“Let’s go.” I lead Sammy to the door and nod to Blake and Annie as we head outside. Wyatt is standing there with Marley, both with startled looks. “Sorry about the scene. If there’s any damage from the mess we made, I’ll cover it.” I offer Marley a quick embrace and slap Wyatt five as he offers a quick hug himself.
“We need to talk,” he whispers as we pull away. “You know I want to help out with stuff like this. Know that I’m here for you.”
“Thanks. Tell Dad and my mom that I’m sorry I had to take off. I was thinking of heading home to see them for spring break, and now I’m not so sure.”
“Will do.”
I lead Sammy over to my car and let her in, not caring if she gets the entire interior smudged with frosting. I’m with Piper. I’m starting to feel like I’ll do just about anything to get this entire nightmare to come to an end.
We take the long country drive through Hollow Brook in silence until Sammy finally clears her throat.
“Please don’t hate me.”
“I don’t hate you. I didn’t hate you then, and I don’t hate you now. I invited you to that party. You were my guest.”
“And what about that other girl? If you were so into her, why didn’t you ask her to come? That’s what I don’t get.”
“That’s what I don’t get either.”
I drop Sammy off in front of her dorm and circle around to Cutler Tower. There’s not a sign of Piper’s car anywhere. I didn’t think there would be.
I head home and dive onto the couch, pull out my phone, and send the woman I love a text.
Cassidy, please, let’s get together. We really need to talk. Tell me where I can meet you or feel free to come over. I’m dying here.
But, Cassidy never texts back.
I didn’t think she would.
Cassidy doesn’t come home.
According to Piper, she’s safe, but Piper is refusing to betray her trust, so an entire week passes without a trace of Cassidy. Piper miraculously has her car back but won’t say a word regarding how or where she picked it up.
I voiced my concern with Professor Donovan about her absence, and he assures me she’s been in touch with him—letting him know that she would be missing her allotted three classes. Spring break is here, which puts another unwanted barrier between us, and I can’t take it. I can’t take this suffocating feeling of not being with her, not being able to share my feelings with her. Every single day I send a handful of texts, and every single day they go unanswered. Each new day I die a thousand grueling deaths, and each new morning I wake up to relive the nightmare all over again.
Friday hits like a boulder landing over my back, and I head to the Black Bear where it all began. If I can’t have Cassidy, at least I’ll have the memories.
It’s wall-to-wall bodies, and as soon as I squeeze my way to the bar, I’m filled with regret about my decision to come here in the first place. Blake has the stage tonight. The girls have shown up in droves, drooling at his altar, and I spot Annie with Marley near the front, fisting pumping with the rest of them.
Cole and Holt are working the bar, and I nod at the two of them.
Cole flies over and lands a cold one in front of me. “On the house.” He offers up a quick grimace. “Dude, you look like shit.”
“Thank you.” I swipe the beer my way and suck the frost off the top. “You always know the right thing to say, sweetheart.”
“They don’t pay me for nothing. You hear from that chick yet?”
“That chick?” For a moment, I seriously consider sloshing my beer all over the counter just to watch him mop it up. “No. You?”
“Nope. I’ve been keeping an eye out for you, though. So, you think things will work out?”
“Not if she never comes back. Piper knows where she is.” I squint heavily while panning the crowd from my sour puss of a sister. “She’s not talking.”
“I guess they’re pretty tight.”
“That they are.” I wish Cassidy and I were pretty tight. I miss her tight little body planted over mine, her tight beautiful lips making love to mine. I’m feeling a little greedy for her, and my gut cinches just thinking about it.
A hand lands over my back, and it’s Wyatt. Usually, this is the part where I’d be exceptionally glad to see him, but lately, I’m not so dazzled by anybody.
“I’m glad to see you out of your hole.” He pulls me in by the shoulders. “Marley says you haven’t spoken to Cassidy yet.” He hitches his thumb back at his girlfriend. “She’s been talking to Piper almost every day. We’re worried about you.”
“I’m worried about Cassidy.” I take another sip of my drink. “Can you imagine being separated from Marley for two fucking weeks? No contact? Leaving off on bad terms? It’s rotting me from the inside out.”
“I can.” He takes a seat next to me. “In fact, it happened to me. Marley and I had a misunderstanding. It was pretty bad. The next thing I knew, we weren’t speaking to one another, and a few weeks trickled by. It was a living hell. So, yes, I can imagine.” He claps his hand over my back in a show of solidarity.