Here With You (A Laurel Heights Novel)

chapter Nineteen



Rachel woke up from a dream that Aaron had kissed her, and it'd been so great.

She sat up in bed, pushing the covers aside as she remembered the night before. Only it wasn't a dream. He had kissed her, and it'd been better than great. She started to smile—

But then she remembered the look on her dad's face when he caught them in the car.

The happiness she'd woken up with melted into dread. Last night, her dad hadn't said anything to her beyond a curt "Go to bed." Usually he was gone to work way before she got up, but she had a feeling this morning was going to be different.

She wondered if anyone would notice if she spent the next couple years hidden in her room.

Sighing, she forced herself to get out of bed. She washed the smeared eyeliner from under her eyes and made herself look as much like a good girl as she could. To give herself extra confidence, she wore one of her new bras and panties, topping them with a plain T-shirt and jeans.

As ready as she'd ever be, she decided, grabbing her bag and going downstairs.

Her dad was waiting for her in the kitchen. He didn't look up from his tablet even though she knew he knew she was standing there. He calmly took another sip of his coffee and swiped the screen.

Nerves twisted her gut. Normally he'd want to "parse" the situation and "come to a mutually beneficial resolution." The fact that he was so stony freaked her out. It meant he was pissed.

Swallowing, she shuffled to the table and slumped onto a chair. She couldn't believe it, but she'd give anything to hear him use those workplace words he liked that drove her crazy.

He swiped the screen again, his jaw tight.

She frowned, feeling the anger rise in her. He never paid attention to her. He didn't have the right to be pissed with her—it wasn't like he cared. "If you don't say anything, we're both going to be late."

He pushed the tablet aside and glared at her. "That's what you're going to open with?"

She crossed her arms. "What was I supposed to say?"

"Why don't you try I'm sorry?"

"That would imply that I regretted my actions." She felt a twinge of guilt at how bratty she sounded. Her mom never liked it when she took that tone.

Her dad set his coffee cup down so hard she was surprised it didn't crack. "I've had enough, Rachel. It's bad enough that you've been uncommunicative and difficult. Last night, you broke a trust. A tentative trust because you broke it before, by getting drunk at that party."

She winced—she couldn't help it. Getting drunk really had been stupid. "Last night was nothing like that party," she mumbled, sinking lower into her seat.

"You snuck out with a boy," her dad yelled, slamming his hand onto the table.

She jumped, her breath catching in her throat. Her dad never yelled. Ever. She gripped the edges of her chair's seat, not sure what'd happen next.

"Who knows what you were doing until three in the morning," he continued loudly. "All I know is you were making out in the back seat of that car."

"We weren't making out," she said sullenly. He made it sound so awful, and her first real kiss should have been one of the best memories of her teenage life. She may have snuck out, but she didn't do anything wrong. Not really anyway. Yes, she should have told him, but it wasn't like he'd been available lately.

"Give me a break, Rachel. I know kissing when I see it." He pushed back in his chair, making a shrill scratching sound on the floor. "Needless to say, you're grounded until further notice. Come home directly after school, no activities, no going out with friends."

But then she wouldn't be able to look for Griffin Chase. She sat up, feeling panicked for the first time. "But I have to—"

"This is non-negotiable, Rachel." Her dad stared at her like she was a stranger he didn't like. "Iliana will be here in the afternoons to stay with you until I come home."

"I don't need a babysitter!"

"You should have thought of that before you acted the way you did last night."

"I didn't act in any way!" She got up and reached out. "I can explain what I was doing. It was for Mo—"

"I'm done, Rachel," her dad said over her. He scrubbed his face with his hand. "I understand how hard it was to lose your mom, because she was my world and I lost her, too. But I don't know what to do with you anymore. You're not helping me, and you're not giving me many options."

She gulped down a big wad of shame. And fear, because she'd never heard him sound so defeated before. "What are you talking about?"

He looked at his watch. "I'm late for a meeting."

She started after him. "But Dad—"

The look he gave her stopped her in her tracks. "Rachel, I'm done," he repeated. "I'm having dinner with a friend. I'll be home late."

"What friend?" She hated that he had a life and she didn't, that he seemed happy and she was miserable. She narrowed her eyes, remembering him laughing intimately in his bedroom late last night. "Are you going out on a date?"

"Yes, it's a date."

"How could you?" she yelled. "You're being unfaithful to Mom!"

"Your mom is dead, Rachel!" he yelled back.

Silence.

They stared at each other, shocked. Rachel touched her cheek, feeling like he'd slapped her.

Her dad opened his mouth like he was going to say something more, but then he shook his head and strode out.

She watched him until she couldn't see him any more.

He didn't mean all that stuff. Well—yes, he did, but he didn't have all the facts. She'd tell him enough to make him feel better, and then he'd let her out of lockdown so she could get back to finding Griffin Chase.

As she reached for her bag, her sleeve touched her dad's tablet and the screen woke up. She took her bag and was about to go to school when two words jumped out at her: boarding school.

She gaped at the screen. Turning it around she quickly scanned the web page. A boarding school for troubled teenagers.

She dropped back onto the chair. He was going to send her away.





She was halfway to school when she realized there was no reason to go.

Rachel stopped in her tracks. He was going to send her to boarding school—and it made her heart hurt—what did it matter if she screwed up in school?

It didn't.

She turned around and headed for Romantic Notions. She'd wait for Griffin Chase instead. If she had to leave, at least she could make sure she did this one last thing for her mom.

The wind was super cold. She sat on the curb and watched the store for as long as she could before she had to admit defeat and go inside Grounds for Thought. Fortunately, there was a small table open in the front window. She put her stuff there and went to order a hot chocolate.

The blonde who was always there manned the counter. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she smiled at Rachel. "No school today?"

"Not really," she mumbled, pretending to study the pastries even though she already knew what she wanted.

"Hot chocolate?" the lady asked. "And I recommend the chocolate chip Madeleines today. I know if you order Madeleines, you're probably a purist, but trust me, the chocolate chip ones are to die for."

She shrugged. "Okay."

The blonde took her money. "My name is Eve, by the way. What's your name?"

"Rachel," she murmured, putting her change away.

"I'll bring your cookies and drink out to you, Rachel."

"Thanks." She went to take her seat to begin her vigil. She watched the dark store for five minutes before it occurred to her that Nicole wouldn't be arriving until later, so she took out her blank notebook, a pen, and her phone.

There were a bunch of text messages from Aaron, asking if she was okay.

She was going to be sent to boarding school, and she'd never get to kiss Aaron again. Even if she came back, why would he want to hang out with someone who'd been imprisoned?

Putting her phone away, she stared at the notebook. If only her mom were here, none of this would have happened.

Although if her mom were here, she wouldn't have met Aaron either. Or Griffin Chase.

She frowned.

"Here you go, Rachel." Eve set the hot chocolate on the table with a little plate of cookies. "Anything else you need?"

She looked up at the café lady, who had no idea what she was asking. Feeling sad, she shook her head and pulled the hot chocolate closer.

Eve hesitated for a moment, but someone walked in, so she went to take their order. Just as well. Rachel didn't feel like talking.

But she could write.

She pulled out her laptop and opened her email.



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To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: I KNOW.

You're going to send me away to boarding school???

How could you?? When were you going to tell me? As you and your girlfriend got married?

How can you just forget Mom and move on? Don't you love her anymore? Don't you think about her at all??

I think about her ALL THE TIME. I feel like if I don't, I'll forget her, and if I forget her then no one will know how great she was. Remember that time she surprised you with a picnic at work, and how we sat on the floor of your office, and she brought sparkling grape juice so it was like a celebration? It was for no reason except that she loved you. She always did stuff like that, just because, to make a person feel good.

And you're trashing her memory!

Well, I won't forget her, and if that's a crime you might as well send me away.

Maybe it's just as well, because now you can start fresh with a new family. You don't need reminders of the past hanging out. Your girlfriend probably won't like me. I'm not sure you do anymore either.

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Rachel reread the email, her cursor hovering over Send. But then she clicked delete, closed her laptop, and put her head down on the table. He didn't care—why even bother?