Part 20 (2/2)
I don't reply.
The Spotted Hen is where I'm going. As it turns out, I've now got unfinished business there because of Ca.s.sie's idiot father.
Chapter Twenty Three.
There's a hard knock at my hotel room door. I look through the peep hole and see Chance.
s.h.i.+t.
I unlock it and invite him in, and when I open my mouth to speak, he holds me by the shoulders, guides me back into the room, and then shuts the door.
”We need to talk.”
”I know,” I say. ”Let me go first.” For a moment he looks confused, but then he acquiesces. ”I shouldn't have hit you today. I'm sorry. And I shouldn't have done it in public like that.”
Chance shakes his head, opens his mouth.
”No, let me finish. You can't be a d.i.c.k to my Dad, though. He's my father. Even though I don't much like him right now, you specifically can't do that, because you need to respect me. I know you understand that.”
”I know,” Chance says. His expression softens. ”I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you.”
”It's fine,” I chirp. ”Look, I figure, if we're stuck together, we may as well find a way to enjoy it.”
This dirty smirk pulls his lips apart, and I roll my eyes.
”No, that's not what I mean. I mean, we should do touristy stuff together. Come on, look, I've planned our whole day for tomorrow.”
”Ca.s.s-”
”Just listen, okay!” I lead him by the hand to the desk, and show him on the computer. I've got an itinerary typed out. ”Tomorrow is museum day. I'm going to hit three big museums.” I suck in a breath of air, suddenly feel a little nervous. ”Would you like to come with me?”
Chance grins, and wraps me up from behind. He smells my hair, and gives me a kiss. ”I would love to.”
”Great, look, okay,” I say, holding onto his hands. I've decided not to fight it, not to fight him. There's no point, and I like it when he holds me, when he wants me, when he takes me.
Because in two weeks he's going to go back home, and I've decided I'm going to stay here in the UK. I'm going to apply for early student lodging, and I'm going to work over summer in the library of the university, and maybe do some waitressing at night.
I've decided that I'm not going back home. I don't want to. The next three years of my life are here now, and I am still unhappy with Dad.
So I may as well make the most of it with Chance.
”We'll go to the National Gallery first,” I tell him. ”That's one of the best art museums in the world, we'll see a lot of cool stuff. And you'll be able to see a lot of paintings of stuff boys like, you know, like s.h.i.+p wrecks.” I grin at him, flash my eyebrows. ”There will also be plenty of nudes.”
”Tell me more,” Chance says.
”Watch it,” I say, pointing a finger at him. ”Anyway, after that we'll go to the British Museum. They've got an exhibition on mummies which is always cool, and a ton of other stuff including a series of award winning photographs of wildlife.”
”Sounds good, Ca.s.s.”
”Then, if we're feeling up to it or if we still have time, we'll hit the Natural History Museum. They'll have a bunch of cool stuff there. I know it sounds like I'm just checking these off a list, but any time you go to London, you have to do all the museums. I mean, they're world-cla.s.s.”
”Ca.s.s, listen,” Chance says. His voice is a little less patient now.
”Then,” I say, holding up a finger. ”We could go and eat at a pub. You know, try some authentic pub grub.”
”Ca.s.s, wait,” he says. This time his voice is urgent. He pulls me from the computer and turns me around.
”You don't want to do that?” I ask.
”Listen to me!”
I frown. ”Okay, okay. Jesus, what's up with you?”
His expression is that of concern, and now it's starting to make me worry. I'm the kind of person that dies a thousand deaths before it actually happens. My mind is racing through all the worst possibilities.
”Did your dad talk to you tonight?”
I blink. ”Not really? I mean, he came back, said h.e.l.lo, and then went to his room to get ready for bed.”
”He didn't tell you anything about what happened tonight?”
”No,” I say, mouth falling open. ”Why? What happened?” My heart is hammering now. ”What happened to Dad?”
Chance grits his teeth together. ”Your f.u.c.king father should have told you.”
”Tell me!”
He hesitates, but then looks at me and relents. He opens his mouth to speak when there is a knock at the door.
”Ca.s.sie?”
It's Dad's voice. I go to the door and open it. He's showered and cleaned up. His eyes go from me to Chance.
”Oh.”
”What do you need to tell me, Dad?” I demand. ”Did you two get into a fight or something?”
Dad licks his lips. ”Actually, yes.” He pulls down the collar of his sweater, and I see a bruise on his neck.
”Chance!” I cry, turning around at him, appalled. ”You hit my dad?”
Chance doesn't reply, he's just glaring at Dad angrily. What the h.e.l.l went on between these two? I can't believe I have to babysit my stepbrother and my father at the same time.
”It's not like that, Ca.s.sie,” Dad says. Behind him, in the doorway, Chance's mother appears.