With a sniffle, I realize I at least need to warn Sawyer about that much. “None of it matters anyway. Don’t you see? Even if I want to talk to someone about what he’s been doing, I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because, he knows, Sawyer.” Our eyes connect and lock. “He knows about us.”
Chapter 26
Sawyer
Not only am I sure that fucker is threatening her with exposing the nature of our relationship, I’m fairly certain there is something else at play here, too. Something she’s holding back and keeping from me. Something that has her so freaked out she’s willing to push me away because of it.
At least now I’m confident that her cold shoulder over the weekend had nothing to do with anything I’d done. When I approached the workroom, I’d heard Ed say something about e-mailing the whole school, but I can’t fathom what it could be. I’ve done nothing but worry all day about Hadleigh and whatever Ed is holding over her head.
I’ve got to get her out of here. Away. Help her get her mind off of it. And if she trusts me enough, maybe she’ll eventually tell me just what the hell is going on.
At the end of the school day, we exit the building side by side, and when we get to her car and my truck, I stop her with a hand to her elbow.
She looks at me in surprise, her eyes questioning me. She looks even more exhausted than she had first thing this morning, the strain of the day evident all over her face.
“Let me take you to get something to eat.”
“Oh. You don’t have to do that.” She casts her eyes downward as she absentmindedly kicks at a rock.
“Well, I know I don’t, but I also noticed how you barely picked at your lunch after Ed left. I know you’re still upset. I was just hoping to take you somewhere and get your mind off of everything for a while. We can talk about it. Or not. That’s up to you. But I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.” She’ll tell me she’s fine if I ask, but her body is tense, her face a complex web of emotions. “Come on. Liberty steak and french fries.” I roll my eyes playfully and poke her in the stomach. “You know you want some.”
That finally does it. She looks up at me and wrinkles her nose. “Liberty steak? Oh! Right. That was from your lesson the other day.” She covers her mouth and laughs. “I guess I could go for a hamburger.”
“Let’s just take one vehicle. I know a great place, but it’s a few miles out of town. Is that okay?”
She nods. “Okay, but I’d like to drop my car off at my place first. I don’t want—”
“Your car left here.” Realization dawns on me. “Did he see your car in the parking lot the other night after we left the bar? Did he see us leave together?” I rub my hand over my cheek. “Is that part of this?”
She nods again. “He texted
me on Saturday about it.”
I blow a sharp breath out through my nose. Things are becoming a little bit clearer. “Okay. No need to draw attention to us, then.” I help her into her car and lean down. “I’ll follow you to your place.”
She gives me a small smile, and I can still see the worry in her eyes. Damned Ed will be lucky if he doesn’t get my foot up his ass for how he was speaking to her and how he continues to upset her.
Quickly, I circle around to my truck. Just before I get in, motion from the gymnasium gets my attention. Ed is standing outside the building with his arms crossed, staring in our direction. I don’t know if Hadleigh saw him there, but I’m not acknowledging him. Given the way he’s still oddly possessive of his ex-girlfriend, I’m sure even seeing her talking to me is going to go over really well. He’d probably flip if he realized I’m about to take her out to dinner. As I climb into my truck, I decide there’s no way I’m mentioning to Hadleigh that he was watching us just now. It’ll only upset her even more.
After we drop her car off, I take Hadleigh to my favorite little country diner not too far outside of town, but far enough away that I don’t recognize anyone. Hadleigh and I sit at a small two-person booth with black upholstered seats and a red tablecloth. A pair of plastic-coated menus rests between us on the table.
I can feel Hadleigh’s leg bouncing a million miles a minute under the table. I sure hope I can help take her mind off of things.
“This is a fun little place. How’d you manage to find it?” Hadleigh’s gaze hasn’t stopped roaming since we got here, taking in each new customer as they walk in. I think she’s worried someone will see us together. It’s just dinner, though. No big deal.
“Willow’s apartment is only like ten minutes from here. We come here sometimes when I don’t want to cook. They have decent burgers and fries, and kick-ass milkshakes.” I tap the back of my menu. “There’s a whole list of flavor combinations. You should get one.”
Once we’ve ordered—two cheeseburgers, two fries, two waters, and one gigantic Oreo-mint milkshake—we talk for a few minutes about when Hadleigh thinks I’ll be ready to take on another class.
Before long, though, we stray into other topics outside of school and teaching.
The waitress drops off our food, and we dig right in. Hadleigh’s leg has finally stopped bouncing, and she looks a little calmer now. She’s busy trying to get ketchup from the bottle onto her plate when I can’t help but bust out one of my favorite little bits of trivia. “Weird history fact. In the 1830s, ketchup was sold as a cure for—what, do you think?”
Hadleigh smirks. “I don’t know. Erectile dysfunction?”