Sins of the Innocent - Jamie McGuire Page 0,46
again.
“What about the crackers? Can you eat the crackers?”
He swallowed. “Not until it passes.”
“That’s so weird. You were fine when I first got here.”
He rested his jaw on his fist, suddenly looking exhausted. “I know. And I’ve felt pretty good the last few days.”
“When is the last time you felt bad?”
“The other day—when we had coffee.”
I chuckled. “Maybe you’re just allergic to me.”
“Maybe,” he said, managing a small smile.
A small group of men entered the café, and my stomach sank. A few of them were with the group that had tried to stir up trouble with Morgan and me before.
Knowing Morgan was ill, that we were in public, and I was supposed to still be somewhat nursing serious wounds, I had few options if they chose to pick another fight. But I had already decided I would defend Morgan, no matter what.
The group ordered without noticing us, and I’d hoped they wouldn’t. But when it was time for them to find a table, they chose the two pushed together behind Morgan.
“Damn it,” I hissed.
“What?” Morgan asked, beginning to turn around.
I grabbed his sleeve and shook my head. “It’s nothing. Don’t make a scene. You can look on our way out.”
“Must be interesting,” Morgan grumbled, stirring his soup.
The group sat, being loud and obnoxious. One of them kept looking at the back of Morgan’s head, and then our eyes met. He smiled at me, but I looked down.
“Hey,” he said. “Aren’t you the girl from downtown? The one who was with the guy who nailed Craig to the lamppost?”
I kept my head down, ignoring him.
“Yeah, that’s her,” one of them said.
“Morgan,” I whispered, “we might have to make a quick exit. Are you up to it?”
He nodded.
The first guy stood and walked over to our table. “Hi.”
I looked up at him. He didn’t seem like he was looking for a confrontation.
“I’m Jordan.”
“I don’t care,” I said, looking across the table to Morgan.
“Hey,” Jordan said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry about what happened with Craig. He was drunk, and he’s already a jerk when he’s sober.”
“You should pick better friends,” I said, still keeping eye contact with Morgan.
He seemed worse.
“And you should go back to your table,” I said.
“He’s not my friend,” Jordan said. “Not anymore. Most of us stopped hanging out with him after that. I just wanted to apologize … to both of you. I felt bad for not stepping in, and I was hoping we’d run into each other again. I was being a pussy, but I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never stand by and watch anyone, much less one of my friends, pick on someone again.”
I looked up at Jordan. “Thank you.”
Jordan’s shoulders relaxed, and a wide grin swept across his face. He grabbed a chair from behind him and pulled it to our table backward. “You were at that graduation party. I guess you go to school with Lacie?”
“We did.”
“Where are you guys going to coll—hey, man. Are you all right?”
Sweat was rolling down Morgan’s temple from his hairline.
“Geez, Morg, we should go. We should get you home.”
“I’m okay,” Morgan said, trembling.
“No, you’re not.”
“I’ll get him an ice water,” Jordan said.
The bottom of a full glass hit the table with a thud, and I looked up to see Levi standing next to Morgan. “Hey, Morg.”
“Hey,” Morgan said, hunched over.
“Drink this,” Levi said.
Morgan picked up the glass with both hands and took a sip.
“I just need to get him home,” I said.
“He’ll start feeling better any minute. He just needs to drink something,” Levi said, laying a tender hand on Morgan’s shoulder.
Morgan took another drink, and within half a minute, his color was already beginning to improve.
“Whoa,” I said. “What’s in that water?”
“Ice,” Levi said.
“So, um … are you staying around here for college?” Jordan asked, unsettled by Levi’s sudden presence.
Levi glared at him.
“Yes. Brown.”
Jordan beamed. “That’s where I’m going.”
“Maybe I’ll see you around,” I said, mentally putting emphasis on the maybe. Before, college had seemed like a mundane thing to do. Now, it was like a milestone that I had survived the summer.
“So,” Jordan began, “what are you, um … what are you doing this weekend?”
“I have family obligations,” I said.
Levi made a show of staring at Jordan, and Jordan tried not to notice.
“What about July fourth? A big group of us are barbequing. Guaranteed good time.”
“Um … still family obligations,” I said.
“Or maybe she’s just not interested in you,” Levi said.
“Pardon?” Jordan said, blinking. “Oh. You’re the lamppost guy.”
“The lamppost guy?” Levi said,