Page 100 of Tell Me It’s Right

I wince. Not a great start. I should’ve stayed in there. Liam’s never been the best with words. Keava tries to pull me away.

“You know, this involves me too,” I snap.

“I know,” she says softly and drops her hand. “Just…just give them a minute.”

I strain my ear, wondering if they’re speaking too quietly to hear, but no, I think Leo is being silent.

“I’m really sorry it came out like that. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. We just—I was planning on telling you tomorrow?—”

“No.”

The cold firmness in Leo’s voice stops Liam midsentence.

Liam sighs. “Leo?—”

“No,” Leo repeats, louder, harder. “You promised me, youpromised me, you would never go there with her.”

Liam sputters. “That was—that was in high school.”

I blink, stunned.High school?Why was that even a topic of discussion back then?

“She’s not like all the other girls you’ve burned through after Hailey, okay? She won’tsurviveyou, don’t you understand that?”

A jolt runs through me, my cheeks flaming. I’m not sure what part of that sentence does it.

All the other girls you’ve burned through.

Orshe won’t survive you, like I’m some sort of naïve, breakable child.

“This isn’t like that at all, Leo. Do you really think I would’ve gone there with her if this meant nothing to me?”

“I have no idea. Clearly, I haveno ideawho you are or what you’re capable of?—”

“Leo, come on. You know me. You’re being unreasonable.”

A hand brushes my arm and I jump, thinking it’s Keava trying to pull me away again. But Trish gives me a sheepish smile as she edges forward, clearly trying to hear too. The other girls aren’t far behind.

“Am I?” Leo all but barks out a laugh. “I don’t think I am. Because if you honestly believed that, if you really saw nothing wrong with what you’re doing, you wouldn’t have kept it a secret. How long have you been lying to me? How long have you two been doing this behind my back, huh?”

“Leo, I’msorry?—”

“How long?” he demands. “Is this why you gave her a job? So you two could have an excuse to sneak around?”

“No.No. Gracie’s damn good at her job, you know that.” There’s a pause, then quietly: “We didn’t…it wasn’t until around the Fourth of July.”

“Nearly amonth? I can’t fucking believe this,” Leo mutters. “You’re supposed to be my best friend.”

“And you’re supposed to be mine, Leo. Yeah, I feel bad that you found out this way, and maybe I should’ve told you sooner, but do you really think so little of me that this would be the worst thing in the world?”

God, thehurtin his voice cuts straight into my heart. I don’t realize I’m stepping forward until Trish tightens her hand around my arm. She widens her eyes and shakes her head.

“She’s my little sister, Liam. And you’re no good for her.”

“Maybe I could be.”

A beat of silence passes, then quieter, Leo says, “For your own sake, Liam, I hope you can change, but you’re not going to do it with Gracie.”

“It’s really not up to you to make that call.”

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