Royal Flush

by Ella Goode

  “I can’t help it if croissant breakfast sandwiches are flaky!” I say in my defense. Aly laughs as she shakes her head.

  “Carter doesn’t let anyone in his car. Now he’s letting you eat in it and giving someone a ride so you have one. They say there’s someone out there for everyone. It looks like Carter has finally met his match,” Aly says, teasing me as I follow her outside. She continues to walk until she gets to a fancy white Tesla, which for some reason I wasn’t expecting her to have. She must see the look of surprise on my face.

  “My stepdad is a surgeon,” she says, explaining the fancy car. I open the door and climb in.

  “Are there any car rules?” I ask. We both burst out laughing.

  “Why, so you can break them like you do Carter’s?”

  I smile, knowing that Aly and I are going to be great friends.

  “Let’s go see our men,” Aly says as she pulls away from school. I remain quiet because Carter isn’t mine. Not yet anyway. Though I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m his.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Carter

  “I had a visit from Mayor Al yesterday,” my dad says as I enter the gym.

  “Great,” I grunt and down the kale and banana smoothie. It tastes like ass, but it’s healthy and good for my body. I’ve started working out three times a day to burn off the excess energy I have from wanting to fuck Mallory all the time. It works but only because by the end of my third workout, which I do right before I go to bed, I’m so completely exhausted, I can barely muster up the energy to say goodnight, let alone jerk off in the bathroom.

  “He said we may be harboring a criminal.”

  I almost trip on my way to the treadmill. “Don’t know how that’s possible,” I manage to get out as I climb up on the rubber mat. “What’d you tell him?”

  Dad steps off of the elliptical and wipes the sweat from his face with one of the gym towels, embroidered with a fake crest and his initials. “That the plans for the fall festival needed more attention than what was going on at our home. I’m glad that you are finally interested in someone and we’re comfortable enough that I’m not concerned with the young lady pilfering from our wallets. Although I hope that if you have anything valuable that you do not want to collect from the secondhand market you lock it up. No judgment.” He holds up his hands. “I speak from experience. Do you remember Deborah?”

  “I don’t want to know,” I rush to add when it seems like he’s about to add some detail to his story.

  “All I am saying is that I want you to have fun but not to get hurt.” He pats me on the back and moves off to gather his things. “Enjoy your party tonight. I’m flying to Paris in a few hours. Let me know if you want anything from there. I could pick something nice up for your friend just in case you need it later for an apology.”

  Dad’s idea of saying sorry is a $25,000 bracelet. I think he buys them in bulk from Cartier.

  “What’d you do this time?” I ask, starting up the machine.

  “I may have forgotten the little minx’s name.” One side of his mouth quirks up. “The ladies don’t like that. You wouldn’t have that problem since you’ve lived like a monk all these years, but in case this is the start of some inglorious descent into a life of true debauchery, do try to call them by their correct Christian name. It gets very expensive when you forget things like that.”

  “So another bracelet?”

  “Son, the bracelet is for things like not remembering that she likes two spoonfuls of sugar in her coffee. Forgetting a name while you are intimate with a woman requires a private plane ride to Paris and an exclusive visit to the Place Vendôme.”

  “Good thing I won’t have that problem. Besides, I don’t know what Al told you but Mallory’s not a thief so I don’t have to lock anything up.” Not that I have much. There’s a few watches that could fetch a nice price but I’m not like my dad. I don’t have jewel-encrusted figurines around the house and shit like that.

  “What is she then?”

  I increase the speed of the treadmill to nine and slide the noise-cancelling headphones over my ears before answering. “Your future daughter-in-law.”

  The shock on my dad’s face after I made that announcement still makes me chuckle hours later.

  “What’s so funny?” asks Mallory as we oversee the caterers putting out bags of chips and dip along with coolers full of soda and lemonade and booze. Mallory insisted on the food being party food—whatever that meant. And it had to look like we made it ourselves instead of hiring someone. In fact, she actually wanted to go and buy all the shit for this party but when I explained to her that I was not carting enough chips and drinks in my Maserati to supply two to three hundred kids, she allowed me to call a caterer. It’s bad enough I had to have Fast in my car, let alone carbonated drinks and junk food.

  “My old man.” The heat lamps set up around the pool are barely warming me up. I can’t believe my classmates are so anxious to come to my place that they’re willing to strip down to their bathing suits in the middle of fucking January. Mallory has a flannel blanket tucked around her shoulders.

  “Where is he?” She turns around, craning her neck to see inside the house.

  “Flew to Paris.” I stare at the roundness of her ass and wonder if I have time for another run before the mob gets here.

  “Business?”

  “I suppose you could say that. He fucked up with his latest girlfriend and has to fly her to some jewelry store to buy his way back into her bed. Or their bed since she’s basically living here.”

  “Wow. That’s...something. You live a very different life.”

  “You should get used to it.”

  “Nah. I don’t think so. I mean…it’s great that you’re letting me hang around but as soon as I find my own place, I’m going to be out of your hair.”

  Her words are more alarming than a case of Coke blowing up in my car. “The hell you are,” I growl. “This is your home now.”

  She turns back and gives me a frown. “I’m not going to leech off of you for the rest of the semester. I figure I can find a job. I talked to the caterer and they pay some decent wages. I was thinking—”

  I slash my hand through the air. “Stop then. No more thinking. You’re not moving and that’s final.”

  “Deuce, your place has one bedroom. I can’t sleep on the sofa for the next twelve weeks.”

  “Then you can have my bed.” Obvious solution. I smile.

  “Where are you sleeping?”

  The smile drops off immediately. I guess the option of bedding down together doesn’t interest her or didn’t even enter her mind. After our kiss on Monday, she’s pretty much avoided all contact with me so it’s probably the former. She doesn’t want me touching her and she’d rather work a job delivering food to others than continue living in my house. “How much?” I blurt out.

  “How much for what?”

  “How much money do you want in exchange for you staying at my place?” The question comes out before I think of the consequences.

  Her mouth drops open and twin splotches of red burn on her cheeks. “Oh, so that’s what you think of me,” she says in a low, angry voice. “That I’m a whore and you can just buy me? Fuck you, Carter Franklin.” She gives me a hard shove right into the pool.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Mallory

  I stand here shocked for a second that I actually pushed Carter into the pool. Even if he did deserve it. When he comes up for air the look on his face is one of shock too. I wait for his anger to come, for him to shout at me, but we only stare at each other, neither one of us saying a word. I swallow the lump in my throat because the anger I was feeling cooled. I’m sure as fast as the pool had cooled Carter. Now all I feel is sadness. Why does this hurt more than when my mom didn’t believe me about her boyfriend? Because you started to trust Carter, my mind whispers.

  I thought we’d grown close. I keep my distance with him when it comes to personal space but not with other things. Ove
r the last week I’ve told him more and more about my life. Tears sting my eyes but I fight them. I won’t cry in front of him.

  “I guess Carter was so excited for his first house party he couldn’t even wait to get his swim shorts on.” Aly laughs, causing my eyes to shift toward her. Owen is standing next to her with his arm draped over her shoulder and holding a blanket in the other hand. They are early. This isn’t surprising. Aly’s been wanting to get a peek at Carter’s place and the two of us have become fast friends. She’s always punctual. She even asked me to help her pick out a swimsuit. She said she was going to bring over a few that she already owned and try them on while she is here. I thought it would give us alone time so I agreed to show her the ones Carter ordered for me. I have yet to open the bags. They are still sitting in his closet in a nice little stack. No matter how many times I knocked the pile over it always seems to get folded up into a nice, neat pile. I’m not sure if it’s the maid doing it or Carter.

  “Something like that,” Carter answers in a way that isn’t really answering at all. He doesn’t look mad but he starts moving toward me. I have no idea what he’ll do when he gets out of the pool so I make a dash for it.

  “Follow me. We’ll change.” I motion to Aly. She ducks out of Owen’s hold to follow me. Carter jumps out of the pool but Owen grabs him by the shoulder.

  “Let them go,” Owen tells him. I keep on walking but wait for Carter to tell Owen to fuck off or mind his own business but he doesn’t. I peek over my shoulder. Carter continues to stare at me but resigns himself to staying with Owen.

  “Did you push him in the pool?” Aly whispers as I show her up to Carter’s place.

  “Yes, but—"

  “Girl, you don’t need to finish the sentence. I’m sure he had it coming.” Her words make me smile. “You going to tell me why?” Her eyes dart all around Carter’s place as we enter but she keeps following me until we enter the closet.

  “He gave up part of his closet for you?” She looks around in awe. My side of the closet is filling up more and more. I don’t know where it’s all coming from but I swear there is new stuff every day. There is no way that I’ll ever be able to wear all of this stuff.

  “Maybe it was half empty before I got here,” I toss back, not wanting to think about Carter doing anything nice for me right now. I want to stay mad at him for a little longer.

  “Su-re.” Aly rolls her eyes before she jumps up onto the island in the middle of the closet. She makes herself comfortable and dumps all of the swimsuits out of her bag. “Tell me what Carter did that got his ass tossed into the pool.” Her eyes light up. “I bet there are cameras on that pool! We could watch it in slow motion.” She snickers. I bite my lip to keep from laughing with her. “I’m teasing. I just wanted to get you to smile so you’ll cough it up.”

  “He tried to pay me to live here,” I admit. I look down at the swimsuits she dumped out. His words make me feel cheap and dirty. “My mom's boyfriend tried to offer me money too at one point. I left to get away from that but I’ve obviously walked into the same situation.” I look up at Aly.

  “Pay you for sex?!” Aly jumps off the island.

  “No!” I grab her before she can go push Carter back into the pool. “To live here. He didn’t say we had to have sex.”

  Aly stands there for a moment staring at me. The anger melts from her face as a small smile forms on her lips. I don’t get what she’s smiling about. She looked like she wanted to kill Carter a few seconds ago.

  “He doesn’t know any other way.” I still don’t understand what she’s getting at. “I mean, Carter lives a lonely life. We can all see that.”

  I nod in agreement. It didn’t take me long to understand that about him. I’m not sure Carter even knows that he’s lonely. If you’ve never had something then you can’t miss it. I think that’s the case with Carter. He’s never put himself out there to have a relationship that meant anything. Whether it be a friend or something else. That thought has a little jealousy sprouting inside of me.

  “Think about it. This is how he grew up.” She motions with her hands. “You want something you buy it. It’s all he knows. It’s all he’s ever known.” She gives a small shrug. “I mean that’s sad but if you think about it, he’s trying to keep you and he’s doing it the only way he knows how. He doesn’t even know he’s being a dick.”

  “I hadn’t thought of it like that.” He isn’t pushing for sex. When I put space between us he gave it to me. I’ve even watched him have the battle with himself over it. His fingers have itched to touch me. I have to admit that I’ve wanted that touch. It scares me so much. To know it and then to lose it would be devastating.

  “Well, maybe the push in the pool helped give him a reality check. If not, Owen might be giving him one.”

  Carter might be an asshole at times but I think Aly might be right. I need to remember that he’s been so understanding of my situation and where I’ve come from that I should do the same to his. Oh, his life might be a whole lot nicer, but I’m sure it still comes with its own scars.

  “Let’s find our suits.” I rip open one of the bags Carter got me.

  Aly bursts into laughter. “That’s something an old lady would wear.”

  I open another bag and it’s worse than the one before it. Tears of laughter stream down her face. I can’t help but laugh along with her.

  “So glad Owen didn’t pick out or see my swimsuits. I would have ended up with one that looks like a granny suit also.” She wipes the tears from her face. “Here. Pick one of mine.”

  I can’t help but giggle again. I cannot believe the swimsuits he picked out for me. “This one should fit.” I hold up a white two-piece.

  “Let’s do this,” Aly agrees as we put on the suits. “Got a robe? I want to make it to the pool before Owen tries to cover me in his shirt or something.” I go into the bathroom grabbing mine to give to her. It’s then I notice how mine hangs next to Carter’s. It is as though I’m already living here.

  “You not putting one on?” Aly asks.

  “Nope.” Not after the old lady swimsuits he got me.

  Aly gives an evil smile. “This is going to be wonderful.”

  I’m not sure how this night will turn out but I wasn't expecting it to end with the cops showing up.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Carter

  I didn’t hear the sirens. The music was too loud. Plus, two hundred seniors and a few underclassmen were noisy enough to drown out an airhorn so I was surprised when our butler, Felton, found me standing by the edge of the pool trying to block the rest of the class from looking at Mallory’s nearly naked body.

  The butler draws me aside. “Sir, there are officers here to see your guest.”

  My eyes fly to Mallory, who is in a splash fight with Aly. Look at me, learning people’s names. I give myself a brief pat on the back before turning to Felton.

  “How’d they get past the gates?”

  Felton clears his throat. “They were open for all the guests.”

  We survey the rowdy crowd in unison. A couple of the tables have been tipped over. Someone has broken off the arm of one of Dad’s statues. There’s more beer on the tiles than in anyone’s stomach and so many people have had sex in the hot tub that the thing is going to have to be drained and disinfected with industrial bleach. Or maybe we should just tear out the tile and start over.

  “Remind me to never host another party, Felton,” I say as I walk over to grab my hoodie. It’s cold outside of the water. Whoever thought a pool party in fucking January made sense needs his head examined.

  “Noted, sir. Should I call your father?”

  I check the time. It’s nine here so it’s four in the morning over there. Dad’s not going to be awake for another two hours. Besides, I’m an adult with a fat bank account. I can figure this out.

  “Nah. I’ll deal with it.” I start for the house.

  “Very well. I’ve placed the officers in the library and—“ He stops s
hort and so do I. The officers have wandered out of the library and are standing on the terrazzo tiles of the back sundeck overlooking the pool. My mind flashes to the beer and possible weed that is being consumed below. I don’t love these classmates of mine, but no one is getting arrested at one of my parties.

  I charge up the stairs. “May I help you?” I strive for pleasantness.

  “How old is everyone here?”

  “This is private property. Do you have a warrant to search the place? Because, if not, I think you should leave.”

  The tall, gaunt officer who looks like he stepped out of a Tim Burton animation pulls a piece of paper from his breast pocket and flicks it in front of my face. “We have a warrant for the arrest of one Mallory Simmons. We have information that she is being harbored here.”

  I snap to attention. No one is taking Mallory from me, particularly not the police. “I don’t know who you’re talking about. No one by the name of Simmons lives here. It’s my dad and me and my cousin.”

  “Ms. Simmons is a dangerous runaway who has stolen thousands of dollars. For your own safety, it’s best if we take her off your hands.” The shorter one begins to move.

  Felton steps up to block his way.

  “Like I said, no one here goes by that. I’m going to ask you to leave,” I say, still trying to be nice because they have guns and Mallory’s in danger and I don’t want anything sick to happen because the cops are trigger happy.

  “The school said that there was a new student that enrolled this week by the name of Mallory.”

  A cold chill runs down my spine. These guys have been doing some leg work. “Yeah, and did you check her last name? It was the same as mine.”

  “Let’s see some identification for your cousin then.”