FicWad

A BEAUTIFUL LIE

CHAPTER THREE

“What did you just say?” Shannon asked her.

Skyla pretended that she hadn't said what she did, and instead answered with, “That I need to talk to both you and Jared when we get back.”

“About what?” Shannon pressed her. “Is it something important?”

“I don't know. Maybe. But I would rather tell you guys together, so I don't have to repeat it over and over again.” Skyla pulled her phone out and noticed she had a new text from Jared. She read it.

“Where are you at?” he had sent her. Skyla checked the time on the text and saw it was sent about an hour ago. She replied to it anyway.

“At the beach house, where you took me that one time. Remember?” she sent him.

“Yeah. Is the power out up there? Are you okay?” Jared texted back immediately. Skyla could tell he was worried by the tone of his messages.

“Yeah, the power's out. I'm okay, but I'm with Shannon.” Skyla wanted to hug Jared and tell him that everything would be fine. But she knew it wouldn't be. Especially after what she had to tell them. “I have to tell you and Shannon something when we get back.”

“Okay. Why don't you and Shannon just come on back here now? We have power.” Jared was doing a damn good job of tossing out offers to cause Skyla temptation. She gave a small sigh.

“Let me check with Shannon.”

“Okay. Check back with me, please.” Jared was going to have to wait awhile.

“Do you want to go ahead and go on back now? Jared said they had power,” Skyla told Shannon.

“Why not? At least they have power,” Shannon said. He walked to the door and looked out at the stormy sky. “Let's go now, while it isn't raining.”

They both grabbed the things they had brought in and dragged them back out to Shannon's Jeep. They tossed the bags into the backseat and Skyla helped Shannon put them where they were protected by the top of the Jeep. As they both climbed in, the rain started pouring down again.

“I think we got in the Jeep just in time,” Shannon told Skyla.

“Yeah. Let's hurry and maybe we'll beat the rain back,” she answered.

As Shannon drove back, Skyla kept looking up at the stormy sky, and made a silent wish that it wouldn't start pouring down until they met back up with Jared.

Jared! Skyla thought. She grabbed her phone and texted him. “We're on our way there. Be ready for us because it's about to start pouring down rain.”

“I've been ready for ten minutes.” Jared must have an umbrella ready in case it starts pouring down on him before they get there. Skyla wished he wouldn't wait, then realized that she needed to get her wishes in order.

As Shannon pulled into the driveway, he reached back and grabbed the bags they had packed. “Go ahead and go on in. I'll be in soon!” he told her.

As it began pouring down rain again, Jared came out to meet her with an umbrella, just like she thought. “Hurry!” he told them as he handed another umbrella to Shannon. They ran inside and stood wringing wet on a thick doormat; Skyla shook off the water and stomped up to her room. After she changed into a dry t-shirt and a pair of plaid pajama pants, she laid down on her bed and went over how she was going to tell Shannon and Jared her news in her head. Her thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked on her door and Jared and Shannon let themselves in.

“So what is this news you have to tell us?” Jared asked her. He was wearing a pair of pajama pants similar to hers and a black t-shirt; he sat down in one of the black velvet chairs in her room as she got up to tell them.

“It's not good news,” she began. “It's more like... old news. And I only want to tell you because I feel it could change a lot of things between us.”

Shannon stopped tracing the pattern on his gray sweatpants and looked up at her. “What are you saying?”

“Yeah, what are you saying?” Jared asked her.

Skyla took a deep breath and let it out. “I was engaged last year, but the guy disappeared and I called off the engagement. I barely knew him, but I do know he's supposed to be a damn good lawyer-”

“So I'm married to a girl who is supposed to be engaged to some lawyer?” Jared asked her. “Anything else you know about this guy?”

“Um, he has recorded a classical music album, he's filthy, stinkin' rich, and we met when we were getting certified for scuba diving?” Skyla knew she should have kept this to herself.

“What's his name?”

Skyla was silent. “Geoff Waters.”

Jared looked over at Shannon. “You're being awfully quiet. What do you have to say about this?”

“That this is between you and her! But thanks for including me in the conversation.” Shannon winked at Skyla as he left her room.

“Now I have something to tell you. Leave. Leave before I regret it.”

“But Jared-”

“Just leave!” Jared yelled at her.

Skyla began packing a backpack of clothes. She grabbed her purse and looked back at him with tears in her eyes. I shouldn't have even opened my mouth! was her last thought before she left.