Fake Love - Jaxson Kidman Page 0,23

too much.

I caught site of a dark maroon car.

There was no emblem on the vehicle.

It was definitely a custom car.

I stopped walking to stare at the car.

Gia got a few feet ahead and turned. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” I said.

No need to tell Gia what was happening.

But I knew that car.

I really knew that car.

That was Noah’s car.

In the main office, everyone stood up and stared at me.

Gia sat down and took out her phone while I waited for Mr. Bevil.

Of course, the low hanging fruit joke was Bevil the Devil.

But Bevil wasn’t anything like that.

He was bought and sold by everyone who cut a check to this place.

And that included most of us.

His secretary - Janine - stared at me like I was ghost.

She had thin lips, put on too much lipstick, more on her teeth than her lips, and she was clearly in love with Bevil, but did nothing about it. Behind her was Miss Wendy. She was a short and very round sweetheart. She was the one who had control around the building. She took no shit and gave plenty back when needed.

Her husband was some high-profile investor and the only reason she worked here was to kill time.

And I was pretty sure she loved breaking up the drama and threatening some of us.

“Winter,” Janine said.

“Yeah?”

“This is too much,” Janine said. She grabbed a tissue and touched the corners of her eyes. “Too, too much.”

“Let me see her,” Miss Wendy said as she hurried around the desk. “Look at you. You look great. You just don’t remember us?”

I shook my head.

“Son of a bitch,” she said.

The big office door opened and Bevil poked his head out. He was clean cut, bald, wearing black glasses, and looked ready to host some nonsense gameshow.

“Winter Seacrum,” he said. “Come on in here.”

I walked into the office and caught a whiff of his cologne.

It was like someone sprayed cinnamon in gasoline.

He shut the door behind him and I looked around the all too familiar giant office.

It looked more like a study or library than an office.

He took his glasses off and leaned next to his desk.

“I wasn’t sure when we’d see you again,” he said. “You can take more time off. We can arrange anything you need…”

“I just want normalcy,” I said.

“Of course you do. I’m surprised your father isn’t here.”

“He’s away on business.”

Bevil nodded. “Ah. So are you…”

“I’m staying with my mother,” I said. “Until I can get my memory back and get a place of my own.”

“Okay,” Bevil said. “You have some big goals. I like that.”

Keep spitting the cliché stuff, Bevil. You just want that check to clear.

He moved behind his desk. “How can I help you, Winter? What can I do?”

“I need to do whatever I want,” I said. “Gia is helping me.”

“Gia… our star runner?”

“That’s right. She’s my neighbor now. She drove me here. Both of us get to do whatever we want. Okay? Classes. Content. Everything. I have to be able to move freely to try and remember.”

“Sure,” Bevil said. “You know things around here are loosely structured. I don’t mind that.”

You have no choice, Bevil.

“I want you to know that all of us here… this big family of ours… we all have been thinking about you, Winter. Praying for you. Pulling together. There’s a memorial set up at your locker…”

“As though I died?” I asked.

“No. Just as a way to send you… the good vibes…”

Bevil laughed.

I didn’t.

He was such a creep.

“Well, thanks for that,” I said. “Do you mind if I just walk around?”

“Not at all,” Bevil said. “I’ll be sure everyone knows you and Gia have an exemption to do whatever you want.”

“Thank you,” I said.

I walked to the door and Bevil hurried to open it for me.

“I mean it, Winter,” he said. “We all have been thinking about you.”

I smiled and nodded.

I hurried and grabbed for Gia’s hand and we both got out of the main office.

Standing in the hallway, I knew right where to go.

But I had to play stupid.

Forgetful.

I had to keep the lie alive as long as possible.

“That’s morbid as fuck.”

I stared at my locker and shook my head.

There were notes stuck to the locker.

Flowers on top.

Flowers on the floor.

Even fucking candles on the floor.

The entire locker was decorated, top to bottom.

“I’m never going to use this locker again,” I said.

“I wouldn’t,” Gia said.

“Did you know about this?” I asked.

“I haven’t been here since your accident,” Gia said. “I’ve been training.”

“Oh. Okay.”

The hallways started to get busy as classes