Magnetic (15 page)

“Where’d our friend go?” Jenny asked as she sat back down.

“I don’t know. I guess she had something to do.”

Jenny put her fork back down when Layne looked at her. “Okay, talk to me.”

“Eat, it’s not worth discussing.”

“Aw, shit, Layne. You really like her, don’t you? I was hoping you had a concussion earlier when I saw the look on your face.” Jenny smiled sadly. “That would’ve been better than what you’re feeling now, wouldn’t it?”

“Don’t tell Mol. I know you two don’t keep secrets.”

“I’ll make an exception in this case.”

Layne clenched her napkin in both hands. “I need to be back at work where I don’t have to think about anything else. Instead, I’m stuck at fucking summer camp. I could deal with this if I didn’t have to look at her every day. Why couldn’t she be an obnoxious asshole?”

“She is pretty nice,” Jenny said with a dour expression, “and pretty hot.”

“You’re not helping at all.”

“It’s my blood sugar. I need to eat. I had those three Danishes for breakfast, and they’re just all gone. Please don’t think I’m heartless if I nibble.” Jenny picked up a chicken wing. “Maybe you should just come clean with Ronnie. We could be reading too much into her behavior. Right now, she could be at the beach hitting on someone else.”

“We’re not misconstruing anything. She really likes Stacy.”

“What’re you going to do?”

“Nothing.” Layne dropped the napkin onto the table. “I’m going to keep my distance, then when I get home, I’m going to try to forget that I ever met her.”

*******

Stacy winced when she stepped out of the shower and ran the towel over her bruised hip. The collision with Layne hurt her in more ways than one. The briefest of contact made her ache for more. This was retribution, the bad karma she’d created by seducing women to meet her own needs without concern for their feelings. And now she was forced to deny her own feelings while trying to be sensitive to Ronnie’s. But every look, the scent of Layne’s skin when she passed, the sound of her voice set ablaze the yearning she felt for Layne.

It wasn’t sexual, even though she felt her body react when Layne was near. She wanted to know Layne, devour every tidbit of knowledge that she could glean from her. Wanted to be the reason for Layne’s laughter and her smile, but most of all, she wanted to wipe away the pain she saw in Layne’s eyes.

“Why?” Stacy said aloud as she threw the towel aside and went in search of her clothes. She’d thought about the answer to that question over the last day or so. Was it because she hurt so deeply that she felt drawn to someone else that was also in pain? She’d felt it the night they were together, recognized it in Layne’s eyes, though she tried to keep it hidden. Stacy had given so much of herself to ease the suffering, and the next morning, she realized that she had accomplished that feat, but it was her own pain that she’d lain to rest.

Now Stacy suffered with a new heartache.

Chapter 15

The next few days were spent on shopping, a trip into Tallahassee for a movie, and a few trail rides without Layne or Stick. Layne was friendly to Stacy but made it a point not to be alone with her. Layne stayed in her cabin as much as she could, but her self-imposed exile came to an end when Ronnie insisted that she join them for a day on the beach.

They had decided to visit Alligator Point, and the driver who took them did not stay. She gave Molly a card with a phone number and promised she’d be back to pick them up within an hour of their call. Armed with a cooler packed by Les with snacks and drinks, they spent the afternoon sunning, shelling, and wading in the surf.

Ronnie sat next to Layne as the sun began to set, and Stacy joined them. “Tell me what you see,” Stacy said to Ronnie as they looked out onto the horizon.

“A bird, a sunset, water, Jenny harassing a crab.”

“I mean the colors. Don’t you see the various shades of oranges and purples?”

“Oh, yeah, that too,” Ronnie said with a laugh. “And now I see Jenny running from the crab.” Ronnie sprang to her feet. “Jen, get the ball,” she called out, “I’m going deep.”

Stacy looked at Layne. “What do you see?”

“A bird, a sunset with a lot of colors, water, and Ronnie missing the ball.”

Stacy shook her head and laughed. “Ass.”

Layne lay back and propped herself on her elbows. “I see that giant orange orb setting on another day. I see Molly enjoying a book, and my other two best friends playing with a football. I see how fortunate we are to have one another. What do you see?”

“I see the same,” Stacy said with a sigh as she watched the others. “When I first posed the question, I was more interested in how you and Ronnie would describe the vivid colors and how it affected you.” She glanced at Layne. “We see things differently, I suppose.”

“I tend to look at things in black or white, right or wrong. In certain things, there are no shades of gray.”

Stacy nodded. “No room for speculation. No variables to consider if it means hurting someone you love.”

“Exactly,” Layne said softly.

“Layne—”

“And talking about it just seems like a betrayal.”

Stacy looked out at the water. “That’s a real shame. Your integrity makes you even more attractive and makes me want you more.”

“Don’t want me, for my sake and especially Ronnie’s,” Layne pleaded. “You don’t know her like I do. Normally, she can’t stand the company of a woman for more than a weekend. That you’re here with her says a lot, despite what’s coming out of her mouth. And all of this is just tearing me apart.”

“I know that feeling, too.” Stacy got up without another word and started walking. Layne watched as she moved farther down the beach away from everyone else, wishing things could be different.

*******

Stacy lay on her back staring out at the night sky through the window beside the bed. She felt guilty for rejecting Ronnie’s advances but would’ve felt worse had they done anything else. Layne had revealed several things in their brief conversations. Ronnie was more serious than she let on. And Layne, though interested, would never act on it because she would not be disloyal to her best friend even if it meant putting her own feelings aside. There was no hope for them, and Stacy was stunned to realize how crushing that was. They’d only had a few conversations, and she’d felt more
then
than she’d felt in her time with Ronnie.

Quietly, she got out of bed, feeling like she would die if she stayed within those four walls. When Stacy closed the cabin door behind her, she breathed in deeply as though she’d been holding her breath. A strong wind blew across the porch and cooled her skin while easing the feeling of claustrophobia that had propelled her from the bed.

Layne had only looked at her once during dinner, and it was that moment that Ronnie had leaned over and kissed her on the neck. Stacy had watched as Layne closed her eyes and looked down at her lap. It wasn’t long after that, that Layne excused herself from the table and retreated to her cabin for the night. Layne might not have been willing to admit her feelings verbally, but her eyes and her actions told Stacy that they were both enveloped in their own agony.

Stacy looked over at Layne’s cabin. The lights were off, no sign of life, but as her gaze swept over the porch, she saw a solitary figure standing there staring out into the night. Layne, her arms folded, turned, and though Stacy couldn’t see her eyes, she knew that Layne was looking directly at her. They stood like that for a moment, then Layne went back inside.

*******

Layne had bowed out of the last day of activities with the promise that she would at least attend the barn dance that evening. The others took to the trails on horseback and would be gone most of the day. She welcomed the time alone. She’d barely slept after her conversation with Stacy and didn’t want to have to spend the day pretending that she was totally unaffected. Instead, she packed; leaving out only what she’d need that night and the next morning for the trip home. Once she was back in her own surroundings, it would be easier, and when she returned to work, she would be the tiger David wanted, solely focusing on the tasks at hand.

She couldn’t help but wonder what Stacy would do once they were back in New Orleans. She’d said she would have to tell Ronnie the truth if things looked like they were turning serious. Would she continue to see Ronnie after she’d admitted to Layne that she wanted her? Or would she spare them all misery and just walk away keeping their secret? Layne wouldn’t know until that happened because she wasn’t about to ask.

*******

Molly watched as Ronnie and Stacy rode side by side ahead of her and Jenny. Both had seemed withdrawn at breakfast and now they appeared not to be talking much at all. “Do you think Stacy told Ronnie?” she asked softly.

Jenny shrugged as her horse plodded along. “All three of them are acting strange.”

“That’s why I didn’t push Layne to come with us. At breakfast, she acted like she wanted to be anywhere but there, and these two are like zombies.”

“We’re probably worried about nothing,” Jenny said with a smile. “Those two probably went at it like wild animals last night, and they’re both exhausted. And Layne, she’s just keeping her distance.”

Molly looked at Jenny hopefully. “You really believe that?”

Jenny’s shoulders sagged. “No, damn it. Something’s wrong.” She looked over at Molly. “This is our last day here, and I want it to be special, so let’s leave them to whatever is going on and find that field with the wildflowers.” Jenny winked. “I brought a blanket.”

Chapter 16

The barn dance was in high gear by the time they arrived. Layne spotted Stick on the dance floor slow dancing with her newest interest, even though the band was playing a fast number. When Molly complained that her legs were sore from being on a horse all day, Jenny dragged Stacy onto the dance floor.

“I’ve got nothing but slow dances in me tonight,” Molly yelled over the music as she wove her way to an empty table.

“I’ll keep you company,” Layne said, “after I get us all something to drink. What do you want?”

“Got it covered.” Ronnie set a bucket of longneck beers on the table. “Unless you want another pitcher of margaritas.”

Layne put a hand to her stomach. “Beer is fine.”

Ronnie dropped into a chair, opened a beer, and drank half of it before the other two had settled. “It’s been fun, but I’m happy to be going home.”

“I’m homesick, too,” Molly said as she grabbed her own beer. She watched as Layne looked out over the dance floor, and Ronnie stared at Layne. Something in Ronnie’s eyes made Molly squirm. She reached over and touched Ronnie’s arm. “I miss my bed.”

Ronnie looked at her for a second as though she didn’t comprehend. “Yeah, me too.” Ronnie turned back to Layne, who was still staring at the dancers, her beer unopened in her hand. “Did you see Stick?”

Layne turned to the opposite side of the room where Stick was still snuggled up with her dance partner. “Yes, she’s moved on.” Slowly, her head turned back to where Jenny and Stacy were dancing.

Ronnie took a long pull from her beer and set it on the table. “I’ve noticed that you can’t seem to look at anything else besides what’s out there,” she said, pointing to them. “So dance with me, Layne.”

Layne looked guilty when she faced Ronnie. “I’m just gonna hang out here with Molly. I’m sure Jenny won’t care if you cut in.”

Ronnie stood, glaring down at Layne. “Molly, do you mind if I steal Layne for a few?”

“Uh…no.” Molly felt if she’d said yes it would’ve made no difference. Ronnie took Layne by the hand and half dragged her to the floor.
Jenny, come back
. Molly hoped if she repeated it in her mind enough times, Jenny would somehow pick up on it and return. When she didn’t, Molly’s mantra changed to
Switch partners because something’s about to blow
. And then things turned worse, the band began a slow song. Molly watched as Ronnie basically shoved Layne into Stacy’s arms and grabbed Jenny by the hand.