Page 64 of When You're Gone
He heard the judgment in her hushed tone. He looked up and glanced over to meet his mom’s eyes.
“I gave her an out,” he corrected. “I love her too damn much to hold us together forever if she doesn’t want to be with me.”
The admission bled out of him as tears finally spilled over.
Chapter twenty-four
Tori
Shegropedthenightstandfor her phone, groggy but awake enough to be annoyed that Penny was barking downstairs. She finally felt the device, only remembering that it was powered off when she tried to illuminate the screen.
She rolled over to Rhett’s side of the bed and squinted.12:30 am.She had only been asleep for a few hours. She groaned as she realized her body thought it was time to get up for the day. Going back to sleep would be difficult now.
Begrudgingly, she made her way to the en suite and flipped the switch farthest from the door to illuminate the small light above the sink. She peeked out the bathroom window, curious if a deer or a coyote had wandered into the yard. Her tired eyes shot open when she spotted the apparent cause of Penny’s insistent racket.
There was a person—a man—standing in the backyard of the Wheeler’s house. She could just make out his silhouette against the inky darkness of night. She quickly turned off the lights, fearful she had already been spotted. She cracked open the window to try to hear what she now realized was shouting from outside.
“Victoria Thompson!”
Relief flooded through her as she recognized his voice. But then she cringed—what the hell was he doing here? Had he seen her just now in the window?
“Tori! I know you’re in there! Get your cute little ass out here and fucking talk to me.Please!”
She sucked in a sharp breath as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Fielding Haas was outside the Wheelers’ house, screaming for her to come outside. She didn’t want to go out there. She didn’t want to have to deal with him right now. But shedidwant him to stop screaming before one of their neighbors to call the cops. Her mind flitted with indecision.
She peeked out the window again and gasped. Fielding had climbed onto the diving board above the Wheelers’ in-ground pool, and he had a bottle in his hand.Shit. She had to get out there and get him down.
She powered on her phone as she made her way to the closet. She yanked on one of Rhett’s old Archway crewnecks and pulled on a pair of leggings. She didn’t bother grabbing socks or shoes as she hustled down the stairs.
“Shh,” she tried to soothe Penny as she made her way through the kitchen. “Come on…” she grumbled as she waited for her cell phone to power on. The screen finally illuminated as she stepped into the doorway between the kitchen and the sunroom. Thankfully, the device was fully charged.
Her gut instinct was to call Rhett, but that didn’t seem fair. Not when things were so strained between them. Not when she had brought this all on herself. No. She wouldn’t call him. She needed someone who could get here fast.
He was pissed at her, but she knew he’d answer. At least, she thought he would. The phone rang five times before Jake’s voicemail kicked in. She hung up and tried again… maybe he just wasn’t near his phone?
“Tori!”
She could hear Fielding through the sunroom now. She was desperate to shut him up, but she also felt like she was going to need backup. It was after midnight, and he had shown up completely unannounced. The whole scenario put her on edge. Although now that her phone was back on, she saw all the notifications for the text messages and voicemails he’d sent her over the last day.
Jake’s voicemail kicked in again.Think, Tori. Think.It was late on a Friday night… She quickly Googled the number for The Oak and held her breath as the phone rang once, and then again.
“Oak Barrel Tavern, Jake speaking.”
“Jake.” She was overwhelmed with a surge of relief just from the sound of his voice.
“Baby. What’s wrong?”
“It’s Fielding,” she started to explain in a rush. “He’s here.”
“Where?” he demanded.
“Rhett’s house. He’s outside right now, screaming by the pool. He climbed up onto the diving board a minute ago. I think he’s drunk.”
She was whispering unnecessarily. It wasn’t like Fielding could hear her through the sunroom. She stepped closer to the door, slipping on a pair of shoes in the process.
“I’m scared, Jake. I’m afraid he’s going to get hurt…”
“Fucking Fielding,” he muttered, cutting her off. “Hold on, baby. Stay on the line for me.”
