Stella adjusts in Cade’s lap before saying, “I’m going to make Austin pay. But I think I should be the last card that we play. Because the second that we do, he’ll know I know he’s here. I have an idea, but I’m pretty sure Cal will kill me for it.”
“Yeah, probably. Especially if it’s anything like your last plan,” I say.
“Ugh, shut up.” She laughs. “I think Becca should continue to pretend to date him. Then, Becca should ask him on a date with no tech. Maybe invite him over first to help you with some legal questions. He will feel completely at home with the attention on him. You’ll need to creatively get his phone password. Then, leave your phones and his laptop here, and we’ll go through it. And hopefully, we can find some kind of evidence against him—a text, a photo, something. Thoughts?”
“Yep, you’re right. I hate it.” I turn to Becca, whose face tells me everything I need to know. She likes the plan, and there’s nothing I can say to stop her. “You don’t have to do this, love. I’d actually prefer it if you didn’t.”
She smirks, and those gorgeous eyes find mine. “Well, you know how good I am at listening to you.” She turns to the rest of our group. “I like it. I think it’ll work. I’ll even let him drive my Lambo. That’ll add a good chunk of time. Okay, so when are we doing it?”
“Want to make it a double date?” Sophie asks.
Stella cuts that idea off. “No, it needs to be about him. He needs to feel in control. Let him guide the date, laugh at all his jokes, smile at him constantly, and he’ll stay there forever.”
“Done,” Becca says.
“Okay. I would say let’s do it tonight, but I don’t think I can. I need a day for myself. Tomorrow, I’ll be getting everything ready for Gran’s move. Monday night?” Stella asks.
Everyone slowly nods, and I feel the plan lock in place. My palms sweat. I know that my best friend’s rapist is about to be behind closed doors with my girlfriend.
Two days.I have two days before I have to completely obliterate Austin.
Becca stands up. “Monday it is.”
We spent the afternoon with the group. Becca ordered pizza and pasta for everyone from her favorite Italian restaurant. The one I never seem to be able to pronounce right.
We started the new show on Disney+,Loki. We got through the first four episodes before Cade, Stella, and Brooke left. Although I think Stella had mentally checked out long before that.
Sophie and Rose were close behind them, leaving Becca and me alone. Keanu swung by after that, just checking in on Becca. And I swear his gaze stayed on her a little too long, just hovering.
But he’s kept her safe this long. Although he completely fucked up on the Austin part. He should have done a background check on him from the moment Becca and Austin first spoke.
Once Keanu left, it was like something floated in the air, the same hum of electricity that always seems to live between Becca and me.
My fingers continue to run through her hair as we finish the nextLokiepisode. Her head is in my lap, facing the TV. And it’s taking everything in me to not take her face in my hands and kiss her again.
But I don’t want to rush anything with her. I want everything to be at her pace. But that’s proving to be much harder than I first anticipated.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, more than once, and Becca lifts her head up.
“Either your phone is ringing or your”—she scoffs and looks down to my lap—“has developed superpowers.”
I laugh and feel my cheeks flush. She cannot talk about that without all my willpower threatening to snap.
But when I glance at my phone, all excitement drains from me as I answer the call. “What do you want?”
“Is that any way to greet your mother?” my mom snaps.
“Why are you calling?” I ignore her question.
I’m still fuming that they would move Gran to that hellhole. I still haven’t told Mom she’s not going there. But I’m saving that for a special moment because it’ll also probably be my last time in that house.
“Inviting you to Gran’s last meal here on Monday for lunch. If you could bear to make any time for your family,” she says, her voice full of animosity.
“I’ll be there. I’m bringing my girlfriend. What time?” I demand, and I feel Becca squirm in my lap. When I look down, her cheeks are red, and I bite my lip at the image in front of me. I guess I did just call her my girlfriend.
She shouldn’t seem so shocked though. I’ve always been hers, and she’s always been mine.
“Lunch is at one p.m. And who is your girlfriend? I didn’t even know you were dating anyone,” she says, a little hurt.
