Page 227 of Promising You
He kisses the top my head. “What happened to you? Just a few months ago, you never thought anything would work out. You were always planning for the worst. And now you won’t even think about it.”
I push myself off him and sit up. “Because it can’t happen. You promised me I could have you forever. And at the time I wasn’t sure I wanted you for that long, but now I do. I want that damn forever.”
He smiles and runs his hand along my arm. “I want it, too, Jade.”
“So if they decide to go ahead with the plan, then we’ll run off together. We’ll go into hiding. We won’t let them get to us.”
“They have too many resources. They’d find us.”
“That doesn’t mean we can’t try.” I gaze down at the blanket, trying to keep it together. I refuse to cry about this, because if I do it’ll seem more real.
“I can’t risk putting you in danger.” He pushes my chin up. “You know I won’t do that. If this goes forward, then we just can’t—”
“See each other anymore. Yeah. I know.” I say it without an ounce of emotion because I’m not ready to accept that as a possibility. “Talk about something else.”
He sits up across from me. “Jade, we need to discuss this. If this happens we only have two weeks—”
I put my finger to his lips. “I can’t, Garret. Please. Not now. Just talk about something else.”
He takes my hand from his mouth, keeping hold of it as he sets it between us on the sleeping bag. “How was your weekend?”
“Great. I went sailing again. I’m getting pretty good at it. Arlin’s taught me a lot. I’m really going to miss him this summer. And Grace, too.”
“You should ask them to come out and see you in California.”
“Yeah, I think I will. I don’t want to go all summer without seeing them.” As I think about Arlin, my mind wanders to a topic that’s been bugging me ever since I met him. “Garret, do you um . . . do you think Arlin’s done things? Like bad things?”
“What are you talking about?”
“It sounds like the organization makes their members do things that are wrong and illegal. Maybe even have people killed, like that reporter who found out about the election fraud in Ohio and Florida.”
“You don’t know if that story was true. You can’t listen to Carson.” Garret’s phone vibrates and he checks it. “It’s my dad. I’ll call him later.”
“So do you think Arlin has done anything like that?”
“Jade, they’ve all done things. My dad. Arlin. And if I’m part of this group, they’ll make me to do things, too.”
“No. You can’t. And why would Arlin? He’s such a nice man.”
“Because they threaten to do whatever they know will hurt you the most. And if you don’t do what they say, they make good on their threats.”
“You really think Arlin has hurt people? Or maybe had someone killed?”
He sighs. “I don’t know so I’m not going to assume anything.”
“But with your dad, you’ve seen stuff and heard stuff that makes you think it’s possible?”
He nods. “But Jade, I don’t know anything about Arlin when it comes to that and neither do you.”
“I know. I just can’t imagine him hurting anyone.”
Garret’s phone vibrates again and he checks it. “It’s my dad again.” He scrolls through his phone. “He left me four text messages, too. I should call him back. He doesn’t know we’ve been meeting like this, so don’t let him hear you.” He calls, and his dad answers right away. “Dad, what’s with all the messages?”
Garret listens and keeps listening for almost a minute, his expression growing darker by the second.
It has to be about the organization. They must’ve called Garret’s dad and told him they’re continuing with the plan. But it’s not time yet. It’s too soon! My heart goes into overdrive, beating so fast I feel like I can’t breathe.
“Okay.” Garret looks at me. “No, I’ll tell her.” He hangs up and sets his phone down.
