BANKS Maya - Undenied (Samhain).txt (11 page)

“Hey, Gracie,” he said as he put the phone to his ear.

“Hey, Wes, how was the weekend? I thought you’d call today and let me know. Did she like it?”

Apparently he wasn’t the only one waiting around on a call then.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Been busy.”

“Uh huh. Jeremy told me just how busy you guys have been today.”

He sighed at her disbelieving tone. Busted. Hell. He couldn’t help the surge of annoyance. He felt hot and itchy, like anyone looking at him the wrong way would set him off.

“She liked it. Weekend was great. Look, can we hash this out later? I’m coming over to Jake’s. I assume you and Luke will be there.”

He cringed at his snotty tone, but he couldn’t call it back now.

Dead silence met his response. Finally she responded in a tight voice. “Uh, okay, sorry to bother you then. Yeah, I’ll talk to you later.”

The soft click in his ear told him she’d hung up. He closed his phone and dropped it on his desk. Fuck, fuck, fuck. When had he become such an ass? And to Gracie for God’s sake. Gracie who’d done nothing but be the best friend in the entire world to him, not to mention all the time she’d spent shopping for all the candles and shit he’d taken to Houston.

He scrubbed a hand over his face. He was losing it. Absolutely losing his freaking mind.

* * *

Payton let herself into her apartment, kicking off her shoes as soon as she was in the door. Her feet ached, her head ached, and she needed a long hot bath.

She tossed aside her briefcase and glanced over at her answering machine. Not that it would be blinking. Everyone called her cell phone if they couldn’t get her at home. She didn’t even think she’d ever given Wes her home number.

She trudged toward the bedroom, stripping as she went. Yeah, a hot bath sounded good. She could relax and call Wes while she soaked. Already, she missed him and they hadn’t been apart a whole day yet.

The weekend seemed an eternity away, and she was assuming that he’d want or be able to see her again so soon. The problem was, she had no clear idea of this thing between her and Wes. What had started out as simple sex had quickly become a whole lot more. What, she wasn’t sure of yet, but she knew she was in deep trouble where he was concerned.

You love him, idiot. That’s the whole lot more you’ve been yammering about. If it was just sex, you wouldn’t be thinking about him every second of the day.

God, she hated when she made sense. Hated it even more when she resorted to snarky internal monologue.

“At least say that shit out loud,” she muttered. “Then it has more validity, and maybe I can admit that I’m in way over my head.”

She started the bathwater and laid her cell phone on the side of the tub. Then she slipped out of her bra and panties and groped around on the counter for a scrunchie to pull her hair back with.

The sound of the phone startled her, and she whirled around. Her heart sped up, and a knot settled in her stomach. Was it him?

She yanked up the phone, not even bothering with the LCD screen. “Hello?”

“Payton, honey, I’m so glad I caught you.” Her mother’s shaky voice filled Payton’s ears, and her heart plummeted.

“Mom? Is everything okay?”

A low sob echoed across the line. Was her mom crying?

“Honey, it’s your dad. We think he’s had a heart attack. I’m at the hospital here in Galveston.”

“Oh my God. Mom, is he…is he alive?”

“I don’t know anything yet, Payton. They’re still working on him. I just don’t know.”

Payton struggled to stay calm. She didn’t want to freak her mother out more than she was already, but the fact was Payton wanted to cry herself. She wasn’t ready to lose her father. Not her daddy.

Tears pricked her eyelids as she took in several steadying breaths. “I’ll be down as soon as I can, Mom. If there’s any change, call me on my cell. I’m leaving in just a few minutes.”

“Okay, honey, and be careful please. Don’t kill yourself getting down here.”

“I will. I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, too, baby,” her mother choked out.

Payton hung up, numb. The sound of water filling the bathtub broke through her shocked silence, and she quickly turned off the flow. Not bothering to let the water out, she raced into the bedroom to dress and pack a suitcase. Traffic on I-45 would be a bitch this time of day, but she had to get on the road and to the hospital as quickly as possible.

* * *

Wes pulled onto Jake’s street, drove down and parked at the curb behind Luke’s truck. The truth was, he didn’t want to be here. He’d rather go home and go to bed, figure out the muddled mass he called a brain. But he owed Gracie an apology in a big way. Besides, being here beat waiting around for a phone call he may or may not get from Payton.

He got out of the truck and walked around to let the tailgate down. He grasped the case of beer and hauled it out of the back. Then he kicked the tailgate back up with his knee and nudged it closed with his hip.

He headed up the walkway to the front door, feeling more dread by the minute. It was some fucked up, twisted ass shit when he viewed a night with his friends with the same enthusiasm as a trip to the dentist.

At the door, he propped the beer on his knee and rang the bell. A few seconds later, Ellie opened the door and smiled welcomingly at him.

He followed her inside and to the kitchen to dump the beer. “Where is everyone?” he asked.

“Out back getting the grill started. Jeremy and Michelle haven’t made it yet. They called and said Thad wasn’t feeling well, so if I had to guess they’ll either be late or they won’t come.”

“How are you feeling?” he asked, as he folded her in his arms for a hug. At least he could try not to ruin his friendship with everyone.

He dropped a kiss on her cheek as he pulled away.

“I’m fine,” she said with a sweet smile. “Mornings aren’t exactly a walk in the park, but Jake’s been taking good care of me.”

Wes grinned. “Oh, I bet he is.”

She blushed and looked away, which only made Wes chuckle. “Go on outside,” she said, shoving him out of the kitchen. “I’m going to make some tea and then I’ll be out.” She stopped at the cooler and picked up several beers then held them out to him. “Take these while you’re at it.”

He kissed her again on the forehead, took the beer and headed toward the back patio. At the glass door, he paused, looking outside where Jake stood by the grill and Luke and Gracie stood to the side talking and laughing about God knows what.

He took a deep breath, tucked the beers against his stomach with one arm and opened the French door with his free hand. The others looked up when they heard the door. Wes zoomed in on Gracie, though, and at the hurt in her eyes.

“Hey,” Jake said. “Beer guy is here.”

Wes grinned and stepped outside, closing the door with his hip. “Glad I’m good for something.”

He passed out the beers to Jake and Luke first then turned to Gracie. They stared at each other for a long moment, and he held out a beer. “Peace offering,” he said.

Her eyes narrowed and she took the beer. She would have turned away, but Wes caught her arm. He didn’t want to do this in front of everyone, but it would only look weird if he dragged her off to privately apologize. Besides, their group had never kept secrets.

“I’m sorry, Gracie girl. I was an ass.”

“Yes, you were,” she huffed, but her expression softened.

Luke walked over to stand by Gracie and pinned Wes with a questioning stare. “You pissed Gracie off? I didn’t think it was possible.”

“Still friends?” Wes asked. He ignored Luke’s question and held his arms out to Gracie.

She rolled her eyes and walked into his hug. Wes folded his arms around her and enjoyed the feel of something warm and feminine in his arms. Of unconditional friendship. It was a nice feeling.

She kissed him on the cheek. “You’re forgiven. Now if you guys will excuse me, I’m going to go see if Ellie needs any help.”

The men watched as she walked back into the house, and when she shut the door behind her, Jake and Luke both turned to stare at Wes.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and met their stares head-on.

“What the fuck happened between you and Gracie?” Luke demanded.

Wes raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t like Luke to get all pissy and possessive. “I was short with her on the phone. Bit her head off. In short, I was an ass, and she didn’t deserve it.”

“You haven’t been yourself lately,” Jake observed. “Something bothering you?”

“Definitely not like you to act like a dick to Gracie,” Luke added.

Wes rubbed the back of his neck. He hated these conversations, probably because they never had them. Any deep, personal shit usually seemed to revolve around the women, such as when Ellie or Gracie had problems. They never stood around and got all mushy over male shit.

“Things are fine,” he muttered. “I just had a bad day and took it out on Gracie. She knows I love her to death.”

Jake and Luke didn’t press, something Wes was supremely grateful for. He already dreaded the confrontation with Gracie enough, because he knew it was coming. No way she was going to let him get away with blowing her off about how the weekend had gone with Payton. And then he’d have to tell her how fantastic it was, at which point she’d want to know what the fuck his problem was if it was so freaking terrific. Then

he’d have to explain his real problem. Gracie wouldn’t just laugh. She’d get all smug and say I told you so. No thanks.

The women walked back outside, and Wes watched Jake get all gooey over Ellie. The only difference was this time he could understand that gooey feeling. He rather thought he might be getting the same doe-eyed expression if Payton walked out that same door.

He concentrated on his beer, squeezing the can with his hand. Realistically his relationship, if you could call it that, was already causing problems within his circle of friends. Most were at his instigation, but they were there all the same.

He didn’t want this awkward alienation. He wanted the same easygoing camaraderie they’d always shared. Pissing on Gracie was inexcusable, and it sure as hell wouldn’t have happened if he had his head on straight where Payton was concerned.

It’s just sex. Treat it for what it is.

But that thought was as distasteful as shitting on Gracie.

He took a long chug of the beer and admitted to himself that no amount of salvaging could keep the evening from the toilet. He’d ruined it before it ever began. The sooner he carried his sorry carcass home the better because he clearly wasn’t fit for public consumption.

Chapter Twelve

By the end of the week, Wes was glad he hadn’t given in to the urge to call Payton. He was annoyed, peeved and a whole host of other synonyms for pissed. He didn’t know if she really wasn’t interested in seeing him for anything besides sex, or if she was just enjoying yanking him around by the balls on a very short leash.

Neither option was particularly appealing.

Hell, if he hadn’t called her the last week they wouldn’t have gotten together the previous weekend, and now, again, she hadn’t gotten in touch.

While he could understand her preliminary reluctance to make all the moves, after what he’d pulled out of the bag last weekend, it was definitely her move. He wasn’t about to act like a desperate lapdog, panting after her every move.

Friday nights were always a get-together night, usually at Jeremy’s, but tonight everyone was going to congregate at Luke and Gracie’s because Thad was sick and both Jeremy and Michelle were wiped out.

Wes was determined to have fun and not let thoughts of Payton interfere in his time with his friends. Beer, good food, a UFC fight and the company of the greatest people on earth should set his spirits to rights.

By the time he got to Luke’s house, he already felt a great deal better. Jake and Ellie were already there, and Luke was manning the grill. Gracie greeted him with a big hug and a sloppy kiss on the cheek, and he tousled her hair, glad that things were back to normal between them.

She looked as though she wanted to ask him a hundred questions, but she refrained, for which he was grateful. She could be pushy and bossy, two things he loved about her, but she always seemed to know when not to push.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Thank you,” he whispered.

She drew away and cocked an eyebrow. “What for?”

He smiled. “Just thank you.”

She shook her head and smiled back. “Want a beer?”

“Am I breathing?”

Her soft melodic laughter rang out. “I’ll take that as a yes since I haven’t killed you yet.”

She tossed him a can and jerked her head in the direction of the back patio. “Go on out. Guys are back there. So is Ellie. Poor girl was as green as the shit growing in my fridge. I sent her out for some fresh air.”

Wes chuckled. “Sure you don’t need any help?”

“Nah, I’m coming out just as soon as I call the cable company and figure out why the fuck I can’t order the pay-per-view fight.”

“Ah shit, no fight?”

“Not if I can help it,” she muttered.

He smacked her playfully on the ass then headed out to join the others. As he stepped onto the cobblestone patio, he felt lighter. A warm breeze rippled his T-shirt, and across the back lawn, lightning bugs were starting to appear in the dusky twilight.

He inhaled deeply, letting the scent of honeysuckle drift across his nostrils. Man, did he love it here in his small town with his friends, his life and his job. Living in a place like Houston? Definitely not for him.

“Hey, Wes,” Ellie said as she walked over.

To his surprise she hugged him, tucking her head underneath his chin and squeezing tight. Any hugging that went on between them was always at his instigation and not without a lot of blushing on her part.

“Hey, what was that for?” he asked as she pulled away.

She smiled sweetly up at him. “You just looked like you needed it.”

His heart soared a bit higher. He knew it took a lot for Ellie to instigate any kind of intimacy with anyone except Jake. It made him pull her into his arms and give her another big hug. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and gently squeezed her.