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“Theo Franklin?”
We both turn at the sound of his name, turning to find a blonde woman approaching us with wide eyes and a smile. “Oh, my God, itisyou,” she screams, throwing her arms around him. He seems stiff and uncomfortable, keeping his arms at his sides while she assaults him with a hug.
“Hi, Melody,” he says, his voice and smile tight.
“I haven’t seen you in years, and then I heard about Serena a few months ago from my mom. I’m so sorry for your loss.” She turns and looks at me, her expression falling. “But it looks like you’ve moved on.”
“What did you hear about Serena?”
Melody blinks. “My mom told me she died in a car accident.”
“Well, I can assure you, Serena is very much alive.” He grabs my hand tightly. “Make sure you tell your mom so she can set the record straight. Excuse us.”
He drags me through the crowded arcade to the prize store, setting the scores of tickets down on the counter. His fun-loving attitude is gone, replaced with a scowl and a storm-filled gaze. We don’t even stay long enough for the kid behind the counter to run the tickets through the machine that will count them all.
“Wait,” the kid calls out. “Don’t you want to pick out a prize?”
“No,” he barks before leading me out of the arcade and into a very rainy night.
But I dig my heels in and tug on his hand. “Stop,” I demand.
“It’s raining, Hadley. This is not the time to talk.”
He clearly doesn’t know how stubborn I am. “This is the perfect time. Explain yourself.”
“Why? ’Cause you’re upset I didn’t win you the big pink teddy bear?”
“Fuck the teddy bear, Theo. I want you back! You talked to that awful woman for less than five minutes and it ruined everything. I deserve to know why.”
He holds his arms out and shakes his head. “Fine, but let’s go back to the hotel, okay? It’s pouring.” His gaze drops and another smirk appears. “And that shirt is fucking see-through.”
I rush to cover myself and hurry toward him and his open arms. Even though we’re both soaking wet, he does his best to shield me from the rain until we make it back to where his car is parked.
He starts the engine and blasts the heat, sending hot streams of air toward my chilled body.
“I’m sorry Melody ruined our night,” he says softly. We sit quietly in the car, letting the heavy rain pelt the car. For what seems like a long time, it’s the only sound. “She used to live in Seaside, and she was friends with Serena. When she and her husband moved away, we lost touch. That was the first time I’ve seen her in three years.”
“Why does everyone think your ex-wife is dead? Why not correct them,” I ask, because this is the second time someone assumed Serena was dead. At least Melody didn’t accuse Theo of murder.
“To protect Colton and Piper. If the truth about Serena got out, it would hurt them.”
“You think hearing the rumors about you don’t hurt them?”
He shrugs. “They haven’t said anything to me, but they also know she’s alive.”
“And what is the truth, exactly? Where is Serena?”
A million possibilities flood my thoughts. Is this some sick Jane Eyre-type of situation and she’s really hidden away in the attic? Did she cause the fire? Perhaps she ran away with his ex-best friend; maybe they had a torrid, secret affair and Theo walked in on them fucking in the house.
“She’s in prison.”
