Page 20 of Heat Wave
“What?”
“When was the last time you kissed my brother, Oakley?”
“Um,” shit, “last night.”
“Was it in the car?”
“How…?”
“Last night at dinner, you were wearing that green blouse that makes me look sick, so I gave it to you. The one with the tiny buttons up the front.”
“Yes.”
“Did you kiss my brother while wearing that shirt? In the car? Did you kiss him in the car?”
“Yes.”
“Give me your phone, Oakley.”
Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate to hand over my phone to my best friend, but right now she’s scaring me a little.
“Oakley…I need the phone.”
“Why?”
She looks at me while gnawing on her bottom lip before finally bringing her hands -and the picture she’s been hiding- around for me to see.
“Oh my God!”
It’s a picture of me and her brother in the car from last night. We’re kissing, but that isn’t what has my pulse jackhammering through my temples and my heart racing to catch up. It’s the fact that the word Whore has been painted over the picture in red paint. And it was taped to the door. I hand over my phone with trembling hands as Terry checks the locks on the door and starts going through the house to check all the windows to make sure they are locked too.
By the time she’s done doing her checking, I’ve settled a bit.
“Surely, it’s a prank. Right?”
“Listen, hon, we’re just going to sit here and wait for Waylon to come because whether it’s a prank or not, I’m not taking any chances.”
It doesn’t take Waylon long to come back. He brings others with him and it isn’t long before guys with powder are brushing the door, and I’m being asked questions again.
“Look, when I came over, Waylon was still here. He didn’t see anything there because there wasn’t anything to see. I started breakfast, and then Oakley came out. We were going out the door to grab some blankets Mom sent over for them when I saw the picture hanging there.”
“And you, Ms. Nesbit? Anything you can add to this?”
I shake my head. The only thing I can add is that I’m exhausted and scared and don’t have a clue what my next move is going to be. Can I even stay here now? Will I put Terry and Waylon in danger? Rowan came over as soon as Terry called her. Is she in danger?
“Here, dear. Some tea to help you relax.”
“Unless it’s got alcohol in it, Mom. I doubt it’s going to do any good.”
“Terry Abernathy, you watch yourself. It’s not the tea, it’s the warmth it gives you from the inside out.”
I take the cup and take a sip.
“And I put a splash of Brandy in it.”
I have to suck in breath and fight the watering in my eyes. That’s more than a splash. That’s hot water and Brandy. She left the tea out of it.
Waylon comes in after talking to some of the men outside. “You okay, sweetheart?”
