It’s Friday night—my favorite day of the week. Dad will be home later tonight, and tomorrow we’ll have waffles. I should be riding the impending waffle high, but I’m having to deal with an angry Leo. He hasn’t texted me once since leaving for college and when he does reach out, it’s because he’s pissed. Lovely.
I don’t have to ask Leo how he knows about Sawyer. The next time I see Jesse and Nazareth I’m going to deep fry them both. Me: Why is this a problem?
The irony of the situation is that I’m riding shotgun in Sawyer’s Lexus. Lexus. The check for his rent bounced, yet he drives a Lexus. How does that quite work?
Anyhow, we’re on the way to our first interview for the project, and I can’t decide if I prefer a ticked-off Leo or the stoic silence of Sawyer.
Leo: The guy is a jackass. He ignores you for years and his friends talk crap about you. I know these types of guys, V, and he’s no good for you.
I stretch my fingers as I want to throttle him. Me: I’m doing great. Thanks for asking. How’s college?
It takes him longer to respond, and I can’t decide if I like that I threw him off or if I’m uneasy that I might have pushed him over the edge. I glance over at Sawyer, and he quickly looks away, playing it off like he wasn’t watching. “Where do I turn?”
“Right on Cedar Avenue. The house we want is the third one on the left.”
Sawyer drums his fingers on the steering wheel. “And who is this guy again?”
“A ghost hunter.” If I was going to grow up, I think that would be a fascinating job.
“You told me, but how do you know him?”
“He’s a family friend.”
“Of course he is,” Sawyer mumbles, and I choose to ignore his sarcasm.
Leo: I just got done texting with Jesse and he said you needed a partner for the senior paper. I’ll call Jenna and Marie. You can work with them.
Like I need someone making playdates on my behalf, and those two were whispering about me in math. Me: Do it and I’ll drop kick you into next week.
Leo: They’re better than Sutherland.
Me: My life, Leo. Not yours. If you were honestly so concerned, I would think you would have contacted me before now.
I drop my phone into my lap and ignore it when it chimes. Then when it chimes again. Two stop signs later, there’s another chime. Sawyer peeks at me from the corner of his eye. My cell then rings, and as much as I want to hear Leo’s voice, I really do not want to have this conversation with him.
After five rings, there’s silence and then my cell starts ringing again. Annoyance rushes through me, and I angrily accept the call. “What?”
“Don’t be mad.”
My eyes close at the sound of Leo’s voice, and there’s an ache inside me with how much I miss him. “I’m not.”
“You are. I know I’m a bastard for not keeping in touch, but things have been busy between classes, working a job and then getting to know people. College is different from high school. By the time I have a moment to text, I know it’s too late and I don’t want to wake you. I promise I’ll do better.”
Nothing from me.
“This whole Sawyer thing has made me realize how much of a jerk I’m being. I’m concerned about you. I don’t want you getting screwed over by some guy because I wasn’t there to help. I care about you, V, and I’m worried.”
Sawyer looks straight ahead, but there’s no way he’s not listening. One, I’m right beside him. Two, I totally would eavesdrop. “I know.”
“Short answers. Does that mean you’re at work?”
No. “Yeah.”
“I’ll call later and we can talk.”
“Not about this.”
Tense silence on his end. “Fine, but I’m calling.” More silence. “I miss you, V. Life’s weird without you.”
I soften, and a bit overwhelmed, I fiddle with the hem of my skirt. “Okay. Thanksgiving is September twenty-ninth. You’re still coming, right?” It’s the day Leo picked before he left.
“I told you before I left I would. I’d never break a promise to you.”
“Okay.”
“I miss you.”
I miss him more. “Same. I’ll talk to you later tonight.”
“Later.” He hangs up.
Sawyer takes the right onto Cedar. “Everything okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
He shrugs one of his massive shoulders. “I don’t know. You sounded off.”
“You know me well enough to figure out when I sound off?”