Chapter 9. Ace #2
“It depends on the classroom setup.” I fiddled with the worn strap of the watch Haley’s father had given me for my first birthday in Riverstone.
He’d been like a father to me, encouraging my interest in mechanics by letting me help him fix things around the house, and even finding me a job with his friend at the local auto body shop when he noticed my interest in engines.
“I met with campus security yesterday, and they took me to your classrooms, the radio station, and the coffee shop where you work. For the most part, I’ll be able to watch you discreetly. ”
It definitely wouldn’t be a hardship. Not a day had gone by that I didn’t think about Haley.
I had tons of pictures of Haley and her family on my phone—camping trips, holidays, barbecues, and one of Haley and her dad before he died.
They’d kept me going during my darkest days.
I’d never met anyone like Haley. From the day I first walked in the door to find her singing and dancing around the kitchen, to the family dinners where she entertained everyone with her nonstop stories, and the camping trips where her innate curiosity always got her into trouble, she had been a light in my life.
I’d been utterly drawn to her and for some reason she liked spending time with me.
“I like that you’re quiet. You make all the noise go away.”
I could see the memory, right there between us, hear the music from the carnival rides the day I’d taken her to the summer fair.
I’d known she was going to sneak into town the minute her parents said no, and I made sure I was outside her house first thing in the morning.
Haley couldn’t resist a fair. I told myself I was there to look after her, but really, I wanted to share her joy.
I pulled out a silver necklace with a flower pendant and held it in the air. “I have a peace offering.”
Haley stared at me in stunned silence. “You bought me a necklace?”
“Stellar Security bought the necklace. The pendant has a GPS tracker and a locator button hidden on the back. If you push it twice, it will text me and the team to let us know you need help. The text message sends a link to your exact GPS location and the tracker will let us follow you even if you don’t have your phone.
You have to promise to wear it anytime we leave the house. ”
“It’s so pretty,” she said softly. “It’s a violet, isn’t it?”
I’d chosen the violet because it was her favorite flower back home. She used to collect them from the dry shale banks around the nearby pond in spring. “I’m not really a flower person.”
She looked at me and smiled. “I think you are. Can you put it on me?”
I walked around the table and swept her hair to the side, letting the silken strands slide through my fingers. Her breath caught and for a few blissful seconds I touched the smooth, warm skin of her neck, breathed in her fragrance of wildflowers and something sweet.
I heard the thud of feet and the low murmur of voices just after I fastened the clasp. A few moments later we were no longer alone.
“Everyone wanted to meet our new roomie,” Paige said, shooting daggers at me with her eyes until I’d moved a respectable distance away from Haley.
“This is Aditi.” She gestured to a slender girl with waist-length black hair who promptly struck a pose by the doorframe.
“And these two idiots who live in gym pants and spend most of their time gaming are Chad and Theo.”
Chad was an inch or two shorter than me, blond and blue-eyed with a square jaw and the lean, toned body of an athlete. He introduced himself as a journalism major who played soccer for the Havencrest Warriors and ran the sports programming at the campus radio station.
Theo, a short lanky dude with glasses, grabbed the doorframe and tried to pull himself up with one arm for no clear purpose other than to demonstrate his insecurity.
“I could have handled security if anyone had asked me,” he wheezed.
“I could wire this place with cameras and sensors that would go off if anyone even sneezed. I also know a guy on the dark web who could set us up with some serious firepower.”
“Are you kidding me?” Paige snorted a laugh. “The only weapons you’ve ever handled are virtual.”
Theo jumped down and grabbed his crotch. “I handle this weapon every day and there’s nothing virtual about it.”
“There are so many things I want to say,” Paige responded, “but we have a guest. I’ll verbally eviscerate you later so you can cry in private.”
“I’m heading to the gym,” Chad said. “You coming, Theo? Maybe do shoulders and arms today?”
Theo nodded and flexed a thin arm. “Let’s go lift some weights. Sweat it out.”
“Any questions?” I asked the group. “I’ll be installing a security system.
It’s been okayed with your landlord. I’ll have to show you all how to use it when I’m done.
Other than that, I’ll try to stay out of your way.
If you see anyone suspicious hanging around, let me know.
We’d like to keep my presence quiet, so don’t tell anyone outside the house why I’m here. ”
“This is going to be a trip,” Haley said. “Me showing up at Havencrest with a bodyguard. Maybe people will think I’ve finally made it big as a singer and they’ll flock around me begging for my autograph.”
“They’d better not,” I warned. “Because I won’t let anyone near you.”
Her eyes widened slightly, a flicker of warmth passing through them, and I could swear the corners of her mouth twitched with the start of a smile before she caught herself.
Maybe I’d imagined the softening in her expression, the subtle shift that betrayed a mix of surprise and something deeper, more complex.
Quickly composing herself, Haley raised an eyebrow. “That’s the job.”
“That’s the job,” I repeated, but it wasn’t just the job. It was something else entirely. I could redeem myself for the sins of my past, not only by protecting her but also by finding a way to make up for the harm I’d caused. It was a second chance. For both of us.