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“Did he touch you?” He asked ready to commit a crime.
Maybelle put a reassuring hand on his, “Just listen.” She requested weakly and he did as she explained her first encounter in the store, the internal realization that she would be the first loser in a low budget horror to fall victim to slow moving killer, and then Clayton snatching up her keys.
“He was absolutely unnerving the whole time but when I rejected a date with him because I was dating you and I’d rather kiss a toad— with tongue— he turned horrifying.” Trey felt sick, sick that he wasn’t there for her and sick with a feeling that he had an idea of what came next.
Maybelle sat up, “I don’t believe anything he said, I just need to preface with that, but he told me that you were responsible for the death of my family, that you attacked him.”
Trey sighed, it was now his turn to story tell, “The night of the accident, I caught Clayton Thomas harassing you. Trying to get you alone to where he could do god knows what. I didn’t think twice, I laid him out with a punch, only one.” He clarified and Maybelle smirked, nodding for him to continue, “I then told him if he didn’t get the hell off that beach, he would regret it. Clayton being the bitch he is, left immediately; he was wasted though and so was the friend he got to drive him home.” Trey paused looking down at his hands, hesitating before his admission. But she needed to know, she deserved to know.
“His friend was the drunk driver that hit your family’s car that night.” He whispered. A small gasp left Maybelle’s lips before her hands were up covering her mouth.
“Oh Trey.” She said softly and Trey couldn’t look at her. Right then, her small hands were framing his face, bringing his focus back to her. Trey trembled, dreading to see the abhorrence in her features but those blue, green eyes were only filled withworry, worry for him.
“You don’t blame yourself, do you? Because you shouldn’t, you did absolutely nothing wrong.” She said earnestly as she searched his face and Trey almost broke down right there.
Those first few months after finding out about who the driver was and putting two and two together Treyhadblamed himself, absolutely hated himself for it. The weight of Maybelle’s coma, loss and Liam’s death weighing heavily on his shoulders, but it was Doctor Brown in the hospital who had sat with him, listened to his innermost turmoil, and walked him through all the reasons he was not to be held responsible.
“I did.” He admitted, “But I had good support reminding me that I had done nothing to be guilty for.” Maybelle let out a deep exhale she must have been holding as she waited for his answer.
“Good.”
Then she was in his lap, her legs draped over one side of him as her head fell to his chest. Trey felt like a weight lifted off of him, not realizing how much the anxiety of how she would react to the truth had been plaguing him for the last year and some months.God, he loved her. This woman was everything, everything he ever wanted or needed. The woman he had anticipated as he waited by her sleeping side.
“I should also tell you; I met the love of my life today. I hope you understand.” Maybelle said, her words warm against his chest.
Trey laid them both back into the net of the hammock as he asked, “Oh, and who might my competition be?”
“Hannah Lacy, she’s a hottie and my hero. I plan to marry her. You should have seen the way she put Clayton in his place, it was inspiring.” Maybelle professed and Trey pulled her in tighter.
He didn’t know the shy girl from high school well, only that Hannah and Maybelle always sat next to one another at lunch and various school events which he had greatly appreciated at the time. Knowing his quiet Maybelle wasn’t alone. It was touching to hear little Hannah Lacy was still there watching out for Maybelle after all this time.
“While I am indebted to Lacy for saving my girl, she is going to have to get in line. I called dibs on making you Maybelle Turner far before she entered the picture.” Maybelle guffawed.
“Trey Turner, you are something else.” She uttered against his neck, placing a kiss there that warmed his whole body, “I love you.” She finished, and Trey hauled her closer.
“I love you too, May.”
Trey held his girl like that for a while, under the stars happy that this was his life. That after all the shit he was happy, and he was not alone.
He could feel Liam then. Feel his friend watching. He hoped that he knew how much he missed him, how sorry he was for that last night, and that Liam heard his unspoken promise that he would spend the rest of his life loving and cherishing Maybelle. That Liam’s drunken anxieties from that night on the beach had been put to rest, that he knew Trey would forever protect Maybelle and encourage her the way Liam would if he were here. He prayed to whatever listened that Liam was happy and would know that Trey would forever remember him, his captain, his best friend.
39 Pizza and Make Outs
Summer break.
How the hell was it already summer break? Football season had come and gone for the boys, they sadly didn’t qualify for championships this year, Trey wasn’t too upset though. He had told Maybelle he was hopeful with a few new promising recruits next year and more playing time for him and Williams they would have a greater chance for championships.
With football being done Maybelle and Trey had a lot more free weekends to visit Chelsea and time to spend alone together. This new openness in their schedules left room for more opportunities for a lot more beach trips, longer morning walks, and just time to themselves.
Tonight, they decided they were due some much needed friend time, so Maybelle and Penny put together a girls’ night at their apartment while the guys all got together with a few members of the basketball team.
“I seriously love pizza.” Maybelle gushed as she and Penny climbed out of Trey’s Jeep.
“Oh, me too girl, it was nice of Trey to let us use his carto go get it! He must really trust you. Daniel would never let me drive his motorcycle. Granted, I would probably crash it.” Penny tittered carrying the two boxes of pizza up the stairs behind Maybelle.
They made it to the apartment door and Maybelle held the way open for Penny, “I didn’t really ask. Williams snatched the keys for me while Trey was taking his last proctored online exam for the semester.”
In the apartment a speaker was playing music while Gracie and Madelyn sat on the couch speaking very animatedly, “Yeah, I think it might be soon!” Gracie squealed to Madelyn who mirrored her enthusiasm.
