"It did," I whispered.
"Yeah, I mean I could never physically hurt you or anybody. I just...I wouldn't like you very much and I definitely wouldn't forgive you." He pointed at me, his raised eyebrows adding extra force to his statement.
A smile whistled through me, but I couldn't make it form on my lips. I totally got why he and Zach were best buddies.
"I understand." I nodded.
"So we're good then?" His sticklike fingers spread wide as he lifted his hand towards me.
"Yeah, we're good." I forced the smile to appear. "Except you need to stop being so nice to me. They're already trying to figure out what's up."
His lopsided grin appeared. "Not a problem."
I snickered and crossed my arms, shooting him a droll look.
Flicking his thumb over his shoulder, he gave me a pointed look. "Now get your butt back down to that kitchen before I eat your pancakes."
Chapter 4
ZACH
Worried by Lucy's pale complexion and the sudden realization that Elliot had slipped from the room, Zach made his way upstairs. He found his girl sliding past his best friend and out the door.
"Everything okay?" He touched her shoulder as she passed him.
"Mm-hmmm. Just going to eat." With a swift kiss on the cheek, she descended the stairs.
Zach's eyes narrowed as Elliot sauntered towards him. "Is everything really okay?"
"Yeah." Elliot sighed. "She knows I know."
Zach closed his eyes, dropping his chin to his chest. "Is she mad?"
"No, I think she gets it. I promised her I haven't told anyone else."
"I hate that I broke my promise to her, man."
Elliot slapped Zach's arm. "Get over it. She's here and I don't think she's going to run again."
"I just wish I knew why she ran the first time."
"To keep you safe, you know that."
"Yeah, but from what. I mean this guy must have done more than kill her parents to keep making her so scared, she must have encountered him somewhere else. There's got to be more to it."
"Have you asked her?"
Zach gave his friend a droll glare. "You've seen her, right? She's a sack of bones with black bags under her eyes. She's exhausted."
"Where's she been?"
Zach's jaw clenched. "Homeless, just walking around, eating scraps and sleeping in dumpsters." His gut ached as he pictured her frail and alone. "I just want to take care of her. She needs to recover and then we can deal with this."
Elliot pursed his lips, lightly kicking the bannister with the toe of Converse. "Just don't leave it too long. If the threat is real then we need to act sooner rather than later. You guys have no hope if this doesn't end. What she gonna do? Follow you to Arizona? We both know she hasn't graduated. Is she gonna fake her way through college too? You can't live your life looking over your shoulder and that's exactly what you'll be doing if you stay with her."
"I'm staying with her." Zach's voice was hard and sure, although Elliot still looked skeptical.
"I want you to have a life, man. A good one. You deserve it."
"I'm not ditching her."
"I'm not asking you to. Just don't sit on your ass all summer. Find a way to help her get out of this mess."
"I will."
Elliot nodded. "I'm here for you; whatever you need. I want in on this."
Zach's eyes narrowed as he looked up at him. "You're not falling for her too are you?"
"Get real." Elliot rolled his eyes. "I just admire her, you know. Most people would have buckled, but she just quietly survived. I think that's kinda cool."
"So you get why I fell for her then?"
Elliot rolled his eyes again. "I knew the second I saw her you'd be a goner. You're so lame."
"I love you too, man." Zach slapped his best friend's arm with a grin before jumping up and pulling him into a headlock. They tussled their way down the stairs and exploded into the kitchen, making everyone jump.
Pulling and pushing each other a few more times, they finally sat down at the table a scraggly, laughing mess and dove into their pancakes. AJ was in the middle of some story about a patron at the restaurant where he cooked. He always spoke with so much flair. Lucy was laughing, the sweetest sound in the world. Zach couldn't stop looking at her as he popped a blueberry into his mouth. Her straight little nose crinkled as she threw her head back and tapped the table. Everyone else was chuckling too, everyone except Jaeda.
She was so demure today and Zach knew why. When it came to her "family" she was like a lioness. You hurt my family, I rip your head off. She wanted to hurt Lucy big time and it made Zach wish he hadn't moped so much when she first split.
"So going to miss that guy when we leave for college." AJ shook his head then winked at Liesl.
"Where are you guys going?" Lucy's voice was soft. I knew the others probably wouldn't notice, but there was a yearning in her tone. She knew college was a pipe dream and it hurt Zach's heart to watch her.
"I got into Texas Culinary Academy and Liesl's going to the University of Texas in Austin."