by Magan Vernon
“You didn’t have the right to make that choice for me,” I said through gritted teeth.
He shook his head. “You’re right. I was wrong not to tell you and have you find out this way. And for that I’m sorry, and I hope we can move past it.”
“I don’t know if we can.” I sighed.
Jordan let out a single laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Are you serious right now? You can’t get over me not telling you about the loser guy you weren’t even really dating hooking up with your slutty friend who obviously wasn’t even your friend if she was going to hook up with him?”
“That. Is. Enough,” I spat, my hands clenched at my side.
“Now you get angry. Good. But we both know well and good that I’m not the one you should be angry with. You should be telling all your so-called friends to fuck off and leave this place behind.”
“You know what, Jordan? Fuck you.”
He blinked and stepped back. “What?”
“All you’ve done is bitch about this town since you’ve been here. And you know what? Yeah, some of my so-called friends suck, but my family’s here. I’m here. I’ve been here, and you can’t just walk back here and expect to keep secrets then leave whenever you damn well please.”
“You know I’m not leaving without you this time,” Jordan whispered.
“Well, you need to leave now. I have to work,” I said, pointing at the sidewalk behind him.
He glanced over his shoulder then looked at me. “Are you serious right now?”
I nodded, holding back tears. I was pissed at him for saying there was nothing in this town. I was here. I’d always been here. And if the only way he wanted me was if I left with him, then maybe I didn’t need to go with a guy who kept secrets from me.
He put his hands up. “Okay. I can see that you’re pissed, so I’ll give you some time to come to your senses. You know where I’ll be.”
With that, he slowed turned around and walked down the street to his truck.
I sighed, slumping down on the bench with my head between my knees. I was still so tired and now even more confused.
Did I want to go to New York with Jordan because of him or did I want to leave everything behind? Getting away from the mess that was Teagan and Joey would be a good thing, but if Jordan would have told me about this when he found out, maybe I wouldn’t have been so upset. I could have moved on with him instead of feeling this heartbreak for everything I’d ever known in this town. My friends. All of it felt like a big lie.
“Room on that bench for one more?” a timid voice said.
I looked up to see Christy—no makeup, her hair in a messy bun, and wearing an old t-shirt and shorts.
“You look like I feel,” I muttered, scooting over so she could take the seat next to me.
“Was that Jordan in the truck I just saw drive by?” she asked, plopping down on the wooden bench.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“Well, I came for a caramel macchiato, but I think I can wait on that. Unless you want me to get you a coffee. Maybe some scones? Hell, if you need it, I’ll even go to Conti’s and see if I can flirt my way to get Sonny to give us some hair of the dog.”
I laughed in spite of the situation. “Nah. No more alcohol for me.”
We stayed silent for what seemed like forever before Christy spoke. “Clay gave me more of the details of what happened. I still can’t believe Joey and Teagan … I mean they hooked up some in high school, but I didn’t know it was still happening, especially since you two were … whatever you were …”
I sighed, putting my head in my hands. “That’s the thing; I don’t even know if I’m actually upset that Teagan and Joey were hooking up since he and I were never actually exclusive.”
Christy raised an eyebrow. “So you’re upset that Jordan knew and didn’t tell you?”
I sighed, leaning back and pressing my head against the glass of the window behind me. “It makes me wonder what else he’s kept from me, you know? Or what else he would keep from me. If this is the guy I’m supposed to move to New York with and be with, but he can’t tell me something like this, how can I trust him?”
Christy shrugged. “I can’t answer that for you. Do you think you can trust him? And if you can’t, can you see yourself staying with him in New York?”
“I don’t know,” I groaned.
She put her hand on mine. “Then that’s something you’re going to have to figure out.”
My phone buzzed in my apron pocket, once then twice. Then a third time. It had been going off all day, and I’d been ignoring it.
“That Jordan?” Christy asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Maybe.”
Before I could protest, Christy pulled my phone out of my apron pocket. “Jesus, you have like a million missed messages from Teagan.”
Her perfectly manicured nails tapped on the screen as she read through them. “Hey! Where are you? What the hell happened last night? How much did I drink? Oh, my God. Are you working? Can you please bring me coffee and a croissant? That would be awesome.”
Christy smirked. “Obviously, someone got a little blackout drunk. I’ll message her back for you.”
“Christy, don’t!” I reached for my phone, but Christy leaned back, tapping on the screen. “Hey, bitch. Sorry hanging with Christy. You can come to us and get your own coffee,” Christy said as she typed it in.
“Christy, come on, stop.” I reached for my phone, but Christy stood.
“Oh, she’s typing back!” Christy’s eyes widened then as quickly as her smile appeared, it was gone as she stared at the screen. “Ugh. Don’t tell that cunt I’m messaging you. Ditch her quick and come see me. I still can’t believe I went to her party last night. She’s so desperate; I bet she paid everyone to be there …”
“Christy …” I said, standing up as Christy’s head bowed.
“Does she always talk like that?” Christy asked, handing me my phone.
“I think so. I think we all just thought it was her personality, but she’s a bona fide bitch.”
Christy sighed. “Yeah. I guess part of me has known that all our lives, but I don’t know … I thought she was really my friend. Our friend. I didn’t realize she was saying these types of things… are you …are you thinking those things too?” Christy asked, her eyes wide as she looked at me.
I shook my head. “No. And you can trust me. I’m being completely honest with you. I’m not like her.”
She offered me a small smile. “I know you aren’t, Abs. And that’s why Teagan doesn’t deserve either of our time.”
My phone vibrated in my hand, and I looked down to another message from Teagan. “I think she at least deserves a goodbye or a good fuck off,” I muttered.
“Need backup?” Christy asked.
I shook my head and took off my apron. “I’m telling Carol I’ll take off soon. I’ll let you know if I need anything else, okay?”
Christy nodded. “Okay, babe. I’m always here. For real. No agenda. No secrets. No lies.”
I put out my arms and gladly took Christy in a hug. “And I’m always here for you.”
***
Two steaming cups of coffee sat in the cup holder as an old country song blared on the radio while I drove down Main Street toward Rte 66 and the Hedge Farms neighborhood.
Teagan lived in one of the few neighborhoods in Friendship with brick homes that were a little different from each other but still way too close together for my liking.
Her mom’s red sedan was in the driveway with Teagan’s Jeep parked next to it. Neither of them the wiser to what was about to happen.
I grabbed both cups of coffee and headed for the front door, ringing the doorbell.
The door was thrown open after the third ring, and Teagan stood there, looking much better than I felt with her red hair blown out and wearing a bright yellow sundress like she was about to go strut down some beach somewhere.
“OMG, you’re a lifesaver!” She reached for the cup,
and I pulled back.
“What the hell, Abs?”
“When were you going to tell me about you and Joey? Or did you always plan to wait until you were blackout drunk?” I asked point blank, unsure where I even built up the courage to ask.
Teagan blinked once then twice. She looked behind her then shut the door as she stepped outside to the small front porch. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please. Your drunk ass told me last night that you were screwing around with Joey and thought he got you pregnant but you were just late. Did you ever plan to tell me about any of that?”
Teagan crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, it’s not like you two were really together or anything,” she mumbled.
“And you tried the same thing with Jordan, I’m guessing, but he told you we were together?” I raised my eyebrows.
She huffed. “I don’t remember all the details of our conversation, but it probably went something like that.”
“When were you going to tell me any of this? We’re supposed to be best friends!” I spat, some of the coffee spilling out of the top.
“God, don’t be such a drama queen, Abs. This is just life, okay? Nothing serious. We’ve all been friends forever. We’re all bitchy. We all sleep around. It’s like a really bad teen television show, but we have better coffee.”
“That is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard in my life.”
Teagan sighed and put her arms out to the side. “What do you want me to say, Abs? I slept with Joey. A lot. Okay? Like not always on purpose, but there isn’t much to do in this town, and I didn’t think you were serious.”
“Even if we weren’t, you shouldn’t be sleeping with someone else your friend is with. That’s double dipping and totally against the rules of friendship.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Since when does friendship have rules?”
“Well, I guess ours doesn’t because there is no friendship.”
She huffed. “Oh my God, Abs. Stop being melodramatic. Just give me my coffee, and we can go inside and gossip about what I missed at the party.”
“This coffee?” I asked, looking from the cup to her eyes.
“Uh, yeah. That’s what I said.”
Before her hand could reach the cup, I reeled back then pushed the now lukewarm coffee forward, so it covered her little yellow sundress. Teagan screamed, staring at me with her eyes wide like Easter eggs. “What the hell, Abs?”
“Hope you enjoy your coffee,” I muttered, throwing down the empty cup and stomping down the driveway.
I didn’t even look to see if Teagan was following me as I got in the car and peeled out of her driveway, starting down the street.
I’d never stood up to her or anyone else, and my heart was now racing. It felt good. Almost too good. I wasn’t a manipulative person, and I hated having this adrenaline rush. I had to pull over before I exited the neighborhood and parked the car just to catch my breath.
“Holy shit,” I muttered.
I leaned my head on the cool steering wheel for I don’t know how long before my phone buzzed from the center console.
I expected it to be Teagan to ream me a new one, or even Christy to ask for the details, but instead, my dad’s number was on the screen.
I didn’t really want to talk to him, or anyone for that matter, but I figured it would look better to be on the phone than to have some nosy neighbor call the cops wondering what the tall girl with madness in her eyes was doing parked on the street.
“Hey, Dad,” I answered.
“Hey! It’s Missy! How’s my favorite future New Yorker?” Missy’s cheerful voice rang through the speaker.
“Um. I’m okay.”
Before I could say anything more, Missy started talking again. “So I was just talking to Jean, and he was saying one of his colleagues has an Airbnb. I thought once you were settled, your dad, Erwin, and I could visit this winter. Erwin’s never seen snow, and it would be fun to get back to the city. Maybe by then, you’ll have your own studio!”
I didn’t want to burst the beauty queen’s bubble, but I was good at disappointing people, so I sighed. “I don’t know if I’m going to New York, Missy.”
“What? What happened? Did you and Jordan break up? Oh em gee! Do you want to talk about it?”
I sighed. “I’ll talk to you about it later, and I’ll message Jean as soon as I decide.”
“Are you sure?”
I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure about anything. Angry Abbey had come out in full force because of a lie and a secret. Angry Abbey was someone I didn’t want to be, but who’s to say it wouldn’t happen again? And what if more secrets and lies came to the surface in New York with Jordan? I wouldn’t have a car to escape to and drive off. Or a friend like Christy to talk to. Or a mom I knew was waiting for me at the farmhouse and there to listen if I needed her or just to sit and watch Netflix with me.
“No. But I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”
If I ever did.
Chapter 18
Just like he promised, Jordan gave me space. A week’s worth, to be exact.
I didn’t hear from Joey or Teagan, but Christy had texted me a few times.
Otherwise, I was alone.
Alone as I could be in the middle of a photo session at the library with Brooke Carrington as my subject.
I hadn’t slept much all week and looked like hell, as usual, in my messy bun and shorts while Brooke was made up like a 1950s bombshell in a red wiggle dress and pin curls as she leaned against the stacks, parting her red lips.
“This is weird, isn’t it? Like unnatural?” Brooke asked, leaning back and putting her open BB Carr book on her chest.
“Hey, sexy library rockabilly was your idea,” I said with a shrug, looking through the awkward photos I took of Brooke. To me, she just looked constipated.
“Well, what do you suggest? You’re the photographer,” Brooke asked.
“I’ll do what you want.”
Brooke sighed. “Don’t give me that bullshit answer. Tell me what you really think will work. I’m an author and can tell you how I think something will play in my head, but in reality, that doesn’t always work.”
“Tell me about it,” I muttered.
“Okay, so something is obviously bothering you, and I may not be good with people, but I’m good at judging facial expressions and body language, so I’m going with boy trouble,” Brooke said, putting one hand on her hip.
“Boys. Best Friends. You name it. I probably have it.”
Brooke pursed her lips. “You know what I do when I’m having boy problems?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Are you trying to tell me you and Eddie are having issues so I can sell the story to TNC?”
She smiled. “No problems with Eddie and me, now. But come on, let’s head back to my place so I can get out of this dress and you can take some real pictures.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Your parents’ place or yours and Eddie’s? Because maybe you didn’t hear the TNC joke?”
“Stop asking questions and pack up your stuff. Let’s get out of here. These Spanx are chaffing me and not in a good way,” she said, grabbing her purse off the table.
“There’s a good way to chafe?”
She smiled, looping her arm through mine. “Only if you do it right.”
***
When I thought about what kind of home that country music superstar and longtime Friendship, Texas, resident Eddie Justice would have, I expected a giant McMansion with stone lions out front. What I didn’t expect was following Brooke through the wrought-iron gate and down the crepe myrtle-lined driveway to a small white house with a tin roof and wraparound porch.
Sure, there was quite a bit of land and a huge garden, swimming pool, and I think even a guest house, but it looked like something normal anyone could have in Friendship. Hell, I think the one-story new build was even smaller than Mom’s farmhouse.
I parked behind Brooke’s car in the
circular driveway then followed her up the two steps to the wraparound porch and the front door.
“If you take one of my metal animals to sell on eBay, take Eddie’s guitar playing frog,” Brooke said, nodding her head toward their assortment of metal animals in front of their porch mingled in with a colorful array of flowers.
“Dammit. I was going to go for the dancing dog.”
Brooke pointed a finger at me. “You back off Fido.”
I laughed for what felt like the first time all day as I held up my hands and followed Brooke inside. “I’ll keep my sticky hands on the camera.”
Unlike Mom’s home and the typical older homes I was used to, we walked right into a bright, airy open floor plan with dark wood floors and bright white walls that looked like they were once part of a barn.
The living room, with its brown leather furniture, opened to a bright kitchen with marble counters and stainless steel appliances. Floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors in the kitchen let in a ton of light that sparkled off the multiple built-in bookshelves where all of Eddie’s awards and different leather bound books sat.
“Let me just get out of this dress then you can tell me where you want me,” Brooke said over her shoulder, already half out of her dress with her shoes kicked off as she trudged down the small hallway off the living room toward an open door.
I didn’t want to snoop around the living room and stare at all of Eddie’s awards, but how could I not when they were all just sitting there on display?
Slowly, I approached the bookshelf, adorned with different awards and a few books. But instead of looking at the “Best New Artist” or “Entertainer of the Year” awards, my eyes were drawn to a faded picture in a frame made from popsicle sticks.
There was no doubt it was Eddie and Brooke at maybe eight years old. The two still looked the same twenty years older even with Eddie finally cutting his hair and getting some gym time.
Sitting in the back of an old red truck in their faded cowboy hats, they were grinning from ear to ear with their arms around each other. I knew this was way before they started dating. Way before Eddie left for Nashville after his junior year of high school. I still wondered how in the hell they found their way back to each other. Maybe Brooke would write a book about it someday. Call it Rumor Has It or something and dedicate it to the church ladies.