“Well, how was it?” Charleigh attempted.
“It was fine, Mom. Enough, I mean it. Leave me alone, okay!”
Her words were nasty, but there was a lightness to her voice; Charleigh heard Nellie humming to herself as she headed to her room.
Charleigh was so keyed up that even though it was the middle of the night and Alexander was dead asleep, snoring on his side of the bed, cradling a pillow—the sight of which always makes Charleigh’s heart surge, so tender, so innocent looking—she peeled back the covers, started kissing the back of his neck.
He groaned, rolled over on his back, still asleep, hair mussed.
They hadn’t had each other since—Charleigh’s brain tickedback to try to remember the last time, which is unusual for them—the morning before their party. She hadn’t given it a second thought, but with this little update, she realized how hungry she’d been for him. Her body, not her mind, which has been spinning.
She climbed on top of him, kissing the top of his waistband before rolling it down.
He stirred then, rubbing her head while she continued her mission.
But as she was just getting started, Alexander shifted, pulling her off him.
“What is it? It’s been a minute, and I—”
He sighed, slung his arm over his forehead, eyes aimed at the ceiling. Where he kept them. With his other hand, he began rubbing her back, though, slowly, softly. “Sorry, baby, I’m just too bushed. Early day tomorrow at the hunting lease.”
Charleigh bristled. Alexander hadneverturned her down. But she hadn’t exactly been focused onhimlately or even paying attention to him at all. She’d been a mess and she knew it. She probably wouldn’t want to sleep with her either, right now. But still. “Fine.” She pouted.
At this, Alexander tugged her back onto his chest, started stroking her hair. “Rain check? And I promise I’ll make it up to you, make it worth it.”
Now Charleigh grips her coffee mug, sips. Feels like the weight of the world has been lifted off her shoulders. Maybe, just maybe,Nellie’s not mixed up in Blair’s accident after all. And maybe itwasjust a freak thing. Maybe Jane’s not even involved.
And maybe, just maybe, Charleigh’s little plan to get Luke to fall for Nellie might have actually worked.
79
Nellie
Mom thinks she’s so smart, but really, she’ssonot. She’s such a freaking idiot, it’s almost funny.
She burst into my room this morning, carrying a plate of hot Pop-Tarts, grinning like a psycho. I could tell she wanted to dig more out of me about my date with Luke. As ifthat’shappening. I’m not telling her shit.
“What do you want?” I asked, bunching my comforter around me.
“You don’t have to always be so tacky, Nellie.”
She traipsed across the room with the plate, placed it on my nightstand, then plopped down on the edge of my bed.
“I didn’t get the chance to tell you this last night, because you ran up the stairs the sec you got home, but Monica called with an update about Blair.”
“And?”
“Well, apparently, Blair was alert enough to point to the letterjon a sheet. When the police asked who did this to her.”
Mom’s ridiculous grin appeared again. “Isn’t that just great news?”
Why?I wanted to shout.Because you still think I’m the one who did this to Blair?
“Could be that Jane girl? I mean, no one’s saying that but…”
J, as in Jo. Nellie Jo. Blair’s little nickname for me.
I’m not off the hook at all. Blair would honestly love nothing more than to lay this at my feet.
