The Girl of Tokens and Tears by Susan Ward

Author:Susan Ward [Ward, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: coming of age, contemporary, romance, teen & young adult, suspense, New adult
Publisher: Susan Ward Books
Published: 2015-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Spring Semester, 1990…

As I pull off the freeway to start making my way across Berkeley to home, I peek at Neil out of the corner of my eye. He’s quiet, troubled, and a little grim. He’s been that way since he climbed into the car in Santa Barbara.

I flip on my turn signal. “I’m not letting you out of this car until you tell me what happened.”

Neil closes his eyes, doing a slight shudder, and then looks at me. “It was the worst fucking ten minutes of my life. I’m not repeating it by telling you about it.”

I pucker my lips to keep from laughing. Jack only talked with him for ten minutes. It’s rattled Neil in a big way. Ten minutes. How bad could it be?

“Jack seemed fine when he talked to me,” I say, turning down my street toward the condo.

Neil stares. “You’re his daughter. I’m some asshole he caught sneaking out of his house.”

“You’re not an asshole.”

“I feel like an asshole. He made me feel like an asshole.”

I laugh this time. I can’t stop it. Neil is a deeply sensitive guy. He’s also very respectful in a sweet, quiet way. Very different than how I expected him to be under his layer of hot-guy arrogance.

I turn into my driveway.

Neil rakes a hand through his hair. “Do you really want to know what Jack said?”

I nod eagerly. I stop without going all the way to the carport. I turn in my seat to face him.

Neil takes a deep breath. “I only remember the highlights clearly. The rest is a blur. He told me if you hurt her, I will kick the shit out of you. And then he said nothing for like five minutes. He just sat there staring at me, and I don’t know what it is, but it’s fucking unnerving to have Jackson Parker stare at you. Then he said Don’t be a fuck-up. No one can make you a fuck-up unless you’re willing. And then he walked away.”

My eyes fly wide as laughter explodes from my chest, throaty and deep. I curl my fingers around the steering wheel and lay my head against it, trying to contain my humor.

“It’s not funny,” Neil says, but he’s laughing a little himself. He smiles. “What did he say to you?”

I glance up at Neil. “Six words. I wrote them in my journal and counted them afterward. I hope you used a condom.”

Neil grimaces.

“Your dad is an interesting man.”

I nod. “Jack is interesting.”

I start inching forward toward my parking space in the lot. I turn the corner at the carport row. I slam on my brakes.

“Crap,” I exclaim, my fingers tightening on the wheel. “I’ve been on the road for seven hours. I’m tired. I don’t need this. Can’t he pick on someone else for a change?”

Neil looks at me. “What?”

I shake my head. “That freaking van. Every time I turn around it’s in my spot.” I push back in my seat. “Rene wants me to have management tow it.

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