Sweet Liar (Candy #2)(29)

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Drew was at his locker after gym, just like Jonah said he would be. His blond hair was spiky on top, looking freshly washed. Worn khakis hung off his narrow hips, and a red form-fitting cotton T-shirt emphasized his broad shoulders and slim waist.

Drew looked good, but he did absolutely nothing for me. Not a single butterfly fluttered in my stomach. Those traitorous creatures saved all their energy for Jonah.

“Hey,” I said as I walked up to Drew, realizing I felt nervous around him now because I couldn’t stop thinking that he knew about the organization. He knew about my father, and he was the person most likely to understand how I felt.

He gave me a casual look at first, but when he realized it was me, he became more alert, standing up straight. “Candy, hi.”

“Sorry I didn’t text you back about the dinner invitation. That was really nice of your family to invite me.”

His bright blue eyes crinkled with his smile. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure you were busy.”

My gaze searched his as I wondered if he knew exactly what had kept me so busy. “So if the invitation is still open, I’d love to come.”

His brows arched up. “Sure. I’ll let my mom know.”

“Great.” I smiled, feeling awkward at how much we were smiling. It was weird, too polite and formal. Just like it was weird to believe Drew knew everything about me and my family while I was clueless my whole life.

Once he’d put his books away in his locker, I walked with him toward his next class, and he casually asked if I liked working at Dempsey’s Diner. That was where I’d last seen him, and if he noticed how tense I became when he brought up the diner, he didn’t say so.

“I had to quit. Working was getting in the way of homework.” I hated lying, but had no choice.

“I hear you. Track eats up a lot of my time too.”

After saying good-bye, I detoured in the direction of Jonah’s locker, figuring he’d come looking for me if I didn’t. Instead, I came face-to-face with Parker, who’d come down the same hallway from the other direction.

“Hi,” she said, looking a little uneasy. She was wearing her dyed blond hair straighter than usual, and her overall look was toned down from her normal tight dress and heels. Instead she had on high boots with a pair of skinny jeans tucked into them.

“Hey,” I replied. We eyed each other as we turned at the same time and began walking in the same direction.

“Where are you headed?” she asked.

I was wondering the same thing about her since there was nothing this way but a hallway full of senior lockers.

“To see Jonah.”

“Me too.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re not back together with him, are you?”

My brows rose at her tone.

“Because I got the impression you two were over. You know I’ve always liked him, but if you’re going to get jealous and start destroying my stuff again, tell me now. I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of the year.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her to go for it. Since Jonah would rather fall in a pot of boiling oil than spend time with Parker, giving her a green light might be a fitting punishment for him. I couldn’t deny that I liked her asking my permission. But I also couldn’t deny that the thought of him with her or anyone else made my heart hurt. The last thing I wanted was to send him a girl like Parker on a silver platter.

My lips curled into a satisfied smile. “You should stay away from him.”

Parker didn’t like my answer. That was clear by the way her nose wrinkled and her gaze sharpened like a laser on me. “You two are back together?”

I shook my head.

She gave me a confused look. “So, what then? You don’t want him to be with anyone else?”

“I don’t want him to be with you.”

Parker’s hands went to her hips. “If Jonah’s a free agent, what you want doesn’t matter, does it? He can make his own choices.”

With a smug look, she turned and walked in the direction of Jonah’s locker. I stood watching her, second-guessing myself. She’d probably tell Jonah, and she’d be out for my blood again. I couldn’t seem to stop antagonizing her. The way she hunted down my ex looking for dirt still grated on me, but considering everything I had going on, it was best not to start another war with Parker if I could help it. I didn’t need the distraction.

Since I didn’t want a scene at Jonah’s locker, I turned around and decided not to talk to him about my conversation with Drew. I didn’t need to wait in line for Jonah’s time. I wasn’t sure why I was rushing to tell him in the first place.

It turned out that lunch wasn’t canceled, just shortened. The entire day was abbreviated since we’d lost most of the morning, and as lunch approached, I realized the thought of sitting at the same round table in the cafeteria with the same people I’d gotten to know over the past few months was killing my appetite. I didn’t want to see Lea sulking over Ethan, or Parker flirting with Jonah, so instead I went to the library and sat there, staring at my homework rather than doing it. I couldn’t seem to focus.

After school, as Jonah drove me home in his Jeep, he asked, “Did you talk to Drew today?”

I was surprised he’d waited this long to bring it up. “I talked to him. He said the dinner invitation is still open.”