Page 80 of When You're Home
Jake sighed through the phone.
“Listen, bro, I know what you think happened. I know what Tori made youbelievehappened the night of the party. She told me everything the next morning. But what you think happened between them? That didn’t happen.”
Rhett stilled. Why would Jake say that? What was he playing at?
“Jake, don’t try to protect her or Haas right now. I’m coming home for Tori regardless. It doesn’t matter what they did…”
“Oh, it matters. I never intended to get involved in this cluster. I figured you two would work it out on your own eventually, but you’ve gotta understand this. Tori didn’t sleep with Fielding. She only said she did to hurt you. I swear on our friendship that she never slept with Fielding. Not that night and not since. They’re just friends. I swear.”
Rhett stood up from the bench and started pacing in front of it. The confession ping-ponged around his mind as he let the new information sink in. Tori hadn’t slept with Fielding in his bed. That felt like the truth. Rhett believed the words as soon as Jake spoke them out loud. The idea that she would ever do that seemed ludicrous now that he thought about it out of context.
“Rhett?” Jake asked at the end of the line. He had no idea how much time had just passed as he grappled with this new information.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“You believe me, right?”
“Yeah, I do. I’m just trying to figure out why I still feel like I want to punch Fielding in his fucking face,” he spat out.
“Because this whole situation is messed up, bro. I would be just as mad if I was you,” Jake admitted. “But Fielding’s not the bad guy here. He didn’t know there was anything between you and Tori, which honestly is on you. He wasn’t the one that made you think anything happened between him and Tori. That one’s on her. She hurt you, Rhett. That’s why you want to hurt someone right now.”
“I would never hurt her,” Rhett growled into the phone. But again, the truth of the situation resonated deep in his bones.
“I know that, bro. And I get why you’re pissed. You don’t think I know what’s at stake right now? I’ve had a front row seat to how Tori’s tried to push you away and hold you at arm’s length all these years. I’ve watched her hurt you, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. Yet as soon as things start to fall apart for her, she’s begging us to call you.”
“It’s not like that,” Rhett defended. “There’s more to it. Our connection… what we share… for me, it’s always been her. I never stopped pursuing her, and I probably never will. Even though she doesn’t say it, I know Tori loves me, too.”
“I know that,” Jake relented. “She did everything she did because she loves you. She did it all to protect you from her and to protect you from yourself. But I think today proved to all of us that there’s no protecting either of you from each other. If you’re going to come home to her, you two better figure things out for real, for all our sakes. It’s time to cut the shit and be done pretending.”
He nodded in agreement. He didn’t have time to wonder why Jake hadn’t told him any of this until now. Now that he knew the truth, there was only one way forward. He was going home tomorrow because Tori asked him to, and he was going home as more than her friend.
“Listen, Jake, I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am and how much I…”
“Rhett? Let’s not do this right now. I know what you’re about to say, and we both know you would have done the same for me. We’re good. It’s all good. I’ll be here for her until you get here.”
Rhett exhaled. A sense of calm came over him, accompanied by an certainty that he had all the support he needed to get through whatever the next few days would bring.
“I love you, bro,” was all he could muster to say before hanging up. He sank back down onto the bench and ran his hand down his face. A few hours ago, he had been nostalgic for this place, already missing Easton and the whole college experience. Now, all he wanted to do was get through the next day and get home to his girl.
Chapter 43
Rhett
Heletthedoorslambehindhimasheenteredhisapartment.Hewashyper-focusedoneverythinghehadtodo,andheknewhedidn’thavealotoftimetomakeitallhappen.First,hehadtopack.HeneededenoughthingsforatleastafewweeksinHamptonuntilhe’dbeabletocomebackandproperlypackuptheapartment.Healsoneededtotryandstudyfortomorrow’sfinalexam.
“Hey, babe! How was your final?”
Rhett froze in the kitchen at the sound of Chandler’s voice. Some level of his consciousness knew she was here because he had seen her car in the parking lot, but he hadn’t had time to think through how he was going to handle her.
“I’m just getting ready to head out. Grace texted me and said the shirts for EastonFest just arrived, so I’m going to head over there and help her sort them,” Chandler explained as she stepped out of the bedroom and into the main living space.
Rhett stood in the kitchen and weighed his options. If Chandler left now, he might not have another chance to talk to her before he left. Things needed to be over with her before he arrived in Hampton tomorrow.
“Listen, Chandler, I need to talk to you before you leave.” She looked at him curiously, then sat down at the small table in the kitchen.
“What’s up?”
Rhett eyed her where she sat. He willed himself to be diplomatic, to try to speak kindly and ease into what he was about to say. But all he could think about was Tori. He didn’t have time to bullshit or tiptoe around things now. This needed to be done.
