Leave Me Love (Call Me Cat Trilogy #2)(13)

I checked the time. It was still early, which meant Ash was probably asleep, lucky dog. I almost protested, wanting to check with him about our next date, but I saw her eyes, how much she wanted this, and I relented. "Sure. That sounds fun."

"Awesome!" She threw her arms around me and hugged hard.

"Damn, Brig, you smell like cigarettes and old wine."

She sniffed her armpits and scowled. "Yeah, I need a shower. Be right back." She stopped, staring at her bag, and pulled something out. "I almost forgot. I saw Ash on the way here. He asked if I could give this to you. He was heading over to see Jon."

I took my jacket from her hands. I must have left it at his house, but why didn't he bring it to me himself? "Thanks."

"Okay, give me a few minutes, and we'll start our screwdriver and sappy movie marathon."

I tried to fall back asleep while she showered, but my brain was already too awake. Fortunately, Brig took a fast shower.

She started Netflix and found an appropriately sappy movie, pouring us drinks that I only sipped at for fear of becoming drunk off my ass by noon. We'd watched three movies and were on a marathon-watching-frenzy of Sex and the City, the beams of sun through our dorm window turning to moonbeams, when I finally found the courage to hint at what I wanted to ask. "Brig, if there was something serious going on, you'd tell me, right?"

Her eyes widened as she looked at me. "Of course. What do you mean?"

I didn't want to accuse her of anything, didn't want to imagine her and Ash as anything but friends, didn't want her to think I didn't trust her. "Just, you know, we're best friends, right? So you'd tell me if something was weighing on you, right?"

A tear slid down her cheek. "Of course." Her words were slurred.

I looked at the vodka bottle and realized she'd had a lot to drink.

"Hey Brig, maybe it's time to call it a night and get some rest. We have class tomorrow, you know?"

She dropped her head onto my shoulder, the closing credits playing on the latest Sex and the City episode. "You're so lucky, Catelyn."

"How's that?" I couldn't imagine why she'd think I was lucky, given our disparate lives.

"Because, you have Ash. Sexy, rich, bad-boy-in-a-good-way Ash." She closed her eyes and my pulse raced as she continued. "I never told you, but I had the biggest crush on him for the longest time."





Chapter Eight


Back to School


SEEING BRIDGETTE'S HANGOVER the next morning, I patted myself on the back for only sipping my drink, even though it meant I'd been painfully sober for her late-night confession.

My phone rang as I left my dorm, bag packed full with wordy law books. "Hello?"

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Ash, hi!" His voice made my heart happy. "I missed you yesterday."

"Me too. How about I make it up to you tonight? Dinner, romance, maybe some kissing?"

"I'd love to. But only if I can bring my books. I have to study or I'll never get caught up."

He sighed dramatically. "Fine, but I reserve the right to distract you at every opportunity."

"Sounds fair."

The campus smelled like cold and rain and wet trees and I loved it. I loved seeing familiar faces rush to class, texting and talking on their cell phones, nodding to each other as they passed. I loved the tap of shoes on the pavement. It was familiar and comforting. It was home.

I avoided Harvard Square and Lucky's old kiosk, taking a different path to my class with Professor Cavin. On the way I called Detective Gray for an update.

"Hello." He sounded hung-over when he answered, and I wondered if he'd been partying last night too.

"It's Catelyn Travis. Did you find anything on the guy who left the note?"

"Yeah, about that…" I heard the clicking of a keyboard and someone shouting at someone else in the background. "We had a sketch made from the nurse's description. It looks like Ash."

My heart stopped. "Did you show her a photo of him?"

"Yeah. She said she wasn't sure."

I sighed. "Someone dressed up like him."

"Or maybe Ash is just messing with you. Rich boys can have a twisted sense of fun."

I started biting my nails, then stopped. "Did you ask her if she switched the note?"

He started chewing something, his lips smacking. "Yes. She didn't."

"She might be lying."

"Maybe."

"Get her to take a polygraph."

Smack. "Catelyn, she's not being charged with anything. I'm not asking her any more questions."

I bowed my head, resigned. "What's next?"

"Let me know if you get another note. In the meanwhile, you should really consider seeing a—"

I hung up before he could finish. "Jackass."

A scrawny guy in front of me turned around, startled.

"Not you."

He shrugged and walked off, probably texting his friend about the crazy lady talking to herself.

My head spun as the anger built in me, and I leaned my forehead against a brick building for support, my eyes closed. I took deep breaths to calm down. My temper had never been this volatile, but ever since my mini-coma, I felt this rage living just on the surface of my skin, crawling over me like frenzied ants.