Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
ELIZABETH
“Spill,” Meredith says, pointing at me.
As soon as she walked through the front door with Trevor, she grabbed me and marched me into the back bedroom and locked the door.
“I will hog-tie you to this bed and not let you leave until you do.”
I cross my arms and size her up. She may be tiny, but she is fierce. I have no doubt that she would do it.
“The ER doctor said I had low blood sugar, which caused me to pass out.”
Meredith’s eyes narrow, and she calls me out. “That’s bullshit. You becoming a hyperventilating zombie was not caused by low blood sugar. Try again.”
“You’re scary.”
“Stop trying to sweet-talk me.” She drops her defensive stance in front of the door and plops down on the bed, dragging me with her. “You frightened the shit out of me Tuesday night. Is there something wrong with you? Are you sick or something?”
“I’m not sick. As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”
“Don’t make me call bullshit again. I’ll MacGyver an answer out of you if I have to.”
This crazy, wonderful girl. I lucked out in the friend department when I met her.
“Can you fashion a paper clip with a stick of gum to create a human torture device to get me to confess?”
“I can do much better than that,” she says brightly, and we both giggle.
As much as it feels good to laugh, it also feels wrong.
“I’ve missed you this week, Firecracker .”
“Don’t you love it? I love it! My own Trevor nickname.” Meredith falls back onto the bedspread, doing what looks like snow angels with her arms and legs.
“Speaking of Trevor, what’s up with you two? And an indecipherable text rebus doesn’t count as an answer.”
She sits up. “Nope. You have to answer first. Was it really low blood sugar?”
She’s not going to let up, but I’m not prepared to tell her everything. I can’t. Elizabeth Ann is my and Jayson’s pain to bear for now.
“What happened was my brain was on overload from a memory trying to resurface.”
“Are you serious? Because it was scary as fuck.”
“Totally serious. That’s what they look like…I’m told.”
Her arms band around me. “Oh, Elizabeth, I’m sorry. But you’re okay now, right? Is there anything I can do? I haven’t told Trevor or anyone else about your amnesia, just like I promised I wouldn’t. He’s going to figure it out eventually, though.”
“I know.” I decide to open up to her a little bit more. She deserves that much. “Those episodes like you saw in the library have been happening for the past eleven months but have been becoming more frequent recently. I’m sorry if it scared you. I’ve been staying here with the guys, and they’re keeping an eye on me.”
“Good. I’m glad. But I’d like to help, too. I know it’s not much, but I took good notes for you in class. I brought them with me. They’re in my bag.”
In Seattle, I wasn’t given the chance to make any friends because I spent most of my time in PT or therapy or in various different doctors’ offices for one thing or another. After coming to CU, I feel like I’ve found where I belong with friends, old and new.
“Thank you.”
I don’t stop her when she starts to plait my hair. “Has it been weird? You’re with Ryder, but you said that you were Jayson’s girlfriend before you lost your memory.”
“A little. Jayson, um, he found out about me and Ryder.”
“How?”
“I have a big fucking mouth. He’s dealing. We’ve got other stuff to worry about anyway.”
“What other stuff?”
“Nope. You said you would tell me about Trevor if I answered you.”
“Aren’t you supposed to have amnesia?”
“Meredith!”
Like the true drama queen she is, she grabs a pillow and covers her face with it. I can’t hear what she says.
“What?” I tug the pillow away to reveal cheeks brighter than a ripe tomato.
“I said I slept with him.”
I tuck a short strand of hair behind her ear. “Seems like your plan worked. But you don’t look happy about it.”
Concern for my friend takes precedence. If Trevor did anything inappropriate, I’ll kick his ass, then sic Jayson and Ryder on him. Maybe Fallon, too.
She covers her face in her hands and peeks at me through slitted fingers. “He, uh, he kind of doesn’t remember sleeping with me.”
My brow furrows. “How can he not remember? Was his dick not inside you?”
She snorts with laughter. “Oh, yeah. I wasn’t drunk enough to forget that part. That man’s dick is the eighth wonder of the?—”
I slap my hands over my ears. “No details! I don’t need to know that.”
Meredith dissolves into a fit of giggles and pulls my hands away from my ears.
“We were pretty wasted when we hooked up.”
“Not wasted enough for his dick not to work,” I crassly reply.
I become upset on her behalf. She has such a big crush on him, and she was looking forward to…well, sleeping with him.
“Do you regret it?”
She slips off the bed and wanders around Ryder’s room, picking up things like his watch and cologne and immediately putting them back.
“Hell no. I’ll gladly do that walk of shame again if given the chance. Drunk Trevor is a demon in the sack. I would love to see what sober Trevor can do.”
Don’t need that visual either.
“Have you tried to talk to him about it?”
“Nope.”
“Do you want to?”
“Double nope.”
I finger-comb the loose braid that she did until it comes undone. “Do you forgive me for ghosting you?”
Picking up the picture frame that contains a photograph of me and the guys that I don’t remember, she leans against the dresser.
“Elizabeth, you are too nice for me not to keep you. Next time, though, don’t make me wait three days to find out how you are.”
I hold my pinkie up. “I promise.”
“I still can’t believe that Trevor is Fallon’s brother. Trevor refuses to talk about it. Do you know how rich the Montgomery family is?”
I shake my head no, but I could guess based off the stuff I’ve heard.
“It would be really nice if you could get your memory back so you could tell me how you know Fallon. I bet there are some juicy stories there.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
The doorbell rings, and seconds later, Elijah yells, “Pizza!”
I’m off the bed in a flash. “Come on. Let’s go eat and watch a really crappy movie that makes no sense.”
When we enter the living room, the guys are lounging and manspreading in various places, pizza boxes already scattered across the floor and the coffee table.
“What’s up, Wildcat?” Trevor says from the armchair, a slice of meat-lover’s pizza in his hand.
“Why the hell do you call her Wildcat?” Jayson asks him.
Instead of the usual “I’ll rip your head off” look he gives to anyone who he thinks is trying to flirt with me, he seems more curious than anything.
“Did Elizabeth tell you how we met?” Trevor asks.
With no room left on the couch, Meredith and I take a seat on the floor, and I position myself between Ryder’s knees.
“Catch everyone up. I’m hungry.” I reach for the small, thin pizza box that I know will have pepperoni and sausage.
“Before the semester began, I ran into Elizabeth at the beach while I was taking a walk. Found out she went to CU, so started calling her Wildcat. That’s it.”
“I’m Firecracker,” Meredith proudly tells everyone.
Julien asks Trevor, “What year are you? I haven’t seen you around campus.”
“Senior. Marine biology major. What about you guys?”
“All of us are sophomores.”
Meredith holds up her hand. “Not us! Elizabeth and I are freshmen.”
“I’m actually delayed a year. Technically, I’m supposed to be a sophomore,” I tell her.
“Well, shit. So I’m the baby?”
“I’ve seen you fight,” Trevor tells Jayson. “You’re good.”
Jayson warily eyes him. “Thanks. How do you know about it?”
“I was undefeated in my freshman and sophomore years. Decided to stop.”
Trevor used to fight?
“No shit?” Jayson looks impressed.
Trevor gives him a nod and bites into his pizza.
“Why’d you quit?” Jayson asks.
“Had other stuff going on. I’ve also seen you race,” he tells Ryder.
Ryder drops his hands to my thighs. “I’ve known Fallon most of my life. He’s never said anything about a brother. Only his half sister, Tati, who lives in Spain.”
All eyes turn to Trevor as everyone waits expectantly for his reply. He puts down his slice of pizza.
“Look, let’s just get everything out in the open so we can cut the Fallon loyalty bullshit.”
“Not me. I hate the guy,” Jayson says.
I reach over and pinch his arm.
“We have different mothers. I’m the illegitimate bastard who Phillip Montgomery pretended never existed. My mother was a simple woman. A good woman. She worked as a housekeeper for Phillip and Patricia. She passed away a couple of years ago. Ovarian cancer. But before she died, she told me who my biological father was. So, I went looking for Phillip. He wouldn’t even see me. Then, I found out about Fallon. He’s made it very clear he doesn’t want a relationship. End of story.”
He shrugs, but I can tell the rejection hurts him.
“I’m so sorry to hear about your mom.” I twist around to glare at Ryder, my disappointment clear. “That was rude. You, too,” I say to Jayson.
Trevor makes a point to look at every person in the room when he continues. “I get it. You guys are looking out for her. The other day with Fallon probably didn’t help your opinion of me. Whatever is between Fallon and me, I won’t apologize for it. It’s stuff that’s no one’s damn business. It has nothing to do with my friendship with Elizabeth.”
“I agree. Can someone hit play?”
I grab another slice of pizza and ignore the incessant voice in my head that keeps whispering about choices.