Unable to put words to what he was feeling, Tommy rose from his seat and headed out to the terrace in search of fresh air and a break from the tension. He’d rejoin them soon enough, but he needed a quiet moment to decide what to do about the fact that his dad was looking guiltier by the moment.
If it turned out Ira was responsible, what then? What did it mean for Tommy and all the plans he’d made?
“Hey—you okay?”
Tommy turned. “Are you?” He watched Layla’s cheeks flush a lovely shade of rose as she forced her gaze to meet his.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
Tommy shrugged, unsure where this was going. Though when she tucked her hair behind her ear in the way she did when she was about to be really earnest, he knew he needed to take her seriously.
“I jumped to conclusions, and . . .” She stared down at her shoes. “I guess I kind of lost it.” He started to speak, but before he could get to the words, she stopped him. “But it’s not you. It’s—it’s just that everything has changed and not necessarily for the better, and sometimes I just want to rewind, you know? I miss riding my motorcycle. I miss the person I thought I was at the beginning of the summer. I . . .”
She fluttered a hand before her face and scrunched her nose in a way so adorable he had to fight the urge to grab her and kiss her and never let go.
“You know what?” Her blue-gray eyes met his. “That’s a lie. Truth is—it was about you.”
Tommy forced himself not to speak. He knew how much a moment like this cost a girl like Layla, who equated vulnerability with weakness.
“I messed up the night I kissed you and didn’t tell Mateo.”
“You messed up because you kissed me, or because you didn’t tell Mateo?” He inched closer. He’d been drawn to her from the beginning, and though so much had changed since then, his attraction to her had never once wavered.
Without hesitation she said, “I messed up because I wanted to kiss you and I liked kissing you, and that’s the moment I should’ve known it was over with Mateo and I should’ve come clean and told him as much. I don’t fall easily. And I’m certainly not the type who’s attracted to every cute boy I see.”
Tommy was flattered, but he knew better than to let on. “And now?” His voice was hoarse. He’d already talked himself out of being with her. But now, he wasn’t sure what she was offering, and he had no firm idea how to respond.
“Madison is lovely.” She tilted her chin toward the den. “Even when she’s battered and bruised and traumatized, she’s the most beautiful girl in the room.”
Tommy knew better than to comment. If Layla was baiting him, he was too smart to bite.
“Funny how she turned to you for help.”
Tommy shifted his weight between his feet. He was beginning to feel like a bug under her lens. “I can’t explain that,” he said.
“I can. It’s because she trusts you.”
Layla regarded him as though she could see right through his flesh to the beating heart below. Did she realize in that moment it was beating just a bit faster for her?
“You two have a connection. Anyone can see it.”
“And what about us? What about our connection?” He forced the words from his lips. He might not like the answer, but he needed to know where they stood.
Layla’s cheeks lifted in a smile. “You’re pretty easy to connect with. Easier than me.”
Any other girl, he would’ve let the statement go, sure he was being forced into a compliment he might be reluctant to give. But Layla wasn’t that kind of girl, and no matter where this went, he wanted her to know she meant a great deal to him. “I’ve seen you—the real you. The sharp-edged side you share with the world, and the softer one you save just for private. And if you decide you never want to share that softer side with me again, I want you to know I feel lucky to have known it for the short time I did.”
Without a word, she lifted a hand to his cheek and traced the line of his jaw with her fingertip. Tommy leaned into her touch, sure they would kiss. It was what he ached for most in the world.
Just as quickly, she pulled away. “I know why you came here,” she said.
At first he thought she meant to Madison’s hideaway, but something about the look in her eyes told him she meant something else entirely.
“I know why you moved to California.”
His eyes widened. His body went still. Just like that, his secret was out.
His first instinct was to deny it, but then he remembered who he was talking to. “Who else knows?” He cast a nervous glance toward the house, but Layla was quick to assure him that no one else knew of his connection to Ira.
“Are you going to confront him?”
Tommy swiped a hand through his hair. It felt really weird to discuss it out loud.
“Yes.” He nodded. Followed by: “Maybe.” He scratched at his cheek. “I haven’t decided.” He sighed. “It changes daily.”
“Do you really think he’s behind this?”
Tommy screwed up his face and squinted at the fence surrounding the yard. “I wouldn’t put it past him,” he said, returning his focus to her.
“So what’s the plan?”
Tommy sank his hands into his pockets. “I guess I’m going to find out once and for all, so I can get on with my life.”
Layla regarded him thoughtfully. “You know you don’t have to go this alone. Surprising as it seems, you’ve managed to make a friend or two since you arrived in LA.”
A slow grin lit Tommy’s face as he remembered the first time
