Breaking Lacy (Nick & Lacy Book 1) Read online

  He lost his gaze to her window yet again, and then he sighed. “I thought I could change her mind, but she’s really leaving. It might not be right now, but she’s going to go eventually. I just didn’t believe it would ever really happen. She’s the one making the choice. She’s the one who’s leaving me.”

  Kevin stood up and threw his beer bottle in the trashcan, and I realized he was about to leave my room.

  On to phase two.

  I pulled out another beer and handed it to him. “You serious about this thing with Lace being over? You’re not gonna try to work it out?” I asked, sitting up to perch on the edge of the bed.

  “What point is there? What does it matter if she’s planning to leave?” he asked, as he took a fresh swig.

  “It matters because if you’re serious, I have a proposition for you.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You interested in taking care of Claire for me tonight.”

  “What!”

  Kevin stared at me in shock. I shrugged, indifferent. “I’m not in the mood to deal with her. Kara got her all worked up, and I hate being used as a backup fix.”

  “You’re joking, right?”

  I shrugged again. “If you and Lace are over, why keep holding out?”

  Kevin’s brow furrowed in uncertainty. He glanced over to Lacy’s window, and I could tell he was torn. “I don’t know,” he drawled, chewing on his bottom lip in indecision.

  “You might as well go ahead and get this infatuation with Claire out of your system now, because if you and Lace work this out and end up going through with the wedding, you won’t be able to later. I mean, technically, you are broke up right now, right?”

  His pensive frown turned into one of thoughtful consideration. “You’d let me have Claire?”

  I laughed. “I’m not letting you have her. She’s more than willing to give herself.” I cast a sheepish glance down to my fingernails. “Of course, if you don’t want to…”

  “No, no,” he said, so quickly that I almost laughed. “You’re seriously going to let me? And you wouldn’t get mad, or rat me out to Lacy, or act shitty with me tomorrow?”

  I lay back down with my hands behind my head and smiled. “Consider it a gift for the broken-hearted. You can owe me.”

  Though he would probably rather not know my plans for repayment.

  “Just don’t do it here in the house. Show me some gratitude and respect by taking things out to the tool shed or in your car or something.”

  Lacy

  Kevin wouldn’t be in bed so early. He probably told Nick that he didn’t want to talk to me because he was still mad over our fight. Annoyed by his unwavering petulance, I grew restless and finally put my pajamas on, the flannel ones that would keep me warmest the longest. As had come to be my habit since childhood, I grabbed a blanket and climbed out my window, up onto the roof. I lay there staring up at the speckled sky, hoping to find solace in the stars.

  Nick

  I’ve discovered that people are predictable for the most part, and phase three of my plan hinged on that. Five minutes after Kevin left my room, Lacy opened her window and climbed up to the roof.

  I only hoped the chilly pre-midnight air didn’t send her back inside too soon.

  Lacy

  I stared up at the stars and relived my horrible day.

  I was losing my boyfriend because of my own selfishness, and I was going to lose my career because of my parents.

  If only daddy had allowed me to take my trip to New York. Rather than spending all day tomorrow packing for my trip, I would be at the mall shopping with my mother instead.

  I guess I did need to do my holiday shopping anyway.

  I sat up abruptly.

  I didn’t need daddy to let me go. I had my own money saved from years of birthday cards, Christmas, and allowances. Would I have enough?

  I definitely had enough for a bus ticket. If I had to take a bus, I would need to leave tomorrow night in order to ride all day Sunday and make it to New York by Monday morning. Mother and I would split up once we were in the mall. While she thought I was off shopping, I could hail a cab and make it to the bus station before she ever missed me. Alternatively, if I had enough money to buy a plane ticket, I wouldn’t have to leave until Sunday evening, in keeping with the original plan, but I would need a ride to the airport in Asheville. I didn’t know anyone who drove their own car besides Kevin, Nick, and Mark.

  Mark would take me, but after a fender-bender last weekend, his car was in the shop.

  Then there was Nick. We hadn’t spent a lot of time together over the past few years, so I wasn’t sure how he would take my request. He had outgrown playing and goofing around with Kevin and me years ago when he was still in high school and found girls more entertaining. Since then, he was hardly more than a familiar presence on weekends and holidays. Would he be willing to help me run away? The downfall to asking Nick for the favor was that, not only might he refuse, he might agree with my parents and tell them that I propositioned him, thus assuring they would leave me no opportunity to sneak away.

  There was always Kevin, of course.

  Now that the reality of my future was hitting him in the face, perhaps I could convince him to not only help me sneak away, but maybe even come with me. It would definitely help to have his protective presence by my side during the trip to the enormous and frightening city. Perhaps the excitement and spontaneity of running away to New York with me would make him realize that my future wasn’t something to fear, but rather something to be excited about. Once we were in the city, maybe he would open his mind up to the idea of building our lives somewhere besides Claryville. Perhaps if we took this trip together, he would finally believe that he had no reason to feel threatened by my future. There had to be a way for us to compromise. We loved each other. Neither one of us were willing to give up on that. That was reason enough to maintain hope.

  While I mused up on the rooftop, Claire’s car came up our driveway and pulled to a stop behind Andy’s. I watched her quietly make her way toward the back of the Martin house, until she disappeared around the corner of the house and entered the through the back door leading into their kitchen. I turned my attention back to the stars, trying to distract my thoughts from the long day that, thankfully, was nearly over.

  Nick

  Phase four was initiated when Claire arrived. I had lain there on the bed, staring back and forth from my ceiling to the rooftop next door, waiting for her, lost in a delicious fantasy of how tonight would play out for Lacy and me.

  The back door opened and closed, though my sleeping parents couldn’t have heard the squeaks and creaks from their room at the other end of the hall from mine, which was closest to the stairs. A few minutes later, Claire quietly opened my door and smiled when she saw that I was still awake.

  She silently crossed the room and straddled me on the bed. An instant later, she forced me down to my pillow with a heated kiss. An image of Lacy crossed my mind, and I pulled back. She pouted. The moonlight and shadows did little to shield her disappointment.

  “Kevin’s had a rough night.”

  “Poor baby,” she moaned, running her hand into the waist of my pajama bottoms and kissing a trail down my stomach to follow. I took her chin and forced her to look up at me.

  “He and Lace broke up. The ‘poor baby’ needs help licking his wounds.”

  Claire’s smile returned as she rose from my belly. “Really?”

  I shrugged. “I know you both want to. And since this afternoon got screwed up…”

  Claire threw her arms around my neck and kissed all over my face in childlike little pecks. I laughed as I pushed her away again, and this time she stood up. “I promise I’ll take good care of him. I’ll pull out all the stops and make it good for him, Nick, I swear.”

  Guilt found me. Poor Lacy wouldn’t know what hit her, but I’d be there to pick her up and dust her off. After all, the pain she would feel tonight was all my making. It was only right
and noble that my eagerly waiting arms were open for her to run to, and my supportive, understanding shoulder was available for her tears.

  “I know you will. I don’t mind you doing it, just not while mom and dad are sleeping in the next room. You’re too loud.”

  I stood up and gave Claire a hearty spank on the ass before walking her to the door. She gave me her lewdest, sexiest smile. “We’ll do it in your daddy’s work shed. I’ve always wanted you to do me out there. You wanna come watch?”

  Not even a little bit.

  “I might come out for a peek later if you’ll do me a favor.”

  “Anything!” she said before kissing me long and hard with enthusiastic gratitude.

  “I gotta get dressed. Go ahead and tell Kevin to wait for you on the back porch while you run down to the fridge and fetch me a beer.”

  “You got it.”

  As soon as Claire left, I started changing into the clothes I’d worn earlier. I kept an eye on Lacy, and a few minutes later, she perked up when the back door opened and closed again.

  “Here ya go. Hey, I had an idea,” whispered Claire, when she came back with my beer. “Instead of just watching, you wanna join us?”

  Claire must have been nuts to think I wanted to be there while she slept with my brother! It was one thing to have knowledge of her promiscuity, but I had never wanted to participate when she was with another guy! Nevertheless, I indulged her. “Maybe. Couple more of these,” I said, holding up a beer, “ya never know what might happen. Make Kevin down one or two to loosen him up while you’re at it.”

  “Okay, bye,” she said, and then closed the door.

  I set the beer aside and rushed over to the window. Lacy was making her way to the edge of the roof overlooking our shared side-yard. She had a clear view of both backyards, as well as the west corner of our back porch.

  “Kevin!” she whispered, though I knew she was too far away for him to hear. “Kevin,” she called again, a bit louder. I could tell by her growl of frustration that he didn’t hear her.

  Lacy climbed back down the roof and disappeared into her window, closing it behind her only seconds before the back door opened as Claire joined Kevin. Lacy pulled the shade back down, and the shadows revealed the profile of her tugging the top of her pajamas up and over her head. As always, the sight put me in an instant state of arousal that, any other time, I might have locked my door and tended to in short order. I didn’t have time tonight though.

  The fifth and final phase was now set in motion and it was time for my active participation. I pulled my shirttail out to hide my noticeable predicament, grabbed my jacket and a beer, and then left my room.

  Nick

  Five minutes later, I sat on the back porch drinking my beer in the dark when Lacy emerged from her back door and crossed her yard to mine.

  “Kevin,” she whispered, once she was close enough to get my attention. When she realized I wasn’t Kevin, her steps faltered. “Oh! Hi, Nick. I could have sworn you were Kevin.”

  An honest mistake, considering last time she checked, it was him. Not to mention, Kevin and I both had the same dark brown eyes and the same dark brown hair to match, though I wore mine a little longer than Kevin did. I had played sports in high school just as my brother did now, which gave us both a comparable amount of muscle. I was an inch or so taller than Kevin, but other than that, neither of us had any distinguishing features that set us apart from each other. Especially to one who’d been looking from a distance in the dark.

  “Nope. Sorry to disappoint cha.” I took a drag off my cigarette, and she started to turn around to leave. “What are you doing up so late?”

  She stopped and turned back to face me fully again, taking a few steps closer to the porch, presumably, so she wouldn’t have to speak too loudly for me to hear her. “I couldn’t sleep. What about you?”

  “Same here.”

  She smiled and shuffled awkwardly for a moment. Even though she’d put on a pair of jeans, and a thick cable-knit sweater under her jacket, she still hugged herself. “Well, I’ll leave you alone.” As she turned and started away yet again, she said, “Good night, Nick.”

  “Hey, Lace, since you’re already here, you might as well stay and keep me company for a few minutes. Want a beer?”

  She turned back to me again, her eyes narrowed in uncertainty.

  “Oh, come on. One beer won’t hurt cha.”

  Before she could refuse, I got up and went inside to grab two more brews out of the fridge. When I came back out, she lingered in indecision at the bottom of the porch. I opened both bottles and held one out for her as I sat back down.

  “I don’t know…” She eyed the beer in my hand and watched me as I took a drink from mine.

  “Got to now. I already opened it.”

  She glanced around warily, as though she were afraid someone would see her drinking with me, then sighed, came up the steps, and took the bottle. “Alright.” Under her breath, she added, “Lord knows I need one.”

  Not as much as you’re going to, I thought. “What’s that?”

  “Oh, nothing. I’ve just never drank before so don’t laugh and make fun of me if I get goofy.”

  She sat down in the chair beside mine and turned the bottle around in her hands. She tucked her hair behind her ear and then picked at the label for a few seconds. Her hesitation gave me a chance to study her.

  Her thick, wavy hair fell loose down her back. Her posture was stiff and straight, her chin level as she stared out over the yard. She looked ghostly pale in the moonlight, and her lips seemed an almost unnatural shade of red in comparison. Lost in thought, her brow furrowed.

  “Is something wrong, Lace?”

  “No!” she answered, too quickly.

  “You sure? Because you seem wound up awfully tight tonight.”

  She let out a soft groan and relaxed into the chair. Glancing down at the beer, she started to lift it to her lips, only to drop it back to her knee.

  “You don’t have to drink it. Here,” I said, reaching to take the bottle away from her. “I shouldn’t have offered it anyway. You still be a minor.”

  “No,” she said firmly. Then, she put the bottle to her lips and gulped down a mouthful. She shook her head and scrunched her nose as if she’d just taken a bite of lemon. I let out a quiet laugh, and she joined with her own. “Not bad.”

  “Yeah, right,” I said, as my laughter died.

  We fell into an amiable silence, staring out over the darkness of my backyard. It was after midnight. Claire and Kevin had been in the tool shed for nearly ten minutes already. Claire was no doubt performing some prep-work on her knees. Once things got underway, I knew—knowing Claire—that we would hear them. I just had to keep Lacy out here with me long enough for the show to start.

  An owl hooted from a tree at the end of the yard. One of my mother’s wind-chimes tinkled lightly from farther down the porch. Otherwise, the night was still and quiet. When I looked over at Lacy again, her head leaned back against the chair. Her eyes were closed, the faintest smile curling her lips.

  Lacy was breathtaking. Claire was beautiful in a sexy way that turned heads when she wore something skimpy or flashy, but Lacy was a classic, timeless beauty that didn’t need the make-up or delving blouses. She was sexy without trying, with her eyelashes so long you couldn’t see the bright blue of her eyes unless you were face to face with her. Her cheeks were rosy and round, seemingly made for cupping and caressing, something I desperately wanted to do at that moment.

  A breeze swept a strand of hair across her nose. She opened her eyes, looked up at the starry sky, and her smile deepened. Lacy swiped the hair from her face and turned to find me watching her.

  “What?” she asked, a blush creeping into her cheeks.

  “Nothing. I was just thinking that this is nice. It’s a nice night out and I enjoy your company. Why haven’t we done this before?”

  She grinned. “Well, first of all, you’re always away at school. And when you
are home, you usually go to bed so early that you’ve probably never seen me climb out on my roof at night. I come out and stargaze like this almost every night.”

  “You do, do ya?”

  “Especially on beautiful nights like this.”

  I stared at her long and hard. “Has it really been a beautiful night for you, Lace?”

  Her gaze locked with mine, no doubt wondering if Kevin had blabbed about their drama.

  “Well, I’ll tell ya, Nick,” she said, before finishing her beer and putting the bottle down. “I assume you’re well aware that the evening got off to a rocky start, but just before I came down here, I think I figured out a way to change it for the better.”

  “How’s that, Lace?” I asked, truly mesmerized by her now.

  “Why do you call me Lace? You’re the only person who ever does it and I’ve always wondered why,” she said, clearly trying to change the subject.

  How could I explain that she was beautiful and delicate in my eyes. Soft and intricate, dainty and pristine.

  “It’s just short for your name. I don’t know why I’m the only one, but you’ve never complained. Do you not like it?”

  “No, I do.” She smiled then. “I guess since you’re the only one who does it, that makes it a special ‘Nick only’ thing.”

  “I like ‘Nick only’ things. I don’t have many of those.”

  “You have plenty of them.”

  “Name one. Besides my car or anything else in my bedroom.”

  “Okay.” She nibbled her bottom lip in thought for a few seconds. “Your baseball card collection.”

  “I said my room was off limits.”

  “You love anchovies. You’re definitely alone on that one.”

  “Lots of people like anchovies.”

  “You come out here in the middle of the night to drink beer,” she said, looking satisfied that I couldn’t refute her.

  “Well, since you’re here with me, and I hope we get to do this again, by the way, it’s not a ‘Nick only’ thing anymore now, is it?”