“She is,” Zane says. “She’s amazing. “But I don’t want to explain why we don’t have a car. Zane holds out his hand. “Besides, I already have this.” He holds up a ring between his thumb and forefinger.
“Found it.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sage
Bella’s sitting in the kitchen flipping through her phone when I return from my classes that afternoon. I took the bus to avoid Kat. My phone has been blowing up with texts all day. Want to meet for lunch to talk about Lucas? How are you doing? I just saw Lucas, want me to talk to him? Want me to talk to Matt?
No, no, no, no. The aspirin relieved my headache for a short time, but now my head hurts again—thanks to Kat. I massage my temples as I drop into one of the kitchen chairs.
“How are you?” Bella asks.
“Fine,” I grumble, dropping my face on the table and covering the back of my neck with my hands. Bella continues to flip through her phone. After a few minutes, I finally stand up and walk into the kitchen.
“What’s your deal?” Bella asks as I yank open the fridge.
“I didn’t sleep too well last night. Long classes. Headache. Kat. You know, the usual.” I say. I pull out a carton of milk and pour a glass. I’ve been thinking all afternoon about my idea to get to Star Harbor—about playing Lucas’ girlfriend. I’m not sure how to suggest it to him, or if I even have the guts to suggest it to him.
“Did you party or something last night?” Bella asks, her eyes still glued on her phone screen.
“No, just trouble falling asleep. I’m not the party type. You should know that by now.”
“Well, you never know with the quiet ones and you look like hell,” she glances up at me. “Do you want me to make you something to eat? Or get you some ibuprofen?”
“No, thanks though. Kat’s not here, is she?”
“Nope.” She goes back to her phone. “She’s probably off with Romeo.”
“Thank god.” I mutter under my breath. I glance up at Bella who is still preoccupied with her phone. Her fingers move swiftly across the screen and I suspect she’s playing a game. She gets so addicted to the games.
I put the milk back in the fridge and debate making a pot of coffee. I could kill the headache and it would wake me up—
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out, expecting to see yet another message from Kat. Instead it’s a phone call from Lucas.
“Hey,” he says. “Are you better?”
“Somewhat. I was just standing here wondering if I should try some coffee. Caffeine and all, you know?” I stare at the coffee pot, tilting my head. It’s too bad it can’t just make the decision for me.
“It could work. Do you want to meet up for coffee? I’m still on campus, are you? If you’re at home though—”
I glance at Bella who’s still scrolling through her phone. My head still hurts, but I want to talk to Lucas about this idea. I need to talk to Lucas about this idea. Before I lose my courage. I glance at Bella who’s still on her phone. The next bus comes in like five minutes. Can I make it?
“Yes, actually. I have something to talk to you about. Meet me in fifteen?”
“Sure,” he says. I hang up the phone without a goodbye, grabbing my coat as I rush out the door. I’m not sure Bella even noticed me leave. I catch the bus with about twenty seconds to spare and as soon as I drop into the seat, I send a text to Lucas telling him I’ll meet him at the coffee shop just across the street from campus. It’s closer to the bus stop than the tiny little place located on campus. He responds immediately with a smiley face. I comb my fingers through my hair, hoping it’s not too much of a tangled mess.
He’s waiting for me when I get there at a small corner table with two chairs. He’s waves when he sees me and I smile, immediately heading in his direction.
“Are you okay?” he asks as I drop into the chair across from him.
“Yeah, just up a little late and my classes went long today. Tired and full of homework. I practically ran here, so sorry if my hair is a disaster.” I brush a strand from my face.
“You could drive with me.” He smiles. “And you look fine.”
“Yeah right?” I forgot Lucas has a car. “But we were probably on other sides of the campus or something. It’s all good.”
“Well, maybe I can run you back afterwards, if you’d like. Coffee?” Lucas points at the counter. Two women and a man in a suit are waiting for the barista to complete their orders. The rest of the shop is empty. It’s the quiet time—too late for the working crowd and too early for students pulling all-nighters. I start to stand up, but Lucas stops me “I got it,” he says. “What would you like?”
“Just regular coffee—one sugar.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “Not a fancy drink girl,” he says. I shake my head. I’d never been a fancy coffee girl. Just give me the caffeine and be done with it.
He smiles and heads for the counter and I take the moment to take a deep breath. He’s going to think my idea is crazy—I know he is. But I have to—I have to suggest it. Ever since Kat gave me the idea, it has been on a loop in my mind.
Lucas returns with the coffee, setting the paper cup wrapped in the cardboard sleeve in front of me. “So, he says, sliding into the seat across from me. “What do you need to talk to me about?”
“Home—you said you were thinking about going home over spring break, that you wanted to see your family, but you were worried about running into Brianna.”
“Yeah.” He takes a sip of his coffee. “That’s what this is about? Brianna?”
“Well, no. Sort of. I just—I just— I had this idea and I wanted to share it with you.” I hesitate, playing with my fingers. The earlier confidence I felt is slipping away.
“Is that why you were so funny when I left last night? And this morning—when you had the headache? You weren’t faking the headache, too were you?”
“Yeah,” I lie. I haven’t told Lucas about the dreams—that I saw the beach in my dreams. My painting is just a painting, but the picture. He would think I’m crazy. I sip my coffee and he rubs his chin. “But no to the headache—trust me, that was real.”
“Well?”
“Well,” I begin. “I was thinking I could go with you. To Star Harbor. I could pretend to be your girlfriend—let Brianna see you with a girlfriend. I bet she’d change her mind. I know she’d change her mind.”
“So, you want to be my girlfriend?” He grins. “Because I know everyone wants to be my girlfriend and all, but I thought we had—”
“No.” I shake my head. “No. Not really. Just for your spring break visit home. It would be fake—just to make her jealous.” My fingers tremble as I take a sip of coffee from the cup. He’s going to see right through this. Isn’t he? That I’m just using him to get to Star Harbor. But am I using him? It would help him, if it meant winning Brianna back, wouldn’t it?
“What? You don’t want to date this face?” He feigns shock.
“Ha, but seriously. I want to help you with this. I want Brianna to see what she’s losing out on. Please let me.” I’m nearly begging, but I badly want him to say yes. I need him to say yes.
“I don’t know,” he says. “I want her back. I really do. But I don’t want to hurt her.” I bite my tongue. He has to agree to this. He needs to agree to this. Rather, I need him to agree to this. I swallow guilt in my throat. I’m using him. I’m using him to get to his hometown so I can see this beach, and I’m a terrible person. But I reach for Lucas’ hand anyway.
“She’s the one who dumped you, remember. Kat thought I should bring you to Phoenix to make my ex jealous, but that’s different. I dumped him. She dumped you and you need to show her what she’s losing.” Suddenly, I realize how much I mean it. Lucas is a great guy and this Brianna girl needs to see that. She needs to see that if she waits too long, she really could lose him.
“Okay,” he says.
“Okay?”
“Well, it’s not real. And you would be doing me a hu
ge favor. And then I could show you the beach that looks like your painting and it would be fun to have somebody with me. Sort of like support—friend support. But no kissing or anything in front of her. I don’t want to hurt her.”
I smile. “No worries there. It’s not like I’m dying to kiss you.”
“You sure know how to hurt a guy’s feelings.” He frowns. Have I hurt his feelings? But his lips lift into a smile. “No worries, these lips belong to one woman. But if you want to hold my hand…”
I laugh. “I’d love to hold your hand.”
Lucas holds up his palm turning it over. “You’re a lucky gal, you know.”
“No, she’s the lucky girl,” I say softly. “And she’s going to see that.”
“I hope so,” Lucas says.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Adam
“Maybe you should do this one,” Zane says again. And again. He’s been pacing on the side of the highway for nearly an hour, running his fingers through his hair and pulling the ring from his pocket and shoving it back in. My attention shifts from him to the highway and from him to the highway. I keep seeing Sage here on the side of the road. The ghosts of us, dance in and out and I can her in my arms, her gaze meeting mine, her smile. I hate this road. I hate these memories.
“Zane, now,” I scream. “Decide. Give me the damn ring or not, I don’t care. Just get me out of here now!” Zane, oblivious, scratches his nose and pauses. And then he starts to pace again. “Give it to me,” I say. “Please, just give it to me. I’ll do it. What’s that word?”
“No,” he whispers. “No, I can’t let you do this one. I can’t. It’s just not possible. I’ll do it.” His eyes are cloudy as if he’s talking to himself and seeing right through me. He gazes up into the blue sky. “Now where to take you.”
“I swear if you send me to Duluth again.”
He lowers his eyes, his gaze finally meeting mine. “No, I won’t do that, but what do you think about casinos?”
I don’t have time to answer before we’re swirling through the light again, standing in the center of a lobby surrounded by marble fountains circled by benches. A couple stares at us, their mouths agape, their eyes frozen in fear.
“Oops, didn’t think that one through.” Zane scratches his head. The couple still stares, the woman gripping the arms man with knuckles so tight, you can see the bones protruding from them. “Sorry about that.” Zane waves at the couple. “Just practicing our little magic trick for the show tomorrow night. Hope you catch us? We’re just down the street from here.”
The man nods slowly, the woman still a statue. “Is this where you are leaving me?” I whisper to Zane as he walks toward the front desk. “Is this a hotel? I thought you said casino?”
“It’s both,” Zane says, without looking me. “Vin owns it. Didn’t you ever come here? Didn’t Dad you bring you to Vegas?”
“No, we always stayed in California. I’ve never been to Nevada.”
“Funny.” Zane’s nose twitches. “That father of ours.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” he says. “Now follow me.” He saunters up to the counter, flashing his manipulative smile and leaning into the counter. The dark-haired girl behind the counter looks up at him lips spreading into a bright red lipstick smile.
“Monique,” he says, bending over the desk. “Such a beautiful name for such a beautiful girl.”
The girl—or rather Monique—giggles. “Hi, Zane. What can I help you with?”
“Can you get me a room, please? For me and my little brother?” He taps his fingers on the counter and glances back at me and winks.
She taps on the keyboard, her eyes focused on the computer screen. “Well, we’re booked up—” She scrolls the mouse and frowns. “Yeah, there’s nothing.”
“Oh, come on, Monique. You have to have something.” He smiles at her again, and she bites her lip. “For me?”
“Well, let me try…oh yeah. I think there’s something. Here’s one. Just one night?”
“Yes,” Zane says, pulling out a wad of cash. “Just the one night. I wish we could stay for longer, but you know as always I’ll be back.”
She giggles again, before printing up several papers and handing Zane a keycard. He winks at her. “And can you not tell Vin I’m here?”
Monique’s face grows pale. “Didn’t they tell you?”
“Tell me what?” Zane rests his elbow on the counter. He’s calm as if he knows what she’s about to say.
“Tell you about Vin—that he’s, he’s—”
“It’s okay Monique. I know. He’s not with us anymore. I wasn’t sure you knew…”
“Yeah.” She bites her lip again, not quite the giggly girl from earlier. “Well, it’s good to see you Zane. I hope you’re not a stranger.”
“That was quite a show,” I say when he returns to me. “And what does that mean—Vin is no longer with us? Is he dead?”
“I don’t know, Adam. I really don’t know.”
“Don’t know?” I pause and glare at him. “You really don’t know or is this just another one of your games? I thought the whole reason we’re chasing all these rings is to keep Vin from getting them. But now he’s dead? But you don’t know? Because you sure look like you knew back there—” I lift my hand to point at Monique, but Zane grabs my wrist slamming it to my side.
“Well, I didn’t want to clue her in that I didn’t know. I’m sure Vin is just fine—he’s probably hiding out or something, trying to draw us out. For now, we have a room. Which means you have somewhere to hang while I invade Benji’s memories.”
“Why didn’t you want to clue her in. Looks like she’s got quite the thing for you.” Zane glances back at Monique who’s watching him. He waves and she smiles, that giggly over-the-top smile like Zoey smiles. Sage doesn’t smile like that—well she didn’t used to smile like that. Maybe she does now, I’m not sure.
“She’s as easy to persuade as it is to make microwave popcorn, but I don’t trust her with my secrets.”
“You disgust me,” I grunt. “And you don’t seem to trust anyone with your secrets.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Zane says as he saunters over to the elevators and presses a button. “I don’t have secrets.”
I raise my eyebrow.
“Second floor,” Zane comments as the numbers above the elevator descend. “We probably could’ve taken the stairs. It’s definitely not the room I had last time when I was here with that little girlfriend of yours. We had the penthouse. Amazing view. Huge bedroom.”
“Don’t go there,” I say as visions of Zane kissing Sage back in Star Harbor flood my mind. Even if Sage had been doing it for me, I still haven’t exactly gotten over it.
“Oh, don’t worry. The Redhead was a great chaperone.” There’s that look in his eyes again. The one that tells me it’s not Sage he’s missing. When we find our room, Zane inserts the keycard, pushing open the door into a standard hotel room. Two beds, two lamps, a bathroom, a desk. It’s clean, bleached white sheets, and a thick leather chair in the corner. Nothing exciting. I saunter over to the window and pull on the cord, sliding open the curtains to reveal the stretch of parking lot. “Not quite the penthouse view,” Zane says from behind me his breath warm on my neck. Jealously twists in my stomach as I think of how Sage was once here, standing in this place, well not in this place. She was a good twenty floors above me, staring down at the view below, maybe even thinking of me. How badly I wish I could go back to that world. Go back even further to the night I was supposed to leave. I would’ve refused to go with my father. I would’ve stayed—stayed in Star Harbor. Stayed with her. She would’ve never been here. She would’ve never died in that parking lot. She would remember me.
I turn from the window and sigh. Bile rises up in my throat and I run for the bathroom, slamming the door behind me, sinking against the back of the door to the floor. I press my hand into my hair as the guilt screams through me. She’s
happy. Her dad’s alive. How can I wish all that pain back on her again?
Zane pounds against the door and I lean my head back feeling the vibrations of his hand. “Are you in there?” I ignore him. He pounds louder.
“What?” I finally ask, my voice flat.
“We need to discuss the plan,” he replies. “So, get over your little cryfest and come join me out here, please.” I hear his footsteps pad away from the door, and I remain exactly where I am. I count the seconds in my head. He can sit out there and wait until I’m ready which will be in…I don’t know. After counting to sixty at least a dozen times, I finally push myself off the floor and exit the bathroom. Zane’s propped on the bed, flipping through TV channels. “About time,” he says, looking over at me. “What the hell were you doing in there?”
I ignore him. “So, what’s the plan? You disappear? I hang out here?”
“Well yeah, mostly. But it would speed up this process a little if you could help find the next ring.” He sets the three rings we do have on the desk, spinning them around. “We’re almost there—two rings and then the Nexus and then we can head back to your little Starry Haven, destroy this thing, and resume our lives—your pathetic one and mine in the Caribbean Sea.”
“Star Harbor, not Starry Haven” I scowl.
“Whatever you want to call it. It’s still a pathetic little life. The saddest part is it doesn’t have to be—if you just—”
“Stop that,” I grumble. “We’ve been over that a thousand times. No. No. No. Not happening. I’m not interrupting her happiness.”
“Okay, well just find Vin’s ring. This is the last place I saw him. If he’s dead, it should be here. So, look for it, and then wait for me in this room. I’ll go see what Benji’s memories are.” He glances at the ring, a sad expression on his face.
“Why don’t you just do it here—in this hotel room? You can do the ring thing here and I’ll be here…when you see Benji’s. I will be here and it’s not like—”
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