Layton nodded his head and waited for me to continue.
“Fuck, I don’t even know how to say it.” I shook my head, and when I closed my eyes, I was brought back to the night when Courtney had told me about Noah. “His name is Noah, and he’s Courtney’s brother’s best friend.”
I opened my eyes and fought like hell to keep the tears at bay. Just knowing what that fucker had done to Court made me want to hunt his ass down and kill him.
“He came into her room one night and threatened her whole family if she didn’t do what he wanted her to do.”
“No,” Layton whispered.
I looked down at Layton’s hands balling into fists. He thought of Courtney as a sister, and I knew after telling him, he was going to feel the same way I felt, and I felt nothing but pure hate and anger.
“How long did it go on?” he asked, his voice cracking.
“A few months. One night, he came in, and she pointed one of her father’s guns at him. She told him she’d rather go to jail than be put through what he was doing to her.” I looked away and then back at Layton. “I want to hurt him so bad, Layton. You have no idea how hard it’s been for me not to call her brother and tell him. He still hangs around the fucker. They’re best friends. I want him to know what his so-called friend did to his sister.”
I saw the look of horror move across Layton’s face.
“Courtney’s younger sister…” he whispered.
“Courtney said she’s almost positive he never touched her sister. He seemed to wait until Court was older. Once she turned sixteen, he started.”
Layton looked down at his beer. “Motherfucker. What kind of a monster does that to another person?”
I let out a long, drawn-out sigh. “I don’t know, but if I ever lay eyes on him, he better run in the opposite direction.”
Layton snapped his head over. “Isn’t her brother getting married in a few months? Is she going back for the wedding? If this Noah guy is her brother’s best friend, won’t he be at the wedding?”
“That was the first thing she asked her brother—if Noah was going to be in the wedding or at the wedding. Her brother told her no. He said that Noah had to go out of the country on a business trip that week, and he couldn’t change the dates. I guess her brother and his fiancée couldn’t change the date of the wedding because this place has a really long waiting list. That’s the only reason Court is going back home for the wedding.”
Layton ran his hand through his hair. “Damn. Poor Courtney. She’s never talked to anyone about this?”
I shook my head. “Nope. I’m the only person she’s ever told. She’s only been with this guy, Mitch, and me.”
“Shit,” Layton said as he dropped his head back. He looked back at me, and his eyes were filled with sadness. “Reed, she really needs to talk to someone about it.”
I looked down at my beer as I ran my finger along the glass. “I know. I asked her if she wants to. I even told her I would go with her, but she insists that she doesn’t need to. I’m hoping that maybe when she talks to Whitley about it, it will help Court move on even more. I think the secret has been slowly sucking the life out of her more and more. I could almost feel the release when she told me. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.”
My cell phone started ringing, and I pulled it out of my pocket to see it was Courtney calling.
“Hey,” I said with a smile.
“Hey back, handsome. What are you boys up to?” Courtney asked.
“Sitting at the bar, drinking a few beers, shooting the shit, and watching football. You know, typical guy stuff.”
Courtney let out a giggle. “We just left the spa. I feel amazing. I’m so very relaxed. Thank you for that,” she said in a seductive voice.
“You’re very welcome. Dinner now?” I asked as I looked down at my watch. “Your reservation isn’t for another forty-five minutes. The spa didn’t take as long as I thought it would.”
“No, it’s good. We’re actually going to take a walk around the property and…talk…”
When her voice trailed off, I knew she was scared.
“Court?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you. I love you more than anything. You’re the strongest person I know, and every day, you amaze me. Thank you for loving me.”
She choked back a sob. “Jesus, what is with me and the crying?”
I smiled, picturing her trying to wipe away her tears before anyone saw her crying.
“I love you, too, Reed. Thank you for loving me. I’ve got to run. Whitley is out of the restroom now.”
“All right. Y’all be careful, and don’t wander off the paths, okay?”
She let out a laugh. “Okay, Dad.”
“Give me a call when you get to the restaurant, okay?”
“Okay. Hey, Reed?” she said in a hushed voice.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for showing me that I have the courage to do this.”
I tried to swallow the lump in my throat. “Courtney,” was all I managed to get out.
“Talk to you soon. I love you. Bye.”
I had to look away and stare out the window. I saw her walking out with Whitley, but she didn’t see me.
“I love you, too, Courtney. Bye, baby.” When I hit End, I wanted to just throw my phone and scream. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do to take away what had happened to her.
When I felt Layton put his hand on my shoulder, I remembered where I was. I took a deep breath, turned back around, and tried to give him a smile.
“Reed, you can’t take away the pain and hurt, no matter how hard you wish you could. Just be there for her. Listen to her when she needs to talk. Love her when she needs to be loved, and make her happiness your number-one goal in this life.”
I nodded my head and grabbed my empty beer, holding it up, so the bartender could see it. I held up my fingers, indicating we wanted two more.
“Shit, let’s change this mood around. I’m getting married tomorrow.” I punched Layton on the side of the arm.
Oh shit, I’m getting married tomorrow. “Oh, dear God, what if she wants us to say our own vows?” I asked as I reached for the full bottle of beer that was just placed in front of me.
Layton let out a laugh. “I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Court decided for y’all to say your own vows.”
I just stared at Layton.
“What in the hell am I going to say?” I brought the beer up to my lips and practically drank it all in one drink.
Layton threw his head back and laughed. “You say what is in your heart. Don’t worry though…I already asked Court if y’all were saying your own vows, and her exact words were, ‘Oh, hell no.’”
My mouth dropped to the ground as I glared at my best friend. “What is with y’all today? Are you trying to cause me to have a heart attack?”
Layton shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of his beer. “You’re just so much fun to fuck with when you’re a basket case.”
“Thanks. I’ll remember that when you’re pacing back and forth, waiting for the birth of your child.”
Layton’s head snapped over to me, and he was just about to say something when two girls walked up to us. I looked them both up and down. They barely had on any clothes. They couldn’t have been more than twenty-two years old.
The blonde, who was wearing a short-ass skirt with a practically see-through white tank top, smiled. “Do I detect a Southern accent there, boys?”
Layton rolled his eyes. “Yes, ma’am, you do. We’re from Texas to be exact.”
The redhead leaned in closer to me and brushed her tits up against my arm. “I’ve always wondered what a Texas cowboy would feel like inside me. I do love a good ride,” she said, trying to sound seductive.
Holy shit, talk about blunt. A year and a half ago, I would have been all over this girl, but now, all I wanted her to do was get the fuck away from me.
“I’m getting married tomorrow, so it
looks like this is one cowboy you won’t be riding,” I said with a wink.
Her smile faded, but then she looked at Layton. “What about you, cowboy? You look like you could be pretty fast and hard.” She stuck her finger in her mouth and began sucking on it.
Layton let out a laugh. “No, thanks. I’m happily married to a beautiful woman who is carrying my child. If y’all don’t mind, do you think you could move on, please?”
“Your loss, assholes,” the blonde said.
Then, they both turned around and walked away.
I looked at Layton and began laughing. “Damn. I don’t think I’ve ever had a girl come on to me that blatantly.”
Layton chuckled. “She’s just lucky that Courtney didn’t see her rubbing her tits all over you. Poor girl would have had to crawl out of this bar.”
I let out a laugh and raised my beer up to Layton. “To being off the market.”
Layton held his beer bottle to mine and said, “A-fucking-men.”
I sat there, holding Whitley’s hand, waiting for her to say something. She had started crying about two minutes into me telling her about Noah.
“I’m…oh God, Courtney.” She pulled me to her and hugged me. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. I’m so sorry I didn’t know the nightmare you were going through. I knew something was wrong. I knew it!”
She began crying harder, and I pushed her away and looked into her eyes.
“I should have kept asking you. I should have been a better friend. I should have known something was going on. I’m so sorry you went through all that alone…that you’ve been dealing with this for so long all alone.”
I smiled as I wiped away her tears, and she wiped away mine.
“I’m no longer alone though. Telling Reed helped me to move on and let go of the pain and guilt. Telling you has also helped me in more ways than you will ever know.”
Whitley took a deep breath and blew her nose in one of the tissues I’d grabbed on the way out to the courtyard. I’d figured we would both break down crying and need them.
“If I ever see him…oh my God, I swear, I’ll kill him, Court.”
I let out a giggle. “I think Reed will beat you to it, and I’m pretty sure Reed is telling Layton about it tonight, so you might have to wait in line.”
She gave me a weak smile. “I’d be willing to let Reed and Layton deal with Noah first, but I’m finishing his ass off if I ever see him again.” Then, she threw her hands up to her mouth and said, “Your brother’s wedding! Reed will kill him!”
I shook my head. “Noah won’t be there. I already asked my brother, and he said Noah had a business trip he couldn’t change, so he has to miss it. My brother is pretty upset about it, but it would have been either me or Noah missing the wedding. There is a still a chance he could end up going though if his trip is canceled so there is always the chance I might not go.”
“Oh, thank God. Court, you never told your parents? Why?”
“I don’t know. Guilt…or mostly embarrassment because I let someone do that to me. If I had known then what I know now, I would have screamed for my father that night, but I didn’t know any better, and I can’t turn back time. I think I’m slowly starting to realize that it wasn’t my fault and that I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Whitley let out a gasp. “No, you didn’t! It was all him, Court. He took advantage of you. I wish you had shot his ass. I never did like that prick.”
We both started laughing, and I needed to move us on to another subject.
“I’m getting married tomorrow. I want to focus on the future and not the past.” I reached into my purse and pulled out two pregnancy tests.
Whitley’s eyes grew bigger.
I laughed. “Don’t even go there. My silly mother wants me to take a pregnancy test to prove that I’m not pregnant, but…” I wiggled my eyebrows up and down.
Whitley let out a giggle. “You are so mean. You want me to pee on one, don’t you?” she asked as she stood up.
I laughed my evil laugh as I stood, and we hooked arms on the way to the restroom.
I set the tests down on the counter and opened one. I took a picture of it and sent it to my mother.
Courtney: Taking the test, Mother. I hope this proves to you that I’m NOT pregnant!
Mom: How do I know it’s you peeing on the test?
Courtney: Do you really want to go there, Mom? I’ll film myself pissing on a stick if you really want me to.
Mom: No. I raised you right. I trust you.
I rolled my eyes and made my way into the stall. “You go on the other test,” I said as I shut the door.
“But I don’t have to pee. I just went,” Whitley said.
“Seriously, Whit? You’ve had to pee all night! And the one time I need you to pee, you can’t?”
She let out a giggle. “Sorry. Maybe if I run the water.”
She turned on the water, and I began peeing on the stick. I couldn’t believe my mother thought I was rushing to get married because I was pregnant. I pulled out some toilet paper and set the test down, and then I began pulling up my pants.
“I think the water is making me want to go,” Whitley said.
I smiled as I went to reach for the test. My hand stopped just short of it. Why are there two lines? My heart began pounding so loud that it was hurting my ears.
“Okay, I’ve got to go now,” Whitley said.
I grabbed the test and threw open the stall door. “Stop! Don’t use that test!” I screamed.
Whitley froze in place as I walked up to her, and I grabbed it out of her hand before going back into the stall.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I don’t have to pee anymore.
“Turn on the water! Make it warm!” I yelled out.
“Um…okay. But why warm?” Whitley asked.
I let out a sigh and said, “Gesh, Whitley, everyone knows warm water makes you want to pee.” My hand was shaking so bad that I could hardly hold the test. I looked at the other test. Yep, still two lines.
“Uh…I hate to be the one to break it to you, Court, but that only works if you actually stick your hand in the warm water.”
I looked around and made a face. “Shit, that’s right.”
Once Whitley turned on the water, I willed myself to pee.
“Oh! Yes! Oh, yes, yes, yes!” I screamed out.
Then, someone other than Whitley said, “Well, I never.”
“Oh no. Oh no, ma’am, she’s alone. Wait! I mean, it’s not what you think!” Whitley said as she called out to the lady.
I heard Whitley’s footsteps moving closer to the door.
“Whitley! Don’t leave.”
I opened the stall door, and Whitley was laughing so hard that she could hardly breathe.
“Oh. My. God. She thought…she thought…”
I gave her a fake smile. “She thought I was masturbating. Ha-ha.”
Whitley finally got herself under control and looked at me. Her smile faded. “What? What’s wrong, Court?”
I swallowed hard. “Nothing will be wrong if you tell me two lines means not pregnant.”
Whitley grabbed the box. “Um…nope. Sorry, I’m pretty sure that two lines means preg—” Her head snapped up, and she looked at me.
I held up both tests for her to see. Her mouth dropped open, and we both just stood there, staring at each other.
When someone walked in, Whitley yelled, “Out! You can’t be in here!”
The poor lady quickly turned and walked out.
“Whitley! Why did you tell her to leave?” I asked.
Whit shook her head as if she was trying to clear her thoughts. “Where did you buy the tests?”
Why does she want to know that? Oh…
“The lobby store,” I barely whispered.
Whitley turned and walked out of the restroom. I paced back and forth until she finally came back, carrying two bags. She dumped the contents of one bag out into one of the sinks.
I looked into the sink an
d then back at Whitley. “Six? You bought six pregnancy tests?”
She shrugged her shoulders, handed me a bottle of water, and began to open one of the tests. I downed the water and then began drinking another bottle.
“I have an idea. Open a few. That way, if I start peeing, I can try to stick as many as possible under the stream.” I drank half of another bottle of water.
We placed a bunch of paper towels on the floor of one of the stalls and lined up all six tests. Every time someone came in, we blocked that stall.
Then, it hit me. “Shit! I have to go.”
Whitley pushed me into the stall, and I jumped over the tests.
I pulled my pants and panties down and went to town. “Ah shit, I pissed on my hand! Ew…gross!” I yelled out.
Whitley started laughing. “Just go fast. Get them all under the stream. You can wash your hands when you’re done.”
After I placed the last test down on the paper towel, I sat there and watched as each test came up with the same result. All six of them had double lines.
Whitley knocked on the stall door. “Court?”
I stood up, slowly pulled up my panties and pants, flushed the toilet, and gathered up my collection of pregnancy tests.
When I opened the door, Whitley was smiling from ear to ear. “Welcome to the club.”
“Court, you really need to eat, honey,” Whitley said.
I looked up at her and tried to smile.
“I mean, you’re eating for two now.”
I shot Whitley a dirty look. “Funny. What in the hell, Whitley? I’m on the pill. I can’t be pregnant.”
Whitley took a bite of her food and rolled her eyes. “Please. Courtney, you know that isn’t one hundred percent. Did you maybe forget to take a pill?”
I shook my head. “No.” I thought about it a little harder.
I was terrible with my pills. I never took them at the same time of day like I was supposed to do, and I’d missed pills before. Did I miss a pill and just not think about it? Shit!
“At least, I don’t think I have. Fuck, I don’t know. I’ve missed them before, and I just don’t think about it.” I looked down at the plate of food in front of me. I couldn’t even think about putting a thing into my stomach.