Secrets and Lies (Vandervilles Book 2)

by Khardine Gray

  Taylor nodded vigorously, agreeing with her. “I know, I know. Chloe, his wife looked so disappointed. She looked so hurt.”

  Of course the woman was disappointed and hurt. She must have been furious too. Chloe would have been the same if she’d caught her husband making out with another woman. She imagined that most women would have reacted the same, or worse. And that made it even more difficult for Chloe to try to make Taylor feel better.

  “Why did you go there?” Taylor hadn’t explained that part yet.

  “I wanted closure. I wanted to find out why he thought it was okay to treat me the way he did. I was too shaken up the other day when he came here.”

  “Did he explain himself?” Chloe was trying. These were the differences between her and Taylor. If the situation was reversed there’s no way that Chloe would have needed closure. The sight of Richard with his wife and two kids at the mall said everything. The only other contact she would have had after that would be to send him packing the next time she saw him.

  “Not really. He didn’t say anything that I could accept. It was a waste of time and just wore me down. Chloe, I loved this man for two years. I was prepared to spend the rest of my life with him. Do you know how hurt I am?”

  No. She didn’t, and she supposed this was the part she didn’t understand because nothing like this had ever happened to her. It really was a terrible thing.

  “I’m truly sorry, Taylor. I feel bad for you because it’s unfair, and as much as I had my own reservations about him I do wish it had worked out for you.”

  Fresh tears ran down Taylor’s cheeks. “I just wish I knew why he thought it was okay to treat me this way.”

  Looking at her she thought that it could help a little if Chloe stayed over. Maybe for a day or two.

  If it had been Chloe, Taylor would stay. She’d do whatever was necessary for Chloe to feel better.

  “How about I stay over for a few days? We can catch up on our shows, go to the salon, do our hair and nails. Whatever you want.”

  At first Taylor smiled and looked excited by the idea, but then her shoulders slumped and the excitement faded.

  “I’d love that but I think Wade would miss you too much.”

  “He’d understand.” Chloe knew he would. It was Taylor. She’d miss him, too, but she’d be back in a few days.

  “I know, but I don’t want to impose. I feel bad as it is that we haven’t even spoken much about him.”

  “Taylor, you were in a car accident and in a coma for a week. There’s a psycho on the loose who tried to kill you and wreak all sorts of havoc all over the place. My love life is so way down the list of priorities to discuss right now.”

  Taylor shook her head. “It’s a priority to me. You guys are living together and everything. That’s a big deal, despite what’s going on.”

  Chloe pressed her lips together. She felt bad to talk about her and Wade because things were so good with them and things were awful for Taylor. It was the first time in their adult lives that Chloe was with someone and Taylor wasn’t. Richard was the longest and most serious relationship she’d ever had. Chloe, on the other hand, had never really had a serious long-term boyfriend. She was always too busy to attempt to have one, but now she was glad she waited. She was glad she was with Wade.

  “I know, I just wish you were happy too.”

  “I’m happy for you.” Taylor smiled through more tears. “I’m sorry I missed so much. You guys look so in love.”

  “Do we?” Chloe smiled.

  “Aren’t you?” Taylor dabbed her eyes with more tissue.

  “Yes.” Chloe nodded.

  Just then her phone started ringing in her pocket. She knew it was Wade from the ringtone.

  “Hey.” She smiled into the phone. Taylor rested her head back against the sofa.

  “Hey baby, where are you?” Wade replied.

  It was always so nice to hear his voice. It always filled her with warmth and made her nerves tingle.

  “Sweetheart, I’m with Taylor. Would you mind if I stayed over for a day or two? I promise we’ll be safe.”

  Taylor straightened up and shook her head. “No Chloe, I’ll be fine.”

  Chloe ignored her.

  “Oh…um, sure. Is she okay?” He sounded disappointed.

  “No, not really. She needs me,” Chloe said, looking back at Taylor. “She needs me right now, just for extra support. It’s different with the others.”

  As Chloe said that, Taylor looked at her with deep appreciation. Sure Kelly was amazing and excellent to talk to. And Regina, well…Chloe was sure she’d be great, too, but she was Taylor’s mom. It was different when you spoke to your mom. Chloe knew that all too well, look what had happened just the other week with hers.

  “Okay baby, you be safe, please, and call me if you get scared. I…” His voice trailed off. He hadn’t been quite himself over the last few days. She’d worked late yesterday and when she got back she literally fell into bed as sleep called to her, and now she wouldn’t see him for a few days.

  “Wade, are you okay?”

  “Yes, baby, don’t worry about me. I’m good, just missing you.”

  He was so sweet. “I miss you, too. I’ll be home before you can blink.”

  “You’ll be home.” There was a smile in his voice and she knew why. It was because it was actually the first time she’d called Wade’s house home.

  “I’ll be home.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you.” She brought her hand to her heart as she felt her pulse quicken.

  Now Taylor looked at her in awe.

  “I’ll see you soon, baby. Be safe.” His voice returned to that subdued tone.

  “I will,” she promised, and then he was gone.

  “You should have gone home to him, Chloe,” Taylor said when Chloe looked over at her.

  Chloe went over to sit next to her on the sofa. “I know when you need me, Taylor.”

  “Thank you.” She nodded, resting her head on Chloe’s shoulder.

  “Anytime.”

  More tears came and Taylor looked weaker. Chloe remembered the doctors cautioning against stress. If this wasn’t stressful she didn’t know what was. She just hoped Taylor would indeed stay away from Richard.

  “What should we make for dinner?” Chloe asked Kelly.

  Kelly had just walked into the kitchen and gasped when she saw her. “What are you still doing here?” She widened her eyes and shook her head at Chloe.

  Chloe started to laugh. It was day two of her being here. She thought she’d stay tonight again like she planned and see how Taylor was. It also gave Regina a break. She came by last night with Chloe’s mom. She knew they must have been eager to spend time together so Chloe offered to stick around until Saturday just so Taylor would have additional support.

  She couldn’t help but be worried about her friend. There was so much to worry about with very little resolve.

  “I’ll make a Caesar’s salad, then.” Chloe smiled.

  “I’m being serious, girl. Don’t you miss Wade?”

  “Yes,” she replied with emphasis.

  “Then go, I can hold the fort, and we have those two yummy ex-marines outside.”

  She meant the guards Wade had hired. Chloe had seen them. Those guys were massive. She didn’t know that they were ex-marines but wasn’t surprised to hear it. Wade hired four guards: two to watch the house at night and two for the day. One was supposed to escort them but Taylor refused. She said she felt claustrophobic and like she was suffocated from the extra attention and care.

  “I just want to make sure you guys are okay. Plus, we can spend some time together and have a girls’ night in.”

  “Okay, I guess I can’t save you from your crazy mind if you choose to leave a total super hunk at home to hang out with us.”

  Chloe grabbed the orange juice from the fridge and poured Kelly a glass. “You’re saying you wouldn’t do the same if you were me?”

  “Depends on t
he muscle on the man?” Kelly giggled.

  Chloe had to laugh and raised her brows. “The muscle?”

  She handed the juice to Kelly and poured herself a glass.

  “You know what I mean. I’m talking serious arm muscle and abs of steel like your Wade has. Oh God, and the tattoos. Does he have any?”

  “Yes, he has loads.” Except for his arms, Wade had tattoos all over him. He said he had fifteen, but she argued that there were more. Those Celtic swirls running down his abs didn’t count as one.

  “You didn’t tell me that.” Kelly smirked.

  “It wasn’t important.”

  That made Kelly’s jaw drop. Chloe hadn’t been living with Wade for very long but she had to admit that she missed these little crazy sessions with Kelly.

  “Yes it is. That makes him even more perfect. Chloe, go home to your dream man with his godlike body and tattoos. I can take care of Taylor, I cancelled my plans with Alex so I could be here this whole weekend. There’s no point in both of us missing out on man candy.”

  Chloe sighed, maybe she would go home. She really missed Wade and definitely missed his body.

  “He’s probably still at work.”

  “Okay let’s grab some popcorn, watch Fashion Police, then you go when Taylor gets back.”

  Taylor had decided to go to work for a few hours. She promised she wouldn’t do the whole day but here Chloe was after a full day at work back at the beach house and there was no sign of Taylor. Chloe had assumed Taylor would be home by the time she got here so she hadn’t bothered checking her office.

  Chloe had planned to wait an hour, then call Taylor if she wasn’t back by then. Her talk of claustrophobia and suffocation made Chloe think that she wanted some breathing space so she’d allowed it within reason.

  “Okay, let’s do that and I’ll see how Taylor is when she gets back.”

  Kelly grabbed a large bowl and emptied a massive bag of popcorn inside. They then made their way into the sitting room and lazed into the large sofa.

  Kelly clicked on the TV and found Fashion Police. A model wearing a hideous-looking dress with a tartan pattern and sequins walked onto the runway. Daisy Lynn, one of the guest hosts, started commenting on it.

  They both winced when they saw it and laughed.

  “Talk about man repellant.” Kelly giggled.

  Chloe laughed, definitely agreeing. Daisy asked the designer, a short, bald man with thick-rimmed glasses and a pointed nose, for the inspiration behind the dress and he told her that his mother’s dog had sparked his creativity. They both laughed when they heard that too.

  The program broke for an advert and Chloe nearly fell off the sofa when a massive picture of Taylor kissing Richard popped up on the screen followed by the headline “The Vanderville Homewrecker”.

  Kelly dropped the popcorn on the floor as she bolted upright and they both stared in complete shock as gossip TV host, Peter Chase, came on with his unusual blue-colored hair.

  “It’s the talk of the town, people,” he began. “Our hearts went out to the beautiful socialite Taylor Vanderville when we heard she’d been in a life-threatening accident. But how do we feel now? This is her seen leaving the apartment of a married man.”

  Chloe winced as she watched footage of Taylor leaving Richard’s apartment.

  “And look, here’s his wife and his kids.” Peter continued enunciating every syllable of his words.

  On the screen was actual footage of Taylor inside Richard’s apartment with his wife and kids. The footage showed her kissing Richard and then the wife walking in to catch them.

  “Thank goodness for modern technology and fearless people who aren’t scared to send in their recordings of super-juicy gossip.” Peter was having a field day with this and seemed to be loving the excitement.

  Sure this would have been super-juicy gossip if it was about someone else, and Chloe would have been the first to think that whoever sent in the recording was indeed fearless. However, there was nothing fearless in that.

  She didn’t need to think about it to know who sent the recording in. The minute she saw the footage all that Wade told her about the psycho watching them rushed into her mind. The fearless person Peter talked about had to be them. How else would they get actual footage of inside Richard’s apartment?

  Taylor loved being in the public eye and was always known for her sense of style and fashion. The people loved her for it.

  What Chloe saw here would hurt Taylor to no end. It would damage her reputation and make life even harder for her to move past all that had happened.

  But…what this also told them all was that they were still being watched, and still had no control over the situation.

  A chill ran down Chloe’s spine.

  Chapter 11

  Taylor

  She didn’t plan to stay at Runway so late. She just got carried away looking over all the new designs that had come in while she was away.

  Taylor found that clothes could always keep her occupied. Clothes and anything to do with her hair. She’d booked a salon appointment for tomorrow and was looking forward to it. She needed to keep busy so that she didn’t have a chance to think.

  That was her plan.

  She grabbed her bag and made her way down to the foyer. There was some sort of commotion going on, but she couldn’t quite tell what it was about. It was the press.

  She couldn’t remember if there were any arrangements for them to be here and at this time. It was a quarter to seven, most people had gone home. Her mom wasn’t even here.

  “There she is!” one of the reporters cried when they saw her coming down the steps. Then they all rushed a her, all of them all at once. At least twenty or so, and she could see more people outside. There was a crowd.

  “What do you have to say for yourself?” one of them asked, but she couldn’t tell who said it because they were all talking at her.

  Sergio and the other security guards were trying to keep them all back and away from her.

  “Taylor, go now,” Sergio ordered.

  “Homewrecker!” someone called out, grabbing her attention.

  Homewrecker? What did they mean?

  “You have no explanation?” someone else balked. “You think it’s okay to have an affair with a married man?”

  She froze as it all sunk in and shame weighed her down. Someone must have seen her with Richard, but how did they know what had happened? Taylor opened her mouth to talk but no words came.

  Sergio looked over again to her and said something, but his words were lost amongst the sea of noise that came from the crowd.

  She tried to move but she was surrounded by reporters taking pictures, she tried to talk again but she couldn’t find her voice.

  Just like her heart her voice left her. The deep shame she felt robbed her of it.

  She didn’t have the energy for this. She didn’t have the strength. Turning around again, she tried to escape but it was no use. Then someone took her hand. Firm and strong, they grasped her hand just as she thought her knees would buckle. She looked around and found herself staring up into Wes’ golden-brown eyes. His handsome face, reserved, rugged, and somber. He held his head high with inherent strength and didn’t say anything. He just pulled her along as he pushed through the crowd and cleared the way for her to get outside.

  Once outside she saw that the situation was even worse. There were reporters with cameras everywhere. All over the road and leading up to the parking lot. They surrounded her car. She tightened her grip on Wes’ hand when she saw that and tears ran down her cheeks.

  When he saw the path was blocked to her car he ushered her along to his. She got into the passenger’s seat without hesitation. He jumped in quickly, too, and drove. He didn’t even blow his horn for those in the way to move. They had to jump out if they didn’t want to get run over.

  He breezed down the road and looked across at her. She tried to say thanks, but was crying so much she couldn’t.

  Wes touched the
phone icon on the dashboard before him and clicked on Chloe’s number. Chloe answered immediately.

  “Wes, are you okay?” Chloe spoke in a panicked voice.

  “Peachy. I have Taylor,” Wes replied.

  “Really? Thank God. Wes, keep her away from here. There’s press crawling all over the lawn. I called the cops.”

  Taylor didn’t even know what was going on. She’d been at Runway all day looking at clothes and catching up with her work colleagues on what she’d missed. Oblivious to the fact that something more to ruin her life was on its way to her.

  Homewrecker.

  That’s what they’d called her. Her.

  Taylor always considered herself to be one of the most loyal people ever, one who respected relationships and the sanctity of love.

  How had this happened to her?

  “I’ll take care of her and bring her back. But Chloe, I’m pleading self-defense if I accidentally run over a reporter.”

  Taylor looked over at him, wanting to express her appreciation again, but still couldn’t find her voice. He flicked open the glove compartment and handed her a small box of tissues. She took it, pulled out a tissue and tried to wipe her eyes.

  “Thanks, Wes. I owe you one,” Chloe said.

  “No, you don’t.” Wes smirked. He looked back to Taylor when Chloe hung up and gave her a sympathizing look.

  “Thank you,” Taylor finally managed and tried to hold back another bout of tears.

  “Don’t mention it.” His lips slid into a gentle smile that made her feel at ease despite the turmoil in her mind and body.

  It took them about forty minutes to get to Pasadena. Wes lived in a very modern-looking house that definitely reflected his personality, from what she assumed him to like. He was always into technology and science and had that intellectual way about him that admittedly always intimidated her. She probably would never have spoken to him, ever, if not for Chloe. And, even when she had spoken to Wes in the past, it was very minimal conversation. She just had this fear of saying something stupid.

  Back in high school Wade used to give him a very hard time because Wade was bigger in muscle and size and Wes looked just average. He was tall and lanky with his boyish dark curls, and years later he was practically the same, with the exception of bulking out some more across his shoulders and back. When they were younger she always thought he was cute and adorable with his freckles and curls. Then he turned into this tall, aesthetic-looking man with an athletic grace about him that superseded cute and adorable. He was gorgeous, a beautiful man with classically handsome features, a killer smile, and that charming personality that could easily sweep any girl off her feet.