“I haven’t forgotten,” he chided. “As soon as I have some time, I’m going to call in every favor I’m owed and research the possibilities. One way or another, we’ll solve this, Lacey. I promise you that.”
“I believe you,” I said, trying to sound upbeat, although based on everything he’d told me, it didn’t sound optimistic.
I turned to him and we kissed, this time with lips parted, my hand in his thick hair, my breathing urgent. When he pulled away I was panting, and it was all I could do not to cry in frustration.
“I want you,” he said, his voice a whisper. “More than I’ve ever wanted anything, Lacey.”
I nodded, my throat tight. “It’s not fair, Jared.”
“We have another chance. For whatever reason, we were meant to be, and the universe arranged it. Nothing’s going to stand in the way of our being together, Lacey. I’ll find a way.”
“I hope so, Jared. This is killing me, and it’s only been a few days.”
“I know, Lacey. I know.”
I gave him a final fleeting kiss and then turned to fumble with the door handle. “You want me to avoid the set?” I asked, confirming our earlier discussion.
“I think that’s best. I’ll never get anything accomplished if you’re there. But I’ll see you after the shooting if you want. It’ll be late, but I don’t have a curfew…”
I nodded. “I’d like that. Just call me. I’ll wait up.” I opened the door. “Good luck with it.”
“I’ll see you in a few hours, my love.”
I shivered as I stepped from the car, hearing Jared call me his love still surreal to me. I looked back at him behind the wheel and filled with a surge of overpowering emotion. “I love you, Jared,” I said. I will never get tired of saying that.
“I love you too, my beloved.” Or hearing that.
I closed the door and made for the gate, forcing myself to leave the only man I’d ever wanted, my thoughts a rush of conflicting images. It seemed impossible that we’d be able to solve our situation, yet…somehow I was optimistic, even though I had no right to be. Just as the feelings of doubt and self-loathing had disappeared once I’d decided that my future lay with Jared and doing whatever it took for us to be together. My birthmark no longer troubled me, and the visions of Jared with other girls no longer had any power. As to who I was – Alicia or Lacey or both – I had a lifetime to figure that out. At least.
When I walked into the dorm room, all three of my roommates were there, classes having let out a half hour earlier. Serena was sitting at the table surrounded by textbooks, as usual, and Kate and Sarah were sitting cross-legged on Kate’s bed, playing cards. They looked up at the sound of the door opening. Kate gave a delighted squeal and leapt to her feet.
“You’re back! I thought you were going to be gone all week?” she exclaimed.
“I was able to deal with things faster than I thought,” I said. “How are you guys doing?”
“Sarah aced the first physics exam,” said Serena, perhaps not without a touch of envy.
“Who cares about us?” Sarah said. “What’s going on with Jared?”
At least Sarah was consistent, I thought – with the focus of a prizefighter and the tenacity of a pit bull.
“Everything’s good,” I said, keeping my tone breezy. “But I’m going to have to study triple time to make up for the classes I missed.”
Sarah waved my comment away. “Whatever. When are you seeing him again?”
“I don’t know,” I deflected. “Maybe tonight if he’s not too beat after his shoot.”
“Are you a serious couple now?” Serena asked.
My face scrunched up as I thought about how to answer that. “We’re taking things slow. But I really like him.”
“Did he buy you a Rolls yet? Or a ring?” Sarah asked.
I laughed at her determination. “We couldn’t agree on the color.”
Kate’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
I winked at her and let silence work for me. Kate and Sarah exchanged a knowing look, and I moved to my bed, where Cyrus was dozing on my pillow. “Did I miss anything while I was gone?” I asked.
“Only that our roommate is dating the hottest guy in the country,” Sarah said.
“And giving us no love at all,” Kate complained.
“You can use your imaginations,” I said, edging Cyrus to the side so I could sit, and receiving a dark glare from him in return.
“Pictures would help,” Sarah said. “Maybe full frontal, wearing only his shorts?”
“And the shorts are optional,” Kate added.
Serena smiled at me. “I didn’t know a white girl could turn that red.”
“I was in the sun a lot,” I parried.
She laughed. “That must be it.”
“So you’re going to continue to stonewall us?” Kate asked.
I nodded good-naturedly and imagined Jared without a stitch of clothing, drawing on my memories from my prior incarnation. A smile spread across my face and I lay on the bed with a contented sigh.
“For now.”
Chapter 36
I looked up from where I was sitting by the window of a cabin Jared had rented for a month in the woods north of Ridley. He shouldered through the door with an armful of firewood and shook a dusting of snowflakes from his jacket. An early storm had dropped eight inches of snow the night before, and the tail of the front was lingering on the way north to Canada, blanketing the trees in white.
“Thank you,” I said, and took a sip of the tea I’d made to fight off the chill.
Jared offered a crooked grin and nodded. “Anything to make you more comfortable.”
It was
