Tornado Allie(22)

“Exactly. Look what you would have missed.” Taryn wrinkled her nose. “Please, no details.” She shrugged. “So he lied. Are you telling me you’ve never lied before?”

She bristled. “I don’t lie.”

Taryn gave her a smug smile. “How about when you said nothing happened between you and Tony Michaels our junior year of college?”

Oh God, I’d forgotten all about that. “I… What are you talking about?”

“I know you two made out.”

Taryn didn’t sound angry, but Lord knew she had a right to. All through school, Taryn had crushed on the star quarterback.

One night, when Allie was home for the weekend, she had wound up at the same party as him. After listening to her drone on for an hour extolling her best friend’s virtues, he’d shut her up by kissing her. And she’d let him. Then stayed silent about it to her best friend. How did Taryn find out?

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m a horrible friend. I knew you liked him, and I made out with him anyway.”

“Yes, but you didn’t lie about it. You didn’t tell me, and I never asked. As luck would have it, it worked out for the best. A few years ago, I ran into him.” In typical Taryn fashion, she paused dramatically for effect. “At a family reunion  . He’s my second cousin on my Dad’s side.”

“Ew. How could you not know he was your cousin?”

The cab merged into airport traffic and headed toward their air carrier.

“You’ve been to my family’s barbecues. My cousins each have something like eight kids. Who can keep up?” Taryn retrieved her credit card from her purse. “You saved me from making out with my cousin. See how sometimes lies of omission can work out for the best?”

Allie laughed despite the pain lancing her heart. “That’s a bit of a stretch, but I get your point. I didn’t lie to hurt you, and it all turned out all right in the long run, but it’s different for Drake and me.”

Taryn took her hand and squeezed. “It’s time to take a risk, don’t you think?”

Taryn was right. People lied all the time, including her. She’d used it as an excuse because if she hated him, she wouldn’t miss him. Wouldn’t ache every time she saw him at work. Wouldn’t dream of how good it felt to make love with him. But it wasn’t fair to him. He needed to know the real reason they couldn’t be together. All she knew was she couldn’t leave him this way.

As their taxi pulled to the curb in front of departures, Allie made a decision. “I can’t fly home today. Not before I talk to Drake.” She’d have the cab bring her back to the hotel. Then she remembered what Cole had said when he’d knocked on their door this morning. “How am I going to find him? They were going out to chase storms before meeting up with their new tour group, and I don’t have their itinerary.”

“It’s a good thing I love you,” Taryn said, handing the driver her credit card with one hand and hitting Dial on her cell with the other. Allie heard a male voice coming out of the receiver end of the phone. “No, I didn’t change my mind. I’m calling for Allie.” She slid a glance at her. “My girl’s pretty wrecked too. That’s why I need to know where she can find you.” She grabbed a pen and a receipt from her purse and scribbled on it. “I don’t care what you have to do, just get him there in two hours. No, I so don’t owe you a thing. Yeah, whatever.” Hanging up, she handed her the slip of paper. “They’re on their way to Norman. Jack will pretend his minivan broke down and get Drake to pull over by the state park. He gave me the crossroads.”

The driver returned the credit card, and Allie and Taryn slid out of the van.

Allie’s hands shook, and she tapped her foot on the concrete impatiently as she waited for her luggage from the trunk. “You know, I could call Drake and tell him I’m staying.”

Taryn’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “Where’s the romance in that?”

She followed Taryn to the bank of computers and watched her friend check in for the flight. “Are you ever going to tell me what’s going on with you and Jack?”

Taryn didn’t look up from the computer. “I’m pissed because he won’t give me a divorce.”

Divorce? When did they get married? Didn’t she hate him? Why didn’t she tell me? Does Drake know?

Taryn held up a hand to silence the billions of questions she knew Allie would throw at her. “That’s all I’m going to say. Let’s focus on you and my brother for the moment.” After the attendant took Taryn’s suitcase, Taryn put her newly printed boarding pass in her purse, grabbed Allie’s hand, and yanked her toward the escalators. “We need to rent you a car.”