Page 241 of Promising You
“I can’t believe you’re really here! That you’re actually sitting here next to me.” I move my hand up and down Garret’s arm to make sure he’s real and this isn’t a dream.
“So it was a good surprise?” He brings my hand to his lips and kisses it.
“Are you kidding? It was the best surprise ever. You’ll never top that one.”
His cocky smile appears. “Oh, I think I can.”
I have no idea what that means, but I don’t bother asking.
“Is this really over? Their plan for you?”
“It’s over. And they already picked someone else.”
“Do you know who? I mean, not that you’d know the guy but—”
“I know him. And so do you.” He glances at me like I should know who he’s talking about, but I give him a blank stare. “Evan Cauldwell.”
“Evan.” I repeat it as I try to think of how I know that name. “Evan as in Sadie’s boyfriend? That guy from Yale?”
“Yeah, the one who was so rude to us that night of the fundraiser. I got a bad feeling from that guy as soon as we met him. I don’t know why they didn’t pick him originally. He’s a way better choice than me. I’m sure he’ll do whatever they ask without even thinking about it.”
“Is Sadie still dating him?”
“Yeah, and get this. Apparently she aspires to be first lady someday. One of the members told my dad that she actually volunteered to marry whichever guy they picked. I guess before he died, Royce told Sadie how the system works and she was all set to make herself part of it.”
“Is that why she wanted to get back together with you? Did she know about their plans for you beforeyoueven knew?”
“I can’t say for sure, but that’s what I’m guessing. After I talked to her that day you were in the car with me, she broke it off with Evan. And she just got back together with him after she found out he was taking my place.”
“Huh. My half sister’s going to be first lady someday.”
“That’s what it sounds like.” He opens a compartment in the dash of the car and pulls out some sunglasses. “Here. I got these for you.”
“Thanks!” I try them on and check out how they look in the visor mirror. “So why were you acting so weird on the phone the other night? Was someone listening in?”
“Probably not, but I didn’t want to take any chances. My dad always says to never trust the home phone. That’s why we hardly ever use it. But I didn’t have my cell phone and I had to talk to you.”
“Well, now that we can talk, tell me what happened at the meeting.”
“I don’t want to talk about it right now. We’re here in California. It’s a beautiful day. Let’s just enjoy it.”
“Okay.” I’m a little worried he doesn’t want to talk about it. Is he not telling me something? Is this group making him do something else now? He seems really happy so I decide to let it go. “Have you been to our place yet?”
“Yeah. I got here yesterday and scoped out the area. It’s a great condo. You’re going to love it.”
“You got here yesterday? Why didn’t you call me?”
“Because that would’ve ruined the surprise.” He reaches across the seat for my hand. “You still don’t understand the concept behind surprises, do you?”
I roll my eyes at him, smiling. “So the car was already here?”
“It got here Wednesday. I unloaded all your stuff but didn’t put it away. I figured you’d want to decide where to put everything.”
“Are we going there now?”
“I thought we’d stop at the beach first. You’re in California. You have to check out the beach.”
He turns onto a small road lined with strip malls that turns into a smaller road that eventually comes to a dead end. There’s a metal railing and just past it is a beach and beyond that, the ocean. I can see it from the car.
