Page 35 of Quarterback Sneak
I stare at it blankly. I don’t even have that much in my bank account, and I don’t carry a credit card. Again, I have reasons for it. Namely, my dad and all he did to ruin our family. My heart thunders in my chest. I look over my shoulder, trying to see if maybe he’s coming back. I pick up my phone and dial his number. It rings four times and then goes to voicemail. I try two more times, but he never answers. I’m in a full-blown panic now, and I feel like the stupidest, most naive girl on the planet.
Suddenly, somebody slides into the seat across from me. I blink. “Reid?”
“Hey, Evie,” he says quietly.
“What are you doing here?” I ask in confusion. “Is Zane here with you?” I immediately regret the question. I’m not even sure why I asked it in the first place.
He gives me a look that I don’t want to decipher because it looks way too close to pity. “No. He’s playing right now.”
“Oh, yeah. I knew that.” I swallow hard and try to keep the tears at bay. “Um, what are you doing here?” I repeat my question from earlier.
He studies my face a moment, and I feel like he sees too much. “Just helping a friend out,” he finally says in a quiet voice. When he reaches out for the black book, I put a hand on top of it, stopping him from pulling it forward. His eyes meet mine. “I’ve got it, Evie.” I keep my grip on it a moment longer, long enough for the first tear to drip from my eye. I angrily rub it away and release my grip on the book. He takes it and pulls a card out from his wallet. I want to argue with him and tell him not to do it, but I can’t pay the bill. Another tear drips from my eye, and I wipe it away again. I know it’s not from being sad. I’ve never been this embarrassed in my entire life, and that’s saying a lot for a girl who grew up with the father I did. I look down at my lap, and my ridiculous outfit comes into view. I squeeze my eyes shut as humiliation burns hot through me. I don’t say a word as the waiter comes and takes the book. He has to know that the man sitting across from me is a different one than the one I dined with earlier, but he doesn’t say a word. I keep my head down, so I don’t have to make eye contact with him. I discreetly open my wallet, checking to see how much cash I have because maybe I can at least leave the tip. But all I have is a twenty and two fives, not enough for the tip. I stare down at my lap and just will myself to get done and get out of here.
Reid, thankfully, doesn’t say a word. When the waiter comes back, he signs the receipt and replaces his card in his wallet. Then he stands to his seat and waits beside the table. I push back my chair and stand up, refusing to look up at him. I push in my chair and head to the front door. The entire way there, I give myself a pep talk. I won’t say a word to Jace on the way home. If I start, I won’t be able to stop; and it’s not worth it. I just need to keep my mouth shut and get back to the dorm. Whenwe step outside, I turn to Reid and force myself to meet his eyes. He deserves at least that much. I don’t know how he was here tonight; I don’t know how he knew I needed help. I’m just grateful he was here. “Thank you,” I say softly. “I’ll repay you.”
I turn away before he can say anything. I take a few steps and stop because Jace’s car is not where we parked. My eyes scan the parking lot as a sick feeling fills me. I squeeze my eyes shut a moment before opening them. Swallowing every ounce of pride I possess, I turn to Reid. “Can I get a ride with you?”
He cocks his head to the side, and I follow him to his car. He opens the door for me, and I climb in. He closes my door and walks around to the other side of the car. It’s quiet, so quiet; and I feel like I’m going to lose my mind. He reaches out and turns on the radio, and soft music starts playing. It helps to ease the pressure in my chest, at least a little. The drive back to campus is made in complete silence, but at least he doesn’t drive the way Jace did. Thinking of how Jace almost killed us multiple times makes me question myself over and over again. I’ve always thought I was mature for my age, but tonight I am feeling my eighteen years young more than ever.
I stare out the window the entire way back to campus. When he pulls up in front of my dorm, I don’t even really know what to say. I want to know how he was at the restaurant tonight, how he knew I needed help, but I can’t get my brain to form the words. It’s too much tonight. “Thank you, Reid.” I leave it at that. I’ll find a way to repay him and to thank him properly, but not tonight. Tonight, I just need to keep my composure until I can get inside.
“You’re welcome, Evie.” His words are gentle and kind and far more than I deserve. I swallow hard and climb out of the car with my throat tight. I force myself to keep my composure. I make it all the way to the second-floor stairwell where I hide and pull out my phone, putting it to my ear.
“Hey, Love.” As soon as I hear my mom’s voice, I shatter. The tears come unbidden, and I can’t talk. “Evie?” My mom asks in concern.
“M-mom,” I start.
“Oh, Evie, Honey, what is it?” I sink to the bottom stair and tell her all of it, every sordid detail. When I finally finish, I’m no longer crying. I don’t think I can anymore.
“I feel so embarrassed, Mom, and ashamed.”
“No, Evie. This is not on you.” Her voice is strong and adamant.
I shake my head. “But I know better. I told myself I’d never date a guy like dad.” It goes quiet on the other end, and I berate myself for my careless words. “I’m sorry.”
“Evie, listen to me. Tonight was a date, a single date. You saw this guy for his true colors. That’s why you date; that’s okay. What’s not okay is to continue in a relationship after you’ve seen how he really is. You're not going to do that. You’re not marrying him, Honey.” Her words are quiet. “I’m sorry, Evie.”
“It’s okay, Mom,” I interject quickly.
“No, Baby. It’s not okay. I should have never stayed with your father as long as I did. Yes, he used manipulation and threatened me with taking you away, but I still should have left him long before I did. But you are not me, Love. You won’t make those same mistakes. You’re stronger than I was.”
“It doesn’t feel like it, not after tonight.”
“Yeah, I get that. Tonight feels awful. But please hear me, Honey. That’s not how a man takes care of his woman. You're going to find a good guy that loves you and will take care of you. He will pay the bill and make sure you have a safe ride home. He won’t order for you or take you to a restaurant that you hate simply because he didn’t ask you. That's not love, Honey.”
“But you didn’t have that.” The words are out of my mouth before I can pull them back.
“No, I didn’t. Because I didn’t wait for that, Love.”
“What do you mean?”
She breathes out a sigh. “Baby, I got pregnant with you after only a few weeks of dating your father. We weren’t careful, and you were the natural consequence of that. I will never regret having you, Love. But because I was pregnant with you, I ignored a lot of red flags. I wanted you to have your father in your life, so I gave in on a lot of things and then gave and gave. And somewhere along the way, I lost myself in my terrible marriage until you gave me the courage to finally leave.”
“And I’m proud of you for that,” I remind her.
“I know, Honey. But it was a lot of years longer than it should have been.”
“It’s okay, Mom.”
