“Well then, why don’t you tell me the whole story and maybe I can help. My last name isn’t Price but my word carries some weight in our town. I am the star quarterback, after all. But I need to know what you’re not telling me. I’m not going to vouch for you if I don’t have all the facts.” His eyes bore into mine and I can tell he’s being serious. He’s a handful, but I don’t think he’s malicious. He doesn’t know me. I’m pretty much a stranger to him. Of course he’s going to take Ryan’s side over mine.

Ben is an alpha male so he’s not led by the pack mentality that runs our town. He wants to think for himself. Maybe I should give him a chance. We’re probably just butting heads because he’s not used to being around a girl who speaks her mind. He’s more about the eye candy and getting down to business than having any real, meaningful conversations with a member of the opposite sex. All right, let’s take it slow and see how it goes.

“What’s the deal with you and Ryan? Are you friends with him?” I begin, feeling him out.

“He’s the punter on the football team this year, and he’s been talking a lot of smack about you in the locker room. The guys eat that shit up. At first, I think he only did it to get a rise out of me because he knows I work for Eric. But when I didn’t bite, he kept at it because the other guys were pumping him up, making him feel like he’s such a player when they’re really laughing at him behind his back.” Ben drops an arm onto his knee, driving with one hand. “You see, the Prices may be feared, but they’re not respected. People put up with their shit and kiss their asses to get a job or win an election. Stuff like that. But nobody really likes them.”

“Why am I not surprised?” I remark bitterly. “I’m ashamed to say I did the same thing.”

“Yeah, but when you’re put in the position of not having any other choice, you do what you gotta do whether you want to or not.” Ben’s more practical than I thought. He has a handle on how the town operates.

“But you’re probably wondering how I went from being lifelong friends with Ryan to being enemy number one.” I run a hand through my hair, nervous about what I’m going to reveal.

“The thought did cross my mind, and I assumed it had to do with your relationship with Eric, but there’s something else, isn’t there?” Ben is dying to know. I might as well tell him.

“Ryan tried to rape me then cover it up by having Lauren slander me in the Gazette by saying I was going to be arrested on some trumped-up charges. But it was all a smoke screen to get me away from Eric. Will was the one who let us in on their plan before it was too late. If not for Will, I’d probably be pregnant and alone somewhere. That’s why I’m dropping everything and flying across the country. I owe Will big time for what he did for me and Eric.” A light of understanding flickers in Ben’s eyes, like something I said just clicked with him.

“Eric found out what Ryan tried to do to you and beat the crap out of him, didn’t he?” Ben asks, even though he doesn’t need my confirmation. “Because Ryan was walking around town looking all banged up after the film festival, but no one could figure out what had happened to him. He said he fell down a flight of stairs but no one bought it.”

“Yeah, I gotta admit that I didn’t see it coming. I thought Ryan was my friend. I still can’t believe what he tried to do to me. I don’t think I ever will.” I wipe away the tears welling in my eyes with the back of my hand. I refuse to let Ben see me cry.

“So you didn’t hear about the girls’ swim team then?” Ben cocks his head to look at me.

“What about it?” I sniffle, afraid of where he is going with this.

“Ryan got caught spying on them when they were changing after a meet. He was almost suspended, but his father got him out of it. The coach who squealed on him lost his job, but that didn’t stop him from telling anyone who would listen. He didn’t keep quiet because he feels Ryan’s a threat.” Ben eyes me warily, waiting for me to figure out the implications behind his statement.

“You think I’m a coward for not reporting him to the police, don’t you?” It’s clear what he’s accusing me of, and on this matter, I am guilty. I can’t talk my way out of it because Ben’s right. I am a coward.

“I think you’re putting a lot of innocent girls in danger by not coming forward. I get the influence his family has and how they could ruin you, but aren’t they already doing that? What do you have to lose by going to the police?” Here I was, afraid that Ben was going to attack me, but instead he’s lecturing me on the merits of bringing a sexual deviant to justice. It just goes to show how paranoid I’ve become and how every guy’s actions have seemed suspicious to me, even when they’re not. Hell, ten minutes ago I was even afraid to be in his truck.

“I’ll consider it when I get back, all right?” I need Ben to meet my eyes to know I’m serious, but he waits a second or two before turning his head.

“Well, I really hope you change your mind because that coach who got fired was my brother.” The severity of what he’s telling me starts to sink in.

“Oh jeez, Ben. I didn’t know…” I tense up, realizing the ramifications.

“So you better think long and hard if you’re going to continue to keep silent or if you have the guts to tell the truth.” He seems disappointed in me for not doing the right thing, but he’s giving me a second chance to make amends.

I just don’t know if I’m ready to take him up on it.

Eric

It’s after midnight and I still haven’t heard from Ivy.

I pace back and forth in front of the crackling fireplace, my phone clipped to my belt. I’ve left three messages, and she hasn’t called me back. Ben stopped by around quitting time to let me know that she’d made it to the terminal okay, but that’s about all I know. I don’t have Will’s number, so instead I booted up my laptop. Luckily, I was able to log into her email account since the computer remembered her password settings. I sent Will a quick line asking him to let me know that Ivy arrived safe and sound, but so far he hasn’t bothered to reply.

The woman I love is pregnant, traveling alone, and going to a place she’s never been. Of course I’m freaking out. Where the hell can Ivy be? She promised to call the moment her plane touched down in L.A. which should’ve been hours ago. Maybe I’ll look up the number of the airline and see if they can confirm that her flight arrived. It’s making me nervous not knowing where she is.

What if something happened to the plane? What if something’s wrong with the baby and she got rushed to the hospital? What if Will got into a car accident after picking her up?

Shep whines as I slam my fist against the mantle. Where is she? I slump to my knees, burying my head in my hands, when my phone rings.

Please let it be her.

“Where are you?” I growl into the receiver.

“I know you’re upset. Don’t worry. I’m okay. Everything’s fine.” The warmth in Ivy’s voice flows through me. It’s what I needed to hear. I can relax now. “I was in the restroom on the plane and I was shuffling through my purse when my phone fell in the toilet. The stewardess kept knocking on the door, telling me I had to get back to my seat because the captain had turned on the ‘fasten seatbelts’ sign. But you know how I have to pee all the time. I just couldn’t hold it. I was trying to hurry, but it was so cramped in there. Ugh, leave it to me to do something like that.”

“Why didn’t Will just let you use his phone when you landed?” I get to my feet and brace myself against the mantle lined with pictures of Ivy and me.

She doesn’t respond right away, and I don’t like it.

“Ivy?” I press her when she remains silent.

“Because he wasn’t waiting for me when I got off the plane,” she says, pissed to have to admit it.