Golden Trail (The 'Burg #3)(49)

Slowly, Rocky closed her eyes.

Astley spoke and when he did it, he did it quietly, his tone had changed, something threaded through it, something that struck Layne as wrong but he couldn’t figure out what it was and Layne looked up to see he was addressing Rocky.

“You know what this is, Rocky. You know.” He shook his head and finished, “I didn’t expect this from you.”

Then he turned and walked back to his booth and while he was doing it, he stopped a waiter and said, “We’re leaving early. Bring our check to the hostess station.”

Astley pulled his girl out of the booth and Layne looked back to Rocky who had her elbow on the table, her fingers lightly touching her lips, her eyes were unfocused and pointed into the restaurant.

“Roc?” he called, her gaze shifted to him and it was troubled. He leaned forward, reaching out, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her arm down to the table to hold her hand. Then he whispered, “They’re leaving. It’ll be fine.”

“You knew,” she whispered back.

He didn’t respond.

“You knew,” she repeated. “You orchestrated this.”

Layne held her eyes and kept his mouth shut.

She looked over his shoulder and pulled her hand from his as a waiter appeared with their drinks. Layne looked to see Astley and his girl were gone.

“Have you had time to look over the menu?” the waiter asked after he set the drinks down. “I’m happy to answer any questions.”

“Give us a minute,” Layne ordered.

The waiter dipped his head, his hands pressed together in front of him like he was praying and he murmured, “Certainly.”

Fucking hell, this place was pretentious.

The waiter took off and Layne looked at Rocky.

“Roc –”

She started nodding and he didn’t know why.

Then she said, “This is okay. This is fine.” She straightened her shoulders and asked in a falsely bright voice, “It had to happen sooner or later, right?”

“Baby –”

He stopped talking because now she was shaking her head.

Then she said, “No, no, you’re right. You were right to do this. You should be in control. It shouldn’t be a surprise. Not like with Gabrielle. This is better. It was shorter and there were a lot less witnesses.”

“He needs to get some of his own back,” Layne told her and she started nodding again.

“Yes, of course. You’re right about that too. And you were right not to tell me. I wouldn’t have come.”

He sat back in his seat and took a sip of his beer, his eyes on her watching her eyes move anywhere but to him.

He put his beer down and asked, “So, if I’m right, why do I feel like I’m standin’ on a sidewalk lookin’ at your bloody mangled body after I shoved you under a bus?”

Finally, her eyes darted to him. She stared at him a second before her face cracked and her mouth twitched up into a smile.

“I’m fine,” she said softly. “Seriously, you did the right thing. It’s over.”

“It isn’t,” he contradicted her. “We gotta go over there tomorrow.”

“No, I’ll do that. I don’t have much to pick up. Just some things I didn’t get before because… well, I didn’t have a place so I didn’t have anywhere to put them. It won’t take me long.”

“No way in hell I’m lettin’ you go over there with him and his girl there, Roc.”

“Honestly, Layne, it won’t take long.”

“Good, then with two of us, it’ll take half the time.”

She stared at him and Layne could tell she was thinking.

Then she decided, “I’ll take Merry.”

“Merry’s at the lake this weekend.”

“Oh right, I forgot.” She chewed her lip then said, “Dad’ll help.”

“Your Dad can’t lift boxes.”

“I’ll make them light.”

“Sweetcheeks, it’s been rainin’ three days and the rain isn’t supposed to clear until Wednesday. Your Dad probably isn’t feelin’ great about now.”

He knew he had her when her eyes started to flash.

“I’ll take Josie then,” she was beginning to sound desperate.

“I’m going.”

“Layne –”

Layne leaned forward. “Why are you so desperate for me not to go?” She opened her mouth to speak but he asked another question. “And what was his parting shot all about?”

She closed her mouth with a snap and her eyes scanned the ceiling and if she started whistling a tune, he wouldn’t have been surprised.

He leaned in further. “Sweetcheeks, you know I’m stubborn and you know I’ll get what I want and I’ll go at it all night until I get it, so spill. What’s goin’ on?”

She glared at him.

Then she said, “He knows about you.”

Layne nodded. “Yes, I would guess if you spent ten years livin’ with a guy you’d share history. So?” Her eyes shifted over his shoulder. “Rocky,” he warned.

Her eyes shifted back.

“Let’s just say you’re a hard act to follow.”