Page 63 of No More Bad Boys
Finally, I shove through and reach the exit door, but before I can push it open, a thick arm goes around my waist and stops my forward motion.
Blake’s voice is at my ear. “Please. Let me explain.”
I lunge forward, breaking free of his restraining hold, and burst through the door out to the sidewalk, where I plan to do—what? I’m not sure. Maybe catch a cab, though I have no wallet since I’m in my uniform.
Blake is right on my heels, joining me out in warm night air that’s thick with humidity and tension.
His face is haunted, his pupils so dilated the green of his eyes almost disappears.
“Cadence—you’ve got to let me explain. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I know I should have.”
“Yes. You should have. And then we could have avoided this whole stupid thing.”
Turning away from him, I scan the street through eyes blurred by tears, willing a miracle-cab to appear.
I can’t believe I’m living this again.
It’s like being in a real-life version ofLive, Die, Repeator the Star Trek: The Next Generation “Cause and Effect” episode.
Blake’s hand comes to rest gently on my shoulder. I jerk away from his grasp, spinning to face him.
“Youliedto me. You know how I feel about honesty. You said you went to school at Kennesaw, but you went to UGA with Kenley.”
“I did graduate from Kennesaw. Ihada baseball scholarship to Georgia, and like I told you, I lost it when I got hurt. So I transferred. But I’m not trying to make excuses. I know leaving facts out is as bad as lying. I just… I knew how you felt about people who’ve dated your sister… and I liked you so much. I didn’t want you to reject me over something that happened in the past before we even got a chance to know each other. I would change it if I could. I wish I’d never met her.”
My response is a bitter snarl. “I bet. Because you’ve never been able to get over her—like everyone else—she was yourdream girl, and you lost her.”
“No. No, Cadence. It wasn’t like that. I liked her—I thought she was pretty and nice. But there was never anything serious between us. I never felt anything for her even close to what I feel for you. Ineverloved her. But I love you. I loveyou, Cadence. Please forgive me.”
I wipe angry tears from my cheeks.
“And I’m supposed to believe thiswhy? Because I can trust you so much? Because you’ve been so honest with me?”
Motion in my peripheral vision catches my eye. Kenley and Larson have followed us out of the bar. Great.
When I glance at her, she speaks up, tears running down her face and streaking her mascara to tragically beautiful effect.
I can’t even cry without being one-upped by her.
“He’s telling the truth,” she says. “There was nothing between us. It never went very far. We only had a couple dates before I met Mark.”
Now my ire is directed at her. “You were in on this… cover-up, or whatever it is. You knew who he was from the beginning, and you didn’t tell me—even after what happened with Tyler. I can’tbelieveyou didn’t tell me.”
“Ididn’tknow from the beginning. You never said his last name, and I didn’t see him on TV until much later—you know my show is on at the same time as your six p.m. newscast.”
“You should have told me as soon as you knew!”
“That’s my fault,” Blake interjects. “I called her at WNN and begged her not to tell you—to let me tell you first. Believe me—she didn’t like it. But when I told her how much I care for you and how important it was, she agreed to wait a little while.”
“That’swhy I could never get you two in the same room.”
All my illusions are popping like helium balloons drifting into the night sky.
“You sure did work well together—coordinating your campaign of betrayal. Kenley—you sure about this thing with Larson? You and Blake here make quite ateam. Maybe you should reconsider your engagement.”
My voice sounds vicious, almost unrecognizable to my ears.
The poisonous arrow hits pay dirt. Kenley isn’t trying to argue on Blake’s behalf anymore or even defend herself. She’s weeping openly.
