those men are over there?”
I shrink into my seat as she answers, “Sure. That’s Chad and Benny. They’re great guys.”
“Do they live in town?” Sammy asks.
“I think so. They come in all the time.”
I have no words for how that information makes me feel. No, wait, here’s a word—defeated. The floodgates open as several more come to mind. Frustrated, angry, vengeful, and finally, scared.
I will never come into this bar again knowing that Chad Adkinson hangs out here. In fact, I think I’ll start doing all my shopping in Millersville. Now that I’ve seen him in the flesh, I can’t help but think I’ll start running into him all the time, like has suddenly happened with Davis. I don’t know Chad’s story, but I tell you this, I’m going to make sure I avoid him like the plague. I’d rather contract the black death than spend another second of my life in his company.
Chapter Seven
September 6, 2007
Dear Molly,
Hurray! Davis Frothingham’s locker is only two away from mine this year. His is on top and mine is on the bottom, but that doesn’t matter. I get to see him all the time without having to go to crazy lengths to make it happen.
We’ve only been back to school for two days, and so far, I can’t tell whether or not he got himself a girlfriend over the summer. Fingers crossed he didn’t. I’m hoping he’ll finally notice me in that way. God knows I’m ready for it to be my time to shine and shake that horrible nickname Chad gave me. Maybe this is my year.
As much as I try not to think about Chad Adkinson, it’s nearly impossible after seeing him the other night. I made Sammy leave earlier than she wanted to, but there was no way I could enjoy myself.
Despite that, I’m so excited to see Davis again that the rest of the week feels like it lasts a month. When Sunday rolls around, Sammy transforms me once again, just a tad more understated than the last time.
I stand in front of the mirror preening in my new pink dress, fantasizing that Davis and I are going on a date instead of taking his grandmother to family dinner at his parents’ house.
Davis texted earlier this afternoon to get my address, but I told him I was running around doing errands and that I’d meet him at Millersville Meadow. So, imagine my surprise when I walk out of my trailer to see him standing by a sporty German car parked right next to my twenty-five-year-old Chevy. Horror doesn’t even begin to describe my shock.
“What are you doing here?” I demand, my face burning with embarrassment and anger. So much for him not finding out where I live.
“I was on my way to get Gran. I figured I’d stop by to see if you were here first, so we could drive together.”
“How do you know where I live?” My palms start to sweat, and panic builds in my chest like a runaway train.
“Your supervisor gave me your address when I talked to her about setting this up,” he answers nonchalantly as he starts to walk toward me.
“I’m pretty sure she didn’t.” Then I add, “It would be highly unethical for Wendy to give out my private information.”
Davis ignores my attempt at outrage and offers his arm to lead me toward the passenger side of the car. “I told her we were friends.”
“We’re friends?” I ask, surprised. Friends call each other on the phone, go out for drinks, and catch the occasional movie. Davis and I do none of those things.
“We’re friendly at the very least,” he answers.
I’m fairly sociable with everyone I meet. For instance, I’m always nice to the butcher at the market, but I don’t want him to know where I live. Wendy must have believed Davis’s misrepresentation of our relationship because he’s a Frothingham. I hope she wouldn’t be so willing to hand out my private information otherwise. Either way, I don’t like having my privacy violated, and I make a mental note to talk to her.
I decide the best way to deal with Davis’s presence is to pretend that we’re not standing in the middle of a rundown trailer park. My skin is still warm from the hot flush of surprise at seeing him here and my legs are still rubbery, but I somehow manage to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
When we reach the car, he says, “You look very nice today.”