The Rules of Persuasion

by Amity Hope

  “Thank God you were wearing riding gear,” Dad said.

  I had been wearing my leather pants, leather coat, and thick riding boots along with my helmet. No doubt they had saved me from being grated like a chunk of cheese as I slid across the asphalt.

  Fuzzy images flashed through my mind. Lights burning overhead as I was wheeled down a hallway… Flashes of people clad in blue scrubs… A white coat… Garbled voices… Between the sedation and the concussion, my thoughts were still fuzzy.

  Aubrey spoke with my parents, who cast me worried glances despite her reassuring smile. I couldn’t hear her murmurings over the pounding in my head. I briefly wondered if she’d consider slipping me another sedative but then more memories from the night before began to trickle through my mind.

  Mom had been abusing sleeping pills.

  Dad had found out.

  Our family was on the verge of shattering, possibly irrevocably.

  Apprehension quickly overshadowed my pain. It was soothed slightly when I realized Dad’s hand rested on the small of Mom’s back. She was leaning in, listening intently to the nurse.

  The moment Aubrey disappeared, Mom came to my side. She picked up my left hand in hers. It wasn’t until then that I realized my right arm was in a cast. It should’ve been obvious, given that the nurse mentioned I had a fractured wrist, but until that moment I’d been too loopy to notice.

  “A doctor will be in to see you soon. Aubrey thinks you’ll be discharged by the end of the day,” Dad said.

  “If you feel up to going home,” Mom added.

  “I do.”

  “I want you to know things will be different,” Mom began. “After you left last night your father and I sat down and had a talk. A real talk. What you said about Sydney, it hurt. But you were right. She would hate the way things are. I want to honor her memory, not destroy our family. I told your father I was willing to go to counseling.”

  “Really?” My voice sounded small and hopeful.

  “Really,” Dad said. “I suggested we also seek marriage counseling. Your mother agreed.”

  I looked at my mom. Really looked at her. She looked exhausted, sure. But she also seemed more lucid than I remembered her being in a long while.

  “Your father was right. I can’t go on living the way I’ve been. It’s an insult to Sydney’s memory. It’s an insult to our family. I got so wrapped up in trying to numb myself, in trying to forget the pain, that I forgot what’s really important.”

  Dad gave me a weak smile. I got the impression that he wanted to believe Mom, but she was going to have to prove herself with more than words.

  “Did you talk to Miss Perez?” I asked.

  “No, sweetie, not yet,” Mom said. “But I will call her soon. After we get you out of here.”

  “Your mom and I were beginning to work out the details when the policeman showed up at the door.”

  “Oh, Meg,” Mom sighed. “When I saw him standing there, I was so scared. Nothing good ever comes from having a policeman show up on your front steps. I was so afraid we’d lost you. I was so afraid that when I finally realized I needed to be a better mom to you,” her voice cracked, “that it was too late.”

  “The Rebel is totaled,” Dad said.

  I winced. “I’m sorry.”

  He waved my apology away. “I don’t give a damn about the bike. I never should’ve let you ride it in the first place. I only wanted you to know you won’t be riding it anymore.”

  “When the insurance check comes in, we’d like you to use it for a down payment on a car,” Mom said. “I can’t bear the thought of you on a motorcycle ever again.”

  She gave me a stern look, as if she thought I would argue. She had nothing to worry about.

  “We were lucky Luke was there to get you help as quickly as he did,” Dad said.

  “Luke?” I must’ve heard wrong. “He wasn’t there.”

  Mom and Dad shared relieved glances.

  “He was there,” Mom assured me. “He said the two of you had an argument. You left before he could stop you. He followed you, saw the entire thing. He called 911 and stayed with you until the paramedics arrived.”

  Luke had been there?

  “That poor boy,” Mom sympathized. “You were unconscious when he got to you. He thought the worst when you were unresponsive. By the time the ambulance arrived he’d found a pulse.”

  “He rode in the ambulance with you,” Dad continued. “He was here until a few hours ago.”

  “He was muddy and drenched from the storm. I convinced him to go home to clean up,” Mom told me. “He didn’t want to go. We said we’d call him when you woke up.”

  “Oh, right,” Dad said. “I suppose I ought to do that.”

  “No,” I winced in pain as I shook my head. “I don’t want you to call him.”

  “Meg,” Dad said gently, “the boy wants to know that you’re okay.”

  “I think he deserves to know that,” Mom agreed. “He was a wreck last night. He really cares about you.”

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  “I understand you had an argument. But I’m sure you can work through it.” Mom gave me a supportive smile. “I know he’ll want to get over here as soon as he hears you’re awake.”

  I wanted to scream. How was it that after all this time she chose now to go all motherly on me?

  “Fine. Tell him I’m okay,” I relented. I supposed if he had helped me he deserved that much. “But I do not want to see him.”

  A sharp knock on the doorframe halted Mom from giving more bewildering advice. We all angled our heads to get a better look at the graying man dressed in a white coat.

  “Good morning, I’m Dr. Hammond,” he said as he strode into the room. “What do you think about getting out of here today?”

  “I think I like that idea a lot,” I admitted.

  My parents both stepped to the side to let Dr. Hammond’s examination begin.

  …

  I saw the flowers, what looked like an enormous floating bouquet, come through the door before I saw the guy behind them. Luke lowered the vase full of colorful tulips. I realized he also carried a plain pink gift bag. He set both on my desk.

  “I brought you every classic movie I could find. I thought you’d like something to do while you recover.” He gave me a forced smile.

  “What are you doing here?” My throat constricted and tears instantly threatened. My body buzzed with conflicting emotions. I missed him but I didn’t want him here. My anger had faded to an aching sadness I couldn’t shake. “I told Dad to let you know I’m okay. I didn’t want you stopping by.”

  His smile faded.

  I shifted against my stack of pillows. My head felt better but the aching in my ribs had yet to cease. I was grateful to Dr. Hammond for the prescription of painkillers he’d sent home with me.

  “I know. I won’t stay long. I just needed to see you. Had to see for myself that you’re okay.” He dropped onto the chair. He leaned forward, elbows resting on knees. “How are you doing?”

  He looked put together in his dark jeans and long-sleeve white thermal. But the dark crescents under his eyes, the droop of his shoulders, told another story. He was exhausted. As was I.

  “I’m doing okay,” I admitted. “Kylie and Francesca just left.”

  “You scared the hell out of me, Meg.” His voice trembled as his eyes cut into me. My stomach twisted, noting the pain in his gaze. “When I saw you slide off the road, it felt like my heart exploded in my chest. I pulled over, and it felt like it took forever to get to you. When I reached you, you were so still. I thought I’d lost you. I never should’ve let you leave after our fight. I wish I could go back and change that entire conversation.”

  He leaned forward, reaching for my hand. I tugged it away. His expression rippled with emotions. He had no right to tear at my heart the way he did.

  “I’d rather hear the truth than a lie. Using me to make Jaclyn back off, that’s one thing. At least you were upfront
about that. Using me because you knew your parents would find me unacceptable? Unfit to be your girlfriend. That’s just wrong.” I tried to mask how much that hurt. “But it worked for you so. Yeah. You got what you want. You get to go to your camp.”

  “Forget about the camp.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not going. What happened between you and me, it stopped being about the camp a long time ago.”

  His dejected look made me want to throw the vase of flowers at him. “You put me through all of that, and you’re not even going to go? What was the point of it all then? You’re not even making sense.” A sob tore at me, and I gasped, trying to calm the raging pain in my ribs. I knew I was being irrational, but he destroyed what we’d been building…for what? Or maybe I’d been wrong and we had nothing to start with.

  “Nutmeg—” He moved toward me again.

  “Don’t.” My voice quaked. I desperately did not want to cry anymore. My battered ribs couldn’t take the abuse. “Don’t call me that.”

  “The fight we had, it never should’ve happened.” He spoke haltingly, his voice cracking. “I wish I could say more than that. I wish I could explain what really happened.”

  “What really happened?” I shook my head. “I was there. I recall what happened.”

  “That’s not what I mean.”

  “Then what do you mean?”

  He raked a hand through his hair, leaving it as chaotic as the expression he wore. “I can’t get into it. Not yet.”

  “More secrets? Or just an excuse?”

  I wanted to scrub that dejected look off his face. What right did he have to look so miserable? He was the one who had schemed, had lied, had used me.

  “Luke,” I angrily scrubbed a few tears away, “I’m grateful that you were there for me the other night. I’m grateful that you called for help. Other than that, I really have nothing else to say to you. I think you should leave.”

  He ground out a sigh. “I made a mistake. I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t think the blackmail through. I didn’t know you. You didn’t know me. The idea came to me and I ran with it without considering the consequences.”

  “Actions always have consequences.”

  He nodded as he got to his feet. My heart twisted into a tangled knot when I saw the shimmer in his eyes. “I guess we’ve both learned that the hard way,” he said, his voice raspy. “Just remember I’m not the only one who pulled off a reckless stunt without thinking it through.”

  He slipped out the door, not waiting for a response.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Luke

  Gabe’s laugh wasn’t at all amused. “Damn, kid. When you said you got yourself into a mess, you weren’t kidding around.”

  “Yeah.” Wasn’t a whole lot more I could say. I slouched down on the bench, scanning the parking lot for Adam. I needed to be done with this phone call before he showed up. He asked if I’d meet him at the field for some practice time. I was sure it was just an excuse to get my mind off Meg. I appreciated it but really didn’t feel like throwing around a ball right now.

  The last few days I’d been wallowing.

  Today? I was trying to pick myself up and brush myself off. I was off to a rocky start. I woke up determined to make things right with Meg. But as the day wore on, I realized the odds were against me.

  I wasn’t going to give up. But I definitely needed help.

  “I feel like this is somewhat my fault.” Gabe sighed. “When I told you to get out from under Dad, I had no idea you’d go to such extreme measures. I thought the training camp was a great idea. But bringing Meg into it…”

  “Was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done,” I finished for him. “I know. I’d give anything to take it back.”

  “You can’t.” Gabe said bluntly. “You need to figure out where to go from here.”

  “I was hoping you could help with that.”

  “I figured.”

  “I did what Jaclyn wanted so she wouldn’t turn Meg in. Meg’s barely out of the hospital. She hates me and will probably never speak to me again.” With good reason. “She has no idea that Jaclyn knows everything. I couldn’t tell her. That’s the last thing I want to throw at her right now.”

  Stressing about the possibility of jail time hardly made for a peaceful recovery.

  Going to her house had probably been a mistake. But seeing her fly off the road, seeing her lying there so still? It had been the worst moment of my life. I’d never felt so helpless, so scared.

  I wanted to explain what really happened the night of the accident. I wanted her to know that she was worth so much more to me than that damn camp. But I couldn’t do that yet. Not when Jaclyn was still a threat.

  “Your ex is a ticking time bomb.”

  “I know.”

  Everything happened so fast the night of the accident. I’d been desperate to give Jaclyn what she wanted to keep Meg safe. I reacted on impulse, not thinking it through. I broke Meg’s heart. Caused her accident.

  The worst part of it all?

  I did it with no guarantee that Jaclyn wouldn’t turn around and use the information she had anyway. Sure, she said we had a deal.

  But I trusted her about as much as I trusted any other venomous snake.

  “We need to come up with a way to neutralize her.”

  “I know.” I got up and started to pace. “I can’t let Jaclyn take Meg down because of me. This is my fault. If I’d just left her alone that night at the school… If I hadn’t blackmailed her… Jaclyn went after her because she knows how much Meg means to me. It’s my fault she started digging around.”

  “You do realize,” Gabe said, “that Meg isn’t entirely guiltless. She did paint the school.”

  “And I was at the water tower. As far as I’m concerned, that makes me guilty, too.”

  “It’s not like we can pay her off,” Gabe muttered. “Jaclyn wouldn’t care about the money. There’s got to be another way.”

  “I have to do something.” My voice shook with frustration. “I have to find a way to make this right.”

  “I’ll do some checking around.”

  “Checking what?”

  “Let me worry about details. You’ve got enough to deal with right now. Trust me on this.”

  We disconnected, and I dropped back down on the bench. I didn’t see Adam yet. I propped my elbows on my knees and rested my face in my hands. My eyelids grated like sandpaper. I felt like I hadn’t slept in a year.

  I’d seen Jaclyn in the parking lot at school. She barely glanced my way. If she felt bad about the accident at all, it would probably pass sooner rather than later. I’d been given a reprieve, but I wasn’t stupid enough to think it would last indefinitely.

  “Hey, dude. Naptime is over.”

  I lifted my head and struggled for my game face.

  Adam eyed me up. “You don’t look so good.” He dropped down next to me. “What happened the other night? Julia stopped by to see Meg. She said the two of you were over.”

  “Did she say why?”

  He slid me a cautious look. “Uh, I guess she told Julia you two just weren’t good together. Could’ve fooled me though. You guys seemed fine the last time I saw you. What happened?”

  “It’s a long story. Too long to get into.”

  “I’ve got time,” he offered.

  “I did something stupid.”

  “Yeah?” Like a good friend, he sounded skeptical. “What did you do?”

  “Something so stupid I can’t even talk about it.”

  He slapped my shoulder. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me. Get your ass up. Our star pitcher does not belong on the bench.”

  I realized Adam had scrounged up a few of our teammates. They were jogging across the field. Leo was there, Colton, Dillon. Not enough guys for a game, but enough to get a pretty intense practice in.

  When we wrapped up a few hours later I was grateful to the guys for helping me kill some time. I couldn’t help b
ut think that Meg’s house was within walking distance from the park. I could be there in five minutes.

  Not a good idea.

  We piled into the dugout to load up our bat bags.

  Out of habit I checked my phone, hoping for a text from Meg. Of course she hadn’t tried to get a hold of me.

  But Gabe had. And that was almost as good.

  Gabe: I’ve got what you need. Call me.

  Adam nudged me. “Did you hear that? We’re going out for pizza. Want to ride with me?”

  Heart hammering, I slipped my phone into my pocket.

  “Can’t make it but thanks.”

  I took off at a jog toward my truck. I heard someone, probably Leo, call after me. I didn’t have time to see what he wanted.

  Once I was in my driver’s seat and had some privacy, I gave Gabe a call.

  “What’ve you got?” I asked.

  “You’re going to want to see this for yourself. What’s that little diner you like?”

  “Maebelle’s?”

  “Can you be there in half an hour?”

  Hell, I could be there in ten minutes.

  “Yes,” I said. “See you then.”

  …

  I ordered a root beer as I waited for my brother to arrive. I contemplated onion rings, but it just wasn’t the same if I couldn’t share them with Meg.

  I jabbed at the ice with my straw. I hoped whatever he had was as good as he thought it was.

  I’d dropped in at Meg’s normal lunch table today. I was hoping her friends would give me an update. Francesca told me Meg was no longer my concern and asked me to leave.

  I was surprised when Kylie rushed up to my locker after school. She told me Meg was doing okay, but she’d be out of school for at least a week. She also shared that Rick and Marion had some kind of breakthrough. Kylie said Meg was optimistic that her parents were going to stay together. But they still had a rocky road ahead.

  I didn’t want to add any more obstacles. If Meg was arrested, I didn’t know how her family would handle that.

  I had to make sure that didn’t happen.

  I shouldn’t have antagonized Jaclyn the last time I saw her. That was like poking a viper.