The Truth About Us (16 page)

Matt's face is wide with surprise. I've never seen Rich get out of his chair, and by the look on Jackson and Riley's faces I don't think anyone has.

Rich pulls me tighter to his side. "You'll leave because you respect that this young lady has a job to do. A job that your arrogance is making harder for her. You'll leave simply because she asked you to. You'll walk out that door with your dignity as a man because no real man lords his size over a woman to intimidate her. Surely your momma taught you that?"

I even feel the sting of his words. Matt's face goes the deepest red, and I'm not sure if its anger, embarrassment or shame, but whatever it is he shoves past us and slams the metal door making me jump.

I slip out from under Rich's arm and make a straight line for my purse. Just as I pop the pill under my tongue there's a hand on my lower back, and I'm wondering why everybody feels the need to touch me. Like if they aren’t there to hold me up, I’ll crumble. Is it that obvious? Warm breath on the side of my face and whispers in my ear make me close my eyes while the medication calms me. Okay, this touch is welcomed.

"You okay?" Corbin's voice is soothing, and I lean into him.

"I'm fine. Thanks to Rich. I have no idea why I thought I could step in like that. Kayla probably would have punched that guy in the face."

"You're fuckin’ right I would’ve." Kayla appears on my other side uncapping a bottle of whiskey. She's glaring at Corbin's hand on me, but there's some sort of conflict behind her eyes. "Matt’s just a dick though. You did fine. Here, this will help." She slides a shot glass toward me and picks up one of her own.

I am not supposed to drink when I take this medication because all it does is make me a cheap drunk who gets wicked hangovers.

"Here, I need you to go over this order for the booze before you do anything else. I gave it to your dad, but you know how that goes..." Her voice trails off as she hands Corbin the paper. I can tell she's not sure how much I know from the way she looks at me. Corbin takes the sheet with one hand and scans it. His other hand is still on my back, gently rubbing it back and forth.

"Did you go off last year’s?" he asks.

Kayla nods.

"We didn't run out last year, did we?"

Kayla shakes her head.

"Then it's probably fine. I trust you,” Corbin says, and this weird emotion passes between them that I can feel but don't know what it means. I am thinking his words have more than one meaning.

Kayla takes the paper back and leaves Corbin and I alone.

"What was that about?" I ask. Corbin pulls me to him quickly and kisses the side of my head.

"You and Kayla won't have any more problems." He winks at me and goes back to his friends.

"But-" I start and Corbin faces me again standing in the middle of the bar. He stretches out his arms and speaks loudly.

"I told you, Sweet Sophia. I'm not keeping you a secret."

Chapter Eighteen

Corbin

Her face is so red I have to laugh. But it's true. I don't want her to be a secret. And I talked to Kayla. Mostly about the Bash but a little about Sophia.

"You actually like this girl?" Kayla crossed her arms and leaned against the desk. I shrugged, and she laughed because she knows what my shrugs means.

"You barely know her, Corbin."

"Well there's really only one way to get to know her." I tried to keep the undercurrent of straight fear out of my voice.

"By fucking her?"

That time I laughed. "Not everything is about sex, Kayla."

"Wow. You, like, really-really like her."

I shrugged again. But yeah, I just couldn’t admit it. Not to Kayla.

"Fine," Kayla slugged me in the chest. "I'll stop being a bitch. But I still think you're a goddamn asshole."

"Which means your opinion of me hasn't changed much." I said, and she rolled her eyes.

Kayla is crazy, but she has her reasons. She hasn’t exactly had a dream life either.

I sit with my friends and watch Kayla talking to Sophia about the Bash. She even manages a real smile which makes Sophia look at me with this quizzical look.

“One look. I told ya boy.” Rich pulls me from my thoughts, and I shake my head.

“I still don’t believe in that shit, Richie.” I bump his beer with mine and turn to Jackson.

“So what’s the deal with Matt? I haven’t seen that guy in ages, and he suddenly wants to fight you?” I ask.

“Nah, man. Matt got wasted, and his old lady kicked him out. The neighbors called the cops and he wasn’t having it. I had to choke him out to get him in the car, and now he’s pissed at me.” Jackson takes a haul off his beer and shrugs. Riley shakes his head.

Suddenly a hand slides across my back and I spin quickly. Sophia walks past me, but her arms go around Rich’s neck, and she hugs him.

“My hero.” Sophia smiles and kisses his cheek loudly. Rich takes her hands in his and pats them. “I want to buy you a drink, for saving me.”

Rich’s smile wrinkles up his face making him look ten years older, but his eyes are still full of life. “Be careful how you touch an old man, Sophie dear. My heart ain’t as good as it used to be.”

“Not to mention, Ruth would come back from the dead to fight for her man.” Jackson laughs. “Ya did good, Sophia. I would have gotten into a lot of shit for that, even if I am off duty.”

“Oh,” Sophia blushes and I get this surge through me that I don’t understand. I stand abruptly and pull my smokes from my pocket and nod to her.

“Join me?” I start moving, knowing that she’ll follow. There are very few people in here, so it’s not like she’s really doing anything.

The door slams open, and I step out. As soon as she makes it over the threshold I grab her waist and press her against the brick wall. Her breath comes out in an ‘oh’ and I crush her mouth with mine.

“Corbin,” she says all hushed and I can no longer control my hands. “What’s this about?” But she doesn’t stop me from trailing down her neck.

“It’s about nothing. I just can’t seem to stop myself. You do something to me I can’t figure out.”

“That’s flattering, but technically I’m working. Can we figure out this thing I do later?” She is still clinging to me, our bodies pressed together tightly.

“You’re such a good girl,” I tease her, but stop kissing her shoulder to try and start the process of calming myself down.

She laughs. “I’m not really. It’s all part of the lie, Corbin. Just like you being an asshole. I think it’s just an act.”

I step back from her and grin. “Oh, come on?”

She shakes her head. “I’ve never seen it. You have been nothing but a kind, careful, gentleman.” She’s mocking me now.

“Ouch. You’re ruining my reputation.” I say as she runs her hands down my chest and stomach, hooking her fingers into my pants.

“You have my attention,” I say, glancing at her fingers and she smiles. She pulls me into her, and I have to brace myself on the wall.

“I thought you came out here for a cigarette?” she asks and kisses me once before pushing me back.

“Tragic, Sophia. This is the beginning of my end. I hope you know that.”

“You’re a drama queen.” She leans in for one more kiss. “I have to get back to work. Saturday comes soon, according to my slave driver.”

“Don’t forget tomorrow is set up. You think she’s bad now?”

Sophia rolls her eyes as she hauls open the door.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow. You’ll come with me and Garett
.” 

xxx

Tomorrow comes with a hangover and a lonely sleep without the girl I so desperately want in my bed. A girl that somehow managed to maneuver her way into my soul.

Over coffee, I scroll through our text message conversation and think Brenda was right the day I waited for her first phone call. I’m twelve. And pathetic.

The conversation was nothing more than flirting and random truth questions ranging from favorite color to worst movie ever made to craziest place she’s ever had sex. Which she didn’t answer.

My phone beeps in my hand and I swipe my thumb over the screen to read it.

Warning: Mom alert. Please Corbin. It’s very important.

My heart plummets but before I can react the phone rings. I just stare at it.

Unknown number.

But I know who it is.

“Are you going to answer it telepathically?” Garett asks across the kitchen table, and I jump.

Hit talk.

“Yeah?” My mouth feels dry as beach sand and just as gritty.

“Corbin?” Mom’s voice sounds exactly like it did last time I spoke with her, over three years ago.

Why did I answer the fucking phone?

“Yeah.” I answer her, and I hear a choking sound. Mom’s crying, and it pushes and pulls all these things within me making it hard to focus. I push away from the table and take the stairs to my room.

“I’m sorry. I promised I wouldn’t cry if you picked up. It’s just-” Mom starts, her voice coming in hiccups. I push open my window and climb out one handed. By the time I get to my little flat spot, she’s gotten herself somewhat together, but I’m just starting to fall apart. I can’t stand the sound of her voice, but I miss her. I want to yell and cry. To tell her to go fuck herself because of how she betrayed our family, but still I keep her secret. I protect her.

“Gaby texted. Said it would be important.” I don’t mean for my voice to sound so harsh, but years spent hating your mother takes its toll. I’ve convinced myself she’s the only one at fault, but every day that I keep my mouth shut, I become more and more like her. I hate being reminded of it.

“Right. I’m sorry.”

“You said that already.”

She sighs deeply. “Corbin, I am calling to ask if you know a girl named Sophia Ross.”

My whole world stops at the sound of her name.

“How do you know Sophia?” I feel the tension coil up all the muscles in my shoulders and back.

“So you have met her?”

“Yeah, she works at dad’s bar.”

“Yes. Her mother said she took a job at a bar. That’s why I called. I was hoping that you would know her. I would have had Gaby do it because I know you don’t want to speak to me, but it’s official police business. I needed to speak with you personally.”

Everything that was stopped a moment ago starts working at full speed. My mind whirls with thoughts.

Police Business?

“Corbin?” Mom asks after a long silence where I try to grasp at anything happening inside my head.

“How do you know Sophia?” I ask again.

“Her mother hasn’t heard from her in over a month. She called me the other day in a complete panic. Wants to put out a missing persons, but I said I’d call around first.”

“Her mom called you?” The incredulous tone of my voice is thick, and I can’t wrap my mind around it yet.

“She did. I guess Sophia’s phone was disconnected, and Elizabeth just thought it was Sophia acting out. Making a point. But she’s worried and just needs to know Sophia’s okay.” Her voice is probing, like there’s more to her words than I’m realizing.

“Sophia's fine. You can tell her mom that. She just wanted time. Space. She’ll call when she’s ready, I’m sure of it.” I don’t bother to hide that the statement has a double meaning. Mom’s smart. I know she picked up on it.

“I’ll be sure to let her know. Thanks, Corbin. I’ll let you go now.”

“Mom?” I say, and I hear the tremble in her voice on the other end. “Mom, why would Sophia’s mom call you specifically?”

“I was the responding officer when Sophia drowned in the Kitalan Lakes region. Her family trusts me, and they miss her.”

“I’m sorry, what? She said she
almost
drowned a few years back.”

“Oh, no sweetie, she was dead. There were two of them.”

I’m silent for a long time as I think back to the day at Mills Lake when she told me about her fear of the water. She didn’t tell me there was someone else. “What happened to the other person?” There’s a hesitation that says I don’t want to know the answer. How could she not have mentioned this part?

“There was very little time. We had to choose. Him or her. It was my call, and logically it had to be her, or we would have lost both of them. What a tragic story. I really don’t blame her for trying to put it behind her.”

Mom talks like we’re just having small talk about some distant mutual friend. She has no idea what this means to me. But how could she.

The fog in my mind coats everything in a thick haze and I start to shut down. I can’t listen to this anymore. I can’t talk about this. I can’t talk to
her
about this.