Promising You (The Jade Series #4) (35 page)

“But Royce wanted to be president, didn’t he?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t right for him. He always had an obsessive personality. He’d set his mind on something and wouldn’t let anything or anyone stop him from getting it. The organization took advantage of that. When we learned about their plan for Royce, Arlin and I knew it would destroy him. And it did. Arlin always regretted that he didn’t do more to stop what they did to our son. I think helping Garret was his way of trying to fix the past. That and the fact that he wanted you to be happy.”

I wonder what exactly Arlin did. What if his attempts to help Garret caused him to get in trouble? What if the organization did something to Arlin? What if the heart attack wasn’t natural but was caused by something they did? Wait—what am I saying? I sound like Carson, coming up with his crazy conspiracy theories. I quickly shake them from my mind and notice Grace getting up from the table.
 

“You should get back to school and finish packing. I have some issues to take care of at the lawyer’s office and then I’m heading home to work in my garden.”

We walk out together to the parking lot.

“You should try gardening, Jade. It’s very relaxing. Whenever I’m feeling stressed I find that I have to do something physical like take a walk or work in the garden.”

“Me, too. Except I go running.”
 

“Running’s hard on the knees.” She winks. “Try gardening.”

I smile. “Okay. I’ll see you later.”

“No goodbye?”

“I don’t like goodbyes.”

“Then I’ll see you later, Jade.”

We have one last hug before leaving.

Back at Moorhurst it’s total chaos as people pack up cars and moving trucks with all their stuff. I get out of my car, still trying to comprehend the fact that I am now a millionaire. A multimillionaire.
 

I’m not ready to go back to my room, so I sit on a bench under a big maple tree. Everywhere I look I see things that remind me of Garret. There are so many memories here. This is where we met, where we became best friends, and where we fell in love.
 

I get up and walk to the edge of campus over to the trail that leads into the woods. A few people are running on it today and I wait for them to pass me. Then I sneak down and go deep into the woods to the tent so I can see it one last time.

But it’s gone. Everything’s gone. Like it was never there.
 

I collapse down on my knees and the tears start pouring again. I know I said I wouldn’t cry, but I can’t stop myself. I feel like I’ve lost everything. And I’m afraid that soon I’ll turn back into the old Jade who didn’t trust people and didn’t believe in happy endings.
Good things never last, Jade.
That’s what my mom used to say and I used to believe her. But now I’ve changed and I don’t want to go back to the person I used to be, but part of me thinks that I will.

My phone rings and I see that it’s Frank calling. I sit up and take a deep breath before answering. “Hi, Frank.”

“Hey, I just wanted to wish you a safe trip.” He sounds really happy. “Ryan and I will both be at the airport tonight to pick you up. We can’t wait to see you.”
 

“Yeah. It’ll be good to be home.” I do my best to match his happy tone but it doesn’t come out that way.
 

“Are you okay, Jade?”

“I’m fine. Just tired.”

“Well, we’ll let you sleep in tomorrow. See you soon.”

When he hangs up I check the phone for any messages. There’s one from Harper. She’s driving to California with Sean. They left yesterday and her message says they’re somewhere in Pennsylvania.
 

The alarm on my phone beeps reminding me I need to head to the airport soon. I make my way up the hill and back to my dorm room. The suitcase Garret bought me last year is packed and ready to go, sitting next to the door. I packed all my other stuff in the car. My room is as empty as when I arrived here last fall.
 

I sit on the bare mattress on my bed and look around. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I walked in this room for the first time, feeling really sick because I was scared to death to be so far away from home. And then I met Garret on that very first night. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was the hottest guy I’d ever seen. And he was nice to me from the second we met. I pretended to be annoyed with him, but deep down I liked him right away. I liked talking to him and hanging out with him. I liked that he kept forcing me to do things with him. He made me feel welcome, and after just one day with him I forgot all about missing home. And even after I told him we couldn’t date, he stuck around. He was my friend from my first day here and ended up being the best friend I’ll ever have.

Garret’s at his house now, so I go up to his floor. Guys fill the hallway, carrying boxes and furniture. Music is blaring and guys are yelling stuff to each other. I squeeze past some guys carrying a couch and make my way down to Garret’s room. The door is open and the room is completely empty, just like mine. I go inside and shut the door. It still smells like him and I feel the tears forming again and realize that coming up here probably wasn’t the best idea. But I had to see this room one last time. This is where Garret first said that he loved me. And where I first said it to him. It’s where he hugged me, again and again, until I finally learned how to do it right. It’s where he talked to me and listened to me and helped me get the voices out of my head.
 

There are so many memories between these four walls. And on this campus. In this town. But it’s time to let them go.
 

It’s not at all what I want. I don’t want to forget. I want to remember everything. Everything Garret and I shared since the moment we met last September. All the movie nights in his room. All the trips to Al’s Pancake House. Racing each other on the track and in the pool. Every hug. Every kiss. All of it. But I can’t. I have to find a way to shove those memories in the back of my mind where they’ll never be found. And then force myself to never go looking for them. It’s the only way I’ll ever move on without him.

My phone dings reminding me it’s time to leave. I go back downstairs and wheel my suitcase into the hall, then look at my empty room once more before shutting the door for good.

When I go outside, a taxi is there waiting to take me to the airport. The driver takes my suitcase and puts it in the trunk.

As the taxi drives away, I say goodbye to Moorhurst. Not ‘see you later,’ but goodbye. Because I know for sure that I’ll never come back here again.

28

Back in Des Moines, I wait until Sunday night to tell Frank about the money. Ryan is out with Chloe, which is good because I didn’t want him around when I talked to Frank. Ryan can’t know the money came from me. For one, he knows nothing about my relation to the Sinclairs and two, he’d feel weird taking money from his little sister.

“Frank, I need to tell you something.” I’m kind of nervous to tell him this. I’m worried he’ll get mad at me for accepting the money or take offense that I’m offering him some of it.
 

“What is it, Jade?” He turns the TV down.

We’re sitting in the living room, him in his recliner and me on the couch.
 

“Well, as you know, I spent a lot of time with Grace and Arlin the past few months and I really got to know them.”

“Yes, and I’m glad you did that. It was good for you. I’m just so sorry about Arlin.”

“He treated me like a granddaughter since the day we met. And Grace did, too. Well, she still does. She has a house in California so she’s coming out to see me this summer.”

“That’s good, honey.” Frank takes a drink of water from the glass by his chair.

“So anyway, they wanted to help me pay for college. I guess I already told you that. But what you don’t know is that they set up a trust fund for me.”

Frank’s eyebrows raise. “To cover your college expenses?”

“Yes, but the money can be used for other things, too. And I, uh . . . I wanted to give some of it to you.”

“No. Absolutely not. You need that money for school, and if you go to medical school, well, that’s very expensive. I still don’t know how I’m going to pay for Ryan’s tuition.”

“That’s why I’m giving this to you. You can pay off Ryan’s loans. And he won’t even need loans for med school. You can just pay for it. You’ll have plenty of money. And you can get him a car that works. One that has air conditioning and doesn’t break down every week. And you can pay off your medical bills.”

“No, that’s too much money. Ryan and I will figure something out. We always do.”

“Just let me do this for you. Please. I never would’ve gone to college if you hadn’t taken me in after my mom died. I would’ve ended up in state custody. Stuck in foster homes. I might not have even graduated from high school.”

“That’s not true, Jade. You’re a very determined, very bright young woman. You would’ve graduated no matter what.”

“Whatever. The point is that you kept me on the right path. And you’ve always taken care of me and treated me like a daughter. Please, Frank. I want to do this for you.”

He sighs. “How much money are you talking about here, because I’m not taking—”

“I have 50 million dollars,” I blurt out. “So you can have as much as you need.”

His jaw drops and he’s speechless, just like I was when I found out.

“I know. It’s a lot of money.”

He clears his throat. “Yes. I thought you were going to say they gave you a million. But 50 million. Wow. You’re set for life, Jade.”

“And I want you and Ryan to be, too.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I can’t accept it. It would be wrong to take your money.”

“It’s not wrong. And don’t think of it as my money. Think of it as the money Royce owed us for what he did to my mom and me. And to you, since you had to support me after my mom died. You bought me clothes and food and let me stay here. I at least owe you money for that.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jade. You don’t owe me anything. You were a child. I was taking care of you just like I took care of Ryan. The money never even crossed my mind.”

“Will you please just take some of this? If you don’t, I’ll mail you a check and if you don’t cash it I’ll keep mailing them until you do.”

He thinks for a moment. “Okay. I’ll use some to pay for Ryan’s tuition.”

I scoot to the end of the couch closer to Frank’s chair. “And get Ryan a car that works. A car he really wants. Not a cheap car or a used car.”

He smiles and pats my hand. “Fine. I’ll get him a car.”

“You can’t tell him this money is from me. Make something up. Say a long lost uncle died and left you five million dollars.”

“Jade, I am not taking five million dollars from you.”

“Yes, you are. That’s nothing. I’ll still have 45 million left.”

“You know I’ll never spend that much money.”

“Then when you die, which I’m not letting you do until you’re at least 110, you can leave whatever’s left to Ryan. Or give him part of it now. It’s yours. Divide it however you want.” I cross my arms across my chest and glare at him. “You’re taking that money, Frank. I won’t take no for an answer.”

He shakes his head. “You’re very stubborn. You always have been.”

I keep glaring at him.

“How about one million? That’s more than enough.”

“Nope. You’re getting five.”

We argue about it some more, but he finally takes it.
 

Now that I’ve settled that issue, on to the next; the meeting to decide Garret’s fate. I already know what the outcome will be and now I just want it over with so I can attempt to move on.
 

Monday comes and goes and I don’t hear a word about what happened. I didn’t expect that I would. The meeting was at night and Garret’s dad said that afterward, a vote would be taken and the outcome would be discussed by a smaller group of higher level members. That wouldn’t happen until Tuesday. After that, Garret and his dad would be called in for a private meeting in which they would be told the final decision before it was announced to the entire organization.
 

If they decide to go ahead with their plan, Garret will have to spend the rest of the week learning what will happen next. They’ll start training him on the basics of being a politician, like what he can and can’t say in public, how he should dress, who he’ll be dating. He won’t be allowed to call anyone. Even if he could, the members think Garret broke up with me months ago, so he couldn’t call me anyway, which is why we said our goodbyes in the woods.

All day Tuesday I wait to hear the decision. The plan was for Pearce to call and tell me but he never said when he’d call. And he said if he was unable to call, he’d send me an email or a text. But I haven’t received anything.
 

Even though I’m completely on edge I try to act normal in front of Frank and Ryan, who know nothing about what’s going on. While I’m a nervous wreck, Frank is more relaxed than I’ve ever seen him. He’s always had to worry about money and now he doesn’t have to.
 

I love that I’m able to do this for him. He can rest and take care of his health and not worry about finding freelance work. And Ryan can quit his job and focus on school. Frank isn’t going to tell Ryan about the money until he has it in his own account, which he will once I figure out how to access the money in my trust fund.
 

Around 11 I go to bed realizing that I’m not going to hear from Garret’s dad today. There must be some delay. Either that or his dad doesn’t want to have to tell me the bad news. But I wish he’d just call and get it over with.

I can’t sleep. I toss and turn, then check the clock and repeat the process every couple minutes.

Then at 12:14, my phone rings. I don’t recognize the number but I answer it anyway.

“Hello?”

“Jade, it’s me.”
 

My heart stops when I hear his voice. Why is he calling me? His dad was supposed to call me, not him. What does this mean? He doesn’t sound happy or excited. He doesn’t really sound like anything other than tired.