tightens. “Bet it on what?” I ask and touch his shoulder to sit him upright. But he’s too big and strong for me to shift him.
“He bet against you, Aly.”
Every nerve in my body jumps and my legs go weak, my foot a bit lighter on the gas pedal. “What are you talking about?”
“He wanted Charlie’s land. He blames himself for losing it, I think.”
I try to make sense of what he’s saying but can’t. “Jay wanted Charlie’s land?”
“It was our land. Dad and Charlie got into it over something Jay had done. Dad stood up for Jay, and the land was lost. No one talks about it. I was young, and I still don’t know everything. Just that Jay would do anything to get it back, even bet the farm.”
What the hell is he talking about?
“Jay bet your farm, against who…what?”
He snorts, and his head bobs forward. I’m pretty sure he’s asleep, but I need to know exactly what’s going on.
“Tyler, wake up.”
“Wha—”
“What did Jay do?”
He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “He bet you’d be gone in thirty days. I just found out, Alyson, or I would have stopped him.”
The road blurs before me, and I pinch my eyes shut to clear them, but there is nothing I can do to slow the racing of my heart.
“You can’t be serious?”
Jay bet against me? No way. I refuse to believe that. He’s been nothing but kind and helpful ever since I arrived, and no matter where I am, he’s always right there.
So he can watch you fail.
As old insecurities creep back in, I grip the steering wheel harder. “Who told you this?”
“Derek.”
“How does he know?”
“His old man told him.”
“Who’s his old man?”
“Steven Banks. You know him, right? He’s about this tall.” He holds an unstable hand up to his nose. “He overheard them at the Crow when they set the terms for the bet.”
With my throat tightening to the point of pain and my heart pounding behind my eyes, it’s all I can do to keep the car on the road. Tyler nods off again, and I let him sleep. A few minutes later, I pull into his driveway and open his passenger door.
“Tyler,” I say. “Wake up.”
“What’s the matter with him?” Beck asks, coming from around the corner.
“He had a little too much fun tonight. Can you help me get him to his room?”
Beck gives a low whistle. “Jay is going to kill him.”
“Jay’s an asshole,” Tyler mumbles, and Beck’s brow bunches.
“Never mind,” I say, not about to spread rumors, and holy hell, I hope this is nothing more than a nasty rumor, otherwise… Ugh, I don’t want to think about otherwise or how it will suck the wind out of my sails.
“I got him,” Beck says and lifts him from the car.
Once they’re inside, I drive my car to my place to leave it in my driveway for the night and cut through the path to Jay’s, desperate to talk to him. I’m sure there must be some explanation for all this. I pound on his door, but my knock goes unanswered. I turn and glance into the night and listen for sound, but all I hear are animals scurrying in the underbrush. Even Cluck seem to be avoiding me tonight. I walk up the hill, check the apiary and the new barn, but can’t find Jay anywhere. Perhaps he’s at my place, wanting to talk to me.
I hurry home, unlock the front door, and step inside, but Jay is nowhere to be found. Upstairs, I hear my parents talking quietly, and I knock on their door.
“I’m home,” I say. “Ah, was anyone by tonight while I was gone?”
“Were you expecting company?” my mom sings out.
“No, I was just wondering.”
“No one came by,” Dad says.
“Okay, see you guys in the morning.”
I walk to my room, my legs heavy, weighted down with worry. With the lights out, I stare out into my backyard, but all is quiet. My phone buzzes, and I pull it from my pants, only to see a text from Lucy telling me she’s back together with Nolan and won’t be coming after all. Not that I’m surprised. I run my fingers over the screen and text Jay, asking if he can come over to talk.
Minutes pass with no response, so I go to the bathroom and get myself ready for bed. Perhaps he’s out with the guys tonight. I mean, it is Saturday night, after all. They’re probably at the Shore