Golden Trail (The ‘Burg #3)(40)
Author: Kristen Ashley

Layne looked back at Astley’s table to see his woman, or, more accurately, his girl peeking at them but she again turned her eyes away when she caught his.

He looked back at Astley. “I’m not feelin’ in the mood to wait.”

“Layne, maybe we can –” Rocky started and he cut his eyes to her and she stopped.

“Look at their table, sweetcheeks. They’ve already been served. They’ll be gone soon and we’re all adults. It’ll be all right.”

“I think both Rocky and Marissa would be more comfortable –” Astley began but Layne shoved out of his side of the booth and stood, looking down the three inches he had on Astley.

Then he said, “I think Rocky would be more comfortable if you went back to your table and let us enjoy our dinner.”

“Layne –” Rocky whispered.

“Sit down,” Astley ordered, the pompous ass dick.

“Go back to your table,” Layne returned.

“This is ridiculous!” Astley snapped. “We can hardly –”

“You might not be able to eat next to a good woman you f**ked over but we’ll be fine if you sit… your ass… down at your table.”

Astley glared up at him and Layne held his glare and counted. It took four beats for Astley to give up and turn to Rocky.

“As our attorneys are both enjoying their weekends then I’ll have to inform you here that the house will not be vacant tomorrow for you to get your things. I suggest you call your lawyers and they can make arrangements for an alternate date.”

Rocky’s face got even paler and her eyes shot to Layne.

That f**king dick.

“That’s okay,” Layne stated, sitting back down. “We’ll come over while you’re there.”

Rocky’s eyes bugged out of her head.

Layne grabbed his napkin and put it on his lap.

“I’m afraid that doesn’t work for me,” Astley replied.

Layne kept his gaze steady on Rocky. “Your name on the deed?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

He looked at Astley. “Then she doesn’t need your permission to go to her own house. If it doesn’t work for you, tough. We’ll be there at ten o’clock.”

“You are not welcome in my home,” he clipped.

“Well, lucky for me, my woman half owns your home and I’m sure she’ll welcome me.” His eyes went to Rocky. “Won’t you, sweetcheeks?”

Slowly, Rocky closed her eyes.

Astley spoke and when he did it, he did it quietly, his tone had changed, something threaded through it, something that struck Layne as wrong but he couldn’t figure out what it was and Layne looked up to see he was addressing Rocky.

“You know what this is, Rocky. You know.” He shook his head and finished, “I didn’t expect this from you.”

Then he turned and walked back to his booth and while he was doing it, he stopped a waiter and said, “We’re leaving early. Bring our check to the hostess station.”

Astley pulled his girl out of the booth and Layne looked back to Rocky who had her elbow on the table, her fingers lightly touching her lips, her eyes were unfocused and pointed into the restaurant.

“Roc?” he called, her gaze shifted to him and it was troubled. He leaned forward, reaching out, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her arm down to the table to hold her hand. Then he whispered, “They’re leaving. It’ll be fine.”

“You knew,” she whispered back.

He didn’t respond.

“You knew,” she repeated. “You orchestrated this.”

Layne held her eyes and kept his mouth shut.

She looked over his shoulder and pulled her hand from his as a waiter appeared with their drinks. Layne looked to see Astley and his girl were gone.

“Have you had time to look over the menu?” the waiter asked after he set the drinks down. “I’m happy to answer any questions.”

“Give us a minute,” Layne ordered.

The waiter dipped his head, his hands pressed together in front of him like he was praying and he murmured, “Certainly.”

Fucking hell, this place was pretentious.

The waiter took off and Layne looked at Rocky.

“Roc –”

She started nodding and he didn’t know why.

Then she said, “This is okay. This is fine.” She straightened her shoulders and asked in a falsely bright voice, “It had to happen sooner or later, right?”

“Baby –”

He stopped talking because now she was shaking her head.

Then she said, “No, no, you’re right. You were right to do this. You should be in control. It shouldn’t be a surprise. Not like with Gabrielle. This is better. It was shorter and there were a lot less witnesses.”

“He needs to get some of his own back,” Layne told her and she started nodding again.

“Yes, of course. You’re right about that too. And you were right not to tell me. I wouldn’t have come.”

He sat back in his seat and took a sip of his beer, his eyes on her watching her eyes move anywhere but to him.

He put his beer down and asked, “So, if I’m right, why do I feel like I’m standin’ on a sidewalk lookin’ at your bloody mangled body after I shoved you under a bus?”

Finally, her eyes darted to him. She stared at him a second before her face cracked and her mouth twitched up into a smile.

“I’m fine,” she said softly. “Seriously, you did the right thing. It’s over.”

“It isn’t,” he contradicted her. “We gotta go over there tomorrow.”

“No, I’ll do that. I don’t have much to pick up. Just some things I didn’t get before because… well, I didn’t have a place so I didn’t have anywhere to put them. It won’t take me long.”

“No way in hell I’m lettin’ you go over there with him and his girl there, Roc.”

“Honestly, Layne, it won’t take long.”

“Good, then with two of us, it’ll take half the time.”

She stared at him and Layne could tell she was thinking.

Then she decided, “I’ll take Merry.”

“Merry’s at the lake this weekend.”

“Oh right, I forgot.” She chewed her lip then said, “Dad’ll help.”

“Your Dad can’t lift boxes.”

“I’ll make them light.”

“Sweetcheeks, it’s been rainin’ three days and the rain isn’t supposed to clear until Wednesday. Your Dad probably isn’t feelin’ great about now.”