eyes, and it takes me a second to understand it’s because of my makeup.
“Hi, sir. My name is Troy Alexander,” I reply coldly, wondering if my answer will trigger his memory. I get nothing.
“Oh. Well, I wish I could say it’s nice to meet you, but under these circumstances, I can’t. Do you have any idea what Charlie was doing on the road?” His question doesn’t have an edge like Charlie’s mother’s did. Too bad. If it had, I could have given him an answer with a bark.
“She wanted to see Ben,” I say.
Guilt shines in the man’s eyes, and he doesn’t even remember who I am.
Asshole. But I can’t think about that now.
“How is Charlie?”
“She has a few bruises on her face thanks to the airbag, but the worst injury is her broken leg. Thank heavens,” he replies.
“How long until she’s out of surgery?”
“Another hour,” her mother replies.
“You look familiar. Have we met before?” Charlie’s father asks me, narrowing his eyes.
I know I should lie, but I’m too pissed to do so. In the moment, I want him to know who I am, consequences be damned.
“Yes, we have actually. At a restaurant in Manhattan Beach not too long ago.”
He stares at me blankly for a moment, as if he’s trying to fish out the memory from his brain. Then his eyes go rounder, his face pale. But instead of confirming it, he schools his expression again. “No, it doesn’t ring a bell. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to grab some coffee in the cafeteria.”
I glower at his retreating back, but after he disappears around the corner, I feel the full impact of my discovery.
Charlie’s father is having an affair with my mother. This will destroy Charlie and Ben.
I’m going to lose her.
44
TROY
I ignore Blake to the best of my ability. I don’t even know why he’s here. Charlie’s condition isn’t life-threatening, and she’s not his girlfriend. As a matter of fact, why was he even called, and who did it?
Charlie is out of surgery now, and her parents and Ben are with her. I wonder if she’ll want to see me. I lean my elbows on my knees, resting my head in my hands. If she tells me to go away, I’m going to lose my mind.
A throat clearing catches my attention.
“Charlie is asking for you,” her father tells me.
Wordlessly, I get up from my chair and follow him down the hallway. When we turn a corner, he stops in his tracks and turns to me.
“You can’t say anything to Charlie.”
“Excuse me?”
“Please. I’m begging you. I’ve decided to end things with Elaine.”
I scoff. “A little too late, don’t you think? The damage is done.”
“No, it isn’t done,” he grits out. “Tara doesn’t know about the affair, and she doesn’t need to.”
“Oh trust me, she knows.”
His face goes even paler than before. He reaches for my arm, gripping it in a tight hold. “Did you already tell her?”
Annoyed, I pull free from his grasp and reply through clenched teeth, “No, I didn’t tell her, but she suspects it. Can we go now? I’d like to see Charlie.”
He steps back, passing a hand over his face. “She’s in room 307.”
It’s clear that he doesn’t intend to walk with me. Whatever. I’d rather not be in his despicable company either.
I continue on alone, and with each step I take, my heart rate accelerates. It’s beating at a staccato rhythm by the time I reach her room. The door is open, and from the threshold, I can see her mother sitting in a chair, looking tired as hell as she rests her head on Ben’s shoulder.
I knock on the doorframe. “May I come in?”
She stands abruptly, pinching her lips together. I don’t know what I did, but she clearly doesn’t like me very much. Either that asshole Blake talked trash about me, or she has premonition powers and suspects my mother is responsible for her unhappiness.
“Of course.” She glances to the side. “Come on, Ben. Let’s give them some privacy.”
I step out of the way to let them through, and then I close the door. I don’t want anyone eavesdropping on this conversation. Stepping forward, I steel myself for the image of Charlie in a hospital bed, but it does nothing. When I see her bruised face and her leg in a cast, my chest feels like it’s caved in.
“Charlie,” I murmur.
She smiles weakly. “Hey.”
I move to the side of her bed but refrain from touching her. I’m not sure if she’ll