Page 64 of What Is Love
“If you give me your keys, Wyatt, I’ll go get her some,” Mac said. “I need to step away from this for a minute anyway.”
Wyatt handed them over without hesitation.
I felt the urge to apologize. “I’m sorry, Mac.”
“No. Don’t be. It’s my issue. I just need a minute,” she said before walking out.
I wanted to ask what was wrong, but didn’t feel like that would be fair of me when I couldn’t give her any answers to her questions.
Silence blanketed the room for a minute, and I could feel Wyatt’s stare.
“Maybe I should call Roe,” he said quietly.
“No.”
He let out a frustrated sigh through his nose. “Then can you answer me one thing?”
I waited for him to voice his question with a little bit of dread in the pit of my stomach.
“Was it the boyfriend?”
“No. I haven’t seen Brandon since last night.”
He looked pensive and it was obvious he had more questions. I could feel myself going stiff with anticipation. Then he stood, toed off his shoes, and climbed up into the bed. He lay next to me with an arm behind his head. “I’m going to lay here with you, if that’s all right?”
I nodded and shifted again, struggling to avoid any pain.
Wyatt obviously noticed that. “Would you be comfortable lying on my chest? I don’t know how you feel about being touched right now, but using me like a human pillow might give you some relief.”
At that point I would’ve done anything for a break. The moment I went to scoot toward him, he closed most of the distance. I laid my cheek on his chest and went to put my leg over him like I had done with Roe, but stopped myself.
“It’s okay,” he assured as he grabbed my leg by the back of my knee and rested it across his pelvis. “Better?”
I nodded. The position did provide a little bit of relief, but it was only when his arm came around my shoulders that I was able to relax. That shield feeling I’d felt when I’d danced with him last night returned. Tears filled my eyes. I didn’t have the strength to hold them back and they dripped onto his shirt.
I sniffled. “I’m sorry.”
His hand squeezed my shoulder gently. “It’s all right. Cry as much as you need to.”
Wyatt heldme as I cried until I eventually fell asleep. A hand gently shaking me and calling my name woke me. I opened my eyes and saw that it was dark outside the window.
“Lottie,” Mac said from behind me.
Wyatt groaned under me. I lifted my head and saw that he also had fallen asleep. I sat up and turned to face Mac, who was standing on my side of the bed. The TV in the room was on, but the volume was low, and I noticed the bedside lamp had been turned on.
“Your phone keeps ringing.” She held it out to me.
I looked over the notifications and saw that I had a lot. Most were from earlier today when my phone had been dead. There was a text from Prue telling me not to come home because Clay was there.
If only I saw that beforehand.
I also had missed calls from both Roe and Wyatt at the time I’d left the diner. They had texted me, too.
Roe: Please answer. Wyatt filled me in on what happened.
Wyatt: I’m sorry for what went down at the diner. There’s a lot of Reid’s past you don’t know about, and the topic of abuse isa hard one for him. Please answer. I need to know if you have a way home. You shouldn’t be walking on this side of town.
Roe: Lottie, please pick up the phone. I need to know you’re alright. We’re currently driving around looking for you.
