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Instead of letting me pass, he turns around, giving me the back of his t-shirt and jeans. “Hop on, princess.”
“It’s okay, Roman. Don’t you have to go inside?”
“Nope. Dev wants to talk to your dad before we head back to my house.” He looks over his shoulder at me. “Get on, Greer. Seems like you need me more than he does right now.”
He’s the only one who’s noticed that I’m not okay with my mother’s suicide. “You’re too tall,” I say, trying to hide the tears from him. “And I’m not like the cheerleaders you hang out with at school. I can’t vault into the air like they can.”
He takes two steps down, so he’s on the ground. “There. Let’s go. I have something for you.”
God, the girls at school would die to ride on his back. And so would I. Which is why I say fuck it—forgive me, Mom—and leap off the porch.
He chuckles as I wrap my arms around his neck and cinch my legs around his waist.
“Those cheerleaders have nothing on you, Greer.”
“Yeah, right. They’ve got boobs and I’ve got brains. Yay me.” And then I’m sobbing, because I just said that to the guy I’ve had a crush on for years. But who else can I say it to? I don’t have a mother anymore.
“Ah, shit,” he whispers as he walks us away from the house. “Don’t cry, Greer. You’ll…um…get them soon.”
He stops in the corner of the yard by the oak tree, and I slide down his back onto the soft grass.
“It’s not that,” I say.
He runs a hand through his dark hair, leaving a lock flopped onto his forehead. “What is it then?”
His gaze skims the thin straps holding up the sequin bodice of my dress. “Are you nervous about going to the dance?”
“Yeah, but I’m going anyway. Mom picked this dress out for me and I told her it was awful. This is my last chance to wear it before it doesn’t fit anymore.” I swipe at the tears on my cheeks and finally let out what’s been tearing at my insides. “Maybe if I hadn’t been a brat, she wouldn’t have left us.”
“Greer”—he crouches down a bit and cups my face in his hands—“listen to me. It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t Devereaux’s fault. I may only be seventeen, but I’m old enough to know she loved you and whatever reason she had to kill herself had nothing to do with you.”
His face is so sure, so earnest, I believe him. We sit on the grass, and he listens as I tell him how I worry Dad is drinking and avoiding us because we look like her. That I wonder if I should dye my hair or cut it off. He seems pained by that admission from me, but he doesn’t act like I’m stupid for thinking about it.
When I’ve let all my worries out, we sit in silence until he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a velvet pouch tied with a pink ribbon.
“Dev said you didn’t feel like celebrating your birthday last week, but I got you something anyway.” He hands me the pouch.
Inside I find a heart-shaped golden locket on a dainty gold chain with a note that says Keep those you love close to your heart.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. “Thank you.”
“You’re going to be okay, Greer,” he says.
“I miss her,” I say on a choked sob. “I don’t have anybody. Dev’s got you and Ledger. Dad’s got his whiskey. Mom left me to take care of myself.”
He pulls me into him and cradles my head against his chest. It’s warm and safe. “You’ve got me.”
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart, Greer.”
ONE
GREER
Present Day
Welcome to the Wine and Punishment podcast, where we discuss criminal cases in and around Saint Pierce, while having some delicious wine. I’m Sadie, here with my co-host Eden, and today, we’re discussing the Delgado case. Is Bane Delgado guilty of extorting local businesses?
