“I’m convinced.”
They said a quick good-bye to Donna. The weather was turning, and as soon as they stepped out of the store, a gust of leaves blew up from the street, while rumbling gray clouds dotted the sky. Cat shivered in her lightweight dress. In the dull Franklin fall, it wasn’t doing much to keep her warm. He shrugged off his jacket.
“Here you go.”
“Are you sure?” she said through chattering teeth. “Won’t you get cold?”
“Nah.” He shook his head. “Even if I do, I’m too manly to admit it.”
She groaned in response, but at the same time wriggled into the jacket. “Well, I’m not too girlie to admit I love wearing it. It smells like you.”
“And that’s a good thing?” He raised an eyebrow.
“A very good thing.” Her hand found his as they reached the car.
“I’ll have to take your word for it.”
It didn’t take long to reach the Shack. He’d first discovered it a couple of years ago when he’d been looking for some free wifi to get an assignment finished. He’d returned because the food was cheap, the staff didn’t care if he stayed there working on essays, and the noise stopped him from thinking about his shitty life.
They also made great pizza.
“How did I not know about this place?” Cat pushed away her empty plate and glanced around. An old bicycle hung from the ceiling, while the walls were papered with vintage maps. “More to the point, how did my mom not know about it? I’m judging her right now.”
“Don’t be too tough on her. She did teach you where to find the best stores to buy secondhand tuxedoes.” Alex finished off the garlic bread. “And is this your way of conceding?”
“No, this is.” Her eyes gleamed as she wriggled closer to him, her chair scraping against the wooden floorboards. She smelled of cheese and happiness as her mouth found his. Then she pulled away, her lips forming a smile. “Congratulations, Alex Locke, you win.”
“I think we’re all winners here,” he said before kissing her back.
When they finally broke away, her face was flushed and her mouth soft. She blinked and looked around as if realizing they’d been making out in a pizza store. He reluctantly untangled himself from her and got to his feet, reaching a hand out to her. Cat’s fingers entwined with his as they walked to the car.
The drive back to her house was in the comfortable silence he’d always had with her. Whatever we’re doing is working.
“Thank you for tonight. And for agreeing to go with me tomorrow.”
“It’s fine. Turns out being a regular boyfriend is just like being a fake one,” he said as she got out of the car, pausing only to take off his jacket, which was now threaded with her scent. Then she leaned in his window and gave him a final kiss before walking up the path. He waited until she was safely inside before heading home.
He hummed along to the radio, catching every green light between her place and his. Then he grinned. Dating her was bringing him luck. He pulled into his regular parking spot and hooked his suit bag over his shoulder. Joe had gone home for the night, and the place was quiet, but it wasn’t until he had almost reached the stairs that he spotted a shadowy figure leaning against the bottom rail.
His throat tightened as the man stepped out into the spotlight, illuminating them in the night.
It was Clay.
His mom’s deadbeat boyfriend. The absolute last person he ever wanted to see.
“About time you got home.” Clay swayed back and forth. It had been four years since Alex had seen him, and time hadn’t been kind. Clay was probably still in his thirties, but he looked ten years older. Streaks of gray ran through his hair, and his cheeks were hollowed out. A teardrop tattoo sat below his eye, and more ink covered his knuckles. “I’ve been waiting all night for you, boy.”
“I’m not your boy.” Alex growled as he straightened his spine. He was no longer the scared kid he once was, no longer had to play nice for the sake of his mom. “And whatever you want, the answer’s no.”
“Is that any way to treat someone who just got out of prison?” Clay stepped closer. He stank of rum and weed. “And since when did you get all high and mighty? What’s with the suit?”
“I said go.” His jaw tightened.
“We have history, you and me.” Clay’s mouth dropped into a petulant grimace.
“That history stopped the night of the accident. Now, get lost before I call the police.”
After Clay didn’t show for the funeral, Alex had started to think he’d left the state. And as the months had passed, he’d sometimes not even think about him for days at a time, and when he did, he imagined all the violence, the anger, the way Clay had spurred his mom on to worse excesses, was all some screwed up nightmare.
Wrong.
“And what will you tell them? The guy you once stole for is talking too much?” Clay leered, swaying slightly as he moved forward. Alex flinched. He was now half a head taller, and for the first time ever, the man who’d tormented his childhood looked uncertain.
“If I have to. Sending you back to prison would be worth the consequences.” Alex clutched at the suit bag to stop himself from punching anything. Or anyone.
“Crap, Al. When the hell did you get so serious?” Clay threw up his hands. “All I need is enough money to get out of this goddamn town once and for all. A couple hundred should do it.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” He stepped forward, and Clay took an instinctive step back. “How the hell did you even find me?”
“I have my ways. And you weren’t the only one I found. Brighton Pavilions, eh?”
Blood stormed his temples as everything he’d tried to leave behind came crashing down. “I swear—you go near Birdie and you’re dead. Do you hear me?”
“Sure.” Clay grinned as if knowing he’d played a winning hand. “Give me the money, and your secret will be safe with me. Not to mention your precious grandmother.”
No.
Clay was a junkie and a thief. If he went near Birdie, he’d steal whatever he could get his hands on, what little was still there to take. Alex just wanted him gone. Two hundred bucks was a small price to pay.
“This is only going to happen once, and then I never want to see you again.”
“Deal.” Clay gave him a feral grin. Bastard was enjoying it. “But at least let me use your john.”
“Fine.” Alex stalked up the stairs. The key rattled in his hand as he pushed open the door and nodded toward the restroom. Once he was alone, he retrieved the small cashbox from the bedroom and counted out some bills. Then he took a deep breath before stepping back into the living room.
Five, four, three, two, one.
The sooner it was done, the sooner it would be over.
Clay was already standing there, cramming leftover pizza into his mouth. He hadn’t even bothered to shut the fridge behind him.
“Here’s the money. And if I ever see you again I’m going to the police.”
“You always were a miserable little shit.” Clay helped himself to another piece of pizza and shoved the money into his filthy jeans. Then without a backward glance, he sauntered out of the apartment. As soon as he was gone, Alex locked the door behind him. He waited until his heartbeat had returned to normal before calling Brighton Pavilion to ensure Birdie didn’t receive any unwanted visitors.
Then he let himself sit down.
He’d long believed the past couldn’t be changed, so there was no point thinking about it. No point thinking about how he hadn’t saved his sisters. Or how his mom had put her addiction before her family.
Or about how badly I screwed up.
Seeing Clay again was a reminder of just how fragile his new life was.
Chapter Eleven
“I didn’t hear you come in last night.” Her mom looked up from the crossword she was doing and nodded in the direction of the coffee pot.
“That’s because I move with the stealth of a ninja.” Cat poured a
cup before catching the concern in her mom’s eyes. “Does this mean a lecture’s coming? I swear I was home by nine. Not to mention it was Friday night.”
Her mom shook her head. “No lecture, unless you’d like one. I just don’t want you rushing into anything. You seem to be getting serious pretty quickly.”
“I could say the same for you.” Her mom had seen Joe most nights since their first date. And even though Cat was fine with the situation, it did seem like a case of pots and kettles.
“Except I’m an adult, honey. I’ve got the experience to know what I’m doing. And I’m not having a go at Alex. You know I like him, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have concerns.”
Concerns that were based on his reputation, not the real him.
“I think what we’re doing is the opposite of rushing. Anyway, we were shopping for the ball and then got something to eat. It was pretty tame,” Cat said, trying to hide her disappointment that her mom was judging Alex just like everyone else did. Why couldn’t anyone else see what a great job he was doing getting his life on track?
And how freaking hot he looks in a tuxedo.
“Okay.” Her mom held up her hands. “My motherly duty’s done. I guess I just miss you.”
Cat’s anger faded as she joined her mom at the table. “Would it help if I gave you my laundry to do?”
“Nice try. But, call me old fashioned, I’d rather see your face at the dinner table. You’ve got the ball tonight, but how about tomorrow? Just the two of us. You can tell me all about the outfits, and I can pretend I made the pesto by hand rather than buying it at the farmer’s market.”
“Sure.” Cat nodded. “I don’t have any newspaper stuff to do, and I’m all caught up on my homework.”
She didn’t bother to add Alex was working, because she sensed it might annoy her mom. Which was stupid because, even when they did spend time together, it was Alex who always checked her mom had okayed it, and he always had her home in time.
In fact, if she circulated that around school, his bad boy image would be gone for good.
“I’ll look forward to it,” her mom said as Nikki poked her head in through the back door. “And now I’ll let the pair of you get on with the important business of shopping.”
“Yup, we’re all about the shopping.” Nikki pulled a goofy face as Cat grabbed her backpack and favorite denim jacket. Her friend’s car was packed with what she’d need later, when the pair of them got ready together.
…
“Okay, Cinderella. I think our hot dates are here,” Nikki said as the chimes of the doorbell rang out. Cat stared at herself in the mirror. It had taken them an hour of shopping before she’d discovered the perfect dress. The fabric was shimmering silver with a soft, flowing skirt and a fitted bodice covered with lace. She double checked her makeup and turned.
“You swear on your favorite sweater I don’t look like an idiot?”
“I swear.” Nikki gave a solemn nod before hugging her. “You look gorgeous.”
“So do you,” Cat said truthfully.
Nikki had dyed her hair purple to match the off-the-shoulder dress that hugged her athletic figure like a glove. If Parker weren’t already head over heels, this would’ve ensured it.
“Okay.” Nikki took one last peek in the mirror before grabbing Cat’s hand. “In that case, we need to go. Oh, and lift your skirt. Face-planting down the stairs is no one’s idea of fun.”
Preach that.
“Got it.” Cat obediently gathered it up, the fabric soft against her skin.
Downstairs, Alex and Parker were making small talk with her mom and Joe, but when they reached the bottom, the guys broke off. Parker’s jaw dropped as Nikki sashayed toward him, while Alex’s eyes, the shade of a hazy spring sky, flickered with emotion as he caught his breath.
He likes it.
“Honey, you look amazing,” her mom said. “And so do you, Nikki.”
“Thanks, Ms. T.” Nikki grinned.
“Yeah, thanks, Mom,” Cat said as heat hit her cheeks. While Nikki was glowing from the compliment, Cat struggled. She was usually the one watching everyone else, taking notes to write about it later. Being the center of attention was unnerving, but her panic disappeared as Alex gave her an encouraging smile.
“Your mom’s right,” he said in a low voice. “You look beautiful.”
“You don’t scrub up too badly yourself,” she said as her arm brushed his. His muscles were tense beneath the jacket, and when she studied his face, his jaw was stiff. She wrinkled her brow. “Is everything okay?”
“Yup.” He nodded a little bit too quickly, but before she could ask him again, her mom waved her phone in the air.
“And now it’s time for the obligatory photos,” she announced, while next to her Joe looked amused. Cat groaned.
“Sorry. This is the dark side of not dating very often. It’s headline news,” Cat said as she turned to where Nikki and Parker were camera ready, their arms draped around each other, their smiles polished.
“It’s fine.” His aftershave sent her pulse racing as he stepped closer to her for the impromptu photo shoot.
Five minutes later, they were cramming into Alex’s car while her mom and Joe stood in the doorway waving. Headlights dazzled in the distance while Nikki and Parker kept up a continuous flow of conversation. Alex was silent as his hands gripped the steering wheel, and she was content to smooth down the fabric of her dress.
The night air was cool as they all descended from the car and headed to the gymnasium. The plain red brick was gone, and in its place was a projected image of jungle trees, swaying back and forth. It was so lifelike Cat came to a halt and gasped.
“Holy crap,” Alex muttered as he joined her. “We’re a long way from Kansas.”
“You can say that again.” She gulped, reaching for his hand. “I’m suddenly wondering if this was such a good idea. Don’t we normally mock things like this?”
“Absolutely.” Nikki’s cheeks glowed from the night air and the excitement. “But you have to admit it looks amazing. I’m prepared to put my mocking on hold until tomorrow.”
“Me, too,” Parker seconded as they walked inside.
“Is it weird I’m nervous?” Cat peered up at Alex, his face still solemn.
“It would be weird if you weren’t. We’re about to enter a place decorated with far too much glitter and golden foil.”
He gently nudged her forward, and they stepped inside. Creeping vines hung from the ceiling and down the walls, while in the middle of the room was the twisting steel tree Alex had spent so much time on. Gone was the icy blue metal, pitted with welds and rust. It had been transformed into a living creation that pulsed with lights.
“Wow. You’re not the only one who scrubs up well. It looks amazing.”
“If you’re a rainbow unicorn,” he quipped, though there was no smile in his eyes as he continued to scan the crowd. Even with the dim lighting and flickering colors of the sculptured tree, it was clear the room was filled with all the golden couples of the school.
And in the middle were Bennet and Isabel. Next to her Alex stiffened, and guilt hit her.
No wonder he’d been so distracted.
All the people he spent his days avoiding were in the one place. An Alex Locke nightmare, all wrapped in ball gowns and tuxedoes.
And I brought him here.
But before she could say anything, Nikki bounced over.
“Come on, guys. We need to dance.”
Actually, what they needed to do was find somewhere quiet to regroup. But as the swing band started, Nikki clasped her hands together in a begging action.
“Sure. So, I guess we’re going to dance.”
Alex nodded as he led her toward the dance floor.
The last time they’d danced, it had been under Birdie’s watchful gaze. But this time Cat was his legitimate girlfriend. She melted into his arms as he guided them through the steps, but despite the relaxed smile on his face, his muscles were still c
oiled with tension.
“Do you hate me for bringing you here?” she asked, catching her breath as he spun her around.
“I could never hate you,” he said, his eyes dark and intense. “Everyone else on the other hand…”
“That’s what I mean. This is the stuff of your worst nightmares. I’m the queen of bad ideas.”
“You’re feeling sorry for me?” His voice was a little above a whisper as his hand tightened on her back, leaving her breathless. “I’m dancing with you. I’m the luckiest guy alive.”
“So, you really don’t mind?” she said as he continued to guide her around the room, the decorations flashing like an Amazonian disco ball as their pace increased.
“Never.” The music reached a crescendo, leaving her giddy as he pulled her closer, his breath fanning her hair. By the time the music finished, the darkness in his eyes was gone, and he kissed her. “You really do look beautiful.”
Her own panic retreated. “Thank you.”
“Nice job, you two.” Mackenzie appeared at their side. Her dress wasn’t dissimilar to Cat’s, but in black and no doubt five times the price. “I had no idea you could dance, Alex.”
“It’s no big deal.” He shrugged, looking incredibly handsome in the process.
“I beg to differ,” Mackenzie corrected in her blunt way. “Come and see me on Monday. I’ve pulled out of the Summerset Trust scholarship because I’ve just been accepted to Stanford with a full ride. I’m sure you’ll find my notes and mock questions useful.”
Alex arched an eyebrow. “You’d do that?”
“I misjudged you, and I’m big enough to admit when I make a mistake,” Mackenzie said before narrowing her eyes, and pointing over to Jacob, who was in charge of lighting. Then without another word she went storming over.
“Don’t try and understand why Mackenzie does anything.” Cat laughed as they watched her disappear into the crowd. “Because that way madness lies.”
“Good point.” He nodded, and this time he smiled as he dragged her toward him. “And now, I think we need another dance.”
“No argument from me,” Cat said as his hand once more snaked around her waist, leaving her breathless.
The Heartbreak Cure Page 11