the hospital, praying for her dad to recover, she wanted nothing more than the comfort of Wes’s arms.
Her hands gripped the steering wheel tighter as traffic zipped by her in the left-hand lane. Monday night had been a sleepless, tense night, holding onto her mother as they waited to hear some word of her dad’s condition.
He’d spent Tuesday and Wednesday in critical condition but by Wednesday night had shone signs of improvement after the bypass operation he’d undergone.
Thursday, he’d been awake and alert, much to Payton and her mother’s relief. She’d stayed the afternoon with her father, telling him how much she loved him.
Friday, her mother had all but kicked her out of the hospital with strict instructions not to return until the next week. She’d been reluctant to go, but the thought of seeing Wes again after her harrowing week was a strong incentive.
Now she was but a few miles from town. Wes had said he had to work, but she could wait around until he got off. She’d stop to get something to eat and then call him to see when his shift ended.
Remembering the choices he’d offered her before, she mulled over whether she wanted barbeque, Mexican or a burger. None of it sounded
good, but she was hungry and needed to eat. Zack’s offered a few grill items and it was as good a place as any to sit back and relax.
Decision made, she rolled her shoulders and stretched her neck as she drove into town. A few minutes later, she parked outside Zack’s and wearily got out of her car.
She opened the door and headed straight for the bar. She slid onto a barstool and caught the eye of the young bartender. After placing an order for tea and a grilled cheese sandwich, she sat back and looked around the interior.
When she got to the far corner, she froze, blinked and refocused on the table. No, she wasn’t mistaken. Wes was sitting with a redhead who was smiling up at him. He clasped her hand across the table, and she laughed at something he said.
Working? The asshole had said he had to work. That was his excuse for not seeing her today. Unbelievable. Why lie? Why not just save them both the trouble and tell her he wasn’t interested in seeing her anymore. Or maybe she was just sex on the side while he made time with the auburn floozie.
She seethed while she considered her options. Part of her wanted to disappear out of the bar, go home and wipe Wes Hoffman from her existence. But damn it, she hadn’t done anything wrong. She wasn’t the one spitting out lies. No way in hell she was slinking off like some shrinking violet. Maybe that was the kind of woman he was attracted to, but fuck that.
She slid off the barstool and stalked over toward the table. Halfway there, the redhead looked up and blinked. Probably saw the kill look in Payton’s eyes. The woman nudged Wes’s hand and nodded her head in Payton’s direction.
By the time Wes looked up, Payton was standing over the table like an avenging angel come to kick some demon ass.
“Payton!” Wes said, his eyes widening.
The redhead’s eyes also widened. Then she smiled. “Oh you’re Payton. I’ve been dying to meet you. I’m Gracie Forsythe.”
“And I don’t care,” Payton said through gritted teeth. She summarily dismissed the redhead and turned her ire on Wes. “You cock-sucking bastard. You lied to me. If you would have just told the fucking truth, you would have saved me a trip over here, not to mention the embarrassment I’m about to cause you.”
Wes stood, holding his hand out to cup her elbow. She yanked her arm away. “Don’t you fucking touch me.” She turned to storm off but he caught her arm.
“Payton, please. Let me explain.”
Tears burned her eyelids but she was determined not to cry in front of him. “There’s nothing to explain, Wes. You made yourself perfectly clear last night. I was just too thick to get it. But why the lie? Why not just tell me you didn’t want to see me? I’ve been straight up with you from the beginning. You owe me the same, damn it.”
“Straight up?” he echoed. “How can you say you’ve been straight up? I don’t have a fucking clue where I stand with you. You haven’t once called me. I called the week before. I instigated the weekend in Houston. I thought it was time for you