Call Me Irresistible (Wynette, Texas #5)(102)

Was the relief she saw on his face a reflection of his concern for her or for the town? She wanted more than anything to tell him what had happened, but that would put him in an impossible situation. No matter how hard it would be, she was going to bide her time, just for a few days.

He finally noticed Haley's red eyes and blotchy face. "What happened to you?"

Haley looked at Meg, waiting for Meg to bust her, but Meg stared right back. Haley dipped her head. "I-got a bee sting."

"A bee sting?" Ted said.

Haley gazed at Meg again, daring her to say something. Or maybe begging her to do what Haley couldn't manage for herself. Seconds ticked by, and when Meg didn't say anything, Haley began to pull at her bottom lip. "I've got to go," she finally mumbled in a small, coward's voice.

Ted knew something more than a bee sting had transpired. He looked at Meg for an explanation, but Meg kept her focus on Haley.

Haley dug into the pocket of her microscopic shorts for her car keys. She'd parked her Focus facing the lane, presumably to make a fast getaway after she'd burned Meg's clothes. She pulled her keys out and studied them for a moment, still waiting for Meg to expose her. When that didn't happen, she began taking short, tentative steps toward her car.

"Welcome to the rest of your life," Meg called out.

Ted regarded her curiously. Haley faltered, then stopped. When she finally turned around, her eyes were bleak, pleading.

Meg shook her head.

Haley's throat muscles worked. Meg held her breath.

Haley turned back toward her car. Took another step. Stopped and faced him. "It was me," she said in a rush. "I'm the one who did those things to Meg."

Ted stared at her. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm-I'm the one who vandalized the church."

Ted Beaudine wasn't often at a loss for words, but this was one of those moments. Haley twisted the keys in her hands. "I sent that letter. I put the bumper stickers on her car and tried to break off the wipers and threw the rock at her windshield."

He shook his head, trying to take it all in. Then he rounded on Meg. "You told me a rock fell off a truck."

"I didn't want you to worry," Meg said. Or take it upon yourself to replace my Rustmobile with a Humvee, something you're perfectly capable of doing.

He spun back to confront Haley. "Why? Why would you do all that?"

"To-to make her leave. I'm . . . sorry."

For a genius, he was slow on the uptake. "What did she ever do to you?"

Once again, Haley faltered. This would be the hardest part for her, and she looked at Meg for help. But Meg wasn't giving it. Haley's fist curled around her keys. "I was jealous of her."



       
         
       
        

"Jealous of what ?"

Meg wished he didn't sound so incredulous.

Haley's voice dropped to a whisper. "Because of you."

"Me?" More incredulity.

"Because I fell in love with you," Haley said, each word wrapped in misery.

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard." Ted's disgust was so palpable that Meg almost felt sorry for Haley. "How could tormenting Meg show your so-called love ?" The word was a snarl that sent Haley's fantasy world crashing around her.

She pressed her hands to her stomach. "I'm sorry." She started to cry. "I . . . never meant for it to go so far. I'm-so sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it," he shot back. And then he delivered the final proof of exactly how unrequited her feelings for him were. "Get in your car. We're going to the police station. And you'd better call your mother on the way because you're going to need all the support you can get."

Tears rolled down Haley's cheeks, and small, choked sobs caught in her throat, but she kept her head up. She'd accepted her fate, and she didn't argue with him.

"Hold on." Meg blew air into her cheeks, and then released it. "I have to vote no on the police."

Haley stared at her. Ted waved her off. "I'm not arguing with you about this."

"Since I'm the victim, I get the final say."

"Like hell you do," he said. "She terrorized you, and now she's going to pay."

"For whatever it cost you to put in my new windshield, that's for sure."

He was so furious that his skin had gone pale beneath his tan. "For more than that. She's broken at least a dozen laws. Trespassing, harassment, vandalism-"

"How many laws did you break," Meg said, "when you vandalized the Statue of Liberty?"

"I was nine. "

"And a genius," she pointed out, while Haley watched them, not sure what was going on or how it would affect her. "That means you were at least nineteen in IQ years. That's a year older than she is."