Huxley holds my hand as we walk out of the small Pelican Bay church. More paint flakes off the steps leaving behind the weathered pine boards that are who knows how old. Each week a collection is taken to get the church painted, but as the congregation is small and old so it's slow going."Today was a nice service," Huxley says, letting his arms swing between us for a moment as he walks to my car.I nod using that as my agreement. The two of us have settled into a nice routine. Anyone who met us for the first time may think we'd been together for years, but Huxley and I have found a happy middle ground. We seem to get one another and our personalities mesh well. I'm sure in time, eventually we'll have our first big fight, but my boyfriend is so calm and logical I have a feeling it won't last long. Until then I've decided to enjoy myself and go with the flow. It's something I used to be able to do quite often before the mess with Archer started. I need to find carefree Winnie again.
"I just want to say, I still think it's a really bad idea." Anessa wears a hole in the carpet at the front of the Pelican Bay bed-and-breakfast while we wait for Frankie.Katy rolls her eyes. "Your concerns have been noted. Follow the plan and it will work fine.""When have any of your plans worked out fine?" Anessa questions."Only because no one sticks to them," Katy retorts.We'd probably be more apt to stick to them if they weren't so crazy in the first place. There aren't many of Katy's plans that don't go belly up within the first few minutes. Which the way it looks right now this one's going to end up the same unless the person we're meeting shows up soon."At least we're meeting in public this time," Anessa says as she surveys the décor in the bed-and-breakfast."See? We're always learning something new.""Shhh," Anessa whispers when a tall dark man with gelled back hair comes walking in from the front bed-and-breakfast doors."Anessa," he says taking her hand a
HUXLEY PUTS the car in park but doesn't shut off the engine."Are you ready for this?" he asks looking at me from the corner of his eye.My heartrate picks up in my chest, anxiety causing sweat to gather at my brow. Even though I know exactly what he means, I don't want to admit it to him or me.I spent all afternoon at the bakery while Huxley was with Ridge doing... whatever it is he does with Ridge. I already have a lot of anxiety, so I've decided it's best if I don't ask him what he's doing exactly right now. We've spent all day avoiding it and each other, but now we have to go in and deal with the elephant eating all the food in my fridge and sleeping on my couch. Huxley isn't going to want an update on Archer and to find out how many more days he needs.I may be delusional, but I'm not that delusional. There's no way Archer has the money around today, even though secretively I cross my fingers on the side of the seat hoping for a different outcome."You avoided this long
The key to my apartment door turns slowly and I keep my free hand fingers crossed, hopeful Archer won't be here and then I can call Huxley before he even gets back to town. All my problems will be solved.Of course, life never works out that way and when my door swings open Archer jumps up from the couch. The one he's been sitting on, staring at the door and waiting for us to come home all day. Some things never change.When I walk in by myself, a smile breaks out across his soft face. One I loved for so many years, but now only the good memories make me smile."Where's your guard dog? He's usually only a few feet behind you.""Not now, Archer," I say rubbing a finger on my eye to get the last few tears wiped away.I'm tired and worried I made the biggest mistake of my life. But is it really so wrong to not want someone I spent years of my life with kicked to the curb? Even if he's an asshole. Sure, he lied and stole, but some of what we had was good. Right?"I think the ti
"Remember, Winnie, these guys have big egos. Grovel a little and tell him how awesome he is and how sorry you are and it will all be fine." Katy stops the car in front of the sidewalk next to the side door of the Pelican Bay bed-and-breakfast.I hesitate. Even after telling her about my big screw-up, Katy didn't call me a dumb ass — well she did, but it was completely in a best friend way — she just drove me to the bed-and-breakfast giving me a little pep talk."Are you sure?" I worry I messed up with Huxley. What if he's not even in the bed-and-breakfast?Katy unlocks the doors and smiles. "I've seen it work with the Ridge and Bennett all the time. Give it a few days and you'll have the guy wrapped around your little finger again."I nod once in a power move, gathering my courage. Katy's right. I've got this. "Thanks, Katy. You're the best.""Just one more thing," she says as my hand hovers over the door handle. "The next time you attend a barbecue chocked full of hot guys,
"Come on, Princess. It's time to wake up." Huxley shakes my shoulder, but I snuggle into him more."No." I latch on with both my hands so he can't pull away.I forget how strong he is. Huxley moves me to the edge of the bed effortlessly. As my body leaves the mattress, I let go of my hold, leaving him standing on the side by himself."Huxley, I don't want to get up." There's a reason I don't take the doughnut-making shifts at the bakery.I hate mornings and also Anessa is way too bright and cheery at 5 a.m. She's one of those people you want to hit with your Monday morning mug smack in the face. If only she wasn't so damn nice it makes you feel bad for even visualizing hitting her."Great, now you've got me thinking bad things about Anessa," I say snuggling back into the pillow and muffling the end of my sentence."What?" he asks trying to pull the covers away from how I tucked them around my body."Never mind.""Princess, I have to go to work but before I can, we need
Archer rolls into a ball trying to protect himself. "Winnie, run," he forces out between his teeth.But it's too late. I fight against the man holding me, my fingers digging into his arms, but it does no good. He pulls back and with a closed fist hits me in the mouth. The punch is forceful enough I see stars for a moment and would fall to the ground if I wasn't held up by his bone-crushing grip."Great, you asshole. You let in someone else." The guy standing next Archer kicks him again and spits in his direction.My body is shaken roughly like a piece of paper. "She had a key!"I swallow, the faint taste of blood making me recoil. These two men are obviously here for Archer, but they aren't the same two as before. These are bigger, tougher and mean business. Fear is thick and clouds my ability to figure out the situation.When the tall skinny one stops kicking at Archer and pulls out a gun from his coat pocket, there's no hope at all it's a fake like Huxley used. The metal ca
It took me so long to admit the truth and how I felt about Huxley and now I lose not only him but possibly my life because I was too proud to have him come with me to the apartment. Everything that's gone wrong is my fault. I deserve whatever fate happens for being so stupid to think I could do it alone.When life hands you an amazing man, you don't question the decision. You take that man and you do everything in your power to hold on to him. You definitely don't go running off alone to kick an ex-boyfriend out of your apartment. You don't let the ex-boyfriend in the apartment to start.In the cramped quarters of our basement jail cell, a new clarity clears my thoughts. I get why Tabitha puts up with Ridge trying to videotape her all over town. Or why Anessa lets her bakery be used as command central. Unlike me, they know they have a good thing and won't lose it.Sure, sometimes men can be overbearing and the level of testosterone whenever Huxley is in a room becomes stifling, b