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Zach
“You’ve got a problem. A big fucking problem.”
Brett and I were hanging out alone on the dock, our feet dangling in the water like two kids gone fishing—except for poles, we had joints. Sure, I knew Emma hated my occasional habit, but she never said a word. Every once in a while, it was nice to take the edge off and relax. I had the year from hell coming up, and the time for slacking would be over—not that I’d been slacking all that much. But the distractions were over. I didn’t need to look out for Emma or worry about her like I did now that Bianca had agreed to back off. And if she didn’t keep her promise, she’d pay for it.
“Oh, yeah, what’s that?” I asked, taking a long puff.
“Emma was sniffing around, asking about Bianca.”
I sat up straight. “She asked you today?”
“Yup. While we were making pizzas.”
“And you tell me now?”
Brett’s face crunched up. “When was I supposed to tell you? While we were eating? In front of everyone? Man, sometimes you’re a real dumbass.”
Me? The dumbass? “What did she want to know?”
“She asked if I’ve seen Bianca. I told her she’s been out of sight, that her parents probably found out what she did . . .” He paused. “I might have suggested that you had a hand in Bianca’s parents finding out.”
I wanted to push him in the water and hold him under with my feet. “Are you serious?”
“I was just talking. What’s the big deal, anyway?”
“You are a super dumbass. You’re the dumbass to end all dumbasses. Why would you say that to her?”
Brett’s eyes opened wide. “Why are you freaking out when you should be chilling?”
“Because I specifically told Emma I wouldn’t contact Bianca, and now you’ve implied that I have.”
Brett slunk back. “Okay, I see your problem. I didn’t say you did tell her parents.”
“Please don’t do me any more favors. And if Emma asks you anything else, keep your trap shut and talk to me first.”
We were silent for a couple of minutes. I had to keep my anger in check while contemplating what to do next. Going to Emma and telling her I knew about the conversation she had with my idiot best friend wasn’t an option. She’d know she couldn’t trust him in the future. And it was quite possible she was making conversation and there wasn’t much to it in the first place. The one thing I did know was that Brett was lucky we were smoking, otherwise he’d be lying face down in the water.
#
I WOKE UP THE NEXT morning but pretended I was still asleep for a little longer. Emma was up and showered, a towel wrapped around her and her wet hair hugging her shoulders. Every part of me was suddenly wide awake. She took a towel and hand dried her hair, then slipped out of the towel she was wearing. This was the point in a relationship when I got bored, thought about escape routes, how to let them down easy, but not this girl. With each passing day I wanted her more than the day before.
“I know you’re awake. You’re so busted,” she said, throwing the towel she’d used for her hair at me.
I caught it before it slapped me in the face. “How’d you know?”
“You were talking in your sleep and you stopped.”
She slipped on a pair of pink panties then put on the matching bra. Her breasts, small and delicate, were perfect for her body and my hands. I’d play with them all day long if she’d let me.
“What was I talking about?” I asked, sitting up and stretching.
“Gibberish mostly. You know you talk in your sleep sometimes.”
“How would I know? I’m asleep.”
She fought hard not to smile but couldn’t help herself. “You should get out of bed. I want to get started on breakfast. I could use help mixing the pancake batter.”
“Or you could come back to bed,” I said, trying to grab her when she retrieved her phone from the nightstand. She sidestepped my grasp and surveyed her phone, staying beyond my reach.
“No, I want to eat then pack up. I was hoping to be back in the city by lunch. I have a ton of stuff I want to get done.”
I couldn’t tell if she was being frosty or distracted. She swiped and tapped on her phone a few times then threw it in her backpack.
“Up and at ‘em, Walker.”
When she passed the bed again she was close enough to me. I took hold of her forearm and pulled her onto the bed. She squealed for a second before I had my lips on hers. She responded and I knew then she wasn’t put off by her conversation with Brett. She murmured softly and when she tried to slither away, I held her tighter.
“No one else is up, so why do we have to get up?”
“Because I’m making breakfast. And then we’re leaving. You can distract me when we get home.”
I gave up and released her. She took a pair of shorts she had laying out on the bed and slipped into them. Her tight ass in those shorts nearly sent me over the edge. I swear she knew what to wear to drive me nuts. When she threw on a white tank top that accentuated her perky breasts, I couldn’t help but stare. When I looked up to her face, her lips had formed a thin line.
“Do you need a cold shower?”
“Probably.”
She rolled her eyes. “Kitchen in ten minutes. The pancake batter will be waiting for you.”
“Slave driver,” I muttered.
I showered, got dressed and met her in the kitchen. She had coffee started and I poured a cup. I turned and she was standing there, bowl in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other.
“Perfect timing,” she said. “Mix for two minutes or until it’s no longer lumpy.”
I set my coffee down and got to work. “Are you starting this early? No one is awake.”
“They will be soon, especially when they smell breakfast.”
“You seem to always recruit little helpers. Brett last night, me this morning.”
“I made him slice onions and he cried,” she said and giggled.
“You’re a cruel woman.”
“We had a bonding moment.”
“I hear you chatted.” I decided there was no use beating around the bush. I saw an opening and took it.
She was beating eggs in another bowl and didn’t miss a trick, but her rosy cheeks gave her away. “I asked him about Bianca, but I’m guessing you already know that.”
“Brett mentioned it. Why are you asking about her? Isn’t she old news? Like, really old news?”
“I’m curious, I guess.”
Something wasn’t adding up, but I couldn’t figure it out. “Why would you ask about her out of the blue?”
“I don’t know. I thought of her and asked him.” She put the bowl down and stared at me. “Have you been talking about her? Getting her in trouble with her friends?”
This threw me for a loop. I was sure she could tell by the shocked look on my face. “I haven’t seen or spoken to Bianca in a long time. She’s not even on my radar.”
She kept staring, those green eyes with a touch of gold to them shooting missiles my way, but I kept deflecting.
“You’re not lying, right? You promised me you’d leave her alone.”
“And I kept that promise.” Sort of. She didn’t need to know about my visit to Bianca after that bitch put Emma in the hospital. Or that when Bianca’s name came up with friends that I put my two cents in. But since the incident, I hadn’t done anything overt.
“Brett mentioned that her parents threatened to take her out of Western.”
“While I wouldn’t be sad to see her go, I had nothing to do with that.”
More staring. She may not have known it, but she had me on the ropes. Sweat was forming on my brow and if we didn’t get off this subject fast, she’d have me admitting to everything, hell, even things I didn’t do.
“We need to get rid of her from our lives once and for all. Okay? I mean everything.”
“I’ve forgotten all about her,” I said, trying to smile.
“Good. I don’t even want to hear her name again.”
I swallowed hard. Did I know what she meant? Sure, but I wasn’t getting rid of that video. Not until I had Emma as far away as possible from Bianca Smythe.