No time to dwell on consequences if we don’t succeed. There will be plenty of time for that if we fail. Right now, finding out where Grace went is the only thing that matters. And my best chance of doing that is making nice with a certain football player.

Chapter Six

#CallMeDontCallMe

IT TURNS out the past is a lot more difficult to avoid when it’s all around you. We look at the TV, and there I am. We check the internet, and once again, I’m the star of the day. They are talking about me everywhere. My face, my poor teenage face, is plastered all over the airwaves. Bebe is texting me. Her parents—my parents—are texting me. And even though I really need to call them back, I just can’t do it. They will want to whisk me away to a safe place. And I’ve been there, done that. I spent almost a year tucked away in a safe place after I came home and I can’t go backwards. I can’t.

News organizations are calling as well. I know what that means. They want interviews. They wanted interviews back when I was fourteen too, but they never got one then and they’re not getting one now.

The Big Guys are calling, hell, even the Little Ladies are calling. Although that might be about Kristi’s fucked-up wedding. I’m not one hundred percent sure about that.

Probably not though. That’s probably about my past as well.

But the one thing that surprises me the most is that Vaughn does not call.

Why?

Is he so disgusted about what happened in my past? He said we had a good time last night. And I honestly wish I could remember. I do remember the gambling. I remember him being there. I remember being so angry. And I know I walked out and then there’s a gap before we were in a restaurant together. He talked about… I don’t remember exactly. But I think it was personal stuff. I can remember being ashamed because he was weaseling his way back into my fairytale and I was giving in.

God, everything about my life since Asher came into it has been a mess. I’m a mess. This guy is not good for me.

So why do I care so much that he hasn’t called?

Maybe he figures I won’t answer?

He’s right, if that’s what he’s thinking. I won’t answer. I’m paranoid since my phone went missing and then reappeared the next day a few weeks back. Maybe someone hacked into my phone somehow? I don’t know how wiretapping works, I could be tapped, right? Who knows who could be listening on the other end.

But still, there is this emptiness inside me that craves to hear his voice. I take a deep breath and stare at my phone as it buzzes its way across the glass table. I could call him.

Jesus, Grace. Make up your stupid mind.

Right. I’m not calling him. There’s too much happening right now. The last thing I need is him making things more complicated.

“Earth to Grace?”

“What?” I look over at Kristi and her brother. They are staring at me. “What?” I repeat.

“Your phone?” Kristi says as she points to the buzzing tech on the table next to me. “It’s driving me nuts. Just answer it.”

I pick up the phone and check the number. “It’s Vaughn.” I smile before I can stop myself.

“Just answer it,” Jack says. “It’s obvious you want to talk to him.”

I shake my head no. “I can’t talk to him right now, you guys. He’s going to want answers. You don’t know him. He compels me to do things I shouldn’t. He makes me impulsive. He’s demanding, and bossy, and—”

“And on the TV right now,” Jack says, pointing to the flatscreen over the bar on the other side of the pool. “Look!”

I do look. I can’t help myself. I even get up and walk over there so I can hear.

“Shit,” Kristi says as she joins me. “And there’s Johnny.”

“Please,” Vaughn says to the camera. “We need your help. Grace Kinsella and Kristi Bolton were chased off the premises this morning by the paparazzi. We need your help to find them. Grace is my girlfriend and by now you already know about her past. She is Daisy Bryndle. Her story was never told, and I’m not going to be the one to tell it now, I don’t even know most of it. But I do know that she could be in danger. The psycho who killed her parents has resurfaced. In addition to that, my friend Johnny Blazen is also worried about his fiancée, Kristi Bolton. She’s six months pregnant and they are due to get married this evening. We need your help. We need to find these two women and get them to a safe place. Please, if you have any information, call the number on the screen.”

“Do you think it’s true, Grace?”

I have to lean over and place my hands on the table to steady myself. Back? He’s back? Could it really be true? My mind is just spinning out of control right now. The TV switches to the scene at the hotel where I escaped with Kristi. I walk back over to my lounge chair with wobbly legs and take a seat.

“I think you should call him,” Jack says. “Seriously, if there’s some guy after you, you need to be protected. This resort is huge, you’re not safe here. We have guards at the gate, but everyone else is gone on vacation. No one will be around for weeks.”

“Jack,” Kristi says in a stern voice I’m not used to hearing from her. “We’re not ready, OK? We’re sorting through things. And if we go back now, we’ll be pressured into making decisions. And we don’t feel like making any decisions right now. Right, Grace?”

I nod. “I can’t. Not yet. I need to process this. And Kristi, I know I’m totally in debt to you right now, but can I borrow some clothes? Even if I need to buy them from your gift shop or something? And take a shower?”