DISCERN Read online

  “Haley, please, I’m not making excuses. I’m calling to apologize,” he begged.

  “This isn’t the first time you have done something like this,” I accused angrily.

  “I know, but this time isn’t like the one before. I can’t really explain everything in detail, but please know that I never intended to hurt you or our relationship.”

  “You called to apologize, but you can’t really explain what happened? Is this the lie I’m supposed to believe? I’m supposed to change my mind and then allow you to be a part of my life again?” I asked irritated by his blatant lying. I had no intention of allowing him to answer.

  “No way in hell! I’ve cried my tears, and I’ve made peace with our breakup. I don’t believe a word you’re saying, nor will I ever. The answer is plain and simple…we are over. I hope you can fathom that.” I hissed.

  “I’m not asking for you to understand tonight. I‘m prepared to take as much time as needed to repair our broken relationship,” he exhaled. “I’m trying to relocate to an office in California so I can prove how much I love you.”

  The sound of the word relocate bothered me. “You are too late.”

  “Too late?’

  “Yes. I’m dating someone. I’m finally happy, so please just stay in Virginia,” I lied.

  “Are you serious?” He seemed to be flustered by the fact that I could have moved on that quickly.

  “Yes, I’m dead serious. I don’t want you anymore. In fact, I need to give you back your ring. It’s a constant reminder of broken promises, and I don’t want it affecting my new relationship.” I felt silly about lying, but I knew he would never stop trying if he thought there was a chance.

  “I don’t want the damn ring back. You can keep it. I’ll prove to you, Haley, it was all a misunderstanding, and you’ll be mine again. I can guarantee you that,” he promised.

  “I don’t want the ring or you,” I insisted angrily.

  “I hope this guy enjoys the small amount of time he will have with you,” he threatened.

  “If it isn’t him, then it will just be some other guy that will come along. But it’ll never be you again, Braden!” I yelled.

  “We have too much history together—you’ll come to your senses.”

  “I have come to my senses, and we’re through. Have a great life,” I said, ending the call.

  My lying skills had obviously improved. I pulled over on the side of the road to calm my nerves. I was proud of myself. A month ago I might have folded.

  I decided to kill some time and make a call while I was waiting for Braden’s father to leave my house.

  Ryan picked up on the first ring. “Ryan, guess who called and I accidentally picked up the phone?”

  “I don’t know, who?”

  “Braden!” I shouted. “I picked up the phone and answered it thinking it was my dad. I kind of lied to Braden, and told him I had moved on with someone else, so he’d leave me alone. If he only knew I was back in town and you and I were friends, he would totally freak.”

  “Haley, I could care less if Braden knew we were friends. Let him come knocking on my door. I have a few things I’d love to say to him,” he replied cockily.

  “Ryan, don’t be ridiculous, he would make your life miserable,” I insisted.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not afraid of him. I’d even play the role of your lover, if you’d like,” he joked.

  I laughed. Ryan had an unbelievable way of easing my worries. “You’re silly. I’m glad he doesn’t know where I am.”

  “It’s only a matter of time before he finds out, Haley,” he said seriously.

  “I know, but the more time I evade his presence, the stronger I grow.”

  “Yes, it’ll be easier to face him with more time and with such a handsome friend like me to fall in love with,” he joked.

  “I know, how can I resist?” I joked back.

  “How was class tonight? Did teach stare you down and corner you?” he laughed, but his question was serious.

  “Oh yeah, umm….I think we’ve been overreacting. He and I talked, and he’s actually a pretty nice guy. He apologized and swore that I was just a focal point. He said he still gets nervous when he’s teaching. This is probably only his first semester as a professor. He said that he tried to talk to me about it as he had become aware of how uncomfortable it was making me feel. He said every time he would try, it just made the situation worse,” I explained nervously, figuring Ryan would never buy Andrew’s explanation.

  “You don’t really believe that crap do you?”

  “Ryan, he was being sincere. He also gave me some good advice. Oh, and he also thought you and I were a couple. I cleared that up.” I could hear him sigh. “Oh, and he wanted to know if you could stop glaring at him during class.”

  “You should’ve told that creep we were together. And with this new information, you can bet that the glaring will only increase,” he warned.

  “Stop it. He was joking around. He walked me out to my car. He’s really nice. Just give him a chance,” I begged.

  “Haley, you’re so naïve. You’re a beautiful woman that gets a lot of attention from the opposite sex, and this guy is no different. He has asked you out twice before.”

  “That was before I was his student,” I reminded.

  “I can’t miss another class or you two will be getting married the next time I talk to you,” he scoffed.

  “Hush,” I said.

  “But on a serious note, we have a donation drive happening next Saturday. I was wondering if you could help out that day. We haven’t had many volunteers sign up.”

  “Let me check my schedule,” I laughed.

  “Seriously.” His voice was flat.

  “I can help, but I have no clue as to what to do.”

  “You’ll be at the welcome table with me. We simply thank everyone for their donations and write out a receipt,” he explained.

  “Sounds easy enough.”

  “Are you at home?”

  “No, I’m sitting in my car at the park,” I sighed.

  “Why?”

  “Braden’s father is at my house catching up with my dad. And you know I can’t let him know I’m in town.”

  “Come over to my house. Don’t just sit in your car,” he offered eagerly.

  “If my dad doesn’t call in the next few minutes, I will.”

  “Okay, my love, I hope to see you soon,” he teased.

  I knew Ryan had deeper feelings for me than just friends. Our friendship was part of the reason for my recovery, and I had no plans of jeopardizing it.

  My phone began to vibrate again—this time it was my father.

  “Is he gone?” I answered.

  “Yes. The coast is clear!”

  “On my way,” I said cheerfully.

  Ryan would definitely be disappointed that I wouldn’t be coming over, but hanging out at his house might have just lead to an uncomfortable situation. I didn’t have the heart to call Ryan and tell him, so I texted him before I left the park.

  I never got a return text, so I figured his feelings were hurt. Hurting his feelings was not easy, but I wasn’t ready for anything more than friendship.

  My dad was waiting for me when I got home. “Sorry about that, sweetie.”

  “Surprise visit?” I asked.

  “Yes, normally he’s hunting in Canada,” he said, arching his brow.

  “Why was he here?”

  “Said he forgot some of his hunting gear.”

  “That’s strange”

  “Yes, it was. I believe he was checking in for his son.” He rolled his eyes.

  “Makes sense. I accidentally picked up the phone tonight thinking you were calling back, and it was Braden.”

  “Well, good news, Tom Mitchell is headed back to Canada and thinks you’re in California.”

  “Good work, Dad,” I smiled.

  “Anything for you, sweetie.”

  We continued to talk for a good hour or so, before retiri
ng to bed. He questioned my relationship with Ryan, seeing if I had moved on with anyone else—the usual everyday questioning.

  ~~~*~~~

  The next afternoon my phone rang. “Hey you, what’s going on?” I answered.

  “So pretty lady, you got any plans for this fine Friday evening?” Ryan joked.

  “Nope,” I answered. Friday nights had been exceptionally boring these past couple of months.

  “Would you like to have some plans?

  “Depends on the plans.”

  “Woody’s with a few old high school buddies—maybe a little pool and drinks.” His voice sounded excited with hope.

  “I’m not twenty-one yet,” I reminded.

  “Eighteen and older now.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep, they still serve alcohol, but it’s a fairly small place, so they can keep an eye on things.”

  “I guess. Who are these ‘buddies’ in town?” I asked.

  “Mike Carroll, John Bowman, and Aaron Michaels.”

  “They hate me, don’t they?”

  “No, they hated Braden, not you,” he assured. “Braden separated you from everyone.”

  “Yeah, I forgot,” I sighed. Ryan was being nice. It wasn’t just Braden, it was also my lack of interest in anything after my mother’s death.

  “So are you coming?” he asked eagerly.

  “Yeah, as long as there are no hard feelings.”

  “They will be so excited to see you.”

  “What time are you going there?”

  “We’re heading up there around eight. You want me to pick you up?” he offered eagerly.

  “No, that’s okay, I’ll drive,” I said nicely. If I chose to ride with Ryan, he might think it was a date.

  “See you there,” he said disappointed.

  Ending the call, I sat down on the bed, contemplating tonight’s decision. Woody’s was a relatively low-key place, so no chance of running in to anyone I knew or anyone that knew Braden.

  I shook my head in disappointment with these negative thoughts. That girl was gone. I had a positive outlook, and I planned to keep it that way.

  After examining each piece of clothing from my closet, I decided on a soft, blue cashmere sweater, dark jeans, and a pair of brown flat shoes. I pinned my hair up, leaving a few strands loose. I applied foundation and finished up with some powder and mascara. I was trying—trying to get back in to the routine of wearing makeup again. I took one last look in the mirror before heading out.

  Woody’s was an old, dingy brick bar located a few minutes outside of town, sitting right off the main highway. My tires crunched down on the gravel that covered the parking lot. Ryan’s truck was already parked.

  I opened the door to the bar and noticed Ryan right away. I gracefully made my way over.

  “Hey there!” he exclaimed.

  “Hey,” I smiled. “Where are the guys?” I asked, searching the place for familiar faces.

  “Shooting pool.” He pointed in the direction of the tables.

  My eyes darted in that direction, before returning back to Ryan. “What are you drinking?” I asked looking down at his glass.

  “Rum and coke,” he said, taking a sip.

  “What would you like to drink, ma’am?” A female voice interrupted.

  “I’ll take a soda,” I smiled.

  “Are you sure, dear?” she smiled deviously.

  “Yes, just a coke will do,” I smiled back. She wouldn’t have carded me, but I wasn’t big on drinking, especially if I was driving. And I would just end up acting foolishly. Something I was sure Ryan and his friends would thoroughly enjoy.

  “Haley Helms, right here before our very eyes!” A loud voice echoed.

  “Hey guys,” I said, clutching my purse. “Maybe this was a mistake,” I whispered to Ryan.

  He placed his hand over mine. “Just give them a chance. They’ve missed you,” he assured.

  “Okay,” I sighed.

  “I heard you lost two hundred pounds,” John Bowman laughed.

  I wasn’t catching on to the joke. “Oh, really,” I said flatly.

  “He’s talking about Braden,” Aaron answered.

  “I get it, now,” I pouted.

  “Sorry, they’ve been drinking since three,” Mike Carroll chimed in.

  “Hey there, Mike, how’ve you been?” I asked, trying to smile.

  “Pretty good, loving Arizona,” he said.

  “Are you going to school there?”

  “Yeah, I graduate this year,” he said smugly.

  “Good for you.”

  “So are you going to school around here?” he asked politely.

  “Yeah, for this year, then I’m going back to California.”

  “Mike, get your ass over here!” John exclaimed.

  Mike excused himself and went back over to the pool tables.

  “That wasn’t so bad,” Ryan said.

  “Sure.”

  “Haley, no one is upset with you. You had a rough few years and everyone understands,” he smiled.

  “There are a few who would love to rub my latest tragedy in my face though, I’m sure,” I sighed.

  “But they don’t matter.”

  “I guess.”

  “Ryan!” John shouted across the bar. “Time to shoot!”

  Ryan shot a quick glance in their direction. “I’ll be right back. I’ve never been good at pool.”

  “Okay.” Making my way to the restroom at the back of the bar, I noticed Andrew sitting at a table with three men in dark suits—casually standing up and leaving his table. They exited the bar. My eyes met Andrew’s, and he flashed a wide smile.

  “Good evening, Miss Helms.” The words flowed off his tongue smoothly, as I passed by his table.

  A smile swept across my face. “Hi,” was all I could manage to say.

  “Enjoying your night?” he grinned.

  “I guess.”

  “Not your usual hang out?”

  “Not really, but it’s better than sitting at home alone.”

  “I see,” he smiled. “Would you like to have a seat at my table?” he asked.

  I nervously took a seat. The dim lights flashed, as they always did when he and I were close. The waitress noticed my table change and headed our way. “Would you like another, sweetie?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll have another, too,” Andrew said, keeping his focus on me. “I didn’t think you were twenty-one yet,” he mentioned casually.

  “I’m not.”

  “How are you being served?”

  “I’m not drinking alcohol, just a soda,” I smiled.

  “You don’t seem like the type to break the law.”

  “You’re right. I’m too afraid of the consequences,” I admitted, sounding apologetic for my lack of a wild side.

  “That’s admirable.”

  “So, is this where you spend your Friday nights?” I asked. Hard to believe this place was his type of venue. He looked more like a fitness instructor than a professor, and this was definitely not a place for either.

  “No, just met a few guys here to discuss business.”

  “It doesn’t seem like your kind of place,” I smiled.

  “It doesn’t seem like yours, either.”

  “You’re right again,” I grinned.

  “A nice coincidence then,” he smiled. “So have you finally adjusted to being back?”

  “I’ve gotten used to it again, but I still miss California.”

  “It isn’t that bad. At least you have a teacher that lets you out early and whose class is ridiculously easy,” he winked.

  “Yeah, that’s a plus.”

  “So when do you turn twenty-one?”

  “April eighteenth.”

  “Still have a while.”

  “Yes. I’m in no hurry to grow up, so it suits me just fine.”

  “Yes, growing older is never fun.”

  “How old are you?” I asked.

  “Twenty-six.”
>
  “You’re really young for a professor, but I think I’ve mentioned that a couple of times before,” I blushed.

  “I appreciate your observation, but I feel much older than twenty-six. I’ve lived quite a life.” His eyes met mine. My heart fluttered ever so slightly.

  “So are you enjoying your fan club?” I asked teasing.

  “I’m not sure what you’re speaking of.”

  I flashed a disbelieving look. He couldn’t possibly be that blind. “All your admirers in class. You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed!”

  “Oh, I don’t really pay much attention.”

  “You don’t expect me to believe that?”

  “Haley, I really don’t pay attention to any of the other women in my class.”

  Immediately, I noticed the word ‘other’. “You never know what you’re missing out on,” I teased.

  “I doubt much,” he grinned. “I think your friend is coming back to claim you.” He nodded toward the bar.

  I turned just in time to see Ryan headed our way. I rolled my eyes. “This should be interesting,“ I mumbled.

  “Yes, it should,” Andrew agreed. I was surprised he had heard my last comment. The bar was unusually loud with talking and music.

  “Haley, we’re going to roll out of here. You ready to go get something to eat?” he asked glaring in Andrew’s direction.

  “I’m not really hungry,” I said nervously, worried about Ryan’s reaction.

  “Well, we’re leaving. I can walk you to your car if you like?” Ryan asked, continuing to glare.

  “I can walk Haley to her car,” Andrew offered.

  “Haley, I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here,” Ryan said, softly touching my arm.

  “I’m fine,” I insisted.

  “She’ll be fine,” Andrew asserted.

  Ryan’s face was hurt as his eyes met mine. “Well I’m not leaving until you do,” he said firmly.

  My eyes met Andrew’s “Perhaps I should go. Maybe some other time.” I really wanted to stay, but the hurt look upon Ryan’s face was enough for me to end the intense showdown between the two.

  “Another time,” Andrew smiled.

  “See you Monday.” I slid down from the stool.

  Ryan quickly followed behind me. We reached the front door without a word. He was definitely upset. I could feel the gravel rocks below my feet as we walked along the parking lot.

  “Did you really want to stay with him?” His voice cracked.