Being oblivious sounded better than my current reality. Had Jack and stupid Sadie not been walking in the park, I might be with Pat right now, totally unaware. Maybe he’d be holding me like he did for the sunrise orourfingers would be intertwined. Maybe I’d be letting him close in on that kiss he wanted yesterday.
I wished my tea was a glass of merlot or a margarita. Anything to take the edge off.
My eyes burned, and I tried to focus on the movie. It was a comedy with Adam Sandler and paying attention was difficult. I pulled out my phone to do a little research. This time, nothing held me back.
I skimmed articles. Everything Jack said was true, but I found the name of the family victim to the arson.Scott.The name sent a shiver down my back. Gooseflesh raised on my arms. Wasn’t the girl Pat was involved with in high school named Gracie Scott? His words from the sunrise flashed in my brain. “I loved her. Still do.”Why would he try to hurt her or her family then? Something didn’t add up.
I dug deeper. Looking for articles on Gracie’s disappearance. Surely, it was investigated. It was. Sources said she disappeared the very next morning. They put out an alert for her, but she was never found. It was assumed she ran away.
I remembered the hurt in Pat’s eyes as he recounted the fact Gracie hadn’t ever called or visited him. Maybe she was running from something. Pat had said her father was cruel.
So how did Pat find out Gracie had died then? If no one else found her, how did he?
Patrick loved Gracie, or at least that’s how he made it sound. Sometimes psychopaths were in love with their victims. Maybe Pat was a psycho.
That didn’t sound right. Not one time had Pat done anything remotely sketchy or red flag-ish. He seemed like a broken man, yes, but not a crazy one. I thought of the wise, lives-lived look in Pat’s deep eyes. How telling they were of his gentle heart and shattered spirit. Butterflies settled in my mid-section. Was it possible therewasa misunderstanding?
Surely, there could’ve been a mistake.
I interrupted the movie. “Jack, is it possible he was wrongfully convicted?”
He shook his head. “I wish so, but he pled guilty.”
It was a gunshot to my budding hope. Tears welled in my eyes. I turned my head away from the lovebirds to dab at my make-up. The movie droned on for thirty minutes until I simply couldn’t take it anymore. I pulled up the Uber app and ordered a ride home.
Swallowing tears down was something I’d gotten pretty good at, but this time the waterworks were on their way whether I liked it or not. They couldn’t be stopped. Deep, shuddering breaths helped me make it through the fifteen minute wait for my driver. I mentally cursed my suspended license.
Sadie and Jack whispered about something. Must’ve been juicy, because he smiled and gently kissed her lips. They probably thought I was too engrossed in my phone to notice. But my blood boiled. I noticed. Every touch and giggle shoved a knife deeper into my heart. Pat and I didn’t have that type of relationship, but isn’t it what I wanted?
My Uber savior arrived in the nick of time. Sadie had put her head in Jack’s lap, and he was playing with her blonde hair.
“Jack, I’m heading out. My Uber’s here.” I stood and marched for the foyer.
He jumped up, dislodging Sadie’s head. “Uber? I said I’d drive you!”
“No worries.” My tone was cold and sarcastic. “Stay here. You look comfortable.”
He frowned at me. “Jules, I know this evening was upsetting.” He turned my shoulders to face him. His 6’3” height towered over me, and he leaned down to look me in the eyes. “Are you going to be okay?” That was his way of asking if I would stay sober. Wasn’t planning on making that promise.
“I care about Pat.” My voice cracked. “I mean, we aren’t like together or anything, but…I kind of wanted that.”
“Man, I know.” He pulled me into one of his medicinal twin hugs. “I’m so sorry. You’ve been hurt enough.” My head landed on his chest. He was firm as a rock. Jack had always tried to be there for me. My jealousy of him and Sadie was unwarranted and selfish.
I pulled away and swiped an escaping tear. “Sadie seems nice. I had no idea you’d gotten serious with someone.”
He lowered his voice a little so Sadie wouldn’t hear. “I don’t know if I’d say ‘serious,’ but I do like her. We’ve been dating about a month. I wanted you to meet her, but you haven’t been returning my calls.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“Meeting family after a month? Y’all moved fast.”
He shrugged. “Not that fast.”
How long had I known Pat? A month or so? He swept me away so quickly, I’d melt in his hand, too. Like Sadie in Jack’s.
We hugged one more time. He reminded me to call him, and reassured me the spare room was open if I needed some longer-term company. Also told me to call 9-1-1 if Pat bothered me again.
