Wrecked for You

by Mayer, Kristin

  Casually, Drake leaned against the counter, a mischievous smirk on his face. “Did you guys happen to drunk text anyone else?”

  I gasped.

  “Drunk text?” Alexa’s nose scrunched up.

  Did we? So much from last night was still a little foggy. The humor in his eyes led me to believe there had been quite the drunk text marathon. “You girls may want to check your phones.”

  What did we do? Alexa and I scrambled toward our phones.

  Devney was sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “Who’s here this early? My head hurts. What are you guys doing?”

  Devney sounded as rough as I’d felt when I first woke up. As soon as we found our phones, she’d need to get aspirin and Gatorade.

  “Drake. He said we need to check our phones. Something about drunk texting.”

  I threw the blanket on the floor.

  “What?” Devney asked, joining the search.

  Eureka! My phone had been wedged between the cushions. I opened my text messages and saw the last text was from a group chat. It had me, Alexa, Devney, Hollis, Hayden, and Drake on it.

  Oh no. It all started coming back to me when I opened the texts. And judging by the groans from the other girls, they were remembering, as well.

  Alexa: Hellooooz to you!

  Drake: Hey, baby. You headed to bed?

  Alexa: Noo way. The night be young. We gonna keep toasting like it’s hot.

  Drake: You drunk?

  Hayden: Keep it clean, bro. They’ve got us all on here.

  Hollis: I second that. Some things can’t be unseen.

  Drake: Who the fuck is on this?

  Alexa: Girlz and boyz.

  Me: I a girl.

  Devney: Me girl, too.

  Hollis: I’ll play along. I’m a boy.

  Hayden: Hell, I’ll play, too. I’m a boy.

  Drake: I’m not a boy. I’m a man.

  Hollis: Changing mine to Alaskan man.

  Hayden: Alaskan pilot man.

  Drake: I’m sticking with man. It stands all alone. No need to fancy that shit up.

  Hollis: Man.

  Hayden: Man.

  Drake: You girls still there?

  Alexa: We paused. Wine. I spokes gurl for group. We have secrets to tell.

  Drake: Oh, hell.

  Hayden: Maybe we should put the phones away.

  Hollis: Intervention needed, stat.

  Alexa: Nooooo… truths set you free. Beee free!

  Devney: FREE!

  Me: Let freedom ring!

  Alexa: What they said. Wanna hear our psssttt secrets?

  Drake: This is going to be good.

  Hollis: Or terrible.

  Alexa: Hollis equal spoil sport. Drake first.

  Hollis: I am not.

  Alexa: Are so.

  Hollis: Am not.

  Hayden: Am I going to have to send you two to time out?

  Alexa: He start it.

  Hollis: Actually, if you scroll up, you’ll see you started it.

  Drake: Go ahead, baby. Tell me your secret.

  Alexa: I love you.

  Drake: I love you, too.

  Alexa: That’s it.

  Drake: Perfect. Next person.

  Hayden: What the fuck? That wasn’t a secret.

  Hollis: This is like watching a train wreck and unable to do anything.

  Alexa: Hayden, next.

  Me: It’s my Boo Boo Bear!

  Hayden: Kory loves me. I love her, too. That’s so sweet. Next person.

  Alexa: Haha! Yes, but that not all.

  Hayden: Oh, shit.

  Drake: Wait, let’s back up to Boo Boo bear.

  Me: That’s my name for Hayden. He luuurves it.

  Drake: Oh, really. That is good to know.

  Hayden: Fuck a duck.

  Drake: I’m texting Kane now.

  Hayden: Asshole.

  Alexa: Focus! This is not about duck fucking. This is about the pssst secrets.

  Drake: Go ahead, baby. Continue. Boo Boo Bear is ready for his next secret.

  Hayden: Double asshole.

  Alexa: Kory wants more. *wink face*

  Hayden: Consider it done.

  Hollis: I’m going to get some disinfectant for my poor phone and bleach for my eyes. That wasn’t very code-like, Alexa. And I just don’t have anything for Boo Boo Bear. It’s not very… Alaskan. Or I hope it’s not.

  Alexa: Let’s got a woot woot!

  Me: Woot! Woot!

  Devney: Woot! Woot!

  Alexa: Hollis, your turn.

  Hollis: Let’s pass and say I did.

  Alexa: Spoil sport. Or maybe it the lovebug?

  Hollis: Like I’ve said before. It’s impossible for the love bug to bite me. The farthest north you’ll find it is in Florida.

  Alexa: …

  Hollis: What’s …?

  Alexa: You putting us to sleep. BAHAHA!

  Hollis: You’re so funny. Well cheerio. Let’s call it an evening.

  Alexa: You funny, Hollis. We have more psst secretsssss!

  Hollis: Why don’t you call Drake and tell him your psst secrets?

  Alexa: Hold pleaze. I’m ignoring spoil sportz messages. We’re discussing our pssst secrets.

  Hollis: There’s more than one?

  Alexa: Duh to the muh! It’s gurlz night.

  Drake: This is getting interesting.

  Hollis: Or totally boring.

  Hayden: I’m popping popcorn.

  Drake: Does Boo Boo Bear share?

  Hayden: Not with assholes.

  Alexa: I make deal, Hollis.

  Hollis: Lay out the terms.

  Alexa: Extra week off for my wedding.

  Hollis: Deal.

  Alexa: The tribe has spoken. No more psst secrets. Night, men.

  Devney: Night, men.

  Me: Night, men.

  Devney: I can’t believe he fell for it.

  Me: Me either.

  Alexa: Me, too! Best plan ever.

  Devney: Why are we texting? We’re in same room.

  Me: Cuz we’re soooo drunk.

  Alexa: True dat.

  Drake: Sweetheart, you’re still on the group text.

  Hollis: Well played, my friend. Well played.

  Alexa: Haha! Oops! I still get it!

  Hollis: Of course.

  Alexa: Oh, and Devney wants everyone to know … her glasses be fake.

  Hollis: Fake?

  Alexa: They no worky.

  Devney: But they smart.

  Alexa: True dat.

  Me: True dat.

  Alexa: Night, men.

  Devney: Night, men.

  Me: Night, men.

  Drake: Night, baby. I’ll bring by breakfast and some aspirin in the morning.

  Alexa: Luuuv you.

  Drake: Love you, too.

  Hollis: Night to all. And to all a good night.

  Drake: Let’s give a special good night to Boo Boo Bear.

  Hollis: Night, Boo Boo Bear.

  Alexa: Night, Boo Boo Bear.

  Devney: Night, Boo Boo Bear.

  Me: Hollis: Night, Boo Boo Bear.

  Hayden: Night, sweetheart. And to the rest, here’s my middle finger.

  There had been another text from Hayden to just me.

  Hayden: Sweet dreams, Kory. I miss you and can’t wait to have you back in my arms.

  Kory: Miss you, too. Hurry home.

  Hayden: I plan to.

  “Oh, my word.”

  The three of us looked at each other and started laughing all over again.

  Devney gasped. “Oh dear. I thought I dreamed about this. Well, it’s out there. My glasses are fake.”

  That brought around another set of giggles. Who cared about the pounding in my head? Drake had a smirk on his face. “I’m glad you girls had fun.”

  Devney bolted upright, apparently realizing the time. “Oh, dear. I have a music lesson in ninety minutes. I’ll see you guys later. Had a lot of fun.”

  “Wait, take some aspirin an
d Gatorade,” I said.

  Devney grabbed both, and in a flash, she was out the door. I waved bye to her from the front porch. I was so glad she’d come. We had connected as friends in a way I never thought possible.

  As she drove away, I thought back on our conversation with Devney last night. We’d only had about half a bottle of wine by that point and had still been relatively sober.

  We’d moved to the living room after eating dinner. All of us had changed into our pajamas and were enjoying the heat from a low fire burning in the fireplace.

  Devney had taken another sip. “Can I get your advice? And it stays between us?”

  “Sure,” Alexa and I had replied in unison.

  “So… Hollis and I slept together.” Alexa had gasped with this information, but Devney continued her story. “Afterward, I got scared and told him I wanted a relationship with no strings. He seemed okay with it, but then today he said he couldn’t do it.”

  Alexa had leaned forward. “So… you just want to be fuck buddies?”

  “No, I want that toe-curling love, but I’m scared of what people will think. Hollis has so much money. And I’ve had to take a third job.”

  I’d scooted over closer to her. “Devney, what you have or don’t have doesn’t matter. If you like each other, that’s what counts.”

  “I guess. I think I’ve just made a mess of everything. Hollis must think I’m crazy.”

  Alexa had smiled. “No, I think he likes you, too.”

  She’d looked so sad and utterly defeated. “What do I do?”

  “Tell him the truth,” I’d said. The truth was always better than the lie. If I hadn’t told Hayden the truth about how I felt, we wouldn’t be together.

  For a second, Alexa had just stared into her wineglass. “I probably should take your advice, too, Kory. I’ve been putting off setting a wedding date because I’m scared to ask Ike to walk me down the aisle. Drake mentioned asking him to be his best man, which means he’ll need him, too.”

  My heart hurt for Alexa. I hadn’t lost my father, but mine had been cold and distant my entire life.

  “I’m afraid that I’m going to wake up and this will all be a dream,” I commented.

  Devney had grabbed my hand and then Alexa’s. “Alexa, Drake is amazing and loves you so. Just talk to him. And Kory, Hayden is over the moon for you. I’ve known the Foster men all my life, and let me tell you… he’s smitten as a kitten.”

  It was hard to believe I’d been in Skagway for only twenty-four hours yet felt more at home than I ever had in my entire life. People I’d barely met were more like my family than my own flesh and blood.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kory

  After showering, I pulled my hair on top of my head in a messy bun before heading downstairs to grab a donut. The hot water had helped to flush out the alcohol lingering in my system. And the smell of wine was finally gone. The thought alone made my stomach turn over. It would probably be a while before I could drink wine again. When I came down the stairs, Drake and Alexa were sitting on the couch. She was curled into his side.

  “Can I get you guys anything?” I asked to fill the silence.

  I fidgeted with my hands. Drake seemed nice, but I still didn’t feel like I knew him well enough to be casual. It was nothing he’d done. I was scared I would mess up and make the wrong impression. Old habits die hard. For my entire life, I’d had to watch every move I made, ensuring it was the right one. And now… it was just me living in the moment. I loved it, but it kept me on edge at the same time.

  Alexa sat up with a big smile on her face. “We’re good. Drake and I have decided to get married around Christmas. I’m going to ask Ike to walk me down the aisle today.”

  Drake looked like he might burst with excitement at finally having a date set.

  That meant their talk had gone well. I sat on the black leather chair opposite them. “That’s wonderful. Where are you going to have it?”

  She shrugged. “I’m not sure. We’re going to keep it family only, but I’d like it to be a place where I feel connected to my dad, too. I want to feel like he’s part of it. We could have it at the cabin, but that isn’t the feel I’m looking for.”

  An idea came to me. “Why not have it here? This is an excellent space to entertain. It’ll be cold, of course, so outdoors is out of the question, but Ike could walk you down the stairs to the fireplace.” I was getting excited, and I started to speak with my hands. “Since it’ll be Christmas time, we could decorate the fireplace with heavy greenery and accent it with your colors. Give it a country feel like you initially described as home to me. Depending on the number of people, the dining room could make an excellent reception area for the cake.”

  Alexa’s eyes were delighted. “Oh my! That’s perfect. Have you done this before?”

  “Well, I helped my mother a lot with parties. But I did graduate this last May with a degree in event planning. I’d love to help if you’d like.”

  “I would more than like. I would love. We’d pay you.” Alexa was nearly dancing in her seat.

  I flicked my wrist while shaking my head. “No, no way am I taking anything. Consider this my gift to you guys. Please.”

  “Yes!” Alexa stood up and we started jumping together. “Thank you. This is going to be exciting.”

  Things settled, and Drake stood, looking at his watch. “I need to get back to the Red Onion.”

  Alexa looked at me. “I’m going to go help Drake at the Red Onion. I’m going to help him get caught up with some paperwork. Do you mind if I run back by here later on after Drake and I talk about what we want?”

  “Please do. I’m going to unpack, but I’ll be here.”

  “Perfect.”

  From the look on Drake’s face, I imagined he’d agree to anything if Alexa would marry him sooner rather than later. Weddings were such beautiful events. Every time I attended one, I was filled with hope. The day partners said their vows was a day of new beginnings. The couple’s future was theirs to seize.

  The house was quiet after everyone left. Unlike my house in Seattle, this place had a peaceful quiet about it. My house had been a tomb. I made some hot tea and decided to take a few minutes for myself outside on the porch.

  The rocking chair on the back porch creaked as I rocked. It was a bit chilly on this October day, so I drew the blanket around me a little tighter. The sun cast beautiful rays of light on the field in front of me. There was a calmness that captivated me. It was still hard to believe this place was mine.

  I allowed myself to get lost in thought. How was I so lucky to meet a man like Hayden? Fate had pushed me to go to Ketchikan. I smiled thinking about the first time I met him at Maggie’s. We’d stared at each other from across the room for what felt like forever. I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off him. A couple of weeks later, he asked me out for coffee. It was there I decided I wanted to experience raw passion with someone, and Hayden was perfect.

  He was a bachelor.

  He said he never wanted to get married.

  He didn’t want any strings.

  After the first time we made love, I knew I was in trouble. There was so much more to what we had, and neither of us wanted to admit it.

  The arrangement had been perfect… until it wasn’t.

  And now we were committed to each other.

  I took another sip of my tea and closed my eyes. Hopefully in the next hour or so, Hayden would be getting home. He’d called to check in this morning before I’d gotten in the shower. As it turned out, Eric’s brother, Scott, was on vacation with his family in California. So Hayden wanted to stay until he could get there. That poor family. My heart ached for them.

  But I missed Hayden. We needed time together.

  Just the thought of seeing him again brought the butterflies to the surface. This morning, Hayden hadn’t mentioned anything about the text Alexa had sent. I didn’t regret having her send it, even after I’d sobered up. I trusted Hayden to know when it was the right
time. Maybe that was what had set me free for the next step. Or maybe I felt settled sooner than I’d expected. Who knows? All I knew was that I was okay with it.

  Hopefully we were together sooner rather than later. I was ready to be in his arms as he made sweet, passionate love to me. There were no longer any secrets between Hayden and me. I truly wasn’t afraid of what my parents would think if they found out. At first, when we met in Ketchikan, I was wary of communicating with Hayden. I never gave him my real number. I worried my parents were tracking my activity. The last thing I needed was them having Hayden’s information.

  My parents.

  I wondered what was going on with them. If I’d stayed, Landon and I would have commenced our fake relationship by now. The thought made me sick. If Hayden hadn’t showed up… I’d still be there trying to figure out how to leave. But I wouldn’t have married Landon. The thought of going through with it turned my stomach. We only had one life to live, and mine would have been wasted. Completely.

  I finished the last sip of my tea; the warmth felt good. It was the perfect balance in the colder temperature. As I set down my cup, my phone vibrated.

  Hayden: I’m headed to pick up Eric’s brother from the airport. Then I’ll be headed home. Anthony is taking the tour for me this afternoon. I may have to take the one tomorrow. We’ll see.

  Me: Is there anything I can do for Eric’s family or help Anthony at the hangar? And don’t worry about the tours. Do whatever needs to be done. I’m excited to see you.

  Hayden: I’ll check with Anthony and keep you posted about Eric. I miss you, Kory. I’m sorry I had to leave right after you got here.

  Me: Hurry home. And please don’t worry. It was nice hanging with the girls last night.

  Hayden: I’m glad you had fun.

  Me: I’m so sorry about Boo Boo Bear getting out.

  Hayden: It’s fine, sweetheart. I’ve got dirt on my brothers, too. I’m confident in my manhood enough to withstand Boo Boo bear.

  Me: Good! See you soon.

  Hayden: Can’t wait.

  This was where I was supposed to be. There would continue to be a distant, dark cloud looming over me until I settled things with my parents. Maybe someday they’d come to respect my decisions. I wondered if they’d tried to reach out to me via email. I’d mentioned in my voicemail that would be how I’d reach out to them at some point when I was ready to talk with them.