Part 27 (1/2)

Her words cut something loose inside Haley. She jerked her arm away, and her sneer distorted her mouth. ”Friends! Yeah, you were a friend, all right.”

The wind picked up. An animal scuttled in the brush. Meg finally understood. ”This is because of Ted ...”

Haley's face crumpled with fury. ”You told me you weren't in love with him. You told me you were just saying that to get rid of Spence. And I believed you. I was so stupid. I believed you until that night I saw you together.”

The night Meg and Ted had made love at the church and Meg had seen those headlights. Her stomach twisted. ”You spied on us.”

”I didn't spy!” Haley cried. ”It wasn't like that! I was driving around, and I saw Ted's truck go by. He'd been out of town, and I wanted to talk to him.”

”So you followed him here.”

She shook her head, the movement jerky. ”I didn't know where he was going. I just wanted to talk to him.”

”And you accomplished that by spying on us through the window.”

Tears of rage spilled over her lids. ”You lied to me! You told me it was all fake!”

”I didn't lie. That's the way it started out. But things changed, and I sure as h.e.l.l wasn't going to make a big announcement about it.” Meg regarded her with disgust. ”I can't believe you did those things to me. Do you have any idea how it felt?”

Haley swiped at her nose with the back of her hand. ”I didn't hurt you. I only wanted you to go away. go away.”

”What about Kyle? That's what I don't understand. I thought you were crazy about him. I've seen you together.”

”I told him to leave me alone, but he kept showing up at work.” Dirty mascara tears smeared her cheeks. ”Last year, when I liked him, he wouldn't even talk to me. Then, when I stopped liking him, all of a sudden he wanted to go out.”

The pieces came together. ”You didn't change your mind about going to U.T. because of Kyle. All along, it was because of Ted. Because he and Lucy weren't getting married.”

”So what?” Her nose was red, her skin blotchy.

”Did you do this kind of thing to her? Hara.s.s her like you've hara.s.sed me?”

”Lucy was different.”

”She was going to marry him! But you left her alone and went after me. Why? I don't get that.”

”I didn't love him then,” she said fiercely. ”Not the way I do now. Everything changed after she ran out on him. Before then-I had a crush on him like everybody else, but it was a kid thing. After she left, it was like I could see all the pain in his heart, and I wanted to make it go away. Like I understood him when n.o.body else did.”

One more woman who thought she understood Ted Beaudine.

Haley's eyes were fierce. ”I knew then that I'd never love anybody like I love him. And if you love somebody that much, they have to feel it back, don't they? I had to make him see me for who I am. It was working, too. I only needed more time. And then you went after him.”

Haley was long overdue for a reality check, and Meg was angry enough to deliver it. ”It was only working in your fantasies. Ted was never going to fall in love with you. You're too young, and he's too difficult.”

”He's not difficult! How can you say that about him?”

”Because it's true.” Meg stepped away from her in disgust. ”You're a baby. Eighteen going on twelve. Real love makes you a better person. It doesn't turn you into a sneak and a vandal. Do you really think Ted could love someone who's been hurting another person the way you have?”

Her words. .h.i.t home, and Haley's face crumpled. ”I didn't want to hurt you. I just wanted you to leave.”

”Obviously. What were you planning to do to me today?”

”Nothing.”

”Don't lie to me!”

”I don't know!” she cried. ”I- When I saw you swimming, I guess I was going to take your clothes. Maybe burn them.”

”Real mature.” Meg paused and rubbed her wrist where Spence had grabbed her. ”Instead, you came out of hiding to protect me.”

”I wanted you to go away, not get raped!”

Meg didn't think Spence would have raped her, but she tended to be an optimist.

The sound of tires on gravel interrupted their drama. They turned together and saw a powder blue pickup racing down the lane.

Chapter Nineteen.

Meg had forgotten the security camera, and Haley didn't know about it. Her head shot up in panic. ”You're going to tell him what I've done, aren't you?”

”No. You're going to tell him.” Haley had been spiteful and destructive, but she'd also protected Meg from Spence today, and Meg owed her something for that. She grabbed her by the shoulders. ”Listen to me, Haley. Right now you have a chance to change the course of your life. To stop being a sneaky, destructive, love-struck child and start being a woman with a little character.” Haley winced as Meg dug her fingers into her arms, but Meg didn't let go. ”If you don't stand up right now and face the consequences of what you've done, you're going to be living your life in the shadows-always ashamed, always knowing you're a mean little rat who betrayed a friend.”

Haley's face crumpled. ”I can't do it.”

”You can do whatever you set your mind to. Life doesn't give you many moments like this, and you know what I think? I think that how you act in the next few minutes will dictate the person you're going to be from now on.”

”No, I-”

Ted jumped out of his truck and rushed toward Meg. ”The security people called. They said Spence showed up. I got here as fast as I could.”

”Spence is gone,” Meg said. ”He left when he saw Haley.”

With one sweep of his eyes, he took in Meg's bare legs and the damp T-s.h.i.+rt that didn't quite cover her wet panties. ”What happened? He gave you trouble, didn't he?”

”Let's just say he wasn't pleasant. But I haven't blown your big deal, if that's what you want to know.” Of course it was what he wanted to know. ”At least I don't think I have,” she added.

Was the relief she saw on his face a reflection of his concern for her or for the town? She wanted more than anything to tell him what had happened, but that would put him in an impossible situation. No matter how hard it would be, she was going to bide her time, just for a few days.

He finally noticed Haley's red eyes and blotchy face. ”What happened to you?”

Haley looked at Meg, waiting for Meg to bust her, but Meg stared right back. Haley dipped her head. ”I-got a bee sting.”

”A bee sting?” Ted said.

Haley gazed at Meg again, daring her to say something. Or maybe begging her to do what Haley couldn't manage for herself. Seconds ticked by, and when Meg didn't say anything, Haley began to pull at her bottom lip. ”I've got to go,” she finally mumbled in a small, coward's voice.

Ted knew something more than a bee sting had transpired. He looked at Meg for an explanation, but Meg kept her focus on Haley.