Chapter 25
Corrine
I sit in the back seat, and I can’t help but feel like a little kid riding with my mom and dad. That is if my mom and dad were two ramped-up conspiracy theorists.
“What if this goes way way back, Sebastian?” Riley asks. “What if the Lockharts planned to become friends with my parents with the idea that one day they’d go after their daughters? Us?”
“Baby,” Sebastian purrs at my sister. “I love you and you’re crazy.”
She swats at him.
“We will figure this all out, Little Mouse, so don’t worry.”
Riley goes quiet and I’m grateful for the moment to think. I haven’t yet started digesting what the events of last night mean for Xavier and I. We park in the city near my place, and Riley suggests we stop for lunch to talk through the weekend.
After we get seated and order our drinks, I look at the two expectant people across from me.
“So?” Riley asks. “Aside from the monumental finding this morning… How was the rest of the weekend?”
I roll my eyes. “Can I at least sip my bloody mary before we get into this?”
She smiles and nods, waiting patiently for the server to return.
He arrives soon and hands me my red drink, brimming with celery and olives, and I take a long sip from my straw. I feel like shit.
“So,” I start, “the weekend was full of ups and downs.”
“Like going down?” Sebastian asks.
“Okay. Why are you here again?” I ask him, raising an eyebrow and smirking.
“C’mon, I want the details!” Riley practically squeals, and she winks at me, saying “You know Sebastian will just ask me anyways.”
I nod. “Yes, I agree you’re both despicable.” Then I smile, liking the way they’re so invested in this story between Xavier and me. “We had a nice time, but only after we both had a lot to drink. It was like before that I was working with a shell, trying to get him to remember some part of our old life.”
Riley looks sad, which makes me feel bad. “We had fun,” I say then. And smile. “Let’s just say he hasn’t forgotten how to do things in bed.”
Riley claps her hands and shoves her shoulder into Sebastian. “See, I told you that it would work.”
I laugh then. Of course, there was more to this weekend than I thought. Riley was making a play to get us back together.
“I just don’t know how long I want to hang in this in between, where he sort of remembers me but also cringes from my touch. It’s fucking exhausting. You know?” I look at them and Sebastian nods. He does know, as his best friend is also kind of missing right now.
“Let’s assume he’ll recover his memory fully,” Sebastian says. He looks at Riley, and then at me. “And trust me, the guys and I will not let any of the Lockharts anywhere near you two. Ever.”
I nod, uncertain now that Sebastian can keep that promise. Then I take a long, comforting gulp of my drink. It’s going to be a long day.