AllFreeNovel
Share Us
* * *
Fletcher opens the door, Loki at his feet, panting and grinning at me. I still haven’t asked if there will be any fallout from what happened in the woods. I’ve heard no sirens nor seen any police officers, so that must be a good sign.
Fletcher is wearing a shirt with rolled-up sleeves and an undone top button. His hair is messy, as though he’s been running his hand through it repeatedly. When he steps forward and lightly kisses me on the cheek, I feel a flair of hope deep within. He wouldn’t do that if it were all going to come crashing down, would he?
Inside, I lean down and stroke Loki on his head. Fletcher lowers his voice, presumably so James doesn’t hear in the next room. “Just so you know, I’ve gotten word from Charles. He has some contacts with the police. They’re rehoming the dogs, and the men involved are going to jail. They were all wanted for something. The gang is pissed, but not at us. They’re pissed at the guards for letting it happen.”
“So it’s over?” I whisper.
He takes my hand, squeezes it, and nods.
Thatproblem is over, at least, but the other problem is waiting for us in the next room. I follow Fletcher into the living room, finding James sitting on the armchair, his head in his hands. He looks up as we enter.
“Hello, Samantha,” he says in a small voice.
“Uh, hey,” I reply, almost like I’m speaking to somebody else, not the James I met on that first date. He seems far more withdrawn.
Fletcher sits on the couch. Loki immediately jumps up into his lap. I sit beside him, keeping some distance between us, just in case. Heck, just in case James stilllovesme? What a joke.
James’ gaze lingers on me for a while. Finally, he says, “I wanted to… I have to… No, youdeserve… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so rude to you on that date. After, I shouldn’t have sent you those flowers or that stupid singing stunt. It’s just—”
“I know,” I say. “Lexi literally just told me. I was a checkers piece in a game between you two.”
He shakes his head. “That’s only part of it. There’s more.”
Fletcher gives me ayou-better-listenlook. I bite my lip, then let it go—that freaking annoying habit. Fletcher smirks. I grin right back. It takes less than a second. I wonder if that’s what marriage is like: secret looks, wordless communication.
“James?” I say when he stares at the floor.
“I heard my dad on the phone with you,” James says. “HeknewI’d gone on a date with you, but he pursued you anyway. That’s when I came up with the whole love-at-first-sight thing. I wanted to see who he’d choose. I wanted to see if he’d puthisfeelings aside forme.”
Fletcher audibly swallows. I glance across the couch to see tightness at the corners of his mouth and eyes. The guilt emanates from him, almost like I can see it.
“It was a test,” I murmur.
“Yeah, sort of.” James shakes his head, picking at the arm of the chair with his fingernails. “It was immature as hell, honestly. I just… I wanted to see who he’d pick. You have to understand that when I did this, I didn’t think Dadreallycared about you, Samantha. I just thought it was a fling or a pickup or… You know, I wasn’t sure. Dad doesn’t date, not since Mom.”
Emotion enters James’ voice. I’ll never mention what Fletcher told me about only being with Margot because she got pregnant after a one-night stand. It’s not my place, and the last thing I want to do is cause him unnecessary pain.
“Then Dad told me the truth.” James looks at me with tears in his eyes. “He told me how much you mean to him. He said you’re going to be together forever. You wantkidstogether. Is it true?”
He asks the question with a sense of desperation. It’s like he’s praying for itnotto be true. Maybe because, if it is, the trick he played will be that much worse. Or perhaps it’s simple disbelief.
“It’s true,” I tell him. “Actually, it’s kind of funny. Well, it’s not funny, but remember that speech you gave me? That’s how I feel about Fletcher and how he feels about me.”
“Yeah,” James said. “That’s not a coincidence. It’s because I found the note Dad wrote for you. I basically copied it.”
“But if you found the note…”
“I thought it was aline,” James said, and it’s not like I can blame him for that. I thought the same thing. “I thought it was some cheesy older-man pickup line. Dad’s been out of the game for so long, and I thought it was the best he could come up with. I didn’t think it was real.”
“But you stole it anyway.”
“Because I’m fucked in the head,” James says. “I wanted payback. So I took his line. I tried it myself.”
“So you really never wanted me?” I say, trying to keep the hope out of my voice.
“No offense,” James says, “but you’re not really my type.”
