Chapter 29
One thing I love is driving my car. I don’t care where to, even if it’s just a quick trip to the grocery store or to school.
I’m thinking about taking it out again to the Fields in a couple of weeks.
Racing Ryder gave me such a rush like none I’ve ever felt, and I want to feel that again. Not so much for what came after though.
“What time do you need to be at Dr. Clairemont’s office today?” I ask Hailey, who has been quiet most of the ride to school as she messes on her phone, more than likely texting Brea. With Daniel in RTP until this evening, it’s up to me to take her to her therapy appointment.
“Um, four-thirty.” She puts her phone away in her bag. “Want to grab a to-go from Ruby’s on the way home after?”
I have to wait for a gaggle of students to get out of my way so I can pull into the parking spot. “Sounds good.”
As soon as Hailey and I get out of my car, I hear, “Kitten, hold up!”
Looking around the student lot, I spot Fallon jogging over to me from where he parked his Porsche two rows down.
Of course, almost everyone who’s out here stops what they’re doing and gapes at him.
They all know who he is. Fallon is infamous, even in Fallen Brook.
But that’s not why I’m staring at him. Fallon is wearing a dark gray suit with a powder blue pin-striped shirt and black leather loafers.
“Holy hotness, Batwoman,” Hailey murmurs, fanning herself. I scowl over at her, and she winks at me. “I’ll catch ya later, sis,” she says to me, and then, “Hey, Fallon. Bye, Fallon!” before she merrily skips off toward the school entrance.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him when he stops in front of me.
“Wanted to see you.”
I roll my eyes as I tug at his tie and smooth it flat. “You look very nice this morning.” I tilt my head up to look at him.
“Have to sit in on a board meeting with Dad for most of the day.” He leans back against my car and crosses his ankles.
“That doesn’t sound fun.” I hear the loud rumble of Jayson’s truck just as it passes by. Julien waves at us from the passenger window. I wave back. Fallon gives him a chin lift.
“Not so much,” Fallon replies, and pushes my ponytail over my shoulder to get my attention. “I want to take you out on Friday night.”
My head whips around so fast, I see spots. “Why?” My voice sounds airy and high-pitched, and I mentally cringe.
“Because my dad is making me go to a VIP event with him and Mom, and I need a date who I actually like being around and one who won’t have me wanting to hurl up my caviar appetizer after the first ten minutes. Tag, you’re it.” He flicks my nose with his finger, and I playfully swat it away.
I watch Jayson and Julien clamber out of the truck and grab their bookbags from the back seats.
“VIP event as in black tie, get all trussed up and so forth?” I ask him.
“That’d be the one,” Fallon quips.
I bite the inside of my cheek as I think it over.
Fallon and his dad have been wonderful to me.
I owe both of them so much. Besides, every time I’m with Fallon, I can relax and let my hair down and have fun.
Fallon has a way of turning even the most mundane thing into an exciting adventure. So, my answer is easy.
“Okay. How dressy do I need to be?”
“The red dress I bought you in New York that you wore to the club will do just fine.”
I hope I can still fit in that red dress.
“Looking sharp, man,” Jayson tells Fallon when he and Julien join us, and I do a double take at that, and again when they bump fists. NYC was one thing but seeing the two of them act all buddy-buddy now is throwing me for a loop-de-loop.
“You ready for this?” Jayson asks me and I finally get a clue.
They’re giving me a show of support. It’s the first day back to class after almost everyone from Fallen Brook and Highland High saw the fight with Marshall at the Fields and overheard that I was pregnant.
Witnessed Ryder’s reaction. Watched as Jayson carried me to his truck.
I prepared myself for the backlash I would receive.
The hurtful words that I know will come from people.
The looks and the whispers. It has already started based on the number of people who are avidly rubbernecking and talking behind cupped hands as they stand and gawp at us.
I turn around and step back so I can look them each in the eye. “Thank you. Really. I love you all for caring about me so much. But I promise, I’ll be okay. I can handle myself and anything that gets thrown my way.”
“We know you can,” Julien interjects.
“Doesn’t mean you have to do it alone,” Jayson adds.
Fallon groans. “You guys are killing me with the sentimental la-de-da. Come here, kitten.”
He holds out his hand and I take it. He pulls me in for a hug. He smells nice. Spicy citrus today.
“You’ve got this. Text me if anything happens. I mean it,” Fallon says when I start to shake my head no. He gives me one good squeeze and lets go. “Take care of our girl,” he calls out over his shoulder as he walks back to his car.
Several students scatter out of his way like cockroaches when the light is turned on. Not a nice analogy, but one that fits, nonetheless.
When Fallon drives off, Jayson lifts my bag off my shoulder so he can carry it. Julien reaches into his backpack and pulls out a familiar brown bag. My fav allergen-free cinnamon scones. These guys know my kryptonite.
“Gimme. Gimme,” I beg as Julien dangles the bag above my head.
I make a few pitiful jumps trying to grab it from him before he relents and lets me have it.
“Julien Jameson, never withhold food from a pregnant woman.” I rip the paper open like a kid with a Christmas present and bite a still-warm scone in half. So freaking good.
We ignore everyone as we amble up the long cement pathway that leads from the senior parking lot to the front entrance of the school. As soon as we enter the double glass doors, all eyes are on us and the tension in the air is so thick, you feel like it’s about to choke you.
I spot Beth near her locker and wave, but I guess she doesn’t see me because she walks off down the hallway.
“We hanging this afternoon?” Jayson asks, handing me my bag when we get to my locker.
“We’ve both got practice after school, and you’re my ride, Mr. Forgetful, so don’t you dare leave without me,” Julien reminds him.
Julien’s after-school soccer practice usually runs longer than Jayson’s swim team practice. Jayson winds up sitting and waiting on the bleachers for his brother to finish.
Once I get my lock open, I take out the books I don’t need until later today out of my bag. “I have to drive Hailey to her doctor’s appointment, but if you guys want to come over for dinner, I can pick up extra from Ruby’s on the way home.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Julien replies, gesturing with his hands for me to let him hold my books so I can open my locker door.
“Oh, my God! I completely forgot! Guess who’s going the be your neighbor again at the end of the month?”
Jayson’s face lights up with the most genuine expression of happiness I’ve ever seen.
“Liz, that’s fantas—” is all he gets out because when I open my locker, a tsunami of baby diapers soiled with what looks like chocolate pudding comes tumbling out, landing in a pile at our feet with a splat.
Julien jumps back, but not quickly enough to save his shoes from being covered in brown goo.
“That’s just nasty.”
The hallway erupts into a cascade of snickers and of course, the ever presence of cell phones taking videos of what just happened.
“Go get Principal Stubbs,” Jayson growls at his brother, as I just stand there and stare at the mess. My shoulders hunch in disappointment instead of the anger I should be feeling.
It’s most definitely chocolate pudding because I can smell it.
At least my locker will smell good once I clean it out.
Henry, one of the Student Resource Officers, comes marching down the hall, Julien hot on his heels.
Everyone who had been loitering around and laughing, rushes off to class like their pants are on fire.
Everyone except Jacinda, who I spot half hidden in the recessed entryway of the girls’ bathroom.
She quickly looks away when I lock eyes with her and silently slinks out of sight into the restroom.
So, this is how the bitch trifecta is going to play? Jacinda, Maria, and Samantha have another thing coming if they think stupid, juvenile pranks like this one are going to scare me or make me cry. Bring it on.
“Liz, I am so sorry, baby,” Jayson says, picking up the messy diapers off the ground and tossing them into a trashcan that he must have gone off and gotten while I was staring down Jacinda.
I heave a sigh. “Do not tell Fallon,” I say just as Henry and Julien arrive.