He opens his mouth but then his shoulders relax and he laughs. “True enough. Just no one has tamed the T-Man!” he roars.
“You sound like Rafael.”
“I heard my name.” He’s on the phone and eating an apple. Always doing so many things at once. He hangs up and plops down on my bed. “If you’re talking about the wonderful ladies’ man—the one people will talk about for generations, then yes. This is me.” He stretches. “I follow few rules but those are the rules I will share with you, gentleman. The sex is like tea rule. And always make sure they come first.” He shrugs. “Basically, I’m a diamond.”
Branson turns to me like I’m supposed to help him decipher Rafael. “The sex is like tea rule?”
“It’s a video we watched when we were in high school,” I reply.
Rafael leans back. “Didn’t you see that video, B?” And he pretends to drink from a small cup of tea. “Maybe they were conscious when you asked them if they wanted tea, and they said ‘Yes.’ But in the time it took you to boil the kettle, brew the tea, and add the milk, they are now unconscious. Don’t make them drink the tea. They say ‘Yes’ then sure, but unconscious people don’t want tea,” he explains with a British accent. His voice then turns more serious. “Joking aside. If you haven’t seen the video it’s a good one. As Hunter said, we watched it in high school. It was senior year. My neighbor's sister got assaulted at Homecoming. They moved not long after.” He clenches his fists and shakes his head. “It doesn’t cost us anything to make sure they really want tea...” Then he winks and shakes his head as if he’s trying to not get sucked into that time. “Plus when she really wants it, it’s so hot.” He stands back. “Anyways gentleman...the O’ master needs to go. But dude.” He points to me. “You look nervous. Do you really like her?”
“Yep.”
“Then, just be yourself with her.” He pauses. “I sound like the Hallmark movies my sister loves to watch but it’s true.” He gives us a little bow and marches out. Another night, another party. I’m not sure how he manages to keep his GPA up.
Branson gives me one of those “you got this” slaps on the back. “I have to meet my biology group at the library. Have fun...and I guess I’m also going to google that video now.” He leaves me alone with my thoughts and a gift I hope Lacey is going to like.
My heart’s going on a jog.
I inhale deeply.
There’s a knock at my door. “Coming!” I really don’t have time. I don’t want to be late.
I open the door. “Lacey?” She’s gorgeous. She’s always gorgeous. And she has that vanilla smell I want to bottle up and carry with me. Everywhere. “I was coming up.” I try to sound cool. Why is it so hard to sound unfazed right now? Maybe she wants to cancel. “If you want to do it later. Or you know...changed your mind...totally okay.”
Her lips form a small smile. Her teasing smile. The one that shows a dimple. I’m a fucking goner.
“You’re babbling.” She gets on her toes and her lips touch my cheek. It’s soft and sweet and sexy. A kiss on the cheek has me harder than rock. “Like me. Am I making you nervous, Hunter Harrington?”
“I’m nervous and can’t wait to spend this evening with you, Lacey Simon.” I love how relaxed she seems to be. She looked nervous too when I first opened the door. Her shoulders were set and her lips were pursed. Like she wasn’t sure. About what? I don’t know. But now, she’s almost giggling. I almost got her to giggle. And this is a sound I want to hear again and again.
“I’ve got something for you.” I turn around. She raises an eyebrow. “I wanted to get you flowers. But then I thought you might like this more.”
CHAPTER 32 – LACEY
I almost turn around before knocking on the door. But I’ve been ready for almost an hour and my nerves have been exponentially frazzled.
I’ve changed three times.
I redid my hair four times. Up or down. Maybe a half-ponytail?
I added a bit more perfume behind my ears. Elena groaned that vanilla scent always reminds her of a bakery and that she must have gained ten pounds since I moved in. We laughed, but the jitters didn’t go away.
I asked Elena twice if she thought I should reschedule. And when she left for a study group, I called Tessa. She’s the one who calmed me down enough to not send a text to Hunter asking him to simply forget this entire date idea.
I can’t believe this was my idea.
A not-so-tiny part of me feels like going on a date should be this movie-like experience. Another part thinks it’s probably overrated and I need to realize this is real life. I shut down those thoughts. No matter what this evening turns out to be, it’s going to be ours. And just for that, it’s going to be special.
But I was so anxious that sitting in my room was more panic inducing than anything else.
And I couldn’t wait any longer.
I hurried down the stairs and went straight to his room. And knocked at the door.
Now that I’m standing in front of the door though, waiting for him to answer, I’m tempted to run back upstairs.
“Coming!” His voice is muffled but it still gives the butterflies camping in my stomach a nudge to bat their wings even faster.
He opens the door and my mouth dries up. If all this date gives me is Hunter in a button-down dark shirt highlighting his wide shoulders and strong arms, it will be enough.
“Lacey?” he calls my name almost as if he’s unsure it’s me. I haven’t changed. It’s not like those movies I loved before the compound where the main actress takes off her glasses and everyone thinks she’s hot. My hair is down and I’m wearing a dress with boots. A dress with pockets, which makes me feel sexy. But maybe I’m overdressed. What if I’m overdressed? It’s okay. You’re happy with the way you look, that’s the most important part. My little inside pep talk soothes my nerves. Especially when I notice how rattled Hunter seems to be. He’s rarely rattled. He shifts from one side to another and doesn’t seem to know where to put his hands. He puts one on the door frame, then lower, still looking at me. “I was coming up.” His gaze trails down my body, then slowly back up, focusing on my lips. “If you want to do it later. Or you know...changed your mind...totally okay.”
I tilt my head, staring at him. He’s nervous. He’s as nervous as I am. And my stomach turns as gooey as the lava cake I love. My lips form a smile and for a second, I feel like the butterflies dancing in my stomach gave me their wings because I slowly stand up on my toes and kiss his cheek. His stubble tickles me, and his familiar cologne gives me another heat wave. “You’re babbling. Like me. Am I making you nervous, Hunter Harrington?”
He leans toward me as if he’s about to tell me a secret. His breath is like a caress to my neck. His scent envelops me and I want to stay right here, right there. “I’m nervous and can’t wait to spend this evening with you, Lacey Simon.” I’m almost giggling. How do I feel so relaxed and keyed up at the same time?
“I’ve got something for you.” He spins around and I raise an eyebrow. “I wanted to get you flowers. But then I thought you might like this more.” He hands me a paper bag from my favorite bakery in town, the one I told him reminded me of The Flying Cupcake in Gavert City where I lived with my brother and uncle after being rescued from the compound. I open it and can’t repress a squeal. “You got me banana bread! And...pumpkin scones!” I inhale deeply. They smell delicious. It’s been forever since I’ve had pumpkin scones with glaze on top. Before the compound, years before, one of my mom’s friends always gave us pumpkin scones before Halloween. She was so nice, helping us with our homework while Mom was away or drunk. She made us feel at home when we didn’t have a real home. When she moved back to California, she gave me the recipe but Mom threw it away one day, saying we didn’t have time to make scones.
I wrap my arms around him. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”
“You said you sometimes can’t make it to the coffee shop cart on the quad or to the dining hall before your English class. I asked E
lena and she said you have a small fridge/freezer in your room. So you could keep half and freeze the other half or freeze the scones or freeze the bread or you know...” His shoulders relax and he laughs. “I promise I’ll get back to talking at a normal speed sometime this evening.” His drawl is back with a vengeance. “Are you ready to go?”
“I am if you are.” He opens the door for me and our arms brush. And my heart skips a beat. Or two. Or three. I’m not sure anymore.
“Maybe we can drop the bread and scones off to your room?”
“Sounds good.”
We stroll up the stairs back to my room without a word. I’m not sure of what to say. A few minutes ago, I was the one teasing him but now my entire body feels exactly how close we are and my throat is too dry to say anything. What happened to my over-ability to not have a filter when I’m nervous? Gone.
I open my room and my hand flies to my mouth. “Oh my God!” He rushes in front of me, as if to shield me from anything. But it’s too late. Our room has been turned upside down. I hurry inside. My computer. I need my computer! All my papers and research is on there. I haven’t moved it.
I try to step by him. But he holds me back. “We don’t know if whoever did this is still inside.”
“In my closet?” My joke falls flat, and my voice has this scared pitch I have been burying for so long.
“Hey Lovebirds,” Elena strolls inside and doesn’t stop at the mess of clothes and papers. I frown. It’s all on her side, not on mine.
“What happened?” I turn to her. She’s usually way more careful about putting everything back in its place. My organizer is the only place where I’m really organized. My room...not as much as it could be.
“Study group finished early and I couldn’t find my favorite blue shirt.”
I raise an eyebrow and Hunter relaxes beside me. “Your blue shirt?”
“I have this shirt I always wear for special occasions...anyway. Tonight is a blue shirt kind of night. I couldn’t find it...but then remembered I may have left it in my car after going home for the weekend. And I did.” She pulls out a blue blouse with flowers. “This shirt is special. And tomorrow, I’m meeting Brielle’s parents. They’re coming for the weekend. And yep. It’s a blue shirt type of day.” She shakes her head. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Do we have a ghost?” And then she purses her lips and her gaze jumps from me to Hunter and her smile slowly stretches. “Did you want the space? If you want the room...I can go anywhere else.”
And I don’t think I could be any more flushed if I wanted to.
“He gave me a banana bread. And pumpkin scones. So I wanted to bring them here. In the fridge. Before we go out. We’re going to eat and then we may go to the park. They’re having a local band playing tonight. And there’s the festival of lights. They still have Halloween decorations out until Thanksgiving—but they’re not too scary. They said it was okay for children under eight too. It’s supposed to be nice.” I inhale deeply. Almost out of breath.
Elena’s smile doesn’t dim. “You kids have fun.” Her finger juts Hunter’s shoulder. “And you take good care of her, okay?”
Hunter doesn’t make a joke when he answers, while I want to go and hide under my covers. “Of course.”
I shove the cake into the fridge and the scones into the freezer before taking Hunter’s hand in mine and hurrying out of the room before Elena starts asking us more questions. Hunter chuckles and then my chest warms. Our fingers are interlocked. He’s caressing my palm with his thumb. It feels surreal and yet so natural. I’m living.
I’m living this moment.
“I got a reservation at El Pilar,” he tells me. “I remember at the hospital you said you loved enchiladas.”
“And you brought me some.” He was taking care of me then...making sure I was feeling well. Now, he still makes sure I’m happy. “I do love enchiladas. And banana bread. And pumpkin scones. You never told me, what’s your favorite food?”
“My grandma’s butternut squash recipe. She used to make it roasted and filled with ground beef and carrots and onions.” We turn into the parking lot by the resident hall. “The food was delicious but then it also reminds me of when my entire family was together.”
He guides me toward his truck and opens the passenger seat for me. I slide in and am not sure what to do with my hands. We were holding hands only a few seconds ago. Do we still hold hands as he drives? Or does he need both hands?
He turns on the radio but keeps the volume low.
He maneuvers out of the parking lot and takes the loop exiting the university. We pass the football field. My left hand is close to his right. I took his hand last time. Maybe I can do it again. But he beats me to it. Our fingers interlock again.
There’s a sign for a highway and he points to it. His jaw is tense. “That’s the exit I’d take to go see my dad in jail. It was such a long time ago...but it seems like it was just yesterday. I saw him at the jail before he posted bail...” His voice is sad and his hand tightens against mine. “When I arrived at the visit, he seemed angry. Not at what he’d done but that he got caught. I think...” He pauses as he stops at the red light. The city is only ten minutes away from campus. And El Pilar is not far from the park. I let him gather his thoughts. No pressure. “I think I was even more disappointed with his reaction. Sometimes...I feel like I could have forgiven him if he’d ask for forgiveness. He said he was sorry but the anger about being caught seemed to be stronger. That made me mad. I basically told him off and left.”
“Was that the last time...”
“Oh no. No no no. The last time I talked to him was a day before his car accident. He had wanted me to come home. He said he wanted to talk to me. And I decided to stay on campus.” He sighs. His jaw relaxes only slightly. “Mom was alone when she got the phone call and then she called me. I had had a few drinks so I couldn’t drive. I only made it home the next day. I’m still hoping if I had gone home he would have told me he regretted hurting all those people, that he was trying to find a way to help them.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe not though.” He glances my way. “I’ve never told anyone about that phone call except Mom. I asked her if she knew what he wanted to talk about. She said she had no idea.” It’s my turn to slowly caress the inside of his palm with my thumb.
“Mom put us through a lot of shitty things. I still believe she loved us somehow. And that she was trying her best. When I heard she was shot right before the fire started, I felt like maybe she was reclaiming herself as a mother. When that happens I usually bury the fact that she didn’t save me.” I shake my head. “I still wonder what she would think of me right now.”
“I think you’re amazing. And funny. And sweet. And sexy. In that dress. Without that dress.” He parks and closes his eyes for a second. “I mean...with other clothes. I mean...you know what I mean.”
I laugh. And it’s a carefree laugh. “I think you’re amazing. And funny. And sweet. And sexy. In that shirt. Without that shirt,” I tease him, embracing the flush spreading through my entire body. “Thank you.” I’m not sure I spoke those words loud enough for him to hear me.
“For what?” He did.
“For talking to me about your dad. For making me laugh. For giving me banana bread and pumpkin scones. For making me realize that I can truly be in the moment.”
“You’re welcome.” His smile is probably what authors have used to describe the kind of smiles that make your heart stop.
CHAPTER 33 – HUNTER
I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so hard. I can’t remember the last time I felt that way. I don’t think I ever did. Dinner was delicious, but really, Lacey’s the one who’s making all the difference.
“This is so awesome!” Lacey tells me as she pulls me forward with her, staring at the lights and pumpkins with so much awe in her voice. “We didn’t have that.” She stops in front of a haunted house that doesn’t look that scary and we can hear kids laughing loudly. “Abra
m said Halloween wasn’t right for us. That we needed our own holidays. Each and all of those “special days,” as he called them, were about finding ways to worship him, to give him ammunition against us.” She continues walking down the path. “One was all about our past lives didn’t fit the Book Of Love and we had to sit in front of him, in front of the entire compound to say what was making us unfit to be saved.” She pauses. “It was really fun.” And her tone is sarcastic and she doesn’t sound as if she’s crushing under the weight of the memories.
“Mister Hunter, Mister Hunter...” A little girl rushes toward me, followed by her parents, and I crouch down. My throat burns and my chest clenches tightly. She throws her arms around me and I stand up, swinging her once and then gently setting her back down as she claps for more. “I still want to be a firefighter. You saved my life and I’m going to save other people’s lives when I grow up.”
Lacey’s hand finds mine and I squeeze her fingers slightly.
Nola’s parents join us and they both hug me and thank me and our crew a thousand times. After a few moments, Nola’s dad’s voice turns more serious. “Did they find out what happened?”
I nod. “There was a problem with the electrical wires. Nothing anybody could have seen coming. They were up to code. We had the crews there.”
He waits until Nola waves goodbye to go on another ride. “We are so truly sorry for your loss. If there’s anything we can do...”
I recall Abby’s letter. “Live your lives. Enjoy every moment and remember to be a helper when you can. That’s what I’m trying to do.” I manage to say the words without my voice breaking. Nola’s father shakes my hand and joins his family and seeing them laughing and having fun, and Nola looking up at them with so much joy, I know we did everything we could. I know J.J. did everything he could and that woman he saved, who we found out later was the sister of the barn’s owner. She’s been struggling and Abby went to talk with her. J.J. had a letter too for her, in case he died while saving someone. He probably didn’t call her Fuckface.
Trust Me, Trust Me Not (Gavert City Book 3) Page 17