Troubled Waters (The Lake Trilogy, Book 2) (11 page)

“Hey Finn! How’s my favorite barista guy?” I say, giving him a half hug over the counter with my free arm. Will stiffens his arm so my range of motion is restricted.

“I’m good, but cut the crap…who’s your guy?” Finn has the same subtlety as Gwen, which is probably why I like him so much.

“I’m John…the boyfriend.” Will says firmly. He has yet to know that Finn is the least of his worries. This is the first time I’ve heard him call himself
John
. It’s strange but I must get used to it since I’m supposed to call him this anytime we step foot outside the house.

“Boyfriend? That explains your MIA status over the last few weeks. You must be something pretty special. She’s been through a lot. Don’t hurt her.” Finn gives Will a strong look of brotherly intimidation.

“I know. I’ll take good care of her.” Will smiles. Finn softens his face, satisfied with Will’s response, and Will loosens his vise grip on my hand.

“How does stalker boy feel about this?” he asks as he begins to make my drink.

“Stalker boy doesn’t know. He hasn’t been around, but if you see him, please promise you’ll call me.”

“Anything for you, Layla. It’s nice to meet you John.” Finn smiles genuinely and I think Will is put at ease. “Now what can I make for
you
?”

I’ve stopped sweating profusely the second I step out the door, which means its fall in Florida. It’s a bit chillier than I was used to during my time here, but that’s because we’re farther north. It’s ok since I still have my real cold-weather clothes from Davidson. They’re in the attic, so I’ll have to rummage through them soon. In the meantime, Will and his mother continue to mention how warm it is. It’s comical, really. Will and I had the same conversations about how cold I thought it was this time of year in North Carolina.

“I need to talk with you about something,” Will says helping me sit at the end of the dock. It feels good to have a place here with him. And it really is
our
place. No one ever comes down here. It’s like our own private island, and right now the temperature this late evening is divine. The breeze coming off the water is just enough to bring a sweet coolness to the 70 degree weather.

“Are you ok?” I ask.

“I’m great. But…that’s what I want to talk with you about. I want to make sure that you’re great, too.”

“Of course I am. I’m wonderful! Why wouldn’t I be?” I take Will’s hand in mine and touch his ring, so perfectly placed on his hand.

“I’m not dense enough to think that what I did to you didn’t damage you in some way. I just want to give you the opportunity to be every shade of honest with me. Set aside everything else and say what you may have been keeping inside. I don’t want us to keep secrets or our feelings from each other.” Will’s voice is sad and I don’t like it. His tone makes my heart break. I have to relieve him of this burden.

“Well, since you brought it up. There is something I haven’t said.” Will braces himself, waiting for a tongue lashing of sorts. “I haven’t said thank you yet.”

“What?” Will creases his face, making a little V between his brows. This is the last thing he expected me to say.

“Thank you.” I take his face in my hands and kiss him sweetly. “Thank you for loving me so much that you would literally do anything for us to be together. Thank you for showing me that I wasn’t imagining the depth of our love. Thank you for risking everything to be with me, a girl so unworthy of everything you give. But most of all, thank you for bringing
this
back to me.” I kiss him again and this time he lays me on the dock, not letting go of me for a single second.

Will’s hand runs down my side and rests on the back of my leg as he lifts it to meet his hip. My fingers rake through his hair and tears of elation sting my eyes. I’ve waited so long to feel this influx of emotions, uncertain if I ever would again. I’m doing my best to savor every second because I know Will is going to retreat any second now. When it seems like we’ve been kissing forever, he releases my lips and my leg and brushes the hair from my eyes, not leaving his place over me. I gave up arguing with him about his overly chivalrous behavior when it comes to our make-out sessions a long time ago. I came to actually cherish the moment. Will shows more restraint than the average guy. Each time he forces himself to break away, he proves that he is anything but average.

“You…are…” he begins.

“…completely in love with you,” I finish. “Was it devastating thinking you were gone forever? Yes. Did all of that go away the second I saw you in front of me? Absolutely. I love you Will and I would endure all of it again if it meant being here with you like this.”

“I love you. I’m the luckiest guy in the world that I get to call you mine.” He smiles and traces my face with his fingers. I close my eyes and delight in every surge of pleasure that it brings.

“
We’re
lucky,” I say, raking my fingers through his now-longer hair. “Like Luke and Claire. I would tell you not to forget to be here by six tomorrow night for their anniversary dinner, but you spend fourteen hours a day here!” I laugh and Will kisses me before taking my hand and sitting me up.

“That’s right! I’m just buying my time until I can spend the other ten hours with you. I still think about the morning I got to wake up with you in my arms. Seeing your face as soon as my eyes opened was a gift like no other. It’s what kept me going those months we were apart.” Will holds his gaze on me and I’m entranced by the sparkle of his blue eyes in the dimming light of dusk. I touch my ring and remember all the promises we made…promises that I know will come to fruition one day.

I sigh heavily thinking about the craziness I’m facing with Marcus, wishing he would just go away forever. Even though we know where he is, it doesn’t seem like we can really, truly relax. If Marcus starts to move, we’ll be on lockdown with even more strict protection from Furtick. I trust Luke and know that he’s doing everything to get it resolved so I don’t want to waste the time I have with Will worrying about any of that. It’s just so frustrating knowing that my life in Tallahassee was supposed to be free from anything that would threaten me. My
life
is my relationship with Will, but Marcus is ruining everything.

“C’mon. We have work to do for dinner tomorrow night,” I say clearing my head and pulling Will up to stand. Marcus’ whereabouts are known and he’s not anywhere near here, so I’m going to live my new life with Will just as he’s intended.

“
We
have work? I thought I was just supposed to show up and look good,” Will takes me by the waist and gives me a tickle.

“You do that anyway. I’m helping you diversify your giftings, now let’s go!” I give him a quick kiss before taking him by the hand and leading him back to the house.

*****

The anniversary party for Luke and Claire is going perfectly. Eliana and I make a great team in the kitchen. The biggest challenge is keeping Claire out of the way, which has become Luke and Will’s job. Despite the few times we have to force Claire out, we manage to make and surprise Luke and Claire with all of their favorite dishes and they love them.

As we sit down to eat Luke toasts Claire’s grace and beauty, which makes Claire cry. Then Claire toasts Luke’s strength and charm, which also makes Claire cry.

Will and I can’t help but feel closer in this moment. He holds me tight and whispers
that’s how I love you, only more
when Luke finishes his touching tribute to his bride. We want so much to have what Luke and Claire have. Their deep-rooted friendship lays the foundation for everything. But more than that, they have a passion for each other that grows every day. They’ve celebrated incredible achievements and mourned great sadness, too. I am inspired by their love.

Furtick opted not to join us even though we all invited him at one point or another.  He spent the evening in his room with the dinner plate I made for him. I don’t know what else he would be doing, so I assume he spent the evening working. This is confirmed when he comes in reviewing a file as we’re all in the kitchen tidying up from the night’s festivities.

“Can I see it again, Aunt Claire?” Luke added to the necklace I gave her for Christmas. The charms aren’t specific to anything like the ones I gave her that represent the three of us, but they complement the set beautifully. “The whole thing is just so pretty!”

“Yes, Luke! You did an excellent job! It was quite thoughtful of you,” Eliana says. She doesn’t chime in too often. I wonder if she’s self-conscience about her over rehearsed speech. I suppose it would take some time to get back to a place where one even knew how to speak conversationally, relaxed. I’m glad she seems to be getting a little more comfortable.

“Hey Furtick!” I say excitedly. I’m still on such a high from the night that I can’t contain myself. The joy in the room is palpable…there’s no way I couldn’t be happy right now. “We missed you tonight. How was your dinner?”

“Dinner was excellent, Miss Weston. Thank you.” His demeanor is entirely opposite of mine.

“What happened?” I ask changing my tone to meet his.

“Nothing really. We’ve just identified the young woman Mr. Reynolds has been staying with. Turns out it’s just his sister, Holly.”

I take it back. There
is
a way I could be unhappy, and Holly Reynolds is it.

I look at Will. He’s almost expressionless. He doesn’t seem to be relieved, sad, angry…he’s blank. That’s ok because I’m be feeling everything for the both of us. A casket of emotions has just been exhumed and my mind is swimming.

“Will you excuse me, please?” I exit the kitchen and make my way to the porch and out to the patio.
Whoa
. I take a few deep breaths as I try to sort through everything that is rushing through my head.

Was she in Charlotte this whole time? Had Will known where she was would he have pursued a relationship with her with the same passion he did me? Would her parents have been fighting to keep her and Will safe the way Luke and Claire are? Now that he knows where she is, does that bring back any of those feelings he had for her before she was exiled by his father? What would that mean for me? I know exactly what that would mean: I wouldn’t have Will.

“Layla? Baby? Are you ok?” Will asks finding me on the patio.

“Yeah, I’m ok. I just…so he’s with Holly…in Charlotte,” I sputter out.

“Yeah…that’s good. It means we still know where he is, and Taylor and Cline can watch him more closely now that they know who he’s with.” Will tucks my hair behind my ear then lifts my chin up. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I lie. How can I tell him about the surge of insecurity that has just overtaken me?

“Layla, we just had this conversation. You can’t keep things from me. Please, tell me.”

It takes me a minute to push my insecurities aside long enough to be willing to accept whatever Will’s response is. “Knowing where she is…where she’s been this whole time…does it make you wish you could go back? I mean, if you knew she was in Charlotte, so close, would you have gone to be with her?” I’m not sure what response I’m looking for. Maybe it goes back to the conversation he just referenced. I want him to be honest about all of his feelings, even if they make me sad.

“Layla, honey, please…”

“Will, you just said we couldn’t keep things from each other.”

He sighs. “When I was looking for her, had I known she was in Charlotte I probably would have gone to find her somehow.”

“Of course you would have.” I look down contemplating where my life would be if he had chased her but quickly dismiss it because I literally cannot stomach the thought.

“But I didn’t know you then.” He lifts my chin so my eyes have no choice but to lock with his. “Do you know when I started falling for you? When our eyes met after inspecting the icy mess of my Coke on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop. I looked into those ridiculously beautiful eyes and saw your honesty, purity, integrity, the love you are capable of…you had something that I wanted to be a part of. At that moment, it didn’t matter if Holly, or any other girl, ever existed. I couldn’t eat…I barely slept. I counted the moments until I could see you again. I was so grateful Luke had already hired me to work on the basement job with him. Otherwise I would have had to wait until school started and I don’t know that I could have waited that long.

“I’m indebted to Marcus for not giving up Holly’s information when I begged him for it. It made me move on. It meant that my heart was available and open when you came into my life. So I only care that Marcus is with Holly in Charlotte because it gives us an upper hand in keeping tabs on him, which means that we can live our lives.

“You walked into my life and made me see why it never worked out with anyone else. I love you, Layla, and one day I’m going to marry you and spend the rest of my life making sure you never doubt that for a second.”

I fall into Will’s arms filled with both relief and joy. “I love you so much. I don’t think you’ll ever know how you’ve changed my life. I thought I’d never have anything so wonderful as you. All you have to do is ask, and I promise to say yes. I’ll say yes to spending my life making sure you know how much I love you and how eternally happy you make me.”