She looks up at me, her eyes red and puffy with tears. “I’m a mess,” she sniffs.
I wipe away her tears with my thumb and capture her mouth with mine. She reaches around and winds her arms behind my neck, her tongue slipping into my mouth, deepening the kiss.
I slide my arm under her knees and behind her back. Without breaking the kiss, I rise to my feet, cradling her against my chest as I carry her into my bedroom, kicking the door shut behind me.
Chapter 29
Hayley
“So, are you going to tell me about you and Luke or not?” I ask, turning my body around fully so I’m facing her, my legs tucked up underneath me as I sit on Gwen’s couch, Gwen sat at the opposite end.
My question catches her off guard, as she stares at me wide-eyed. “Um... I was going to tell you, I just didn’t know how.”
“Gwen, you’re my best friend, did you think I’d be mad at you?”
“I don’t know, with Luke being your boyfriend’s brother and all...”
I scoot over the couch and come to a stop next to her, putting my arm around her shoulders. “Gwen, if he makes you happy, then I’m happy for you. I can’t believe you were scared to tell me.”
Gwen rests her head on my shoulder, wrapping her arms around my middle. “It started the night we met at Terry’s, we slept together. Since then, we’ve been like, fucking... a lot. It’s great and he’s great but I kind of find myself wishing it were something more. I really like him.”
“For the record, I think he likes you a lot too.”
My phone begins to vibrate in my pocket. I pull it out and look at the caller ID, it’s my uncle.
“Hey.”
“Hi, sweetheart.”
“Is everything alright?” I ask.
“Look, I just thought you’d like to know, Kyle’s here, at your dad’s.”
“What? Why is Kyle there?”
I give Gwen a worried look.
“He came to talk to your dad.”
“Oh God, I’m on my way.”
“Hayley, wait-” I hang up the phone before he can reply.
I turn to Gwen. “We need to go to my dad’s, now.”
“Come on.” Gwen leaps from the couch and grabs her keys from the table.
∞∞∞
Gwen pulls up on the curb behind Kyle’s Mustang. “You sure you don’t need me to come in with you?”
“No, thanks though. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Okay. See you later, babe.” She blows me a kiss before I jump out of the car and run up the driveway.
I burst through the front door, raised voices filtering in from the living room.
“... It's not like that,” Kyle says.
“Like hell,” my father spits.
“John, come on, maybe it’s not such a bad idea,” I hear my uncle say.
I swing open the door. “What’s going on?” The room falls silent.
Kyle turns toward the door and sees me. “Hayley.” He walks towards me, taking my hands in his.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to make amends, seems like I’m wasting my time.”
“Dad?” I ask, turning to face him.
“Hayley, I don’t want this man in my house, and I certainly don’t want his goddamn money!”
“Why would he offer you money?”
My dad recoils slightly, as if he’s said too much. He sighs in defeat, his gaze landing on an open letter on the table.
I pick it up and read it.
Dear Mr Roberts,
This is to notify you that your failure to pay the mortgage of this property since June of this year has rendered you in violation of our loan agreement dated February 28, 2001. The amount due for repayment is $79,600.
You are hereby requested to pay the above-mentioned amount within 14 days, failure to do so will result in the repossession of this property. Your cooperation will be appreciated.
“We’re being evicted?”
“I'm sorry.” My dad’s face crumples as he slums back down into his chair.
My knees buckle and I sink into the chair behind me, clutching the letter in my hands.
Kyle kneels down on the floor in front of me. “That’s not going to happen, I won’t let it. I’ll pay off everything, you don’t have to worry.”
“Kyle-”
“No. Let me do this for you.” He cuts me off, he takes my hands in his, bringing them up to his lips.
I shake my head in protest. “I can’t let you do that.”
“We don’t want or need, a dime from the likes of you,” my father spits.
Kyle gently pulls me to my feet. “Come talk with me, alone?”
I nod and he guides me out of the living room, up the stairs and into my bedroom. I perch on the side of my bed as Kyle looks down at me.
“Why won’t you let me help you?”
“Because... because it feels wrong. It makes me feel cheap, like I’m using you for your money or something.”
“But you’re not.”
“I know, we both know that, but that’s how it feels… how it looks.”
“Fuck how it looks. I am offering to help you, I’m offering to help the girl I care about, the girl I can’t get out to my fucking mind, the girl I’m completely fucking crazy about. The girl I love.”
My heart swells at his words.
“The thing is,” he continues. “I knew your dad was desperate for money when I made that deal, I just didn’t know how badly. If I’d known…” He shakes his head, breathing in deeply.
I smile up at him. “It’s a lot of money Kyle.”
“You are so stubborn.” He shakes his head, the corners of his mouth curving up with a hint of a smile. “Just let me help you.”
I take a deep breath. “Look, if you really insist on doing this, then we pay you back.”
“Not necessary.”
“No, Kyle, the only way I agree to this, is if you let us pay you back, even if it means I’m still paying you
