by Ashley Jade
Yikes. That doesn’t sound very nice. “Did Dad do that to you?”
He wasn’t home often because he was always busy with work, but whenever he walked through the door it was always with a bouquet of roses for her.
And he always looked at her like she was his entire world.
Panic claws at my chest. I don’t want my parents to divorce. Megan Frank’s parents did last year, and she said it was the worst.
“Dad loves you—”
“I know he does.”
“Then—”
The sound of her phone ringing cuts me off.
Instantly, her face perks up. “I have to take this.” She must notice my uneasy expression because she adds, “Everything is fine, baby girl. Promise.”
A weight lifts off my chest as she answers her phone.
“Hello, my love.”
I get off the bed and scamper for the door, giving her and Dad some privacy.
Chapter 2
Bianca
“Promise me you’ll never fall in love.”
My mother’s words reverberate throughout my head as I stare down at my engagement ring.
I haven’t had a memory like that in over eight months.
It’s strange I would have one on the day I’m supposed to try on wedding gowns for the first time.
Almost like a bad omen.
No.
I halt that thought before it has time to take root and fester.
I love Stone and he loves me.
We’re perfect for each other.
Everyone thinks so…even my brothers.
Which is saying something because they used to despise him.
Taking a deep breath, I get off my bed and walk over to the tiny desk in the far corner of the room.
I lucked out when it came to the dorming situation at Duke’s Heart and managed to snag one of the only single dorm rooms on campus.
Of course, that will all change next year after I’m married and I move into Stone’s apartment…with his mother.
I force another breath through my lungs as I grab my knapsack.
It’s the first day of my second semester of college and I don’t want to be late for class.
I’m about to walk out the door, but the glint of my engagement ring catches my eye.
It’s a simple gold band with an equally simple, small diamond. Stone told me we could upgrade to a bigger diamond after he graduates from med school, but I told him not to bother.
I love my ring.
I love him even more.
With shaky fingers, I bring my cell phone to my ear.
“Luxury Bridal, how can I help you?” the woman answers.
I clear my throat before speaking. “Hi, my name is Bianca Covington. I have an appointment to try on wedding dresses later today.”
“Ah, yes. I have you down for five-fifteen.”
I swallow. “Is there any way I can reschedule? Something’s come up.”
“Sure, sweetie. Do you know when you’d like to come in? I have an opening later this week, and another one next Tues—”
“Do you have anything later than that?” I blurt out before I catch myself. “How about next month?”
“Sure do. We can schedule you for February twenty-fifth. Is five-fifteen still okay?”
“Yup. Thanks so much,” I rush out before hanging up.
I love Stone…I really do.
I just wish I knew why the second he placed a ring on my finger and I said yes…
it felt like a noose was tightening around my neck.
Chapter 3
Oakley
Just one sip—the voice in my head urges. One little sip isn’t gonna hurt anyone.
Slamming the door of the minibar, I walk back over to my bed, recalling what I heard at the AA meetings I’ve recently started attending.
One sip leads to several sips, and several sips leads to a full glass…
Which led to me killing an innocent girl I once cared about and fucking up the life of the girl I still love.
Stifling a groan, I lay down on the bed.
I need to get the fuck out of here.
I got out of jail almost three weeks ago and I’ve been stuck in this hotel room ever since—thanks to my dad.
Or rather, Crystal.
She and my dad are going through a nasty divorce and fighting over custody of Clarissa Jasmine—or C.J. as I like to call her because her real name is not only a shitty one—it’s a mouthful.
I was supposed to stay with my dad after I was released, but Crystal threw a fit over an ex-con being anywhere near her child.
Given my dad wants full custody of C.J., he got spooked.
Ergo, I’m trapped here.
Contemplating crawling out the motherfucking window because I’m losing what’s left of my goddamn sanity.
As if on cue, I hear the latch on the door click open.
A moment later my dad walks in, bearing gifts.
“Okay,” he says, gesturing to the two paper bags he’s holding. “I got you gummies and oil.”
Halle-fucking-lujah. About damn time.
Truth be told, I had no intention of touching the stuff once I got out of jail, but CBD is the only thing I’ve found to help reduce my seizures that doesn’t give me a fuckload of shitty side effects.
Fortunately, my doctor agreed and issued me a medical marijuana card.
Unfortunately, my dad didn’t trust me to go to a dispensary by myself—and since it’s legal in California now—he went for me.
“I’ll take a gummy.”
He opens the package. “Just one, Oak.”
“I know, Dad.”
He pins me with a look. “I’m serious. I’m only doing this because your doctor agrees—”
“Got it,” I snap, ripping the gummy out of his hand.
Almost immediately the guilt sets in. My dad’s done a lot for me and I’m being a dick.
“How’s C.J.?”
That puts a smile on his face. “She’s good.” His smile grows. “She’s so smart. This morning she recited her ABC’s when I dropped her off at daycare.”
She definitely inherited her smarts from our dad.
Too bad I can’t say the same.
The only thing I inherited from him was his fondness for Jack Daniels.
“That’s awesome.”
“Yeah, she’s doing this Baby Einstein thing Crystal—” He stops mid-sentence, just like he always does when he mentions her name in front of me.
And yet, I have no one else to blame but myself for making shit so fucking complicated.
Although my dad never blames me for it. He’s too busy taking all his anger out on Crystal.
When I asked him why her instead of me, he said it’s because she was the adult and I was the child.
When I pointed out that I was hardly a child and it was me who made the first move and he has every right to hate me too, he told me he couldn’t ever hate me because I was his kid.
Therefore, his love was unconditional.
No matter how much of a fuck-up I am.
He clears his throat, changing the subject. “I’ll see if I can sneak C.J. by again later so you can see her.”
“I’d like that.”
Sure, she likes to shove tiny fistfuls of her Cheerios into my mouth and has a habit of grabbing my cheeks whenever she wants my attention, but seeing her—even for a few minutes at a time—never fails to put a smile on my face.
“How’s the job search going?” Dad asks, plopping down in a chair across from me.
“The last three I applied for turned me down.”
Just like the first three.
Evidently, just got out of jail looks terrible on a resume.
Digging into the second paper bag, he tosses me a fast-food burger. “Well, I have some good news.”
Raising an eyebrow, I unwrap my burger. “What?”
“I ran into one of my old clients who happens to be the custodial manager at Duke’s Heart, and h
e said he’s looking to hire someone full-time.” He takes a bite of his own burger. “When I mentioned that my son was looking for work, he told me to have you stop by today so he can interview you for the open janitor position.”
I place my burger down. “Janitor?”
I’m not a pretentious douche but the custodial arts isn’t something I ever imagined partaking in.
Not to mention, Duke’s Heart isn’t exactly a place I want to be.
It’s where she is.
Correction—where they are.
He wipes his mouth with a napkin. “It might not be glitz and glam, but a job is a job—”
“I know,” I say quickly, because he’s right and I’d be a dumbass to turn down the offer. Besides, the campus is huge, so I doubt I’ll run into her. “What time does he want me there?”
“Twelve.” He looks at his watch. “Which means you have thirty minutes to get ready, so finish your burger and hop in the shower.”
I take a bite and swallow. “Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet, it’s up to you to get the job.”
I know.
He takes a sip of his soda. “I might have also gotten you an apartment.”
This is news to me. “You did?”
“Don’t get too excited, it’s nothing fancy. Just a studio on the other side of town…but it’s something.” He shoves some fries into his mouth. “I’ve already paid the security deposit and the first month’s rent. You can move in tomorrow.”
A weird feeling spreads through my chest. I’ve never been good at this kind of shit, but I seriously fucking owe him.
“Dad?”
He averts his gaze. “I know, Oak.”
My dad not only saves my ass when I fuck up and puts my life back together afterward, he saves me from having to be gracious about it.
“I’m sorry I hurt you.”
It’s barely a whisper, but I know he hears it because he clears his throat. “There’s still one more thing we have to talk about.”
“What’s that?”
I’m not sure what to make of his expression. “You’ve been seizure-free for a year now.”
“And?”
He huffs out a breath. “You still have sixty days left on your probationary period before they reinstate your driver’s license, but we can apply for a hardship license so you can travel back and forth to work.”
“Not interested,” I quickly tell him.
I have no intention of getting behind the wheel again.
Because the last time I drove…
I killed someone.
He heaves an exasperated sigh. “If you get this job, you’re going to need a reliable form of transportation.”
“I’ll take the bus.”
I take them to my AA meetings every day, I see no reason I can’t take one to and from work.
“What happens if you miss one, wake up late one morning, or they stop running for whatever reason?”
I guzzle my bottle of water and stand. “I’ll wait for the next one.”
“What if you have to work a night shift? Buses don’t run past seven in this town.”
Shit. He has a point.
“I’ll walk.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “It’s ten miles one way.”
I shrug. “I’ll take an Uber.”
“You’re barely going to be making enough to pay for your rent and food. Taking an Uber twice a day is expensive.” He folds his arms across his chest. “I know you’re scared. I get it. But there has to be some kind of compromise—”
“Compromise? Hayley’s dead, Dad.”
“I know,” he says softly. “And as terrible as that is, you can’t keep punishing yourself because you made a mistake. Your life still goes on.”
He doesn’t get it.
Then again, how can I expect him to?
He’s not the one who killed someone.
“Dad—”
“Goddammit.” His nostrils flare on an inhale. “I haven’t asked you for a damn thing since you’ve been out. But, I need you to do this. If not for yourself, then for me.”
“Why? Why is me driving so important to you?”
“Because I don’t want you to keep punishing yourself,” he screams. “Hayley died that day…but so did you.”
He’s not wrong.
The party stopped the day I became a murderer.
The Oakley who used to joke, smoke, and fuck his problems away while living life to the fullest is long gone.
In his place is a man drowning in remorse.
Because it’s what I deserve.
That said—my dad’s right. He hasn’t asked me for much…or anything, for that matter.
However, the thought of getting behind the wheel of a car again isn’t something I can get down with.
Agitated, I scrub a hand down my face. “Can we shelf this conversation for now so I can nail this interview and get a job?”
I can tell the lawyer in him wants to argue some more, but the father in him drops it. “Fine.”
“Hi.” I stick out my hand. “I’m Oakley. Wayne Zelenka’s son. I’m here for the interview.”
The older man—who doesn’t even bother introducing himself, or shaking my hand—motions for me to follow him into an office marked maintenance. “You know how to use a mop?”
“I think I can manage.”
He throws a dark gray jumpsuit at me. “Put this on. I’ll get you a fancy name badge next week.”
I blink. “Does this mean I got the job?”
“That depends.” He sticks a toothpick in his mouth. “Can you start today?”
Does a bear shit in the woods?
“Yeah.”
He shoves a mop into my hands. “Your shift ends at eight, but you can take your lunch break at three-thirty.” He narrows his eyes. “I have two rules, kid.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t steal from me and don’t show up late.”
I start putting on my jumpsuit. “Got it.”
Chapter 4
Bianca
“Hey, you.” Stone greets me when I spot him outside my classroom.
Last semester we had the same break in classes so we could have lunch together, but this semester our schedules are completely opposite, so all we have are a few measly minutes to catch up before I grab lunch by myself and he heads off to another class.
Rising on my tiptoes, I give him a quick peck on the lips. “How is your day going so far?”
“Good.” Wrapping an arm around my waist, he pulls me in for another kiss. “Excited to pick out a wedding dress later?”
Guilt punches me in the gut, but there’s no way I can tell him about the memory that prompted my sudden case of cold feet without him getting offended and flipping out.
So, I lie to spare his feelings.
And an argument.
“About that.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “The bridal boutique called me earlier and said they accidentally overbooked. The earliest they can get me in now is February twenty-fifth.”
“No big deal. We’re not getting married until August, so you still have plenty of time to pick out a dress.” Glancing at his watch, he mutters a curse. “Hate to cut this short, Bourne, but I gotta go. I’m late for class.”
“Love yo—” I start to tell him, but he’s already walking away.
After sparing one more glance in his direction, I start my hike to the cafeteria.
The campus is huge, but the food they serve here makes the lengthy walk and wait worth it.
I usually stick to my typical turkey bacon club sandwich, but I’m craving something a little healthier today, so I opt for an apple and veggie wrap.
After grabbing my food and paying, I trek off to my favorite place.
The lake.
I was surprised to find out they had one on campus, but the moment I discovered the small piece of tranquil paradise nestled away from a
ll the buildings, I fell in love.
Usually, I come here with Stone, but given our new schedule changes, I’m on my own.
Apparently not though because some guy is sitting on my bench eating a sandwich.
Yes, I know a bench is public property, but I’ve come to think of this as my spot.
The quiet place where I can get away from it all and clear my head.
Well, in between Stone droning on and on about how hard med school is and how he has no time.
Stifling a groan of irritation, I march down the hill and tread over to the guy. There’s an empty space next to him so he should have no problem sharing the bench with me.
“Do you mind if I—”
My words fall by the wayside the moment he comes into view.
He’s wearing some kind of gray jumpsuit, but it does little to hide the muscles lining his tall, lean frame. My breath catches as I take in the rest of him. Not only is his face flawless, with prominent cheekbones and full lips, he’s rocking some dark blond scruff along his chiseled jawline that’s the same shade as his hair.
I’d say he looks like a typical California surfer, but he’s so much hotter than that—not that I’m focused on his appearance because I have a fiancé I’m in love with.
I should look away because I’m practically gawking, but his eyes keep me prisoner. They’re a gorgeous blue hue—however, it’s the turmoil lurking in them that renders me speechless.
He looks lonely. Miserable, actually.
Almost like he needs a friend.
With that thought pressing me, I find my words. “Can I sit here?”
A whirlwind of emotions scatter across his face as he looks around the empty lake in disbelief, almost like he thinks he’s being punked.
Whatever the case, it’s clear he doesn’t want me around. “Sorry for bothering you, I’ll leave—”
“Stay.”
The simple, single word comes out like a plea.
As if he needs me.
So, I do.
However, trying to strike up a conversation with him is hard, because he goes quiet after that.
Which means all the talking is left to me. Awesome.
“It’s kind of crazy how no one really comes here.”
