Page 41 of Flame
“I’ve got some shit I’ve gotta take care of,” he says, setting his plate aside. His eyes cut toward the door, and I wonder if the ‘shit’ on his mind has anything to do with the ultimate destination of the briefcase we took from the warehouse.
“And Faith’s service is tonight. I should really go see Mara,” I add, forced to face the reality of just how terrible a friend I’ve been to her.
“And what are you going to tell her?” Rafe wonders. His back is to me, obscuring his reaction. From his tone alone, I can’t tell just what he wants to hear. For me to keep our fling secret? Or save him the hassle of having to avoid Mara’s attempts at flirtation.
“I don’t know.”
“Do you want me to drive you?” he asks. “In case you run into him?”
I suck in a breath and try to imagine what could be worse. Facing Branden alone, or pitting him against Rafe? I quickly decide on an answer and shake my head. “I’ll be fine.”
“Fine,” he repeats before turning on his heel and padding down the hall as I gape in alarm.
“Rafe?” I start to follow, but he’s already returning, an item in hand.
“Take this.” He hands me a small device that takes my brain a second to identify—a cell phone, a much more modern style than my old one.
Gratitude is a living thing, threatening to crawl up my throat. “Thank you.”
“My number’s in it,” he adds, starting for the stairs. He’s already thrown on a fresh pair of clothing and donned his boots. Clenched in one of his hands is the handle of that infamous case. “I’ll see you tonight.”
He looks back as if to gauge how I’ll respond to the invitation.
“Okay,” I say with a nod. “Tonight.”
He heads down the stairs, taking them two at a time. From the base of them, he calls back, “And take the spare key. It’s on the hook.”
Sure enough, I spy one, hanging from the same spot he kept his car keys.
I take my time showering and getting dressed before arranging my hair in the best way possible to cover most of the bruising. In the end, I leave it down and sigh in defeat. To be honest, the worst of the bruising is already starting to fade, leaving brownish splotches around my eye and down my chin.
Ironically, my neck looks the most ravaged, sporting fresher, bright red spots from this morning. When I finally leave the shop, I take the back roads to the restaurant district, jumping at any sudden noise to pierce the quiet.
I’m not ready for the true depths of paranoia that descend the further I go. Every person passing by morphs and transforms into someone else. Branden. Then I blink, and they reform into a businessman, a passing child, or another stranger. And each time, it’s like I can hear him, scoffing at my attempts at normalcy.
You’re a video star now, Hannah. You’re a fucking slut. A liar. A whore. Say cheese…
“Hannah!” I blink and nearly run into the smiling figure who races forward to greet me. “I’ve been looking all over for you, girl!” Mara explains, throwing her arms around my shoulders. “It’s like you fell off the face of the earth. Where the hell have you been?” She draws back, and her expression transforms as her mouth drops open, her eyes widening. “Oh my god. What happened to your face?”
She runs her finger across my cheek, but I gently evade her touch and force what I hope passes for a smile. “Would you believe that I ran into a door? I’m so clumsy.”
“You ran into a door,” she says, deadpanned. Her raised eyebrow betrays her true thoughts on that explanation, but I race to change the subject before she can say as much out loud.
“I heard about Faith. I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah.” She frowns, real sadness shaping her features. “It feels kind of weird to be pushing noodles, all things considered.”
This time of day, foot traffic is light, the lunch rush over. Judging from her outfit—a black blouse and skirt—she must have been manning the hostess station of her parents’ restaurant and saw me approach.
“So, where the hell have you been, Dewitt?” she demands, placing her hands on her hips. “I’ve tried calling you. Don’t tell me your charger is still ‘lost.’”
“Try my phone, actually,” I say. It isn’t a complete lie. To prove it, I withdraw the one Rafe gave me. “I have a new one.”
“Nice,” Mara says with genuine admiration. She snatches it and programs her number in before handing it back. “I wanted one of those, but they’re fucking expensive. Anyway, where have you been?”
“I decided to go with my brother to the beach for a few days.” God, it’s almost terrifying how easily the lies come.Because it’s all you’re good at,Hannah, a part of me hisses.Just like Branden says. You’re a liar.
“Oh, well… Now that you’re back, we should totally hang out. I know it’s kind of morbid, but Faith’s memorial service is tonight—not like a funeral or anything. You don’t have to dress up. Rafe said he’d go with me, but—”
