It took me a week to be impulsive. *Eye roll* I know. That’s not what “impulsive” meant, but I was a bit more cautious in my risk-taking since getting in trouble.
I even re-thought it one last time, standing on Grady’s front porch before I sucked in a breath and rang the doorbell. And re-re-thought it as the door opened.
“Hello,” Grady’s mom stood in the doorway in a smart-looking polyester pants suit.
“Mrs. Pennington?” I was committed now. Unless I chickened out and made up some other excuse on the fly. Don’t do that! Stick with the plan.
“Lacey, right? I’m afraid Grady isn’t here.”
“Actually, I came to see you. Do you have a moment?”
“Oh, of course,” she said, her hands smoothing over the non-existent wrinkles in her slacks. “Come in.”
She led me into the formal living room and sat on one end of the neutral beige couch while gesturing at the other end. “Please, sit.”
I sat on the edge of the cushion with my back rigidly straight and held my purse on my lap. Mainly because my grip on the handles was so tight I doubted I’d be able to let it go.
“What can I do for you?”
“Oh, nothing for me. I actually came by to give you an invitation.” I opened my purse and withdrew the freshly printed invite and held it out to her. “It’s an invitation to the Jackson High Talent Showcase. The showcase is the band’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Since this is a big deal and the students are generously donating their time and talent to the cause, we thought we would officially invite every parent.”
This wasn’t a lie. I’d designed and printed the invitations at my own expense for all the parents of the performing students, in order to invite Grady’s mom.
“Grady didn’t mention the talent showcase.” She finally reached out and took the invitation.
“I bet it slipped his mind. I know he’s been very busy juggling all his responsibilities. School, the advice column, lacrosse, work and the showcase. You must be so proud of him.”
“Of course.” Her gaze shifted away. “Of course, I am.”
“He’s very talented, Mrs. Pennington. I think his performance will be the highlight of the show.”
She set the invitation on the coffee table without a word.
“We’ll have one whole section of seats reserved for family.” Now, this one was a fib. But I couldn’t get a read on her and was anxious to know if she was going to go. “I’m happy to reserve seats for you. How many will you need?”
“I’ll have to check with my husband to see if we have a previous commitment.” She absently spun her wedding ring around on her finger. “As the owner of a large car dealership, he’s involved in many civic organizations and activities.”
“I understand.” I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand at all. I didn’t understand how she could have a son as great as Grady and not support him. Not want to cheer him on. Why couldn’t she go without her husband?
So, this had been a mistake.
“Well, the rest of these invitations aren’t going to deliver themselves.” This was a fib too. I’d handed the rest of the invitations to the students to give to their parents. Mrs. Pennington’s was the only one I hand-delivered. I stood and gave it one last effort on my way out. “I hope you can make it. I know it would mean so much to Grady.”
“We’ll certainly try.” She offered me a stiff smile before shutting the door.
I certainly doubted it.
27
You’re a Jerk, You Know That, Right?
Lacey
Friday, “A” Lunch
“That’s it. I just sold the last ticket to the showcase.” I scooted in next to Grady at the lunch table. “We’re sold out.”
“Good job.” Bernie reached across the table and gave me a fist bump. “You put a lot of time into it.”
Time, yes, but it hadn’t been hard to sell tickets. Once Grady had agreed to perform, more kids signed up to be in the showcase too. It became the cool thing to do. The more kids that signed up, the more the buzz grew until the Talent Showcase was “the event” to go to. The fact that this year’s band fundraiser might be the most successful ever did a lot to assuage my guilty conscience.
“Is it true Josh signed up to play the spoons?” TJ asked. “I mean, it sounds about right for Josh.”
“It’s true. Wait until you hear him,” Grady said. “I’m not kidding. He’s darn good.”
The bell rang to signal the end of lunch.
“Come on, Lace.” Grady cleared our lunch trays and we headed toward the locker bay. “I’ll walk you to class.”
“I think the showcase will be amazing, but I’ll be honest, I’m going to be glad when it’s wrapped up.” I slid my hand into Grady’s. “I’m not even performing and I’m still nervous about it. Do you get nervous before you go onstage?”
“Sometimes. If the venue is big.” Grady leaned his shoulder against the locker next to mine while I exchanged notebooks. “Or if there’s a rumor about a talent scout or a music critic in the audience.”
“How do you handle your nerves?” I shut my locker and we moved down the hall. “Do you have some technique that helps? You know, like picture everyone in the audience naked?”
“I like my audience fully clothed, thanks.” He laughed. “No, I just focus on the music. Feel it. Connect with it. And once I’m going, the nerves just disappear.”
“Feel it and connect with it.” I stopped outside my class. “I’ll remember that if I ever get brave enough to try karaoke.”
“I would love to hear you sing karaoke.” Grady gave me his crooked smile.
“Trust me, you wouldn’t.” I went up on my tiptoes and placed a quick kiss on his lips. “I’ll meet you inside the front entrance tonight. Don’t be late.”
“It’s easy to be on time these days when it means I get to see you.” His lips slid into a sexy smile and then he walked off, leaving me weak-kneed and crazy happy.
Friday Evening, Fifteen Minutes Before the Showcase
“Lacey Trueheart, I’ve been looking for you.”
I flinched at the sound of Chad’s voice. What were the chances he’d go away if I ignored him? Zero.
“What is it, Chad? I’m a little busy.”
“Oh, I think you’ll make time for me…” Ugh. He had that smarmy tone to his voice again which was never good and always gross.
“I don’t think so.” I was searching through my emergency to-go bag that I’d been storing in Bernie’s car since I sold mine. Bhakti Patel’s zipper had broken and she needed safety pins, STAT.
“Even if I have information that might get Grady in serious trouble? Maybe even arrested?”
“Fine, Chad. Tell me.” I slammed Bernie’s trunk closed and turned around to face him. “Tell me this super important information.”
“Not here. Let’s go sit in my car.” He nodded to his car which was parked two spots down from Bernie’s. “It’s right there.”
If I had any doubt that Chad was up to something—and I didn’t—it disappeared right then. “Why can’t you just tell me right here?”
“I can, but if someone walks by and hears it, it’ll be all over the whole school. You know how fast rumors spread.”
“Okay.” I took my pepper spray from my purse and held it where he could see it. “If you try anything, I won’t hesitate to use this.”
His car was flashy and expensive on the outside, but messy inside: fast food trash on the floorboards, textbooks tossed on the back seat, and a messy pile of mail cluttered the passenger seat.
I bent down to move the stack of envelopes so I could sit.
“I’ve got that!” He grabbed the envelopes, haphazardly tossing them backwards.
As soon as we sat inside, I immediately pressed my back against the passenger door, facing him with a belligerent look and my pepper spray ready to go.
“You have one second.” I wasn’t going to put up with his shenanigans longer than I had to.
“I don’t get it. Why do you like him? He’s barely passing school. He isn’t going to go to college.” His lip curled. “He’s going to end up a deadbeat just like his old man.”
I shook my head at him. “Why do you hate him so much?”
“Because he acts like he’s better than us when he’s just a redneck—one step up from trailer park trash. He’s always looking down his nose at me.” He turned his head away, to stare out the front windshield while his hands tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. “You girls think he’s some hot shit bad boy. I hope I’m around when he’s just an out-of-work musician.”
“Okaaay.” The guy had serious issues. Issues that possibly needed professional therapy by the sound of it. The sheer loathing and venom on his face was too hard to look at. I jerked my gaze away, looking anywhere but at Chad. That was why I noticed a couple envelopes that had fallen between my seat and the center console when Chad had tossed them back. Envelopes addressed to Grady from colleges he’d received rejection letters from. Oh, man. Could Grady’s step-brother be that mean and devious? Absolutely.
I messed with my purse, maneuvering it around in the hopes I could slide them into my purse the next time Chad looked away. “Look, I’ve got to get inside. Was that what you wanted to tell me about Grady? Because if that’s all—”
“Oh, that’s not all. It turns out, a few very expensive instruments went missing the night you and Grady broke in.”
“That’s a lie.” Just when I thought Chad couldn’t sink any lower, he proved me wrong. I was so tempted to pepper spray him. So tempted.
“I wish it was. For your sake. And Grady’s. But it will come to light tomorrow morning. Five flutes, two trumpets and a piccolo.” Chad sighed, like his heart was heavy about this. “My guess is that Grady pawned them in the next town over and hid the money in his room or maybe his car.”
“There is no way you can pull that off.”
“Are you sure about that?” He smirked, full of confidence. “Besides, Grady’s already laid the groundwork. He earned his bad boy rep all on his own. The thing about reputations is, people believe them and have a hard time letting them go.”
I opened my mouth to deny that, but paused because that might very well be a sad truth. Grady said it himself. Don’t tell anyone I’m not the bad boy everyone thinks I am. Heck, look at all the people who judged Tracey purely based on how she dressed.
“It’s got you thinking. I bet a lot of people won’t be surprised at all to hear Grady stole the instruments.”
“You’re a jerk, you know that, right?”
“Here comes Grady. If you want to spare him the humiliation of the discovery of his theft and possible fall out, here’s what you’re going to do…”
28
Shut It Down
Grady
Lacey and I had agreed to meet inside the main entrance before heading down to the auditorium but she was late. The showcase was about to start and I hadn’t seen her yet and she wasn’t responding to my texts. Bernie said she might have run out to her car for something and may not have her phone, so I walked out to the parking lot. Lacey’s car must have still been in the shop since I only saw Bernie’s car, but Lacey wasn’t there either.
I was just turning around to head back inside when I saw Chad get out of his car a few spaces down. I guess I hadn’t noticed his car parked there.
“Grady.” Chad nodded, managing to make it condescending. “You looking for Lacey?”
Before I could even respond, Lacey exited the passenger side of Chad’s car. What the hell?
“Perfect timing, actually.” Chad held his hand out to Lacey. She hesitated, throwing me a glance before walking around to where Chad waited near the back bumper. “You’ve got to tell him, Lacey. It’s only fair.”
“Tell me what?” Something about this was off.
Lacey closed her eyes and shook her head. Chad wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into him. I counted how many seconds it would take her to shove him away.
Only she didn’t. She opened her eyes and turned to blink up into Chad’s face.
“Lacey?” The back of my neck prickled.
“I’m so sorry, Grady. I didn’t mean for this to happen.” She hit me with her gray gaze. A gaze full of turmoil. And regret. “Chad and I have been sort of…seeing each other.”
“Seeing each other?” What the—No. This couldn’t be real. There was no way Lacey and Chad were an actual thing. I would have sworn she hated him as much as I did.
“I-I was going to tell you, only I never found the right time.” Her eyes pleaded with me. For what? Understanding? I’d never understand what she could see in Chad if I lived to be a thousand years old.
“If this is a joke, I’m not finding it funny. Come on, Lace. The showcase is starting.”
“I tried to tell Lacey a few weeks ago that she needed to tell you.” Chad winced, like he felt bad for me. “Being rejected is a suck-fest no matter how it happens, but delaying it only makes it worse. But you know Lacey. She didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”
Chad leaned down and kissed Lacey on her forehead and I wanted to tear his lips from his face.
Seeing that kiss was all it took. Suddenly the green-eyed monster TJ had been wrestling with was now mine. It roared to life, ripping through my chest and squeezing its sharp claws painfully around my throat.
That familiar feeling of standing on the outside—all by myself—tackled me, leaving me stunned. Battered. I went into autopilot mode. It was my knee-jerk reaction after a lifetime of rejection. I shut down. As simple and routine as flipping a switch to shut off the power. Boom. Done. Shut it down.
My shields went up. Like preparing a house as a hurricane approached, I boarded up the access points. The vulnerable soft spots where I’d been wounded before. Self-preservation mode.
Next came the separation. Retreating into the solitary space I knew all too well. I stood in the school parking lot, once again adrift and alone.
“Right.” I gritted my teeth and swallowed down the bile rising in my throat. “I guess slumming it with the bad boy got old.”
“Yeah.” The Perfect Princess stared back at me with some unfathomable look in her eyes.
“Okay, yeah. I’m out. Whatever this is—I don’t need it. I believe I’ll take the suspension and call it good.”
29
You, But With A More Colorful Wardrobe
Lacey
“Do you feel good, Chad? Did that make your tiny, perverted heart happy?”
“You know what? It did.” He grinned a slick satisfied grin. “That felt damn good.”
“I have never, ever said this to anyone. I haven’t even thought it. But, go to hell.”
I held onto the strap of my purse with tight, shaking hands as I walked back into the school feeling stunned. Like I’d just been in a MMA cage match.
But at the front of my brain was the fact that with Grady gone, I had to sing in the showcase.
Grady gone. I still hadn’t processed that.
If you’re wondering what the heck just happened, well, welcome to the club. Me too. While I sat in Chad’s car listening to him lay out his twisted plan, my brain madly scrambled, trying to figure out my options. Like Doctor Strange, I ran through all the possible outcomes of all my choices. I came up with two.
The first choice was to tell Chad to shove it. But what if Chad wasn’t bluffing? Could he frame Grady for stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of instruments by pawning them himself and hiding the money and receipts in Grady’s room or car? The problem was, with everything I knew about Chad, I wouldn’t put anything past him. He was a devious, deceitful, entitled jerk.
The second choice was to go along with Chad to protect Grady. Grady knew me. He’d know something was up. And then together, we’d figure out if Chad was bluffing, and if not, how to handle it. That seemed like the safer and surer choice.
But that wasn’t what happened. Nop
e. Because Grady ignored everything he knew about me and bought Chad’s story. His ludicrous story.
Although it gutted me when Grady turned his back and walked away, a small part of me understood his reaction. Those old wounds inflicted by his parents went deep. Wounds still healing and easily broken open. Sadly, jerk-face Chad knew exactly where to strike.
Understanding why Grady fell for it didn’t make it hurt less though. Oh, man it hurt. It hurt that he so easily trusted Chad over me. But I understood that too. Because even though he was a risk-taker, he’d been hurt so many times before. Opening yourself up and letting someone in was a huge risk when you’d already faced so much rejection. Maybe a risk he’d learned not to take.
“Where’s Grady?” Miss Carver popped her head out into the hallway. “He’s next to line up.”
“He left.” I pressed my lips together. I felt like a dying star, collapsed by its own gravity before going Supernova and exploding into a million little fragments. What was left of me would get sucked into a black hole. Sadly, not before I had to sing. “Which means I’m next to line up.”
“What do you mean he left?” Bernie frowned.
“Yeah, like he’s off at the john, right?” Tracey peered down the hallway toward the bathrooms.
“No. I mean he’s gone.”
“Oh, ssshitake.” Tracey threw her hands in the air.
“That boy.” Miss Carver rolled her eyes to the ceiling.
“If you’re thinking you want to kick his behind, Miss C, you’ll have to get in line.” Bernie cracked her knuckles and rolled up her sleeves.
“Well, then, Miss Trueheart, you’re up in ten minutes. Come line up in the wings in five.”
“Miss C!” Tracey called, before Miss Carver left. “Have you ever heard Lacey sing? I’m just suggesting maybe you should give her a pass.”
“I wish I could. But this punishment is for a serious infraction.
“You’ll wish you did in a few minutes, that’s all I’m saying.”
The Good Girl & the Bad Boy: A Sweet YA Romance (Jackson High Series Book 2) Page 14