A Good Boy Is Hard to Find (The Naughty List #3)(36)
Author: Suzanne Young

“How do you know where he is all the time?” She was right. I didn’t want to believe it. I’d just gotten off the phone with him. I … I …

“He’s a little hard to miss, Tessa. Six two and gorgeous doesn’t usually avoid my line of vision. Look, I’m sorry that I’m telling you this. And I’m sorry that I screwed things up between the two of you.”

“I have to talk to him,” I murmured, looking around the room and feeling confused. Would Aiden really do this? No. No, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t.

“I can’t keep this from the squad,” she said. “But if you want to be the one to tell them …”

I nodded absently, tears forming in my eyes. Chloe got up, staring at me compassionately. I’d been wrong about so many things. Maybe I was wrong about her, too.

“I’ll see you later,” she said quietly, but as she went to pass me, she paused. Then, confirming that she was indeed from another universe, she bent down to hug me awkwardly. “I’m sorry.”

I patted her arm in acknowledgment and waited at the table until she was gone. When I heard the door click shut … I sobbed. Fine. I’d admit it: I was still in love with Aiden. I missed him more than I could stand. I didn’t want to go on without him.

But this—this was it. Worse than Mary. Worse than anything any cheater had ever done. I’d spent so long trying to get myself together, and yet I was sabotaging myself at every turn.

Joel cared about me—the real me. And I’d been unfair to him. I’d used Kira as the excuse when, really, I was waiting for Aiden. For him to figure out a way to win me back. But now that was gone. He was gone.

I sniffled and then shook my head to clear it. I knew what I had to do. Grabbing my crutches, I went to my room and flopped down at my desk, turning on my computer. I signed into my e-mail and opened Joel’s message, reading it once more.

I felt my muscles tense, determination burning my skin. Then I hit reply.

“Yes. I’ll be your girlfriend,” I wrote.

Then I hit send.

“Aiden?” Leona screamed into the phone. “I was right from the beginning?”

I leaned back into my sofa, my leg resting on the coffee table. “I guess you were. Chloe said she got the lead from Blaze and investigated it.”

“She’s good.”

“Yeah. Did you know that Aiden was dropping out of WSU?”

“Really? Why?”

“Don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore.” I stared blankly ahead, shutting off all of my feelings so that I could do what needed to be done.

“He was acting weird at Rick’s party,” she said. “Total buddy-buddy toward Blaze at first. Maybe he recognized me, and that was why he started acting tough. I wonder what he would have said if I wasn’t there.”

“I have no idea.”

We were quiet for a long moment. “Do you want me to confront him?” Leona asked gently.

“No. It should be me. This is all my fault anyway.”

“It is not. How could you—” She stopped. “Ugh. It’s my other line. Chris again.”

Huh. “Why is he calling?”

“Probably because I left him a voice mail, calling him an ignoramus. He’s probably trying to find out what it means.”

I laughed. “Why are you leaving messages like that?”

“I don’t know.” She sighed. “I saw him at Sid’s late last night, and he wouldn’t even acknowledge me. So I threw my iced tea at him and walked out. Sid is going to be vicious next time.”

“Yikes.”

“Well, I should answer,” she said. “Maybe he’ll apologize.”

“Good luck.” With that we hung up, and I dropped the phone to my side, resting my head against the back pillow. Leona was a good friend.

The phone rang again, startling me, and I wondered if Chris hadn’t exactly apologized.

“You okay?” I said in greeting.

“I’m feeling pretty great now that I just got your e-mail.”

“Joel!” I was flooded with relief. Just hearing his voice set me at ease, and I couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I teased.

“Really? See, there’s this girl …”

I laughed. He was so squeezy and adorable.

“And I asked her out—by e-mail even—and she—”

“By e-mail? That’s kind of weird.”

“Right? But she said yes anyway. I think she must be in love with me or something.”

I bit down on my lip, practically hugging myself. “Or something.”

“Anyways, I just had to tell someone. Wait until you meet her. She’s amazing.”

“How amazing?”

“Beautiful, funny. Very shiny and sparkly.”

“I do love sparkles.”

“Oh, you’ll like her,” he said. “I know I do.” He ended it with a very serious tone, and all at once, I was desperate to see him. I couldn’t stand the thought of being alone anymore.

“Do you want to come over for a little bit?” I asked.

He paused. “Yes.” And he hung up. I laughed and put down the phone, slowly getting up from the couch and grabbing my crutches.

I felt better already. I was moving on, and, yes, I still needed to confront Aiden, but there was nothing he could say now to make me forgive him. Aiden was my past, my sad, heartbroken past.

Joel was my future.

SOS

INTENT TO INVESTIGATE

CASE: 069

CLIENT: Hillary Hamm

SUBJECT: Midas Murdock

This is the SOS official notice of intent to investigate Midas Murdock. The client has accused Mr. Murdock of sexting with another girl while on a date with her. Ms. Hamm witnessed (looking over his shoulder) a suspicious text. But by the time she grabbed his phone, all of the messages were deleted. She has not been able to gain access to said phone since.

Ms. Hamm believes the accomplice is the “slutty new girl” in his writing class.

If you wish to cancel this investigation, please text a stop-work order to 555-0101. Stop orders must be placed within 24 hours of this written notification.

Thank you for thinking of SOS, and we truly hope that our investigation ends with positive results. Have a great day.

Keep smiling,

SOS : )

SOS

Text: 555-0101 * Exposing Cheaters for Over Three Years

Chapter 16

I decided to put off calling Aiden a while longer while I contemplated what to say. But when the doorbell rang fifteen minutes later, I nearly dropped the lid of the saucepan. My parents had called to say they were on their way back to town from Portland. Since things had been stressful around here lately, I decided to make them a spectacular dinner—one that Joel was invited to.