Replace Me (14 page)

The only thing that bothered me was that she was with Joey.

It made no sense how someone
like him
could get Lacey. She left me for being with other people and lying. Joey was going to do the exact same thing.

After sending a text back to my sister to let her know I was alive, I headed into the bathroom. My phone started ringing and I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered it anyway, thinking it was someone about an apartment.

“Hello?”

“Shayne, it’s me.” Lacey’s voice shocked me. She was crying and I felt like shit for hurting her the day before.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I got your number from Ford’s phone, because I need to tell you something, even though it’s not going to make a difference. I just can’t lie about it, because it’s what ripped us apart in the first place. I lied to you the other night when I said I was with Joey. He went along with it, because I asked him to. I just wanted to hurt you, because I thought it would make me feel better.”

My stomach was aching. I hurt for her and for the fact that she cared what I thought, after everything I’d done. “Lace, I lied to you yesterday, because I wanted another chance. I knew you’d freak out about the other girls.”

“It doesn’t matter now, Shayne. Even if I wanted to forgive you, and even try to be friends, it’s never going to happen now; not after what I’ve done.”

“Lace, you’re not makin’ any sense, babe.”

“I slept with Joey last night.”

I was shocked and confused. “You just told me you were lyin’.”

“I was at first, but we’ve been hanging out and it happened anyway.”

I clenched my fists thinking about him swooning her. “What did he have to do to get you in his bed?”

She was quiet and cried more. “That’s just it, Shayne. I came onto him.” More sobbing filled the phone.

“What do you expect me to say here? I can’t be that kind of friend to you about him, Lace. I know I owe you for breakin’ your heart, but you need to call Sky or someone else. You think I never cared, but hearing this hurts. I feel like you’re slappin’ me in the face. Is that why you’re callin’? Is this another way of makin’ me pay for what I’ve done?”

“No. I don’t know why I called. I’m so confused.”

“Did he hurt you? If he hurt you I’ll kill him.”

She got quiet. “He didn’t hurt me. Joey was kind to me.”

“Then why are you callin’ me, cryin’ about it? Why aren’t you with him now?”

“Because…I want the pain to go away.”

“You’re scaring me, Lace.”

“I need to go. I’m sorry I bothered you, Shayne. Forget I ever called you.”

“Lace?” She’d already hung up.

I dialed the number back and she wouldn’t answer, so I called Ford.

“Shayne, it ain’t a good time.”

“The Hell with that. Where’s Sky? I need to talk to her.”

“For what?”

“Lacey just called me. She wanted to apologize for sleepin’ with Joey and then she wasn’t makin’ sense. I’m worried about her.”

“She’s fine, man. I think she’s just beatin’ herself up over all of this bullshit. Look, I’m not doin’ it for you, but I’m keepin’ her away from Joey. A failed relationship has already cost us our friendship, I don’t want to lose another cousin over the same thing.”

“Do me a favor, Ford. Let me know if she’s not alright. I care about her, even if she doesn’t believe it.”

“Will do.”

I felt a little better when we’d hung up, but not completely sure that Lacey was okay. I knew I was to blame for all of it, but couldn’t get past her sleeping with Joey and the fact that she’d run right back to him, after I’d hurt her again.

A knock on the bathroom door broke my train of thought. “Yeah, hang on.”

Megan was standing at the door as I walked out. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Family drama, that’s all.”

“I just wanted to say goodbye before I left. I needed to be in by twelve, so I need to head home.”

I shouldn’t have done it, and looking back, I don’t know what made me think that I could take on anything else in my already fucked up life, but I asked for her number anyway.

After walking her out to her car, I got in my own. It wasn’t like I could go back to sleep, and even if I could, my postponing the inevitable with my father was stupid. I was at the end of my rope and needed to get as much worked out as I could. He was going to expect me to be with Ashley, so I had to prepare us both for what that may entail. I needed a place to live, because I couldn’t stay with Boner or any of my other friends without owing them something.

About thirty minutes later, I was pulling up at my parent’s house. I knew they’d both be at work, which gave me time to go inside and shower. Peyton was still sleeping when I walked past her room. She called my name when I hit the bathroom. “Shayne, is that you?”

“Yeah. I came to get cleaned up before I go and talk to Dad.”

“He’s meetin’ Ashley’s dad at the shop. I heard him talkin’ to Mom about it. They argued and he said that he had to be responsible since you couldn’t get your shit together.”

I ran my hand through my hair. “Jesus Christ, are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me? What else can go wrong today?”

“Why, what happened?”

“Lacey called to tell me she slept with Joey.”

“That bitch!”

“Don’t call her that. If I would have been good to her, none of this would be happenin’. Besides, she can be with whoever she wants.”

“Still, calling to brag ain’t cool.” Peyton leaned against the wall across from me. “What did you say to her?”

“What could I say without soundin’ like an asshole? The only thing I know about Joey is that he likes women and doesn’t want to be tied down.”

“Sounds familiar.”

I shot her a dirty look. “Maybe I’m ready to settle down.”

Peyton shook her head and started laughing at my comment. “I’d like to see that happen. Now that you have a kid on the way, it’s probably good you want to change.”

“About that.” I wanted to tell my sister the truth. She was always around when I needed someone on my side, but she also didn’t know how to keep her mouth shut. I couldn’t risk her going right to Parker about it. “I don’t think Ashley and I will ever have anything between us. That one night we were together was a mistake. We don’t even get along, especially since the Ford thing.”

Peyton changed the subject without me asking her to. “Are you going to go interrupt Dad?”

“Hell yes, I am. He’s got no right to get in my business. He thinks because I work for him that he still has reign over what I do with my life. I’m so fuckin’ tired of it.”

“He’s just worried about you. You’re the last person we thought would be havin’ a kid.”

Apparently the whole world thought I was nothing more than a fuck-up. I was getting sick of everyone’s opinions. Just because I didn’t live by their standards didn’t mean I wasn’t happy with my life. If they only knew that their precious Parker had fathered the kid, they wouldn’t be saying shit.

“I better get a shower. Thanks for the info.”

I closed the bathroom door before she could say anything else. After the Lacey drama this morning, the hot water felt good falling down on my body. I wished that I was able to wash away all of the stress that I’d been putting on myself, but more was surely going to show up and take it’s place. I couldn’t catch a break to save my life.

Even with a dark cloud hanging over my head, I knew I needed to move forward. There was a baby involved, so nothing in my life was going to come before that issue. I was going to have to face both my father and Ashley’s. By the end of the day they’d know that I was serious about being a parent, even if it was temporary as a favor to my brother.

Lacey

“Why in the hell would you call Shayne? Are you crazy?”

I shrugged and refused to look at a very pissed, Sky. She had her hands on the edge of the bed as she scolded me.

“Lace, you need to talk to me. What is going on in that head of yours?”

I put a pillow over my face. “I don’t know. One minute I feel terrible for sleeping with Joey and then next I want to knock on his door and do it all over again.”

“What happened between the two of you? I’ve never seen you act like this. Is it Shayne or Joey that’s getting you so worked up?”

I removed the pillow and finally looked at Sky. “It doesn’t matter. Neither of them are any good for me, you said it yourself. They both lie and cheat, so either way I’m screwed.”

She sat down on the edge of the bed. “There’s nice guys out there. If you wouldn’t have been so determined to have Shayne, you’d probably have met a few by now.”

“I thought he’d grown up and wanted to be with me. He acted like it every time we were together. How could I have known he was messing around on me?”

Knowing she wasn’t going to give up driving me insane, I got up and grabbed my things. I kissed her on the cheek. “I love you, Sky, but I need to get home and get some rest. I’ve got class in the morning and need to pass or my dad’s going to skin me alive. I still have to finish an assignment.”

We said our goodbyes and minutes later I was pulling out of the driveway, but not without noticing Joey had returned. Both his bike and his car were parked in the driveway and his light was on in his place. I wondered what he was doing, or if he’d already started coming on to someone new that would take my place. I wondered if I was just a simple game to him.

My parents hadn’t seen me in days, and after ten minutes, they went back to acting like I wasn’t in the house with them. That was my key to leave. I headed up to my room and turned on my laptop. My assignment was easy and I kept flipping from a social media site then back to my school work. When it chimed that I had a new friend request, I curiously flipped back to see who it was. Joey’s name popped up and I was quick to deny it.

Moments later a private message came through.

Lace, if I said something or did something to piss you off, I don’t know what it was.

I stared at his words and tried three times to write a response.

He must have gotten tired of waiting.
You came on to me last night. I didn’t make you take off your clothes and seduce me.

It was a mistake.

You didn’t act like it last night, when I was making you cum over and over. What happened? Did you like it too much? Are you afraid to admit that it was even better than I said it would be? Is that what’s gotten you in such a tizzy?

Leave me alone, Joey!

I can’t do that. You see, ever since I tasted your sweet pussy, it’s all I can think about. I fucked up four orders today at the diner because I couldn’t stop thinking of how good it felt to wake up next to you.

He was pushing my buttons and turning me on at the same time. The sex had been phenomenal from start to finish.

I bet you tell that to all of the girls.

A few moments went by and he said nothing. Just as I was ready to flip back to my homework a message came through.

I’ve never lied to you, Lacey. I’ve also never let a woman stay the night, because it made things personal. You’re the first woman to spend the night in my arms.

I don’t believe you.

I don’t believe you either. You act like last night wasn’t great for you. I woke up wanting more and I know you did too. Now, I don’t know what happened while I was gone, but something got you spooked. I’ll leave you alone, but you know where to find me when you’re ready to admit that you want more.

I hate to burst your bubble, but you aren’t as good as you think you are.

When I hit send, I had a smile on my face knowing that was going to floor him.

Does it bother you more that you enjoyed it, or the fact that I was right all along? Tell me, Lacey, when you’re naked in that bed, will you close your eyes and picture me eating that sweet pussy? Did you memorize how I fucked you and made you cum with my tongue?

Don’t you have someone else to annoy?

The messages stopped, but I wasn’t able to get back to my assignment. Instead, I stared at the screen, like his words gave me some kind of reassurance. I didn’t understand how someone that was supposed to have so many women at his beck and call would be trying so hard to get me to talk to him.

After trying to eat an apple, and still feeling sick over everything, I lay down and stared at the ceiling. So many things were going through my mind, especially every moment of my time with Joey.

My phone rang and I saw it was Sky. Figuring she was calling to check on me, I picked up and just started talking.

“I’m fine. I even ignored Joey when he tried to talk to me. Are you proud of me?”

A masculine laugh caught me off guard. I looked at the phone to make sure it was really Sky’s number.

Then he started to talk.

“You’re sexy when you’re playin’ hard to get.”

“Joey? Seriously, how did you get Sky’s phone? I know she wouldn’t just give it to you.”

“I told her I couldn’t find mine, so I needed to borrow hers to call it. I knew she wouldn’t just let me call you and I knew you wouldn’t answer if I tried from my phone. We need to talk, Lace. I gave you what you wanted last night, even after tellin’ you that it was goin’ to change things between us. Don’t give me that bullshit that I need to leave you alone. You and I were the only people in that bed last night and I know you weren’t thinkin’ about anyone else but me.”