For Him, I Would

Chapter Four - You have to figure out how to start healing.

Oakley watched Beth Dutton call her cellphone for the third time this morning. After her screen turned black, Oakley sighed and finished up her coffee. She didn't want to talk to anyone with the last name Dutton if she could help it.

It was Sunday, her day of rest, and Oakley had already done two loads of laundry and cleaned her entire cabin. She had planned this, so to have the afternoon and evening to sit and read, maybe take a walk with her dad later around their property...anything to keep her mind off a certain blonde.

There was a sharp pounding on her door before it flew open. Oakley stood up from her small kitchen table, still in her pajama shorts and top, while Beth walked in.

"Your phone broken?" Beth snapped, shutting the door.

"Uh," Oakley crossed her arms. "I guess sort of like your manners?"

"Hi Buttercup," Beth smirked. "I thought we could grab brunch?"

"No one does brunch here, Beth," Oakley rolled her eyes, sitting back down. "You're not in Salt Lake anymore."

"Don't remind me," Beth glanced around Oakley's place. "This is cute."

"It's perfect for me," Oakley rolled her eyes again. Once again the Duttons had this power to make her feel like she was a teenager again.

"Come on, get dressed," Beth sat down on the table. "I'm hungry."

"I just said,"

"Or would you like me to invite your parents and ask them how they feel about Kayce as a son-in-law?"

Oakley stood up quickly. "What is it with all of you?"

Beth didn't answer.

"I mean seriously," Oakley walked around to the kitchen sink. "Between you and Rip with your comments and John..."

"What did my father do?" Beth asked.

"You're all acting like nothing happened." Oakley sighed out of frustration.

"I could say the same with you," Beth smirked. "I'm not the one making out with old boyfriends on their daddy's porch."

"He kissed me," Oakley snapped.

"From where I stood it didn't seem like that particular bit of information mattered to either one of you." Beth stood back up. "Why are you so frustrated? He's divorced."

"Well that's great for him," Oakley crossed her arms. "But that doesn't change what he did to me."

"No, it doesn't," Suddenly Beth changed her whole demeanor. "Go get dressed and let's go catch up some."

Beth turned and walked out of Oakley's cabin leaving the poor girl even more confused.

Beth and Oakley were at one of the three restaurants in town that did breakfast and lunch. After ordering, a gin and tonic for Beth and a coffee for Oakley, they were staring at each other from their boot near the back.

"So," Oakley shrugged. "You invited me."

"What happened to you after you left for school?" Beth took a sip of her drink.

"I graduated," Oakley answered simply.

"No shit," Beth rolled her eyes. "You're going to need to drop the attitude with me. I like you Oakley, but I can also only take so much. I'm not the one who broke your heart or whatever the fuck my brother did, so for me, lay off."

Oakley blinked a few times. "Sorry...I graduated and moved to Helena to work with the state."

"How did you come back out here?" Beth asked.