Page 73 of All Yours

“My thoughts exactly,” he replied with a smile.

After they handed over the bag of food, he pulled back out onto the main road. I helped myself to a couple of piping hot fries and closed my eyes as the salty potatoes hit my tongue.

“Hey, don’t go hogging all the hot fries,” Jeremy said.

I leaned the open bag over so he could grab out a handful.

“Perfect,” he said, mouth full.

“Yep,” I said, adding a sip of chocolate shake to my next mouthful of fries.

“So, you and Jonah,” he said.

“I ended that.” I admitted, pushing away the ache in my chest at the mention of his name.

“Why?”

“It wasn’t real,” I sighed, then chugged some more milkshake.

“What do you mean?” Jeremy asked, and stopped at a red light, reaching across and pulling another handful of fries from the bag in my lap.

“I trapped him into a pretend relationship because my PR lady said that it was good for my image to be in a steady relationship when Sebastian’s book came out.”

“Ah, the book.”

“And Jonah was over, and she mistook him for my boyfriend, and I didn’t correct her. Then, I found out that my parents and managers and Sebastian’s managers orchestrated our entire relationship behind my back.”

“Why’d they do that?”

“Because I was a big ole freak who never had a boyfriend on her own because tennis was my life.” I held up the paper cup like I was giving a toast. “And I still am, except now writing is my life.” I slumped back in the seat.

“Jonah agreed to be in a pretend relationship with you and—”

“No, I cornered him into it,” I explained. “He didn’t know what he was getting himself into, not really. I understood what the press is like. It wasn’t fair of me to turn his life upside down. So, I set him free.”

“Then, why did he show up at the police station?”

“You ask a lot of questions.”

“I’m a lawyer, occupational hazard.” He shrugged.

“I had just broken it off right before the sheriff showed up. I guess he’s still trying to get some answers.”

Jeremy sipped on his milkshake and turned the car into my gravel driveway. “Code?” he asked. “Or do you want to come across and enter it?”

“842951. I’m gonna need to change it, anyway. Jonah’s probably up here waiting for me.” I mumbled.

Jeremy drove the gravel driveway to the house. When he pulled up, Jonah’s truck was nowhere in sight.

“He’s not here,” Jeremy said.

“No. What a relief,” I said, getting out of the car. Only my automobile sat there, cold and alone. An ache radiated through my chest. I moved through the front door to peer into the bedroom. The chair where his bag had sat that morning was now empty. His toothbrush and deodorant were gone from the bathroom vanity.

Jeremy appeared in the doorway.

“He did what I asked and left,” I breathed. “You didn’t have to stay.”

“You left your milkshake in the car,” he said, holding it up. “Also, my food is in the bag.”

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