“Miles, you should—” A familiar female voice trails off as she rounds the corner. “Sloane?”
I cross my arms and give her acaught yousmile. “Adrienne. Where’s Paul?” I ask her.
“I—I was going to tell you after winter break,” she stammers out.
“Let’s leave.” Miles puts his arm to her waist to lead her out. I try to grab onto his jacket but Asher catches my hand.
“You won’t get away with it, any of it!” People turn to look at me, the crazy girl yelling in a gallery. “They’re leaving—we need to follow him,” I say to Asher.
“No.” Asher hangs on to my wrist. “What did he say?”
“He...” But the conversation begins to float out of my mind like ashes from a fire. I try to grab onto the pieces. “I think he admitted to it, but then he was confused. And wanted my permission for something. Oh my god,” I say. “I think he was talking about permission to date Adrienne.”
“So... he wasn’t talking about the murders?” Asher asks.
“I—I don’t think so but it happened so fast. I did tell him the police are onto him.”
“Let’s hope that’s enough for him to leave Graham alone until we can get a solid confession.” I let out a long, shaky breath, feeling a headache coming on as the adrenaline leaves my system. Now also very unsure about whether or not Miles is the one behind it all. “Speaking of Graham,” Asher says. “You’re never going to guess who his guest is tonight.” He ushers me around the wall and back into the crowd toward Ty, Austin, and... Graham.
“Sloane!” Austin waves us over. “This is the guy I’m seeing, Graham. This is his opening.”
My mouth drops open as I take in Graham and Austin side by side. Graham’s eyes widen when he sees me, just like Holland’s. Surprises all around. He opens his mouth but I stick out my hand before he can say anything.
“Sloane Sawyer,” I introduce myself. My hand is still shaking from my encounter with Miles.
Graham catches on and takes my hand. “Graham Monterra. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Your work is...” I look around, trying to find a word, any word. Just pick a word, Sloane. “Good.” Good? I want to be a writer and the best I can come up with isgood.
“You think so? Thanks. Someone once told me it was a collection of half-assed trash that would fail to evoke emotion from even the simplest of creatures and looks to be painted with all the sophistication of a toothbrush.”
Nowthatwas the best I could come up with. I’m surprised he remembers it word for word.
Austin’s face scrunches up in disgust. “What raggedy jealous bitch said that to you?”
Graham only looks at me and I’m preparing to be outed for my words. “I can’t remember,” he says. “But at the time I think I deserved it. And I never got to tell that person that I was sorry.”
I blink at him. “I’m sure whoever it was... would say that all is forgiven.”
Graham gives a nod of understanding before someone is pulling him away for a sale. Ty and Austin go to the bar and Asher puts a well-placed hand on my waist to steer me away. I remove his hand.
“Boundaries,” I remind him.
We walk around the gallery and my head spins with not only the conversation with Miles but the one with Graham.
“So how does it feel?” Asher asks.
But I don’t know what he’s referencing at this point. So I ask, “How does what feel?”
“Graham’s into men now,” he says. “Do you think it was sex with you that made him switch sides?”
I swat his arm, hard. “He’s always been bi, you jerk.”
Asher laughs. “So what happened, then? How did he end up in your journal?”
“You remember that big bonfire we had at the end of sophomore year?”
“Yeah...”
