“I hate to say this.” I bit my lip. What I was going to suggest was far beyond extreme. It was the type of thing that one of my parents might do. But in this case, there really wasn’t much of a choice. “Hire a PI.”
“You mean like a detective?” His eyebrows shot up in surprise.
I nodded. “It’s the only way. She’d spot you in a heartbeat and, to be honest, you need your sleep. You look like hell.”
He smiled. “Lots of things have been going on.”
I nodded and patted him on the cheek. “You need to take care of yourself.”
He smiled and leaned in. You know that fraction of a second where someone is going to kiss you, and you make the decision? I turned my head quickly. His kiss landed on my cheek. I locked eyes with Dean, whose face was red with anger. My heart fell as he stormed away. There was no helping it.
Chance pulled back. “I thought you cared.”
“I do, Chance,” I said. “But not in that way. Now go to bed. You could use the sleep.”
He smiled sadly at me and nodded. “Thanks, Grace.”
“Let me know if you hear anything,” I said. “I’m here for you if you need it.”
Chance nodded toward where Dean had stormed off. “I don’t think he’s going to like that.”
“Well, I’m doing a lot of things that some people wouldn’t like,” I said.
He grinned at me. “I always knew you were stronger than you gave yourself credit for.”
I blushed. It wasn’t often I got a compliment like that. “Thanks.”
I turned and ran in the direction Dean had gone. When I turned the corner, I searched the empty grounds. He was already gone.
It really wasn’t such a good idea to even follow him. Even if I was changing certain things, there was no way a country boy like him would ever work in my world. People like my parents would eat him alive. As much as I loved Grandmother, I wondered if freedom would ever really mean anything if the biggest freedom of all was still out of my grasp.
I sighed and turned back toward the dorms. Maybe a night of dancing would help things.
***
Chapter Seven
Heather groaned as we came out of the locker room.
“I am so sore,” she whined.
Emma tossed her bag on her back and grunted. “That really was pretty tiring. We’ll all sleep well tonight.”
“All that dancing makes me want ice cream,” I said.
Heather grinned at me. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”
Emma shrugged. “Let’s walk over to Pete’s stand and buy some.”
It was quiet out. Most of the classes were done for the day. The sun had nearly set and cast everything in an orange-ish hue.
We walked in silence for a bit, tired from the very hard work out. Dancing had been fun. I wasn’t as good as I thought I would be, but it was fun having the girls with me. It turned out that Emilio, the instructor, was actually from Spain and had been a professional ballroom dancer for years. He had only recently settled down to be with his partner. He started the club as a way to earn money on the side and gain private lesson clients.
We all instantly liked him. He was spirited and fun. When you didn’t get a step, he didn’t berate you or make fun. He was right there, making sure you got it.
I smiled. The crisp breeze of the evening cooled my face. Maybe this new freedom wasn’t so bad.
“What’s got you smiling?” Heather nudged me.
I turned and laughed. “Just enjoying the evening.”
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with the film class would it?” She winked at me.
“Oh, you bitch.” I poked her ribs. “You told him, didn’t you?”
Emma stopped and looked at me. “Who? What?”
Heather fluttered her long lashes. “I just mentioned it, and he just happened to be taking it. It really wasn’t a setup.” She smiled. “If it was a setup, I would have done it, so I could watch.”
She laughed loudly and ran ahead.
“So who’s in your class?” Emma asked.
“Dean,” I said quietly.
“Oh.” She smiled. “Do you like him?”
I felt a twinge of guilt. Everything in me said I should tell her what happened with him, but I just couldn’t. It was clear how Emma would think. Love before everything, but my world wasn’t like hers. It was something I would always be aware of.
“Dean’s nice,” I said finally.
“Date nice or just nice?” She bumped me.
I sighed. “I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure myself out. Doesn’t really seem fair to start anything until I know who I am.”
Emma stopped and pulled on my arm. “You know who you are, Grace. You might get confused with certain things, but you are still you. It wouldn’t matter what you decide to do with your life. You’ll always be you.”
She held my shoulders and squeezed. “We’ll see,” I said.
She sighed and shook her head. “Don’t need to.”
When we caught up with Heather, she was already eating her ice cream. I ordered my chocolate-peanut butter cone and sat next to her on the steps.
“Dean’s coming over to watch a movie for class Sunday,” I said when Emma sat down.
“Is this your version of putting a sock on the door?” Heather asked.
I laughed. “No,” I said. “It’s my version of asking my friends to come watch it with us.”
Emma looked at me seriously. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “It’s just a movie.” I looked up at the stars and tried to make my statement true, but somehow I knew what he expected from this.
“I’m game,” Heather said.
“Yeah,” Emma said.
I sighed. There was one thing I wasn’t going to need to worry about.
We sat in silence for a bit. The night air rushed over us, and I wondered how long it would be before the leaves started to change. Nights were already cooler. It wouldn’t be long at all.
“So,” Heather said, interrupting the silence. “Your mom called the other night. How did that go?”
I groaned. “Hellish.”
“Sorry,” Heather muttered.
“It’s fine.” I swiped my hair out of my eyes. “She knows about the film class.”
Emma frowned. “How?”
“I assume she knows someone in administration,” I said. “She also warned that I might make myself a ruined woman if I wasn’t careful during my time of freedom.”
“I hate to say it, but your mom has some massive balls,” Heather said.
I snorted and nodded. “She certainly does. Now we know why my dad prefers to dabble outside the marriage.”
“Oh, you are bad,” Heather laughed.
“Nothing we haven’t known for years,” I said. “Dad likes the women at the club, and Mom likes the pool boys. We’re a living stereotype.”
Emma bit her lip as if she wasn’t sure what to do. I elbowed her in the ribs. “Hey, you volunteered to be a part of this family. Don’t think you’re getting out easy now.”
She laughed. “I’m sure Gavin would be thrilled you think that way.”
I spotted my brother walking around the corner of the ice cream stand.
“I think he already knows.” I nodded toward the ice cream stand behind her.
Gavin waved as he picked up his ice cream.
“Are we talking about the parents and their extracurricular activities?” He waggled his eyebrows at us.
“How come when you say it, it sounds ten times worse?” Emma huffed.
He winked at her. “Because I’m ten times as bad.”
“On that note,” I stood, “I’m out.”
“Think I’ll join you.” Heather hopped up.
Gavin waved his good bye, eyes fixed on Emma. I had to give him credit. He was singular in his devotion.
“You don’t have to go,” Emma said.
“Yes, I do,” I said.
“Yes, she does,” Gavi
n said in sync with me.
I grinned. “Night.”
“How do you deal with them?” Heather asked after staying silent for a bit. “They are just so mushy. Not that I mind mushy, but it’s only good when you’re a part of the mush.”
I laughed. It was nonsensical but somehow made total sense. “I love them both and want them to be happy,” I said and paused. “That and earplugs.”
Heather laughed.
“Maybe you just need to make them wear earplugs. Dean would be good to work with.”
I smiled. Oh, he would certainly be good to make noise with.
“See!” Heather stopped and pointed at my face. “That’s the face of someone who wants it.”
“It?”
“Okay him. Whatever.” She crossed her arms. “Just admit you want him.”
I shrugged. “So I want him. I want a lot of things. Doesn’t mean I should have them.”
Heather shook her head. “I just don’t understand.”
I sighed. “Can I tell you something? I don’t either. When I do, I’ll let you know.”
“Deal,” she said. “Well, this is my stop. Be good.”
She ran up the steps to her building and opened the door. She stopped and turned to me.
“Put in those earplugs.” She laughed and waved again before disappearing inside.
I chuckled at her. She was honest to a fault.
I walked quietly to the building, thankful for such good people in my life.
* * *
“Psycho?” Emma held up the movie. “Seriously, you haven’t seen Psycho?”
I tossed some popcorn at her from the couch. “No, now shut it.”
Dean laughed beside me. I had placed the bowl of popcorn between us as a barrier, but it didn’t seem to be working. He had spread his arms across the back of the couch, nearly touching my shoulder. The spice from his soap tickled my nose. I crossed my legs and sat my notebook and pen on my lap, the print out from the course website, ready to write down answers. Dean had placed his on his long legs. I bit my lip and turned back to the TV.
This was not a date. We were just two classmates watching a movie for class.
“Where’s Heather?” I asked Emma.
She looked up from the chair she and Gavin were sharing.
“She said she had too much chem homework and to start without her. She’ll be by later.” Emma went back to snuggling on my brother.
Great. So, this had turned into a double date. I swore when I got my hands on Heather, I was going to wring her pretty little neck.
“Okay,” Dean said. “Let’s get started.”
I sat, oddly entranced by the film. It was much better than I expected for something so old, and the music score added a lot of tension. When I reached over for more popcorn, I glanced at Dean. He scribbled a few things onto his paper. I strained to see what he had written, but the paper was too far.
I jumped when he moved the popcorn bowl.
“There,” he said and patted the space beside him. “We might as well work on this together.”
I bit my lip and looked to Emma and my brother. Both were whispering furiously to one another but stopped when I scowled at them.
I moved over, making sure not to touch Dean. Once I had moved over, he pulled the sheet off the end and laid it on his lap. I scribbled down his responses but stopped at number three.
“What did she lay on the night table?” I whispered to him.
He leaned in to look where I was pointing.
“The newspaper with all the money,” he said. His mouth was close to my ear, so I’d be able to hear. His breath ruffled the hair there.
I turned to thank him but stopped. Our heads were so close, we could have been kissing. I licked my lips. He glanced down and then back up to my eyes. When he moved just a fraction, I jerked my head back.
“Thanks,” I whispered and then turned my head back to the movie.
My heart raced, and I struggled to get it under control. Being near him made me such an idiot. It was so hard to even think what the right thing to do was.
Dean shifted beside me and stretched out his legs. My thigh burned where we were now touching. His arm moved on the back of the couch, and I jumped when he brushed my neck.
“Sorry,” he whispered.
When I turned to look, he gave me a smile that said he intended for it to happen and was not sorry at all. For crying out loud, he was trying the oldest trick in the book. I rolled my eyes and went back to watching the movie.
Much to his credit, he didn’t try anything else, and for the first time all night, I was able to actually relax. It’s funny how such a little thing can change how you feel. I was in my element. Horndog man trying to get some. All I had to do was shoot him down. I turned to him, intending to smile, but froze.
It was not the face of a horndog man. It was the face of someone who was serious. Too serious.
“Thanks for the help,” I said and handed him back the paper.
“No problem,” he mumbled.
As he took the paper from my hand, his thumb brushed the pulse on my wrist. My heart jumped into my throat, and my mouth turned to dust.
Emma stood and yawned.
“We’re just going to head to bed,” she said. “Been a long day.”
Gavin rolled his eyes and gave us a salute as they shuffled around the couch.
I opened my mouth to tell Emma off but jumped at the sound of someone knocking on the door.
Emma frowned and walked over to open it up.
“I’ll check the hole at least,” Gavin said and checked out the peep hole. “Heather,” he said.
“I thought you weren’t coming,” Emma said when he opened the door.
“I said I would,” Heather said and waved to me, after closing the door behind her.
“Yeah, but I thought that was code,” she said quietly and looked my way.
My cheeks flushed, and I was just inches away from tossing my best friend out the window.
Heather looked over to me and grinned. “Planning on putting a sock on the door?”
I groaned and flipped her off. There was nowhere to look now. Dean wasn’t an idiot, and there was no way he hadn’t figured out the not-so-secret code.
We all jumped when someone else knocked on the door.
“You expecting someone?” Gavin said to Heather.
She shook her head and backed away from the door.
Gavin peeked through again.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he said and swung the door open in irritation at a very startled Chance. “Listen, get it through your fucking head. She doesn’t want you anymore.”
I jumped up and raced between them. “Gavin, it’s fine. Really.”
He stepped back in confusion and looked between the two of us. I turned to Chance.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Really. But I tried to call your phone, and you didn’t answer.”
“We were watching a movie,” Gavin bit out.
Chance kept his eyes on me. “It’s important.”
I looked over my shoulder to the people in the room. It would seem so wrong if I stepped out with him, but I couldn’t just leave it. I believed Chance when he said it was important.
“Would you like to come in?” I asked quietly.
He stepped in and glanced around the room. I watched as his eyes found Dean.
“Well, I’ll just be leaving,” Dean said tightly. He grabbed the movie out of the player and put it in the case.
I walked over to him and stood in his path to the door.
“You don’t have to go,” I said. Something in me wanted to plead with him not to leave and not to misunderstand the situation.
He looked over to Chance, and his jaw twitched.
“I think I do,” he said.
My breath whooshed out as he walked past and out the door. It slammed closed behind him. For a second, I was fairly sure my heart cracked just a little.
***
Chapter Ei
ght
“What the hell are you doing letting him come here like this?” Gavin hissed.
I sighed. I was really sick of all this.
“Just sit,” I said, pointing to the living room. “All of you, just go sit.”
I walked past them all and sat on the couch. Chance sat next to me, where Dean had sat, and I wondered if this wasn’t him doing a bit of pissing on territory.
“Now, what the hell is going on?” Gavin asked. His eyes were fixed on Chance.
I looked to Chance and smiled. “You’re going to have to tell them. Emma and Gavin have known her as long as I have.”
“And her?” He glanced at Heather.
“She’s a good friend and wouldn’t say anything, even if she did run in their social circle,” I said.
“Should I be insulted?” Heather asked.
Chance was the first to reply. “Not unless you like fucked-up relationships and backstabbing,” he said and then laughed darkly.
Heather gave him a half smile. “Can’t say that I do.”
“What’s going on, Grace?” Emma said calmly.
I looked to Chance. This was his story to tell, not mine, but it would be good to have some support. I noticed that he had shaved and seemed to have gotten some sleep, but his face was still pretty pale. Whatever news he had must be pretty bad.
“It has to do with my sister,” he said and ran his hand nervously through his hair.
“Vivien?” Emma asked.
He nodded. “It started over the summer. My parents took a trip to Europe and left us at home. I was there, but it wasn’t like I was supposed to keep an eye on her at all times.” He looked up from his lap to me. I nodded my understanding. “She started staying out all night and coming home in the morning.”
“Didn’t that seem strange to you?” Emma asked.
I noticed that Gavin sat in silence beside her, concern etched on his face.
Chance shook his head. “She would stay with her friends so often, it was rare that she even stayed the night at home. But the way she was coming home, that was the real clue.”
I looked at him. “I didn’t hear that.”
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