Page 64 of Puck King
“Colton. Why are you really here?”
I sighed. “I need her apartment number. I know which building she lives in, but I can’t buzz up without the number, and she’s not answering my calls.”
Everleigh smirked. “You’re in love with the woman yet you’ve never been to her home?” Everleigh held the mug in both hands and stared at me through her raccoon eyes.
I hadn’t admitted the ‘L’ word to anyone, but Everleigh knew me. “A cozy movie night at her apartment wasn’t in our contract,” I growled. “What’s the number?”
Everleigh shrugged. “How should I know?”
“Don’t you know everything?”
This got her to smile. “I do.” She slipped off the barstool and returned to the kitchen with her phone and scrolled for a few seconds. “I’ll give you the number, but I want you to hear something first.”
Before I could object, she pressed play. At first all I could hear was Everleigh’s voice, but then from across the room another woman’s voice filled the space – Ali’s. Everleigh was asking her to choose between me and the money.
My sister hadn’t been lying. My breath caught in my throat as I heard Alison’s response.
She chose the money.
“See?” Everleigh pressed pause on the recording.
“Let me hear the whole thing.”
“There’s nothing more. That’s it.” Everleigh snatched her phone from the table and slipped it into the pocket of her robe. “Now, do you still want that apartment number?” Her smile was smug as she sipped her coffee.
“Hell yeah.”
“What?” Everleigh set down her mug so abruptly that coffee spilled over the side and dripped onto the white marble countertop.
I stood. I didn’t want to call Everleigh a manipulator, but I knew how short, edited voice clips could be used against people. It had happened to me. It didn’t matter that Everleigh had ‘proof’. I realized that a recording wasn’t enough. I needed to talk to Ali directly before I walked away from the best thing that had ever happened to me. “The number,” I growled.
“Seventeen. That’s also Hollie’s apartment number, by the way. Alison’s a grown woman who has a roommate.” The disdain in Everleigh’s voice was apparent.
“Thanks.” I took another gulp of coffee and winced as it burned my mouth, before jumping up in a hurry.
“Where are you going?” Everleigh followed me to the door.
“Don’t play dumb, Sis. It doesn’t look good on you. I’m going to get the story straight from the source.”
The color drained from my sister’s face. “You can’t.”
“Watch me.” I didn’t bother to lace up my boots.
“Colton, wait.” Everleigh rushed after me in her bare feet. “Colton,” she shouted, but I was already in the car. She knocked on the window, but I didn’t roll it down. Her eyes looked wild and panicky and I knew that something wasn’t adding up. Whatever it was, it was time for me to get the real story – not the media’s story, not Everleigh’s version – mine.
The curtains were open,a good sign. I took a deep breath and dialed Alison’s cell phone one more time. No answer. I texted her and told her I was outside the building, but she didn’t respond. I slipped the phone into my pocket, rubbed my hands together, and tried to stop them from shaking as I pushed the buzzer to her apartment.
No response.
Fine, I thought to myself, rubbing my hands together to keep them warm.I’ll wait as long as it takes.
It didn’t take long to see a familiar face walking down the street. “Travis.” I smiled and the barista looked a little confused, but then his eyes lit up as he recognized me.
“Colton. Nice goal the other night.” He was holding two coffee cups and a paper bakery bag, but held out one hand to fist bump me.
“Thanks.” I smiled. “What are you doing in this part of town?”
He walked up the stairs to Alison’s building. “I could ask you the same question.”
