Unforgivable by Amy Reed Read Free Book Online Page B

jar. I catch his eye and he smiles, and I remember the first time I saw him, how he looked so happy to see Evie, but she seemed almost scared, how she went outside to talk to him in private and returned, shaken, desperate to leave the café. She told me nothing and I didn’t push it. I was so wrapped up in my insecurities and expectations, I didn’t even notice how weird it was.
    â€œLet’s get a doughnut,” he says, and I follow him out the door.
    â€œI’m Cole,” he says as we walk down Telegraph and into the alley full of tiny, expensive boutiques. A window displays a red flannel shirt for $250 (“Try it on!” Evie would say, and we’d laugh about how the five-dollar thrift store flannel I’m already wearing looks so much better).
    â€œI’m Marcus,” I say.
    â€œAre you Evie’s new boyfriend?” he asks.
    â€œYes,” I say. “Wait. New boyfriend? Is there an old boyfriend?”
    He looks at me with kindness in his eyes that borders too close to pity.
    â€œLet’s go in here,” he says, and leads me into a tiny shop displaying four flavors of crème-filled artisanal doughnuts. Cole orders a chocolate-hazelnut and a vanilla-persimmon flavored one, and I order a raspberry one even though I am in no mood to eat.
    â€œShe had a lot of secrets,” I say, like an apology. Cole nods as we sit on a bench outside.
    â€œSo what’s up?” he says as he bites into a doughnut. “How’s Evie?”
    â€œShe’s in the hospital.”
    He swallows. “Shit,” he says, shaking his head. “The cancer’s back?”
    â€œNo, she had an accident. Swimming.”
    â€œIs she okay?”
    â€œShe was in a coma for a day. But she’s awake now. At least that’s what I’ve been told. I haven’t seen her. It’s a long story, but her parents aren’t my biggest fans.”
    â€œSo you’re contacting me to see if I can help you see her.”
    â€œYeah. Yes. I guess that’s what I’m doing.”
    â€œI’m sorry,” he says, looking genuinely sorry. “I wish I could help you, but I don’t really have any idea how to contact her. We weren’t close. I just met her once, actually.” He’s quiet for a moment as he stares at his doughnut. He’s gone somewhere far away. “She was my girlfriend’s friend. My ex-girlfriend. Fuck,” he says, setting the doughnut down on his lap. “What do you call it when your girlfriend dies?”
    â€œI don’t know,” I say, but it is a stupid thing to say. Cole wasn’t asking for an answer.
    â€œStella loved Evie like crazy,” he says. “I was a little jealous, actually. Stella liked girls, too, and Evie was beautiful. But you already knew that.”
    I’m not sure if I nod. I’m not sure what any part of my body is doing.
    â€œBut it wasn’t like that,” Cole continues. “I think what Stella loved was Evie’s sweetness. Her innocence, you know? How she was this little blond cheerleader with the football player boyfriend and perfect family, but she wasn’t stuck up about it or anything. She was so generous with her love. So open.”
    My head is spinning. The ground has been pulled out from under me and I am falling through space and there is nothing and no one to catch me. Who the hell is he talking about? Not Evie. Not the Evie I know.
    He seems to sense my shock. “You’re surprised by some of this?”
    â€œYeah. Pretty much all of it, to be honest.”
    â€œI guess she changed a lot after she got out of the hospital.”
    â€œThat would be an understatement.”
    â€œMakes sense, really. She went through a lot. She almost died, then didn’t. Then her really close friend died. That’ll change anyone.”
    We sit there in silence for a while. Cole picks up his doughnut and continues eating.
    â€œShe was a