“Me, too.”
Amanda sat down on the sofa.
“Where’s the restroom, Mrs. Tilley?” Emmy asked.
“Go past the kitchen. It’s the first door on the right.”
Emmy thanked her, and walked there.
“What’s been troubling you, Amanda?” William asked her. She took a sigh.
“I’ve had a lot of stress. If Brad hadn’t taken me to Arkansas for a week, I’d have gone mad.”
“You’re still worried about Kellan, right?”
“Yes. I hate that he’s fighting for his life. We’d become such good friends.”
“You don’t blame yourself for what happened to him, do you?” Florence asked.
“A little. I look back and wish that I’d been more careful when crossing the street. Maybe he’d still be here with us.”
“It’s no use to beat yourself up about it now. Kellan is a strong man. You’ll see he’ll pull through.”
“I hope so.”
“What about Nathan?” asked William, changing the subject. “Have you talked to him at all?”
The abrupt change in subject gave Amanda whiplash. She looked at Harold warily. Amanda thought for a moment before answering.
“No. I have nothing to talk to him about.”
“I knew it,” Harold said.
“Don’t you miss him?” Florence asked.
Amanda looked away, saying nothing.
“That guy is as in love with you as a man can be with a woman,” Florence reckoned. “It was clear even to Mildred. You know she’s nigh impossible to fool.”
“Mom, he cheated on me!”
“What if that woman wanted you to believe he did?”
“Are you defending Nathan?” asked Amanda, standing up. “I thought you would side with me.”
“I’m taking no sides, honey,” said Florence, beckoning Amanda to sit down. “I care for you. That’s why I want to see you happy.”
“Why are we talking about Nathan, anyway?”
“Because, we need to. Weren’t you in love with him?”
“Yes. I was.”
“Don’t you miss him?”
Amanda started to tense.
“Do you really want to know? Yes, Mom. It kills me to not see Nathan anymore. It hurt me so much when I realized that he really didn’t love me.”
Florence shook her head.
“You’re letting pain blind you rather than give Nathan another chance so you can avoid getting hurt again.”
“It’s been long since you and Nathan talk,” said William. “Don’t you think you’ve had enough time to think things over?”
“Dad, no one plays with my heart.”
“You should listen to her,” Harold said. Florence pursed her lips.
“We agree,” she said. “It doesn’t hurt to let Nathan talk to you, though.”
“Even if I were willing to give Nathan another chance, my guards wouldn’t let him near me. Kellan would wake up before Nathan gets within a hundred feet of me.”
Florence shrugged.
“You’ll have to make a decision quick, sweetie. He’s here.”
Amanda’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“Yes,” William told her. “Nathan is in the city. He said he would come to see you.”
Amanda stood up, exasperated.
“Then tell him I’m not here!”
“No, darling. We love you. We can’t let you ruin your own happiness. I see it in your eyes, too. Nathan is the love of your life. Don’t let him go,” Florence said.
Before going to see Amanda, Nathan made a stop to get her a gift. He was going to pull all the stops if that’s what it took to regain her trust.
Nathan found parking and walked to a florist that he’d looked up online. He entered the shop, seeing there were a few customers already. One of the clerks greeted Nathan. He greeted her back.
“Hi. I would like a bouquet of red roses,” Nathan said. “Throw in some white and some red carnations, please.”
“Excellent choice. I’ll start on it. What color would you like the wrapping plastic to be?”
Nathan thought about it. The color of that didn’t feel as important as the flowers.
“Transparent would be great.”
“And it’s for a woman, right?”
“Yeah. And I want a big bouquet. I want it to make my girlfriend go ‘wow.’ You know what I mean?”
“Yes, sir. It’ll be ready in a few.”
Nathan waited while the woman went to arrange his bouquet. He looked at the time and thought that maybe he should pick up another gift. Probably chocolates or a great, big bear. He laughed at the memory of Amanda and the tow service.
A few moments later, the bouquet was ready. Nathan thought Amanda would love it.
“Perfect.”
Nathan paid for the bouquet, and then he walked back outside. He’d also gotten a vase to hold the roses during the car ride. Nathan didn’t want to disturb the beautiful arrangement.
A few minutes later, Nathan pulled into an intersection that allowed him view of Amanda’s house. He stopped for a moment, watching. The front door of the house opened, and Amanda walked out. She looked as beautiful as ever, despite the sadness in her eyes. Nathan watched her walk toward the mailbox. She opened it and grabbed a few envelopes that were inside.
Nathan was about to drive forward when he saw a car pull up in front of Amanda. The driver shut off the engine and walked out.
Damn it. What on Earth is he doing here?
Christopher walked toward Amanda. They started a conversation. Nathan looked in his rearview mirror to make sure he wasn’t blocking traffic. Then he turned in the opposite direction of Amanda’s house and parked on the curb. He could watch Christopher and Amanda on the mirrors.
The two of them were still talking. Nathan wished he could hear what they were saying. They walked up to the house, stopping at the porch. As Nathan watched, Christopher grabbed Amanda’s hand. She shook her head. Then he caressed the side of her face, leaning closer toward her.
Hey, that’s my girl! Nathan thought.
Amanda tried to lean away, but Christopher didn’t let go of her. He pinned her against the side of the door. Amanda shook her head vigorously. Christopher ignored it, kissing her on the cheek. He didn’t lean back. Nathan thought he was whispering something to Amanda. She kept her head turned to the side. Christopher moved down and put his lips on her neck. His hands moved up to touch her chest.
Stop him, Amanda. Stop him!
Amanda turned her head toward Christopher. Nathan saw her lips moving. Then Christopher kissed her. She flinched at first, but then accepted it. Nathan’s face fell. He was too late. Amanda had decided to move on rather than give Nathan another chance. He shifted his car into drive and left the scene.
Amanda lay on her bed, absentminded. She thought about Christopher, and the kiss he’d coaxed out of her earlier. She touched her lips. Amanda had to admit he was a good kisser, but she hadn’t felt the spark. Kissing Christopher hadn’t felt the same way as kissing Nathan. Amanda really wished it had worked, but she couldn’t hurt her friend, Judith.
That was the last time Amanda would lower her guard in front of Christopher. He was meant to be with Judith. She’d never forgive Amanda if she found out about the kiss. Friends didn’t betray each other.
Restless, Amanda shook her head. She felt that what she needed most was to take a rest from romance altogether. She missed Nathan, but he wasn’t going to fight for her after all. He’d never shown up as he said he would. And he claimed to love Amanda.
If he can satisfy his needs elsewhere, why can’t I?
Amanda all but resolved to not think about romance for a while. She would pursue other guys, but it would be for no-strings relationships. They’d always wanted Amanda, now they could have her.
As she dwelled in her own thoughts, Amanda’s bedroom door opened. She saw Ryan entering.
“Hey, Ryan. How are you?”
Amanda nodded.
“I’ll be right there.”
Ryan didn’t leave. He walked forward and sat next to Amanda on the bed.
“Are you feeling okay?”
Amanda looked at her brother, nodding.
“For the most part.”
“You’re still thinking about him, right?”
“Yes. I don’t know why he didn’t come today. My parents said he would. I thought he loved me.”
“Sister, who couldn’t love you? You’re an amazing person. Besides, you’re still young. Have fun, go party, leave serious relationships for later.”
Amanda laughed.
“For a little brother, you’re very mature, Ryan.”
Ryan chuckled at that.
“Why do you sound surprised? I’m almost an adult.”
“You’re still seventeen. By the way, how did you get so knowledgeable about love stuff? Do you have a girlfriend?”
“No. I’m still happily single.”
“I wish I could say that.”
Ryan put an arm around Amanda, comforting her.
“Find another guy. You can’t be pining after someone who doesn’t value your company.”
“I can’t help it, brother. I fell deeply in love with Nathan. One day, you’ll learn that you can’t turn such a feeling on and off as you please.”
Ryan and Amanda were silent for a moment, thinking.
“I’ve been thinking,” Ryan began, “Cornell has a good science and technology program. I want to go there.”
Amanda looked at her brother.
“Is there something—or someone—in particular that attracts you to Cornell?”
“No. But, come on, sister. It’s an Ivy League school…”
“That’s kind of overrated these days. Not that Cornell isn’t a great school. I like it there.”
“Maybe you could give me a tour sometime.”
Amanda nodded.
“That’s a good idea. I think the summer would be a great time for that.”
Ryan looked eager at the prospect. Amanda wondered why he was so interested to attend Cornell. As she thought of possibilities, their mother called from the kitchen.
“Dinner is ready, sweethearts!”
Amanda stood up from bed.
“Let’s go,” she said. Ryan followed her.
Nathan didn’t feel like returning to school. He didn’t know what was tougher: not seeing Amanda anymore, or seeing her with another guy. Either way, Nathan felt reluctant to deal with it.
That’s what you get for thinking you could have an unreachable girl, Nathan chastised himself. You should set your expectations a tad lower next time.
Nathan walked to the building where his next class way. On the way, he wondered if it would be a good idea to ask Kayla to be his girlfriend again. Although they’d agreed to stay best friends, Nathan had noticed that Kayla still longed for him. She thought she could hide it.
But I don’t want Kayla that way anymore. Her kisses used to drive me crazy. Now, no girl compares to Amanda. I got to get her from under my skin.
When he turned around a corner, Nathan noticed Amanda several feet ahead. She was walking with Christopher and Judith. Nathan walked carefully to keep them from seeing him. There were several students outside, so he wasn’t immediately discernible. It helped that Nathan had once been sort of an outcast. He found it easy to blend in.
Nathan stopped near the entrance to a building. He watched Amanda and the others head toward the other one. She seemed as close to happy as she could be after all the bad things that had happened in the past weeks. Nathan felt a pang of jealousy at the way Christopher touched her. She didn’t seem to mind.
“I told you so. You and Amanda wouldn’t last.”
Nathan turned around, seeing Erika.
“You again.”
Erika shook her head.
“You’re just pretending to hate me, and it’s irritating. I’ve never been out to hurt you.”
“What did you expect? You succeeded in getting between me and Amanda.”
“I didn’t break you apart. It was bound to happen. All I did was to speed it up. Clean breaks always hurt less.”
Nathan laughed. That’s absurd.
“Am I supposed to thank you?”
“No,” said Erika. She closed the distance between them and kissed Nathan. Her lips felt pleasing to kiss, but she just wasn’t Amanda.
“I just want you to know there are lots of girls out there that you can have. It would make me delighted if you chose me.”
Erika was so close that Nathan could smell the scent of her skin, and the perfume she wore. It wasn’t mouth-watering like Amanda’s, but it was still attractive. Nathan couldn’t help caressing the skin of Erika’s waist under her layers of clothing.
“I like you, Erika. But I liked you more when you were less annoying. Maybe if you gave me some time and tried not to suffocate me, I’d give you the time of day.”
Erika took a deep breath. She took a step back.
“I get where you’re coming from, Nathan,” she said, taking his hand. “Don’t worry, I promise I won’t be a pest anymore. Do we start as friends?”
Nathan was unable to keep the corners of his lips from turning up. He nodded.
“All right. That means no kissing, okay? I need time to come to terms with losing Amanda.”
“No problem. I’ll help you if I can.”
Nathan looked down at their conjoined hands.
“Is holding hands okay?” Erika asked.
“Yes, I don’t mind that. It feels nice, actually.”
Erika smiled in triumph.
“You still haven’t introduced me to your friends.”
Nathan gasped, turning it into a laugh.
“Yikes. It’s long overdue, isn’t it?”
Erika nodded, raising her eyebrow.
“You need to be less shy. I hardly ever see you around. Every time we meet, it’s because we bump into each other or you sneak up to me.”
“That’s because I’m the one that always has to seek you out.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
Holding hands with Erika, Nathan walked to his next class. Amanda and the others were nowhere in sight by that time.
Amanda walked into the police station with Caldwell and Medina. Hayden had called her during lunch time at school. He asked Amanda to meet him so they could talk about the investigation.
“Ms. Tilley!” said Detective Sutton when an officer brought Amanda to him. “Through here.”
Medina and Caldwell stayed behind while Amanda followed Sutton further inside the station. He led her to a conference room. Hayden was already inside, sitting next to a table.
“She’s here,” Sutton told Hayden when they entered. The latter stood up.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Tilley,” Hayden greeted. He shook hands with Amanda. “May I ask you how was your spring break?”
“It was fun, Mr. Hayden. Thank you.”
“Let’s sit down.”
The three of them sat. Amanda was at one long side of the table, with Hayden and Sutton opposite her. A laptop was on the table in front of Sutton.
“Has the culprit been caught yet?”
“No. However, we’re close to identifying her,” said Hayden. “I’ve been working with the police department. They’ve looked into any woman ages eighteen to twenty-six named Rebecca who attend Cornell.”
“The university agreed to help us after we told them about the attempted murder,” Sutton added. “We found a bunch of students who fit in our search criteria. After discarding those whose hair or skin color didn’t match, we came away with five possible suspects.”
Sutton laid some photos on the table in front of Amanda, upside down.
“We would like you to tell us if you recognize any of these women,” Hayden told Amanda. She grabbed the photos and looked at each of them. They were all your regular, everyd
ay students. Nothing seemed to stand out about them, except that one was sporty and another seemed reclusive.
“No. I don’t know them.”
“Are you sure?”
Amanda double-checked the photos.
“I think I’ve seen her a few times,” said Amanda, showing a photo to Hayden and Sutton. “But we’ve never talked to each other. As far as I know, she has nothing to do with my or Nathan’s friends, either.”
“Rebecca Meyer,” Hayden said, looking at the photo. “I’ll check her background anyway.”
Sutton started typing on his laptop. He and Hayden looked at the screen. After about a minute, they turned back to Amanda.
“What else do you have?” she asked.
“I’ve done a bit of research on my own,” Hayden told her. “I took the liberty to look through your social network friends…and their friends. I had a contact look through all those people quickly by discarding any woman without Rebecca in their name.”
Hayden extracted four photos from his jacket pocket. He passed them toward Amanda.
“Two of them are distant ‘friends of friends’ of Marissa Velásquez’s. The other has ‘Rebecca’ as her middle name and is a ‘friend of friend’ of Oswald Taylor’s. The last one was a little harder to catch.”
Amanda looked at the last photo. She knew that woman. It was Nathan’s new girlfriend.
“What do you mean this one was ‘a little harder to catch’?” Amanda asked. She showed Erika’s photo to Hayden.
“She has her name set as ‘Erika Jenkins’. This lady ended up on my list after I found comments where people called her Rebecca.”
“That means that either her true name is not Erika, or that Rebecca is her middle name,” Sutton said. “I think the latter is much more likely.”
“What do you know about her, Ms. Tilley?”
“Honestly, not much. We’ve met, but I haven’t spoken to her directly. Nathan told me that he met Erika last Christmas. She was a friend of his at first, but then she became interested in him. Erika is the reason why Nathan and I broke up. I caught him making out with her.”
Hayden pulled out his notepad and wrote that down.
“So this Erika has reasons to want you out of the game. She wants Nathan and may think of you as a very strong rival.”
Detective Sutton appeared to agree with Hayden.
Devoted to Her (Dream Date Book 2) Page 25
