"So how does Jackson fit into all this?"

"Personally, I think Ann's tired of fighting the system. She's been trying to get tenure for a long time, and for some reason, they keep pa.s.sing her up. She told me a couple of times it's because someone high up found out about us. I think she's using Jackson to appear 'normal' and to get what she wants."

"That seems like a pretty lame reason to mess up a relationship. Do you really think that's the reason?"

"I've known Ann for a long time. I know she loves women. I can't fathom any reason why she would be with Jackson other than to advance her career."

"That's terrible. It doesn't say much for Ann's credibility." Hayden looked at Abbey and saw the hurt in her eyes. Maybe she was being too harsh on Ann. After all, she didn't know her. "I'm sorry that you're hurting," Hayden said. She couldn't help thinking Ann was stupid for leaving Abbey for any reason. Didn't she know that Abbey was the best? That Abbey was smart and funny and obviously cared about Ann a lot?

Abbey reached down and grabbed another beer. "Want another one?"

"No, thanks, you go ahead." Hayden said, finally feeling a little more normal as the effects of the beer wore off. "I'm good for now."

Abbey popped the can open and white foam bubbled up through the opening in the top. She licked the foam from her fingers, then took a big gulp. She leaned back on her elbows as the summer breeze combed through her hair and let out a sigh. "Life sucks sometimes, doesn't it?"

Before Hayden could answer her, there was a rustling of the tall gra.s.s next to the sand dune and a blinding light aimed right at them. Abbey and Hayden jumped to their feet. They held on to each other and shielded their eyes to see who was approaching.

"Police officer, I need to see some ID."

Chapter Fourteen.

Hayden panicked. She thought for sure they were going to jail. During the whole ordeal, she prayed to G.o.d to get them out of this, and she swore if He did, she'd never touch alcohol again. She knew Abbey was scared, too. She had a lot to lose. Drinking alcohol in a deserted park with a former student late at night never sounded good no matter how you told the story.

Abbey appeared to sober up instantly. The frightening possibility of going to jail would do that to you.

"Is there a problem, Officer?" Abbey's voice shook with anxiety.

The police officer shined his flashlight into Abbey's face. "Abbey Spencer, is that you?"

Abbey raised her hand to shield her eyes. She turned her head and squinted, trying to see who it was.

"Carl Hecker?"

"Yep. I haven't seen you since we graduated from high school. I thought you moved away."

"I did. I got a teaching job in Youngstown, so I live there nine months out of the year," Abbey said, still trembling. "So how have you been? Are you still dating Arlene?" Abbey thought the more small talk she engaged in, the less likely Carl was to turn this little reunion into something criminal.

"No, we broke up a couple of months ago. Said she needed to find herself, whatever that means. She went back to college to get her teaching certificate. Last I heard, she wanted to be a gym teacher."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I always thought the two of you made a nice couple."

Carl shined the light onto the blanket. The beam of light shone on the empty white beer cans. Hayden's heart caught in her throat.

"So, Abbey, it's kinda late to be out here. You know the park closes at sundown."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Carl, I didn't realize. We were just sitting here talking. Hayden here is a..." Hayden looked up to meet Abbey's gaze. "Hayden is a friend of mine from Youngstown."

Carl flicked the beam of the flashlight over to Hayden. "Can I see some ID, please, miss?"

Hayden reached into her back pocket and pulled out her driver's license. Her hand shook as she handed it to him.

Carl flashed the light on Hayden's license, then back on her face. He handed the license back to her.

"Abbey, can you step over here please?" Hayden watched as Carl pulled Abbey aside and shined the light in her eyes. "Have you been drinking?"

Abbey looked up at Carl, then down at her sand-covered sandals. "Yes, Carl. I'm not going to lie to you." Abbey started to cry.

"Has the other girl been drinking, too?"

"A little, I think. Maybe...I'm not sure."

"What the h.e.l.l are you thinking? You're setting yourself up for a boatload of trouble here. You know better."

"I do, Carl, I do. I just...I've had a rough couple of days."

"Well, you're in no shape to be driving. I can't just let you go."

"I know. I'm sorry." Abbey's insides shook.

Carl looked over at her. "I need to interview the girl. If I give her a field test and she pa.s.ses, I can let her drive you home with only a summons for public intox. But if she's been drinking and is intoxicated, too, I'll have to arrest you and her."

Adrenaline shot through her body as she started to realize the consequences of her actions.

Carl stepped closer to Hayden. "Have you had anything to drink tonight?"

"Yes, sir, a few sips of beer." Hayden felt her face heat up.

Carl glanced over at Abbey and exhaled. He shined the light into Hayden's eyes and made her extend her arms out to her sides and walk a straight line, not an easy feat in sand.

"Touch your index finger to your nose," Carl commanded.

Hayden did as he asked.

"Can you recite the alphabet backward?"

"Z-Y-X-W-V...".

"Okay...okay. Look, here's the story." Carl held up his index finger. "Number one: this isn't the safest place for two nice young women to be sitting and talking, especially being out here drinking. And number two: It's against the law to be in a state park and have alcohol." Carl pulled a ticket book from his back pocket and began to write. "Since Hayden here appears to be fine, I'm going to let you off the hook with only a summons for public intoxication. For your own safety, I'm going to ask Hayden to drive you home."

"I'm really sorry about this, Carl," Abbey said in a last-ditch effort for sympathy from the officer.

"I am, too." Carl tore off the pink ticket from its binding and handed it to Abbey. "Now, Hayden, please make sure Abbey gets home safely, will you?"

"Yes, sir," Hayden said. Abbey handed her the keys.

Carl walked them over the sand dune to Abbey's car. Hayden got in the driver's seat and turned the key in the ignition.

Carl tapped on the window, motioning for Hayden to roll it down. "I'll follow you out to make sure you get on the highway safely." Carl walked back to his cruiser, which was parked next to Abbey's car.

Hayden pulled the car onto the main road. "My G.o.d, that was close." Abbey was still shaking, her breath coming in deep gasps.

Hayden looked into the rearview mirror and saw the cruiser headlights. She drove slowly, probably too slowly, but she didn't want to give Carl any reason to stop them again. She wanted to get Abbey back to the hotel where they would be safe.

Hayden finally reached the Presque Isle exit. She waved to Carl in her rearview mirror and turned right onto the highway. "Thank G.o.d you knew that officer," Hayden said.

"I know! He really did cut me a break. It could have been much worse." Abbey's voice still trembled with anxiety.

Hayden looked over at Abbey. "Are you okay?"

Abbey's face crumpled as she started to cry again. "It feels like my life is falling apart. Everywhere I turn, it seems like something bad is about to happen. I've never felt so alone in my life."

Instinctively, Hayden reached over and held Abbey's hand. "It's okay. I understand." Hayden's mind raced at what to do next. Maybe they could go someplace and sit and talk privately without the threat of being arrested. Hayden remembered pa.s.sing a McDonald's on the way to Presque Isle.

"How about we get some coffee or something? There was a McDonald's a ways back. "

Abbey nodded. "That sounds good, but my hotel is at the next block. There's a coffee shop in the lobby. We could go there," Abbey said, reaching in the glove compartment and pulling out a tiny plastic package of tissues.

Hayden pulled the Mustang into the Holiday Inn lot. They walked into the lobby and over to the coffee shop, only to find the door was locked.

"They closed at nine tonight." Hayden looked at her watch. "It's almost eleven o'clock."

"I have a coffeepot in my room. If you don't mind the cheap stuff, I'd be happy to make you a cup."

They took the elevator to Abbey's room in silence. Hayden silently reveled in the excitement of being so close to Abbey. They got off the elevator, and Abbey patted herself down, looking for her room key, which she found in her front pocket. Abbey unlocked the door and held it open for Hayden. Abbey followed and put the deadbolt and safety chain lock on.

The hotel room didn't look much different than it did the previous night. Only now discarded white bath towels joined the clothes on the floor. At least Abbey had rounded up the empty fast food bags and crammed them in the plastic trash can she retched in. Since both chairs were still piled high with clothes, Abbey gestured to the bed. "Have a seat while I make the coffee."

Feeling suddenly nervous, Hayden stood next to the bed while Abbey went into the bathroom. The coffeemaker hissed and groaned, and a few minutes later, the smell of fresh-brewed coffee permeated the room. Abbey filled two Styrofoam cups.

Abbey poked her head through the bathroom threshold. "Do you take cream?"

"No cream. Sugar, please, if you have it."

"We don't have any sugar. But I can go to the desk and get you some."

"No, that's okay. I can drink it black. "

Abbey handed Hayden the steaming cup of coffee and sat on the edge of the bed. Hayden stood in the middle of the room.

"Come on, make yourself comfortable." Abbey patted the s.p.a.ce beside her.

Comfortable? Is she kidding? Hayden stiffly sat on the bed and took a sip. There was a tingling in the pit of her stomach. The reality that she was here, alone with Abbey in a hotel room, sitting on a bed next to her was hard for her to comprehend. Her breath caught in her throat every time she looked at her. She was so beautiful.

Abbey looked up from her coffee. "I bet you never thought you would see your English teacher make such an idiot of herself." Abbey took another sip.

"I have to admit, it has been pretty exciting. I mean, I don't know about you, but I've never been arrested before."

Abbey smiled. "Almost arrested," she corrected.

"Okay, almost arrested. But like you said, it could have turned out a lot worse."

"Yes, it could have. If the school board or a parent got wind of this, I could lose my job...my career. You have no idea what it's like to have to watch every step you take knowing if someone found out who you really are that everything you worked for could be taken away from you....let's just say, it's a lot of pressure sometimes."

Hayden tried to look sympathetic, but her nerves were getting the best of her. "I can only imagine how difficult it must be," Hayden said and took a tiny sip of coffee.

Abbey swung her legs around and leaned back against the headboard. "Even when you think you've done all the right things, it can still blow up in your face."

"Do you mean with your relationship with that professor?"

"Yes, I guess so," Abbey said softly. She looked down at the Styrofoam cup in her hand. "Hayden, have you ever been in love?"

Hayden looked down. "No." Except for you.

Abbey smiled. "I was never in love, either, until I met Ann." Abbey paused. "I thought we would be together forever. She was the one person I thought I knew and knew me and loved me no matter what, warts and all. I guess I was wrong."

Hayden wanted to tell Abbey that if she were hers, she would love her no matter what, but that wasn't what Abbey would want to hear right now.

"I think the only way you can really know if someone loves you is if they love you even if you aren't always at your best. n.o.body is perfect, we all have our flaws." Hayden blushed. She had never spoken to anyone about how she felt. No one ever asked.

"Well, I certainly haven't shown you my best lately, have I?"

Hayden shrugged. "I understand, and right now you're going through a rough patch. Sometimes people do crazy things when they're sad. It doesn't make them bad people."

"I hear what you're saying," Abbey said, "but I'm supposed to be a role model...your role model. I guess I really screwed up any positive image you ever had of me, right?"

"That's not true. Anyway, when it comes down to it, aren't we all just human?"

"You are so right," Abbey said. "You're really something special. Here I am making an a.s.s out of myself on a daily basis, and you're the picture of politeness. Are you always this polite?"

"I...uh...guess so."

"You're so mature and levelheaded for your age. I wish I was half as levelheaded as you are. You really do seem to have it all together." Abbey looked over at Hayden. Hayden smiled shyly. If I'm so levelheaded, why is it that I can only think of kissing you right now?

Abbey and Hayden talked into the night. Abbey found herself confiding in Hayden things she hadn't even told Ann. It felt so easy talking to Hayden. There was no judgment. She truly seemed interested in what Abbey had to say and how she felt. Abbey hadn't felt this comfortable with someone in a long time. Especially after what was happening with Ann lately. With Ann, Abbey felt like she had to choose every word carefully so as not to upset the fragile piecework they had built to put their relationship back together.

Abbey drained her coffee cup and stood to get a refill. "You ready for more coffee?"

"No, thanks. I'm good."

Abbey returned with her fresh cup and sat down again next to Hayden. She looked over at Hayden. A rush of affection washed over Abbey. It scared her to see what she saw in Hayden's eyes. But what scared her even more was that she couldn't deny the spark of excitement she felt. Abbey's heart raced. She wanted to blame it on the coffee, but she knew that was a lame excuse. Yes, Hayden was an attractive girl, but she was a former student.