Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 140742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
That makes me laugh. I lean in and kiss him. “Go. I’ll be fine.”
He sighs and gets out of bed, taking his vibrating phone out of his pocket and answering with a snap, “What?” He pauses. “I’ll be there in two minutes.”
He hangs up and shoves it back in his pocket, turning to me. “Damian is waiting for me downstairs.”
“Be nice. He got your car back for you.”
He makes a little grunt of acknowledgement and grabs the handle of his small suitcase. “Do you want me to open the blinds?”
“Nah. I think I’m going to skip my morning run. I’ll probably go to my mom’s later and hang out with her for a while.”
He takes a step toward me and curses when his phone starts vibrating again. He leans down and kisses me one last time.
“I love you,” I say, smiling up at him.
“I love you more.”
He leaves and answers his phone again on his way out, cursing at Damian, I assume. When I turn my phone on, I have a slew of texts from multiple people—Damian, Livie, my mother, and Leo. My stomach hurts when I see that one and I open it first.
Leo: I apologize about yesterday. I hope you understand why I could not show your friend those papers and why I rushed out of there the way I did. I’m looking for the video now. I’ll let you know.
I read his text again. Finn, Olivia, and now Damian have planted important questions in my head, “Why is he helping you? What does he get out of it?” That was a conversation that ended up with me feeling like crap. “You’re too trusting,” “You care too much,” “Not everyone is like you. People don’t do things out of the kindness of their hearts.” All true statements. Sad, but true. I open and respond to the rest of the texts and save my mother’s for last.
Mom: making mangú and queso frito for breakfast tomorrow after church
That makes me grin. It’s not a signature dish in her culture, but it is in my dad’s—plus it’s my favorite—so she makes it from time to time when she can find good green plantains. I let her know I’ll be there and stay in bed a little longer, focusing on Finn’s scent on the sheets and pushing away the darkness that threatens to take me under.
54
JOSSLYN
My phone buzzes for the third time with a call from Titus and I rush out of the quiet floor in the library.
“Hey.”
“Did you ever speak to Tate?”
I frown. “No. Why?”
“He didn’t show up at court today.”
My stomach drops. “What?”
“He’s not answering my calls. I don’t know what to think.” He lets out a breath, and I can tell he’s walking briskly. Probably at the courthouse. “I went by his place the other day after you called and it looked like he had company, so I kept driving.”
I walk to a column and lean against it for support. My very first thought is Onyx, then Mallory. There’s no way Tate knows that we suspect anything. He never returned my calls, and the texts I sent were just asking him to call me back. This is very unlike Tate, though.
“I’ll call his mom,” I say.
“Keep me posted. I’m at the courthouse now covering for him.” He hangs up.
I call Tate’s mother, but it goes straight to voicemail.
“Hey, Virginia, it’s Josslyn. I was just wondering if you know where Tate is. He didn’t show up for work today and we’re worried. Please call me back.” I hang up and stay pressed against the wall for a few minutes.
Tate’s parents are always traveling, which could explain the call going straight to voicemail. She’s probably on a flight. Even as I tell myself that, something feels wrong. My knees are shaky when I start to walk to my car, but I manage to drive home. When I get to my building, I start moving my clothes to Finn’s apartment. It’s absolutely crazy, and fast, but moving in with him feels right. Oddly enough, my mother, the woman who, to this day, doesn’t allow me to be alone with boys in my room, was the one who convinced me to do this.
I’m multitasking—carrying clothes in one hand and scheduling posts for my social media in the other—when I decide to do a live video. It’s been a while since I’ve done one, and I feel like this is a milestone worth sharing. I haven’t confirmed any rumors about me and Finn, but there are pictures of us everywhere now.
I hit record and start filling them in on what’s happening, starting with basketball practice being on again. I answer some of the questions that pop up and keep talking. Finally, I leave my clothes on the bed and walk to the couch.
“So, I’m moving in with someone,” I say, unable to fight my grin. “I’ve never lived with anyone before, so it’ll be interesting, but when you know, you know, right?” I bite my lip. “Any advice?”