I walk through the back door and step out onto the patio of the Reynolds’ house. I stop when I see Cole swimming laps in their Olympic size swimming pool. I knew he’d be here. Even before the car wreck, he lived in the water. It’s only been six weeks, but it hasn’t slowed him down. Now he uses it for his physical therapy because he can’t afford to lose his position as captain on the swim team.
“What You Deserve” by No Resolve plays through the outside speakers while he swims his laps.
He stops and pops his head out of the water. I know he feels me watching him. I shouldn’t have come, but he’s been ignoring my phone calls. Running both hands through his hair, he steps out of the pool and looks at me.
“Isn’t it too soon to swim?” I ask, sitting on one of the chaise lounge chairs under the awning.
He doesn’t answer. Taking the towel off the table, he wipes his face.
I hang my head. “I’ve been texting you. I came up to the hospital.”
“I didn’t want to see you then, and I don’t want to see you now,” he snaps and rolls his shoulders.
Tears instantly spring to my eyes. “I lost someone too, Cole. Eli was my friend too …” I lie. He wasn’t my friend. I barely knew him, but I’m too ashamed to say that out loud. And now I can’t let anyone find out I was there or what I had planned that night.
“No, you were just another girl he was fucking.”
His words sting, even if they aren’t true. I jump to my feet. “You don’t know …”
He wraps his hand around my throat and pushes me back against the wall of the pool house. He’s in my face, growling, “You have no fucking clue what I lost! What I did for you!”
I take in a shaky breath. “I’m so sorry.” Tears run down my cheeks. I’m not sorry for walking away from the accident. I’m sorry for ever being there. “You shouldn’t have taken the fall.” I’ve never known Cole to be a good guy. I don’t know why he took the responsibility for me that night, but I know it will cost me in the long run.
“You shouldn’t have been there at all!”
My eyes narrow on him. Then why did he let me walk away? “I was responsible—”
“You wanna owe me, Becky? Huh? Is that why you came here? To tell me that you’re fucking sorry that my friends are dead?” he interrupts me.
I swallow nervously against his hand that holds me hostage. I knew he’d make me pay in some way. Cole Reynolds does nothing for free. Hell, maybe he saw this coming and knew he could use me.
“I owe you, Cole,” I whisper after a long second, accepting my fate.
“When I need you for something, you will do what I say?” he asks, arching a brow.
I give him a slow nod, and whisper, “Whatever you need.”
“I don’t wanna talk to you or fucking see you until then, do you understand?”
I’ll gladly stay the hell away from him. “Yes.” My shoulders physically shake, and I can’t stop the tears that run down my face.
“Good. Now leave.” He lets go of my neck and takes a step back from me. I rub my sore throat as he turns and dives back into the pool.
“The three of us should get together soon.” She breaks through my thoughts.
“Three of us?” I ask.
“You, me, and Demi.”
“Why?” I can’t help but wonder. “We never hung out with her back in Collins.”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. She just seems … sad. Maybe she didn’t want to move here.”
“She didn’t have a choice.” My mother decided that when I was moving to Texas so was Demi. She hates me for that, but I don’t give a fuck.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll all get together. Maybe have a girls’ night.”
Like Cole would allow her to do that, but I nod. Hell will freeze over before I’ll have a girls’ night with my sister.
Placing my head against the window, I think back to the day Cole decided it was time for me to pay up. My payment could have been much worse than the woman sitting beside me.
I stand in the kitchen of the Reynolds’ house. Cole is throwing a party tonight during Christmas break before we all go back to school in a few days. I was tired of being holed up in my father’s house. I’ve avoided Cole since he wrapped his hand around my throat months ago, telling me I owed him. I knew Deke was gonna be here tonight, and I need to talk to him. See him. I take a drink and set my cup down when I hear my phone go off. I open it up to see I have a text from Cole, and my stomach drops.
Cole: Ready?
I begin to type out what do you mean but delete it. Instead, I settle on just a question mark.
Me: ?
Cole: A friend of mine is coming tonight. You would make a great friend for her too.
Her?
Me: You don’t have any girls who are friends.
Who the fuck is he talking about? Cole isn’t like the rest of the GWS. He doesn’t hang all over girls. He doesn’t even speak to them. He only shows interest once he decides he wants to fuck you. And then after you spread your legs for him, he moves on. The girls always try to get more out of him, but it never works.
Cole: Her name is Austin. Brunette. Green eyes. Probably wearing something red. Text me when she gets here.
Austin? Who the hell is that? Collins isn’t a big town, but it’s also not tiny. Who the hell is she, and why does he want to know when she arrives?
Me: And why do you want to know that?
Cole: It’s time to pay up!
Fuck!
I take another sip and then pour me a new one. Pay up? How the hell am I gonna pay up with a girl named Austin? What could he possibly want me to do?
I’m downing it when I catch sight of a brunette entering the kitchen. She’s wearing a red sweater that hangs off one shoulder, showcasing a black tank top underneath it with black skinny jeans and matching heels. Her dark hair curls down her back. I’ve never seen her before, so it has to be her. She picks up a red Solo cup and pours some Fireball into it before tossing it back. Then she pours another one. No one seems to notice her, letting me know that no one else knows her either.
I take out my phone and text him.
Me: She’s here. Kitchen.
He reads it but doesn’t respond. I take a deep breath and walk over to her, needing to know as much as I can about her before he comes down here. “Hi.”
“Hello,” she says with a nod of her head. She’s pretty, but I can’t say she’s Cole’s type ’cause he really doesn’t have one.
“I’ve never seen you here before.” I hold out my right hand. “I’m Becky.”
“Austin. And I just moved here.”
How the fuck does she know Cole? “Oh, how exciting,” I lie and grab a new Solo cup. “Are you going to Collins High?” She looks about my age.
“Yep.”
This doesn’t make any sense. Maybe his dad is dating someone, and this is her daughter, but even I know that’s reaching. His father doesn’t really date anyone around here. He just fucks them all. “I’m a senior. How about you?” I pry.
“Same,” she answers and pours herself another shot.
“I wonder if we’ll have any classes together.” Even though I don’t know her, it would be nice to have a clean slate. To make a new friend who doesn’t really know the real me.