BooksBarbecue
Back Someone Had to Do It
Chapters (39)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Dedication
  4. About the Authors
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  37. THE STORY BEHIND SOMEONE HAD TO DO IT
  38. SOMEONE HAD TO DO IT: THE PLAYLIST
  39. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

A part of me hates him for what he did, throwing me out like I was worthless to him, the way he looked at me. He’s supposed to trust me no matter what. If we don’t have trust, we don’t have anything. I slide my finger over the screen, answer on the last ring, but as soon as I do, the line drops.

The next time it rings, ten minutes later, I answer right away. There’s a long pause and then Nate finally speaks. “You good?”

I’m shocked at the gentle tone of his voice, the simplicity of those words. “Yeah,” I say, and my voice sounds as weak as I feel. “I’m—I’m okay.”

He doesn’t say anything. The silence is absolute, almost oppressive. I listen to him breathe.

My throat feels raw, like I’ve been screaming in my sleep. “Nate, let me just—”

But he cuts me off right away. “I didn’t call to talk. I just needed to know if you were okay. That you have somewhere to stay.”

I take a breath and talk as softly as I can. “Nate, yesterday I—”

“I can’t do this right now, B.” He sounds so tired. I’ve never heard him sound like this, so many sides of him I’ve never known until all of this drama. “I just—I don’t know who to trust right now.”

“Nate—”

Before I can get out another word, the line goes dead in my ear.

I stare at the ceiling, face tight from dried tears. He still cares about me. I know he does. I heard it in his voice, though it doesn’t make this hurt any less.

I also know how this all must look to him. He thinks I cheated on him. He thinks I sent those messages, that I was actually having an ongoing relationship behind his back, filling his ears with lies while he was filling me with love, patience and sincerity. Maybe a different guy wouldn’t be so sensitive to it, but he’s been through this before. Being cheated on. Lied to. Manipulated. I have to keep reminding myself of that. I can’t take this personally. Those cops have hard evidence against me. I can see how easy it could be to believe their version of the story. Taylor’s version. Who knows what else she said that they’re not telling me?

I turn onto my stomach and bury my face in the pillow, forcing my eyelids shut, and do my best to push Nate somewhere in the back of my mind.

When sleep finally comes, hours later, it’s as if I’m being pulled under water, being taken completely.

23

BRANDI