Garnet walked down the hospital corridor. She couldn’t wait to tell her mother about Anna. What would her mother say? As Garnet approached the elevator, she heard quick footsteps behind her.
“Garnet! Wait!” Dan called.
She froze then slowly turned around. “What do you want?”
“We need to talk.”
“About what?”
“About us. Why do you keep dodging me? What’s wrong?” His blue eyes held hers as he waited for an answer.
“Do you think I don’t know what’s going on?” she snapped.
“What?”
“I know it’s not over between you and Laura.”
“Me and Laura?”
Garnet let out an exasperated breath. “Oh, stop it! You know what I’m talking about! I saw it at the fireworks. And you were with her downtown the other day. I was in one of the shops. I followed you and saw her getting into your car. So don’t deny it. I know you’re still seeing her.”
“But what does she have to do with us?” Dan demanded.
“You just don’t get it, do you? You were with her. You had your arm around her. What am I supposed to think?” Garnet’s eyes flashed with anger. “Well, there’s something you should know about me, Dan. I’m not a doormat. You can’t date me and someone else. Why’d you even ask me to the formal when you really want to go with her? Are you trying to make her jealous or something? Is she going with someone else and this is some kind of rebound thing? Or maybe you really can’t decide between us.”
Dan’s expression changed. He began to laugh, which only infuriated Garnet more.
“Oh, so now it’s funny, too, is it?” She threw her hands in the air. “Give me a break. I hope I never see you again.” She banged on the down arrow button for the elevator and turned her back to him. “Why don’t you disappear?” she said through her clenched jaw. “Get lost!”
The elevator dinged and the doors parted. To her disappointment, it was empty. She did not want to ride in it alone with him. She stepped on and pressed the button for the lobby. “Don’t get on,” Garnet warned, her hand up.
“I am getting on,” Dan insisted, stepping in beside her. “Because there’s something you need to know.”
Garnet crossed her arms and watched the floor numbers light up as the elevator quickly descended.
“I was with Laura the other day because she needed someone to talk to. Her parents are splitting up and no one understands her family like I do. That day when I was supposed to meet you at Elizabeth’s house and my plans got cancelled — that was the day her parents broke the news. She was really freaked out. But there’s something else I have to tell you: Laura and I do go out together. We go out a lot. Usually with our friends. And that’ll never change. She’s kind of like a sister to me. But she’s not my girlfriend, Garnet. Never has been, never will be. Laura’s my cousin.”
The elevator stopped, the doors opened and they stepped out. People brushed past them as Garnet stood still and Dan waited for her reaction.
“Your cousin?” she repeated quietly, allowing the words to sink in. She could feel her face turning to a deep red.
“Yeah. I guess I should have told you. I thought you knew. Everyone else does.”
“Yeah, well, I guess I didn’t get that inside information. You know me. Kind of out of the loop. But what about that night at the park? Why was she looking at us so funny? And Michelle?”
“Oh, that,” Dan said with a slight shrug. “Laura and Michelle had been trying forever to set me up with this friend of theirs from soccer, especially because the formal’s coming up, and then suddenly you showed up. She was probably wondering what planet you dropped in from.”
“Oh!” Garnet gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. “I just thought of something. You wouldn’t believe what I said to her the other day.”
Dan chuckled. “Yeah, I know. She told me. It’s one of the reasons I came looking for you yesterday at Elizabeth’s. That, and I found out who the BMW belonged to. My grandfather told me.”
“I’m so embarrassed. I’ve been such a jerk.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Dan searched Garnet’s face and her heart turned over. “Look. I know you’ve had a tough time with your move but I want to be your friend. I hope you feel the same.”
Garnet nodded. “I do. But I don’t think I fit in.”
“Come on! What are you talking about? Of course, you do. Just be yourself.”
Garnet bit her lip. “But what about Laura? After what I said to her?”
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll laugh when she hears about the mix-up.” Dan waved a finger at her. “But you are going to have to start being a little nicer. I don’t think she’ll take this crap forever.” His face broke into a grin.
“I guess not,” Garnet replied, then her eyes danced with mischief. “Then again, maybe you should stop dating your cousins. Honestly ... “
Dan threw back his head and they both laughed. He opened his arms to hug her tight and whispered in her ear. “I missed you.”
“Missed you, too,” Garnet replied breathlessly.
He held her a moment longer and kissed her cheek. Then he glanced at the clock on the wall and straightened up. “I need to go. I wish I didn’t have to, but I work in half an hour.” He took her hand and led her around the corner, through the rotating glass door where they squeezed together in the same compartment and shuffled to the outside.
“Want a ride? I can drop you off on the way,” Dan offered.
Garnet shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I biked.”
Dan pulled her close and kissed her quickly on the lips. He pressed her fingers one more time, then started toward the parking garage. He had gone part of the way when he turned and looked back. “Hey,” he called out, “want to go to Elizabeth’s later and have another look at that cross?”
“Pick you up around eight?”
“Sure,” she agreed, smiling.
With a wave of his hand he was gone.