Love Me (30 page)

“Did he buy it?”

“Yeah. I think so. He said
I guess we won’t be needing this
and threw it in the trash. I got it out.”

“You get to soccer. I’m going to call Garrett then I’ll see if I can take the director out for a beer.”

“We have dress rehearsal tonight.”

“All the more reason the man will need a beer later.”

“Okay.”

I bite my lip to keep from crying.

He pats my back. “It’ll be okay. I’ll make sure.”

I walk like I’m going toward the field house, but I can’t. I’m close to a breakdown. 

I’m not a good enough actress to pretend anymore. 

Because, all of a sudden, it doesn’t feel as safe here anymore. 

And I really don’t want to have to leave.

I make a beeline for the chapel, knowing no one will be there.

I sit in a pew, crying and praying out loud. “Please don’t let it happen. Please don’t let anyone do it. Please don’t let him find . . .”

Aiden sits down next to me. “Don’t let him find who?”

My eyes get huge. What did I just say? What was I praying? What did he hear?

“Um, what did you just hear?”

“I heard what you just said.
Please don’t let him find
. . .”

“My friend. The friend I told you about before.”

“Did something happen to her?”

I close my eyes, fighting back more tears, but I can’t. I cover my face and start sobbing.

Aiden immediately pulls me into his chest and runs his hand down the back of my hair.

I get all my crying out of my system.

Then I look up at him and say, “You should be at football.”

“And you should be at soccer. Tell me what happened.”

I shake my head. “Nothing. She’s fine. It was just another scare. It shook me up, I guess. And I’m upset about something else.”

“What?”

“My little sister is turning three, and I’m going to miss her party.”

“Why?”

“Um, well, because her party is Monday. We have school.”

“Are they in France?”

“Not right now. My stepdad has business in Vancouver, so they’re celebrating there.”

He nods at me. “So, you should go. You can miss a couple of days of school. And the play will be over. It’s perfect timing. Heck, I’ll go with you if you want.”

“Oh, um, that’s really nice of you, Aiden, but it’s not necessary.”

“Does that mean you’ll go by yourself?”

I smile at him. “Yeah. You’re right. I should go.”

“I’m serious. If you change your mind and want company, I’ll go with you.”

“Thanks, Aiden.”

As we stand up, he hands me a crumpled piece of paper. “I think you dropped this.”

“Thanks,” I say, automatically. But then I see that it’s Vincent’s letter.

I can’t speak. 

“Are you thinking about doing this? You do kinda resemble her. And you want to act. This could be your big break.”

“No!” I yell at him. “I don’t want a break! I don’t look anything like her. I changed my mind. I don’t like being in the play. In fact, I hate it! I’m never acting again.”

He watches my outburst. 

“Um, okay. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Not really.”

He grabs my hands and puts his forehead against mine. “You can trust me, Boots. You can tell me anything.”

I stare into his emerald eyes and know deep within my soul that what he says is true. I know I can trust him. I want to trust him. 

But I can’t.

I wipe my eyes and say, “I have to get to soccer. Cooper will have my ass. Probably make me run stairs or something.”

“Yeah, I should get going too. You sure you’re okay?”

I take a deep breath. 

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

I hope.

I’m rushing to get out on the soccer field when Whitney steps out in front of me.

“You and Mr. Steele seem awfully cozy. You’re always sneaking around talking to him.”

“He’s my soccer coach.”

“What did you need that was so urgent? And don’t tell me it’s your ankle again. You were just running.”

“I almost passed out in soccer the other day.”

“You pregnant?”

“Uh, no.”

“Then why not just go see the nurse yourself . . .” She stops and stares at me with her mouth open. “Are you pregnant with
his
baby?”

“What? He’s been here for like a week. That’s not even possible.”

“Actually, he’s been here for two weeks now. It’s totally possible. Is that what was going on that day when he was yelling at you?” Her eyes get big again. “Did he rape you?”

“Oh, for god’s sake, Whitney. No. He’s nice. He would never do that.”

She grins at me. “Just how nice is he?”

“He’s my coach. There is nothing going on between us. I am not pregnant.”

She taps a finger on her chin. “Besides, how would you know if it’s his or Dawson’s?”

“That would be easy. If I was pregnant—which I am not—Dawson is the only possible father.”

She keeps standing in front of me, so I say, “Excuse me, I have to get to practice.”

I can’t let you do this.

3:25pm

“Cooper, I need to talk to you.”

“Sure, come in my office.”

He looks to make sure no one is around and then shuts the door.

“You were late for soccer.”

“I know. I was upset about the letter and needed a few minutes to pull myself together.” He nods in understanding as I pull the letter out of my bag. “Will you get rid of this?”

“Sure.” He flattens it out on his desk and stares at it as I talk.

“So a couple things. First thing, Whitney thinks I’m having your baby.”

“What the hell? Why?”

“Because she asked why you took me to the nurse’s office. I told her I felt like I was going to pass out in soccer the other day.”

“And out of
that
she decided you’re pregnant with my baby?”

“Apparently. I told her she was silly. But we need to be careful around her. She’s very manipulative and she wants you. She will keep going until she gets you.”

“She’s not going to get me. But you’re right. We’ll be more careful about what we talk about when she’s around. She did make a snide comment about you the other day.”

“Second thing, I’m going to Vancouver on Monday for my sister’s birthday party.”

“The hell you are.”

“No, I am.”

“With everything that’s going on, you want to go to the one place that he will expect you to turn up eventually?”

“Yeah, but here’s the thing. He’s going to be in Miami this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday doing auditions. He won’t be anywhere near Vancouver.”

Cooper closes his eyes and shakes his head. “I’m sure he’ll have someone at the airport. He can find out what airport you came from and pinpoint where you’ve been.”

“So we’ll take different flights. Different charters. Switch airports. That’s what we did when I came here.”

“No. No way.”

“Cooper, it's my life. My decision.”

“I can't let you do this.”

“You don't have a choice. I’m going. With or without you.” Then I soften my voice because I want him to know. “But I’d feel safer if it was with you.”

“God, you’re stubborn. Fine. I'll figure out a way. But it will be just you and me, no one else. You can't tell anyone.”

“I won’t.”

“I’ll work out the details. We’ll have to leave very early Monday morning.”

I smile at him as I walk out the door. “Whatever you say, Cooper.”

I’m barely out the door when I feel someone staring at me. 

I turn my head to see Whitney. The crinkle between her eyes is deep. 

I pray she didn't hear us talking about going to Vancouver. 

She starts to open her mouth, but I can't deal with her right now. I hold my hand up and say, “Mind your own business, Whitney.”

The big gesture.

6:50pm

Logan slumps down next to me before rehearsal starts.

“Lunch used to be my favorite time of the day. Now I hate it. Jake’s been sitting with us and he flirts with Maggie. Why can’t he just take her to his own table?”

“Because he got mad at Whitney. I don’t think he’ll go back there. And that’s saying a lot because Dawson is his best friend and he and Bryce still sit there. But that’s not really what matters. What matters is what you’re going to do about it.”

“There’s a romance movie that she loves. Where they talk about the big gesture.”

“Oh, I’ve seen that. Isn’t she the President’s daughter? And she goes off on what she thinks is an adventure through Europe with a dreamy guy but it turns out he’s really an agent protecting her?”

“Yeah, that’s the one.”

“That guy was hot.”

“That’s besides the point.”

“What is the point?”

“I want to make the big gesture. Win her back.”

“Logan, what really happened that night? I know she got drunk and slept with Parker, but why?”

“Why? Because she was drunk.”

“I know I didn’t know her then, but Maggie is a lot like me. She likes to party. She drinks. Gets tipsy. A little drunk. But never that out-of-control drunk where you don’t know what you’re doing. Something had to trigger it.”

Logan looks at the ground and sighs. Then he puts his face in his hands and shakes his head. “I was the trigger. We got in a fight that night.”

“What was the fight about?”

“A girl.”

“What girl?”

“Doesn’t matter. There was this girl that I was texting. Maggie saw the texts. It looked bad.”

“So you were cheating on her?”

“We never hung out. Only texted. But the texts were sexual. She went out that night, got drunk, and slept with Parker.”

“She rebounded.”

He nods sadly.

“You have to forgive her, Logan. Let it go.”

“I know. I want to. I’m just not sure what to say.”

“Then let’s script you a new ending. No. It will be a new beginning. What is your big gesture idea?”

“I was thinking of bringing her here. On stage. In front of the moon backdrop and telling her how I feel.”

Logan and I work together on the script. Figuring out what he should say.

“What do you think I should wear? Should I still be in my prince costume? Or would that be cheesy?”

“Sometimes cheesy is good.”

We continue our collaboration. Each of us writing down lines, crossing them out, and then rewriting.

“Logan, you can’t say death by paper cuts. That’s not romantic.”

“Okay, well scratch that. What do you think I should say?”

I think for a second. “Oh! I know the perfect line,” I say, quickly writing it down.

“That’s really deep, if you think about it. How did you come up with that?”

I smile. “Someone said it to me once.”

“They were right. It’s almost like coming full-circle. Maggie and I started out together and hopefully we’ll end up together.”

“Full-circle. I never thought of it that way before. So are you going to do anything else? Flowers, maybe?”

“What kind?”

“You know, lots of flowers have specific meanings attached to them. Let me look it up on my phone. Well, let’s see. Daffodils represent new beginnings and unrequited love. That might be a good one. Oh, wow, I didn’t know this. Lavender roses represent love at first sight. Did you and Maggie have that?”

“Love at first sight? No, not really. It was maybe more love at first kiss. Our first kiss was memorable.”

“Tell me about it.”

“She came to my lacrosse game. I scored the winning goal, and she came down to congratulate me. I grabbed her and kissed her. Very spur-of-the-moment. She was surprised by it. Hell, I was surprised by it. Up until then, we’d just been friends. And it isn’t the kiss that I really remember; it’s after. The way she looked into my eyes. I fell in love with her then and there.”

I do a little happy clap. “That’s so adorable.”

Logan rolls his eyes at me. “Do you really think this script will work? What if Maggie doesn’t say what she’s supposed to?”

“I think she will say most of it. Or something close. And if not, ad-lib. Just remember the order. Apology. Confess your love. Full-circle line. True love’s kiss. Flowers.”

“I better get up there. Thanks, Keatyn.”

Aiden’s backpack hits the floor, startling me. “What’d you do?” he asks.

“Oh, uh, helped him with a script. He’s hoping to win back Maggie.”

“He’s been miserable.”

“I know.” 

Dawson plops down on the other side of me. “Hey, Keatie, can’t wait to see you in that sexy little costume. Giddy up.” Then he goes, “Oh, hey, Aiden. Didn’t see you sitting there. You here to watch dress rehearsal too?”

Aiden curls his hands into a ball. “Yeah.”

I smile at Aiden and run my finger across his fist, hoping it will calm him down. 

“I have to go get ready. Enjoy the play, boys!” 

Dawson is waiting for me by the stage door. He’s clearly trying to mark his territory. I need to talk to him. I haven’t kissed him since Aiden kissed me with his tongue. And I don’t want to. 

“So, what did you think of the play?”

“I thought you looked sexy.”

“What did you think of the rest of the play?”

“It was good. Kinda funny. Some people messed up.”

“That’s why you have a dress rehearsal. The show will be much better.”

“Are you coming back to my room?”

“Actually, yeah.”

Aiden walks up to me with a big grin on his face. I can tell he wants to talk to me.

“Aiden, I’m going to walk back to the dorms with Dawson. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

Aiden looks pissed, but then his face softens and he says, “Vous avez volé le spectacle.”

His comment makes me beam, and blush. “Thank you.”

Dawson grabs my hand and pulls me outside. “What did he just say to you?”

“He said I stole the show.” I seriously can’t stop smiling. 

When we get in his room, Dawson immediately tries to kiss me. “I really was waiting for you naked the other night.”  

“Um, Dawson?”

He looks at me sexily, expectantly. “What, Keatie?”

“Remember how you said when I felt like stopping that’s how I’d know.”