The Private Serials Box Set(70)

I sighed with relief because she was so spot on. But then I tensed. She knew. She knew what was going on, which meant one of the three liars had told her.

“Don’t be mad at me, Lena,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around me. “We all did what we thought was right.”

“Not you too,” I mumbled.

“I’m sorry.”

I let out a groan and pulled away from her. “Well, what exactly are you sorry for?”

We both sat down on the edge of my bed, our knees pulled up so just one leg hung over, facing each other. “I’m sorry it took me two months to come visit you. That’s one thing I shouldn’t have listened to him about. I’m sorry you had to go through all of this alone. But, honestly,” she paused, taking in a deep breath, “I knew if I came here, I’d never be able to lie to your face and I believe in Preston and what he’s doing, what he’s done. So I didn’t want to risk ruining it. Not for the selfish need to see my best friend.”

“I thought you pulled away because you were mad at me. It was as if every time I called, you were upset with me for leaving you.”

“I was never mad at you. I totally understand why you left. I would have too. It was just better for me to not talk to you for a while, to let him do his thing.”

“And what thing is that?”

“He has to be the one to tell you. He at least deserves that.”

“Ugh! Why is everyone protecting him? He lied, Sam. He begged me to trust him and then he lied.”

“You’re right, and you have every reason to be upset, but do yourself a favor and just hear him out.”

“What if what he tells me just breaks me even more?”

“It won’t,” she said with a surprising amount of certainty in her voice. “He might be able to put you back together.”

“Did you fly all the way out here just to tell me you’re on his side?” I asked my question with a pout, but regardless, I was glad Sam was there for any reason. I’d missed her more than I realized.

“I’m on your side, always.”

“Well, I need to run before I can even think straight. Want to come with me?”

“I just took the red-eye over an ocean,” she said with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, point taken. Wanna take a nap on my bed?”

“I knew we were best friends for a reason.”

Sam changed into some comfy clothes and crawled into my bed as I put on my running gear. I left the house and made it to the beach. The sky was still watercolor hues of red and orange. It looked like a painting and I took just a moment to breathe in the clean air and appreciate the fact that I was, in fact, in paradise. If there was anywhere to have some sort of quarter-life crisis, this was the place.

With a little bit of the weight lifted from my shoulders, I began my run, again seeking that place where my brain could empty out and let clarity seep in. I needed clarity more in that instant than ever before.

I don’t know why I was surprised to see Parker jog up next to me at our usual spot, but I was. I guess I figured that since the jig was up, there was no need for him to run with me anymore.

“Hey, Lena,” he said easily as he fell into pace beside me.

“Parker,” I replied, coolly.

“Good to see you out and about. I was worried you’d close up and hide in your apartment. Or even worse, run.”

“I am running.”

“I meant run away, like you did before when you left Oregon.”

“Excuse me?” I snapped, stopping in my tracks. “I didn’t run away from anything in Oregon. There was nothing left there to run away from.”

“Except Preston.”

“You’re delusional,” I said as I started to run again, only this time I went faster.

“Just promise me you’ll at least listen to him, Lena. Give him a chance to explain.”

“For crying out loud! How is every single person I know on his side? Do you know what he did to me? Did he tell you he did the exact opposite of what he was supposed to do? That he lied to me? That he made me believe he was working for me when, in fact, he was working against me?”

“He wasn’t against you. Please, you just have to listen to him.”

“Why does it matter so much to you?”

“Because he’s my brother and, even though this might be hard for you to see right now, he’s never cared for anyone like he cares for you.”

I scoffed. “Well, yippee. How did I get so lucky to be the one he cares about so much he lies and manipulates me?”

“Lena…”

Parker was pushy; I could give him that.

“Fine! I’ll let him explain, but if I listen to him and ask him to leave and never speak to me again, you all have to leave me alone. It has to end when I say so.”

“Deal,” he said without hesitation.

I looked over at him and slowed my pace until I was stopped and Parker was facing me. “You really believe in him, don’t you? You think he’s going to explain himself and I’m just going to fall all over him again?”

“I just think he deserves the opportunity to explain his side of the situation. And you deserve to hear it, too.”

I couldn’t argue with him. I did deserve to hear what happened. I just wasn’t sure I wanted to know.