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she needs to be. Especially as they were directed at me.
    “What’s going on?” I ask as we approach the long line for the cashier. Cheerful Christmas music plays in the background. A contrast to the bored, not-so-cheery expressions on everyone’s faces. “You never acted this way when Trent was alive, when she went on and on and on about me stealing him from her.”
    Emma snorts. “Too bad she never said it to his face. He would have told her where she stood.”
    “That still doesn’t explain why you’re angry.” I place my hand on her arm to stop her. “She can say all she wants—it won’t change anything.”
    “I don’t trust her. You don’t know her like I do. She can be malicious.” Emma sighs. “Remember when you first started getting those letters from Paul and then Trent accused you of cheating on him?”
    I nod. It was ridiculous and he felt bad afterward, after I reminded him in ways that left us both breathless that there was no other guy in my life.
    “Mel told him she’d seen you with another guy.”
    “And he believed her because of those letters,” I say, filling in the pieces. I don’t bother to point out, though, that none of it matters. There’s nothing she can do to hurt me again.

Chapter Four
    Marcus
    “Hey babe,” Amber says on the other end of the phone line, and I can’t stop grinning. “How was your exam?” When we first met last semester, I woke her up from a nightmare and she told me to go to hell. The last thing I expected is that she’d one day call me “babe.” The last thing I expected is that I’d love the way it sounds from her lips. Like I belong to Amber and only Amber.
    “It’s finished. That’s all I care about.” White puffs of air escape with each word, swept away by the brisk Chicago wind, as I walk from the engineering building to the parking lot. “I have to do a few things first, then hit Haysboro Mall on my way out. I should be at your place in four to five hours.” Or less, depending on how long it takes to track down Alejandro.
    “I can’t wait.” Her voice lowers. “My mom won’t be home for another five hours...” The implication behind her words is left hanging.
    “Then I’ll be there in four if I can,” I say, grinning again.
    Crap, it better not take me long to find Alejandro. This could be my only chance to make love to Amber over the next several days, while we’re staying with her mom. I suspect her mom isn’t going to let me sleep in the same bed with Amber, even if it’s only to keep Amber’s nightmares away.
    At Alejandro’s high school, I park on a side street and stride to the main entrance. The loud buzzer cuts through the air. Several minutes later, students flood from the building, pushing through the doors as if the place were on fire—or because it’s the last day of school until the new year.
    Alejandro steps through the open doorway, chatting with Juan and another boy who I’ve seen around the youth center. The new friend is shy. That’s all I know about him.
    “Hey, Alejandro,” I call out when it’s obvious he doesn’t see me. “What year did the Bulls acquire Artis Gilmore?”
    He looks up and a hesitant smile creeps on to his face. “Er, nineteen-seventy-six.” He says something to his friends, then makes his way toward me through the mess of students rushing to catch their buses.
    “Wanna ride?” I ask.
    “Can you give Juan and Matt one too? They live near me.”
    I barely keep from groaning out loud. “Sure, no problem.”
    Alejandro waves his friends over. “Marcus is giving us a ride to my place.”
    Matt smiles, the movement at the corners of his lips barely noticeable.
    Juan bumps fists with me. “In what year did Jordan first retire?”
    “Nineteen-ninety-four,” I reply.
    Alejandro snorts. “Dude, it was nineteen-ninety-three. Thought you were supposed to be smart. What with being in college and all.”
    This time I do groan. Shit, that was an easy one. “It’s not like