Chapter 23
Lacey
TJ
Morning beautiful. Did you sleep well?
I smile at TJ’s message, my stomach doing cartwheels when I realize the past few days were, in fact, not a product of my imagination. We really went to Chance’s lake house this weekend, and TJ really asked me to be his girlfriend in the hot tub.
Images of TJ’s surprise picnic in the woods come rushing back, memories of our interlaced bodies sending my heart into a frenzy.
Six hours alone together apparently weren’t enough because we met up with our group a half hour late. We’d been busy enjoying our picnic—and each other—and lost track of time. A few more minutes and our friends were leaving without us.
I don’t waste a second and text him back.
Lacey
Good morning baby! I slept okay, you?
He replies immediately.
TJ
Fine. Would’ve slept better with you in my bed.
Lacey
Same. But I’ll see you at Theo’s party tonight?
TJ
I wouldn’t miss it.
A few minutes elapse before he follows up.
TJ
Don’t forget your swimsuit. The guys went all out on this beach destination shit.
Lacey
I won’t. Don’t forget your Hawaiian shirt ;)
On yesterday’s hike, Theo, Chance, and Aaron got it in their heads to throw a beach-themed spring break party tonight. Every sophomore who hasn’t gone home for spring break is invited, and judging by the number of people who RSVPed on the event’s page, this is going to be a party for the books.
Oh, and Hawaiian shirts are mandatory. The uglier they are, the better—the boys were even talking about having a “most hideous shirt” contest.
I sit up in bed, scrolling through my notifications. I have two messages from my stepdad, Daniel, and one from Aaron.
Daniel
I should be there after lunch. Can’t wait to see you all.
Daniel
I got that dessert the kids like. Oh, and I was thinking I could make your favorite for dinner.
I text him back quickly.
Lacey
Shrimp tacos???
He answers a minute later.
Daniel
You know it. So, what do you say?
Lacey
I say HELL YES. I haven’t had those in ages. See you soon!
With everything going on lately, I’d almost forgotten about Daniel’s annual visit. He comes to stay with us for a few days every year during spring break. It’s one of the only times we get to see each other, aside from our dinner dates every few months.
He always makes up a story about going on a business trip, just so that my mom won’t suspect a thing.
She definitely wouldn’t approve of him being close with her ex’s kids. Knowing her, she’d probably see it as a betrayal, just like she saw me taking care of my siblings as a slap in the face and an act of utmost disloyalty.
My siblings absolutely love Daniel—and his cooking, which they’ve openly admitted is better than mine—and they think of him as the cool uncle who shows up once a year and showers them with presents. I’ve repeatedly told him he does too much and that he doesn’t need to spend all that money on gifts when he’s already helping with the rent and other expenses, but he always goes above and beyond to make us happy.
I check the time on my phone. He sent me that first text two hours ago, but I’m just seeing it now. He said he’d be here after lunch, and it’s already eleven.
I can’t remember the last time I woke up this late. In my defense, TJ and Kelsea came over last night, a few hours after we left the lake house. Needless to say, Sierra was thrilled to have her bestie over for dinner.
After we ate, we played some board games and then watched a ridiculous comedy together—yes, as in the kids chose to have movie night with us rather than lock themselves in their bedroom. I know, I couldn’t believe it either. TJ and Kelsea left at around midnight, hence why I slept in this morning.
With that said, I should probably get started on lunch. On the rare occasions that I’m not up before them, Oli and Sierra make their own breakfast, but I don’t trust them not to eat PB&J for every meal, so I always make it a point to cook them something more nutritious for lunch.
I remember I had a text from Aaron as I’m padding into the kitchen in my pj’s. I’m not sure why he would text me. I tap our text conversation.
Aaron
Text me when you get to the party tonight. We need to talk.
I furrow my brow, a million scenarios racing to the forefront of my mind as I skim over his text a few times.
Aaron was acting a bit weird yesterday. He kept staring at TJ and me in the rearview mirror on the drive back. He also didn’t seem too pleased about us being all lovey-dovey with each other.
Lacey
About what?
I keep my gaze fixated on my phone, waiting for a response. Thankfully, he sees the message right away. The three moving dots pop up on my screen, making the wait that much more nerve-racking.
I see him type out a message and then erase it over three times. What the hell is he going to say?
His answer comes through a few minutes later, the words staring back at me throwing me for a loop.
Aaron
You need to be careful with TJ.
To say the rest of the day elapses at a painfully slow pace would be the understatement of the century.
Aaron’s text didn’t only ruin my day, it ruined my time with my stepdad, and that’s what bothers me the most.
Okay, maybe it didn’t completely ruin my time with Daniel, but the thought lingered in the back of my mind throughout the entire day. Especially since he didn’t text me back after I asked him to elaborate on his last message.
I’m glad Daniel and I got to spend the afternoon together. We laughed, looked at photo albums from my childhood, and listened to Oli and Sierra playfully roast the hideous outfits my mom put on me, and then we cooked a nice dinner while updating each other on our lives—I even told him I’d met someone, although I didn’t go into too much detail.
I just wish I hadn’t had this annoying pit in my stomach the entire time.
What did Aaron mean? Why would I need to be careful about TJ?
Could it have something to do with that time I saw them arguing at a party? I’ve been driving myself insane trying to make sense of it.
I get in my car fifteen minutes after my shift at the café ended. I promised Dia I’d drop by her and Finn’s place to get ready together before the party, and I packed a bag with my bathing suit and a pair of jean shorts. I didn’t have time to shop, but Dia said she found a few hideous Hawaiian shirts at a thrift store by her place and that I could borrow one.
My stomach twists into a knot, which grows tighter and tighter the more miles I cover. It’s as though I’m trying to mentally prepare for whatever is waiting for me once I get to that party.
I pull into one of the visitor parking spots next to Dia’s apartment complex a few minutes later. I inhale and exhale a deep breath, squeezing my eyes shut and focusing on quieting my inner turmoil.
That’s when my phone pings with a text.
From Aaron.
I’m hesitant to check it at first, but my curiosity eventually overpowers my fears.
Lacey
What are you talking about?
Aaron
There’s something you should know.
TJ
One thing I hate about having a girlfriend?
Having to learn to cope with missing someone basically every hour of every day.
I saw Lacey just yesterday. We spent the entire evening together. So why does it feel like it’s been fucking ages since I got to hold her?
She texted me that she was stopping by Dia’s place before the party, but that was three hours ago. Three whole hours, and she still isn’t here. I’d ask her what’s taking so long, but I’d like to still have some semblance of dignity by the end of the night.
It already took every drop of courage in my system to tell her how I felt at the lake house. Might as well have stripped butt naked and ran around campus with the word “whipped” stamped across my forehead. I hate how vulnerable this girl makes me and the fact that I’ve been staring at the door all night, waiting for her to walk in.
I lean back against the wall, eyeing the red cup in my hand. I’ve barely touched my drink since I got here. I didn’t feel like getting wasted, unlike the guys, all of whom are pretty much gone.
I spot a very drunk Aaron stumbling through the crowd the next second. I hate the motherfucker like I’ve never hated anyone in my life, but I’ve got to give it to him—he was right when he said I needed to tell her the truth.
Our relationship will never work otherwise. Plus, if I don’t tell her, he will , and I’m afraid we won’t be able to come back from that.
I’ll tell her everything soon. But not tonight. Tonight, we’ll dance, kiss, have the time of our lives. I’ll pretend like I didn’t enter her life for all the wrong reasons, and we might still stand a chance.
Aaron whisks his head to the side and notices me staring at him. We make eye contact across the room, the threat looming in his gaze making me boil on the inside.
I see the door open in the background, and my focus darts to the goddess who just walked through it.
Lacey stands in the doorway with Dia and Finn, wearing the same sexy little white bikini she was wearing that night in the hot tub, pale jean shorts, and an opened, turquoise Hawaiian shirt with a white flower pattern on it.
Her wavy, brown hair flows down her shoulders, stopping just inches above her belly button, and she has her arm linked with Dia’s.
Fuck, she’s perfect.
Always has been.
Aaron spots her just seconds after I do, his bloodshot eyes immediately traveling back to me. I can practically hear his drunk ass thinking, “You had your chance to tell her. Now it’s my turn.”
He wouldn’t dare.
Not when she’s just stepped foot through the door.
I shoot him a venomous look, my fists rolling into white-knuckled balls at my sides. He holds my gaze, unflinching, as he stares bullets through my forehead.
I thought I had more time, but judging by the look on Aaron’s face? I have to tell her right the fuck now . If I don’t, the bastard is going to pull the rug from under me.
I don’t miss a beat, heading straight for my girl, elbowing my way through the crowd to reach her. Her face lights up at the sight of me, but her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, the darkness reflecting in them making me question whether or not she already knows.
No.
No, she couldn’t know.
But something is definitely bothering her. I can tell from the way she exchanges nervous glances with her best friend, who also seems to be in on it.
My pulse shoots through the ceiling when I see Aaron start to walk toward her from the corner of my eye.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
It’s as though we’re in a race, each of us eager to get to her first.
“Hey, Aaron!” I hear Chance shout from across the room, and Aaron stops dead, glancing back at him over his shoulder. “You ready to settle that score?”
I forge ahead, making the most of Chance’s interruption. I don’t stop until I’m standing in front of Lacey.
“Not now, man,” I hear Aaron say behind me.
Lacey frowns when she drinks me in, and I assume the panic is apparent on my face, but I can’t mask my fear any longer.
“Everything okay?” Lacey asks, studying me carefully.
The air is thinning in my lungs. “I…”
Speak, damn it.
“Can we go outside?” I manage to say.
She seems hesitant. “Oh, hm… sure, I guess.”
I capture her wrist in my hand as soon as I have her consent and pull her out of the house through the front door. Dia lets her go reluctantly, worry flashing in her gaze.
The front lawn isn’t too crowded, thank God, but I still wish I could’ve done this elsewhere. This isn’t the time or place for a confession, but Aaron’s not giving me a choice.
Lacey removes her wrist from my hold, glancing around nervously. “TJ, what’s going on?”
“Lacey, I… I need to tell you someth?—”
“Back off, you shithead!” Aaron comes tumbling out of the house with Chance on his tail the next second.
Great.
An audience.
Just what we needed.
One look at Chance and I know he saw what was happening and tried to distract Aaron to buy me and Lacey some time alone. He and Aaron are the only people who know what I did.
“You’re drunk, dude. You need to sleep it off.” Chance tries to drag Aaron back inside the house, but Aaron shoves him off with all his strength. I appreciate Chance trying, but something tells me he’s wasting his breath. Sober Aaron is a vindictive little shit, so there’s no way wasted Aaron isn’t going to hang me out to dry.
“You didn’t really think you could just run from this, did you?” Aaron slurs, making his way to us as quickly as he can, seeing as he can barely walk. “I gave you the whole fucking weekend to tell her. Time’s up.”
“Aaron, please don’t do this,” I choke out, the words coming out as a plea.
“I don’t have a choice! I can’t just stand by and watch you destroy her life,” Aaron shouts.
“What? What’s he talking about?” Lacey takes a step back as if to protect herself, and the front door swings open. Dia and Finn rush outside, alerted by Aaron’s screaming.
This is getting out of hand so fucking fast.
“Tell her!” Aaron screams at the top of his lungs. “Tell her why you wanted her to tutor you in the first place.”
No, no, no.
This isn’t how it was supposed to happen.
I open my mouth, but no sound comes out, the walls closing in on me, making it hard to breathe, let alone speak.
“Tell her how you paid me to date her, all so your fucked-up little revenge fantasy would work. Tell her how you told me where to take her on dates, what to say to her. Tell her how you manipulated everything to make her fall for you.”
Color drains from Lacey’s face, and Dia sprints to her side.
“Tell her how you swore to do whatever it took to hurt her like she hurt you!”
I want to kill him. To peel off his skin, rip his head off, and make him swallow his own eyeballs. It would be so much easier to pin this all on him. To displace the blame so that I don’t have to take a long, hard look in the mirror, but I can’t.
At the end of the day, I’m the villain of this story.
I did this. Me .
“I’m so sorry, Lacey.” Aaron moves closer to her. “I didn’t know you then. I was the new guy, and I wanted to fit in, so I went along with it, but you’re a good person. You don’t deserve this.”
Lacey still hasn’t made a sound or moved at all, her mouth hanging open as she tries to process the massive bombshell he just dropped on her.
“Lacey…” I croak, losing my composure. “Baby, you have to believe me. It was only at the beginning. It wasn’t… It wasn’t like that once we?—”
“Right! It wasn’t like that. Because every nice guy talks about destroying a girl’s reputation. You said you’d make her fall in love with you, fuck her, and then dump her like garbage. You always hated her. Just admit it!”
Tears have begun to amass in her green eyes, and seeing her like this feels like getting stabbed in the chest and abdomen.
“W-Why? What did I ever do to make you hate me so much?”
I never hated her.
I thought I did, but I was wrong. I hated what she represented. I hated the idea of her. A fake, distorted image of her I’d made up in my head before I got to know her.
But Lacey Mattson is nothing like I thought she would be. She’s the best fucking person I’ve ever met. And I’m so hopelessly in love with her I can’t stand it.
“He never told us why. He just said you’d ruined his life and he was going to get his revenge, no matter what. That’s why he asked you to tutor him.”
I only realize I’m crying when salty tears coat my mouth.
“Lace, you have to believe me, I didn’t know you then. I was a fucking idiot holding a grudge that had nothing to do with you. I’d do anything to take it back. You have to know that.”
Every step I take in her direction is met with a step backward from her.
“Lace, please, I… I love you.”
This is the first time I’ve said that.
Fuck.
I wish it didn’t have to happen this way.
Tears are flowing down her face freely, but she doesn’t allow herself to break down, staring blankly ahead of her.
Dia starts to pull on Lacey’s wrist, trying to get her to leave. “Let’s get out of here.”
She doesn’t look at me, which somehow hurts even more than if she’d just stared me dead in the eye. It’s as though I can feel her giving up on me, detaching herself completely.
“Don’t ever speak to me again” is all she says.
On that note, she wipes her face with the back of her hand, spins on her axis, and walks away. Aaron comes up behind me as I watch the girl who made me believe in love kick me out of her life.
Then he says something I’m afraid will haunt me to my grave.
“Congratulations, Jacobs. You broke her heart .”