Page 185 of Promising You

I hear him mumble something to another guard. “I’m sorry. We can’t let you in.”

“What? Why not? Brad, it’s me. You know me.”

“I know, but . . .” He sounds like he really wants to let me in and yet the gate remains closed.

“But what? Just open the gate.”

“I can’t. We’ve been ordered to not let you through.”

“By who? Katherine? Mr. Kensington?”

He clears his throat. “No. By Garret.”

CHAPTERFORTY-THREE

“But that doesn’t makesense. Why would Garret—”

“I’m sorry, Jade.”

That seems to be the word of the day. Everyone’s sorry but nobody will tell me why. I sink to the ground, but a security guy I’ve never met before reaches under my arms and pulls me up. “You can’t be on the property. You need to be across the street or at least a foot from the gate.”

I don’t move, so he pushes me until I start walking. I join the young girls lined up across the street. Some have lawn chairs. Others are sitting on sleeping bags. The girls next to me have signs that sayI love GarretandMarry me, Garret.

“Are you waiting for Garret to come out?” a girl asks. She’s looking up from her spot on a pink and green sleeping bag. She’s probably around 12. Her blond hair has blue streaks in it that match the puffy blue jacket she’s wearing.

“Yeah, I am.” I stand there with my arms crossed, staring at the iron gate.

“Are you one of the moms?”

Moms? Is she blind? Do I seriously look like a mom? I’m only 19! Then again I probably look really old given that I stayed up all night and have dark circles and bags under my eyes. But still.

“No, I’m not a mom.” I’d love to tell her I’m Garret’s girlfriend, but that would cause all kinds of problems, so I pretend to be just another one of Garret’s fans. Apparently the oldest fan he has by the looks of this crowd.

This is so ridiculous. I’m not standing here all day. I’m getting past that damn gate and then I’m going to force Garret or his dad to tell me what the hell’s going on.

I walk down the street past the crowd of young girls until I’m by myself. I’m standing in front of another large mansion that’s surrounded by an iron gate that looks just like the one at Garret’s house.

Now what? I need a plan, but I’m too tired to think and my stomach is growling even though I don’t feel hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since last night, so it makes sense my stomach is begging for food but it’s not getting any so I try to ignore it.

I take a seat on the sidewalk and search my purse for a mint or some gum. Then I search my wallet for money as if some might have magically appeared between the time I paid the taxi driver and now. There’s not even a quarter in there, but in the zippered side pocket I find a business card. It’s the card Arlin gave me.

I decide to call him. I’m not sure how he could help me, but I’m desperate and tired and out of any other ideas.

His phone rings twice and then I hear a recording of a woman’s voice.This number requires a passcode. Please enter it now.

I forgot Arlin said I had to enter a code. He told me the code. What was the code? I can’t remember.

Please enter the passcode now or you will be disconnected, the recorded voice says.

“Yeah, I know!” I yell at her. “Just give me a minute!”

Arlin said something right after he told me the code. What did he say? My birthday! He said he was sorry he missed all my birthdays. I quickly put in 1008 and the phone starts ringing again. It rings and rings and I’m sure he’s not going to answer but then I hear a voice.

“Jade? Is that you?”

How did he know it was me? The code. Man, I’m slow today.

“Yes, it’s me.”

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