Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49393 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49393 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
“You want me to tell you about him, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question.
She walked over to the reception area couch and sank into it.
“We haven’t asked you. In all this time. We didn’t want to push or try to force a confidence from you, but he’s trying to get to you now. He’s used the firm’s web site to make contact. My opinion is that it was a sneaky way to access you. He didn’t come to the office or call on the phone. There was zero chance for confrontation, which shows me he’s either a cowardly little creep or he’s smarter than I thought. He’s coming at you, and you are so important to me, to all of us, not just as part of the firm but as a friend. It’s time to tell us what you can because every bit of information on him helps us keep you safe.”
“Okay,” she said. “I know you’re right. I just don’t like to talk about him or even think about that time.”
“I’m right here, and I’ll help you any way I can,” I assured her.
“Fly me far away from here?” she asked, her voice shaky. I knew she meant it as a joke but couldn’t quite manage it.
I reached out and took her hand and held it. “Anytime, anyplace,” I told her, and I meant it. It was the closest I’d come to telling her how I felt.
“I met him when I was sixteen. Chris was twenty then. He gave me a ride when it started raining on my walk home. He was sweet and funny and told me how I seemed so much older.”
I couldn’t stop the snarl that drew from me. Chris wasn’t just a jerk; he was a predator picking up teenage kids by the side of the damn road outside a school. I made myself take a long breath and let it out, calm myself and put the focus back on her. I couldn’t give in to the rage building inside me against him because this needed to be about making Jasmine feel safe and listened to in the moment.
“Sorry,” I said. “Go on.”
“The next day he picked me up again, was waiting right outside the building. He rolled down the window of his truck and said it wasn’t raining but better not take the chance, he wouldn’t mind some company. I climbed in and he went and got us fries and Cokes and we talked for a few minutes before he dropped me off. He was totally respectful and didn’t try anything, just seemed like he liked me and he was interested in everything I had to say. Even though, I know now it was stupid high school crap I was talking about, and he couldn’t have cared less. He gave me his number and that night I called him when I was done with my homework. I was by myself a lot. My mom worked a lot of hours. My sister played basketball and she was gone most of the time. I had some friends, but they had quit asking me to go places because I didn’t have a car and I didn’t have money to go eat or shop or anything. Mostly I watched TV and read library books. Chris was so much more exciting than that. He would get to where he’d come get me after school every day and take me to the library if I wanted to go there, or we’d go eat and he always paid. I felt weird about keeping it a secret from my family, but it was like he was the only thing that was really mine. He wanted to be with me and talk to me and said he loved my laugh.”
Jasmine fidgeted and pain twisted her face. She looked right at me and that was all the invitation I needed. Closing the distance between us I pulled her into my arms and hugged her. She curled up against my side with her head in the crook of my neck. I rested my cheek on her hair. Her shampoo smelled sweet like watermelons and reminded me of summer. I shut my eyes and held her for a minute before she went on.
“He came over to my house and brought pizza. We watched reruns of Gossip Girl, which was my favorite show, and he asked questions like he was really into it. I bought all of it, Eli. I wanted to believe that someone liked me that much and thought I was so interesting. That was the first time he kissed me. Chris asked me to come to his place and just hang out, play his Xbox. I couldn’t wait to see him the next day, but I was nervous he wouldn’t show up because what if I disappointed him? I had no experience, and I didn’t want him to think I was lame. I even talked to Taylor, one of my friends and asked her to tell me what I was supposed to do because I thought I was going all the way with my boyfriend.”