I debate whether or not to tell Momma what I just saw. I want to call Ryan immediately, but I also want a moment to dissect what just happened. If I bolt out of here, my mother will call Ryan and I won't get the moment I so desperately need. I decide to confide in her and I hope it doesn't blow up in my face.
"I just..." I start, as she stares at me with concern. "I...I just got a text." I reach for my phone and my stomach clenches when I see the texts again. I look to her but before I hand her the phone, I say, "I know for a fact this isn't what it looks like. My question is why she's trying so hard to make it look like it is...that."
My mother takes my phone and I watch her expression change from concerned to horrified. With wide eyes she looks between me and the photos, "That's not..." She shakes her head, "Is that Whitney Carmichael?" All I can do is nod before she adds, "If this was any other female I would be furious but...this is Whitney. I don't trust what this looks like at all."
I nod, "Yeah. I know Ryan was working on something that was connected to the Carmichaels but...it doesn't explain this?"
"Well what did he find out?" She snaps, but I start pacing as I throw my hands up.
"I haven't a damn clue! He's kept me out of work for once. All I know is LulaBelle hired him for something and somehow the Carmichaels are connected and he doesn't even know that I know that much," I tell her and I have to put my hand on my chest to try and calm my breathing.
"Well now, I don't understand this whole set of blackmail photos. You can see his hand on her, he's pushing her away," She tells me and I stop spiraling to look at her.
"What?" I ask and she spins the phone toward me. She zooms in on the kissing picture and I was too busy looking at their lips to notice his hand placement. He has a hand on her shoulder and his neck is ever so slightly pulling back. At first glance, I wouldn't have noticed but now analyzing his body language, I can see he's pulling away and not leaning toward her. I sigh out some of my nervous energy but then she says, "But you can't zoom in on newspaper pictures if she were to send these over to Dash."
I frown, "These would hardly make the actual paper but she would definitely send these into his gossip blog."
"I still don't understand the purpose of taking these. Why would Ryan meet her at a hotel and what does he know?" She asks with a shake of her head. That's the million-dollar question. Why go through the trouble of setting this all up? She then adds, "Now, I know Ryan wouldn't throw his marriage away for Whitney bloomin' Carmichael, but if these get out, there will definitely be another scandal."
"Well thank you for giving him the benefit of the doubt," I tell her and I genuinely mean it. I couldn't endure another war with my mother.
"I know you are because we are both aware that he is very much obsessed with you. Anyone that knows Ryan, knows he wouldn't cheat on you. I can for a fact say that," she tells me and I nod. Ryan would keep secrets from me, and clearly even meet up with my sworn enemy, but he wouldn't cheat on his pregnant wife.
After letting me spin out for a few more moments she asks, "What are you going to do?"
"I will make myself sick if I don't talk to him. I can't wait until his stupid draft is over this afternoon. I won't be able to focus on anything until I get answers." I snatch my phone off the counter and stride out the back screen door. My stomach is in my throat as I stand on the patio to call him, but his phone goes straight to voicemail. I then try Austin and get the same answer. I know Theo's house is tucked away into a secluded area and that service can be spotty. My hands are shaking and I know I can't wait for him to come pick me up. That could mean hours of waiting. I whip the door back open and stride into the hallway as I yell to my mother, "I am borrowing your car! I need to see Ryan." She comes jogging in behind me and as I snatch her keys off the foyer table she says, "You're not supposed to leave here missy."
My hand is on the doorknob as I look to her, "I'm in your car which is trackable, I have my phone tracking still on and I still have this stupid pearl bobby pin literally tracking me. I am headed to Theo's. I think Ryan will understand my rash decision when I show him what's on my phone." I don't let her argue with me as I yank the door open. I practically sprint to her car parked under the pergola and I text him to let him know that I am coming to Theo's because of an emergency. I hope he sees it and calls me while I am headed there, so I don't have to awkwardly find him at the party. I have to remind myself to slow my speed since an accident or a speeding ticket won't do me any good.
My hands are still fizzy as they grip the steering wheel and I am surprised I have managed not to throw up. Whitney concocted an entire plan to make it look like my husband was having an affair but the thing that annoys me the most is Ryan hugging her in one of the first photos. I can't see his face and if I could, I'd be able to dissect the photo properly. I know Ryan's fake laugh and the false smile that he gives to polite company. I know his business voice that he uses with work and I can feel his body language change when he's uncomfortable. The problem is, I can't tell from black and white photos. Enough of a picture is painted, but I can see the whole story isn't there. His face isn't even on full display except when they are leaving the hotel and it's just a blank expression with his eyes hidden under black Ray-Bans. She's all smiles, but I also know Whitney's fake act. I know her loud, high-pitched laugh that she uses to flirt and the sly grin she saves for cute guys. I know how she flips her hair back to expose her cleavage and the subtle way she leans in to let a guy know she's interested- and all of that is on full display in the photos. Her golden aura shines through the images and to anyone looking, he'd be an idiot not to be interested.
Of all the people to touch Ryan, I hate that she got her hands on him. Even if it was a hug and a fake kiss, the fact that she weaseled her way onto my husband's lips has me wanting to rip her face off. I don't understand how she was once my best friend and closest confidant or how she managed to launch herself back into my life. It really is a fine line between love and hate.
I don't look to the exit where the hotel sits as I drive by, but it did only take about ten minutes to get there. I swallow down my nerves and use my hatred to step on the gas. Theo's mansion is only a few exits after the hotel, so it isn't long before I am turning off onto the road that eventually turns into a narrow one-lane road that snakes through a wooded area.
It isn't until I take the last sharp turn that I can see more of the road behind me. I was so focused on the task at hand that I didn't notice a black Audi SUV pull in behind me. I know Theo is hosting a party, so I don't know if I have any reason to be worried about having someone follow me onto the long driveway. I keep glancing to the rearview mirror but they have the sunvisor down, so I can only make out the bottom half of a man. I try to think of Kit and if he had facial hair the last time I saw him or any other physical attribute to help me determine if it's him from afar. I wonder if what I am doing is stupid, but then I think of Kit Cunningham coming to Theo Rigsby's draft party where Theo, Austin and Ryan would be and realize that would be a lot dumber.
When I slow my speed as I approach the gate, I pull my phone out and see I don't have any missed calls or texts. I send Ryan another text that I am about to pull up to the driveway. I notice Theo has his large, black iron gate wide open and judging from the number of cars parked around his massive driveway, I see why he didn't want to buzz everyone in. I glance behind me and notice the Audi didn't follow me to the left side of the driveway. There is plenty of parking across the wide slab of cement, but it looks like people weren't attempting to not block anyone in. No one would be able to leave in a hurry.
A few rows of cars stretch out across the front of the house so it's not immediately obvious where the Audi went. I notice Ryan and Gus's trucks standing out among the field of sleek luxury vehicles so I at least know he's still here. I try calling him one more time before my foot kicks open my car door, but I realize that I don't have service tucked up here in the woods either. I know I am going to look like the crazy wife that crashes the party, so I try and wipe the frantic look from my face. I still have a little color in my cheeks, so Ryan is going to know something is wrong as soon as he sees me. I take a deep breath in, trying to steady my hands but it doesn't work. This could be a massive fight or a huge misunderstanding. Was he going to tell me he saw Whitney even if it had to do with a case? Would he tell me that she kissed him? I step out of the car before I make myself nauseous again and close the door with a swipe of my left arm. It isn't until I spin around that I see Dot lingering by the bumper of the car next to mine. In a half a second I go from anxious to full-blown panicking and before I can take another step, I feel arms close in around me.
"Sawyer my darling, you almost made this too easy," she says with a wicked grin as I attempt to struggle out of the arms around me. I suddenly feel a strong hand gripping a cloth over my face as I'm about to scream. I flail my elbows about, trying to make contact with a body part but it only takes seconds before everything fades to black.