Hector graced Terry with one of his rare smiles. "I could do southern sweet tea."
Terry returned Hector's smile before walking down the aisle to get some tea bags. "I'll need to get some tea." He didn't have enough to make an entire pitcher of sweet tea. Besides, not drinking right now might not be a bad idea. Terry needed to keep his wits about him.
He rounded the corner of the coffee and tea aisle and skidded to a stop. He stared at the man standing halfway down the aisle for half a second before spinning on his heels and marching back the other way at a fast clip.
"I thought we were getting some tea," Hector said as he followed Terry.
"That was Will back there. Elijah told me to avoid him if at all possible." He wasn't even supposed to talk to the man. Leaving just seemed like the better choice.
Terry walked straight to the checkout counter at the front of the store and set his basket down. He sent the clerk a tight smile.
"Hey, Terry," the clerk said. "Whatcha makin’?"
"Fish tacos."
"Oh yum."
Terry's smile brightened until he saw Will walking toward the front of the store. He wanted to turn and confront Will, to demand why the man was doing what he was doing. He wanted to scream and yell at the man, to tell him how unfair he was being.
He didn't.
He turned his head and stared straight ahead instead, watching as his groceries were scanned and then bagged. He needed to get out of there as quickly as possible.
"That'll be seven sixty, Terry."
Terry pulled the cash out of his pocket and handed it over. After getting his change, he grabbed his bags and headed for the door.
"Are we in a hurry?" Hector asked.
Terry tightened his grip on his grocery bags as anger raged through him. "I needed to get out of there before I wrapped my hands around his lying little neck."
Hector chuckled. "That would be bad."
"But it might be worth it."
Well, not really. Terry wasn't one for violence. Usually. There were exceptions for every case. He doubted he would actually hurt Will. Mostly, he just wanted to know why. He had tried so hard to be nice to the guy, to not embarrass him when he had to tell him they couldn't date.
Why would Will betray him like this?
Terry climbed into his truck and slammed the door. Hector climbed into the other side and shut the door just a little quieter.
"You going to make it?"
"Yeah." Terry sighed. "I'm just so angry. I didn't do anything except be nice to Will, and he's trying to destroy me."
"Dan told me that you all thought Keith was coercing Will into saying what he did."
"We do." That didn't mean Terry wasn't angry with Will. "Elijah saw some bruises on Will's wrists, hand-shaped bruises. We don't know for sure it's Keith forcing him, but we suspect someone is."
"Then why are you mad at Will?" Hector asked. "He could be just as much of a victim here as you are."
Terry glared at Hector. "Whose side are you on?"
"Yours, which is why I'm pointing this out to you. If Will is being forced to accuse you of sexual misconduct, then you need to turn your anger at whoever is forcing him, not Will."
Terry sighed and dropped his head back against the headrest. "I know you're right, but I can't seem to not be angry at him. I've been trained. I know the signs of abuse. I know, no matter how much I think he should have said no, he might not have felt like he had a choice. I know all of this, but…"
"But it doesn't make it any easier."
