My body stills. “What are you—”

“Josh is right. I can’t have my family fighting anymore. You need to get this back to Jaxon without him knowing.”

My jaw drops. “With all due respect, sir, I don’t want any part of this. Jaxon searched his entire apartment. Don’t you think he’ll find it odd if the ring suddenly appears?”

He crosses his arms across his chest. “He’ll think he misplaced it. Then this will all be over. This is your chance to make things right.”

Tears well, threatening to spill out onto my cheeks. “Mr. Waters, I … I don’t think I can—”

“Everything okay in here?” Jaxon walks into the hallway, eyes volleying between me and his father.

Mr. Waters smiles. “I was just showing Raegan some of our pictures.”

Jaxon puts his hand on my shoulder. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. My hair wasn’t that bad back then, was it?”

“I actually don’t feel very well. Would you mind if I went home?”

“Of course not. Do you need me to drive you?”

“No. No, I’m okay to drive.” I place my hand over my stomach. “I have a stomachache.”

It’s not a total lie. My stomach is twisted in knots.

All because I’m now carrying a detonated bomb in my purse.

Days Left Until Summer Break: 84

Jaxon

I haven’t seen Raegan since she left my parents’ house.

She caught the stomach bug that’s ripping through our school. She took a few days off and was sick throughout the weekend. I keep asking her to let me come over and take care of her, but she insists that I’ll catch it. Plus she hasn’t told her mom about us yet.

So I’ve resorted to phone dates instead.

“Have you thought about what you want to do for Valentine’s Day?”

“I think we should stay at your place,” she says. “I don’t want to chance anyone seeing us if we go out to a restaurant.”

“I really hate that we have to hide this from everyone.”

She sighs. “I know.”

“We don’t have to go anywhere. I can cook.”

“You don’t have to make a big deal about it. It’s just a silly holiday.”

“It’s not silly to me. I want to spend it with you.”

“Who knew you were such a softie?”

I chuckle. “You sound like you’re feeling better.”

“I’ll be back at work tomorrow.”

“That’s great. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Jaxon.”

We say goodnight and I lie awake thinking about Raegan.