Only For You Page 17

“Sure, that’s the problem.”

  He knew damn well that was not the source of my grievance. I decided to play along, as he was begging me to do. Tow the line, stay on course, preserve our friendship. I hated the binds of amiability. Clearly we had journeyed back to Platonicville; I wished I could nuke that place. Obliterate its existence so we never had to return there.

  “Where were you coming from?”

  “I was at Café Salamanca having dinner. My car died on my way home.”

  “Oh. You were on a date with Jack?”

  “Josh,” I corrected what I suspected was his deliberate mistake.

  “I see. Did you have a nice time?”

  “We did. The food was delicious.”

  “That’s nice,” Hunter said blandly.

  “It was in fact, Josh really is a nice guy. He’s handsome, interesting, chivalrous, and very interested in me.”

  I could see Hunter’s jaw clenched, his teeth grinding.

  “He’s established a successful career already. With that goal accomplished, I think he’s ready to find the right woman and settle down, lay the foundation to build a family one day.”

  I was feeling spiteful; a child whose candy had been taken away, throwing a tantrum.

  “Isn’t he lucky to be in a position where he is able to offer you so much. It must be nice.” Hunter’s façade was slipping, “When’s the wedding? Can I expect an invite?” He took a page from my book and reverted to sarcasm, “Wait, let me guess—are you going to ask me to walk you down the aisle?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, I wouldn’t have you walk me down the aisle…that would be Sam’s job.”

  We sat in silence, stewing, each trying to calm our tempers before terse words and sarcastic barbs descended into a full-scale argument.

  “Why do you have to push it, Everleigh? Can’t you just enjoy our friendship? Can’t that be enough for now?”

  “Not when you keep teasing me. What was that before? Are you trying to drive me mad? Because it’s working.”

  “The only thing I’m trying to do is preserve our friendship. I’m trying to keep you in my life. Apparently, it isn’t as important to you as it is to me.”

  “Of all the idiotic things to say!” I was incensed. “There is nothing I want more than to keep you in my life. Hell, I’d keep you forever if I could, you just won’t let me,” I lost my momentum pitifully.

  “Everleigh,” Hunter said with compassion, “we have the same goal; we are both fighting to keep one another. Let’s work together so we can succeed. I’m not your adversary.”

  “You’re right. I’m just tired and frustrated about Papa Smurf.” I was not tired at all, and Papa Smurf was low on my list of worries at the present. “Things are good the way they are, I don’t want them to change.”

  Were my pants on fire? That may be the biggest lie I ever told.

  “Nite, Hunter.” I kissed his cheek before getting out of the car.

  I walked into the apartment and fell into my bed fully clothed. I was emotionally drained and broken.

  Chapter Thirteen

  * * *

  “I like men to be men and I like them to care about me and to take care of me. I'm willing to let them do that.” -Shelley Long

  “They found another body.”

  Sam’s wake-up call was effective. She was standing in my doorway still in her flannel pajamas.

  “When?” I whispered as I rubbed the sleep from my squinting eyes.

  “Sometime in the middle of the night. She was found on campus, but they haven’t said where exactly. It’s confirmed she was a student at Hensley. The news is calling him the next Ted Bundy. It’s horrible.”

  “I still can’t believe this is happening. I was clinging to hope that the first murder was unrelated, but it seems unlikely now. How can we have a serial killer on campus?”

  “According to the news, he isn’t a serial killer yet. Supposedly, to be classified a serial killer they must have killed three or more people over a period of more than a month with a cooling off period between the murders. Do you think that’s his goal—infamy?” Sam asked as if I could offer insight into the mind of an almost serial killer.

  “Who knows? I don’t think you can apply rational thought to psychopathy. I just want it to end. All of the lives damaged and lost. The girls who survived will never be the same, nor will the families of those who died. It makes me sick.”

  “I know. Me too.”

  I carried the news with me through my day. At work, all of the customers were talking about the tragedy. I noticed less women came in to get coffee by themselves, and Marty’s husband even came to stay with us at close and walked us to our cars. When I arrived home, Sam was watching the latest reports, absorbing every detail. Everyone deals with crises differently. Sam wanted to hear every report from every news station, as if knowledge would protect her. I wanted to tune it all out, not to bury my head in the sand, but I couldn’t live in a cloud of death either. I let Sam do what she needed and went to my room to work on my final paper for Business Ethics.

  The air at Hensley was rife with fear on Monday. I couldn’t wait to leave campus and free myself from the stifling despondency. I headed to Krav Maga that evening looking forward to the normalcy that class and Josh would provide; I should have known better. As soon as I walked in Josh pulled me into a hug and kissed me gently.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay. It’s horrible what is going on at your school.”

  I thanked him, hoping that would be the end of the conversation, but it was futile. Sensei Alex and the whole class decided they needed to work with me to improve my skills. The entire time was focused on developing my defense against multi-person attacks. I appreciated their concern, and it was useful to spar with opponents of differing sizes and abilities, but I was uncomfortable being the center of attention.

  After class, Josh walked me to my car. He asked me out for the coming Saturday, but I already had agreed to my un-date with Hunter, so instead I consented for the following Saturday. Josh advised me that he would not be at class next week due to a business dinner, but would be looking forward to our date. He gave me a hug and a restrained kiss before watching me drive away.

  When I entered the apartment, I was greeted by Sam’s shrieking.

  “Everleigh Rose Carsen! Get your butt in here.”

  Whatever was going on was big if Sam was using my middle name.

  “I’m here. Our apartment isn’t big enough to require shouting under any circumstances.”

  “Shut your face,” her favorite response when I made a valid point to which she had no retort, “you will not believe what I just found out. Tonight Robbie was called to an emergency Kappa meeting. I just got off the phone with him, and he filled me in even though he was told he couldn’t speak about it to anyone.”

  I could tell she was pleased that Robbie had defied his frat in some small way. I couldn’t imagine what would be so interesting about a frat meeting that Sam was literally vibrating, but I was about to find out.

  “All the frat brothers were called in to go over a list of dates, and they had to report if they had been with Heath on any of the days. They were trying to piece together a comprehensive timeline for hours. Do you know why?”

  “No.” But, I was sure she was going to tell me.

  “Because the police found tire tracks at the scene of the last murder. The tracks were for a Lamborghini. Do you know how many students and faculty at Hensley drive Lamborghinis? One. I will give you one guess who owns the car. His pretentious taste in automotives got him busted. The police brought him in for questioning this morning, and he immediately called his father who sent the family lawyer. He claims he didn’t do it, of course, but the police are holding him until they can corroborate his alibis or charge him. Heath’s father called Kappa alumni who had sons in the frat to have the emergency meeting to provide him alibis.”

  “Holy cow!” I was reeling.

  “I know. It makes sense if you think ab
out it. Heath is an ass, and he has already proven he has aggressive tendencies with you.”

  “Heath is a cretin, unquestionably, but it’s a huge step from what he did to me to rape and murder.”

  “I think he fits the profile, he seems deranged to me.” Sam definitely watched too much CSI.

  “Were the frat brothers able to provide alibis?”

  “Robbie said, for the most part, people couldn’t remember specifics. His two best friends were able to cover a couple of the dates definitively, but who knows if they are lying.”

  “I’m sure the police will sort it out. It would be a miracle to have the violence stop, but only if they have the right person.”

  I feared a convenient suspect with circumstantial evidence would result in hasty charges to pacify the public, leaving the real culprit free to continue his reign of terror.

  “It’s Heath, I’m telling you. I can feel it in my bones.”

  The police released Heath the next day with their apologies. The Dean of Students verified that Heath had been present at a university-sponsored meeting between the administration and leading campus groups, including Kappa Sigma Tau, which occurred at the same time as one of the attacks. His family verified he was home during one attack and on a family ski vacation in Vermont during another. His two best friends attested he was with them at the time of several other attacks. Heath was unable to supply an alibi for the nights of the murders. He claimed to be at home both nights while his roommates were out on dates. He implied he had company, but was unable to furnish more than the girls’ first names. When asked to explain how tire tracks that matched his rare vehicle was found at the scene, he had no explanation. Sam found out from Robbie that Heath’s father called the President of Hensley and the Dean of Students to ensure they promptly responded to the police’s inquiry. He then contacted the Commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department to berate him for his incompetence in detaining his innocent son. The family was threatening to sue the county and police department for slander and discrimination; Heath was vindicated.

  The rest of the week flew by as we all attempted to avoid campus and the news crews camped out around the entrances. Everyone was on edge; the whole campus felt taut, even the teachers seemed leery. I was relieved after my last class on Thursday, anxious to get off campus as quickly as possible. Hunter walked me to my car to ensure my safety, as usual.

  “Are we still on for Saturday?” Hunter inquired as he pulled me in for a hug.

  “Absolutely,” I responded, feeling the first stirring of enthusiasm in days.

  “Great. I’ll pick you up at eight?”

  He gently swayed us to and fro while talking. It soothed me and caused me to snuggle into him further.

  “Eight is perfect,” I agreed.

  He kissed the top of my head with approval.

  “I’ve missed you this week. We’ve both been so busy and you’ve been wisely avoiding campus. Work has had me tied up non-stop. We haven’t had time to just be us, together. I’m looking forward to having you all to myself so I can soak up my dose of Everleigh-time.”

  “Ditto. I just want to have a nice night, forget about all the craziness going on around us. I need normalcy.”

  “That I can do. How about we agree not to discuss the assaults, or murders, or suspects, or motives, or anything remotely relating to violent crime? We will just be Hunter and Everleigh hanging out and having fun. No worries, no pressures, no concerns. We won’t talk about school ending or the future. We will remain in the present the whole night. Deal?”

  “Oh, you’ve got yourself a deal alright. That sounds like heaven right now.”

  He rubbed my back as he held me close, sheltering me from the world. I clung to him, wanting to feel the security of his arms around me and the peace he brought. They provided a sanctuary from the storm around us. I kissed his chest, unable to refrain. He kissed the top of my head in response, sharing the peace of the moment.

  “Text me when you go to and from work. Let me know you’re safe.”

  “Text you my every move, copy that,” I joked.

  “Get going you wise ass.”

  He placed another kiss on my forehead before letting me go. I was looking forward to our un-date. I promised myself I would live in the moment and enjoy my time with Hunter, just as he said.

  Friday and Saturday passed quickly at work. The news channels were onto the next big story and life was returning to normal. The threat lingered, but was not as prominent as it had been the previous week. I arrived home from work on Saturday evening feeling lighthearted as I prepared for my un-date. I didn’t even let the ‘un’ attached to the date bother me. At this point, I was just happy to have some Hunter time. I decided to embrace the plan we outlined on Thursday and enjoy the night for what it was with no ulterior motives. I dressed casually with comfort in mind in lieu of seduction.

  Hunter arrived promptly and wisely made reservations at our favorite sushi restaurant near campus—Oishii Sushi. We were seated immediately at a traditional Japanese table, as per his request. In a modern twist, there were chairs provided without legs at the low table. It was fun to sit in the traditional position. I had seen this special sitting area when previously dining at the restaurant, but never had the experience. Once we had settled in and ordered our meals, we exchanged a knowing look. This was going to be one delicious dinner.

  “I hope you fasted today to make room for everything we just ordered,” Hunter warned.

  “I did in fact, I figured if you were paying I would indulge.”

  “Who said I was paying?”

  “You invited me, which means you have to pay. It’s in the rulebook.”

  “And what rule book would that be?”

  “Proper Etiquette for the Modern World,” I answered confidently.

  “You made that up.”

  “Yes, I did,” I laughed.

  “I know you too well, you can’t dupe me that easily.”

  “I know, you’re stealing my thunder. It’s only polite to pretend you’re my unwitting victim.”

  “Is that from your book, too?”

  “But, of course.”

  Our green tea and miso soup arrived and we both devoured the flavorful broth before sipping our tea.

  “Why is this tea so delicious? I’ve had green tea a million times, and it’s always the best here. There is something different about it.”

  “It isn’t plain green tea. It’s actually Genmai-cha, which is green tea with roasted brown rice. It adds a different flavor to the tea.”

  “It sort of tastes like an ice cream cone, the wafer kind.”

  “That is the first time I have ever heard it described in that way. Your mind is a scary and fascinating place.”

  “Just keep your hands and arms inside your cart and you’ll be just fine.”

  Hunter chortled in response. “You always keep me on my toes, Miss Carsen. There is never a boring moment with you.”

  “That is just the polite way of saying I’m insane—not saying you’re wrong, mind you—and I do appreciate your effort to pretty-up my crazy.”

  “You’re nuts,” Hunter chuckled.

  “I know, I just told you exactly that. Weren’t you listening?”

  “Touché.” Hunter reached across the table and took my hand in his. “Thank you for coming with me tonight. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I had been missing you terribly. Spending time with you rejuvenates me. You’re my own personal nirvana.”

  “Why, do I smell like teen spirit?”

  “Nice Nirvana reference, but I’m serious. There were days when the last thing I wanted to do was drive to Hensley in the morning, but when I knew I would see you, it suddenly didn’t seem so bad.”

  “The feeling is mutual, Mr. Charles. You have made a tough semester bearable. More than bearable, you have been an unexpected gift. I contemplated returning you on occasion, but you remain one I will always cherish.”

  “You can’t return me; I was b
ought on clearance at the end of the season.”

  “That does explain the defects and irregularities.”

  “Hey,” he protested while slyly throwing an edamame at me. “I’ll have you know that even on clearance, I cost a fortune. I’m practically priceless.”

  “You are priceless, despite your defects and irregularities.”

  “And you, my dear, are inimitable,” he complimented. “For better or worse,” he needled.

  Our second courses arrived and we each paused to savor our first bite, groaning our pleasure in unison. We loaded our chopsticks for a second bite when he caught my eye, causing me to pause. Hunter carefully guided his chopsticks to my mouth with a bite of his seaweed salad. I opened my mouth to receive the offering and moaned my approval. I returned the favor by feeding him a bit of my kani salad. About halfway through my kani, I began to look longingly at Hunter’s seaweed. Noticing my attention, he loaded up another bite to satisfy my craving. I returned the favor. We continued our exchanges until both salads had vanished.

  “Now that was delicious,” I declared.

  “This place never disappoints.”

  “Are we getting dessert?” I asked suddenly.

  “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it. We haven’t even had our sushi yet.”

  “But I need to decide now, so I know if I have to save room. If I don’t plan, I will stuff myself with sushi, and if you decide to get dessert, I’m going to want dessert too, but I’ll be too full. Inevitably, I’ll have no restraint when it’s in front of me, and in the end I’ll wind up feeling like hell. Can you see the importance of planning ahead?”

  “You’re one strange creature,” Hunter mused.

  “Be that as it may, I still await your answer about dessert.”

  “I don’t care. Do you want dessert?”

  “How do I know? I haven’t even had my sushi yet.”

  “You’re making no sense. We could keep going around and around and never reach an answer. It’s like the chicken and the egg question. No matter what I answer, it won’t be sufficient for you to make a decision.”