Bad Influence (Bad Love 3)

Me: Text your girl and find out where Allison lives.

Not thirty seconds pass before my phone vibrates in my hand.

Sully: Now?

Me: ASAP.

Minutes pass as I stare at her sleeping form, waiting for a response. Her hair is in a messy wad on top of her head, strands sticking out every which way. I can hear the faint sound of the song playing on her CD player that’s propped on top of the table. She looks so fucking serene, like she doesn’t have a care in the world, even though she’s posted up in a goddamn bar.

My phone vibrates in my hand again, lighting up with a text.

Sully: She was staying with Halston at her dorm until the RA kicked her out. Halston says she’s staying with some dude now.

Interesting. I work my jaw, having a good idea who “some dude” is. The only question is, why isn’t she there? Why is she sleeping in a fucking booth instead of a cushy bed? Trouble in paradise? I back away quietly as I came, as I start to formulate a plan.

“You hiring homeless people now?” I ask sarcastically. “You’re more desperate than I thought.”

“What are you talking about?” Lo asks, a frown marring her features, making her look more like our mother than I’d ever admit out loud. Those are fighting words.

“You didn’t know?” I play dumb. “Your girl Allison’s camped out in Blackbear right now, and from the looks of it, she’s been staying there for a while.”

“Allison? As in Allison Parrish, my server, Allison?” Lo seems shocked, but then I see the moment realization dawns in her eyes. “She’s stayed late almost every night this week. I figured she just needed a place to study, so I gave her keys.” She shrugs. “Doesn’t she live with her dad? Maybe shit hit the fan at home.”

“Her dad?” I didn’t realize she had a dad. I mean, everyone has a dad—except us, of course—but she’s never spoken about him and I’ve never seen him. I figured she was here by herself for school. “No clue. I barely know the chick.” Sort of the truth. I know her body, but I don’t know shit about her.

“Yeah, when I first started at Blackbear, she used to come in with her dad all the time. Haven’t seen him in a long time, though,” she adds as an afterthought. “Maybe I’m mixing customers up. But I could’ve sworn…”

I shrug. “Either way, you’ve got a stowaway.” I grab an apple from the bowl on her counter, taking a big bite before turning to leave, now that I’ve planted that little seed of information. Lo can’t resist helping an underdog. It’s an unfortunate side effect of growing up the way we did.

“When are you going to come home, Jess?” she asks grudgingly. I know it killed her to be the one to ask.

“I don’t know. Is this my home?”

“What the fuck kind of question is that?” She’s pissed, and for some reason, it takes a weight off my shoulders. She’s with Dare now, all fucking coupled up. I’m not trying to be a third wheel. I was supposed to be gone, making a life for myself. Instead, I ended up right back where I started with nothing to show for it. I have no one to blame but myself—least of all Lo—but I still find myself feeling bitter.

Truth is, I’m not sure I’m ready to come back. Sully’s is getting old, but at least I can drink and smoke and fuck and coast in peace. No one to call me on my shit. No one to guilt-trip me. No one to look at me with disappointment in their eyes.

Lo comes up behind me, spinning me around by my elbow. I focus on a spot on the wall behind her, not meeting her eyes. “Your home is wherever I am. It’s always been that way, always will be. If you want to go fuck off and do your thing, fine. But you always have a home with me. School or no school. Dare or no Dare. Whether we’re fighting or not. It’s you and me.”

She says that now, but if

she knew where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing, she’d feel a hell of a lot differently.

Lo pulls me in for a hug and I let her, resting my chin on the top of her head. I fucking hate when she does this, making me feel my emotions and shit. I pull back, clearing my throat.

“Stay—or go—but I’m going to bed. Apparently, I’ve got a squatter to deal with in the morning.”

I bob my head and turn for the door. She looks disappointed that I’m leaving, but I’ll be back. Sooner than she thinks.

“Oh, and Lo?” I say, one hand on the doorknob. She looks at me in question. “Don’t tell her I told you.”

Her eyebrows pinch together, perplexed.

“Shit’s embarrassing.”

She nods, her eyes softening like I’m some fucking saint. “I won’t tell anyone about that bleeding heart you got there either.”

I roll my eyes, giving her the middle finger, hearing her laughter trailing after me.