Broken (27 page)

“Whitley, Layton lost a part of himself when Mike died. Then, that bitch of a girlfriend walked out on him the night after Mike died. We were all worried about Layton. For a while there, he didn’t even seem like he wanted to live. We tried like hell to throw a party. Layton and Mike loved having parties. We’ve all seen a change in Layton since the very first day you showed up.”

I looked down to the ground, and I could feel my face getting hotter.

“Whitley, he’s having this party to show everyone that he’s okay. He’s letting us know that he found you. I also think that bastard is trying to tell all these horny country boys that you’re his.”

I laughed as I peeked up at Layton. He was taking a drink of his beer and looking right at me. My heart stopped, and my knees felt like they were going to buckle out from under me.

“Whitley?”

I didn’t even take my eyes off of Layton’s. “Yes, Kevin?”

“Please don’t hurt him.”

My head snapped over, and I looked into Kevin’s eyes. If I didn’t know better, I would swear he had tears in them.

“I would never hurt him
—ever.
”

“It’s just…I’ve never seen him this happy before. It’s like he’s walking on cloud nine, and I don’t wanna see him get hurt again.”

I tried my best to smile at Kevin. “I feel the same way, Kevin. I’ve never in my life felt like this about anyone. Honestly, it scares the shit out of me!” I said with a giggle.

Keith Urban’s “Big Promises” started to play, and I glanced over as Layton was walking toward me.

“Dance with me?” he asked with that drop-dead gorgeous smile of his.

I nodded as he pulled me closer to him. He led me over to an open area where a few other people were two-stepping. We took off dancing, and he started laughing.

“What’s so funny?” I asked as I hit his shoulder.

“Damn, CG…you’re my dream girl,” he said with the biggest smile I’d seen on his face yet.

I tilted my head and giggled. “How’s that?”

“You know your shit about horses, you can two-step better than half the girls here in Llano, and you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”

I laughed as I put my face into his chest.

The song ended, and he spun me around a few times before I came face-to-face with Olivia.

“I heard a pontoon party was going on,” Olivia said as she looked me up and down.

There was no way I could plan this girl’s engagement party anymore. She was staring at me like she wanted me to disappear. I glanced over her shoulder to see Justin standing there, staring at Layton.

“What are you doing here, Olivia?” Layton asked as he grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him.

It was almost like he was protecting me from the bitch.

The way she was looking him up and down made me sick to my stomach. Then, she licked her lips and glanced at me.

Bitch.

“I thought your pontoon parties were open to everyone, Layton. I’m just happy you finally decided to have one. Save me a dance.” She winked.

Then, she turned and grabbed Justin’s hand, and they walked over to a bunch of people talking near Reed and Richard.

Ugh, I’d like to slap the shit out of her.

“Don’t let her being here ruin anything, baby,” Layton whispered in my ear.

I looked up and saw Courtney talking to Mitch. She was laughing, and I saw that twinkle in her eyes as she looked Mitch up and down. I couldn’t blame her. He was good-looking, not as good-looking as Reed by any means, but Mitch was still cute.

“Layton, Mitch isn’t with anyone, is he?” I asked as I glanced back at him.

He looked over toward where Court and Mitch were talking. He shook his head and smiled. “Nope. He was engaged to be married about four years ago, but he broke it off. I don’t think he’s really dated much since then.”

“Huh…well, Courtney sure seems to be interested,” I said with a laugh.

“Reed’s gonna be pissed,” Layton said.

“Does he like Courtney?”

Layton shrugged his shoulders. “He says he doesn’t, but I have a feeling he does. What about Courtney?”

“I was pretty sure she liked him, but with the way she’s looking at Mitch, I’m not so sure now. It’s like she wants to devour him.”

Layton pressed himself into me and whispered in my ear, “Is it crazy that my body is craving you again?”

The passion in his eyes caused me to suck in a breath of air. He leaned down and started to kiss me so sweetly that I almost wanted to cry.

“Jesus, Layton. My God, show some restraint. Whitley, honey, you’re not making a very good impression on Layton’s friends,” Olivia said as she walked up and put her hand on his arm.

Oh no, she didn’t.

“Excuse me?” I pulled away from Layton.

Layton stood there with his mouth hanging open.

“Well, I mean, I get that you two are…together…but honestly, Layton, you’re making Whitley seem like a tramp.”

“Olivia!” Layton said as his head snapped back over toward me.

What. A. Bitch.

I let out a laugh and took a deep breath. “I think my virtue is really none of your business, Olivia, but thank you so much for your concern.”

I’d noticed when Courtney had walked up, but she’d turned around and walked away. A few seconds later, The Pussycat Doll’s “Buttons” started playing. I smiled because I had a feeling Courtney was behind it. I walked up to Layton and grabbed his hands.

“Dance with me?” I asked in the sexiest voice I could muster.

He raised his eyebrows and smiled as he nodded. He pulled me into him, and I instantly felt how much my sexy voice had worked on him. I started grinding and dancing as close to him as I could. Layton leaned down and kissed my lips as he moved his hands up and down my body.

My whole body felt like it was on fire. When he pulled his lips away, I turned around, and he pulled me into him. I’d never danced so provocatively in my life, and it was turning me on more than I wanted.

Layton’s hands traveled up and down my body, and I was practically shaking with desire. I glanced up and saw Courtney dancing with Mitch. I smiled, and before I knew it, Layton had turned me back around, and he was kissing me again.

He pulled away barely, his lips still touching mine. “You drive me crazy, Whitley.”

I smiled as I grabbed his ass and brought him closer to me. I started moving my hips with his. “I don’t know what it is, but I can’t get close enough to you.”

He gave me the gentlest kiss as the song ended, and “Why Wait” by Rascal Flatts started. He spun me around, and we took off two-stepping.

I’ve never been so happy in my entire life. I never want this moment to end.

Ever.

I glanced over toward Courtney as we sat on the back of the pontoon boat with our feet in the cool water.

“Court, I have never had this much fun in my life. I mean, I almost feel like I’m dreaming, like the rug is going to be pulled out from underneath me, and I’m going to fall flat on my ass. I’m not supposed to be this happy.”

Courtney snapped her head in my direction and threw her hands on her hips. “What? How can you say that, Whit? You deserve it more than any person I know. You are allowed to be happy, Whitley. I see the way that boy looks at you. I’ve never seen anyone look at another person with so much love. It’s pretty damn clear that he was making a point with this party.”

I smiled as I felt the heat move into my cheeks. I nudged Courtney’s shoulder and smiled at her. “So, what’s going on with Mitch?” I moved my eyebrows up and down.

Her smile faded for a moment as she looked back to the shore at Reed. He had been talking to some girl all afternoon.

“He’s nice, really nice, but…” She glanced down and started kicking her feet in the water.

“But he’s not Reed?”

She peeked up at me and frowned. “I hate him, Whit. I really hate him. He’s stubborn, he knows he’s good-looking, and he fucking plays around with goddamn plants! Ugh, just talking about him gets me all upset.”

I laughed as I shook my head. “But?”

She threw her head back and let out a sigh. She looked around before speaking. “But I’m so attracted to him that I can’t even think straight. God! I’ve been fucking dreaming about his ass. I can’t get him out of my head, Whit. I don’t like him! I can’t like him, but my God, he’s so damn good-looking, and his body is out of this world. And his lips—I just want to taste them. Oh God, what am I saying?” Courtney buried her face into her hands.

“Court, honey, if you have feelings for Reed, don’t fight it. God, I can’t imagine if I had kept denying my feelings for Layton. I feel like he is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

Courtney glanced up, and her smile faded.

I looked over toward where she was staring. Layton was dancing with Olivia. My heart stopped. Florida Georgia Line’s “Never Let Her Go” was playing.

“Not the best song for him to be dancing with her to,” Courtney said as she turned back to me.

I couldn’t pull my eyes away from them. He wasn’t dancing very close to her, but a few people were watching them.

“Whit, he’s had a lot to drink. Maybe he just isn’t thinking straight.”

I slowly looked at Courtney and then turned around and called out to Kevin. “Kevin, can you please take me back to shore?”

Kevin’s smile faded when he turned toward where Layton and Olivia were dancing. He looked back at me and shook his head. “Wait, Whitley, I’m sure that means nothing. I know Olivia has been bugging him all day about dancing. It means nothing.”

I felt the tears burning, but I tried to hold them back. “Please…just take me back,” I whispered.

As we pulled up to the shore, “Done” by The Band Perry started playing. I couldn’t help but let out a gruff laugh.

Kevin grabbed my arm before I jumped off the boat. “Whitley…”

I looked him in the eye and smiled slightly. “And here, you were afraid I’d be the one who would hurt him.” I turned and jumped off the pontoon, and then I started to make my way toward the road.

Courtney came running up and grabbed my arm. “Whit, stop! He’s not even dancing with her anymore or talking to her. I think Kevin was right. Layton was just trying to be nice. Please don’t do this, Whitley. Don’t walk away from him without giving him a chance to explain.”

“I need to be alone. Please just give me a minute or two. Please, Court.”

She gave me a weak smile and nodded. I looked over her shoulder and saw Layton walking toward me. I quickly spun around and walked away.

Please stop him from following me, Courtney. If you’re really my best friend, you will stop him.

I was too afraid to look back, and by the time I reached the giant oak I’d had my sights on, I was crying.

Fuck! Why was he dancing with her? How could I be so stupid?

“Whitley,” I heard Layton say from behind me.

I quickly wiped the tears away from my eyes. The last thing I wanted was for him to see me crying.

I knew this was too good to be true. I wasn’t meant to find happiness.

“Whit, it kills me to know you are crying because of me, baby.”

The tenderness in his voice was my undoing. I started crying harder. All I wanted was for him to take me in his arms and tell me he loved me and that Olivia meant nothing to him.

The moment I felt his hands on me, I swore I felt the love flow through my body. I turned to look at him. When I saw a tear rolling down his face, I let out a gasp.

“I’m so sorry, baby. She kept asking me to dance with her, and I finally just broke down to shut her up. I wasn’t even thinking how it would look to you, and I wasn’t even paying attention to the song. I swear to God, Whitley, when I look at her, I don’t have any feelings at all for her. Baby, when I saw the look in your eyes before you walked away…I wanted to fall to the ground, just knowing it was me who put that hurt there. I love you, Whitley. Please believe me. I’d never do anything to hurt you. God, I promise you, I’ll never hurt you.”

The next thing I knew, I was in his arms, and he was holding me so tightly while I just cried. I wasn’t even sure I was crying about him dancing with Olivia anymore.

He was moving his hand up and down my back. “Shh…baby, it’s all right.”

I pulled back and stared into his beautiful blue eyes. I took a deep breath and knew what I had to do. I had to be completely honest with him.

“He beat me so badly that last night that I ended up in the hospital.”

I saw the look in his eyes turn from hurt to anger. He swallowed and was about to say something.

I shook my head. “Let me just get this out.”

He nodded and grabbed my hands as we sat down on the ground.

“I met Roger in high school, and I fell fast and hard for him. He was the guy who all the girls wanted. Everyone said we were the perfect couple, that we were made for each other. He ended up getting an opportunity to work for his father in New York City. It was a no-brainer for me to just follow him there. I applied to a school in New York to pursue my dreams of getting into event planning.” I smiled and shook my head, thinking back to those first few months in New York.

“I think I always knew he was cheating on me early on after we moved to New York. One day, I found a note in his pants from someone at the office. I didn’t even confront him about it. I just pretended it wasn’t meant for him. Then…the first time he, um…”