by Jade, Ashley
“Well, I’m happy to be here.” After spooning some gravy on a woman’s plate and wishing her a Happy Thanksgiving, I decide to come clean. “Although truth be told, it wasn’t the official reason I came here today.”
His expression turns peculiar. “Oh, yeah?” He serves the next person. “So why are you officially here then?”
I cut my gaze to his. “You.” Trying to cover up my fumble, I gesture to my purse on the floor. “I mean, your sweatshirt. I wanted to give it back to you.”
Placing the spoon down, he inches closer. “That so?”
Oh, boy. I’m thankful for my crutches because my legs are most definitely turning to Jell-O.
“Yeah.” I avert my gaze. “I thought you might want it back.”
Fortunately, a few people line up at our stations just then and we quickly get to work loading up their plates.
“Bianca?” he says after what feels like an eternity.
“Yeah?”
“He was wrong.”
His voice is so low I almost don’t hear him.
“What?”
I need to make absolutely certain I understand what he’s saying.
His expression is pained as he repeats himself. “He was wrong.” He blows out a breath. “Hell, Bianca. There were a lot of people who were at fault that night. Dylan for playing Liam and going to the dance with him. Jace for never coming clean about his feelings for Dylan…but mostly, it was Tommy.” Finally, he looks at me. “He never should have bullied him.” Sincerity laces his voice. “And for what it’s worth, I am really sorry about what happened to your brother. It sounds like he was a great person.”
My heart folds in on itself. He was.
I’m so stunned by Stone’s heartfelt admission; I almost drop my ladle.
Even though what he said was the truth, I know how hard it must have been for him to acknowledge it.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my voice shaky with emotion. “I…uh. That means a lot.”
It also makes these feelings I have for him stronger.
He turns back to his mashed potatoes. “And just so we’re clear I didn’t just say it to make you talk to me again. I really meant—”
“Do you want to hang out tonight?” I blurt out.
I can’t help wanting to be around him.
Especially now that I know he stands on the right side of things.
His grin is devious. “Well, I’ll be damned. Are you asking me out on a date, Bianca Covington?”
“Maybe.” I give him a coy smile of my own. “It depends.”
He cocks an eyebrow. “On?”
“Whether or not you say yes.”
Please say yes.
He shrugs a shoulder. “Sorry, can’t tonight.”
Well, that backfired.
Swallowing down a lump of disappointment, I utter. “Oh.” I look down at the pan of gravy. “I under—”
“I already have plans to watch Bourne Identity with this girl I’m crazy about after work.”
I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face if I tried.
There’s only one problem with our impending plans.
I shoot my gaze to Sawyer, who’s happily humming Christmas songs and carving up slices of turkey.
Something tells me she’s also the kind of girl who likes to leave her Christmas lights up till February.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell Stone before I hobble over to where she is.
“I need a favor.”
She looks up. “Don’t worry. I’ve got everything under control. Alfonso—the chef—is making more gravy and—”
“I don’t need more gravy. I need you to cover for me while I hang out with Stone tonight.”
Her eyes become saucers. “Say what now?”
“He admitted Tommy was wrong.”
She stops carving the turkey. “Okay—”
“Stone’s a good guy, Sawyer. You even said so yourself. And I know it doesn’t make any sense but I really, really, really like him.”
“Really?”
I stifle a groan. “Sawyer.”
She wipes her hands on a towel. “I don’t know. I hate lying. Especially to Cole. After my heart attack, I promised him I’d never lie—”
“Please,” I beg. “Besides, it’s not like this is a bad lie. I’m just going to Stone’s apartment to watch a movie. I’ll be gone three hours tops.”
She wrings her hands. “I really don’t want to lie, Bianca.”
“I know, but you know how overprotective Jace and Cole are. They’ll lose their minds if they find out I’m hanging out with Stone, which really isn’t fair because he’s a good guy. Plus, I thought we were friends?”
If that doesn’t convince her to help me out, I don’t know what will.
“We are friends.” She wafts the air with her hands, like she’s trying to take in more air. “Fine. I will cover for you. I’ll just tell your brothers you...” Her brows crash together. “Wait a minute. It’s Thanksgiving night. Nothing is open.”
Crap.
Thinking fast, I utter, “What about the library? You can tell them I’m studying.”
She blinks. “I’m pretty sure it’s closed.”
“Yeah, but would Cole know that?”
Cole is far from dumb, but it’s no secret that—unlike his fiancée—he prefers sports to academics.
She thinks about this for a moment. “Probably not.” She shakes her head. “But Jace might.”
Freaking Jace. The boy is a sleuth.
I think about this for a bit and decide the best thing to do is stay as close to the truth as possible.
“Tell them I’m hanging out with a guy from school.” I give her a wry smile. “Technically it’s not a lie…just a little omission.”
She gives me a pointed look. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure telling either of them that you’re hanging out with some random guy from school will go over like a fart in church.”
She has a point.
“Tell them it’s a girl.” I snap my fingers when it comes to me. “Her name is Mercedes.”
Turns out the brat is useful after all.
“Fine.” She casts her gaze at Stone who’s listening in on our conversation with expressed interest. “But there’s no way you can have Stone drop you off later because if they see him, they’ll lose their shit.” She rubs her temples. “I’ll pick you up at his apartment and bring you home.” She points two fingers at her eyes and then at Stone. “You’ve got three hours, DaSilva. Don’t make me regret it.”
Stone places his hand over his heart. “I’ll be the perfect gentleman. You have my word.”
Leaning my crutches against the wall, I throw my arms around her. “You’re the best. I’m so happy we’re gonna be sisters.”
“Me too.” She worries her bottom lip between her teeth. “And as your future big sister, I’m going to give you some serious advice.”
“What’s that?”
“You need to tell your brothers about Stone. Sooner rather than later.”
“I will.”
Eventually.
Chapter 21
“I get why you called me Jason Bourne now,” I tell Stone. “It’s exactly like that.”
We’re currently sprawled out on the futon in his bedroom watching the credits roll.
Dark eyes assess me. I’m not sure what he sees, but it has his expression turning sad. “Damn. It must be really hard.” He inhales deeply. “It would drive me crazy not knowing things that happened or what shaped me into the person I am today.”
He’s not exactly wrong.
Only everything I find out about the former me makes me dislike myself.
“Yeah, but…” I stop talking because I don’t have the courage to say it. Plus, I’m scared he won’t understand. “Never mind.”
He tips my chin, forcing me to look at him. “What?”
“The more I find out about myself…the harder it is.” I swallow against the lump forming in my throat. “Not only because of losing my
mom and Liam, but I wasn’t a very good person before.” I meet his gaze head-on. “And I hate getting flashbacks of who I used to be, because I like the Bianca I am now.”
A small smile unfurls as he leans his forehead against mine. “I like her too.”
Feeling bold, I whisper, “Do you like her enough to kiss her again?”
His answer comes in the form of a slow, sweet kiss that sends tingles across my skin.
I open my mouth, silently pleading for more, but he doesn’t give it to me.
He continues kissing me like I’m the most delicate, fragile thing he’s ever held in his arms.
It’s how I know he won’t hurt me.
That I’m safe with him.
I moan when finally—finally—his tongue enters my mouth.
I’m so into what’s happening between us, I barely hear the knock on the door.
“Stone, I’m home,” a woman’s voice calls out.
I pull away. “Who is that?”
“My roommate.”
He never mentioned anything about having a roommate before. Let alone a female roommate.
My jealousy must be evident because he laughs and says, “You should see your face right now.” Leaning in, he adds, “Don’t worry. She’s also the woman who birthed and raised me.”
“Crap.” I bolt upright because making out with her son on his bed in the dark isn’t the first impression I want his mother to have of me.
“Relax. My mom’s cool.” Getting off the bed, he heads for the door. “I’m gonna go say hi. You can come meet her if you want.”
A surge of nerves hit me. “I’m good right here.”
“Suit yourself.”
The moment he leaves, I regret my decision.
If I want to get to know Stone more, a good place to start would be introducing myself to his family members.
Well, the family members of his I can stomach.
Pulling myself together, I hobble out of his bedroom and make my way to the kitchen.
Where I find Stone helping his mom put away groceries.
Be still my beating heart.
“Hi,” I say nervously.
Startled, the tiny woman turns around. She’s all of five feet tall with pin-straight, sleek dark hair, and beautiful dark eyes. Her skin is flawless, and her features are delicate.
I can see where Stone gets his good looks from because she’s absolutely beautiful.
She’s also very quiet.
Blinking, she looks at Stone.
“This is Bianca,” he explains. “She’s the girl I’ve been telling you about.”
The fact that he talks to his mom about me is…whoa.
His mother’s gaze flicks my way briefly before returning to her groceries.
Somehow, I feel like she chewed me up and spit me out in a single dismissive glance.
What the hell did Stone tell her?
Wanting her to like me, I try again. “Is there anything you need help with? Anything I can do?”
She shakes her head. “No thank you.”
So much for that.
Stone walks over and squeezes my shoulder. “Relax.”
That’s easy for him to say. His mother already likes him.
I’m contemplating what to do next when my phone vibrates with an incoming text.
Sawyer: I’m outside.
I peer up at Stone. “Sawyer’s here.”
He looks about as disappointed as I feel. “I’ll walk you out.”
I give his mom a smile. “It was nice to meet you.”
She says nothing.
Awesome.
“I’m pretty sure your mom hates me,” I tell him as we walk down the stairs.
He doesn’t seem too concerned about it.
“She’s my mom,” he says as we reach the bottom. “Therefore, she automatically hates any female her son brings home.”
Well, that’s reassuring. “Great.”
I’m about to walk out to the parking lot, but he halts me. “If you stick around, I know she’ll like you as much as I do.” His face screws up. “Well, maybe not as much as I do because that would be weird.”
A laugh escapes me until I replay what he said. “If I stick around? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Digging his hands in his pockets, he looks away. “You know exactly what it means, Bianca.”
“No, I don’t.”
I’m gonna need him to clarify before I start thinking the worst.
He expels a heavy sigh. “I’m not like other guys. I have no interest in hitting it and quitting it or wasting my time on some chick who doesn’t deserve it.”
It’s hard not to be offended. “Do you think you’re wasting your time with me?”
“I don’t know.” The intensity in his eyes kicks up a notch. “You tell me.”
I give him the truth. “I like you Stone, but this conversation is confusing. What exactly is it that you want from me?”
I’m not sure how the old Bianca was with boys and relationships, but this Bianca definitely sucks at it.
“I don’t want to play games.” He inches closer. “If we’re gonna do this, then I want all of you.”
How can I possibly give someone all of me when I don’t even have all of me?
As if sensing my internal struggle, he says, “Forget it. It’s obvious you don’t want the same thing.”
“I do want you, Stone,” I whisper. “I’m just really bad at this stuff, you know?”
Reaching over, he strokes my cheek with his thumb, “Well, fortunately for you, I’m really good at it.” In one fell swoop, he pulls me into his arms. “I just need you to trust me.”
“I do trust you.”
I have no reason not to.
He tips my chin. “Then tell me you’re mine.”
My mind says we’re moving too fast, but my heart wants everything he’s offering.
“I’m yours,” I utter.
The edges of his lips curl. “Damn right you are.”
He closes the distance between us, sealing the confirmation with a kiss.
Chapter 22
I glare at Dylan from across the dinner table. “Pass the peas.”
I’m not sure if she notices the tension in my voice, but Jace definitely does.
“Everything okay?”
“Everything is fine,” I grit through my teeth as Dylan hands me the bowl.
Everything is not fine.
My mind keeps going back to what Stone said last week about Dylan going to the dance with Liam.
She led him on.
She had to know how Liam felt about her, and still, she went to the dance with him.
And even if it wasn’t her intention to hurt him, there’s no getting around the fact that she definitely went with Liam to hurt Jace.
Either way you slice it…she was out to hurt one—or both—of my brothers.
It’s something that will never sit well with me. Ever.
Wiping his mouth with his napkin, Dad looks around the table. He’s been eating dinner a lot with us lately. It’s kind of nice having him around.
“How are you enjoying your new school?”
“I like it.”
Especially now that Stone and I are together.
Cole shoves a forkful of meatloaf into his mouth. “Sawyer said you made a new friend.”
I aim my glare toward her. She promised she’d keep me and Stone’s relationship a secret a little while longer.
“Mercedes,” Sawyer says tightly, nudging me under the table.
Damn. I really need to get better at this whole lying thing. “Oh, right.”
Jace takes a sip of his drink. “Well, I’m glad you’re making some friends.”
“You should bring her by some time,” Dylan chimes in. “I’d love to meet her.”
I can’t tell if she’s on to me or not, but I don’t like it.
And I definitely don’t like her. Not anymore.
I stab my meatloaf with my fork. “Yeah, and hey, you kn
ow what else might be fun? If you went to the upcoming school dance with her and then made out with her brother behind her back.”
Dad starts choking on his food.
Sawyer spits out her drink.
And Dylan turns white as a sheet.
“What the hell is your problem?” Jace barks.
I stand up so fast I almost knock my chair over. “Her. She deliberately used Liam and we’re all just sitting here like one big, happy family acting like she’s not partially responsible for what happened to him.”
I’m not sure where all this anger is coming from, but I’m shaking with the force of it.
Dylan drops her napkin on to her plate. “I think I’m gonna head upstairs for the night.”
I wish she’d leave permanently.
“I’ll go with,” Sawyer quickly offers.
My thumb hits my chest. “I’m leaving too.”
I start to walk away, but Dad and Cole stand up.
“Don’t,” I tell them. “I want to be by myself.”
With that, I slam the patio door closed behind me and head into the backyard.
I know Jace loves her, but I hate that he doesn’t see the part she played in all this.
It’s like he’s blinded by love.
With an audible groan, I yank my cell phone out of my pocket and shoot Stone a text because he’s the only person who will understand my outrage over Dylan.
Bianca: Hey.
Stone: Can’t talk right now, Bourne. Busy at work.
Well, that ends that.
Stuffing my phone in my back pocket, I wander over to the large in-ground pool.
I’ve been dying to go swimming, but I’m not allowed to until my doctor clears me for it.
The pretty pink sunset bounces off the reflection of the water and I can’t help but admire how beautiful it is.
Too bad Liam isn’t here to see it.
Even though there’s a mountain of grief in my heart, the main emotion gripping me right now is confusion.
Why didn’t he talk to me that night?
Why didn’t he tell me what happened?
We told each other everything.
Why—on the night he needed me the most—didn’t he reach out?
I start crying so hard the pool becomes nothing but a blur.
