Echoes Between Us - McGarry, Katie Page 0,75

need to start doing some things right, and Veronica is the one to do them right with.

VERONICA

A twenty-minute ride later and Sawyer turns off the engine. He doesn’t say anything as he takes the keys out of the ignition and exits the car. Sawyer comes around the front, like he’s going to open my door, but I’ve beat him to it. Still, he places his hand on the door as I ease out.

I scan the area in the moonlight, but I don’t see much other than rocks, trees, what appears to be a black abyss ahead and the stars in the sky. The ground beneath my feet feels solid, like stone, and that’s confirmed when Sawyer turns on the flashlight of his cell.

“Where are we?” I ask.

“One of my unfortunately favorite places.”

“‘Unfortunately’?”

“It’s an abandoned rock quarry.” He flies right past my question. “I should mention we’re trespassing, and that you’re the first person I’ve brought here.”

“I admire how you admit bits and pieces of truth, but then breeze through a shocking part with another shocking part in a way meant to confuse the mind.”

Sawyer’s lips tug up in that cocky way of his. “I’ve learned from the best.” He winks at me. I mock gasp and put a hand to my chest as if I’m offended, but quickly smile, because yeah, I do it, too.

“Which part was shocking?” he asks.

I tap my finger to my chin. “Hmm. Let me think. Your ‘unfortunately’ favorite place is an abandoned rock quarry, we’re going to be arrested if caught and I’m special. I’ve never been arrested so that could be fun.”

“You skimmed over the best part,” he says.

“What’s that?”

“That you’re special.” His eyes meet mine then and the intensity of his gaze steals the air from my lungs.

I quickly glance away because this is the reason I’m here with him in the middle of the night. Because I like feeling this way. I like how my blood is flooded with this exciting pins-and-needles sensation whenever he casts his gaze in my direction, how he makes me laugh in the most unexpected moments and how he finds me funny when I mean to be. I like the ease of our conversation and the supreme ease of our silences. I just like him.

A swift cool breeze blows through the trees. I run my hand along my arms and curse that while I had changed into jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, I didn’t bring a jacket. September has been warm, but we’re nearing October, which means cooler temperatures.

“Are you cold?” he asks.

I could lie. It’s my natural instinct to not rely on anyone besides Nazareth and Jesse, but I don’t feel like pretending with Sawyer. I did that too much with Leo and it got me nowhere. “Yes.”

Sawyer rummages through his backseat, pulls out a blanket and then hands me a sweatshirt. I hold it out and it’s his high school sweatshirt. Our bland colors of maroon and baby blue. It’s so big I could wear it as a dress. Another gust of wind turns my skin into icicles so I pull the sweatshirt over my head.

The fleece on the inside is warm and the first inhale brings the rich scent of Sawyer. I turn my head and fit my nose along the seam of the sweatshirt to take in the dark, spicy smell again before I draw the rest of the sweatshirt down along my body.

“Thanks,” I say, then grin when the end of the sweatshirt falls just above my knees. “Has anyone told you you’re too tall?”

I expect a “you’re short” crack back, but instead he gives me a glorious smile. “Yes. My mom always told me to quit growing, but I’m not good at listening.”

That makes me laugh, and he’s gorgeous with how he brightens, as if I’m the one who gave him a gift. I follow him as we walk toward the edge.

“We’re not jumping again, right?” I ask as a tease, and it’s unsettling how he grows grim.

“Not in the game plan.”

A few feet away from the edge, Sawyer spreads the blanket, but he doesn’t sit. Instead he walks scarily close to the drop-off, so close that the toe of his athletic shoe dangles off the edge. He shoves his hands into his pockets and stares down into the pit. “There’s water down there. About a high dive’s distance away. The pool is deep, but it’s not the safest jump. If you jump wrong, you could end up hitting the rocks