The Girl I Was Before (Falling #3)(74)

“She goes to McConnell. Did you know that?” I say.

“Business major, or something. Her dad’s name is on a building, so I just assumed. I don’t go out of my way to see her. Kind of the opposite, really,” he shrugs, turning his body to face me more.

“She’s the Delta president. She’s also on the soccer team. And my sister’s better than her.” I lift myself to my elbows, looking at him so our eyes meet, and I smirk. “Chandra hates that.”

His smile comes again, not as full as before, but it’s back. Houston isn’t disappointed in me. He’s disappointed in Chandra, and maybe a little disappointed with the fact that he lets her near his daughter.

“She used some things I told her in confidence…well…all right, maybe not in confidence, but…you know…” His brow is pinching. “I didn’t think she was that mean.”

Houston chuckles. “I don’t know her well, but I know she’s mean,” he laughs.

“Right, well, you get the award for being a better judge of character. Good for you,” I say. I start to feel guilty that I’m snapping at him, but he picks my hand up again, his thumb stroking the knuckles, so I don’t apologize. “I told her things about Cass, and she used them to spread rumors and hurt my sister.”

Houston nods in understanding. “So when you saw her…” he leads me.

“Naked in a bedroom passed out and nearly OD’d?” I give it to him straight, and his eyes flash as he winces. “Yeah, I snapped some photos. It was a party. I was a little buzzed, but not that buzzed. I knew what I was doing. I sent them. To. Everybody.”

“And the video?” he asks.

“I have no proof, but…” I don’t need to finish it; Houston has it all put together.

“And that phone call…that was the paper?” he asks.

“Story goes live this afternoon,” I say, my eyes losing focus, the edges getting bright. I lie back down and close them, the anxiety of everything overwhelming me.

I feel the weight of his body slide next to me, his finger sweeping my hair behind my ear as I turn into him. When I open my eyes again, he’s looking at that hair, watching his hand move slowly. I watch him watch me for minutes, neither of us talking. For a small window, everything feels…okay.

“So, there’s this park,” he says, his hand still stroking, his eyes still on everything but mine, his smile full of sympathy. “It has a slide. And I mean, like, a REALLY big slide. I think it needs a queen. And…it’s been years since I’ve taken a girl on a picnic.”

His hand stops. His eyes drift to mine, and stop. As much as Beth isn’t here, she’s very much here right now. I’m both melting and terrified at once, and when I finally look into his eyes, I feel myself fall into the green layers that grow dark around the edges and are golden in the middle. I swim in them. I drown.

“Are you asking me on a date?” I bite my lower lip. Within hours, I’m going to be the porn star who threw stones at the millionaire’s daughter because she was jealous. I might as well let myself get wooed a little before everything becomes cheap and sensational.

“Yeah, Paige. Like I said earlier…I’d like to date you,” he says.

“Good, because I didn’t eat a damn thing at dinner,” I say, putting on a pushy voice. I can’t hold it, though, and I let myself laugh. There’s also a little sadness that escapes with the sound. It’s one of those desperate laughs, and Houston can tell. He sweeps me into his arms and rolls until I’m on top of him, holding my hair from my face so he can kiss me. I look for any sign of doubt in his lips, but it isn’t there. He literally. Knows. Everything. And he’s still kissing me.

“You still think I’m hot?” I tease. His hand slaps my ass hard at my question, and I squeal a little as he squeezes, his fingers mostly on bare skin where my dress has ridden up enough to leave me exposed.

“You have no f*cking idea,” he says against my mouth.

“How committed are you to this picnic thing?” I tease, not really tease. His hand—it’s on my bare ass.

“I’m not committed to the picnic at all, but my mom gave me half an hour of alone time in the house, and I’m pretty sure the non-picnic thoughts I’m having are going to take a lot longer than that,” he says, pressing his forehead into mine, his eyes shut tight, his smile enormous and embarrassed.

“Okay,” I say, mine closed too. “But just so you know, that line I was holding at kissing…”

“Mmmmmmm?” he questions.

“It’s moved,” I grin, letting my eyes blink open to see his fully staring back at me now. I lean back against him, my palms pressed to his chest, and his hands grip my wrists—tightly.

“We’re home!” Joyce is using the sing-song voice, like an alarm sounding, so we know that whatever intense conversation we’re having needs to lighten up now that Leah’s here. She probably thinks we’re still talking about Cee Cee. But the longer I lie here, against him, the less I give a shit about Cee Cee and what she can do to me.

Do your worst, Cee Cee. Playground Paige is back, and she’s a little pissed you’ve made her take this dumb-ass detour through your shadow.





Chapter 14