Page 40 of Love and Loathing
Caroline whispered to her, her gaze on Jacob. “What do you think he’s sayin’?”
“If his lips’re movin’, he’s lyin’,” Jessie said.
Pastor Brown took the stand. “Before we start the sermon, Pastor Connolly—” He signaled to the young man behind him, who was wearing his signature bow tie. “—wants me to remind you to be actively using the Fish in the Sea app. The more you use it, the more likely you are to find your match.” Pastor Brown cleared his throat, then started the service with a prayer.
Jessie said her own in her heart.Please bless Alex. Let him know people care about him.
She didn’t hear a word of Pastor Brown’s service as her mind kept wandering to Alex. She noticed Jacob put his arm around Barbie, totally on the sly, and with an air of innocence that could easily win him an Oscar. Suddenly, she remembered something Alex had said. That he was implicit with Daniel’s crimes.
She leaned forward and stared at Jacob, specifically at the tan on his arm where his sleeve had pulled back when he’d put his arm on the pew behind Barbie. He’d been tan, really tan, when he’d arrived here … in February. He’d said he’d gone to the Maldives the year before, but what if he’d just gotten back? What if he’d been there on those white sandy beaches with Daniel? She remembered the picture Daniel had posted in February of his feet and some other guy’s feet.
She grabbed her purse and pulled her phone out. Her mom shot her a look. She ignored her and opened her app to Daniel’s feed, searching for the image. She found it, the photo of the ugly, hairy boy feet, and read the caption. “White beaches and best buds. Living the good life.” She sucked in a gasp.
“What?” Caroline whispered. “What is it?”
Jessie’s eyes slowly lifted from her screen and landed on Jacob. She stared him down. He turned to look at her, like he’d been able to feel her glare. He made eye contact, grinning; then he saw her face and his smile fell.
Oh yeah. I know, you prick. And you’re going down.After church, she and he were going to have a come-to-Jesus meeting.
* * *
Service ended, and people started to get up and leave. Jessie stayed seated and watched as person after person went over to Jacob and shook his hand. He kept looking back at her, and she knew there was no way he’d leave without talking to her. He would have to know what was going on. It would be a compulsion. He was a liar, after all, and if his lies weren’t believed, it put his entire game at risk. She stood after a moment and made her way to the side of the chapel, where she kept pace with him while he walked in the middle. They’d almost reached the end when someone grabbed her arm.
She turned, her heart leaping in her chest. “Alex?”
Pastor Connolly stood in front of her. She came up short. He released her arm. “Hello, Jessie. How are you?”
She glanced over her shoulder at Jacob as he exited the chapel. “I’m … I’m good. How are you?” She’d never seen him this up close. She’d thought he was older, but now she realized he couldn’t be older than twenty-three or twenty-four.
“That’s good.” He brushed hand over the side of his hair. “I’m glad to hear it.”
There was a pregnant pause, and Jessie wondered if he was done. Could she just walk away now? He gave her a crooked grin. No, he couldn’t be done.
“I’m sorry, did you need something? My family is already outside.” She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder. She hoped Jacob was still out there.
“Yes, of course.” He straightened his bow tie. “I don’t know if you’re aware of this—”
She glanced over her shoulder.
“—but Fish in the Sea paired us.”
She snapped her gaze back around. “What?” He had to be kidding. Hadn’t they only gotten, like, sixty-something percent?
“I’d like to take you out this week. Friday work for you?”
Her jaw dropped. “Uh … errr …” Her brain stuttered, and when her senses came back to her, all she could think wasAlex wanted you, you shot him down, and now this is what you have to look forward to—barely postpubescent pastors who thought sixty-something percent compatibility was worth giving a shot. She laughed at the thought and clapped her hands to her mouth.
He blinked at her. Stunned.
She laughed again. It started coming in great peals. Tears spilled from her eyes, tears that turned into sobs with hiccups of laughter sprinkled throughout. She tried to speak through it. “I’m sorry … I don’t know what’s gotten … into me … I swear, I’m not laughing at you.” She might be sobbing at him, though.
He laughed then, too, for a moment, then stopped abruptly and went serious. “So Friday, then? Should I pick you up at seven?”
She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’m so flattered. Really, I am. But I’ve got a ninety-eight percent compatibility rate I think I should explore first.”
Pastor Connolly’s face lit up. “Ninety-eight percent?”
She nodded. “I’d love to tell you all about it, but right now, there’s someone I really must talk to. Afternoon, Pastor.” She ran outside after Jacob.
