Following Me

by K. A. Linde

But she couldn’t tell Hadley any of that. Devon was so happy to see her friend, and maybe all she needed was a week or so for things to get better. She couldn’t run away from her life forever even if she wanted to.

  “Whoa!” Hadley cried, putting her hand on Devon’s forehead. “You’re turning into me. How is Reid taking all of this?”

  “Oh, Reid’s fine,” Devon told her. “He’s, you know, perfect.”

  Hadley gagged. “If that boy could get any more perfect, I’d fall dead.”

  Devon offered a stilted laugh. “Yeah, me too.”

  “I’m just surprised he didn’t bring his ass with you. You two were connected at the hip last year.”

  “Well, he’s spending a lot of time at home in Kansas City. Plus, he has to start applying to med schools this year. I know he wants to go to Wash U since his dad is a legacy. It’s one of the best in the country, but he’s also applying elsewhere,” Devon informed her, feeling like she’d had this conversation too many times already.

  “That just means I get you all to myself,” Hadley said, grabbing Devon’s arm and pulling her close. “Lucky me.”

  “Yep. Lucky you,” Devon responded, wincing.

  DEVON STARED AT the impossibly tall, circular buildings where Hadley lived. She said the complex was called Marina City. All Devon knew was that it was way nicer than any place she expected to live in after graduation. The two buildings boasted the House of Blues, a full-scale hotel, and a working marina where people could dock their boats. It was all a bit overwhelming.

  “Come on,” Hadley laughed at Devon while dragging her through the residential entranceway toward the elevator.

  They took the elevator up to the forty-third floor where it deposited them on a rounded track leading to Hadley’s apartment. She jiggled the key into place and stepped inside. Following close behind, Devon took in the small apartment.

  It wasn’t much bigger than her apartment in St. Louis, and based on the location, Devon was pretty sure it cost triple what she was paying. The layout resembled a slice of a pie, with hallways on each side of the entrance leading into bedrooms, a small kitchen off to the right, and an L-shaped living room with a conjoined dining room. The best part was obviously the view through the floor-to-ceiling glass wall that led out onto the balcony, overlooking Michigan Avenue, Grant Park, the Chicago River, and beyond to Lake Michigan.

  Being the Windy City and all, Devon briefly wondered how cold it got up here in the winter. She was cold enough in St. Louis without being forty-three floors high.

  “Make yourself at home. Garrett won’t be back for another hour or so. I hate how late he works, but at least it’s not the night shift. I hate when he has to work the night shift.” Hadley tossed her bag onto the couch and turned to face Devon. “We have an extra bedroom if you go through the door on the left. You can put your things in there.”

  “Thanks,” Devon said, walking into the guest bedroom. She placed her bag at the foot of the queen-size bed and stared around the room.

  Devon could tell that Hadley had decorated this room. It didn’t look like anything a guy would have put together. Long white panel curtains hung from the glass wall, which opened to its own balcony. The bed had a pretty patterned quilt on it with a couple of matching pillows. A dark wooden five-drawer dresser sat against another wall, and large paintings of flowered landscapes were displayed around the room.

  Walking toward the balcony, she flipped the lock, slid back the door, and walked out onto the platform. It was really a very pretty view. So much to see and so little time, Devon thought.

  She pulled out her phone from her pocket to check her email. She immediately deleted a newsletter from Wash U along with a series of spam emails. As her finger lingered over the next one, she bit her bottom lip, indecision creasing her forehead. She really wanted to read it, but she couldn’t do it.

  Not having the courage to just delete the email, she moved it to a separate folder. Out of sight, out of mind.

  Just as she was scrolling to the next email, her phone lit up. She stared down at the screen, letting it ring a few more times, before steeling herself and answering.

  “Hey, Mama,” Devon said.

  “Hey, Dixie!” her mom cheerfully called into the phone.

  “Mom,” Devon complained, “it’s just Devon now.”

  “You’ll always be my Dixie girl,” her mother drawled.

  Devon was pretty sure she would never convince her mother otherwise. “I know, but can’t you just give it a try? You named me after all.”

  “Why do you have to be so difficult? Dustin and Dani don’t seem to have your propensities.”

  “You must have screwed me up real good,” Devon joked.

  “Always have to blame me,” her mother said.

  “It’s not like it’s Dad’s fault.”

  “Oh, shush! You know I just miss you,” her mom said, tears spilling into her voice.

  “Miss you, too, Mom,” Devon said softly.

  “When are you coming home? Reid can’t steal you for the entire summer. Your father and I have a big event in July, and we’d really like you to come. I know you’ll want to bring him. It’s so close to your birthday, and we’d like to celebrate with you, honey.”

  “I don’t know, Mom,” Devon answered uncertainly.

  She had already told her mom that she was going to stay in St. Louis for the summer. This was already the second or third attempt to get her to come home. Devon hadn’t been able to tell her mom that she had left. Her mom wouldn’t understand her reasoning.

  “Oh, come on, Dixie…Devon,” her mother quickly corrected. “I’m only asking for a bit of time. You’ve been away for so long, and I haven’t heard from you as much lately.”

  “I know. I’ve just been so busy.”

  “I know you are, honey, and I’m so proud of you. I just feel like we haven’t talked as much this year. Are you sure everything is okay?” her mother pleaded.

  “Yeah, Mama. Everything is fine,” Devon lied, taking in a deep breath.

  She didn’t want her mother to pry. She was hitting too close to home, and Devon couldn’t talk about it.

  “Alright,” her mom said. “Well, think about July. We’re going to New York, and I know how much you love the big city. I’ll take you to see shows on Broadway, and we can go shopping, have cocktails at fancy parties—”

  “That all sounds great, Mom,” Devon told her wistfully. “I just don’t think I’ll be able to make it.”

  “You can bring Reid with you if you want, dear,” her mother said, offering a plea bargain.

  “Thanks, but I don’t think he’ll be interested. He’s taking the MCAT and applying to med school. You know how important that is to him.”

  “I know, but…” she began, clearly biting her tongue.

  “But what?” Devon couldn’t stop herself from asking.

  “I think you spend too much time with that boy, that’s all,” her mom responded quietly.

  “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry so much.”

  Her mom sighed. “Well, think about New York. I miss you, and I know it would mean a lot to your father to have you there.”

  “Alright, I’ll think about it, but I’m not making any promises. I have to go though. Love you,” Devon said.

  “Love you, too.”

  Devon quickly ended the call. She buried her head in her hands and took a few steadying breaths, trying to remind herself over and over that she was doing the right thing. Lying to her mom was the hardest thing in the world to do, but she couldn’t be in St. Louis.

  She wished that she could really talk to her mom. She wasn’t wrong when she had said that Devon had stopped talking to her. If only things were the way they had been when she was younger, when she had told her mother everything. But things had changed so much since then.

  Stuffing her phone into the pocket of her pants, she left the balcony and walked back into the living room.

  “Sorry about that. My mom called,” Devon tol
d Hadley.

  Hadley was stretched out across the couch, watching Millionaire Matchmaker on the mounted television. She had a proclivity for bad reality shows and Lifetime movies. Devon had never understood her obsession, but Hadley had often referred to it as her only flaw.

  “Shhh! Patti is about to bitch out the girls. It’s the best part.” Hadley’s eyes were glued to the television.

  Devon laughed and shook her head. At least some things hadn’t changed. Taking a seat next to her friend, Devon watched the woman on TV work her magic. She was pretty sure they had already seen this episode.

  Devon easily fell back into the simplicity of living with Hadley. They had always been easy living mates. She couldn’t even remember if they had argued over anything more than whose turn it was to empty the dishwasher. Devon had taken a chance her freshman year and allowed Housing to choose her roommate. She had won the jackpot. Even though Hadley had been a sophomore, they had gotten along perfectly.

  The year before, Hadley had had a terrible experience with a roommate that she knew from home. After that, she had decided to live in the dorms again and chance fate with a stranger. They had stayed in the same room the next year as well. It had helped that the dorm had been renovated the summer before to an apartment-style layout with small bedrooms, a communal living room, and a kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

  Last year, they had opted to move into an off-campus apartment. When they had made the decision, Devon hadn’t thought that Hadley would be graduating early. After Hadley had moved out, Devon had spent all her time with Reid. Even with him there though, the apartment had felt empty without Hadley.

  “Where are your cups?” Devon asked, standing during a commercial break.

  Hadley pulled out her phone and immediately started texting. “Second cabinet on the left from the refrigerator.”

  “Thanks.”

  Devon walked into the kitchen and filled a glass full of ice water. As she took a sip, her phone beeped three consecutive times in her pocket. She pulled out her phone and flipped through the texts. They were all from Reid, wishing her a safe trip and telling her how much he would miss her while she was gone.

  Her heart skipped a beat as she read the last one.

  Come home to me quickly, Dev. I’m too busy to fly to Paris, but I already miss you. I miss you so much.

  She swallowed back the emotions rushing through her as she cradled the glass of water to her chest. She had told him that her family had planned a trip to Paris for the summer. The lies were piling on top of her, and not for the first or last time, she regretted her decision.

  At that moment, the front door opened, causing Devon to jump out of her self-pity.

  “Hey, baby!” a guy called, walking through the door.

  Peering through the kitchen door, Devon watched as he lifted Hadley right off the couch and into his arms. Hadley giggled like mad as she threw her arms around his neck while her legs wrapped around his waist. He pulled back long enough to deeply and thoroughly kiss her on the mouth. Feeling intrusive, Devon stepped back into the kitchen to give them some privacy.

  “Put me down. Put me down. You have to meet Devon!” Hadley cried.

  Devon heard a few thuds that sounded like Hadley was playfully hitting Garrett.

  “Is she here already?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Hey, Dev. Come meet Garrett!” Hadley called.

  Devon took a deep breath, preparing herself for the utter cuteness that always came from the honeymoon stage of a new relationship. She waved awkwardly as she entered the living room. “Hey.”

  “Garrett, baby, this is my bestie, Devon Sawyer,” Hadley said. “Dev, this is my boyfriend, Garrett Jones.”

  “Hey, Devon. So nice to finally meet you,” Garrett said, striding forward with his hand extended.

  Devon politely placed her hand in his and shook.

  “I’ve heard so much about you,” he said.

  “I’ve heard a lot about you, too.” Which was true. Hadley hadn’t shut up about him at lunch, not that Devon was complaining. She would rather talk about anything but herself.

  “Don’t believe a word she says. She thinks I’m a nice guy,” he said with a wink in Hadley’s direction.

  “You are a nice guy!” Hadley said, rolling her eyes and walking over to them.

  “Kiss of death, babe. Kiss of death,” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her in close.

  Yes, that looks like the kiss of death, Devon thought.

  “So, how long are you here for?” Garrett asked, directing his attention back to Devon.

  “Uh…probably just a week,” she said, finding his wide brown eyes unnerving.

  “Well, glad to have you. I brought home a couple bottles of wine from the cellar,” he said, gesturing to the side table where he had deposited a bag.

  “I didn’t know you were going to see your dad,” Hadley said, her voice strained.

  “He asked to see me after work. Told me to tell you hello. I think he wants us over for dinner sometime this week.”

  “Oh, well that sounds nice,” Hadley responded flatly.

  Devon would be sure to ask her about that later. She hadn’t mentioned anything about Garrett’s parents, and she knew Hadley too well. There was definitely something off in her voice.

  “I’m going to go pop open a bottle. You ladies get back to your Millionaire Matchmaker. I’m cooking dinner tonight since I’m actually home at a decent hour, and then we’re going out to celebrate Devon’s arrival.” He picked up the bag from the table and pulled out a bottle. “Red okay with you, Dev?”

  He’s already using my nickname like he knows me. How the hell does Hadley always get this lucky? Devon wondered.

  “Red is perfect,” she answered.

  When he left for the kitchen, Hadley grabbed her arm, pulling her close on the couch. “Isn’t he incredible?” Hadley swooned.

  “He might be too good. He brought home wine, and he’s making dinner? Is this guy for real?” Devon asked, nudging Hadley in the ribs.

  “Totally for real, and he’s been like this for the past five months,” she said, sighing contentedly. “It’s like hitting a gold mine as far as boyfriends go.”

  Devon couldn’t agree more. Her friend seemed truly, very happy with Garrett, and Garrett seemed to adore her. Any man who greeted a woman by picking her up and kissing her senseless was alright on Devon’s list.

  Plus, he was pretty easy on the eyes. He was tall, really tall, which was nice since Hadley was on the taller side. He had broad shoulders, a friendly smile, and the cutest dimples. His brown hair was short but styled professionally. He’d had on a black suit when he walked in, but he had since changed into dark jeans and a green button-up rolled up to his elbows to cook in. He seemed comfortable in his skin and in his affection toward Hadley. Devon liked that about him.

  THE TRIO SPENT the evening lost in debates about which match was going to be successful on Millionaire Matchmaker while downing glass after glass of the expensive red wine Garrett had brought back with him. To accompany the wine, dinner consisted of a perfectly cooked chicken marsala with spaghetti and garlic bread. As they laughed and joked during the meal, Devon felt the tension and anxiety of the last semester melt away from her.

  Each day had been a battle to keep going, and in this moment, she felt lucky because she was here with her friend. She had made it through the day.

  DEVON TURNED THE corner, looking over her shoulder. As she wound through unfamiliar streets, she was surprised to find each one deserted. Where are all the people?

  She was still walking, but her pace was rapidly increasing. She hated being lost, especially at night. She remembered a similar experience she’d had in a new city. The driving directions had been all wrong, and her GPS hadn’t directed her properly. She had freaked out and pulled over to figure out where she was supposed to be going. The overpowering feeling of utter insecurity and danger had made her stomach tighten and ten
se.

  She hadn’t been in real danger, but it sure had felt like it.

  And it felt like it now.

  Devon swallowed hard, pushing her blonde hair off her face, as she walked faster and faster, hoping to find something that would trigger a memory of some sort. She tried to recall where she was or what she was doing, but it just wouldn’t come to her. Panic rose in her chest, causing her heart to flutter faster, as sweat began to bead on the back of her neck.

  She glanced over her shoulder again, feeling eyes on the back of her head, but no one was there. She was all alone. How could she be all alone? Surely, someone else had to be around.

  Against her better judgment, Devon went up to the first building and tried the door. It didn’t budge. She did the same to the next door and the next one after that, but they were all locked up tight. She pushed her shoulder against another door to no avail. She wasn’t in some crime show. There was no way she would try to kick her way through a door. The longer she stood and tried to find a way into a building, the more she felt like someone was watching her, stalking her movements. As she banged on a door, her throat seized, keeping her from screaming for help.

  Someone please answer the door! she screamed in her head.

  No one came to the door. Nothing moved, not even the wind.

  Tears welled in her eyes as desperation kindled in her gut. She moved on from the doors, knowing she was having no luck here. Her walk turned into a jog, and the sounds of footsteps behind her fueled her on to a full run.

  The only problem was she didn’t have a clue where she was going. She knew she could run for only so long before exhaustion overtook her. How long did she have before they caught up to her?

  Keeping up her fast pace was tiring, and she felt herself slowing, but she could tell from the patter of feet behind her that her pursuer was catching up to her. Tears streamed openly down her face, and she did nothing to stop them. She had a terrible, terrible feeling about this.

  When she turned a corner, she saw a light on in the building directly in front of her. Angling straight for it, she gained a burst of speed. It felt like she was running toward the light at the end of the tunnel.