Page 153 of Always Us

I point to the TV. “Did that just say Andrew Roth?”

“Yes.” He turns the TV off. “Sit down.”

I take a seat across from him. “Did something happen?”

“Andrew was found in a hotel room in Amsterdam early this morning. He was taken to the hospital for a drug overdose. They found cocaine, heroine, and several prescription painkillers in his hotel room.”

“So he’s in the hospital?”

“He was, but they just reported that he passed away.”

I get this big ass grin on my face. That’s bad, I know. I shouldn’t be happy someone’s dead, but shit, the guy beat on women and acted like he owned them. And besides, he did this to himself. He overdosed on drugs and killed himself. At least I think he did.

“Did they do this?” I ask my dad.

“No, this was all Andrew. Honestly, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. He’s had a drug problem since college.” He smiles a little. “You should go tell Jade the news.”

“Yeah. I will.” I get up to leave, then stop. I know he won’t answer my question, so I phrase it differently. “So I was just talking to Sean. Harper’s over at his place. The two of them are back together and Harper’s moving in with him. She’s going to UCLA.”

My dad nods. “Good for them. I’m sure they’ll be very happy.”

I watch my dad’s response. And his response, although subtle, confirms that it’s okay they’re together. Even with Andrew gone, I still thought maybe the organization might try to do something to Harper or Sean to get back at Kiefer. But my dad’s response is telling me they won’t. But how did Sean know he could be with Harper? I wonder if my dad had something to do with that. I wonder if he had someone pay a visit to Sean, or give him an anonymous message telling him he was safe. My dad knows Sean is one of the few real friends I’ve ever had, and he knows how much Harper means to Jade. But how did he get Sean the message so fast? He just found out about Andrew, and yet it sounds like Sean’s been with Harper since this morning. So was Andrew’s death really his own doing? Or was he killed?

“Garret, go talk to Jade.” My dad motions me to the door.

“Yeah, okay,” I say, shaking those thoughts from my head. I don’t care how Andrew died. I’m just happy he’s gone and Sean can be with Harper.

When I get back to the game room, Jade and Harper are still planning out our summer. I sit next to her, and when there’s finally a break, I say, “It’s good you two are back together. Sean was really starting to depress me, moping around all the time.”

“How do you know if I was moping?” Sean asks. “You never see me.”

“We know you were moping because Harper was, too,” Jade says. “You two are happiest when you’re together.”

“We totally are,” Harper says, followed by more kissing sounds. “Hey, guys, let’s talk later. Sean and I have some catching up to do.”

Jade rolls her eyes, but smiles. “Enjoy the rest of your Christmas. We’ll celebrate when we get there on Wednesday. Hopefully you two will be caught up by then.”

Harper laughs. “Probably not, but we’ll make time for you. We love you guys. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.” Jade and I say it at the same time.

Jade tosses the phone on the couch and hugs me. “Can you believe it? They’re back together! I’m so happy for them.”

“Hey, I have to tell you something.”

She sits back. “What’s wrong? Is this about Andrew?”

“Yeah. He’s dead.”

She jumps off me. “Are you serious?”

“He died of a drug overdose. Someone found him this morning in a hotel room in Amsterdam.”

“And he, um…” She pauses. “He did this to himself?”

Although I can’t say for sure, that’s the story I’m going with. “Yeah. He did it to himself.”

She sits on my lap and hugs me again. “I’m so relieved.” She pulls away. “But how did Sean know he could get back together with Harper?”

---