Page 142 of Scores Of The Heart

When the rice is cooked, I leave the veggies for later because I’ll fry them up once Tyler gets back, and I know he has to come home some time. It feels very empty in this big house without him. Henry and I curl up on the couch to watch a movie and wait for him. It’s just after 8pm when I hear a car roll up into the driveway.

I jump up and make my way to the front door with Henry on my heels.

I’m shocked though when I see the car that’s pulled up isn’t Tyler’s. Then even more surprised when Jay Jefferson jumps out of the driver’s seat and runs around to the passenger side.

I walk out onto the front porch, rubbing my arms from the cold that’s hitting me.

“Jay?” I call out as I run out onto the gravel part of the driveway to see him helping Tyler out of the seat. “Ty!”

“He’s okay,” Jay says as he helps him out of the car. “He met up with me after talking to Stacey, and he had a few drinks.”

Looking at Ty now, he doesn’t appear to be rolling drunk, but he certainly isn’t capable of driving. I’m relieved that he had the good sense to let his friend bring him home. “He was on his way back to you, but diverted to my house. I think he needed to get it off his chest first. Then we walked to the bar on the corner.”

I come to Tyler’s other side, and he slings his arm around me.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he mutters.

“It’s okay.” I shake my head. “It’s been a big day.”

Jay and I both help him inside. Henry is waiting at the front door for us to come in.

He’s never met Jay before, so he smells him a little curiously, and then figures he’s okay and totters off back to the couch.

“He obviously told you what happened?” I say as we walk slowly down the hall.

“Yeah. I can’t believe that bitch. I never trusted her,” Jay says.

“I can’t believe it either.”

“Who would do that to a guy? I mean, seriously.”

“Stacey Robinson would!” Tyler croons. “She knew what she was doing all along.”

I tend to agree with him there, but I don’t know if we’ll ever know the truth. Maybe when he’s sobered up a little, we might get some answers out of him.

“I’m so sorry, Cindy,” he goes on as we shuffle to the den. I don’t even know if I’m helping any.

“It’s okay, Ty,” I say softly. I don’t think going to a bar and getting hammered was probably the best idea in the world, but I guess he can’t be a saint every day.

“Cindy’s a good woman.” He turns to Jay. “She would never lie to me like that. Even after they printed all that shit about me in the newspaper!”

“Yeah, well. I think the whole of Seattle knows about that now,” Jay sighs.

We finally make it to the couch and help him down. He collapses back with a thud and lays out flat on his back. I’ve never seen him like this. He’s always so composed and in charge, so it’s quite a shock to see him completely vulnerable.

The headlines were something along the lines of “Bad Boy Tyler Peterson Skates on Thin Ice”

How original.

They totally make out that he’s leading a double life, all from the photos they took within days of each other. First me and him in Miami, then him and Stacey at that cafe.

Cait called me right after it was printed and I know I need to call her back because we haven’t properly been able to discuss the mom moving thing or how I’m feeling about the article.

“Did he tell you what happened?” I ask Jay as I prop a cushion under Tyler’s head.

Henry jumps up on the couch as Tyler tucks him under his arm and rests back, closing his eyes.

“Yeah. The whole nine yards,” Jay says, running a hand through his blonde shaggy hair.

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