“Did you get my note?” she asked casually and I almost laughed.
“The one on the back of my Biology notes?”
“Um, no,” she shook her head emphatically. “The one that explained my addiction?”
She was serious. “Oh, right. That one.”
She broke into a relieved smile, “Ok, good. Well, I just got out.” When I made no expression or move to say something, she continued, “Of rehab and I’m here as part of my…. um, steps. I’m here to apologize. To make amends.” She announced this with a flourish as if I should start getting excited.
“Did you bring back all my furniture?” I asked slowly, even though it didn’t matter anymore. I came clean to my parents and my brothers. I told them all about my roommate problems and how she stole all my money and furniture. I even introduced them to Fin at Beckett’s last home game. They immediately adored him.
I couldn’t help feeling shocked. And when they invited us both up to the house for a weekend I accepted. I was working on this whole family thing. And Fin was more than eager to encourage me.
“Uh, no, that’s been gone for a….” she cleared her throat nervously, “A while. Didn’t I explain that in the note? I thought I put in something about that.” She cleared her throat again.
“No, you didn’t. You explained you have a gambling addiction but you failed to mention why you needed to steal all of my furniture.”
After one more throat clear and in a very small voice she said, “Ellie, I really am sorry. I screwed up, I know that. And you suffered because of it. My actions hurt you. Please forgive me. I wasn’t myself at the time.”
I wanted to stay angry at her, especially when I could blame her for so many things. But at the same time because of her some really, really good things happened too. And if my parents could let go of all the missing furniture with a shrug and a careless, “Oh well, they were on their way to Goodwill anyway. I’m sure your Aunt Trudy will have more for you when she redoes her great room.” Then so could I.
I hesitated though and Tara asked again in a broken voice, “I really am sorry, Ellie. I probably hurt you the most. Please forgive me?”
I nodded. “Ok, Tara. I forgive you. I don’t understand why you did what you did, but I hope that you’re better now. And I’m over it, so no more worries.”
Relief broke out across her face and she immediately rocked back on her heels like a physical weight had been taken off of her. “Great, that’s really, really great.”
Awkward silence ensued where we just kind of looked around the hallway and apartment for a while. Finally Tara grew some balls, some really, really big ones, because she suddenly asked, “So, is my room still empty? Can I move back in?”
I really wanted to say, “Lesson learned biotch.” But that was not the highroad, so instead I said, “Sorry, someone moved in two weeks ago.”
“Oh, Ok,” her shoulders slumped and she looked so defeated I almost offered her a hug. Almost. “Oh, before I forget my parents wanted me to give you this.” She handed me a plain white envelope.
I opened it, so curious to see what was inside I couldn’t wait. My mouth dropped open when I looked down at the ten thousand dollar cashier’s check made out to me. “What is this?” I gasped.
“It’s everything I owe you. I’m making, uh, reparations. Or whatever. I figured you probably had to pay off that poker thing since I played it in your name and then the rest is for what I got from your furniture and the back rent.” She explained everything so matter of factly, so casually that her words barely penetrated my shock.
It was my turn to clear my throat, “So, this is….? How can you just write me this check?”
“My parents are loaded,” she admitted on another shrug.
“So the gambling? The stealing?” I pressed, gripping the check like it had legs and could get up and walk away from me.
“I was acting out. I felt my parents tried to buy my love with material possessions and money and so I used that against them in a hurtful and offensive way.” Tara was just regurgitating everything she’d obviously learned in therapy and I had to wonder if anything had stuck.
But at the same time it wasn’t really my problem.
“Alright, well, I’m on my way out, so I’ll see you later,” I closed the door behind me and locked it quickly, making a mental note to call my superintendent and get them to change my locks this afternoon.
“Bye, Ellie,” Tara said with more enthusiasm than I’d ever heard out of her. “For the record, you’re a pretty chill roommate.”
I smiled at her but kept making my getaway, “Tara, for the record, you suck as a roommate.”
----
“Come here,” Fin demanded as soon as I walked in his apartment.
“So bossy,” I complained on my way to do exactly as he commanded. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me until I was breathless and needy. “I thought we had a poker game to watch,” I murmured when he finally pulled away.
“Mmm.” He moved his mouth to my ear, paying special attention to every spot that drove me wild.
“Wait, wait,” I gasped. “I have something to show you.”
He groaned but stepped back just enough so he could keep his arms around me. “This better be good,” he warned.
“Oh it is,” I smiled and held up the check. “Guess who I ran into in the hallway.”
“Who?”
“My ex-roommate.”
“Tara the Tw-“
“Uh, uh-huh,” I shook my head quickly. Britte’s favorite moniker had caught on quickly with my brothers and Fin. I still didn’t allow it to be finished. “But yes, you are correct. She was making reparations and came to apologize for all her misdeeds.”
“Instead of forgiving her, did you thank her?” Fin grinned down at me.
“Uh, no. I made her sweat and then at the very end I bestowed upon her my benevolent forgiveness.”
He chuckled and I felt the rumble of his body glide over me. Good grief, I loved this man so much.
“Of course you did. So what are you going to do with all that money?”
“Pay back Ty of course!”
“What? Ellie, you don’t’ have to do that. It’s my debt; I’ll take care of it.” And I could see just how stubborn he was going to be about this.
“You’re wrong,” I reminded him gently. “This seven thousand dollars has always belonged to Tara and this is finally her money to pay it off. We’ll give it to Ty.”
“And the rest of it?” he asked through a smile that made my knees weak and my heart ache in my chest I loved it so much.
“I was thinking about maybe putting it in savings and increasing my food budget.”
“You mean, branching out beyond Ramen Noodles?” Fin asked dryly.
“Exactly.”
“Probably a good plan,” Fin agreed and then started kissing me again. “Oh wait!” He pulled away so fast that I followed him with my eyes still closed. I opened them, lips still impatiently waiting more of his kisses. He was grinning down at me. “God, I love those lips.” He stared down at me for a few more sEconds as if he was going to forget whatever it was he wanted to tell me and get right back to kissing me.
I was all for that.
“Tell me, quickly. I want to do a lot more of what we were just doing.” I shook him where my arms were holding onto his biceps.
“Oh right, I got something in the mail today too.” Fin reached into his back pocket and pulled out a form letter. Holding it up so I could see he exclaimed, “I got in.”
“To Pritzker? Really?” I yelped. “Fin, congratulations!”
“Thank you,” he said humbly.
Pritzker was a fantastic med school located in Chicago and only four hours away. He would get to go to a really good school and still be close to home. Declan was moving into his new home in three weeks and Fin would get to see him settled in and adjusted before he moved to Chicago in the middle of the summer.
I would be staying here, of course, at UW-LA, near my
family and his. I even knew what I wanted to major in, starting next year. I decided I would like to pursue a career in family psychology.
Go figure.
“So what do you think?” Fin asked carefully. “Are you Ok with long distance?”
“Are you kidding? I’ve been dying for long distance. I cannot wait to get away from you,” I smirked at him and then nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck.
“Is that so?” he asked in his deep, sexy voice.
“Mmm-hmmm” I kissed his neck and then his jaw. “I’m definitely going to miss all the kissing though. That I will for sure miss.”
“What are the chances I’m going to get a good head start on all that kissing we’re going to have to give up?”
“Depends,” I threw out sassily, “Are you a gambling man?”
Acknowledgments
God, always to you. Always first.
Zach, thank you. That will never be enough, but for now it’s all I have. Thank you for all that you do, for the dinners you make and lunches you bring to me in my writing cave. Thank you for raising our children, for being an incredible father and a devoted husband. Thank you for encouraging me and for telling me when to just get over it. Thank you for your support. Thank you for making this cover. Really thank you for giving me fantastic material for every hot make out scene and sexy kiss. But most of all, thank you for your unending love.
Mom, thank you for all your support and hours upon hours of babysitting. You help make my stories possible. And I appreciate everything you do for me and the kids. But you weren’t supposed to read this one.
Jenn Nunez, the greatest editor, thank you for making this book and all my others readable. Thank you for making them make sense. Thank you for making me see when there needs to be more and when there needs to be less. Thank you for accepting the double dash. And most of all thank you for being such an amazing friend and support system!
Miriah and Candice thank you for being my beta readers!! I value your opinions and honesty so much. And Miriah I know I can trust you with every single thing fashion.
Lindsay, Bridget, Diana, Candice, Miriah, Brooke and Ashley, thank you for all your excitement, for your encouragement and for always wanting to read something I write. You girls are great friends and I am so blessed to know each of you!!!
Michelle Leighton, Lila Felix, Shelly Crane, Angeline Kace, Amy Bartol, Samantha Young, Quinn Loftis and Georgia Cates, you ladies are the cream of the crop. I am so blessed by our friendship and so blessed just to know you all! I am so thankful for your support and advice. You girls are rocking this world and I’m just lucky to be a part of it.
Finally, to my readers, thank you for taking a chance on something different from me. Contemporary was out of my comfort zone, but it was so much fun and I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for sticking with me and supporting what I write! I do this for you!!! Thank you for being the coolest people in the world.
About the Author
Rachel Higginson was born and raised in Nebraska, but spent her college years traveling the world. She married her high school sweetheart and spends her days raising their growing family. She is obsessed with bad reality TV and any and all Young Adult Fiction.
Look for more from Rachel in 2013.
Other books by Rachel to be released in 2013 are Sunburst, the second book in the Starbright Series, The Relentless Warrior, the sixth book The Star-Crossed Series and The Fall, the second book in the Siren Series.
Other Books Out Now by Rachel Higginson:
Reckless Magic (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 1)
Hopeless Magic (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 2)
Fearless Magic (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 3)
Endless Magic (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 4)
The Reluctant King (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 5)
Starbright (The Starbright Series, Book 1)
The Rush (The Siren Series, Book 1)
Follow Rachel on her blog at:
www.rachelhigginson.com
Or on Twitter:
@mywritesdntbite
Or on her Facebook pages:
Rachel Higginson
Or
Reckless Magic
Keep Reading for an Excerpt from Rachel’s newest paranormal romance The Rush, and a chapter from her best-selling book Reckless Magic. Plus, a chapter from Lila Felix’s newest contemporary NA Anguish.
Please enjoy an excerpt from The Rush, out now.
“Ah, Ms. Pierce, I wish I could say I was happy to see you,” Mrs. Tanner, the evil witch of a secretary, acknowledged me with a smug smirk that seemed to confirm the fact that yes, in case you were wondering, high school is the ninth ring of hell.
“Oh, Mrs. Tanner, I wish I could say the same thing,” I replied as sweetly as I could. I met her halfway with a long counter in between us.
She was not amused with me.
“You can’t miss anymore school Ivy,” Mrs. Tanner warned and I realized it was practically painful for her to give me advice to heed. This must be coming from the principal, the male principal Mr. Costas. “At least not this semester, unless you have a written note from your doctor. Mr. Costas would like to remind you that you are going to have to work hard enough to catch up this late in the quarter and that skipping, ditching or taking unnecessary sick days will not benefit you toward your goal of graduation.”
“Tell Mr. Costas, I appreciate that he’s looking out for me,” I answered in that same sickly sweet voice I used to annoy the hell out of her.
She ignored me. “Here is your class schedule.”
“Thank you.” I snatched it from her hand and turned on my heel before she offered anymore unsolicited advice.
“The faculty of this school would also like to ask that you not send any more of its students to the hospital,” she called out snidely to my back.
I tensed immediately, my back ramrod straight and my nerves shot to sudden hell. “I’ll do my best,” I ground out and picked up pace.
I just needed to get to the glass door, push it open and get to class.
Fifteen more seconds.
“If you have any extra cash on you, that canister by the door is for Sam’s recovery fund,” she finished on a high note.
I couldn’t help myself. I should have just bolted; and not just from the office, from school, from Omaha, from America…. I should have just gone.
But instead of listening to the sound voice of reason my inner conscience was screaming at me, I let the rotting guilt spread its ugly, vicious wings and glanced down at the canister. There he was. Sam. Smiling and happy in his senior picture that was not at all indicative of what he looked like now…..
The canister was covered with construction paper asking for donations to help with his physical therapy and explaining that he used to be a senior at this school, that he used to be a basketball star, and that he used to be able to walk…. The same life he never got the chance to live before a car accident changed his world forever. The plastic cover had a slit cut out of the top so you could drop money into it, long enough for coins and wide enough for folded up dollar bills.
I couldn’t do this.
I didn’t want to do this.
I felt my breakfast lurch in my very upset stomach. I lunged for the office door knowing even a second more spent trapped in the same room as that canister was going to send me into another breakdown.
Only this time there would be serious consequences to pay.
I threw the door open without seeing. I mean literally I couldn’t see anything. My mind had slipped into the horrific memories of the past and I was pretty sure I could make a solid plea for temporary insanity at this point.
So when I shoved the door with as much force as I was capable of and met shouting resistance and then found myself tripping, toppling over something on the floor, I was completely taken off guard. The situation was made worse when in the middle of my fall I was drenched with severely hot liquid and landed painfully on my back, soaking wet. r />
I lay there for several moments sprawled out awkwardly on the hard tile before the clearest, deepest gray eyes I had ever seen hovered over me. His thick brow line and hard edges to his tanned face prove he was male, definitely male. Our gazes locked together and I felt uncomfortably immobilized as the liquid I could now identify as coffee started to cool on my shirt and against my skin.
And then those eyes narrowed on me. My eyes flickered to a face that was completely unreadable, in that I couldn’t identify his expression except that it wasn’t good. Like…. he was mad at me. Like, he was pissed at me.
“Let me up,” I growled, confused by his less than stellar reaction.
“Excuse me?” he asked politely, schooling his expression and realistically sounding polite, like he hadn’t heard me correctly.
“Let me up,” I slowed my speech down, thinking he just hadn’t heard me, probably because he was so disconcerted from staring into my eyes.
I’m not being stuck up here. That’s just usually what happened. I was speaking from experience.
“No problem.” He scooted back from me and I scrambled to my feet. He joined me seconds later with two empty coffee cups in his hand.
We both side stepped the spilled coffee puddled in the hallway and I thought for a second that I heard him huff an impatient sigh, but I knew that had to be wrong.
The halls were empty now, and we were left to stare each other down in front of the office. I prayed Mrs. Tanner had gone back to hiding in her hole of a break room; otherwise I needed to be concerned with her swooping down at any moment to haul my ass to the principal’s office. If I was lucky she would demand a detention, but more than likely she would be petitioning for a suspension. She would use this or any other thing she could find against me.
Like I assaulted gray eyes with his hot coffee in an attempt to end any promising future he might have. Like this would be related in some way to Sam.