off.”

I laughed as I turned and went back to eating my eggs. I got up and reached into the fridge. I grabbed the OJ and poured myself a glass. I sat down and grabbed my phone. I opened up Whit’s text and hit Reply.

Layton: Good morning, CG. Did you finish the book?

I started to eat again when my phone rang. I didn’t even bother to look at who was calling. I figured it was Whitley.

“Was it that good of a book?” I answered.

“What a way to answer the phone, babe.”

The moment I heard her voice, my hands started to shake. “Olivia.”

“Good morning to you, too. How did you sleep, babe?”

I swallowed hard and tried to catch my breath.
Why is she calling me?

“I, um…I slept fine, Olivia. What do you want?”

“Layton, can’t we move past the hurt and just be friends?”

I let out laugh. “It’s hard to just be friends, Liv, when you grab my dick in a barn and tell me how much you miss me—and with your fiancé right around the corner.”

“That was a mistake, Layton. I was just so excited to see you. I’ve missed you, baby. Have you missed me?”

“Yes.”
Fuck!
I’d admitted it before I could even think about what she’d asked.

“What are you doing today? Maybe we could just meet and talk. I’m so sorry I threw the whole engagement party at you yesterday.”

Whitley…

“No worries, Liv. You’re getting married, and people have engagement parties all the time. Whitley will take good care of you, just like she will Mrs. P. She’s great at what she does.”

Holy shit! I haven’t even known the girl for twenty-four hours, and I’m saying how great she is at her job!

I heard Olivia take a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Yes…Whitley, the girl from New York. I know Mimi is really looking forward to Whitley throwing her party, and she better take care of my aunt. So, tell me, Layton, how long have you known
Whitley
?”

Ah hell.
Reed was right. Olivia was jealous of Whitley.
Time to have some fun.

“Not too long, but she’s quickly becoming a good friend. She’s just someone to text and joke around with. She’s a sweet girl, and I’m pretty sure Reed is hot for her friend, Courtney.”

“Really? Were you texting her last night?”

“Yep,” I said as I popped my P.
God, I’m such a girl.

Kevin came in, grabbed his bag, and headed to the guest bathroom. “Give me two minutes, not going for a run after all.”

“Who was that?” Olivia asked with frustration in her voice.

“Just Kevin. We’re taking the horses out for a ride around the ranch this morning.”

“Oh, okay. Well, I have to go get ready. I have a meeting in a bit with someone. Layton, are you sure we can’t meet later? Please. Just for coffee. I really need to talk to you.”

I really didn’t want to say no, but all I could think about was Whitley. “Today’s not a good day, Liv. Sorry.”

“Soon then, okay?”

“Sure. I gotta go.” I hit End.

Then, I got up, picked up my plate, and threw it into the sink. I was pissed at myself for using Whitley to make Olivia jealous.

I needed some fresh air. I needed to be closer to Mike.

I need you, Mike. I feel like I’m slowly losing control over everything.

As I walked out the back door, my cell phone went off.

Whitley: Haven’t finished yet…almost done with it…but I can share this with you…I lost the bet ;) TTFN!

Holy shit.
The image of Whitley playing with herself with a vibrator almost brought me to my knees. I looked up and saw Reed walking up with Lucky and three horses.

I sent Whitley back a quick text.

Layton: Damn, girl. You read fast. I can’t believe you’re almost done with the book. And what in the hell does TTFN mean?

I hit Send and started laughing.
What I wouldn’t give to see her face when she reads my response.

“There’s that smile again! Someone or something sure is making you
smile
today, Layton,” Reed said with a wink.

Lucky looked and grinned as he shook my hand.

“How are the horses looking, Lucky?”

“Good, but I wanted to talk to you, if I could. I got a lead on a horse in Kentucky.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Oh yeah? Let’s talk about it later?”

He handed me the reins on Trigger and smiled. “Oh, believe me, we will because I won’t let you pass this one up.”

Kevin came out, and we all got on the horses and took off. I felt a sense of peace wrap over my whole body. I always felt so close to Mike when I was on a horse and out on the ranch. I closed my eyes and felt the summer sun warming my face.

Reed and Kevin were going on and on about some club in Austin.

All I could see was green eyes staring back into mine.

When my phone went off, alerting me to a new text message, I almost dropped it when I tried to get it out of my back pocket. I slowed Trigger down, so I could open up Whitley’s text.

Whitley: Ta Ta For Now. ;) Have a great day, cowboy.

I tried not to smile, but I couldn’t help it.

Layton: Have a great day, CG.

I put my phone in my back pocket, and for the first time in months, I actually felt happy.

I looked at Layton’s text message again and smiled.

What a jerk! He can’t fool me. Telling him I used a vibrator on myself has to have affected him. He’s just being a stubborn cowboy.

And I couldn’t believe he hadn’t known what TTFN meant.

I smiled again, and for the first time in years, I had butterflies in my stomach.

Oh hell no. Friends, Whitley. Only friends. No way in hell am I opening myself up to another controlling man.

My phone went off again. I read his simple reply, telling me to have a great day, and I actually believed I was going to.

“Holy fuck. Either you enjoyed the book, or you got laid last night—and not by B.O.B. Which one is it?”

I looked up at Courtney, who looked like she was about to step onto a red carpet.

“Jesus, where in the hell are you going, all dressed up like that?”

“To your appointment. Where else? If you want me to help you with your business, I’m going to have to actually see what in the hell it is you do. Plus, I want to scope this Olivia bitch out.”

Ugh.
Just the mention of her name caused my skin to crawl. The way she had looked at me last night had given me the creeps. For someone engaged to be married, she couldn’t keep her eyes off of Layton all night.

“Okay. Well, I think it’s great you want to go with me. Plus, I need to use your truck, and I don’t think I could even drive that thing, but—”

“But, nothing! I’m coming.”

I let out a laugh. “That’s fine, but she lives in the middle of the country, and yesterday, I was so overdressed that it was unreal. Jeans and a shirt will do just fine,” I said with a wink.

“Oh, can I wear my cowboy boots?”

“Sure! I’ll wear mine, too.”

She sat down and smiled. “Okay. Now, back to that huge-ass smile that was on your face when I walked in here. Spill it.”

I smiled as I thought about Layton’s playful side. He’d seemed so serious yesterday, so it was nice to see he had a bit of a fun side.

“It’s nothing really.”

“Did I win?” She wiggled her eyebrows up and down. “I got up at five fifteen and saw your lights on.”

I smiled and felt the blush hit my cheeks.

“Holy shit! You used it, didn’t you?”

“Well, oh my God, Court! How could I not? Those sex scenes were amazing, and then talking to Layton…”

Oh. Fuck.

Courtney jumped and damn near knocked her chair over. “What? Talking to Layton? When in the hell were you talking to Layton?” She put her hands up to her mouth and started laughing. “Tell me you didn’t do that with him on the phone?”