Broken (14 page)

What?
“Oh my God! No, Courtney! I’m not a slut, for fuck’s sake!”

She slowly dropped her hands down to her sides, and the smile on her face caused me to laugh.

“What?” I said.

“Oh, don’t
what
me! You were talking to Layton last night? What were y’all talking about? Spill it, Whitley Ashley Reynolds.”

I started to laugh.

Why am I feeling so giddy? You need to get yourself under control, Whitley. Now.

“Okay, will you calm the hell down if I tell you?”

She clapped her hands together and grinned from ear to ear. “No promises, but I will attempt to calm myself.”

“Okay…well, last night, I was feeling really bad for what I’d said to him since he really was kind of like my hero yesterday. So, I sent him a text that just said I was sorry. We got to texting back and forth, and I kind of told him about—”

“About what? What!”

“The bet we made.”

Courtney fell back in her seat. “Mother of all things good, you told him about the vibrator bet? Whitley…you damn tease!”

I couldn’t help it. I started laughing. “Well, he was in such a playful mood, and I wanted to see how far he would take it.”

“And?” She moved her whole body closer.

The look in her eyes almost had me pissing in my pants from laughing. “He was a perfect gentleman.”

Her face dropped. “No. He didn’t bite?”

I shook my head. “Nope. Bastard was cool as a cucumber. So, you see…he doesn’t look at me in any other way but friendship—just like I look at him.”

Courtney shook her head. “I’m…I’m so damn confused.” She stood and started walking over to the coffee pot. “What in the hell is wrong with these Texas men? I mean, his damn friend Reed was the same way. I think I could have pulled off my shirt and shook my titties in his face, and he wouldn’t have budged.”

I busted out laughing again. “Oh God, Court! Hey, do you like Reed? I loved his name. It was fitting for you.”

She smiled and shook her head. “That’s about the only thing appealing about him—his damn name.”

I raised my eyebrows at her.

She let out a sigh. “Fine. He’s hot as hell. My God, he looks like a young Colin Farrell. I bet he’s good in bed.” She wiggled her eyebrows up and down and grinned.

I stood and shook my head. “Come on, let’s get ready to go. You’re going to love Mrs. Pierceson. She is a hoot.”

“Yes! Off to break my baby in on some good ole country roads!”

As we pulled up to the Piercesons’ gate, Courtney let out a gasp. “Mother of God, I thought my parents had money!”

I laughed. “I know, right? You should see Layton’s place. My God, it’s my dream home.”

Courtney looked over and smiled as she raised her eyebrows.

“Stop it, Court!” I said with a giggle.

I couldn’t believe how happy I was today. I knew it was because I was starting my new life, and I already had two jobs lined up. As much as Court had tried to say that it was because of my message fest with Layton last night, I knew that wasn’t true.

Courtney pulled up and parked her truck next to a BMW. We both jumped out and started to make our way up to the house. The front door opened, and Olivia came walking out with the biggest, fakest smile I’d ever seen.

“I don’t like her,” Courtney said.

I smiled back at her and whispered, “Neither do I.”

“Well, hello, Whitley! Who’s your sidekick here?”

“Good morning, Olivia,” I said. “This is my best friend and business partner, Courtney Will.”

Olivia looked Court up and down, like she was a bug that needed to be stepped on and killed immediately. “Well, welcome, Courtney. My Justin and Aunt Mimi are in the study. Come on in, and follow me.”

Olivia turned, and we both followed her into the house. Courtney spun around and gave me a look that caused me to choke from holding back a laugh.

Olivia glared at me. “Do you need some water?”

The way she was staring at me made my skin crawl. “Um…no, thank you. I just had a tickle in my throat.”

She gave me a slight smile, turned, and kept walking. She stepped up to two huge double doors and opened them. I smiled when I saw Mrs. Pierceson sitting there with Justin. I glanced over toward Justin, who was practically eye-fucking Courtney.

Men—they are all the same.

Olivia cleared her throat, and that seemed to bring her fiancé back to his senses. “Mimi, Justin, this is Courtney Will, Whitley’s best friend and business partner.”

Justin stood and walked over to shake Court’s hand while Mrs. Pierceson followed.

“How wonderful! Miss Will, how long have you been in the party-planning business? And please, girls, I would like for you both to call me Mimi,” she said with such a sincere smile.

Courtney looked at me like she didn’t know what to say. I just grinned and nodded.

“Well, honestly, Mimi, this is all very new to me. My real full-time job is working as a freelance editor.”

“Really? How exciting. What types of books do you edit?”

Ah hell, here we go.

Courtney smiled big. “Most of it is contemporary romance, but I also edit paranormal and thrillers, and I have some nonfiction thrown in there every now and then,” she said with a wink.

“You read books for a living?” Olivia asked with sarcasm oozing out of her mouth.

Court’s smile faded for one brief second. “I do a little bit more than just read them. I love my job. Plus, I can work anywhere I want, and it allows me to do other things that interest me, like helping Whitley.”

Mimi clapped her hands and laughed. “Oh, Courtney, you and I are going to have to talk later. I love to read, and I need some new smut.”

Olivia turned to her aunt with a shocked look on her face.

Courtney laughed and nodded. “I’d love to.”

Olivia sucked in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Shall we get to planning the parties now?”

For the next hour, we talked about both parties. I made notes and wrote down ideas. I got the feeling that poor Justin was just going along with this to please Olivia. She seemed to have a hidden agenda behind this party, but I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

I needed to make a trip into Austin—that was for sure. I’d been dying to go to Austin ever since Court and I had moved here. When I mentioned heading into Austin later to look for some items for Olivia’s engagement party, I saw Court’s eyes light up.

Olivia stood and smiled. “So, now that business is out of the way, I see you girls are dressed perfectly for pleasure.”

Courtney and I glanced at each other.

I looked back at Olivia and gave her a weak smile. “What did you have in mind?”

Her fake-ass smile grew bigger. “Horseback riding, of course. You girls do know how to ride, right? I mean, I know y’all are from New York and all, but riding is so easy. Anyone can do it. I use to barrel race in high school.”

I saw Courtney sit up straight, and I quickly looked at her and winked. I turned back to Olivia.

What a royal bitch! If she wants to play that way…well then, have at it, honey.

“Oh, well, you know, I’ve been around a horse or two in my life. We could certainly give it a try.”

The Cheshire Cat smile spreading across Olivia’s face just about had me gagging.

“Well then, let’s go, ladies. Justin, Mimi, will you excuse us for some girl time?”

They both nodded.

“Girls, now, be careful and have fun,” Mimi called out.

I asked Olivia, “Do you mind if I run to Courtney’s truck to put my things away and grab my sunglasses?”

“Of course not. Do you remember how to get to the barn? I’ve already called down to the stables and had them saddle up some horses, so y’all don’t have to worry about trying to do something you’re not familiar with,” she said with a shit-eating grin.

As Court and I walked to the truck, I was getting angrier by the second.

“Oh. My. God. Who in the hell does she think she is?” I balled my fists.

“How long are you planning on playing the we-are-stupid-city-folk role? ’Cause I really want to kick her in the teeth right about now.” Courtney turned and looked over her shoulder.

I shook my head. “What a damn bitch. What in the hell did Layton
ever
see in her?”

“Beats me. Maybe the blonde hair, big tits, and blue eyes? Probably rocked his world in bed, too.”

I stopped and just looked at her. “Really?”

“What? You asked, and I gave you my thoughts. If you don’t want to hear my thoughts, don’t ask me the question, bitch.”

The whole way from the truck to the barn, I couldn’t shake the image of Layton and Olivia together.

We rode for about forty-five minutes, and even though I was pretty sure we were heading toward Layton’s property, I couldn’t be certain. I wasn’t so great with directions. Courtney was playing the whole city-girl act to a tee.

“How are you girls doing?” Olivia asked with a smile as she looked over her shoulder at us.

“Doing great!” I called back.

Then, I heard male voices.

“Oh, wow! Looks like Layton is out riding with some friends,” Olivia said with a slight smile.

She took off so fast that I had to hold my horse back from wanting to run right along with her horse.

Courtney trotted up next to me. “You get the feeling she knew he was going to be out riding?”

I had the sickest feeling in my stomach. “Yeah, I do. I also get the feeling she thinks she’s going to embarrass us in front of them.”

Courtney let out a gasp. “Fuck me. Why is he here?”

I looked over and saw Layton, Kevin, and Reed. My heart felt like it dropped into my stomach when I saw Layton.

“Who? Kevin or Reed?”

“Reed. Blah. He’s such an asswipe.”

I let out a laugh. “He’s a nice guy, Court.”

I watched as Olivia rode up and started talking to Layton. He seemed pissed. He looked over toward Court and me, and when our eyes met, my stomach started to flutter.

Stop it, Whitley—right now. You don’t like him that way.

My breath was taken away by the smile he was giving me.

Good Lord, his smile is breathtaking—that dimple and those lips.

Courtney leaned closer to me and whispered, “Is it just me, or does his smile cause your panties to just melt?”

I snapped my head over and glared at her.

She laughed and winked. “Nope, it’s clearly not just me!”

“Fuck off, Lollipop!”

“Lollipop?”

Courtney and I both turned to see the guys all riding up to us, and Reed was smiling.

Court’s face turned fifty shades of red. “Yeah, it’s a stupid nickname that Whitley gave me when we were little.”

Reed smiled from ear to ear. “What’s your favorite lollipop?”

Courtney smirked back. “Blow Pops.”

Reed’s smile faded. “Um…”

Courtney smiled and winked at him. She really was good at this shit.

When I glanced over toward Layton, I saw he was just staring at me. I smiled, and the smile he returned would have brought me to my knees if I had been standing.

“So, CG, you any good on that horse?” he asked with a wink.

I looked over at Olivia. The smile on her face answered all my earlier questions. She had known Layton and his friends would be out riding. She was trying to set me up to look like a stupid city girl from New York.

Okay, Whitley, time to reach in and pull out your inner cowgirl, and show this bitch she messed with the wrong girl.

I grinned. “I bet I could hold my own against you and your Thoroughbred.”

Olivia, Kevin, and Reed all laughed.

“Oh hell, Layton, I believe she just challenged you and your horse,” Kevin said.

Layton gave me a crooked smile that melted my heart completely. For the first time in years, I actually wanted to be with another man besides Roger.

Oh, for the love of God, Whitley, stop this. You don’t want Layton.

I shifted in my seat and looked over at Courtney, and she smiled a wide-ass grin at me.

Layton laughed. “You want to race me, CG? You think you can keep up with me?”

I peeked at Olivia, who was now glaring at Layton. She clearly didn’t like the fact that Layton was not only flirting with me, but he was also enjoying the little banter we had going back and forth.