Shaking my head to dispel the thoughts, I pour a cup of coffee and walk outside to my porch. I have a clear view of Colt's house from here. Sitting in a rickety lawn chair that's probably been here for twenty plus years, I sip my cup of coffee. My plan is to confront him the moment she leaves. I will stay right here on this porch until that moment comes. Colton has a lot of explaining to do. I want to know what the hell happened between the two of them and if it's over or not. I want to know if he lied to me just to get in my pants. The thought sickens me. It makes me physically ill to think that he's been lying to me this whole entire time. I thought we shared something special, but maybe I was just a fool. Maybe it was all a lie. Every single thing.
My eyes narrow as I stare up at his house. I'm going to try to keep from jumping to conclusions until Colton and I talk. And so I wait.
And wait.
And wait.
* * * * *
IT'S PAST MIDNIGHT, and Ruby Sue's car never left. The lights in the house went out a half hour ago, and the last light to go off was in Colton's bedroom. I'm left sitting there dumbstruck with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Staring down at the cold cup of coffee in my hands, I slowly gather myself up and walk back into my apartment. I gently set the cup in the sink. My hands grasp the edge of the counter as my stomach does somersaults. I feel horrible. I feel betrayed.
Hot, fat tears roll down my cheeks, and I let them fall. I need a good cry. And then once I'm done crying, I'm going to hold my chin up high and figure out what will happen now. Everything's going to change after this moment. I can no longer stay in Willowbrook knowing that Colton and Ruby Sue are hooking up behind my back. How would I ever be able to trust Colt again? How would I ever be able to believe anything that comes out of his mouth?
The answer is simple.
I wouldn't.
Mentally exhausted, I go to the bathroom. I brush my teeth and wash my face on autopilot. Then I climb into my lonely bed and let sleep take me to a place where I'm not hurting so badly.
I'll deal with everything in the morning.
I just hope my partially healed heart doesn't do any more breaking.
CHAPTER 19
COLTON
I WAKE UP slowly, not really wantin' to be fully awake. Flashes of last night's events slowly come back to me, but I don't remember much thanks to the beer. Ruby Sue came over cryin' about how much she missed me and wanted me --- after she told me about breakin' up with herboyfriend, the owner of the tattoo shop. I figured she was cheatin' on me even though we weren't really exclusive. I'm just thankful I wore a rubber with her every damn time. If I had known she was fuckin' some other dude, I wouldn't have touched her at all.
At least I wasn't tryin' to sleep with her while I was explorin' my feelings for Penny. And Penny and me weren't even havin' sex at that point. I was doin' the right thing. I know that now.
Feelin' groggy from the five or six beers I had just so I could get through the night with all her whinin', I sit up in bed and yawn. I remember puttin' a pillow and a sheet downstairs for Ruby Sue to sleep on the couch. After a few beers, she was in no condition to drive. I didn't want that worry on my hands, so I told her she could stay. I just hope I don't end up regrettin' it.
I stand up and stretch. A quick peek out the window tells me she's still here. Her Mustang is sittin' in the same place in my driveway. My eyes automatically flicker to Penny's apartment. The kitchen window is facin' my house. No lights are on, and I'm hopin' that she's still asleep. I need to get Ruby Sue out of here ASAP before this whole thing blows up in my face.
I pull on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts and walk downstairs. Ruby Sue is not on the couch like I expect her to be. Scratchin' my head, I get a whiff of pancakes comin' from the kitchen. The smell reminds me of Penny, and I instantly miss her like crazy.
I walk into the kitchen to see Ruby Sue attemptin' to make breakfast. Attemptin' bein' the keyword there. And I would say this is her third or fourth attempt accordin' to the number of burnt pancakes piled high in the nearby trashcan.
"Morning!" she rings out when she sees me. A big smile is on her face, and a sense of dread abruptly hits me. She thinks we're back together since I let her spend the night. Fuck.
"Ruby Sue, what are you doin'?" I ask her, not botherin' to keep the disdain out of my tone.
"Making you breakfast," she says with a wink.
I walk around to the stove, and that's when I notice she's wearin' one of my shirts…and nothin' on underneath it. "Where…where are your clothes?" Panic starts to hit me then. Did we do somethin' that I don't remember? I got buzzed on the beer, but I wasn't drunk.Was I?
"I like wearing your shirts when I stay over. You know that."
"But you didn't --- we didn't ---. You slept on the couch," I say, desperately needin' to hear her confirm that fact.
"Well, yeah…at first."
At first.At first? My hands curl into fists at my sides. "What do you mean at first?"
She flips a pancake and looks at me through her fake eyelashes. She must have woken up early and dolled herself up for me. "Don't you remember? God, how much did you have to drink last night, Colt?"
