Undenied (Unspoken #3)(32)

“Fuck you,” Wes growled.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Jake said with a snicker.

“I—yes, I love her. Or at least I think I do. I don’t really know. The idea strikes bloody terror in my heart. I don’t understand it, but there it is.”

“Yeah, well, join the club,” Luke said. “We’re guys. We’re not supposed to understand why we suddenly can’t live without a woman. Why the idea of being without her gives us cold sweats.”

“Fucking pu**y. God. I’ve turned into you,” Wes said mournfully.

Jake chuckled. “The only pu**y I see around here is you. I’m man enough to admit my downfall. I have one. A petite brunette with blue eyes and the sweetest smile this side of the Mississippi.”

“I was an ass,” Wes said morosely. “I seem to have developed the habit lately of hurting the women I most love.”

“Yeah, well, Gracie has already forgiven your ass. Now you just have to get Payton to.”

“I don’t suppose you’d loan me your wife for lunch tomorrow?” Wes asked hopefully. “If anyone can kick my ass back on track it’s her. I’m sure she can tell me exactly how much groveling it’s going to take me to get back into Payton’s good graces after tonight.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you can have Gracie for lunch. But then, Wes? Get your own damn woman. I’m tired of sharing mine with you.”

Wes grinned. “You’re just pissed because she loves me.”

“I love her, but I never said she had good taste,” Luke said sourly.

Chapter Thirteen

Payton rubbed tired eyes as she turned onto 59 out of Beaumont. She hadn’t slept much the night before. Hell, she hadn’t slept a wink all damn week. But she wanted to see Wes. She needed to see him. After spending the week at the hospital, praying for her dad to recover, she wanted nothing more than the comfort of Wes’s arms.

Her hands gripped the steering wheel tighter as traffic zipped by her in the left-hand lane. Monday night had been a sleepless, tense night, holding onto her mother as they waited to hear some word of her dad’s condition.

He’d spent Tuesday and Wednesday in critical condition but by Wednesday night had shone signs of improvement after the bypass operation he’d undergone.

Thursday, he’d been awake and alert, much to Payton and her mother’s relief. She’d stayed the afternoon with her father, telling him how much she loved him.

Friday, her mother had all but kicked her out of the hospital with strict instructions not to return until the next week. She’d been reluctant to go, but the thought of seeing Wes again after her harrowing week was a strong incentive.

Now she was but a few miles from town. Wes had said he had to work, but she could wait around until he got off. She’d stop to get something to eat and then call him to see when his shift ended.

Remembering the choices he’d offered her before, she mulled over whether she wanted barbeque, Mexican or a burger. None of it sounded

good, but she was hungry and needed to eat. Zack’s offered a few grill items and it was as good a place as any to sit back and relax.

Decision made, she rolled her shoulders and stretched her neck as she drove into town. A few minutes later, she parked outside Zack’s and wearily got out of her car.

She opened the door and headed straight for the bar. She slid onto a barstool and caught the eye of the young bartender. After placing an order for tea and a grilled cheese sandwich, she sat back and looked around the interior.

When she got to the far corner, she froze, blinked and refocused on the table. No, she wasn’t mistaken. Wes was sitting with a redhead who was smiling up at him. He clasped her hand across the table, and she laughed at something he said.

Working? The ass**le had said he had to work. That was his excuse for not seeing her today. Unbelievable. Why lie? Why not just save them both the trouble and tell her he wasn’t interested in seeing her anymore. Or maybe she was just sex on the side while he made time with the auburn floozie.

She seethed while she considered her options. Part of her wanted to disappear out of the bar, go home and wipe Wes Hoffman from her existence. But damn it, she hadn’t done anything wrong. She wasn’t the one spitting out lies. No way in hell she was slinking off like some shrinking violet. Maybe that was the kind of woman he was attracted to, but f**k that.

She slid off the barstool and stalked over toward the table. Halfway there, the redhead looked up and blinked. Probably saw the kill look in Payton’s eyes. The woman nudged Wes’s hand and nodded her head in Payton’s direction.

By the time Wes looked up, Payton was standing over the table like an avenging angel come to kick some demon ass.

“Payton!” Wes said, his eyes widening.

The redhead’s eyes also widened. Then she smiled. “Oh you’re Payton. I’ve been dying to meet you. I’m Gracie Forsythe.”

“And I don’t care,” Payton said through gritted teeth. She summarily dismissed the redhead and turned her ire on Wes. “You cock-sucking bastard. You lied to me. If you would have just told the f**king truth, you would have saved me a trip over here, not to mention the embarrassment I’m about to cause you.”

Wes stood, holding his hand out to cup her elbow. She yanked her arm away. “Don’t you f**king touch me.” She turned to storm off but he caught her arm.