Page 95 of Shattered Hearts

“Only okay?” I question, hearing the hesitation in her voice.

She clears her throat, hair falling in front of her face, shielding it from my gaze. She explains what the midwife told her. My breath hitches, the tingling sensation of trepidation biting at my throat as I continue to drive, hand clutching the wheel tighter. I want to reach out and pull her towards me.

Laynie sniffs.

“Biscuit…”

“I’m so scared,” she chokes out through her tears. My chest tightens painfully. “What if something is wrong?”

“It won’t be.”

She shakes her head. “You can’t say that. You don’t know.” She bawls harder, hands holding her face.

I pull over on the side of the dirt road in the emergency lane. Rain continues to drum around us, but I can hear her crying through the noise. Unclipping my belt, I pull her as much as I can into my arms, kissing her forehead as tears stream down her cheeks like rivers.

“I don’t know, okay. I have no idea, but whether something happens or it doesn’t, I promise you that I will be right here.” I kiss her forehead, the warmth flooding my mouth. “I’m not going to leave you, Laynie.”

Her cries muffle a fraction, enough for me to get my thoughts in order as I hold her in her crammed little car. The engine is off, lights cut out, as we sit in the dimness of the full moon hanging low in the sky.

Stroking her hair, Laynie’s head curls into the crook of my neck. She coughs out, “Do you remember when I went to Sydney?”

Her question brings bile to my throat. We’re going there, are we?

“Yeah, I remember when you left town.”

Sniffling again, her fingers hesitate for a beat before entwining in mine, as if she considered pulling away, putting that distance between us again, but reconsidered.

Thank goodness.

“I went because I wanted to see my cousin. She’d been struggling ever since my aunt died a year ago.” My head tips forward, recalling the funeral. “And she needed me. She’s been with her dad, helping him with his work, and she needed a break.”

“So you went,” I continue when Laynie pauses.

“I went because I was feeling lonely as well.”

That makes my frown deepen.

“Mum and Dad were gone, and they were hard to get a hold of since they were in and out of reception. You were hanging out with Sawyer a lot before he left for the season, which I understood, and he and Cole were constantly vying for your attention for gaming.” I clear my throat, slightly confused with where she’s going with this. “I really missed having someone with me, and I know that’s incredibly selfish, but all I wanted was your attention, Grayson.”

“My attention?” I huff out. “You always have my attention, Laynie. You have since we were in preschool.”

Her glistening eyes meet mine, and I shatter a little seeing her this torn. “I’ve liked you for a long time, Grayson. I’ve liked you since high school, but it felt like all we would be is friends.”

My hand runs down my face. “That’s why you slept with Scott?”

She nods slowly, another tear trickling over her bottom lash line. I reach out and wipe it away.

“I felt like I was never going to be good enough, that all I’d be is your friend, and I couldn’t deal with it. My parents weren’t there to talk to. Macie always knew I liked you, but she didn’t want to get too involved.” She sighs. “So when Scott offered to take away some of my anxiety and thoughts, I agreed.” She sucks in a deep breath.

My pulse thumps. “You slept with him because you felt alone?” Laynie’s eyes find mine, and the pain behind them is enough of an answer. “You were never alone.”

“It felt like it, and then I went and did something stupid.” Her hand smacks her head.

I shake mine. “You’re not stupid.”

She sits up, staring at me. “I know I’m not stupid. I said it was a stupid idea.” She argues, her chest moving faster.

“Err, right,” I murmur, focusing on her shaking.