Page 74 of The Lake of Lost Girls

“I have a lot of stuff to do—” I started to protest.

“It’s nothing that can’t wait.” He lifted the bag. “I got us sandwiches because I have a feeling you haven’t eaten since the donuts at breakfast.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “You know me so well.”

I glanced back over my shoulder at the pile of work on my desk. “Honestly, Ryan, I really have a lot to do. I’m … I’m flunking my classes. It’ll be bad if I don’t pull my gradesup soon.” My protests were weak and ineffectual. I would give in. I could never say no to Ryan McKay, no matter how much I wanted to.

“Hey, it’s okay. Come take a short break and when we get back I’ll help you study.” He tipped my chin up and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.

“Okay,” I relented, and he smiled widely, like he’d won the lottery. I shoved my feet in my sneakers and grabbed my keys. As I went to shut the door Ryan pulled something out of his back pocket and held it out to me. “Oh, I found this in the hallway outside my room. It’s Daisy’s. Not sure how it got there, but I’m being a good boy scout and returning it.”

I startled at the sight of it. I took the campus ID card from him. “Thanks.”

I went back into my room and dropped it on Daisy’s desk before joining him in the hallway.

Ryan closed the door behind me. “Come on then.”

Once in the parking lot, Ryan unlocked the passenger side door of a brown Ford Explorer. He pressed me against the side of the car, cupping my face in his hands. “I can’t stay away from you, Jessica Fadley,” he whispered against my lips. “What have you done to me? I’m half crazed over you.”

My insides felt shaky. I was both flattered and suffocated. I wanted his love and attention, but sometimes it could be too much. There was no such thing as space with him. Boundaries were blurred and pushed.

All of my misgiving melted away at the feel of his mouth against mine.

I knew what Ryan wanted from me today. I could tell by his desperate kisses and urgent touches. That was okay, though. I wanted it, too. I needed him to help me forget even for a little bit.

Yet, I couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding as we made our way through Mt. Randall. I felt off balance the further we drove from campus.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked as we cut through the main part of town.

“You’ll see.” He gave me a sideways glance. “Nothing to be nervous about. I wanted somewhere romantic. There’s a place I know from when I was a kid. It’s perfect.”

I turned on the radio so I wouldn’t have to talk. Then I wished I hadn’t. It was a news report about Meghan. I noticed the way Ryan’s face turned thunderous.

“Turn that off,” he commanded, his eyes dark.

“I’m … I’m sorry.” I fumbled with the knob. Ryan could be the most loving, gentle boyfriend, but I also knew he had a temper. Daisy had warned me. Sometimes a switch would flip and he was like a different person.

“You never did tell me if you ended up speaking to her that night.” I broached the subject tentatively. It was like walking on eggshells on top of land mines.

“Uh, yeah. Only briefly, though.” He sounded dismissive. He reached for the radio and turned it off more aggressively than was warranted.

“What did you talk about? Did she say anything about Dr. Daniels?” I was pushing. I knew he hated that. It was in my nature to back down, but I wanted to press and prod. It was so out of character that it rattled me.

And like every single time the subject came up, Ryan effectively shut it down. “I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Okay, I just—”

His nostrils flared. “I can’t believe she would get involved with someone like that. Not after the shit she went through with her parents. She’s dealt with a lot. It’s why we clicked when we met at the beginning of the school year. She has a shitty dad, I have a shitty dad. That’s why it pisses me off so damn much. She should know better.” He spoke with authority. It made the blood in my veins turn to ice.

“What do you mean?”

Ryan kept his eyes firmly on the road. “Women like that, the vulnerable ones, are easy pickings.” It was an angry, definitive statement.

His words had been brutal, and direct.

I was unnerved.

Neither of us said anything for an uncomfortably long period of time.

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