Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55765 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55765 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
“Don’t worry about it,” I tell Kayla. “Is that why you came out here? To see him?”
“Partly,” Kayla replies. “I also wanted a break. The city can be so hectic and loud sometimes.”
“Well, don’t beat yourself up,” I say, really meaning it, “and I’d love to meet him. Maybe you could invite him to dinner this evening?”
“How long are you staying here?” she asks.
“A couple more days,” I tell her. Enough time for Sebastian to cool off so we can be around each other in person, but I’m not going to tell her that part.
Kayla nods. “Okay. Yeah. I’ll invite him, but won’t you need to arrange the security and stuff?”
I sigh. She’s right. Disappearing out here to our hidden second home sometimes makes me forget who I am, how famous I am, and how much money I publicly have. Not having security out here, even where nobody knows me, is a risk.
“You’re right,” I tell her. “I’ll call up the firm. Invite him for dinner tomorrow.”
“He’s not… uh, a bad person,” Kayla mutters, “but it’s better to be safe than sorry, right? That’s what you always say.”
“You’re right,” I say. “I don’t want anything happening to you.”
I glance at Maci, wishing I could take a moment to appreciate how the morning sunlight rests against her features, lighting her up like an angel. Her hair is tied up, showing her features, full and beautiful and mine. I bite down and look away. I don’t want anything happening to either of them.
I’ll always feel a protective impulse over Kayla, of course, but there’s also one for her friend. I never dreamed I’d feel this way about anybody else, this bone-deep need to ensure nothing bad ever happens to her.
Maci forks scrambled eggs into her mouth, staring down at the plate.
“It’ll be like a double date,” Kayla says a moment later, then laughs. “Just kidding!”
Maci and I force our laughs, putting too much effort into the performance. That Kayla’s making jokes about it means that the idea of it happening—that her friend and I could have something special and unique—is downright absurd to her, and it should be.
CHAPTER 9
MACI
After breakfast, we hang out in the living room. I’m still working on my essay. Or, at least, I’m pretending to work. In reality, I’m listening to a movie soundtrack while I stare at a series of journal articles, none of the details filtering into my mind. Even through the headphones, I hear Kayla’s sewing machine.
Suddenly, it stops. “Maci?”
I debate whether to ignore her, staring at the screen, or hold my finger up as if to say, one minute, and pretend to forget she wants my attention. It isn’t easy to be normal around her and act like last night isn’t eating me up. Pretend it never happened. That was Mom’s advice, but can I?
“Yeah?” I say, taking off my headphones.
Kayla lowers her voice. “Did Dad seem normal to you at breakfast?”
“Normal? How would I know what normal is for him?”
Kayla narrows her eyes. I’m protesting way too passionately.
“I mean, I guess so?” I shrug—no big deal. It’s not like I care if his eyes glinted passionately whenever he looked at me or if I’m pretty sure he was mentally undressing me half the time. It’s not like my body tingles with every look he sends me. “He seemed a little shocked.”
“Mmm.” Kayla nods. “Honestly, I thought he’d be angrier. We don’t normally lie to each other. When Mom got too much to handle, and we couldn’t ignore her addiction anymore, he became my mom as well as my dad. Not that he’s feminine or anything like that,” she laughs, her eyes getting a faraway look as though she’s peering directly into the past. “But he’s always been there, you know?”
I swallow. “I know. You’re close.”
Kayla frowns tightly. Heck. My tone got dark, resentful. Now she thinks she’s rubbing the whole dad thing in my face. “Maci—”
“It’s not like that,” I tell her. “Seriously.”
That’s part of being best friends. I don’t need to expand on what I’ve said. She understands, smiling with relief.
“Do you want to know about Ethan?” she asks.
I smile. For a split second, it’s like I forget the steamy nakedness in the pool. “Do you want me to want to know about Ethan?” I counter.
She clasps her hands together, getting dreamy-eyed. “We’ve talked so much since we matched. He takes so much interest in my projects. He knows a lot about fashion, which surprised me, especially since he’s so manly, and…” She lowers her voice even more. “Last night, he told me he loved me after we, you know…”
“Wait a sec.” I push my laptop aside. “How long have you known each other?”
She looks away. “Two weeks.”
“Last night, was that the first time you met?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Listen, Kay, you’re a lovable person. I’m not saying it’s impossible he’s telling the truth, but…”