It was something more. Deeper.
**snort** Deeper.
Chapter Seven
By the timewe pulled into Clancy’s parents’ driveway, I’m no longer crying. But my eye still hurts. It’s more of a burn than actual pain, but that’s probably from the crying. Opening my door, I turn back to grab my purse when I hear him. “JoJo?”
Dropping my purse, I turn quickly and look around. “Billy?” When I spot him walking up the driveway I add, “How?” How did he get here?
“I followed you.”
“Why?” Seriously, why would he bother? He stood there like a statue while Gisele lied about me and him.
“I needed to talk to you.”
“You couldn’t have said anything then? In my parents’ kitchen?”
“I said my piece right after you walked out of the kitchen. By the time I was finished, you two were pulling out of the driveway. So, I followed you.”
“Said your piece?”
“Once you left, Gisele stopped her tantrum.”
I release a short laugh. A tantrum sounds about right.
“As soon as she stopped talking, I told your father what really happened.” I wait for him to finish, but he’s just staring at me. “Your face.” I reach up and touch my left cheek. I can feel the raised lines from her fingernails. He moves in closer. “Your eye.”
“I’ve been crying.”
“No, baby,” he whispers. “It’s red.”
I see Clancy step up. “Shit. It’s really red. Your other one isn’t.”
“I think you need to have someone look at your eye and your face,” Billy says, sounding bossy.
“I’m fine.” I’m not fine, but I’m not going to die.
Billy touches my shoulder gently, “JoJo. Let’s go to urgent care.”
I squeak, “On Christmas Eve? Do you know how much that will cost me?”
Clancy pipes up, “That bitch’s claws could have hit your eye. It could get infected.”
“Fine.” I move to slide back into Clancy’s car when I feel a tug on my arm. “I’ll take you. It’ll give us a chance to talk.”
I don’t want to talk. Not to him or anyone. I just want to sleep.
“I’m going too.” Clancy follows us over to Billy’s sleek car. It looks like it cost more than I make in two years. Well, what I used to make. Yep, the guy’s loaded. These cars are pricey. Once we’re in the car, Clancy says from the back seat, “Now, spill.”
“First. Where’s the closest urgent care place?”
I point to my right as he pulls out onto the street. “About five miles that way.”
Billy turns to look at me but quickly moves his eyes back to the road. “As soon as you left, Gisele stopped her caterwauling.”
Now, that’s a word I haven’t heard in a while. The linguistics side of me likes it very much.
“I stepped over to your father and explained that the relationship between Gisele and I was fake. For the purposes of our promotions.”
