“I’ll hold you to it.” He starts up the engine and lets the truck idle. “You ready to get back to reality and find that girl so you can work things out?”
“I’m ready.” We start back down the long winding road that leads back to Hollow Brook. “Hey, Rex? I’m glad you’re in Scarlett’s life. I’m glad you’re in mine, too. I’ve always wanted an older brother.”
He offers a quiet smile my way. “I’m glad you’re in my life, too. I’m proud to call you my brother.”
I have Rex drop me off at Cutler Tower, but there’s no sign of Lucky. Ava says she took off for spring break, that she’s safe, but not to expect anything.
I wait all week, texting, messaging, expecting everything, but I’m met up with silence on the other end.
Lucky has vanished without a trace, and she’s taken my beating heart right along with her.
Web of Lies
Lucky
Fifty-two messages. Fifty-two moments in time that Lawson picked up his phone and tried his hardest to find me, speak with me, get me to return one simplefuckingmessage—his indelicate words, not mine. I’ve had my heart broken before many, many times by many, many people, but Lawson’s heartfelt pleas have crushed me on a cellular level.
On Friday, after spending nearly a week sequestered in Wyatt James’ guesthouse, I’m feeling ready to conquer the world. Not really, but it’s a rather cheerful battle cry of a cliché and one that exemplifies a feeling that would be great to have. In reality, I’m more or less ready to take a nap on my own bed. No offense to Piper’s brother, but the bed in the guesthouse is a little lumpy. Wyatt’s wife, Marley, is a doll. She kept me in fresh homemade cookies and a steady stream of diet soda. She even popped in one night to watch my favorite rom-com with me. But that good time is over and it’s back to life, back to my not-so-sweet reality.
“You okay?” Piper pulls slowly into a parking spot in front of Cutler Tower. “You need me to help you up?”
“No thanks.” I lean over and hug my new friend. “I can see why Daisy likes to keep you around. You’re pretty amazing.”
“Yeah, well, Daisy may not be speaking to me again when she finds out where you’ve been.”
As tough as Piper likes to present herself, she’s a marshmallow and a nice one at that.
“You were just being a friend to me. I needed some time away. Trust me, it was a good thing.”
She takes a deep breath, her dark hair closing in around her face like a pair of velvet curtains. “I hate to remind you, but the deal was—”
“I know”—I cut her off—“the deal was when I got back I’d talk to Daisy and Jet myself. And that’s what I’m going to do right after I put my bag up and change.”
“You want me to come with you?” She inches back a notch as if dreading the idea.
“No. I got this.” I swing the door open and pull my suitcase out from the backseat. “Thank you again for everything. Honestly, I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“I do.” Her fingers flex over the steering wheel as she gives an impish grin. Piper doesn’t strike me as the kind of girl who operates with an ulterior motive, but my gut clenches nonetheless. “Talk to Lawson, too. I’ve never seen anyone so sick. That boy is in love, six feet under. He just needs to hear your voice, Lucky. Don’t torment him. He really does care about you.”
I glance over my shoulder as if expecting to see him. It wouldn’t shock me. A part of me wants that.
“I’ll think about it.”
I watch as she takes off before heading up and facing the firing squad. The only thing I told Ava and Harper was that I would be safe and back on Sunday.
No sooner do I get into my room than Ava launches at me, wrapping her limbs around me so tight I can’t catch my next breath. In less than a texting minute, Harper is here and we’re right back in the same place, on the same beds that we were a week ago—and I tell them everything.
“I can’t believe Piper kept that from me.” Ava’s face piques with color. “I guess she did it for you—and technically, that’s like doing it for me.” She shakes it off. Ava and Piper have worked hard to get their relationship back on track. I’d hate to have it damaged in any way no thanks to the destructive path my life demands to take.
“She wanted to tell you, but I was afraid Grant would try to get it out of you.”
“He would have.” She mouths the wordsorry.
“So, what did I miss?” I’m almost afraid to ask. This week felt more like an eternity, and in that length of time anything is possible.
Harper plucks at the string attached to her sweats over and over, her face is sullen, and her lids hang so heavy you can feel the tears demanding to come.
“What’s going on?” I scoot on over, and Ava drapes her arm around Harper’s shoulder.
