Page 67 of We Thought We Knew It All
“No, you’re not.” Jackson stood up. “Grown-ups only say that when they’re trying to make you not mad anymore. You don’t mean it. You don’t care.”
“Of course I care.”
“I thought you were my friend. I thought you loved me.”
My eyes glassed over as Mindy walked up. “Are you ready to go?”
Jackson slumped back into his chair as tears continued to roll down his cheeks. Liam started crying with his brother.
I looked to Mindy, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible, but knowing I couldn’t. Not now.
Kat appeared, looking around at the sobbing boys in confusion.
“Jamie, what did you do?” She’d always had an affection in her voice for me, but it was gone now.
I spread my hands wide, unable to speak.
She waved it off and looked to the kids. “The bar tender is putting the show on now.”
This seemed to cheer them up. “Show?” I asked.
“Callie is on Riley King tonight.”
I walked toward the bar in a daze with Mindy following close behind. She seemed to be enjoying the drama. Kat followed us, and I didn’t miss the glare she threw Mindy’s way, but it didn’t bother me. I just needed to see Callie.
The bartender switched the overhead screen to the Riley King show, and at the end of the commercial break, Callie walked onto the stage. She was breathtaking and I felt a catch in my throat.
I was so mesmerized, I barely heard her as she talked about her books. Her leg bounced nervously, but other than that she looked like she belonged.
She leaned forward with the sexiest smile on her lips and asked Riley a simple question. “Do you like romance?”
The broad-shouldered man chuckled. “Ms McCoy,” he said. “Is that a proposition?”
I clenched my fists.
She winked. “Sorry, this girl is taken. You see, there’s this man who loves your show. He was a Ranger, like you.”
“Smart man.”
“Very smart. And also the biggest idiot you’ll ever meet.”
“I think I like this guy.”
“I do too.” Her voice grew sad. “We’ve known each other forever. We know all the good and especially all the bad. But I did something horrible.”
The crowd let out an “awww” and I breathed heavily. A hand slipped into mine, and I looked over to see Kat before returning my eyes to the screen.
“I won’t go into specifics, but I hope you don’t mind if I use your show for my own means.” She winked at Riley, and the crowd laughed again. They were eating up every word and so was the host.
I watched the beautiful, confident woman on the screen and saw the young, teenage outsider I’d known and loved. It was still the same girl, never playing by the rules. Riley King didn’t seem to mind that she’d hijacked the interview. It’d be ratings heaven.
“Use away.” Riley waved her on with a laugh. “I’ll just sit here and look pretty.”
Callie flashed him a grin before taking her lip in between her teeth. I saw the moment the nerves tried to take over, but she straightened her back and seemed to push them away.That’s my girl,I thought. Strong. Tough.
Cal released a breath, and I felt Kat squeeze my hand again.
“This Ranger of mine,” Callie said. “I betrayed him, kept something from him, and he has every right to hate me. I’d never forgive me if I was him. But he isn’t me. He’s always been better than me, even if he doesn’t see it. He thinks he’s a coward, but I’m the coward.”
