Page 33 of Return Policy

“So… Mark is the dickhead chief?”

“Yep,” Dad says, blowing out a breath and shaking his head.

“Wow, a lot of stuff makes sense now,” I mumble to myself, wishing the ground would open up and swallow me fucking whole at the revelation.

“Is that your boyfriend?” Dad asks with eyes so fiery they could burn a hole right through me.

“No! We’re just friends,” I assure everyone, and Dad relaxes immediately. “I’m tutoring him.”

Of course the one guy I befriend is the son of the only man on the planet my dad hates.

Lucky me.

“Mm-hmm.” Leah cocks a brow at me, and I widen my eyes at her.

The waiter thankfully chooses that moment to walk up with our food, placing the dishes in front of us.

An hour later, we stand outside the three-story garage where Dad parked his truck.

“I’ll call you tomorrow, okay, Bear?” Dad says, throwing his arm around me.

“Alright, love you, Papa Bear.” I give him a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Bye, Diane.” I hug her, and she embraces me tightly.

“Bye, sweetie.” Diane pats my back.

Leah and I wave as they turn and disappear into the parking garage.

“Wanna get a coffee before I hit the road?” Leah asks.

“Are koalas susceptible to chlamydia?” I ask, and she stares at me blankly as the corner of her mouth twitches upwards. “Yes… yes, they are. And koala chlamydia is a very serious disease.”

“Okay, weirdo.” She chuckles, rolling her eyes. “Let’s go.”

“Do you want to go to Starbucks or Crystal Coffee?”

“Whichever one’s closer.”

We stroll along the sidewalk to the campus Starbucks. “That was awkward earlier, huh? With Elijah and his family…”

“It was fine,” she says in her fake polite flight attendant voice.

“Leah.” I grab her arm and pull her over to sit on a bench. “Come on, level with me here. That was more awkward than a giraffe on roller skates.”

“Fine.” She lets out a sigh of defeat. “It was abitawkward.”

“I mean, I know Cole arrested Jake, but what does that have to do with Elijah?”

“Absolutely nothing,” she says, brushing some hair behind my ear and smiling tenderly. “I know Will was a little weird, but he’s just protective. And sometimes people just don't like one another…” Dad’s reaction during our conversation in the car comes to mind. “But you’re right, Elijah isn’t Cole, and he isn’t Mark.”

“Okay…” I sink further into the bench.

“But Jake probably won’t be happy about your newfriendeither…” she says, flattening her lips. I know better than to suggest she doesn’t tell him. We all tell each other everything.

No secrets, no lies. That’s the only rule between us.

If only they knew the secret I’ve been keeping.

The thought alone has a trapped lion clawing at my insides, attempting its escape.

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