I know where you have class, I could just drop by.
MH
Please answer me.
MH
I watch Asher’s mouth slowly form a frown. “He sounds...”
“Unhinged?” I finish for him. “That’s why I’m staying here, the one place where he can’t find me.”
“Can’t find you? He’s banging your roommate—you think he doesn’t know where you guys live?”
“Adrienne would never bring him here; she’s smarter than that.”
“Have you talked to her yet about this?” he asks, handing my phone back to me.
“She’s never here anymore,” I say. It’s true. If I leave for class, she’s just getting back. When I come home, she’s already gone again.
Asher shakes his head. “You can’t let this get to you. I still need you, Sawyer.”
“Asher,” I start. I’m about to tell him I just don’t have it in me to pursue Wesley right now. Not until this gets resolved. I don’t even want to go on this trip.
“Sloane,” he counters. “We know we have until the gallery opening before Miles makes his move on Graham. That’s like weeks away. Please,” he begs. “Please help me with this in the meantime. We made a deal.”
I want him to leave, so I say okay, but I’m not sure if I mean it. The truth is I’m avoiding him, and Wes, and all of them, really. Knowing Wesley’s name is at the end of the journal makes me feel like there’s a ticking time bomb strapped to him. What’s the point in trying to win him over if he may not be around to win over in the end? But then again, how do I protect him if I’m not there?
I get to Power Hour for Asher’s birthday a little late and all my friends are already there sitting around two high-top tables. Asher sits on one end with a beer and a small blue-frosted cake in front of him.
“Hey, everyone,” I say, approaching the tables with Asher’s gift bag in hand.
“Sloane!” Charlie yells, throwing his hands up. “Where have you been!”
“Sorry, guys, I’ve been picking up a bunch of shifts to afford the ski trip.”
Wes gives me a sympathetic look. “Sloane, I told you it’s covered.”
I shrug. “I know. I just don’t want your parents to have to pay for the flight. I wanted to pay them back.”
“His dad isn’t going to take the money,” Asher says to me, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me toward him.
“Your dad might,” Wes says, before taking a sip of beer.
Asher leans over the table. “What was that?”
I don’t understand the jab but I defuse Asher by holding up the small bag with his gift inside. “I brought you a present.” I set it in his lap and leave his arms to hug Dani and Annica. Luckily Dani is swamped with schoolwork these days, and Annica is always with Collin, so neither of them has found it odd that I haven’t been around much lately.
“Ooh, open it,” Sam says. “Unless it’s something indecent.”
“In that case, definitely open it,” Jake teases.
Asher looks in the bag and starts to laugh as he pulls out all fifteen seasons ofCriminal Mindson DVD. He silently reads the note taped on the front that says “for my partner in solving crime.”
“Thank you,” he says to me from across the table, and I smile back at him. The rest of the group takes in the weird exchange.
Charlie breaks the silence. “That was the most awkward thank-you I’ve ever seen.”
“Yeah, McCavern, go kiss your girlfriend for the gift,” Jake adds on.
