by Ashley Jade
I hold out my pinky. “Swear it.”
She wraps her pinky around mine and waggles her eyebrows. “Does this mean you’ll tell me what happened with Jace?”
I go back to cleaning the counters. “I told you. He was drunk, it was his birthday, we hooked up…and now he’s back to pretending I don’t exist.”
She purses her lips. “Did you ask him why he’s so mad at you?”
“I tried, but he didn’t want to talk about it.” I scrub the counters with more vigor. “I’m beginning to think I’ll never find out. And to be honest, I’m starting to care less and less. Screw Jace Covington, I’m over him and his games.”
I heard if you repeat the same thing over and over, sooner or later you’ll start to believe it.
Sawyer eyes me skeptically. “Guess that explains why you’re going out with Tommy tonight.”
Yes. “No. Tommy’s my…well, friend. Sort of. We’re still taking it slow.”
“So slow you went from hanging out every day to not seeing him for almost two whole weeks,” Sawyer points out.
“I’ve been studying,” I defend, despite knowing the truth.
The truth being I’ve been waiting for Jace to get his act together. But he’s not…so it’s time to move on.
Sawyer and Mrs. Dickinson exchange a glance.
I wag my finger at them. “Stop that. I’m not using Tommy to get back at Jace. I genuinely have feelings for him.”
They just don’t come close to the feelings I have for Jace.
Mrs. Dickinson clicks her tongue. “Put silk on a goat and it’s still a goat.”
“Tommy isn’t a goat.” Opening the glass cabinet, I cut the slice of banana bread Sawyer ordered. “Are you sure you’re not giving me grief because you want him?”
I regret the words the moment I see Sawyer’s hurt expression.
“No. I told you it didn’t—”
“I know.” I place the bread in a pastry bag. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m just…I guess part of me realizes it’s wrong to string Tommy along, but I’m not doing it to be a bitch. I’m doing it because I really want things to work out between us. I’m tired of being stuck on Jace’s messed up merry-go-round. For once, I’d like to see what it’s like to have someone treat me like gold and give back as much effort as I put in, you know?”
Sadness lines her features. “Yeah, I get it.” Rising on her tiptoes, she smacks a kiss on my cheek. “I’ll be at choir rehearsal tonight, but I’ll text you after I get out. I want to hear all about your romantic date.”
“It’s not that romantic,” I inform her. “We’re just grabbing some ice cream and going to the docks to talk.”
“Sounds pretty romantic to me,” she says with a sassy smile before walking away.
I hold up the bag. “Don’t forget your banana bread.”
I attempt to hand it to her, but Mrs. Dickinson snatches it away. “Banana bread is not her favorite.” She turns her fierce gaze on me. “Did we run out of éclairs?”
Oh, brother. “No, but that’s not what Sawyer asked for.”
She tsks. “Customers rarely ever get it right. You’re not supposed to give them what they think they want. You’re supposed to give them what they really want.”
Here we go again. And she wonders why sales start to dwindle every time she’s running the front counter.
Sawyer snatches the bag back from her. “What I really want is my banana bread.”
“You’re not a banana bread kind of girl,” my boss protests. “You, my dear, are an éclair. Sweet, unique, and doug—”
“Maybe I don’t want to be an éclair anymore,” Sawyer growls before she storms out.
“People change, Mrs. Dickinson. Sometimes what you thought you wanted doesn’t cut it anymore.”
She eases a tray of cupcakes into the oven. “Nonsense. No matter how much you change, you’ll still arrive home with one arm as long as the other.”
“I think the Knights are going to the playoffs this year,” Tommy informs me.
“That…” I pause, unsure what to say since the Knights are technically his rival team. “Sucks?”
He laughs. “Yeah, it does. But I’m pretty sure we’ll be in the playoffs too.” His eyes hold mine. “If—or should I say when—that happens, will you go to the game?”
“Yeah.” I scoop some ice cream on my spoon. “I’d like that.”
More like tolerate since I don’t particularly like football, but either way, I’ll be there.
His lips curve. “I missed you. I’m glad you texted me earlier.”
I place my bowl on the dashboard of his car. It took us over an hour to get here, but the view of the marina at night is totally worth it.
“I missed you too.”
Like one would miss a nice pair of cozy socks.
As opposed to the missing-an-essential-organ way I miss Jace.
Tommy drums his fingers on the steering wheel. “Look, I gotta ask you something. You can tell me it’s none of my business, but I’m really hoping you tell me the truth.”
I sit on my hands to stop from fidgeting. “What do you want to know?”
“A couple guys from RMH were at Christian’s party two weeks ago.” His eyes cut to mine. “You know, the same one you were at when you broke things off with me.”
I’m not really sure where he’s going with this. “Yeah, I remember.”
His nostrils flare. “Well, my buddy said you left the party with Jace after he yacked all over Britney.”
“Okay.” I chew on my thumbnail. “It seems like you got the play-by-play from your friend, so what exactly is your question?”
His eyes blaze. “Did you fuck him?”
Wow, okay, that’s none of his business.
Words strike me silent. I have no idea how to answer him, because I don’t owe him an explanation in the first place.
“You did.” His jaw works. “Your mouth might be closed but your face is an open book.”
If that’s the case, he seriously needs to work on his reading comprehension.
“I didn’t fuck him.”
I don’t know what to make of the look he shoots me. “Suck him off?”
“Excuse me?”
He blows out a breath. “Look, I’m not trying to be a dick. I just don’t want Jace Covington’s sloppy seconds.”
My cheeks burn. And here I thought Tommy was a nice guy. “I’m not anyone’s sloppy second, asshole.”
His face goes slack, as if the idiotic thing he said just dawned on him. “Shit. That came out wrong.”
He tries to cup my cheek, but I turn my head. “Please take me home.”
He grabs my face with both hands. “Look, I’m sorry.” Sincerity swirls in his dark orbs. “But he doesn’t deserve you, Dylan. Not like I do.”
He’s right. But the heart doesn’t choose who we love by their worth.
Because love isn’t a choice.
It’s an illogical, all-consuming consequence that results from someone stealing a vital piece of you.
And I wish like hell Jace would give me my piece back.
He drops his forehead to mine. “Give me a chance. I’ll make you so happy.”
“You not making me happy isn’t the problem.”
“Then what is?”
“I don’t know,” I tell him honestly. “I’m fucked up, I guess.”
I have to be, because why else would I choose the guy who keeps hurting me over the guy who wants to make me happy?
Closing my eyes, I plant a kiss on his cheek. “I wish I wasn’t. I’m sorry.”
It shouldn’t be this hard. Jace or no Jace, I shouldn’t have to force myself to feel more for Tommy.
I also don’t want to ruin his opportunity to meet the love of his life when I’m certain it’s not me.
“You’re awesome, but I think we’re better off as friends. And because I’m your friend, I don’t want to keep jerking you around or hurting you.”
His jaw tightens. “Dylan—”
“You’r
e gonna make some girl so happy one day.”
But that girl isn’t me.
His eyes narrow. “If that’s how you really feel, why the hell did you make me drive an hour out of my way tonight just so you could end things for good?” His face fills with outrage. “Why the fuck did you waste my time, Dylan?”
He has a right to be annoyed. “I’m sorry, I thought—”
A cold snicker cuts me off. “What? That we could paint each other’s nails and braid each other’s hair while we gossip?”
Now he’s just being obnoxious. “No—”
His mouth slams into mine so hard my teeth hurt. I slap at his chest, but he’s already pushing down the lever to my seat and climbing across the console.
No, no, no, no, no.
I bite his lip so hard I taste blood. “Get off me.”
He fists my ponytail, forcing me to look at him. “I tried to be nice and do right by you, but you kept teasing me.” I grimace when he licks the side of my face. “You know what I think? I think you like to be treated like a little slut—”
I knee him in the balls.
He falls forward and howls. “Jesus Christ. That fucking hurts.”
“Good.”
Reaching over, he opens the passenger door. “Get the fuck out of my car, you stupid bitch.” He pushes me when I don’t move quick enough. “Now!”
Gladly.
I climb out of his car and he zips out of the vacant marina.
As I look around, it sinks in that it’s after midnight and I’m stranded in the middle of west bubblefuck. Awesome.
The first person I call is Sawyer, but it goes straight to voicemail. Given she usually shuts her phone off when she’s at church or choir rehearsal, chances are she forgot to turn it back on. It wouldn’t be the first time.
I rub my hands on my jeans as I walk to one of the floating docks and sit down.
If I call my aunt, she’ll probably freak out and get my uncle involved.
Ugh. Oakley’s going to give me so much shit for this, but he’s my best option since Sawyer isn’t answering her phone.
Fortunately, he picks up after the second ring. “Yo.”
“Hey, are you busy right now?”
“Not really. Just smoking a little ganja.”
Surprise, surprise. “Oh, that’s cool. I…um. I was hoping you could do me a favor?”
I hear muffled voices in the background, but Oakley tells them to pipe down. “You don’t sound okay. What’s up?”
“I’m kind of stranded at the docks.”
“The docks?” he questions. “What docks?”
“At the marina in Richm—”
“What?” Oakley roars before I can finish my sentence. “What the fuck are you doing all the way out in Richmond? Do you know how dangerous it is there this time of night?”
No, but I’m really hoping I don’t find out. “I guess it’s a good thing I’m all alone then, huh?” I swallow hard. “I’m sorry I bothered you, I just didn’t have anyone else—”
“I’m on my way. Keep your phone close by and don’t talk to any strangers,” he says before hanging up.
Forty minutes later, I see the headlights of Oakley’s car as he speeds into the marina.
But upon closer inspection, I realize it’s not Oakley’s car.
It’s Jace’s.
Oakley is sitting in the passenger seat, and from looks of it, Cole is in the back.
Fuck. My. Life.
I’ve barely even started walking toward them when Oakley and Jace jump out, looking like they’re ready to pummel the shit out of someone.
“What happened?” Oakley yells. “Are you okay? Who did this to you?”
He can be so dramatic sometimes. “I’m fine.”
No way in hell am I telling Oakley a thing while Jace is here.
My eyes ping pong between my cousin and my nemesis. “I just really want to go home, okay?”
Grumbling, Oakley leads me to the backseat of Jace’s car.
Cole doesn’t say a word as I slink inside and I’m thankful for it.
Jace—as usual—pretends I don’t exist as he burns rubber out of the parking lot.
Oakley, however, talks enough for the both of them. “How did you get here?”
I pick at my cuticles. “One day my mommy and daddy—”
“I’m serious,” he mutters as Cole snorts. “There’s no way you just happened to go for a walk and end up in Richmond. Someone drove you.” Turning around, he glares at me. “I thought it was that punk-ass motherfucker, but you said you broke up with him at Jace’s birthday party.”
I really wish Oakley would learn to shut up and keep the things I tell him private. “I didn’t break up with him. We were never together.”
His eyes narrow. “I want a name.”
I smile sweetly and extend my hand. “My name’s Dylan. Pleasure to meet you.”
He looks at Jace. “Has she always been this much of a smart ass?”
Jace’s lips quirk. “Only when she’s nervous or hiding something.”
I open my mouth to tell him to fuck off but clamp it shut. If he doesn’t want to talk to me, I don’t want to talk to him. Two can play at this game.
Oakley pouts. “Why won’t you tell me?”
I wish he would stop drilling me. “Because it’s not a big deal.”
His mouth drops open. “Someone left you for dead and it’s not a big deal?”
“No one left me for dead, Oak.” I cross my arms. “Quit being such a drama queen.”
Cole laughs. “She—”
The sound of my phone ringing cuts him off.
I see Sawyer’s name flash across the screen and I press the green button. “H—”
Oakley swipes my phone and brings it to his ear.
I try to snatch it from him, but he motions for Cole to restrain me.
The jerk slides across the seat and sits on my lap.
“Hey, Sawyer. This is Oakley, Dylan’s cousin. Look, something very bad happened to her tonight and I need you to tell me everything you know. Starting with who she was with.”
He’s got to be kidding me. “Don’t tell him anything, Sawyer. I’m fine,” I yell.
“No, that’s not her,” Oakley says. “That’s my stepmom. Not only do they look alike, they sound alike too. Crazy, right? Anyway, I’m gonna need a name.”
“Stop talking, Sawyer,” I shout into Cole’s back. “Hang up the damn phone.”
“Romantic date?” he hums and I mutter a curse.
“Huh, that’s funny.” He looks at me. “I don’t find being stranded by yourself in the middle of the night very romantic, do you?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jace tense up.
Hypocrite much? Although Jace left me his car when he bounced, so it’s not exactly the same thing. Still fucked up, though.
“What?” I hear Sawyer screech over the line. “Oh my God. Is she okay? What the hell is wrong with Tommy?”
Crap. I pinch Cole’s ribs until he yelps and gets off me.
“Tommy. Got it. Peace, baby girl,” Oakley says before he hangs up and glares daggers at me. “Did he rape you? I swear I’ll—”
The car swerves and multiple people on the freeway honk their horns.
“I’m fine, Oakley. He didn’t...I’m okay.”
I’ll fill him in later when he’s calmer and Jace isn’t around.
My cousin points to his face. “Look me in the eyes and tell me he didn’t hurt you.”
Jace’s hand flexes around the steering wheel.
“If by hurt you mean he kicked me out of his car, then yeah. I guess technically he hurt me, but I promise I’m fine.”
Oakley still doesn’t look satisfied after that, but at least he drops it for the rest of the ride home.
I scramble out of the car after Jace pulls up our driveway, but fingers wrap around my wrist.
For a second, I think it’s Oakley, but he’s already halfway to the front door.
Spinnin
g around, I peer up at Jace’s stern, but gorgeous face. “Thanks for the ride.”
Gently, he tips my chin. I feel his gaze roam over every part of my face and body, but for once, it’s not in a sexual way.
“I’m fine,” I tell him. “Tommy and I…we’re over.”
He remains silent as he finishes his careful appraisal of me.
When he’s satisfied, he gets back into his car and drives off.
Leaving me without so much as a single word.
Like he always does.
Chapter 32
Jace
His orange Subaru sticks out like a sore thumb among the other cars in the parking garage.
After checking the time on my dash, I pull my ski mask down and grab my bat.
Given Tommy lives in a low-budget complex, the one and only security camera was a breeze to dismantle.
Doesn’t mean someone won’t roll up on me, though, so I have to make this shit quick.
I go for the hatchback window first before moving on to the windshield and the side windows.
But I’m not finished yet.
After pulling the lever for the gas cap, I reach into the pocket of my hoodie and take out the liter bottle of water and empty it into the tank.
Then I unzip my pants and piss in it.
Now you’re stranded too, motherfucker.
Chapter 33
Dylan
My aunt whistles as she walks into my bedroom. “Wow, you look…”
I put the finishing touches on my makeup and turn around. “That bad?”
“No…just different. Older.”
I smirk. “I mean, it is my birthday.”
She looks me up and down, taking in my blown-out hair, smokey-eye makeup, and the bodycon slip dress I purchased with one of the gift cards she got me. It’s red, super short, and the ruched fabric makes me look like I have some dangerous curves going on.
“You look gorgeous, Dylan.” She stands behind me in the mirror. “I just hope you’re doing this for the right reasons.”
“The only person I’m doing it for is me,” I tell her honestly.
I thought dating Tommy would help me get over Jace, but it didn’t work.