Graham (Scandalous Boys Book 2) (21 page)

“That was my turn,” she growls.

“I know. We’re going somewhere else first.”

“Graham, I want to go home.”

I glance over at her. “No, you don’t.”

“Yes. I. Do.”

“Trust me. You don’t. Just trust me.” I wink at her, but this doesn’t soften her protest.

It’s about fifteen minutes before I park at our destination. Sarah glares at me. “What is this place?”

I look at the large warehouse and smile. “This is the surprise. Don’t wrinkle your nose, sunshine. You have to trust me.”

Her nostrils flare. God, she’s adorable pissed off. But I’m not going to let the feisty girl know this. I grab her door and lead her into the building.

The sounds of bats cracking against flying baseballs surrounds us. Sarah glances over at me. “A batting cage?”

“Ever been?”

“No.” She looks disgusted.

I laugh. “Don’t. This will help. I promise.”

“Graham!” a gruff voice says.

“Hi, Hank. How’s it going?” I shake hands with the owner, who I know well. He’s old as dirt, but he can crack you up with his perverted jokes.

“Eh. Okay. What brings you by?”

I peer over at Sarah and then back at Hank. “I need this one here to hit a few. Can we get a cage?”

“Sure. Go in cage five.”

I take Sarah over to cage five and thank Hank.

“Graham, I really do not want to hit balls. I want to go home.”

“Sunshine, no arguing, okay?” I pick up a size-small helmet and place it on her head. Her eyes narrow.

“This is not helping,” she remarks.

I grin. Yeah, girls really hate helmet hair, but you know what? She’s still going to look gorgeous even with her hair all messed up. I hand her a bat, open a cage, and then lock it with us inside.

“Now, have you ever hit a baseball before?”

“Once. Kyle and Maddy went to the baseball park near my old house. This isn’t going to help. I don’t need this.”

I have her grip the bat and start setting her up in the batter’s box. “Listen, I know you think this won’t help. But trust me, you’re going to have fun. That’s all we’re doing here. Having some fun. Remember one thing: nothing is perfect. Don’t worry about messing up. Don’t worry about missing any balls.”

“Then what’s the point? This is just going to make me look and feel stupid.”

“You don’t look stupid. In fact, you look really hot right now.” I kiss her gently. “Okay, hold the bat like this.” I study her arms and laugh. “No, babe. What is this?” Her elbows are up, one pointing toward the cage, the other toward the machine. “Relax.”

“I can’t relax with you breathing on my neck like that,” she snaps.

I stifle back a laugh. “Noted.” I touch her shoulders, feeling the tension seep into my fingertips. Yeah, she definitely needs this more than she knows. As I work my fingers into her tight muscles, she leans into me.

“That feels nice,” she moans.

“Good, babe. Relax into me.”

She does. “That’s it. Now, lower your elbows a bit.”

“Like this?”

“Yep. Now line your knuckles up. Awesome.”

I slide my hands from her shoulders down to her hips. “When you swing use your hips and shift your weight from the back to the front.” As she takes a swing, I turn her using her hips.

“I think I got it.”

I step back, push the button to start the machine, and exit the cage. She misses the first three pitches. Her frustration shows. “Wait, watch the ball. It’s all about timing. Your swing is amazing.”

“I think you’re just saying that so you can stare at my ass,” she grumbles.

She waits like I tell her for the next pitch and then swings. This time she didn’t whiff it, she fouls the ball. “Good job. You got a piece of it. Now this time wait just a second more and swing all the way through.”

The next ball flies, and she squeals. “Oh my God! I did it! Did you see that?”

“See? I told you you could! Now hit a few more. Let all your aggression of the week out on the balls. I promise you’ll feel ten times better by the last pitch.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Sarah

I thought he was insane. Well, okay, I was ready to kick his ass when he didn’t take me home and instead took me to an indoor batting cage.

But surprisingly enough, I actually did have a really good time. I guess I didn’t think my visit with my parents would affect me the way it did. I was wrong. My mom tore a hole straight into my heart. The hatred in her eyes. The malicious smile. The words laced with venom.

When I got off the plane, it felt like the first day I arrived at my auntie and uncle’s. Only I wasn’t trying to inflict my pain upon Madison, making her life miserable. Nope. I wanted to forget. Forget the awful past attached to me. Forget about breaking Graham’s heart. I didn’t want the memories.

Sexual bliss sounded like the perfect way to do that. But Graham turned me down, and it felt like I was being rejected by everyone around me.

Then we ended up here. And I’m actually happy we did this. I’m so glad I trusted him.

“Babe, you all right over there? You’re awfully quiet.”

“I’m good. Thanks for this. Really. You were right; I feel a lot better.”

His lips curl into that sexy smile that makes my heart melt. “I’ll say or do stupid things from time to time. But I promise I will always make up for them. Just stick with me, and I will always do everything to put a smile on your face. Even if I wasn’t the person who erased it.”

His hand finds mine, and I smile. “I love you.”

“I love you too, sunshine.”

***

A week later, my interview is on TV.

I do not want to watch it, but Kyle is waiting for the next football game to come on when I hear my voice. I turn back to the screen and cringe.

Kyle glances at me and then back at the screen. “Um … I can change it.”

“No. I, uh … ” What can I say? I’m curious. I take a seat next to him.

“If it gets weird or whatever, let me know. I’ll change it.”

I nod. Watching yourself on TV is kind of strange. I mean, I feel like there are two of me. I know there isn’t, but it feels that way. My mannerisms are so mechanical. Did anyone else notice this? And my dad, well, he looks so much older from this angle. The interview changes.

A light nudge in my ribs diverts my attention to Kyle. “You still, oh … whoa. Really?”

I grab the controller and turn up the volume a few more notches. My insides quiver. My voice booms, “I’m keeping the money. I’m not giving it to the employees you stole from.” And then my nose wrinkles.

Oh my God! That’s not what I said!

“I didn’t say that,” I yell. “I swear! Ask Graham. He was sitting right beside me.”

Kyle shakes his head as he shuts the TV off. “Sarah, this is why we told you not to go. That woman was from one of those scandal-type programs. They twist the truth because it’s drama. That’s what they feed off of. And the fact that you took a cut from them doesn’t look good at all.”

“I didn’t, though. I mean, yes, they gave me money, but it’s in a fund for those employees. I don’t have any of it in my own personal account.”

“Well, that’s great. But other people aren’t going to see it like that.”

Auntie Heather walks into the room with a deep frown upon her face. Growing up, I never cared if I disappointed people. I did it often enough it sort of felt expected. But that changed after I moved in with my auntie. Now, I can’t bear the thought of disappointing her.

“Auntie Heather?”

“Please don’t. I need time to process this.” She walks out of the room and upstairs. I want to follow. Kyle gets up off the couch and starts for the kitchen.

This is a mess. It was never supposed to be like this. I was just supposed to get the money and try to repay those people. Not this. Now what am I going to do?

Madison flies through the front room looking around, and her gaze lands on me. Tears are welled up in her eyes. Her hands are in tight balls at her sides and shaking. “I trusted you! I thought you changed! You’re just a monster. Those poor people, you sneered in disgust like they were mud on your shoes. Are you kidding me?”

“Maddy. I didn’t.”

“Save it!” She turns away and focuses on Kyle. “Tell Mom if she’s here”—she points at me—“I’m not going to be. I’ll be at Bryce’s. I’m not sharing a room with her ever again!”

“Mads, you’re being unreasonable,” Kyle says. “You know that station is just gossip. Sarah said she didn’t say that shit. Graham was there.”

“Right. Because I told him to go. But here’s the funny thing: I didn’t see Graham in the room during either interview. So explain that one. Oh, and if she didn’t say it, how did they get her on camera saying it? Hmmm?”

“I did say it but not like that!” I scream at her. “I said I was putting the money into an account for the people my parents stole from. They just used my words and twisted them around!”

She glares at me. “Plausible story. I will believe it when I actually see it.” She rushes up to her room and comes back down a few minutes later hauling her suitcase with her.

“Maddy, as soon as Dad finds out where you went he’s going to drag you back over here,” Kyle points out. “He won’t care if you’re engaged or not.”

“Let him. I’ll just take a trip down to city hall.” And with that, she walks out the door, leaving Kyle with his mouth hanging open.

My stomach twists as soon as the phone rings. “Kyle?”

“I’m not answering it. Let the machine get it.”

We do. Fifteen phone calls and at least a dozen hateful things spew from that tiny recording box. On call number sixteen, Kyle rips the cords from the phone and the answering machine. “The game’s on. Wanna watch?” he asks as he returns to living room with a soda and a big tub of popcorn.

“I think I’m going to go lie down.”

He nods. “If you need me, you know where to find me.”

I try to smile, but my lips don’t want to move up. I head to my room and slump down on my bed. Why do bad people always win?

Chapter Thirty-Six

Graham

I saw the interview. I try calling Sarah, but her phone is off. The Issacs’ house phone is off the hook. And Maddy. Well, she basically chewed my head off for even asking about Sarah.

So it came down to plan B. I needed to see her.

I hurry down the steps and turn the corner to step into the garage. “Graham, there is some mail for you on the table.”

I roll my eyes. “I’ll get it later.” It’s not like those Howlers in Harry Potter. My mail isn’t going to come to life, read itself, and then self-destruct. Yes, I read the books. And you know what? I loved them. But enough about that. The mail can wait. Sarah. She needs me right now.

My mom comes barreling out of the kitchen with a letter in hand. “It’s from the school.” She hands it over to me, and I study it.

Sure enough, the envelope is thin and has the school’s insignia in the corner. This can’t be good news. No good news ever comes in tiny letters. I rip one edge straight across and pull the single letter out. I read it quickly. I blink then read it again.

“What’s wrong?” my mom asks.

I divert my attention to her. “I can go back to school.”

“What? When?”

“According to this, as soon as winter break is over.”

She smiles. I guess I should be smiling too, but I can’t. This is what I wanted. It feels empty, though. Why?

“What’s wrong?” my mom asks.

“Nothing. I’m going to go to Madison’s.”

She nods. “Don’t stay out too late.”

“Yeah, sure.”

***

My knuckles rap on the wooden door.

Out of the corner of my eye I see the curtain in the front room flicker. Then the door opens. Kyle cracks it like I’m a stranger. “What do you want, man?”

“Kyle, why are you acting weird? Let me in.”

“Can’t. Sarah isn’t seeing anyone. And if you’re looking for Mads, she’s next door,” he grumbles.

“I need to see Sarah. Let me in.” I try to nudge my foot between the crack, but Kyle slams it closed.

“Kyle!” I bang on the door. “Kyle! Open up!”

“Dude! I told you she’s not seeing anyone. Go home!” he yells through the door.

All right. He doesn’t want to open the door? Fine. I’ll just go through the window.

One time freshman year, Madison’s parents went to one of Kyle’s games and locked the house up, but Maddy forgot her key. So she took the tall ladder from her parents’ toolshed and entered through her window. I just hope the ladder is still there and the toolshed is unlocked.

Yes!
It is unlocked. I glance around, but there’s no ladder.
Son of a bitch!

Plan C.

I march over to Bryce’s house. He answers the door the second time I ring the doorbell.

His hair is all a mess, and he’s shirtless and in his boxer shorts. His expression is between surprise and grumpy. “What the heck? Call much?”

“Yeah. No. Listen, I’ll be quick then you can go back to fucking your girlfriend.”

He glares at me. “Watch it, or I’ll punch you in the mouth then shut this door right in your face.”

“Whatever. Do you have a big ladder?”

“Why? Don’t you have one?” He looks utterly annoyed.

“Bryce, if that’s my parents, tell them I’m not coming back until that bitch leaves!” Madison bellows from somewhere in the house.

Bryce turns away from me. “Not them, babe. Go on back up, I’ll be there in a second.”

“Oh, who’s here?”

“Dude, ladder?” I say. “Trying to break in.”

Bryce glances back at me. “Wait. What? Have you lost your fucking mind? You’re in enough hot water as it is. You want to get busted and wind up in jail and drag me along with you? Fuck off, Graham!”

“No, asswipe. I’m just busting into Maddy’s room. Now give me a ladder.”

The door opens wider, and a really pissed off Madison is facing me. “Did you just say you’re trying to break into my room?”