“And he wants to be with you.”
I close my eyes and gather my strength. “I don’t think he does.”
“I told you he has your photo on his wall.”
“That’s not enough.” Even if it’s true, which I don’t know… Could it be true?
“So you’ll leave. Like Mom did.”
I open my eyes and stare at him in horror. “No, of course not.” Oh God, he has tears in his eyes. I reach for him, and he lets me hold him.
“Dylan thinks that, too,” Miles mumbles. “He thinks you’ll leave. I hear him talk in his sleep sometimes. He thinks everyone will leave.”
He does?
“Miles…” I stroke his hair. “I’ll be here for you. Whatever happens between Dylan and me won’t change that.” I pull back to look at his tear-streaked face and smile. “Tell you what. I’ll give you my cell phone number. That way you can always call me and talk, and we can have ice cream. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
As he nods, I wonder what has come over me and what the hell I’m doing. My safest bet would be to run away from this family as fast as I can, put as much distance between myself and Dylan as possible.
But I instead I write down my number and give it to Miles. I can’t skip town now. Not when I’ve made up my mind to stay and fight for myself.
***
As I have no doubt my father will go through with his threat to cut my funding, I try to come up with a plan, in spite of my jumbled thoughts. After some nail biting, I call Mr. Walker and ask for details regarding the social/archaeology project. I explain that, due to personal and unforeseen circumstances, I’m looking for a paying job, and ask if that’s what he’s offering.
Mr. Walker assures me the offer is still open and that a small salary can be arranged. Although curiosity is evident in his voice, he doesn’t ask me directly what is going on—why the daughter of Jonas Leon, of Leon & Perez, is in need of a salary. He also tells me I can start next week.
Elated, I thank him and try to calculate how much I need to live, a concern I never had before in my life. My father is right in this, at least: I’ve never had to worry about money. Until now.
By my calculations, the amount Mr. Walker mentioned is too low. I’ll need a second job.
And another place to stay. Dad won’t let me keep this super-expensive apartment, although I hope he’ll at least let me keep the car. Audrey and Erin could help me find a cheap place. They have experience apartment hunting, whereas mine is zero. On so many matters.
I’m wary, intimidated as I’ve never had to worry about making ends meet until now. On the other hand, I feel excited, exhilarated. At nineteen, I’ll be taking care of myself for the first time. A bit old to be weaned.
But better late than never.
The car that looks just like Sean’s is parked outside my building. My stomach twists into a knot when I see it, but nobody is sitting inside.
Reassured, I flash my card, and the bar lifts, letting me into the underground parking lot. I park and take the elevator, thinking about what Miles said. That Dylan has my photo on his wall.
This is so confusing. He saves me, kisses me, then leaves. He comes back, makes love to me, asks me not to leave town and then breaks my heart again. He makes love to me on his kitchen counter, blows my mind away, asks me to stay the night, but it means nothing to him.
Why is he doing this?
Maybe skipping town wasn’t such a bad idea, after all.
The elevator doors ding open, and I step out, fishing for my key in my purse, when I notice someone standing by my door.
The air whooshes out of my lungs. I take a step back, but the elevator doors have already closed, and the carriage has gone back down. Panic sends the world spinning.
Sean smirks and walks deliberately toward me. “Look who finally decided to come home.”
“What are you doing here? Who let you in?” I frantically press the button, calling the elevator back.
?
??Your father gave me the card to enter.” He pulls me away from the elevator and presses me into the wall, trapping me. “And the okay.”