Mom was taking a nap. When Bryony and I got home from the park, she often went directly to bed for an hour. She needed it with her work schedule. Dad would get home from work at six, and she liked to be cooking dinner by the time he walked in the house.
“Let’s turn on the television and see if one of your afternoon shows is on,” I told Grandmamma. Mom had left Grandmamma’s television in the kitchen. She said we needed to keep things as they were to avoid confusion. Mom had always been against having TVs in the house, but she kept this one around for Grandmamma.
“Okay,” she agreed, still frowning.
Coming back here had been scary. My only other option had been to raise Bryony alone. I wasn’t ready for that. Not yet. I was still homeschooling on the Internet to get through high school. I wanted to give Bryony a good life. One where I had a real job and could support us.
My parents had worried about me coming back too, but I understood their need to be with Grandmamma. After the call she had been found at three in the morning banging on the door of the grocery in town demanding bananas, we all knew there was no other option. None of us wanted to put her in a home.
Hiding indoors with Bryony wasn’t fair to her either. She loved the park and playing outside. I had made the decision to face this town head on and whatever they said didn’t matter. Small-minded people in a small town. This didn’t affect my future.
However, saying that and believing it are two different things. It wasn’t easy to see people from my past and be treated as if I were the plague. Those who were once friends now acted like I wasn’t there or scowled at me.
All because I asked my boyfriend’s older brother for a ride home from a field party after I had fought with Gunner. I had trusted Rhett. That was my only mistake. I had done nothing else wrong.
Holding on to my virginity had been a choice for me. I didn’t want to just have sex with a guy who I wasn’t in love with. When I had sex I wanted to know it was the right time. With the right person. Gunner had never been the right person. And I was only fifteen. Other girls were having sex, and I constantly heard how silly I was for waiting and how Gunner was going to cheat on me. But I hadn’t cared.
I was waiting.
Until Rhett took that choice away from me that night he took my virginity. I still deal with nightmares about it. But Bryony’s birth had changed me a lot. Made me stronger and healed me in a way nothing else could.
I’d decided I was a virgin still. Maybe not physically, but in my heart. I hadn’t chosen to give myself to a guy yet. That choice was still mine to hold on to. I wouldn’t allow Rhett to have taken that from me.
“My samich,” Bryony said happily and clapped as I set the ketchup-and-toast sandwich in front of her.
“Do I like that?” Grandmamma asked me.
Smiling, I shook my head. I wasn’t sure anyone other than a one-year-old could actually like that.
“You like pears and cottage cheese,” I reminded her.
She nodded again, then looked behind her. “Have you seen Thomas?”
The Number You Are Trying to Reach Is No Longer in Service
CHAPTER 6
BRADY
This Friday was the first game in the playoffs. We were all nervous, but the excitement was building. We had a real chance at the championship this year. To go out our senior year as champions would be epic. I had already decided on going to Texas A&M next year. Everyone thought I was going to Alabama, but when the pros and cons were all put in front of me, my future looked better at A&M.
That announcement hadn’t happened yet, though. I was waiting until we held the championship in our hands before I said a word. Next year was just that . . . next year. I was focused on the here and now. Getting my head distracted by what could happen next year didn’t help us win games.
Turning the aisle at the grocery store with the gallon of milk Mom had sent me to get, I came face-to-face with Lyla Young. Riley’s mother.
“Well, hello, Brady. You’ve grown two feet since I saw you last. Hard to believe you’re all seniors this year.”
The Youngs had always been good parents. Like my own. They held barbecues and parties for our group of friends over the years and were involved in the school functions. Or they had been. Before.
“Hello, Mrs. Young. Good to see you,” I replied.
She smiled, and it was genuine. Not bitter or angry like I would expect. After all, I was friends with the Lawtons. I had taken their side. I had been happy to see Vance leave town last week. Everyone said he was a ticking time bomb. I wasn’t a family friend. At least not anymore.
“Tell Coralee I said hello.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied. Then for some reason I can’t explain I blurted out, “I saw Riley and her daughter yesterday.” Why those words came out of my mouth I wasn’t sure, and I would do anything to cram them back in and walk away.
Lyla smiled. “That Bryony is a sweetheart. Riley is so good with her. I hope you said hello.”
Again, no judgment or anger in her words. She was sincere. Mom had always liked Lyla.
“I gave them a ride. It was storming and they looked to be out for a walk.”
“Oh yes, they walk to the park every day when I get off work. Riley stays with her grandmother until I can get home to take care of her. Bryony loves the outdoors, so Riley likes to get her out every day.”
Even though everything in me hadn’t believed Riley two years ago, right now I believed her mother. Riley did appear to be a good mom. And the little girl had loved her. She was taking care of her grandmother, too. The doubt was there now. What if we’d all been wrong?
“You take care, now. I’ve got to get home and start supper. It’s time for Riley to do her online schooling, so I’ll need to watch Bryony for her. Don’t forget to tell your mother I said hello,” she said with a wave, then went past me.
I didn’t move right away. My brain was going in several directions. More than that, though, there was a sick knot in my stomach. The person who had suffered hadn’t deserved to at all.
Finally I turned and headed for the checkout with my milk. I had a football game to concentrate on, but how could I? When Riley Young was taking online courses, raising her daughter, and caring for her grandmother while the town shunned her?
I needed to go talk to Riley. I had to clear my head and my conscience. Maybe she was ready to tell the truth. She’d changed, obviously. This new Riley might just tell me we were right. That she’d accused Rhett unfairly.
Pulling out my phone, I sent a text to Nash letting him know I needed to cancel tonight’s plans to watch game clips. We needed the whole team together anyway for it to do any good. I’d get them all together tomorrow night.
Then I scrolled through my contacts to see if Riley’s number was still there. It was. Chances were the number had changed, but I thought I’d give it a chance. I paid for the milk, then headed outside with the phone pressed to my ear.
The “number you are trying to reach is no longer in service” message came through like I’d expected, and I ended the call and put the phone back in my pocket. Only other option was to go by her grandmother’s. I’d do that after dinner.
Worst that could happen would be that she wouldn’t want to talk to me. But knowing Riley, I doubted it. Confrontation was obviously something she handled well. She’d taken on the whole town when she’d accused Rhett.
Words my mom had said when it all happened still rang in my head. It sure takes a lot of guts for a girl to accuse a guy of rape. Especially a Lawton. Don’t see why she’d tell that if it wasn’t the truth. Think about that before you jump to his defense.