Troubled Waters (The Lake Trilogy, Book 2) (31 page)

“I’ve tried really hard over the last year not to let my emotions get the best of me. I’ve failed too many times to count, but
I’m always trying. But tonight, when I thought that it was all over, that everything we had worked so hard for was blowing up in our faces… I knew I was going to have to run. What I didn’t know was if you’d come with me.” Will shakes his head remembering the whirlwind of a night we’ve just had.  “I was scared and I wasn’t thinking straight. I can’t lose you, Layla.”

“You’re not going to lose me, Will…ever.
I’m
sorry. I spent so much time wanting a future that I never dealt with my past. And then when I was finally getting what I wanted I started feeling like I was betraying my parents somehow…like I shouldn’t be so happy about having something I wouldn’t have if they weren’t dead.  I know it sounds crazy…”

“It doesn’t sound crazy, Layla. It makes perfect sense.” Will holds me close to him and strokes my hair. I feel better being there in his arms. These arms…they make everything better.

“Will,” I say pulling away so I can look at him. “I want to marry you. I want to be your wife. I want a future with you. I’m done living in the past and being afraid. We have been through and conquered too much to give up now or ever.”

“I’m so happy to hear you say that. I want a future with you more than anything.” Will leads me to the other side of the table and we sit in front of the ridiculous stack of magazines, his fingers threaded with mine. “Let’s just take this one step at a time. There’s no rush.”

“July sixth – next year.”

“What?”

“That’s the day I want to marry you. Would you like to marry me on July sixth?” I smile at Will knowing that I’ve caught him completely off guard.

“Are you sure?” he says, tears filling his eyes.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.”

“Why July sixth?”

“My only requirement in setting a date was that I had to cross the threshold into my twenties. Also, you promised me a tropical honeymoon, I figured a summer wedding would work. What do you think?” I ask as I wipe a tear that escaped Will’s eye and is marking a path down his cheek.

“July sixth will forever be my favorite day of the year. I love you, Layla.” Will pulls me onto his lap and holds me. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Will. I can’t wait to be your wife.”

We sit there for a long time like that, me on Will’s lap, being held and cradled in his arms so lovingly. It feels as if we’ve climbed and conquered the highest, most treacherous mountain and survived.

I pull myself away from Will and grab the top magazine off the stack.

“Ok…here we go! Wait…did you dog-ear these pages?” There are dozens of pages marked. Some feature wedding gowns, others flowers or tuxes. “You’re really going to be into the whole planning, aren’t you?”

“I…may have flipped through the pages after Luke told me the football helmet story. Yeah…I’m going to be one of those guys who actually cares about the details of his wedding. Is that ok?”

“Just as long as you don’t turn into groomzilla! I’m really glad you want to be so involved, but…” I’m not sure how to approach the subject of how different we envision our wedding day. Will had always said he wanted a big wedding with all the bells and whistles. I just don’t see that happening now and I don’t think that’s what I want.

“No buts, Layla. Spit it out,” he says kissing my cheek.              

“I just think we have different ideas of what our day is going to look like,” I say softly.  “You want all the hoopla and, well…what’s all the hoopla if you don’t have anyone to share it with. It’s not like when we were in Davidson and we had friends and family and scads of people that would come to
the
Will Meyer’s wedding. I know, like, ten people here, including our family. It’ll look so pathetic to have some big church wedding for nobody but us. So…I really want to get married at the gardens. Just us. My parents were married there and it would mean a lot to me to get married there, too.”

I watch Will absorb what I’ve said, hoping he isn’t upset at me for not wanting what he wants. I just can’t bear the idea of walking down the aisle of an empty church. My wedding day won’t be at all like I may have imagined it to be if my parents were still alive. Since my family is now this non-traditional collection of beautiful people, I think a traditional wedding would be weird. And at the end of the day, all I want is to be Will’s wife.

“I totally agree,” he says, flashing his irresistible smile.

“Really?” I’m excited and surprised at the same time. He really is so amazing.

“I know I said I wanted all those things, and I would still go with all of it if you said you wanted them too. I want our wedding day to be exceptional, and the only way it’s going to be exceptional is if the venue and the flowers and the music mean something to you. So while I’ll do my best not to be, what did you call me? Groomzilla? I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that on July sixth, a year from now, you are the happiest girl on the planet.”

I’m the happiest girl on the planet right now.

It took me some time, but I finally figured out what I want to do for Will’s birthday. With his birthday six months away, and because I want to surprise him, I’m throwing him an un-birthday party. If I wait until December to do something special for him, I’ll never be able to pull it off as a surprise.

So, with Claire and Eliana’s help I’ve put together the coolest Mad Hatter themed party – the cool, Johnny Depp, Mad Hatter since Will is a huge Depp fan. I invited Finn and Dana, and the other friends we’ve been making at school. Caroline got in this morning and was waiting in my room when I got home, but the best part is that Tyler is coming in this afternoon.

After Caroline’s visit in the fall we all decided that Tyler would be the next to find out about our secret, and Luke agreed that now would not only be a great time to tell him, but a great birthday present for Will. Tyler thinks he’s coming for a late birthday celebration for me, since my birthday was a little over a week ago. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when we tell him! And Will is going to be so happy to have Tyler back!

Will says that our friends and the life we left behind in Davidson aren’t as important to him as the life we’re building together now, but I know he misses Tyler. They were best friends and brothers. Tyler was the only guy that Will trusted to take care of me when he couldn’t. Having Tyler back in his life is going to mean more to him than I think he realizes.

Luke and Wes have spent the last several weeks pouring over the notes and evidence they got from Eli. It’s a big job, comparing what Eli had to what Luke’s been collecting for 15 years. There’s a lot that’s just speculation, but there’s also quite a bit that is frightfully true. There are things that Luke will tell me, and things he won’t. Mainly they’re the things that Wes was a part of previously. Violent acts that Wes works hard every day to separate himself from forever.

Eliana proves to be the best thing for Wes every day. Some days, after a particularly difficult revisit to his past, Wes is defeated and questions his worthiness of anything good. I understand that feeling. Eliana is faithful to tell him that she loves him despite his past. Yes, they’ve fallen in love, and it’s wonderful. Through everything they have each endured, in the end, they found the one person who could truly understand them.

“Dad, I’ve been meaning to ask you something. You mentioned Agent Croft the night Eli was here. You said he was building a case?” I ask sitting on the soft leather couch in the office. I’ve been decorating all day and if I don’t
sit
down I’m going to
fall
down.

“Agent Croft works for the FBI. He’s been building a case against Meyer for years.” Luke answers, not looking up from the stacks of files in front of him. He’s comparing one file to another like he has for weeks now.

“Dad,” I call from the couch. When he doesn’t respond I pull myself up and stand next to him. “Dad,” I say again, only this time I put my hand on his back. When he looks up I can see just how tired and sore his eyes are. He needs a break and he’s not going to take one without being forced.              “You need a break.”

“I know. I’ll be done with this stack in a few hours,” Luke says directing his weary eyes back to the papers.

“Seriously, Dad! Tonight is Will’s party and I want you to have a good time, not be dog-tired. Please. It’ll all still be here tomorrow,” I beg him.

Luke gives a heavy sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I suppose you’re right,” he says.

“You
suppose
I’m right? Has being married to Claire taught you nothing?” I tease.

“Of course…my mistake.” Luke lets out a tired laugh and pushes away from the desk.

I’ve been in this room, with files and papers spread across two desks, a hundred times since the comparative search began, but for some reason I’m overwhelmed by it in this moment. It’s been a long time since I’ve really considered Will’s father. But…I don’t know that I’ll ever get over or move past the fact that there’s a man out there who would end my life in a heartbeat if given the chance. I feel safe within the walls of the love I have here with Luke and Claire, and, of course, Will. But as hard as I try I know that all of it could be taken away from me if Gregory Meyer ever discovered how he was duped.

“Layla, honey, are you ok?” Luke asks noticing my deadpan stare.

I can’t tell him how struck with fear I am in this moment. It will only make him turn around and scour the damning files even more. He’ll get a second wind powered by his determination to keep me safe at any cost. No…tonight is not about Gregory Meyer in any way, shape, or form. Tonight is about Will. It’s about family. It’s about love. It’s about everything that Gregory Meyer knows nothing about.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m tired just looking at this mess. Now…you…go close your eyes and rest for a bit. Tyler will be here in about an hour and I need you here when Will gets back and we spill the beans.” I usher Luke out and send him on his way upstairs.

By the time Claire is back from the airport with Tyler, Caroline and I are jumping out of our skin with excitement. It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen Tyler and I can’t wait to throw my arms around him. Every memory I have of Tyler concentrates on his commitment to his brotherhood with Will. Everything from the times he covered for us so Will and I could spend time together away from the house to his insistence that Will was madly in love with me even after we stumbled in on him with Carrie at the firm’s retreat, and then the awful night we all said our goodbyes to Will after his funeral. Tyler was always there for Will, and vice versa.

I know walking away from Tyler was one of the hardest parts about what Will did for us, but tonight I’m going to remedy that for him. My gift to Will is giving him back a piece of his life that no one, not even I, could ever replace.

Caroline and I don’t even bother to wait inside the house. Tyler’s sneakers have barely touched the pavement of the driveway when we’re both hovering over him.

“Tyler! I’m so happy you’re finally here! I’ve missed you so much!” I scream as I throw my arms around his neck. It feels so good to have him here, and to know that his place in our lives won’t be temporary.

“Layla! You look beautiful, as usual! It’s so great to see you!” Tyler hugs me with as much force. “You are in big trouble. I can’t believe it’s been almost a year! Why haven’t you come to visit?”

“You know, I actually wanted to talk to you about that. Let’s get inside,” I tell him.

“Uh, hello! Where are my hugs?” Caroline has her hand on her hip. She’s trying to look serious but her face can’t help but crack that cute smile of hers.

“I saw you two weeks ago!” Tyler teases as he gives in to her demands.

“Oh, uh, I should have prepared you,” I say to Tyler as we walk in the house.

The house is filled with incredible Mad Hatter decorations that Claire and I found online. It was a real “boutiquey” site with specialty decorations unlike I’d ever seen. Considering the theme of the party, there was no other way to go.

There are ginormous mushrooms and massive silk top hats around the room, and we set a huge table down one side of the room with teapots and cups and saucers. All the drinks are labeled
Drink Me
, and all the food,
Eat Me
. That part isn’t from the Mad Hatter storyline, but it was too cute not to include.

“Yeah…it pretty much looks like Alice in Wonderland threw up in here,” he says.

I lead Tyler down the hall to Wes’ room. He’s going to stay at Eliana’s for the next few nights so Will and Tyler can have some real time together here with Caroline and me.

“Whose room is this?” Tyler asks. It’s clear that this isn’t an empty, spare bedroom. There are clothes in the dresser and closet, and there are pictures of Wes and Eliana on the nightstand. “Whoa! Have you seen this, Layla? She looks just like Will’s mom!”

“That’s because it is Will’s mother,” Luke says from behind us.

“Hey, Mr. Weston! I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

Luke and I spend the next 30 minutes explaining Will and his mother’s existence, with Caroline backing up the whole story. Tyler asks questions and we answer as many of them as we can. I tell him about Marcus and have to calm him through most of that story. Tyler would fight just as furiously for my safety as the rest of the men in my life. I also tell him about Wes, my bonus uncle, who is now in love with Will’s mother. In the end, Tyler has tears streaming down his face for his best friend who isn’t gone forever as he once believed, but is alive and about to be clamped in the manliest embrace in about an hour.