Page 28 of Terms + Conditions
“Shut up!”
Elizabeth’s feet cemented to the floor as he inched closer. Her mind yelled at her to run, but her body betrayed her. She begged her brother not to do something he would regret, but he wasn’t going to regret it because no one would know it was him. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he had planned on her being gone, and now…Now she was home, and she’d seen too much. He didn’t have a choice. And if she was gone, he wouldn’t have to share with her. He’d get everything to himself.
Finally, her feet freed themselves from the paralyzing feeling, and she ran, but her brother was faster. Nate grabbed her ponytail and used it to smash her face into the front door, stunning her, and then did it two more times before tossing her onto the ground like she was nothing more than a rag doll. Hestraddled her and sank the knife deep into her stomach. Once, twice, three times…and then again and again and again. She lost count as the number climbed. A new fire ripped through her as he took the knife along her wrists multiple times.
Barely clinging to consciousness, she heard him sigh before the knife clattered to the floor next to her head. He moved around the house before she heard the garage door open and then his footsteps and a splash. Constant splashing. The sound disappeared before returning, and then a metallictinkbefore a loudwhooshand the roar of flames. Nate retreated through the foyer, stepping over her before leaving the front door open behind him.
“If Nina hadn’t gotten into a fight with Brina that night, I don’t think I’d be here,” Elizabeth says, jarring me back to the present. She plays with her fingers in her lap as we sit on a bench on the outskirts of the fountain under a giant magnolia tree. “I don’t even remember dragging myself out of the house, but somehow I made it to the front steps where she found me.” She absentmindedly rubs her arm through the sleeve of her sweater, and I reach over to stop the movement. I tug her into my arms and squeeze. Her shoulders rise and fall with a shuddered breath before she relaxes into my embrace, and I kiss the top of her head.
What can I say that will make it any better? What can I say that will take the pain of that memory away? No words seem right at this moment. Instead, I just hold her and let her go through the motions for as long as she needs. Finally, when she pulls away, she wipes her eyes and offers me a grateful smile.
Walking home, I make a vow to myself and a silent one to her: no matter where we are, no matter if we’re getting along or not if we’ve fallen in love, are just friends, or nothing…I will always find my way to her on the anniversary.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
NOW
THE NEXT WEEK AND a half goes by too quickly. I feel like I blinked, and it’s already the tenth of December. I’ve been holed up in my office most of this week, preparing for my departure tomorrow morning. I’m supposed to meet Elizabeth at her house before we drive down to Palm Valley to spend the long weekend with her college friends. The one saving grace is my old college friend, Elijah, will be there with Selena, along with Lola’s boyfriend, Jeremy. Her friend Georgie’s husband, Noah, is nice enough, but sometimes I just wish he’d shut up about his job.
There’s a knock on my office door, and when I look away from my email, I see none other than my cousin standing there.
“A mid-week visit fromtheNick Davis. To what do I owe the honor?” I ask, leaning back in my chair.
Though he’s not one to boast, Nick has become one of the best architects in this part of the country. Since taking over the architecture side of things for Villa Inc. last year, he’s been even busier, traveling a lot more and taking on a much wider load. But, like his wife, he handles it with the kind of grace only certain people possess: natural-born leaders. However, I don’t think he enjoys it as much as Nina does.
“Shut up.” He falls into the chair across from my desk with an exaggerated eye roll. “I had a meeting downtown, so I figured I’d pop in.”
“Nick, you don’t just ‘pop in.’ What are you really doing here?”
My cousin sighs and leans forward, elbows resting on his thighs. “I just wanted to give you a heads up.”
Interesting. Okay, I’ll bite.
“About?”
“Dee was talking to Elizabeth last night. I think things with that guy are getting serious with Elizabeth’s boyfriend. The one you met down in Jupiter,” Nick explains.
My stomach sinks at his words, and I do my best not to react, not to reach for my phone and see if she sent a text canceling our weekend trip.
“I overheard Nina giving her a once over about it. Guess Elizabeth is going on some trip this weekend with her college friends—that annual trip you guys used to do. She said she was taking someone with her. Taking him there must mean they’re pretty serious, right?”
“Did she say she was takinghim?”
“I don’t know, but who else would it be?”
“Me.”
The word hangs between us, and after a moment, Nick starts laughing. His face falls when I don’t join him. “Wait, you’re serious? Josh, what the fuck?”
“She asked me to go with her right after Thanksgiving.”
“You’re getting adivorce—or did you forget that?”
“Well, unless she sent me a message canceling…” I finally pull my phone out of the desk drawer to find no message. “…I’m still the one going.”
“You realize how fucked that is, right?”
“I don’t have a choice.”
