Page 97 of Unbelonging
"Uh-huh."
I gave him a pleading look. "Can't we just go to your place?"
His jaw tightened. "Sure. After I check things out here."
"You can't," I stammered. "I mean, I don't want you to."
"Chloe, be reasonable," he said. "A favor for me, alright?"
Miserably, I shook my head.
He stared at me a long moment, and then said, "Alright," in a quiet, clipped tone. "Have it your way."
"Great," I said. "Wait right here. I'll get Chucky."
Before he could respond, I dashed inside, locking the door behind me. Inside the house, I grabbed Chucky, along with his leash.
A few minutes later, we were driving to Lawton's place in my car. Lawton drove. I sat with Chucky on my lap. I tried to act normal, and from what I saw, so did he. But I couldn’t deny that there was some sort of wall between us.
I hated that wall.
When I reminded Lawton that I had to work in a couple of hours, the wall seemed to loom larger, as if he didn't quite believe anything I was saying. But I told myself that couldn't be the case. He knew me, right?
Inside his house, Chucky dove straight for his favorite basket, a wicker thing with a checkered pillow. Lawton had bought it a couple weeks earlier, one of the things he'd used to lure us to stay. In an odd way, that seemed a long time ago.
Lawton and I wandered to what had become our favorite room, the one he'd brought me to that first time, the night of his interrupted birthday party. Silently, he pulled a throw-blanket out of a nearby chest and wrapped it around me.
We sank back together on the sofa. I snuggled into him, and he wrapped his arms around me like he always did, but something was definitely off.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, I couldn't stand it anymore. I pulled away to look at him.
Slowly, Lawton turned his gaze on me, his body tense and his eyes troubled.
I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. Whatever he was feeling, I'd obviously caused it. Apparently, my evasiveness hadn't gone unnoticed. It was time to come clean, at least about some things. "I want to tell you something," I said.
"Yeah?"
I took a deep breath. "Ididsort of know that guy."
"Yeah?" Somehow, he didn't look surprised.
"But not in the way you think," I continued, my words tumbling over each other as I rushed to explain. "He's a friend of Brittney's. They came in where I work. He and some friend. I'm guessing it was the same guy that came with him tonight. Anyway, they caused all kinds of trouble. With Brittney and Amber too." I looked away and mumbled. "They got me fired."
Lawton's expression darkened. "When was this?"
"I dunno. Maybe a couple weeks ago."
His gaze narrowed. "I don't get it. You still work there."
"Well, yeah. It's complicated." I looked down. "Anyway, I'm guessing that tonight, Brittney put those guys up to it."
"Why didn't you say something earlier?"
"It was just so ugly," I said, giving his question some thought. "And Brittney's, I dunno, a friend of yours, and I didn't want to come across as some kind of crazy, jealous chick, throwing around accusations I couldn't prove."
"So the other night at the club?" he asked. "What wasthatabout?"
"Nothing," I said. "He just happened to be there, that's all."
