Page 71 of Just Friends
There was also an inordinate number of police officers there; they all expressed their condolences. They all had a camaraderie and respect for Weasel. But she couldn’t help but think thatif someone planned to rob a bank in White Oak, it would be a perfect time. After she met Nick, the other detective, Weasel walked out with him leaving her alone with the gang. Autumn and Dan didn’t have the baby with them.
“Where’s Danny?” she asked. She could have used some cuddles.
“My mom’s watching him,” Autumn said. “How are you holding up?”
Rebecca shrugged. “Fine, I guess.”
“Has Weasel been with you the whole time?” Ben asked. Ben and Dan both knew. She was guessing that Brandon did not. Otherwise Autumn would know. It was getting too complicated to keep this quiet. But she couldn’t handle the expectations right now.
“Yeah,” she said. “He’s been great. Supportive…just don’t ask me what I’m doing with him.”
???
The visitation stretched on until eight p.m. She should have never agreed to this. Slowly all of her friends, family, and random people from the town dwindled out until she, Weasel, and the staff were the only ones there. Weasel had leftto warm up the car and pull it up to the exit; he was working to take care of her. He didn’t have to be here or do any of this, and there he was without complaint. Rebecca had to decide. She’d ignored her mother since the conversation about the burial went south, and she’d put off giving John a definite answer.
Rebecca dropped to a chair in the front row and closed her eyes, not positive if she could stand again. Someone sat next to her, and she assumed it was Weasel until a hand landed on her knee, and it wasn’t him.
Rebecca shot up and whirled around to Kyle.
“Hi,” he said.
“Yeah, hi.”Why was he there?
“Sorry about your dad.”
“Thanks,” she replied but remained still.
“So, you’re with Weasel now?” Shaking his head with an amused smirk on his lips. “I mean, seriously, that guy? You wouldn’t come back to me…What does he have thatI don’t?”
Kyle’s cocky, condescending tone combined with the clown, and all he’d ever said to her collided with her nerves at the end of their rope. Weasel was a far better man than Kyle would ever be.
“You have some nerve showing up here,” she said. “After everything you did to me. The things you used to say to me…If even half true, why would you want to be with me? Then using the clown fear against me after I left you for sleeping with someone else. You are a nasty, spiteful, petty little man who would put me down to make yourself feel better. You hoped I would never realize you couldn’t give me what I deserved in a relationship. And I wear heels now.”
Kyle jumped from the chair and charged, but she held her ground. He stopped toe to toe with her and this time she didn’t back down. No more cowering. It surprised him; he studied her, questioning. She smiled at him and tilted her head in a slight nod toward the door; he bolted away from her when he saw what she already knew was there. Weasel, watching.
“You asked me what he has that you don’t,” she whispered. “My back.”
“You know what? I’m glad you’re out of my life. You’re so sensitive and overreact to everything. Good riddance,” he lashed out. Kyle stomped off toward the door, and to her relief, Weasel stepped aside for him to pass.
But Kyle wouldn’t go quietly. He stopped, smirking up at Weasel. “Couldn’t wait to get on my sloppy seconds, huh? Did you even wait a day before you made a move? Just between us, she’s a very dull lay. You’ll get bored.”
Weasel leaned close and said something to Kyle that she couldn’t pick up. He stepped forward forcing Kyle to back further into the lobby out of sight. Rebecca ran to the door and peered out spotting Larry at his office entrance looking worried.
“Stop,” Kyle yelled. “You send your little cop friends after me, but you’re not gonna do a thing but hide behind that badge.”
“Come at me and find out,” Weasel said.No. Please don’t.
“Yeah, I’ll have you fired so fast…”
Weasel leaned in and repeated something thatshe couldn’t hear; whatever it was had Kyle stumbling away again. He turned on his heels and went out the back door. Weasel moved to the door and looked out and watched, before grabbing her coat off the rack and returning to her. He held it out to help her into it as if nothing had happened. She slid her arms into the coat and the warmth wrapped around her shoulders.
“Are you okay,” he asked gently leaving his arms around her for a beat.
“Yeah,” she replied, sliding her fingers into his, and he brushed his lips over the back of her hand.
Weasel closed her door, and she settled into the car, the heater working overtime. Her extremities weighed down as the brief shot of adrenaline drained, leaving her eyelids heavy. But she forced them to stay open this time, making sure the man getting in next to her was the right one. When Weasel slid into the driver’s seat, she leaned against the headrest letting her eyes drift shut.
“What did you say to him?” she asked without opening her eyes.