Fall With Me(26)
Author: Bella Forrest

“What is it with the rich relatives always trying to foot the bill?”

She doesn’t smile when I say this, even though I was trying to make a joke. Not so funny, I guess. But I watch her for a second and her lips turn up at the corners in a tiny smile.

“Fuck the rich relatives,” she says.

I laugh. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Though Jill isn’t letting me take her out on the actual date of her birthday, I think I can probably get her to agree to go out the next night. I’m not exactly sure what’s caused her sudden change in feelings toward me, but it’s nice, and I’m not going to question it. And I find myself thinking about the fun things we might be able to do, and no, I’m not just talking about getting her into bed. Which is odd, I’d be the first to admit it. Any girl I’ve ever taken interest in before has mainly been because of her carnal potential. Maybe it’s because Jill spurned me at first, or maybe there really is something different about her, I don’t know, but I sure would like to find out.

Then there is the small problem of Allison. In the past I could’ve just bounced—gone somewhere else, disappeared, as there are few things worth sticking around for if you’ve got a lovesick girl hounding your ass—but now, it seems, I have found something that is worth it. A few things, and one of those being Jill.

Cam calls me again one night when I’m lying in bed.

“Are you calling to check up on me?” I ask. “Christ, what time is it?”

“Have you noticed anything strange? I’m worried that you might still be in danger.”

Now this is interesting. If there’s one thing my brother doesn’t do, it’s worry, and certainly not about me.

“Everything is fine,” I say. “I fit right in here. Who would’ve thought, right?”

“I’ve actually got some business meetings in San Francisco coming up,” he says. “I was thinking of leaving a day or two ahead of schedule and coming down there.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Would you be available?”

“What, for like a lunch date or something?”

“Sure, Griffin, I’ll take you out to lunch.”

“Well, I’ve got a job now, so maybe I should take you out to lunch.”

Still, he doesn’t laugh. If anything, his voice is tight and he sounds tired.

“It might be better to talk in person,” he says finally.

“I met this girl,” I say. “Her name’s Jill. She works here, too. She actually helped me the night I washed up on the beach. Romantic, right?”

“Sounds absolutely Hallmark.”

“Looking back on it, it kind of was. Or maybe more Lifetime movie or something. But she’s great. You could meet her if you came out here. And the funny thing is, she didn’t like me at first—like, at all—but then, I don’t know. Something changed. Something happened. And . . . I know how corny this sounds, but she’s really like no girl I’ve ever met.”

“I think I’m about to vomit.”

“I know, I know how it sounds! It’s hard to explain. I mean, I’ve met a lot of girls, and they’re all great and everything, but . . . there’s just something about her.”

“Listen, Griffin, I’m ecstatic that you’ve discovered true love, but that’s not why I’m calling. And watch yourself with women, especially the ones that you think you might actually have genuine feelings for. Mostly, that just leads to trouble and more trouble. Anyway, I’m going to try to get a little sleep, so I’ll let you know about my travel plans, okay? It’ll just be easier to discuss this in person.”

“Sounds good,” I say. “I’ll make sure my calendar’s clear.”

We hang up, and the sleep I was so close to falling into before he called is suddenly miles away. It’s funny, I think. Cam thinks that I know something, but it’s pretty obvious he’s the one that’s got all the info. Maybe he just doesn’t realize it yet.

Chapter 18: Jill

Birthdays had always been Dad’s thing. He loved any reason to celebrate, but especially birthdays.

“Your birthday in particular,” he’d always say to me.

But Dad was good at making everyone feel special, and though he never saw the need to spend much money on a party, lots of people were always invited, he’d dedicate the whole day to making all sorts of good food, and the festivities would go well into the night, with everyone reluctant to leave because they were having such a good time.

I’ve been so caught up in other things that it doesn’t occur to me that this is my first birthday without Dad until I wake up in the morning and realize I’m not going to hear him say happy birthday and give me a hug.

We have an afternoon cookout, and some of the campers have made a cake for me, which is cute. Karen gives me a haphazardly wrapped gift of bubble bath, and Simon gives me a bouquet of flowers he picked himself. I catch Griffin’s eye across the picnic table and he winks.

I drive up to Mom’s some time in the later afternoon. “Here’s the birthday girl!” Sharon says when I come through the door. She gives me a hug, and as she does so, she whispers in my ear, “Your mom’s having a bit of a rough day today. She was up waiting for you, but she decided she wanted to go back to bed.”

I nod. “Okay,” I say. “I’ll just go in there and see her.”

“Oh, and a young man stopped by earlier, also.” Sharon turns and goes to the counter. There’s another orchid, this one a lurid magenta, like someone had colored it in with a marker. “He was very sweet, and he was asking when you’d be by. Sean, I think he said his name was?”

I grit my teeth but try not to let my annoyance show. “How long was he here for?”

“He visited with your mom for a little bit. It actually seemed to brighten her spirits quite a bit.”

“Great.” I sigh and look back at the plant. “Want an orchid?”

Sharon looks at me uncertainly. “Oh . . . should I have not let him in? Your mother was so happy to see him, I just . . . I didn’t even . . .”

“It’s okay,” I tell her. “You couldn’t have known.”

I say goodbye to Sharon and go sit in the wingback chair. “I see Sean was here,” I say.

“He remembered your birthday.” Mom has dark circles under her eyes, her skin seems thin, papery. Any happiness she was feeling earlier has clearly vanished without a trace. “Uncle Nate sent a card. It’s over there on the coffee table.” She sighs. “It was nice to see Sean. I told him he was welcome to stop by after we got back from dinner. Except I don’t think I’m going to be able to go out, sweetie. I just don’t think I have it in me. I’m so sorry.”