“Of course I’m over him, whether or not I have a boyfriend.” If this were a cartoon, steam would hiss from my ears. “Why are you talking to him in the first place, inviting him to dinner? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Child, calm down. Here, have some green bean casserole. It’s your favorite.” Grandma patted my hand and stuck a spoon between my fingers.
“You’re right.” I couldn’t stand that she and Grandpa were here, watching me totally lose it. I shoveled in spoonfuls of green bean casserole.
“Does that mean you don’t have a boyfriend?” His eyes bored into my forehead until I couldn’t glare at him any more. “Because if you don’t, do you think you could ever forgive me, or even think about taking me back? Because I still love you, Luce. I’d do anything to get you back.”
My jaw whooshed open. Did he actually just say that? “You can’t be serious.”
Shadows swirled around him as he leaned in closer. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t serious about you. We have a future together, especially if you’re finally going to join Nexis.”
My eyes went wide as the shadows coalesced into snakes that wrapped around his wrists. Goosebumps prickled my skin. I couldn’t believe it. Jake was all about himself, always had been. There was no way on earth he was here just for me. He had some sort of hidden agenda, and the shadows snakes making him their puppet were only further proof.
“I’m guessing Nexis sent you, didn’t they?” I just glanced at Mom and shook my head. “Do you get it now?”
She bobbed her head, as if that were enough of an apology.
“I think you better leave, son.” Dad rose from his chair, thumping a hand on Jake’s shoulder. My heart soared right into outer space as he herded Jake to the door. My hero.
“Goodbye, Lucy.” Jake’s body slumped in the doorway. “I hope you have a good Thanksgiving.”
I didn’t move. I just watched him leave. Good thing the creepy shadows followed him as he shut the door.
“Thanks, Dad, Grandma, Sis.” I nodded at them.
For the next ten minutes we ate silently until I finished my plate. “Great food, Mom. May I be excused?”
“Yes.” She whispered the word, as if she couldn’t afford to waste any more air.
I trudged down the hall to my room and stared at my cell phone. Two messages, one from Shanda that read, Bummer holiday drama. Wish you could come back early and stay with me, but Dad’s drumming up some Caribbean biznez.
The other message was from Bryan. That’s messed up. If you need me, I’ll drive to Indiana and pick you up in 9 hours. Just say the word.
At least that was something to cartwheel about. I read the message again, slowly savoring each word. That text was a lifeline, buoying me up and out of the nightmare I was stuck in.
I texted him back. That’s sweet, but I’ll stick it out. As long as you’re still picking me up at the airport Sunday.
Two seconds later, my phone buzzed. I’m there.
My toes tingled. I clutched the phone to my heart and rolled over on my bed, staring at those two words until I drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 26
Sunday, the blessed day was finally here. Bryan would be at LaGuardia to pick me up, hold my hand, maybe even kiss me or some other silly nonsense. A girl could dream, right?
I dragged my suitcase off the walkway, heading for the pickup zone. At the front door, my face reflected back at me off the glass, almost like a ghost. I smoothed down my hair and suddenly Bryan’s frame filled the window. A heart-melting sight. The translucent picture of us together looked too good to be true.
Against the deepening navy sky, his face lit up like a swarm of golden butterflies. They buzzed in the pit of my stomach as he opened the car door and took my hand. It slid into his perfectly, like a dream.
“You look great.” His eyes roamed my face. How I had missed this.
My knees went wobbly, those baby-blues clouding up my brain.
“I’m sorry you had a bad Thanksgiving.” His soft tone evaporated my feeble attempt to formulate words. “About that night at the tower, I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s hard to believe one of my best friends is a traitor. But I’m sorry if I hurt you. I know you’ve been through a lot, and you mean so much to me.”
Rough fingers brushed my cheeks.
At those words, my insides leapt. “Thank you for that.”
Yet, something held me back like a checkpoint in my spirit. And I knew it wasn’t the right time, for me or for him. Just knowing I meant something to him—more than “like,” more than friends—it was enough for now. It had to be.
“Good, we’ve got that settled.” The way his face lit up, how his lips curved and his eyes sparkled—with one look, he said it all. “Let’s get going.”
He dropped my hand and lugged my suitcase to his trunk, my cheeks tingling with cold.
I slid into his beat up Corolla, winking at the cardboard Betty Boop air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. “Big Betty fan?”
“That’s Brooke’s idea of a joke.” He hopped in, turned the key, and the engine sputtered to life. “Should I even ask about what happened?”
“It was horrible.” I shrugged and bit my lip. How much should I tell him? “My dad was sweet as ever, I even made up with my sister. But my mom is just getting out of control.”
“Do you think it’s got something to do with Nexis?” The brakes squealed as he screeched to a stop at the light.
“I don’t know, maybe. I just don’t know why she had to bring Jake into it.” I dared to peek over at him. That furrowed eyebrow thing, a faint trace of stubble, a whiff of his soap, and I was a
