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Evan’s gaze was harder now as he searched my eyes. I felt my resolve crumble. Piece by piece, it slipped away. Neither of us looked away, not wanting to break the connection. Even when the door swung open and the bell chimed, we remained with our eyes fixed on one another. But something caught Evan’s attention, and then I felt her. The daggers in my back. Slowly, I turned. Kendall and her friends stood watching us. A mixture of surprise and amusement in their expressions.
“I didn’t realize you came around here?” Kendall stepped forward, her focus settled on Evan, and I watched something pass between them. Something that pricked my senses.
“Welcome to Shake ‘n’ Pass.” Cindy breezed right into the middle of whatever was happening around me, oblivious to the tension. When she noticed, she shot me a confused look. “Can I get you a table?” She stepped in front of Kendall, ending her stare off with Evan.
“We were going to get our order to go, but sure, why not? A table sounds great.”
I silently groaned. Evan started tucking into his food as if everything was fine while Cindy led Kendall and her group to a couple of tables on the other side of the diner. I busied myself with menial tasks and avoided looking in either direction while my thoughts whirled about Kendall and Evan. I’d felt something the day in the cafeteria when Kendall had confronted me. She’d been ready to say something, and then Evan walked in, and she’d held her tongue. I’d wanted to believe it was a coincidence, but now, I know it wasn’t.
“Isn’t that the group you had problems with the other week?” Cindy said in a hushed tone, keeping one eye on their table. I gave her a small nod. “Yeah.”
“I don’t like that girl. There’s something in her eyes.”
You’re telling me, I mused. A dark cloud surrounded Kendall that threatened to suck you in if you got too close. It made me wonder what her friends saw in her. Why Trevor stuck around. But I figured misery loved company.
“Well.” Cindy brushed off her apron. “Duty calls. I’ll take their table and you can focus on the hottie.” She winked and hurried over to Kendall’s group.
I waited for Evan to finish up and then went to clear away his plate. As I approached, he stiffened but didn’t make eye contact. A sinking feeling spread through me. Why couldn’t things be simpler?
“Can I get you anything else?” My voice was flat.
“Just the check.” He shot me a cursory glance but then went back to his chocolate milkshake. I took the empty plate to the kitchen and then slipped into the hallway leading to the bathroom, giving myself a couple of seconds to pull myself together. My timing sucked, and as I leaned my head back against the tiles, the door swung open, and Kendall walked in. Her eyebrow arched up, matching the smirk on her lips, but it didn’t have its usual effect. I didn’t sigh or roll my eyes or even bristle. Something bubbled up in me, and I pushed off the wall, staring her down.
“How did you do it?”
Kendall tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. “Am I supposed to know what you’re talking about?”
Denying it didn’t change anything. Anger bolted through me, and through gritted teeth, I said, “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Do you honestly think a few photographs are going to scare me away? Force me to run?” Without realizing, I’d closed the distance between us, and we stood almost toe-to-toe. Adrenaline pumped through me, and I knew I was trembling, but I needed to make her see, to make her back off.
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” Her voice was calm, giving away nothing, and for a second, I wondered if I had it all wrong. But it had to be Kendall—it had to be.
I let out an exasperated breath. “Fine. Deny it all you want, but I am done playing your games. You don’t scare me, so back the hell off.”
We stood there, eyes locked on each other. Seconds ticked by and neither of us spoke. The silence surrounding us was thick, heavy, and suffocating. And then Kendall narrowed her eyes to slits. “You have no idea who you’re messing with, do you?” Her shoulder slammed into mine as she barged past me and stalked into the women’s bathroom.
My whole body shook. Kendall’s hatred for me went far deeper than just schoolgirl rivalry. But something about her denial bothered me. Kendall owned her actions. She’d publicly humiliated me more than once, so why did she deny the photos?
And if she really wasn’t sending them… then who the hell was it?
CHAPTER26
“See you Thursday, sugar,”Cindy shouted across the diner. “Say hello to that hottie of yours for me.” Her laughter filled the room as I stepped out onto the sidewalk.
After my showdown with Kendall, I’d avoided the dining area as much as possible, keeping myself busy out back with Rusty. It was quiet enough, and Cindy didn’t ask questions. She probably thought I was avoiding Evan after our frosty interaction. He’d left shortly after Cindy delivered his check.
My eyes scanned the area for any signs of Kendall. To my relief, the street was quiet.
Snuggling into my jacket, I rounded the corner to wait for the bus, but Evan stepped out in front of me.
I jumped back in alarm. “Jesus, you need to stop doing that.” My heart was in my mouth.
“Sorry.” His lips were pressed into a thin line. “I was waiting for you.”
“All this time?” It had been at least an hour since he’d left the diner.
“Well, no, I popped home to check in on Eli and came back. I was hoping you’d let me give you a ride home. Peace offering?”
I peered around his solid frame, but there was no sign of the bus. “Okay.” I met his eyes, hoping to find some clue of what was going through his head, but I was met with a swirling gray storm.
