“Bullshit!” a female voice shouted, which was followed by some whistling. Malcolm felt his cheeks grow hot.
“I had another song I was going to sing, but I think that one is better left near the beginning of us. But it was never for anyone else but you. I love you, and hope you’ll give us another chance.” He finally dared to look up.
Jayne’s seat was empty. A couple women pointed to the exit as the door closed.
He had his answer. It wasn’t the one he looked for, but at least he had his answer. He hoisted his guitar, and passed the mic to Claire.
“Why so sad?”
“It didn’t work.”
“Look again, sport.” She pointed toward the backstage stairs.
Jayne leaned against the wall.
Claire leaned in and whispered, “Don’t go far. We have the vote to finish.”
He walked toward Jayne.
She had descended the stairs and moved down the hall by the time he got to her.
“Jayne?”
“What was that about the song?”
“It’s you.”
“I thought you wrote it for the cheerleader.”
He shook his head. “I never got to correct that assumption. It’s always been you, even from elementary school when you stood up to some bullies by the tetherball.”
“That was you too?”
“Yes. I feel like you’ve always been there, protecting me. My Jane. My Muse. My Angel.”
Her eyes widened. “Angel? That song—”
“Was about you. Not Angel Byrd.” He took a step closer, scared shitless she’d push him away, but refusing to keep it inside any longer. “It was about you. Even then. And after. Even when I hated you, I loved you.”
She flinched. “You hated me?”
“I thought I did.”
“And now?” Hope won the battle over her heart and shone through her eyes at him. “Our past is in the past, but it hasn’t changed. Not really. It’s still there.”
“But our beginning isn’t what you thought it was. We’ve changed. Now I know I hated them. Their actions. Their cruelty. You never intended for the things to happen to me the way they did.”
“I didn’t!” Her gaze softened and she closed most of the space between them. “I had no idea that I was the reason you were treated so horribly. I would have tried to do something about it if I’d known, tell them there’d been a mistake!”
He ran his hands up her arms, rested on her shoulders. “I know you would have.”
“But I didn’t notice.” Her mouth twisted into a wry smile. “In case it escaped your attention, high school wasn’t exactly the time of my life.”
“Actually, I guess I didn’t notice.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Ironic. You spent all that time thinking about me, but failed to see that we were both in hell. Burning together.”
He pulled her into a hug. Her body was only stiff for a moment and then she clung to him.
He had to ask. “Can you forgive me for lying to you about not knowing each other?”
“I already have.”
“And,” he paused, desperately hoping, “do you, can you ever forgive me for thinking I needed revenge against you for the things that had happened?”
“Maybe the answer would have been different if I hadn’t come here and laid my own past to rest. But I’ve learned that not letting go is one of the worst things you can do for yourself.”
“So … ?”
“I know what we have is real, and you genuinely care about me.”
“I love you,” he reiterated.
“And despite the way our relationship started, I love you too. I mean the new relationship, not high school.”
“Elementary, technically.” She loved him!
She smiled. “I don’t want to lose this. You took out the guy who attacked me, and you were so upset about it. No one is that good of an actor. You taught me how to protect myself.” Her voice trembled.
So did his heart.
He captured her hand, and kissed her palm feeling like he might cry. He couldn’t wait to start a future with her. “And here we are again. I’ve had enough of the past. What do you say we get the hell out of here?”
She leaned back, feigning shock. “What, you don’t want to stay and see who the class votes as most successful?”
“The class can kiss my—”
“There you guys are!” Claire scurried over to them. “The votes are in! You guys missed the big announcement!”
Jayne moved to stand next to Malcolm, slid her arm around his back and smiled up at him. “We got caught talking about old times.”
“We’re heading out. Good seeing you, Claire.” Malcolm lifted a hand in a farewell.
Their old valedictorian’s eyes bugged out like a pug’s. “But don’t you want to know who won the class’s vote as most successful class member?” Malcolm squeezed Jayne and let her pull him toward the exit. Her blue eyes shone and he felt the depth of his gratitude that she was giving him another chance.
Claire took a step after them. “It was a complete landslide majority vote! Aren’t you even a tiny bit curious about who won?”
Malcolm smiled down at Jayne. “We both did.”
I’d love to do something succinct and poetic, like, ‘To my family who are my friends, and my friends who are my family.’ But that’s a bit too broad, and there’s no music to cut off THIS speech!
So here are the specific Thank You’s to the village who raised this idiot:
The Seymour Agency, Nic Resciniti, and specifically Marisa Cleveland, for your tireless work and for always believing in me. I’ve cherished our journey together, and here’s to many more miles.
Georgia McBride, for seeing something you wanted, and going for it. And then making it even better on a whirlwind schedule!
Jessa Russo. *chestbump* I literally don’t know where I’d be in my writing journey if we had never met. You’re such an amazing person, a door opener, a true friend, I wish we had met earlier in life, but I’m so glad you’re in mine now. TWSS.
To my AMAZING Crit Partners for helping shape TBLP into what it is now, and being there every step of the way: Amber Tuscan-Clites, Brandi Lynch, Cait Greer, Carrie Bastyr, Elizabeth Otto, Heather Griffin, Laura Hughes, Tristina Wright, I couldn’t do it without you guys. <3
To Kayti McGee, Melissa Brady King, Laura Barnes, Bethany Hagen, and Genn Albin: Thank you for being there for me every day. I love you all and appreciate you so much. YOU MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!
To the WrAHms: I’m sure I scare you from time to time, but thanks for hanging in there with me!
To my fantastic Beta Readers: Laurelin Paige, Angela McLain, J. Elizabeth Hill, Robyn Lucas, Mina Vaughn, Delancey Stewart, Katie Ernst, Angela Parkhurst, THANK YOU ALL!
To my family for always letting me do it my way!
To the Triage: Genevieve Kennedy, and Leanna Klyne for being who you are, and letting me be myself with you for the past *cough* years.
And finally, to my husband, Travis. For always making me laugh, and for giving me Buttermilk when I needed her most. I love you.
And to the people I’m sure I forgot: I’m sorry, and I LOVE YOU TOO! THANK YOU!
Tamara Mataya
Tamara Mataya is currently a librarian; she lurked there for so long recommending books to patrons and shushing people that she suspects they only hired her so it would be less creepy. Now she’s armed with a name tag and a thin veneer of credibility. She’s also a musician with synaesthesia – which isn’t an issue until someone plays a wrong note, which makes her want to squirm inside out. It makes for a good live show.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Author Acknowledgements
About the Author
The Best Laid Plans Page 18