by Alayna Scott
Seething, Lauryn bit back the initial reply that popped into her mouth. “Yes, I’m just here to celebrate my father.”
“Mm. I saw that you’ve got your own show back in California. Must be nice,” Rianne remarked.
Somehow, she managed to make it sound like anything other than nice.
“Well, I worked hard to achieve it. So, yes, it is...nice,” Lauryn replied, plastering a smile on her face.
“Well, we’re going to move further down the line so that we don’t miss Mr. Alexander. I’ll see you around town some time,” Oakley said, extricating his arm from Rianne’s grasp.
“Actually, we need to talk about something.”
“We can talk later, Rianne.”
“No! We need to talk now. The reason that I came back to town is that we need to talk about us, Oakley.”
Lauryn noticed his jaw clenching, as his entire body became taut with stress.
“What about us?” he grunted.
“I need to talk to you in private.”
“About what, Rianne?” he asked testily.
Lauryn could tell his patience was wearing thin, as the tone of his voice became stressed.
“I still love you, and I want to give us another try,” Rianne said happily.
Lauryn struggled to maintain her composure.
“Maybe you should go and have this conversation somewhere in private,” Lauryn suggested, glaring at Oakley.
“There’s no conversation to be had,” he muttered, grabbing Lauryn’s hand and turning and walking in the opposite direction.
“I’m not going anywhere until we have this conversation, Oakley,” Rianne threatened.
Lauryn pulled her hand from his. “No, Oakley. You really should go and talk to her.”
“Come on, Lauryn,” he growled, taking her hand once more.
Oakley held tight to Lauryn’s hand, making their way down the sidewalk. As they stepped in front of the town square where the local news station was just wrapping up an interview with the new mayor, cameras turned their way.
“Lauryn Alexander!” someone shouted, as the news reporter began making her way towards Lauryn and Oakley.
“What a pleasant surprise to see you back in Lake Cresthaven. Mayor Ridge, our new mayor, has just stated that he has some big shoes to fill, following in your father’s footsteps. Your father is being honored here today for the work he has completed in this town, and the impact of his work’s far-reaching effects. As a father, I’m sure his impact on you has been extensive, but what if any impact has his work as a mayor had on you, and your own career?”
Lauryn glanced at Oakley briefly, who gave her a terse smile before she turned to the reporter. “My father’s vision to see a changing world, by empowering the citizens of Lake Cresthaven with education, opportunity, and resources, fueled my desire to do the same by bringing pertinent information to the people. His hands-on commitment to getting into the communities and doing hard work has inspired me to implement programs that foster change in low-income communities in California and bring maximum impact. He showed me how to do the work, walk the walk, and not just donate the funds. So, I do both and bring attention to these areas in my news topics that allow the wealthier citizens to know what impact their work and funds will have, and how desperately their assistance is needed.”
The reporter asked a few more work-related questions before moving on to personal items.
“The past few years you have been seen at high society events on the arm of Harry Rutledge, upcoming screenwriter. People have been wondering if rumors of him and Mona Portman were true. This weekend he has been seen around the Los Angeles area with her, and you’re here with our very own Oakley Lowe. Is there love blossoming between you and our hometown boy?”
The reporter shoved the microphone into her face, and Lauryn felt Oakley slide his hand from her grasp. That was the worst thing he could have done. His action showed that of a guilty man. She would have easily been able to cover the misconception had he not done that. But regardless of what she said now, people would still wonder.
“Oakley is and has been my brother’s best friend since elementary school. Oakley is like a big brother to me, and nothing more. He’s here in support of my family this weekend as we celebrate the wonderful accomplishments of my father. Now, if there are no more questions, I would like to return to my father’s celebration,” Lauryn said pointedly, turning away from the reporter.
Oakley used his body as a shield to help Lauryn make her way through the crowd as she searched for her family.
“Laur, are you okay?”
“Please, not now, Oakley. Just...just go back to Rianne,” she advised when they stopped on the sidewalk.
The look of despair in his eyes was enough to break her heart. But she had to draw the lines. They had gone too far as it was. That kiss never should have happened. She would not create another action to regret. It was time to prepare to return to San Diego and deal with the drama of Harry and Mona.
CHAPTER 8 - OAKLEY
Frustration had set in. Rianne had not given up until she tracked Oakley down, forcing him into a conversation that he did not want to have. The parade was over, and as he made his way back to his truck to head back to the Alexander home, he found Rianne sitting patiently on the hood of his car.
“What is it that you want, Rianne? Haven’t you done enough damage as it stands?” he seethed.
“To talk. That’s all I want, Oakley. I need you to hear me out.”
“Fine, I’m listening.”
“Not here. Not like this,” she said, suddenly appearing self-conscious as she looked back and forth at the people disbursing.
Oakley sighed because he had nowhere private to take her. Rianne looked around and pointed. “Let’s go to Delia’s Kitchen,” she said, pointing to a restaurant across the street.
They settled in and ordered a cup of tea for her, and a coffee for him. He had no plans on staying long enough to share a meal. Oakley’s good nature could only withstand being in Rianne’s presence but for so long.
“So, what’s going on between you and little Lauryn Alexander?” Rianne asked coyly, blowing at her tea.
“She’s not a little girl anymore, Rianne. In case you hadn’t noticed, she’s a grown woman.”
“I’m sure you did,” she replied smugly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Only that you’ve been crushing on that kid since she was a teen in high school. It’s no wonder our marriage never stood a chance. It was inevitable that we would divorce because of how you always were about her. What woman do you think would stand by and watch her husband moon over another woman? Did you ever get over her?”
“Stop it, Rianne. You’re making a fool of yourself.”
“I wonder how her brother feels about it. Does Chase know that you have a crush on his little sister? I’m sure the two of you wouldn’t be so close if he knew the truth,” she said.
A rock of regret sat in Oakley’s belly as he thought back to the kiss last night. Thinking about Chase, his face flushed with guilt.
“He doesn’t, does he?” Rianne cackled.
“Why are you trying to mess up my life again, Rianne? It’s been three years! Three long years that you’ve gone on and lived your life without me!” he stated harshly.
“You did not initiate the divorce, Oakley, until this year. I thought perhaps you were holding out hope that we could reconcile our marriage. And now that it’s been finalized, I just realized how much I missed being married to you.”
He had no response to that. In the beginning, he had foolishly held out hope, but after the first year he had just not been able to make himself do anything about it. It wasn’t until this year that he decided he needed to move forward with his life. He knew the only way he could do that was to cut his ties to Rianne.
“Why are you back now, Rianne? I’m guessing things with Dr. Corrin didn’t work out.”
Her downcast eyes and pouty lips c
onfirmed his answer. “I really don’t care, Rianne. I just want you to let me live my life.”
“And what if I can’t walk away again, Oakley? What if I’m back in town to stay because I want my husband back? What if I’m not ready to let you go on with someone else? What then?” Her heart-shaped face turned red.
“Then I’ll simply get a restraining order against you, Rianne. I was granted an immediate divorce on the grounds of infidelity. I had hopes that you and I had a bright future. One that included children and growing old together. But you traded that in for the next hot commodity. How do I know that it won’t happen again if I were to give you another chance? But that’s not something either of us would have to worry about, because I’m all out of chances for you,” he said.
Rianne rolled her eyes. “Look, Oakley. I made a simple mistake. You used to be so warm and kind. Forgiving and understanding. What happened to that guy?”
“You happened to me.”
Rianne pushed her hands down her thighs and inhaled loudly. “Look, you seem really angry, Oakley. And I’m sorry that I did that to you. Dr. Corrin turned out to not be such a great guy after all. I just realized what I had thrown away, and I’m sorry for that. I wish that we could work things out.”
“Rianne, there’s no working things out. You’re right, you did throw me away as if I were yesterday’s trash. But that may have been the greatest thing to happen to me. That’s when I finally realized that nothing I ever did would ever be good enough for you. When you finally learn to love yourself, you might be able to find a little bit of happiness. Until then, you’ll continue to destroy everyone who gets in your path. I’m taking a detour off this road. I wish you all the best, but I can’t do this again.”
A smile trembled on her lips as she swiped at her eyes. Nodding her head, she replied, “Okay, Oakley. I just wanted to at least say I gave us another shot...you know?”
Oakley stood up, pulled his wallet out, and tossed a few bills onto the table for a tip. He gave Rianne one last smile and said, “I hope you find yourself a piece of happiness out in this great big world, Rianne.”
“Me, too,” she sighed.
Oakley strode from the restaurant, ready to move forward with his life. He needed to deal with some hard truths about his feelings, his heart, and his future.
HE HAD TIMED HIS ENTRANCE perfectly. After leaving Rianne, he had gone to the office and spent a couple of hours on paperwork before returning to his house once more. After spending an hour in solitude, he knew what he needed to do.
Oakley walked around the rear of the house and found her on the tire swing where he knew she would be.
“Hey, there,” he said, walking around her and slightly pushing her on the swing.
“Hi.” Her voice was little more than a whisper.
“I’m sorry,” Oakley apologized.
“About?”
“That entire little spectacle involving Rianne and ruining your afternoon, I apologize.”
“You didn’t ruin my afternoon. I enjoyed the rest of the day with my family. That’s what I came to town to do, and Rianne’s appearance put it all back in perspective. If I lost sight of things for a while, there’s no one to blame but me. That’s my fault,” she mumbled.
Her line sounded rehearsed to Oakley’s ears. As though she were trying to force herself to believe it.
Oakley stopped pushing the swing and walked around to face Lauryn.
“I really care about you a lot, Lauryn. I have for quite some time, and I want to try to explore things between you and me.”
“I don’t know if I can do that, Oakley.”
“Why? Because it isn’t that you don’t have feelings for me, Lauryn. I felt it in the way you kissed me back. The soft moan that escaped from you and the look in your eyes afterward,” he shared.
She shook her head. “It’s not the right time in my life, Oakley.”
“I just want you to think about you and I. Lauryn, I know you’re on the other side of the country, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this work,” Oakley stated, holding her hands in his own.
“I’m in a relationship.”
“A relationship that’s questionable, and the entire world knows he’s using you to get to where he wants to be.”
She stood from the tire swing, staring up at him with the most beautiful eyes. “What do you want from me, Oakley? Because this thing that I’m feeling...this thing between us is starting to scare me.”
“Why?” he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
“Because I can’t have you. And to even tempt myself into thinking that I can is unbearable.”
Oakley grabbed her hands into his and pulled them up to his lips. Pressing a light kiss on her knuckles, he asked, “I want to offer you a challenge.”
“What’s that?”
“Go back home and deal with your situation with Harry. Once you’re done, I want you to think about taking a shot on you and I. Three weeks, Lauryn. Three weeks and I’m coming out there. I let you get away ten years ago, but I won’t let you get away again.”
She closed her eyes and blew out a breath while he held his.
“Okay,” she whispered.
He finally released his breath and smiled. His future was looking bright.
CHAPTER 9 - LAURYN
Looking around the room, Lauryn was satisfied that all her bags were packed. Chase would be driving her to the airport in an hour. She had enjoyed celebrating her father’s special weekend with family and friends, but she had to get back to real life.
Oakley’s challenge rested on her shoulders like a weight. Lauryn was torn because he was what she always wanted. And she was so close to having him, but there were still barriers that lie between them. She knew it was time to break things off with Harry and stop lying to herself about the status of their relationship. But the biggest barrier was her career. She had worked hard to get where she wanted to be, and she wasn’t ready to give that up. Not even for love.
Lauryn dropped down on the bed. Her heartbeat sped up, and tiny prickles of fear danced up and down her arms. As the realization of her feelings for Oakley dawned on her, tears pricked at her eyelids, and she gasped back a sob.
How could she have fallen for a man she had not seen in over a decade? How could she have fallen in love with this man, when she had an entire life back in San Diego.
Lauryn knew she had never stopped having feelings for him, but she had not realized how strong those feelings were. At least not until Rianne had shown up and declared her love for him. That was the problem. Rianne might always be a factor for them if she did decide to engage in a relationship with Oakley. Small towns made it difficult to escape reality at times. And everyone knew everyone else’s business. She had a reputation to uphold, and she could not afford to be involved in a scandal.
Pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes, she forced the tears away. She needed to focus on Harry again. Harry, who she still had not spoken to since she had been here in Virginia. Not a single phone call or text message, but she had seen him online at a couple of events in Los Angeles this weekend, with Mona by his side. Lauryn knew that even if she and Oakley did not try to form a relationship, she would not continue the farce she had with Harry. It was time to bring things to an end.
Lauryn had spent the last few years, cultivating his persona and introducing him into the right circles in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. He had escorted her to every elite party, which had allowed him entrance into every inner social circle he needed to become a part of to elevate his career. And he had given her nothing in return, except his companionship in the beginning. But lately, he had even been holding back on that.
Lauryn knew that Harry had found in Mona the next rung on his ladder to success. He was done with her, and that was fine. Because she was done being anyone’s footstool.
She pushed off the bed to go in search of Chase. It was time to load her bags into his car.
She heard his
voice in the kitchen among her parents.
“I just think they would be the cutest couple, Chase. Your sister has always had a crush on him since she was a little girl.”
“Ma, that’s enough. I don’t want to talk about that anymore,” Chase complained.
“I’m just saying. We always knew that Rianne girl was going to be a handful for Oakley. He’s been a part of this family forever. If he and Lauryn were in a relationship, it would just formalize what’s already been true. Besides, a love like theirs is inevitable. We all knew it would happen eventually, Chase.”
“If he lays a single finger on my sister...”
“Hush! They’re both adults now, fully capable of making their own decisions,” their father warned.
“I just noticed they’ve fallen back into their familiar habit of seeking one another out when they think no one is watching,” their mother shared.
“No! I’m not tolerating a relationship between my best friend and sister. If that happened, then he might as well consider our friendship over.”
“Chase, you're a bit harsh, and that logic is immature,” her father noted.
“No, it’s not. It’s time for me to take her to the airport. I’ve got to go now.”
Lauryn stepped into her father’s den, two doors down from the kitchen to avoid being spotted eavesdropping.
When Chase passed by on his way to look for her, she heard her father’s footsteps right behind him.
“Lauryn!” her father exclaimed, stepping into the den to find her hiding.
“Daddy.”
“You overheard our conversation with your brother, I take it,” he said with a loud sigh, claiming his chair behind his desk.
She nodded and sat on the couch opposite her father. “I did.”
“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Just as everyone’s entitled to their happiness. This is your life to figure out, Lauryn. But don’t take the weight of your brother’s opinion into consideration when making a decision about your future. If you feel the way your mother and I suspect you do about Oakley, then make your decision based on that.”