Tomorrow's Lies (Promises #1) (36 page)

“Flynnie come another time and see me?” Cody presses.

His eyes meet mine, and I fear he’ll see the truth. That Flynn may be making the choice to never see any of us ever again.

Thankfully, Mandy swoops in to save the day. “Hey, you guys, guess what Josh got for you?”

Two sets of matching curious eyes turn her way. “What?” Callie asks.

Mandy holds up an older-version PlayStation game. The twins don’t know—or care—it’s not the latest version. They’re appreciative of any gift given.

“Ooh, fun. We play it now?” Cody wants to know.

A young man with wavy blond hair and a great smile walks in through the back door, which leads right into the living room on the opposite side from the front door area where I’m standing.

As he kicks off his heavy boots, Mandy introduces him to me and Bill. “Hey, guys, this is Josh.”

Josh turns out to be as nice as Mandy described him. He heads upstairs with the kids to set up their new video game in their bedroom, and when he comes back down to the living room, he asks if anyone is hungry.

“I was setting up the grill when I was outside,” he says, gesturing to the door he came in earlier. “I can cook up some burgers and dogs for everyone, if you want?”

“I could go for a burger,” Bill says.

“Sounds great,” I reply.

Bill offers to help Josh grill, and he accepts.

With the guys out in the back yard and the kids upstairs, Mandy and I have our first chance to talk alone.

“I’m so happy for you,” I say to Mandy as we sit down on the sofa. “You did what you planned.”

“Yeah, I did.” She sighs, contented. “I can’t believe it actually all worked out. Next step is adopting them.”

“It’ll happen,” I say.

The twins trundle back down to the living room, looking sheepish, and Mandy wants to know, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Callie replies. “It’s just…we like the games and all, but can we go play outside?”

It’s February, but a mild day. It’s like the sun came out and the temperature warmed up just for Cody and Callie.

“Sure,” Mandy replies, smiling. “Have at it.”

As the kids head to the yard, I glance out the window above the sofa that offers a view of the back of the house. There’s an old swing set in one corner, but it looks safe. The twins don’t care either way, they run to it. While Cody and Callie take turns going down the slide, Bill and Josh turn to watch them. After a few seconds, their attention returns to the grill, where they talk and laugh and tend to the burgers and hot dogs smoking.

“This is so perfect,” I say, turning back to Mandy.

She nudges me. “It is, but one thing is missing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Next time you visit, I expect Flynn to be with you.”

“Oh, Mandy.” I place my head in my hands, stricken. “I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen. It’s been over a week and I haven’t heard a word from him. Maybe he’s staying in Forsaken. Maybe he found another girl.”

“Jaynie,” she scolds. “Come on.”

I peer over at her. “Seriously, Mandy, something is up.”

“I don’t think it’s any of those things,” she says. “Flynn just needed some time.”

“I don’t know, Mandy,” I maintain.

But then I reconsider when she says, “Josh heard Flynn quit his job.”

I perk up considerably. “He did?”

“Yep, and you know what that means.”

“He’s finally coming to Lawrence?”

“No, Flynn’s not just coming to Lawrence, Jaynie.” She points at me. “He’s coming home to you.”

Flynn

I
get off the bus in Lawrence, a duffel bag slung over one shoulder. That one bag holds everything to my name.

It’s early evening, but dark already, as I trudge toward the park. For winter, the day’s not too bad. Mild temperatures have melted the snow, but the ground remains frozen. Leftover fall leaves, ones that probably fell around the last time I saw Jaynie, crunch and crackle beneath my heavy work boots.

Suddenly, a cold breeze out of nowhere rattles the bare trees. I hitch my coat collar up around my jaw. The day may have been mild, but the night promises winter’s return. My face feels cold since I shaved this morning for the first time in days. Not that I kept a heavy beard, but I was used to some scruff.

No worries, I want to look good for Jaynie. I bought some new jeans, and a new flannel shirt that I’m wearing fitted over a thermal. I stopped at splurging on a new hoodie and coat, though. I’d rather save the money to use on my new life with Jaynie.

In the park, I search for the old oak. I locate it right away, shimmy up, and scoop the locker key from the carved out nook Mandy always talked about.

I try out the key, just to see what would’ve been waiting for me in the locker had I had a chance to follow Jaynie back in October. I discover the backpack is filled with clothes for me. I put it back for now. One bag is enough to lug around.

I’m stalling, I know it. My nerves are on end.

Taking a deep breath that allows the incoming cold air to clear my head, I finally start for the deli.

The whole while, my heart is racing like crazy. Now that I’m really here, I’m not sure what to say when I see Jaynie.
Hey, I finally made it
sounds lame. I guess I could start with the truth and hope she understands.

The deli is dark when I spot it from across the road. It’s apparently closed for the day. Shit, it’s a Saturday. You’d think it would be a big day for business. Maybe something came up.
Damn, I hope everything is okay.

It’s then I realize how disconnected I’ve become. I stopped living—like, really living—these past few months. I couldn’t allow myself to think too much of Jaynie…or Mandy…or Cody and Callie. But that didn’t mean I ever forgot about any one of them.

Crouching down in front of an old building directly across the street from the deli, I decide to wait it out. Where else do I have to go?

I lean back against the brick façade. I’ll stay here all night if it means I’ll get a chance to lay my eyes on Jaynie.

Hanging out like this makes me think of Crick.
Shit, I wish I had some cigarettes to pass the time
. But no, check that. Having none is for the best. I’m a non-smoker once again.

A few cars pass, but the town is small and not busy. I crouch down after awhile and doze off, and when I wake up I find it is freezing.

Just as I’m standing and zipping up the hoodie inside my coat, a car pulls up and parks in front of the deli.

“Fuck.”

My nerves have me all over the place.

And then…I see Jaynie. Everything stops—time, space, the world we live in. I forget to breathe even, as she steps from the car. Auburn hair, long and flowing, and pale skin I know is so soft.

I want to run across the street, grab Jaynie up in my arms, and kiss her. And I almost do. But then I see Bill Delmont. Or rather, I see the man I assume must be Bill. He slips from the driver’s side and proceeds to walk Jaynie the rest of the way to the deli.

The place is clearly closed, as established, and it’s kind of late to be opening now. So, I guess Jaynie lives upstairs in the room Mandy told us about.

I watch the two of them as they walk to the entrance, not knowing what my next move should be.
Do I call out, get Jaynie’s attention?

Bill fumbles with the key and Jaynie laughs when he almost drops it.

I don’t know… Jaynie seems so comfortable with this guy.
Shit
. Maybe she
has
moved on with her life?

What if he hugs her next? What if he kisses her?

If I see Bill Delmont kissing my Jaynie—nice guy or not—I may fucking lose it.

I know then I just need to leave.

Hunching my shoulders, I slip around the side of the building, out of sight.

And then I take off at a run.

Jaynie

B
efore Bill leaves me at the deli door, he takes out his key and says, “See you tomorrow. You have opening shift, yeah?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

I then remind him I have my own key, but he insists on unlocking the deli door.

He almost drops his key, and we laugh. “It’s been too long of a day,” he says, sighing.

“It has been,” I reply. “But it was really great, seeing everyone again and meeting Josh, finally.”

Something in my heart tugs. The day was amazing, spending time with Mandy and the twins. But I can’t pretend that one very important person was missing—Flynn.

Dammit, where is he? There’s no reason for him to continue to stay away, not now. He quit his job, right? I sure hope Mandy is right about this one.

Bill turns to go, and I catch the briefest flash of a guy across the street. Something registers familiar about him.

I blink, and he’s gone.

My tired self takes a minute to process and review.

Definitely a guy.

Tall, with broad shoulders.

A guy bundled up in a worn tan coat and navy hoodie.
Wait
. Bundled in a worn tan coat… Oh my God, I know that coat. And I know that guy.

“It was Flynn,” I murmur.

“Jaynie, are you okay?” Bill eyes me curiously.

I look at him. “Uh…”

Maybe Bill made Flynn run. Maybe Flynn misunderstood our friendly interaction.

I assure Bill everything is fine and pretend I’m heading inside the deli. Bill goes to his car, and then drives away.

The second Bill is out of sight, I race across the street. It must be close to eleven by now. The moon is high in the sky, all round and bright, illuminating the night.

“Flynn,” I call out as I head around the corner to the side of the building.

No one is there. No Flynn, nothing.

Damn. If Flynn is running, there’s no way I can catch him.

Which way would he go, anyway? To the left and to the right is a straightaway, running in both directions. I look each way, but there’s no sign of Flynn on either side. That leaves one option—straight ahead, into the park.

Flynn must have run to the park. But he can’t get too far, the river will stop him. Unless Flynn plans to swim away, he has nowhere to go.

I race over to the park and begin to thread my way toward the riverbank. I walk along a narrow trail that’s surrounded by small trees and scraggly brush. The branches are bare, but wiry and tangled. They poke at me like bony fingers, making me glad I have on a heavy wool coat.

When I reach the trail’s end, I scan the banks of the river.

And then…

I see him, a shadow in the night. “Flynn,” I call out to the shimmery silhouette down by the water.

A brisk wind drowns out my voice, and Flynn doesn’t hear me or turn around. He remains still, his back facing me. He’s filled out a lot since I last saw him months ago. And that’s when it hits me—all the time that has passed, all the days and weeks and months without him. I’ve moved from depressed to functional, but there’s always been this hole, an absence only Flynn can fill.

Choking back a sob, I run to him. As I near the boy I loved and lost, he doesn’t hear my footfalls. Between the wind and the fast, choppy river current, I’m able to sneak right up on him.

When I’m a mere few feet away, I skid to a stop. “How fitting that we reunite by the water,” I say.

Flynn spins around, and all the weeks and months condense down to one day, and then one minute, and then now. There is only now as our eyes meet. There is no more past and no future.

Flynn smiles at me. “Hey, Jaynie.”

I smile back at him. “Hey, Flynn.”

We come together, a crushing of bodies. My hands find purchase in his hair. His hands go to my face. Our lips meet, and it hurts, this reuniting. But it also feels so, so good.

Tears fall.

I remember this love. And the gaping hole in my heart, the one that healed a tiny bit today when I was with the twins, stitches back up completely.

When Flynn and I break from our kiss, he presses his forehead to mine. Breaths intermingle, wispy plumes, a testament to life in the dead, wintry air.

“You made it,” I whisper.

“I would’ve been along sooner, but, uh, I guess you could say something got in the way.”

“You mean some
one
,” I correct.