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All week, I’d prayed he would come to me and say the words he’d used to stand up to my father. He’d proudly proclaimed that he wanted to be with me. I might be insane for feeling this way after the short time I’d known him, but Mom once told me that the heart wants what the heart wants, and it can’t be argued with.
Having Constance in the car with us on the way home allowed me to put off the conversation I had to have with Duke, the confession I had to make. Would he feel the same way once he knew the truth about me?
The mental lockbox that contained those painful memories shook and rattled around in my head, threatening to spill its ugly secrets. Thinking of all the blood turned my stomach.
Duke wanted, and now needed, to know about the Fox brothers, so there would be no avoiding the discussion about my past—about the events nobody suspected. Nobody beyond Lucas Hawk knew anything about what I’d done.
Except, of course, Harvey Fox. That thought chilled me to the bone.
After a few minutes, Constance asked Duke, “What’s next?”
“Do you have time to brainstorm possibilities at the house? Because I can’t help but think there’s a work connection now.”
“Sure thing.”
My leg started trembling as my thoughts returned to Harvey Fox and the talk Duke would insist upon.
It wasn’t fair. All I wanted was to curl up with my new boyfriend and lock us away for a week. Thinking about a week alone with Duke calmed me.Yes, that would be a perfect week. If I couldn’t have that, maybe I could have a day.
I dialed Nick. “Hey, are you guys still on for Anaheim tomorrow? There’s been a change in my plans.”
“Yep. Does this mean you can come?”
“It sure does, me and my boyfriend.” That word sounded so wonderful when I said it. I could see Duke’s scrunched-up brow in the rearview mirror.
“Perfect,” Nick replied.
“I want to ask my friend too. Is that okay?”
“Sure. I got plenty of tickets.”
“How’d you manage that?” I asked. They were super pricey.
“Top secret, need to know.”
“Okay, well, thanks.” After I got off the phone, I announced, “There’s been a change of plans.”
“I heard,” Constance said. “Where are you going?”
“Disneyland with Katelyn, my friend Gray, Nick, and his girlfriend.”
“Sounds fun. I had the best time at Disneyland as a kid,” Constance mused.
“You’re not going,” Duke countered. “It’s too risky.”
I added some volume. “Yes, I am.”
“No.”
I used my finger for emphasis. “Yes, I am, but you don’t have to come along if you don’t want to.”
“First, we have to figure out security for the park,” Constance warned me.
Duke shook his head. “I don’t like it.”
Constance’s smile was a good counterpoint to Duke’s scowl. “I can’t come because they’d recognize me, but Terry and I can be floaters nearby.”
“Not good enough,” Duke said. “I can’t cover all the approaches by myself in a place like that.” His eyes moved to me. “You have to get Constance invited.”
