Page 36 of Wasted Memories
He slid one of the plates to me. “I have to go to work for a few hours. If you need anything, call me.” I had my fork an inch from my mouth when I looked up to find Wesley's hard stare. “I mean it this time.”
“Okay. I’ll call.”
He nodded once, satisfied with my answer, and dug in.
Wesley left for work shortly after he finished his breakfast. He tried to do the dishes before he left, but I insisted he leave them. It was the least I could do with everything he was doing for me.
I was still picking at my bacon when I decided I knew exactly what I needed to do today.
Despite Stella and Wesley’s wishes, I had to go to Jett’s house.
***
Jett owned the house; I was technically only a renter. He bought it right before we met, so we both furnished it after we got together. I didn’t want any of the things we had bought together, though. I just needed my clothes; he could keep the rest.
The front door was unlocked, but Jett’s truck wasn’t out front, indicating he wasn’t home. I walked here, trying to keep myself relatively hidden whenever a car passed. I didn’t think Jett would do anything to me if he did happen to find me, but I didn’t want to take my chances.
I didn’t want to have to explain to him why I wouldn’t be coming back. He probably thought what he did didn’t warrant this kind of reaction. In all honesty, I wasn't sure what the outcome of all of this would be. I just didn’t want to be around him for a long, long time, and if that stretched into forever, then sobeit.
I was silent as I hurried toward the bedroom to gather some of my clothes. Not sure if he’d be showing up any time soon, I decided to move quickly.
I grabbed a duffel bag from the closet and hesitated before throwing a few shirts in. My mind jumped to what this bag could’ve been used for in the past with the knowledge of what Jett had been doing behind my back. Trying to push that thought out of my head, I continued stuffing the oversized bag with jeans, underwear, bras, and jackets.
Once the bag was filled, I hung the strap over my shoulder and was about to head out of the bedroom when I stopped in my tracks, my eyes catching on his nightstand. Only Jett would be dumb enough to keep drugs in there. If I found them, it’d be enough to make me never come back. But did I really want solid evidence to back up what Stella and Brendt told me?
The two of them wouldn’t lie to me about something as serious as that, but a small part of me didn’t want to believe it. I wanted to pretend I’d never heard any of it, like that wasn’t one more thing I mentally added to my list of reasons I didn’t want to be around Jett.
I slid the strap off my shoulder, setting the duffel bag on the ground. I walked over to the nightstand and paused as my hand closed around the handle of the drawer. I hated that I didn’t trust him anymore. Girlfriends shouldn’t snoop around in their boyfriends things if they had a healthy relationship.
I guess it was a good thing I wasn’t his girlfriend anymore.
I tugged on the handle, the drawer sliding open, and found chapstick and a few condoms laying there. Letting out a sigh of relief that I didn’t find anything else, I went to close the drawer, but before it shut all the way, I saw a thin red string pushed up against the front wall of the drawer.
I stuck my hand in and grabbed the string, pulling up on it lightly. The bottom of the drawer pulled up, revealing more items underneath the faux bottom.
There were three Ziploc bags containing various colors of pills, a crumpled piece of paper, and a cellphone. My heart dropped. In a matter of seconds, Jett became a stranger to me.
I grabbed the paper and unfolded it with shaking fingers. There was a list of names scribbled on it, some crossed out, others starred. I skimmed the list, trying to see if I recognized any of the names when I heard the front door open.
Rushing to put everything back, I closed the drawer and quietly slung my bag back over my shoulder. I peered around the door jamb, making sure no one was coming down the hallway. Assuring the coast was clear, I tiptoed my way to the back door and slid out silently.
My heart was pounding in my ears as my fingers struggled to line up the number combination on the lock for the side gate. Once I heard the click, I pulled on the lock and opened the gate, making sure to pull it only far enough so it wouldn’t reach the point where I knew it squeaked. After closing the gate, I made my way through the side of the front yard lined with bushes, hoping they hid me from view.
My steps stumbled when I noticed Jett’s truck still wasn’t in the driveway. There were no vehicles here. Did I imagine the front door opening?
I didn’t have the time or desire to try to figure out who could have been inside the house, if anyone. I rushed down the block the same way I had come and beelined to Wesley’s house.
Chapter Nineteen
Wesley
Iwaswrappingupmy fifth and final oil change of the day when Sebastian left. He’d done three himself, and a tire rotation. Thankfully it was an easy, short day because I was completely distracted.
Again.
I tried not to make it obvious I was rushing through my assigned tasks through the day. I was well aware that Jim and Jett were close so I kept our conversations short today. I didn’t want Emerson to be brought up somehow and have to lie my way through not knowing anything. My headphones were shoved in my ears practically all day to keep anyone from trying to start up a conversation with me for exactly that reason.
I handed Ms. Roslin her keys back after she’d paid Jim and then got to work cleaning up the discarded oil filters and empty jugs. The quicker I cleaned, the quicker I could leave and get back to Emerson. I’d been biting the inside of my cheek raw with nerves about her being alone at my house. No one knew where I lived, but it didn’t settle even an ounce of the anxiety I had.
