Page 3 of Fake Coral and Keys

Promise.

He promised me he’d be at the next Gathering. He’d promised he’d show up, no matter how short a notice. Blake had promised to pose as my boyfriend again that day I left him outside the coffee shop.

And I was stupid enough to believe him.

Forest nudges my shoulder, a toothy grin plastered on his face. “On a positive note, if Blake can’t make it, I won’t have to hear you guys going at it every night.”

“Forest, stop,” my mother says and pulls him away from me. “We got them a room away from everyone else.”

Forest lets out a loud cackle, and even I chuckle.

My mother smiles, her eyes growing soft with sympathy. “He’ll be here.”

I nod and watch them walk toward the jet.

Blake will be here.

No broken promises.

CHAPTER TWO

BLAKE

Now

An electric current runsdown my spine, snaking through my body. I’m faintly aware of the jerky movement of my leg bouncing up and down as I check my watch. Again. He’s late. Now,I’mgoing to be late.

“Asshole,” I mutter under my breath. A woman in stretchy pants jogs by. Her head swivels in my direction as her steps falter. I guess I wasn’t exactly muttering to myself. I give her a warm smile to reassure her my harsh wordsweren’t meant for her. The woman’s lip curls with something close to distaste, but she readjusts her ear buds and resumes her pace.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

I jerk toward the voice, nearly jumping out of my skin. “About time, asshole.”

He spreads his hands out, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry that I rearranged my plans to be here, dickface.” He gestures to the park and the large parking garage looming over the softball field where a group of men plays a game of tag football. “I can leave and return home to my wife and kids.”

“You were supposed to be here an hour ago.” I stand from the bench, unable to contain the nervous energy coursing through me. I’m supposed to be at the airfield. Now.Rightnow. “You could have been here when you said you’d be.”

Calm down, Blake. Don’t be mean. It’s not his fault I called last minute.

TJ looks around the park, full of joggers, parents with little kids in strollers, and the stray homeless taking up residence on the park benches. “I’m here now, butt-munch.” He adjusts the collar of his shirt and wipes at his brow. “It’s fucking hot.”

His blatant lack of respect for the fact that Daisy is waiting for me sets my teeth on edge. “Can we do thisso I can leave, please?”

TJ’s lip curls into a smirk as he plops down next to me, stretching his arms out on the back of the bench. “You in a hurry or something?”

“You know I am,” I snap, then take a deep breath. TJ knows I’m in a hurry to leave. That’s why we are here. That’s why I called him and he agreed to meet me this early on a Friday. It’s not his fault he couldn’t meet for this exchange earlier than the morning that I’m supposed to be boarding the jet that will take me away for the next five days. I release my breath, my cheeks puffing out. “I’m going to miss the plane.”

“Plane?” he asks, his face a perfect mask of innocence. “I wasn’t aware you visiting your grandmother required you to leave the state.”

“Aunt.” I grind my teeth and close my eyes, reigning in my anger. This is TJ. He’s constantly fucking with me. I have to remember this.

Note to self: Be nice to the man doing you a favor.

Favor, my ass. This favor is costing me a pretty penny.

Trying to calm my nerves, I glance back at the parking garage where I stashed my duffle bag behind the dumpster. It would really suck if someone stole that bag. Daisy’s present is stashed in with my socks.

Focus, Blake.We need to get this done so I can leave. I feel the heavy envelope in the pocket of my khakis and take another soothing breath.

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