“Where do you want to eat, baby girl?” Keelan asked.
I thought about it. “Somewhere I can get a milkshake.”
“The diner by the house it is,” Keelan said.
“Heading out?” Derek asked us as we walked by.
“Yeah, but before we go,” Keelan said, grabbing my hand. “This is Shiloh. Shiloh, this is Derek. Derek will be manning the front desk until we can find a replacement.”
Derek smiled at me. “We’ve met, actually.”
“I’ve already talked to him,” Knox said to Keelan.
It was my turn to look at them expectantly. I wanted to know what had happened to Stephanie.
Knox read what I wanted to know on my face and gestured for me to continue toward the exit. “We’ll talk when we get home.”
“I think you meant to say ‘when we get in the car,’” I corrected and headed for the exit.
Keelan snorted behind me.
“Have a good night,” Derek said. “And it was nice meeting you, Shiloh.”
“You, too,” I said with a wave as we walked out.
We all climbed into Keelan’s Jeep and as soon as Keelan started the car, I asked, “Did you two fire her?”
“When we came in this morning, I found her letter of resignation on my desk,” Knox said.
That felt a little anticlimactic. “Good riddance.”
Keelan snorted. “I thought you said if you didn’t have anything nice to say, you wouldn’t say anything at all?”
Knox stared at Keelan with a pensive expression. “When has she ever done that?”
“That rule doesn’t apply to you,” I grumbled, making Keelan laugh and Knox roll his eyes. “And that was the least mean thing I could say about her.”
“Someone’s a little grumpy,” Keelan teased.
“She hasn’t slept in almost a week, what did you expect?” Knox snapped.
I closed my eyes, frustrated. I didn’t want to get into it with him. Thankfully, the remaining time in the car on the way to the diner was silent.
11
I started my day by throwing up. I had dozed off around four in the morning and startled awake about an hour later with my heart pounding and fear and exhaustion twisting up my stomach to the point I had to run to the toilet. It took smoking three cigarettes, one right after another, to stop myself from shaking and settle my nerves. That, plus a whole pot of coffee to give me the energy to shower and get ready for school.
I didn’t bother doing my makeup or hair. I just put my red mane in a messy bun on top of my head. I literally grabbed a pair of jean shorts and a green top. The only thing I put thought into was my underwear choice. I picked my favorite Superman set.
I was tucking my anklet into my boot when I heard my front door open. “You ready, babe?” Colt asked as he came down the hall, toward my room.
I stood and grabbed my backpack. “Yeah.”
Colt appeared in my doorway. I gave him a small smile as I hung the strap of my bag on one shoulder. His eyes bounced all over my face.
“I know I look like crap,” I snapped before he could say anything and walked past him.
“Shiloh.”
Shiloh, not babe? That alone told me I wasn’t going to like what he had to say.
I stopped walking in my living room. “Please, Colt,” I begged.
I felt him come up behind me. He wrapped one arm around me just below my neck and placed his other across my stomach. He pulled me until my back met his chest. “I don’t know how much longer I can stand back and watch this.” He pressed his lips to my temple. “I wish you’d talk to me.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I said, pulling away and opening the front door.
“Are you that much in denial or do you think I’m stupid?” he snapped, his voice taking an angry tone he’d used with others but never with me.
I turned to face him. “I don’t want to fight with you—”
“I’m not trying to fight with you!” he bellowed, cutting me off. “I want you to fucking talk to me. You haven’t let Creed and I sleep over in almost a week. You’ve been pushing us away and lying every time we try to get you to talk to us. You. Are. Not. Fine. Stop telling us that. We can all see that you’re not and that something is wrong.”
I was so taken aback, I was at a loss for words.
He rubbed his hands down his face. “You’re not being fair. You’re making us watch you suffer and you won’t let us help you. How would you feel if one of us did that to you?”