“I missed it,” I admitted.
“Me too,” he said in a conciliatory tone. “I’m sorry. After everything went down that night, I did try to find you. Bring you back and give you a chance to explain. But you were nowhere to be found.”
“I left town.”
“You did more than that. Youdisappeared. My mom went to your apartment complex. The staff there was worried about you. You left everything behind.”
Thankfully, Quinn said it as more of a statement than a question, so I let it be. But I should have known the follow-up was coming.
“I have to ask. Be honest with me. Did you cheat on Grace?”
Withholding the truth about my disappearance was one thing, but leaving Grace in the driveway with that lie had eaten away at my soul for years. I looked my old friend in the eye, and after a tense moment between us, I shook my head.
“Fuck,” he swore. “Fuck. Are you saying I ruined your relationship for no reason? If that’s true, why didn’t you fight for her? Why didn’t you prove me wrong?”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
I took a step back. And then another. Ready to run like I always did. But then I thought better of it. From this day forward, I was standing my ground.
“Here’s the deal, Quinn. I’ll join the band. Be your friend. Tour the world. And I’ll be grateful to you every day for that. But I don’t trust you. At least not enough to give you access to my personal life. Maybe someday. But not today.”
“Okay. Fair enough.”
I woke my screen and began texting Cap again.
Rory
Hey Cap I’m really sorry to have to tell you this…
“Before you send that,” Quinn said, “we’ve got one more thing to discuss.”
I looked up, knowing what he was going to say before he said it.
“It’s about Grace.”
17
GRACE: A DIFFERENT KIND OF THRILL
Isat limply on the edge of the bed as I watched Elliott pack. I’d known the day was coming and thought I was prepared, but it was very clear now that I wasn’t. If anything, we’d grown closer during the breakup, rediscovering the friendship lost when love got in the way.
“That’s it,” Elliott announced, zipping up his suitcase with a gloomy sigh.
“That can’t be it. Keep packing.”
“I probably have room for Luke Skyhopper?” he teased, reaching for the stuffed rabbit with long ears and big fluffy feet sitting center stage on my bed.
“Touch my Lukey and you won’t be leaving here alive.”
“Well, I’m done, then. The only other thing I want to pack is you.”
Sigh. Elliott had been hitting me with these little gut punches all day. And all yesterday. And all the days since I’d broken up with him. It was wearing me down. I either needed to send him on his way or reinstate his boyfriend status.
“I don’t think me and Luke Skyhopper will fit in that suitcase.”
“I’ll throw everything out to make room for you,” Elliott said, grabbing my hands and pulling me to my feet. He smoothed his hands over my hair and kissed my forehead. I wrapped my arms around his back and buried my head in his chest. We both stood there in suspended misery.Be strong, I pleaded with myself, all while preparing my heart for the next round of punches.
