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“I know, me either.”
Chloe studies me, head tilted. “You like her, don’t you?”
“Doesn’t matter.” I stare down the road, watching Greer’s taillights fade into the distance.
“It does matter.”
I turn to face Chloe, and the world spins off its axis. My breathing becomes labored and my heart beats a million miles a minute. “I’m not feeling so well. Can I get a glass of water?”
She peers up at me with a worried crease between her brow. “Your face is pale.”
My forehead breaks out into a cold sweat, and I try to catch my breath. I need to sit down before I fall over. “Yeah, I’m not feeling too well.”
Chloe wraps her arms around my shoulder, leading me toward her house. “Let’s get you inside.”
SEVEN
GREER
“I brought you more roses.” I kneel beside my mother’s grave, pushing aside the wilted roses I left here last week. “I have so much to talk to you about.”
A tear strolls down my cheek. For years, I never visited my mother’s grave. I was too angry with her. I felt like she left me alone when I needed her most. But since learning the truth about my mother’s death I’ve started visiting in the past few months.
I hate myself for almost hating my mother. Learning that she didn't die by suicide, but was actually murdered, triggered a surge of overwhelming feelings. I’ve been working through them ever since.
“Mom, I wish I had more time with you when you were alive. I hate you were taken from me.” I sit and pluck a blade of grass from the ground, thinking about all the bottled-up emotions I need to get out.
My thoughts drift to Roman, and I tell my mother about our date. It’s cathartic to talk to her as if she were still here. When I’m done, I add, “Yes, I’m keeping my heart safe. I know if I let him in, he’d smash it to smithereens.” I often wonder what my mother would think about Roman and me fake dating. Would she be as onboard as everyone else?
“I care about him a lot.” This isn’t news to my mother. She always knew I fancied my older brother’s best friend. But she doesn’t know how my feelings for him have grown into this monster that I try to keep hidden underneath the bed. No one knows.
But I need to tell someone. “I could fall in love with him if I’m not careful.” A gentle breeze rustles my wild mane, and I savor the serenity of it. “I’m not the weak little girl everyone thinks I am. I’m strong, and I can build my image without falling deeper in love with Roman.”
I picture my mother’s brown eyes, the same shade as mine. They were always so intuitive, impossible to hide anything from. Would she believe me? Do I even believe myself?
My phone dings and I pull it out of my jacket pocket. It’s a text from Chloe.
Roman’s at Saint Pierce Hospital. He’s not doing too well.
I’m up and running to my car in the matter of a split second. I start the engine and text Chloe back.
I’m on my way. What happened?
I pull out of the cemetery lot and nearly run the stop sign as I keep glancing at my phone, waiting for an answer.
Who sends a text like that and doesn’t follow up with any additional info? As I’m waiting at a red light, I call Chloe through the Bluetooth system.
She answers on the second ring. “Hey, sorry for not texting back yet. The doctor came in. We don’t know anything right now. Last night, after you left, he wasn’t feeling well, so he stayed with us. Dev ended up bringing him to the ER this morning.”
My mind backtracks to last night and I can’t pinpoint anything that seemed off about him. “Why didn’t you call me last night?” I’m his girlfriend. Someone should have notified me immediately.
But I’m not his girlfriend.
“He wouldn’t let us. We brought him in pretty early this morning and he didn’t want to wake you because he knew you had your hands full with the case.”
“Did you get in touch with Ledger?”
“I didn’t have to. He called Dev right when they arrived at the hospital, saying he had a bad feeling about Roman. He’s been here ever since.”
