in life and the girl whotakeshisvirginityisoneofthem.MegCarter.She’dbeenthreeyearsolderthanmeand visiting her grandmother the summer I turned fourteen. It hadn’t been a love connection.
Morelikealifelesson.
“Meg,”Ireplied,relieveditwasn’tanotherunknownfemaleheretothrowherselfatme.
“Andheremembersmyname.I’mimpressed,”sherepliedthenlookedupatthebartender
andsmiled.“JackandCokeplease.”
“Guydoesn’tforgethisfirst.”
Sheshiftedonherstool,crossingherlegsandtiltingherheadtolookatmecausingher longdarkhairtofalloveroneshoulder.Shestillworeitlong.I’dbeenfascinatedwithitback then.
“Mostguysdon’tbutyou’veledadifferentlifecomparedtomostguys.Thefamehasto
havechangedyouovertheyears.”
“My dad’s famous not me,” I snapped, hating it when females wanted to talk about somethingtheyknewnothingabout.MegandIhadfuckedafewtimesbutshedidn’treally
knowmuchaboutmebackthen.
“Hmmm,whatever.So,whyyousoglum?”
Iwasn’tglum.Iwasabrokenmess.Butshewasn’tsomeoneIintendedtounloadon.“I’m
good,”Irepliedandglancedbackatthedance loorhopingtocatchGrant’sattention.Iwas readytogo.
“Youlooklikeyou’vegotabrokenheartfromhellanddon’tknowwhattodowithit,”she saidreachingforherJackandCoke.
“I’mnotgonnatalktoyouaboutmypersonallife,Meg.”Iletthewarningedgeinmyvoice ringthroughloudandclear.
“Whoathere,handsome.Iwasn’ttryingtopissyouoff.Justmakingsmalltalk.”
Mypersonallifewasn’tsmalltalk.“Thenaskmeaboutthefuckingweather,”Isaidwitha snarl.
Shedidn’trespondandIwasglad.Maybeshe’dmoveon.Leavemealone.
“I’mintowntakingcareofmyGrans.She’ssickandIneededsomethingnewtodowithmy
life.Ijustwentthroughamessydivorce.AchangeofsceneryfromChicagowaswhatIneeded.
I’llbehereforatleastsixmonths.Doyouthinkyou’llbeornerytheentiretimeI’mhereorare yougonnagetniceranytimeinthenearfuture?”
Shewantedtoseeme.No.Iwasn’treadyforthat.Istartedtoreplywhenmyphonealerted meofatextmessage.RelievedtohaveaninterruptionsoIcouldthinkabouthowIwasgoing torespondtoherIpulleditoutofmypocket.
Thenumberwasn’toneIrecognized.Butthe“HeyIt’sBethy”caughtmyattentionandI
stoppedbreathingasIopenedthetexttoreadtheentirething.
Hey it’s Bethy. If you aren’t a stupid fuck then you’ll wake up and get with the program.
Whatthehelldidthatmean?WhatwasImissing?WasBlaireinRosemary?Isthatwhat
thismeant?IstoodupandputenoughmoneyonthebartocovermybeerandMeg’sdrink.“I gottago.Itwasnicetoseeyou.Takecare,”IsaidasanafterthoughtasIstalkedthroughthe crowduntilIfoundGranthavingdryhumpingonthedancefloorwithsomeredhead.
HiseyesmetmineandInoddedatthedoor.“Now,”Isaidandturnedtoheadoutside.I
wasleavinghimhereifhehadn’tcaughtupwithmebythetimeIreachedmyRangeRover.
Shecouldbehere.Iwasgoingto indout.AskingBethywhatshemeantbythatjackeduptext waspointless.
Blaire
I reached over and nudged Bethy’s leg to wake her up. She’d been asleep for the past two hours. We were just outside of Rosemary Beach and I needed her to drive so I could look for Cain’s truck at all the inexpensive motels.
“Wethere?”shemumbledsleepilyandsatupinherseat.
“Almost.Ineedyoutodrive.IgottalookforCain’struck.”
Bethy let out a weary sigh. I knew she was only doing this in hopes of getting me to Rosemaryandkeepingmethere.Shecouldcarelessabout indingCain.ButI’dneededaride.I wasgoingtodriveCainhome.AndheandIweregoingtotalk.Hehadnobusinesscomingout heretoseeRush.Ionlyhopedhehadn’ttoldhimaboutwhathe’dcaughtmebuying.
Itwasn’tthatIwantedtokeepitasecretfromRush.ItwasjustthatIhadn’tleteverything sinkinyet.Ineededtoprocessit.FigureoutwhatIwantedtodo.ThenI’dcontactRush.Cain goingafterhimlikeacrazypersonwasnotwhatIwanted.Istillcouldn’tbelievehe’ddoneit.
“Pulloverhere.Ineedtoruninandgrabmealatte irst,”Bethyinstructed.Ididasshe
Richard Ellis Preston Jr.