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“It’s fine,” I cut him off. “Brendan helped. We didn’t need you.”
“As I was saying,” his voice tightens. “I can’t do anything to take all that back, but I do owe you. I owe you more than I could ever repay, but the least I can do is help you now like I should have been helping all this time. Take the phone, Ophelia. And more than that, I’d like to give you a new car.”
“What!?” I shriek, feeling like someone knocked the wind out of me. “A new car!?”
“Well, new for you,” he adds. “It’s used, but in great condition. All ready for you to drive.”
I’m filled with so many conflicting things that I don’t know what to say. On the one hand, Theo is right. He does owe us. And since he’s so insistent on showing up now and redeeming himself somehow, I might as well use it to my benefit. It’s not like I asked him to do any of this. And living without a decent phone or car has been hell.
But I also wonder if he knows what really happened to my old car. If he knows the Elites tried to kill me. He can’t, not by hearing the story from my mom. I never would have been targeted by them in the first place had Theo not been blacklisted by them all those years ago. Or even if he would have just let things be instead of coming after them for revenge. In that light, it’s really his fault I don’t have a car right now in the first place.
“Come outside,” Theo begs suddenly.
“Why?” I shoot back, my mind still racing.
He doesn’t answer. He just heads for the front door with my mom following behind. I hang back for a moment, taking a deep, frustrated breath. I don’t want to go with them, but I’m not sure it’s worth arguing.
Reluctantly, I peel myself from my seat and huff out the front door. Theo and my mom are waiting in the driveway. The moment I round the corner, the garage door starts to rattle. Behind it is sitting a shiny new car. It’s incredibly tempting and even has one of those big corny bows tied around it. I admire the sheen of the red paint job, and the fact that it isn’t keyed, spray-painted with obscenities or drenched in mystery bodily fluids. Most importantly, it’s not crushed on the side of a mountain.
“It’s very nice,” I admit quietly with my jaw tightened.
“It certainly is,” my mother chimes in. “Could you give us just a moment, Theo?”
“Of course,” he replies before strolling away down the sidewalk.
“Mom, I’m sorry. I just don’t…,” I start before she even has a chance to lay into me. But she raises a finger swiftly, demanding me to be quiet.
“I know, Ophelia,” she shoots back sternly. “I know this is uncomfortable for you. I raised you to be independent. And unfortunately, I also raised you believing you should hate Theo. But things change. People change. He’s trying to make amends. Why not give him a chance?”
I squirm under her gaze, immediately thinking of about a hundred reasons she’s unaware of that more than justify not giving Theo a chance. But once again, I’m struck down by how hopeful and eager she looks.
“I’m not asking you to love him or be best friends with him,” she continues. “Just let him help us this one time. We need it. Brendan and I already talked about it, and if he has the means to provide these things for you, we should let him. Like he said, he owes it to you. And you really don’t owe him anything in return, except to say thank you.”
I let out an exasperated groan as I accept that she’s going to force me to do this, one way or another. And the more of a fit I throw about it, I’m just making myself look like a brat. No matter how good my reasons are. But I know Theo. At least I know how greedy and calculating he is. And she’s wrong about nothing being owed to him in return. That’s not how he operates. All of this is for an end goal, and sooner or later he’ll expect all of us to pay up.
Then an exciting realization hits me. Taking the car and phone would make Brendan and my mom feel better. It’d be a huge weight off of their shoulders. But as for me…just as soon as I agree to take the things, Theo will leave, and I will be free. In my new car. I could drive over to Emmett’s before dinner and get him into bed. A need that has been so terribly neglected for a while now.
“Okay,” I announce. “You’re right, Mom. I’m in no position to turn it down.”
She smiles and nudges me over to Theo, who’s kicking little rocks around on the pavement up ahead. I march over, burning into him with a knowing glare. He knows this is just a small part of a much bigger conversation that we can’t have right now with Mom around. But for now, I’m going to do whatever it takes to make her happy. And then I’m going to go get laid. Finally.
“Thank you,” I call out to him as I walk closer, but my expression does not match the sentiment.
“It’s my pleasure,” he grins, ignoring the anger written all over my face. “Every teenage girl needs a car and a phone. And it’s not just about finishing high school. You’ll need them for college too.”
I nod my head and bite my lip. I don’t know what to do next. Even if it would delight my mom, there’s no way in hell I’m going to hug this man. But a handshake feels awkward too. Mostly I just want the keys so I can go speeding off. If I’m following through with this, I want to take full advantage of the opportunities it affords me.
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” my mom yells from over my shoulder.
“I have a study date with Emmett!” I shout back instantly.
“I’ll get going,” he answers so quietly that only I can hear. He slides his hands into his pockets and looks at me with a humble, bashful expression. He looks sorry for everything, but I still think it’s all just an act. Guys like Theo don’t change overnight. But for once, at least I have something to show for it besides a bunch of father issues and the trauma of being held hostage at gunpoint.
And those are all the things it feels like I’m driving far, far away from as I hop into my new car and take off down the road. Only after carefully testing the brakes, of course.
8
Chapter Eight
