Between Friends (Between the Raindrops #3)

by Susan Schussler

  A text pings on my phone and I pull it out hoping it’s from Meg—no such luck. It’s my dad.

  Jim: I know you’re off today. We need to talk. Stop by the office this morning.”

  Crap. Now what did I do?

  Me: I’ll be there by 11.

  I don’t get a response. He’s probably in a meeting and doesn’t want to waste his time.

  When I arrive at the firm at two minutes to eleven, I stop at the reception desk and hold out my parking ticket to be validated. Audrey takes the ticket, stamps it, and as she hands it back says, “He’s waiting for you in his office.”

  “Should I be worried?” I ask, because her face gives no clues as to why my father called this impromptu meeting.

  “I don’t know, Liam. He didn’t say anything to me.”

  “Thanks.” I smile and head down the beige hallway to my dad’s office. His large wooden door is cracked open and I can hear him on the phone. I peek my head in and he motions me to take a seat across from his immaculately clean desk. I sit, and as he continues his conversation, I take out my phone and send Meg a text. There is no indication Jim’s phone call will end anytime soon.

  Me: What are you wearing?

  Megan: A white lace thong.

  Me: Send a picture.

  Megan: No.

  She never disappoints. It’s a game we’ve been playing this past week. I ask her what she’s wearing and she tells me what kind of underwear she has on. Then I ask her to send a picture and she refuses. One of these days she’s going to give in and completely shock the hell out of me. I am putting a mental picture book together of all the photos she’s refused to send.

  Me: I’m trapped in my dad’s office waiting for him to ream me out about God knows what. I need a distraction. Please?

  Megan: No. Chase is here.

  Me: Why is he there?

  Megan: He just asked me to get back together.

  What? My dad picks this moment to end his call and address me. He slides a letter-sized piece of paper across his desk toward me and asks, “Do you know anything about this?”

  The words “Fuck you,” in my brother’s handwriting, scrawled across the printed article catch my attention first. I skim the article and before I finish, he starts talking again. “Your mother and I haven’t told a soul. I talked to the rehab place and they assure me the leak didn’t come from them. That leaves you, Liam.”

  I ignore his glare and reread the short article.

  Longtime drug and suicide prevention activist, Natalie Andrews, schedules another child for drug rehab on this coming Tuesday. Her first-born, actor Liam Nordstrom, checked into rehab last year with a prescription drug addiction and now Andrews’ second child with prominent celebrity lawyer Jim Nordstrom is following his big brother down the addiction highway.

  The article goes on further to discuss the boards Mom resides on and my grandfather’s suicide. It’s short and I don’t see the actual website it came from, but there’s a shortened link. I grasp my chin in my hand as I look up to meet my dad’s eyes.

  “Well?”

  “I’ve told a couple people, but they’re not the type to do this.” I tap the paper. The only people I’ve told are Jonathan and Meg. I haven’t mentioned the intervention plans to Nak and I don’t trust anyone but those three.”

  “Did the rehab place know about your stint in treatment?”

  “No. I haven’t even told the studio, why would I tell them?”

  “You need to lock it down and figure out who’s responsible for the leak. Your mother found this note on the dining room table this morning. Seth never came home last night and he didn’t show up for school this morning.

  “So what now? Do we cancel the intervention? It’s not the first time he hasn’t come home. He still has to sign the papers to get access to his trust.”

  “Your mother is worried he’ll do something rash to harm himself.”

  “Do you think he’ll harm himself or is it just Mom? Because Mom has issues. Seth seemed fine the last time I saw him.” My mom is always acting as if Seth and I are going to follow in our grandfather’s footsteps.

  “Just help us find him. He won’t answer his phone. Check with his friends and see what you can find out. And don’t tell anyone our family problems. You know how embarrassing this is for your mother and me.”

  “Yeah. I’ll see what I can find out.” Like I know his friends. He’s five and a half years younger than me. I knew who he hung out with in middle school, but not now. Damn! I’m going to have to call the studio and let them know this is out there, because I am sure they will get inquiries about my drug problem. I thought I had snuck my treatment past the press. It’s been almost a year.

  By the time I get to my car, I’m having second thoughts about contacting the studio. The studio’s PR department could end up doing more damage than one article on a website. Sometimes they capitalize on any press just to bring attention to the show. The rehab stint fits with my character’s image, so they wouldn’t hesitate to exploit the article if I make them aware of it, and that would just embarrass my parents more.

  I’m not worried about Seth showing up. He’s always been a hothead. He’ll cool off, realize he has no money, and return home to sign his trust papers. My parents have always coddled him. My bigger concern is who leaked the story to the press. I know my parents didn’t tell a soul about the intervention and I know Jon didn’t either. That leaves Meg. I wish it wasn’t her because she’s one of the few girls I’ve actually thought of as a friend, except maybe Ellie.

  Ellie and Meg are similar in so many ways—both beautiful and smart—a combination so hot I couldn’t help but want them. I stopped myself with Meg, but Ellie was a different story. We were friends for years before she changed the rules. She chased me long before I took what she offered, and she offered more than most men dream of. I tried to have a relationship with her. I did. She deserved that. We kept what we were doing from everyone we knew, especially her brother. But, I was young and stupid about girls. Our relationship was hidden. Nobody knew about it. There were so many girls around me all the time. With all the guys watching, I had to partake or they would find out about Ellie and me. Yes, I let it go too far and her brother told her about me and some girl at a concert. She blew up at me and I ended it. I know what motivated Ellie, she wanted revenge.

  Ellie didn’t sell me to the press. I had no career back then. I was just like a million other college freshmen. Instead, Ellie told her brother. She knew what would hurt me the most. She shared every lewd act we did and every place we did it. She told him things no brother should ever hear about his sister. When he confronted me, I didn’t want him to think poorly of Ellie. It was my fault. I knew that. So, I admitted to using her for sex. Those words her brother would accept. No brother wants to think of his little sister as a sexual aggressor.

  Ellie was no virgin when we hooked up. She surprised me with her knowledge. And even though I wasn’t her first, she told her brother I was. I didn’t share the truth with him though. It would have changed their relationship. Instead, I took a fist to the gut and let him hate me. He would have hated me anyway, but at least he wouldn’t hate his sister.

  The way I handled it pushed me out of favor with my friends. If it hadn’t been for Jon, I don’t know if I would have ever been welcomed back into the group. I told him the truth and he believed me. He convinced everyone except Ellie’s brother to give me a pass. I don’t think I could deal with losing my friends. With the family I have, the guys are more than just friends to me.

  I don’t know what motivated Meg to turn on me though. She doesn’t seem to want a relationship. She has more guys than she can handle, and this morning she sounded as if she was getting back together with her ex. I can’t imagine a story on some website would pay much, but there is no other reason to leak the intervention and it had to be her. No one else knew about it. I was looking for a reason to end what we were doing before I betrayed Jon, and I guess I found my reason to
cut it off with Meg. I don’t need any more proof. She knows what she did, and even though I like her, I don’t need anyone who betrays my trust.

  Chapter 16

  Megan

  I SENT LIAM a text an hour ago and haven’t heard back from him yet. He never answered the two calls yesterday, so I hope he sees this text. I’m tempted to send him a picture of the underwear I’m wearing just to get a response from him. He is supposed to let me know what happened at his brother’s intervention. If it worked the way he wanted it to, he would have called me as soon as it was over. My only thought is that it didn’t go well and Seth refused treatment. It wouldn’t be Liam’s fault, his speech was perfect. It almost made me want to check into rehab.

  There’s a quick knock on my door and then Chase walks in. “Jessica let me in.” He sits on my bed and adds, “She was mumbling something about having to do an intervention on you. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “She’s threatened to put me in treatment because of you.”

  His face crinkles with confusion. “What did I do?”

  “Nothing, Chase. Just forget it.” I hope he never understands my friends think I have an unhealthy addiction to him.

  “Okay. Did you have time to think about what I proposed the other day?”

  “Which proposal, the one where you offered to let me move in with you or the one where you offered to impregnate me? There were so many enticing choices, how was I supposed to choose?”

  “The one where I asked if you wanted to get back together.”

  “Chase, we can’t get back together, my roommates would kill me. Besides I don’t trust you.”

  “What can I do to prove to you I am serious about us dating? Meg, I’m still in love with you. I want us. I want to build a life together. Yes, that means children. It doesn’t have to be right away. You can finish your degree first. But you wouldn’t have to work. We could travel. My app business can support us.”

  “All right, Chase, you can stop talking now. You are terrifying me. I’m not ready for any of that. We don’t even know each other.”

  “We do,” he says dismissively. “I know you better than anyone.”

  “No you don’t.”

  “Just think about it. You will never have to work a day in your life. I’ll take care of you.” A text pings on his phone. “I have to go.” His face changes from confidence to concern. “On second thought don’t think about it, just go with the flow, Meg. We’re going to happen.” His eyes twinkle as he gives me that cocky smile. He licks his lips and grasps my chin as he presses his soft lips to mine. The muscle memory of us together floods my head. He pulls back. “Just a taste of what you’re missing.” He winks at me, then heads down stairs and out the door.

  I’m stunned. We still have chemistry. It is obviously there. I suppose it will never completely disappear. I blow out a deep breath. It would be easy to take him up on what he’s offering. I wouldn’t have to worry about moving or grad school. I could just enjoy my life starting now, like Sarah. She doesn’t seem to be worse for the wear being with Jon. Thinking of Sarah makes me think of Liam. He’s not the type of guy who would settle down to one girl. But then again neither is Chase. Even Sarah has her doubts about Jonathan. Is that just the way men are? Peterson cheated and he was as vanilla as it gets. Well that gives me my answer right there.

  I’ve changed. When Chase and I were in high school we used to talk about what we would do if we had all the money we wanted. Back then I may have joked about traveling the world and never holding a job, but I was a child. If he knew me, he would know I could never do that now. I need to work. I need to be able to support myself, because men are pigs and I will never give someone else the power to control me. I think that was part of my mom’s problem—not that my dad would ever cheat, but she felt trapped, unable to fend for herself.

  I wish Liam would call me back. I left a voice mail yesterday. He’s got to have gotten it by now. He could tell me what to do, give me the guy’s point of view. I pick up my phone debating whether I should call him when it lights with a call. It’s Sarah.

  Thank God.

  She can give me real advice about Chase. I can’t talk about the Liam factor, but she will set me straight on Chase.

  “Oh, Sarah, I’m so glad you called. I need some advice. Chase was just here, and he wants to get back together. He told me that he never stopped loving me—that we could make it work now. What do I do with that?”

  “You know you can’t get back together with him, right? I mean, you know that or you wouldn’t be asking me for advice. He’s never treated you well. Even before he started using drugs, he treated you like you were a second-class citizen.”

  “I know,” I admit slowly. Minutes ago I was telling Chase no and now I feel the need to defend him. Old habits are hard to break. “He just seems so different now though, like he’s really trying. Did you know he bought me a new phone? It’s totally loaded. It has everything. He just gave it to me as a gift—not to say he was sorry and he didn’t expect anything in return. He never would have done something like that before. I really think he’s sincere.”

  “He gave you a phone?” asked Sarah. “I bet it was totally loaded.”

  “Wasn’t it sweet? So un-Chase. I priced it out, and he had to have paid close to eight hundred for it. I told you he’s changed.”

  “When did he give it to you?”

  “Right after we got back from your place. He just showed up with the new one. It had a red bow on it…a bow.”

  “You know…I talked to Liam today. He told me you two have been keeping in touch.”

  What? “He told you? He’s really great. I wish he lived here. ” Maybe she can tell me why he never called. “Is he mad at me?”

  “Is there a reason why he should be mad at you?” Sarah asks.

  “No, but I called him twice and he hasn’t called me back. Did he say anything?”

  “Megan, he thinks you leaked the story about his brother’s intervention to the press. He only told you and Jon and it came out on Friday on Celebrity Daily. After the story broke, his brother disappeared.”

  “What? Did they find him?”

  “No…He’s still missing.”

  “Well…Jon’s got a lot of explaining to do, because I didn’t tell any vultures anything. You told Liam it wasn’t me, right?”

  “I tried, but…” Sarah stutters. “They can’t figure out how else it could have leaked.”

  “They? Jon believes it too? I would never do that. You know I would never—”

  “You wouldn’t, but the Chase I used to know would. That perfect phone he gave you probably has a stalker app that gives him access to everything you say and text, and your e-mail.”

  What a fricking bastard. “Damn him…Always the user. Why do I let him do this to me over and over? I can’t believe I trusted him again. I let him back in my life and he does this to me? I bet Liam will never talk to me again.”

  “So you didn’t tell anyone about Liam’s brother?”

  “No…just Jessica and Alli…and they wouldn’t tell anyone. I can’t believe I fell for his BS. I am so going to tell him where to shove his phone. I should have done it as soon as I noticed him downloading my contact list. I’m going to kill him.”

  “Hey, Jon and I will replace it. Just tell us what you want and we’ll send you a new one.”

  “That’s okay. I still have my old phone. I’ll just switch it back. It would be weird having you buy me a new one.” I should have let Peterson pummel him. I collapse on the bed when the call ends. I’m going to kill Chase. I wonder why he would sell Liam’s story to the press. Does he need the money so badly he would mess with another addict? Isn’t there an addict’s code? I want to text Liam to try to explain, but I don’t want Chase seeing our conversation. Instead I shoot a text to Chase.

  Me: Thinking about you. Can you stop over tomorrow so we can talk?

  Chase: 11AM?

  Me: See you then.

 
He sends a winky face emoji. What a jerk. He probably thinks he’s going to get a green light on us. I just want to see his face. I can read him better in person.

  I head down the warped wooden stairs to the kitchen, hoping to run into my roommates. Either of them could help me map out what I am going to say to Chase and I am sure they are both willing to share their opinions on the situation.

  “Hey, did you talk to Sarah?” Jessica asks as soon as I step into the room. She’s sitting at the kitchen table with her books spread out around her. Alli is standing next to the counter and it looks as if I’ve interrupted their conversation.

  “Yeah. How did you know?”

  “I talked to her before she called you. Did she mention her entire house was being swept for bugs?”

  “No. You mean like hidden microphones?” I ask, Jessica.

  “That’s what she said. Apparently she and Jon have been having some of their personal information leaked, just like Liam, and they want to try to stop it before the wedding gets too close.”

  I’m quiet after hearing this. I wonder if Chase leaked that too. Now I feel really bad. I look up and Alli rolls her eyes as if Sarah is being paranoid.

  “Hope it isn’t my phone causing the problem. Or maybe I hope it is my phone. At least we could put an end to it,” I say.

  “Sarah said the paparazzi just show up wherever they are, as if someone is tipping them off,” says Jessica. “That would drive me crazy.”

  “Isn’t that part of the deal when you’re engaged to a movie star? It can’t be too surprising. They probably just follow her and Jon from the house,” says Alli.