Chapter 28
Ada
The four of us pile into the back of Jake’s Uber, laughing and joking as if we’ve done this a thousand times. As though we frequently travel in the same vehicle and often to worst-case scenarios.
Jake sits between me and Cece, stretching his arms across the backseat like he owns the whole car, as Davis parks himself beside the driver. Forever on duty. Forever our underpaid security detail.
I smile at the thought as the Uber leaves the curb. Cece pulls out a tube of lip gloss and leans across Jake. “Come here.”
“I’m fine,” I protest.
“You’ve chewed half the red off your mouth! We’re supposed to show up to this thing looking normal. Not like we’ve been fighting crime all weekend.”
“Fighting crime is a bit of a stretch,” I say. “Anyway, we’re meeting up with Betty and her husband remember? I can do my lips in the bathroom.”
“Every moment is a chance to look wonderful,” Cece quips like a deranged stage mother.
Big talk from someone whose makeup took fifteen minutes to repair when she came back from her ‘vape break,’ with Davis in tow.
Jake kisses the top of my head. “I think you look perfect, baby.”
“Cheers,” I mumble as Cece paints my mouth. “But weren’t you just saying you’re half-blind from rugby concussions?”
“Blind and in love,” Davis says.
I catch his reflection in the rearview mirror. “Sure you wanna go there, Bacon? Because I’m pretty sure I heard you singing in the bathroom before we left.”
Davis goes scarlet. “It’s called being in a good mood.”
“Well, it sounded like Chris Stapleton.”
Jake makes a choking noise, and Davis turns to glare at him. “If none of your mates kick your head in tonight, I’m first in line.”
“Ah, give it ya best shot, bouncer. You earned it.”
“And you’re as sweet as Tennessee whiskey,” I say.
“Double fuckin’ demons,” Davis mutters as Jake and I laugh.
Cece strokes Davis’s shoulder. “Don’t listen to them, baby. They’re both hopped up on lust and collective insanity.”
“Um, it’s called ‘Autism,’” I say, mock-wounded.
“And CTE,” Jake adds in the same mournful tone. “It’s a serious issue around rugby, Cee. The parents are really worried about it.”
Cece tries to scowl, but neither she nor Davis can hold back their snorts. I laugh along with them. This is the way I used to imagine it would feel as a kid, heading to a party with your friends. Only, none of the people in this car are kids, and the party is more like an active minefield.
I squeeze Jake’s hand.
“Nervous?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“Don’t be. I’ll deal with anyone who gets outta line.”
I roll my eyes. “Appreciated, but please remember we need to chill tonight? No drama, no panic. We don’t know when the cops are gonna get to Thrasher. Our only job is to show up at this reunion.”
“Own the reunion,” Jake corrects. “The hot, hometown musician made good.”
“Sure, only replace your words with ‘unemployed band dork.’ And I’m not from Pukekohe, remember? I’m not even from New Zealand?”
“Ah, you’ll always be a Kiwi to me, babe.”
“And me.” Cece loops her arm through mine. “I know you’re nervous, but we’re not fifteen anymore. Jenny and her minions don’t get to run this show. We do.”
I nod, swallowing down the edge of panic. “Okay. Besides, Jake’s already threatening violence.”
“He’s not the only one.” Davis turns to give Cece a look I could only describe as ‘devout aggression.’ “If any of those pricks even come near you—”
“We’ll go somewhere else,” Cece says sweetly. “A little supporting trust in your employer, please, Davis?”
A smile crooks his mouth. “Can do, boss.”
Jake leans into me, his mouth at my ear. “And then there’s our plan…”
My stomach clenches. “Are you sure—”
“Shh,” he whispers, so excited you’d think he was breaking into Thompson Farms all over again. “I can’t fuckin’ wait to do this.”
“But—”
“Don’t act like you don’t love the idea. My little performer, shining up on stage in front of everyone. I’m gonna tell the whole fucking town what you mean to me, show them exactly what you’re worth. None of them is ever gonna forget this.”
I chew my lip, ruining Cece’s gloss as my mind tosses between excitement and panic. “Are you sure…?”
Cece pats my knee, oblivious to what Jake’s just said. “Come on, Addy. You’re safe. Plus, that dress is so hot no one’s gonna remember anything about you except how stunning you are.”
We turn down a brightly lit street, and the Uber pulls over. The bar where we’re meeting Betty and her husband, is a hundred meters away from the Silverlight Estate Hotel. We’ve agreed to have one drink there, regroup, then walk down to the reunion together.
I grip Jake’s hand, trying to ground myself before we exit the safety of the car.
I’m scared for my friends, scared for the farm workers and scared for myself, but beneath it all, there’s Jake’s secret promise thrumming like electricity in my veins.
Whatever might happen at the reunion, after tonight, nothing will ever be the same.
Betty’s waiting for us on the curb, looking every inch the former goth-babe in a black mesh dress and Doc Martens.
I stare at the man holding her hand. I was expecting a young Sid Vicious, but the dude in the pressed blue shirt and cream slacks is the most average-looking guy to ever stand at five-feet-eight-inches.
“That’s Betty’s husband?” Davis says, voicing exactly what I’m thinking.
“He clearly adores her,” Cece chides. “And he seems really nice.”
“He sure does,” Davis mutters. “Head out, boss?”
“Let’s do it.” Cece leaves, and I’m about to follow suit, but Jake stops me.
“One second,” he says, a half-smile tugging his mouth. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to give you.”
I glance at the bulge in his suit pants. “I know.”
“Not that,” he says, grin widening. “At least not yet. Something else. I’m sorry, I meant to give it to you before now, but you look so gorgeous I forgot. And you should probably read it before the reunion.”
“Read it?”
He fishes in his jacket pocket and hands me a folded sheet of notebook paper.
I frown. “Do you need me to look over your rugby presentation speech thing?”
“Nah, babe, I’ve got that on lock. This is something else. An apology.”
“From who?”
“Colin. He messaged me back when we first started seeing each other. Asked if I’d tell you he was sorry about putting the gum in your hair, and all the rest of it.”
I swallow, my mouth dry as a bone. “What did you say?”
“I told him to tell you himself. I think this is him doing it.”
I stare at the notepaper like it might slice my fingers off.
When Colin agreed to help Jake break into the farm, I decided to mentally write off the gum-ponytail incident.
After all, I’d already busted his lip during my lunchtime fight with Jenny, and I figured that was enough revenge on a guy who at least seemed to have pulled his head in since high school.
Still, I’d have put ‘volcanic eruption,’ above ‘Kiwi male offers unmitigated apology for objectively cunt thing he did’ on the weekend’s prediction roster.
And yet…
My throat works as I unfold the notepaper. It’s covered in the bulky, disjointed handwriting of someone who’s barely put pen to page since school. The sight of those boyish scribbles makes me want to cry. Cry more.
Dear Ada,
I’m so sorry for putting gum in your hair. That was shit. I don’t wanna make excuses, but I was drinking all the time back then. Jenny told me to mess with you, and I was wasted, and I did it.
I thought you acted like you were better than us back then. That was stupid. You were probably just shy.
I didn’t know Jenny was filming when I put the gum in your hair, but I still did it, and I hated myself after.
I’m in recovery now, and I want you to know, I don’t give a fuck if Thrasher gets done.
I’ve only worked at the farm since last year, and I love my wife, Bec.
I’m home with her whenever I’m not on shift.
From what Jake’s said, Bec sounds a bit like you.
Maybe the four of us could get dinner sometime?
It’s okay if you don’t want to. I’m sorry it took so long for me to say sorry.
Colin Wintergreen
I let out a shaky breath and smile at Jake through my tears. “Thanks. For giving that to me. And for telling Colin to write it.”
“Doesn’t change what he did. You’re allowed to still be mad.”
“I’m not. He said sorry. That’s more than most people do.”
Jake squeezes my hand. “I know this town’s fucked, but there’s good people here, too.”
“Yeah, at least five.” I tuck the note into my purse and dab my eyes. “How’s my makeup?”
“Perfect.” He kisses me. “Ready to go meet Betty and her… I’m gonna guess, geologist husband?”
“Probably,” I say. “Even though all I really want to do is crawl back into bed with you and stay there forever.”
“Plenty of time for that after tomorrow.”
The passenger door swings wide, and Cece leans in. “Um, hello? Lovebirds? People are waiting?”
Jake and I climb out of the Uber.
“About time,” Betty says. “We already finished our drinks. They were shit, by the way. Don’t waste your money. I just got off the phone with Bryan. The cops are pushing the paperwork as hard as they can, but it’s taking its time.”
“No arrests tonight?” Davis asks.
“Unlikely.”
“Jesus,” I mutter. “This ‘hurry up and wait’ thing is killing me. I was hoping Thrasher would already be in the bin by now.”
Betty shakes her head. “Nope. My mate’s already at the party, and she says he’s there.”
My stomach twists. “Fuck.”
Jake moves toward me, but Cece gets in first, wrapping me in a fierce hug. “They’ll get theirs. Eventually.”
“Damn right,” Betty says coldly. “Shit, this is Gavin, by the way.”
She gestures at her husband, who gives an awkward wave.
“Hey, team,” he says, looking adorably nervous. “Nothing to contribute to the, uh, crime stuff, but happy to be here.”
“No one’s happy to be here,” Betty says. “But thanks, darling.”