A Love that Endures

by Forrest, Bella

  But Katy pulled back, too quickly. And then her eyes went down to the ground as if she felt . . . regretful. David felt a slight sting of rejection.

  “Sorry, I was just . . . really excited for you,” she said softly, still looking down.

  David wanted to tell her not to be sorry. He wanted to tell her that her hug had been wonderful, a high point on an already eventful day. But Katy quickly turned and started to walk again, so he found himself simply following her.

  “So, what are you going to get her?” she asked.

  David shrugged and heaved a sigh. “I’m not entirely sure. I don’t exactly know her well.”

  “Are you mailing it to her? Or . . .” Katy trailed off.

  “Delivering it,” David replied. “My cousin invited me to New York City this Saturday. So we could meet and talk about everything.”

  They were silent for a few steps, each adrift in their own thoughts.

  “Are you excited?” she asked.

  “Nervous,” he said. “I’ve never been before. And it’s not like I really know anyone there.”

  “Won’t Zeke go with you, though?”

  “He has plans that he can’t miss,” David responded. “So it’ll just be me.”

  Another silence settled over them, punctuated only by their footfalls on the concrete sidewalk and the chittering of fat campus squirrels as they raced about.

  “Unless, uh . . .” David started. He stopped walking to turn to Katy, balancing doubt and desire. She stopped as well, turning to face him.

  What was he thinking? She barely knew him. She undoubtedly had much better things to do with her weekend than follow some almost-stranger into a complicated family matter. And she was so beautiful and fun and smart. There was no way she wasn’t constantly fending off advances from other men. That Russian jerk being one of them. Why would she ever want to embark on some trip of self-discovery with him, when she was clearly trying to avoid anything more than friendship?

  Then again, couldn’t this just be a friendly trip?

  “Unless?” Katy echoed, her mouth pursed in confusion.

  “Unless you’re available,” David replied.

  Katy’s eyes brightened briefly, but then she looked down again.

  “I-I’m not sure that’d be a good idea,” she said quietly, chewing on her bottom lip.

  Of course. He felt foolish for having asked.

  “No worries,” he swiftly assured her. “I completely understand. Just thought you might like to get away from campus for a little while.”

  Katy shifted her weight slightly. “That does sound nice . . .”

  David furrowed his brow. It seemed like Katy did want to go, but that something invisible was holding her back.

  “Well, the invitation stands,” David said. “If you change your mind. It’d be nice to bring a friend.”

  “A friend,” Katy repeated gently, almost under her breath.

  “Well, yeah,” David replied, a hint of his confusion seeping into his voice. “I know we haven’t known each other for very long, but I still consider you a good friend.”

  Katy silently looked toward the shops again.

  “Anyway,” David went on, confident now that he’d be making the trip alone, “I was thinking I could buy her—”

  “Maybe we could keep this between us?” Katy interrupted, color filling her cheeks. “If I go. I just . . . wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong impression . . . you know?”

  “Between us,” David echoed, frowning as he tried to understand what she was saying. It was a strange request, but he did like the idea of her coming along. Even under her confusing conditions. “Uh. Of course.”

  Katy chewed on her lip a second longer, still looking down. Her cheeks were flushed and her breathing seemed to have quickened—signs of excitement, surely—but there was a heaviness to her actions now that gave David pause. Why was she so conflicted about a weekend trip? Was it the Russian?

  Then Katy nodded, almost imperceptibly, and turned to continue walking.

  David stood and stared after her for a second. Was that it? Had she agreed, or what? But Katy wasn’t waiting for him, so when she had gotten a few yards away, David jogged forward to catch up with her.

  He looked over at her once he’d caught up, but she didn’t meet his gaze. Instead, she was still walking quickly, looking down at the sidewalk. Her response filled David with doubt. Maybe she already regretted agreeing to go with him. He shouldn’t have put her on the spot like that. She probably felt guilty, like she couldn’t turn down a guy with a sob story. Ugh. He was about to assure her again that he’d be fine alone when Katy spoke.

  “So what were you saying you wanted to buy your aunt?” she asked, her voice leveling out like she was trying to put the last part of the conversation behind her.

  “I was thinking maybe a candle, or a picture frame,” David said. To brighten up her hospital room. He realized he hadn’t shared that detail with her yet.

  “I’m sure we can find something,” Katy said, her lip curling into a half-smile.

  We. He grinned at the sentiment. They were going to pick out the gift together. And then they were going to make the trip to New York City together. David was excited, even if it was just a friendly trip.

  But he thought he still sensed a reluctance in Katy. And when she turned away and began to chew on her lip again, it felt like there was a wall between them that he couldn’t understand.

  And David wasn’t sure if he could scale it.

  21

  Katy

  “Portland?” Katy asked in confusion, wrinkling her nose. “That’s going to be a longer road trip than I thought.”

  “You’re thinking Oregon. Rain and hipsters,” Cassie replied. “But apparently there’s a Portland, Maine. It’s only about a two-hour drive.”

  Katy watched Cassie pack her heavy coat into a battered suitcase splayed open on her bed. Bottles of shampoo and lotion were scattered beside it, along with assorted underthings and cord-wrapped electronic chargers.

  “Well, what is there to do in Portland, Maine?” Katy asked, sitting beside the suitcase. She shoved the coat down for her cousin so more things would fit on top of it.

  Cassie shrugged while tossing in her toothbrush. “Hang out with the lobsters and be cold. Nothing cool, I guess. But Sarah grew up there and she said she has an older brother she wants me to meet.”

  Cassie winked at Katy, and Katy’s heart jumped.

  “But what about David?” she asked, trying not to sound as excited as she felt.

  “A girl should have options, Katy. You’re never too rich to turn down a friend. Or a potential boyfriend.” Cassie smiled mischievously before turning back to the packing. “But honestly . . . I can’t imagine having eyes for anyone other than David right now.”

  Katy felt disappointment settle over her like an all-too-familiar blanket. She wanted to be friends with David, guiltlessly, and she wanted to go to New York City to support him, to be there for him. But she couldn’t deny that hot little flare of jealousy she felt whenever Cassie talked about him romantically. Which wasn’t doing anything to keep the guilt at bay.

  Cassie pushed her entire weight down onto the suitcase, smashing the coat and toiletries down, and managed to zip it closed. She pantomimed wiping sweat off her brow, and Katy forced a laugh in response.

  Her cousin’s gaze homed in on her. “Are you sure you’ll be okay while I’m gone?” she asked, her voice heavy with concern. “Sarah said you were welcome to come along.”

  “Does she have enough brothers?” Katy joked.

  Cassie giggled. “They certainly have enough lobsters.”

  Katy smiled and then looked down. “I’ll be fine. You have fun. You deserve it.”

  She meant that. It seemed like Cassie was always nearby, helping Katy through some sort of crisis over Alexei, or an exam, or just generally keeping an eye on her and her well-being. Even though Cassie was the younger cousin, Katy sometimes felt like Cassie wa
s protective over her, always there to offer support.

  And this is how you repay her? Some friend.

  Cassie sighed. “Thanks. Being on campus is exhausting sometimes.”

  Katy nodded slowly.

  “Not that I’m going to be able to totally get away from it,” Cassie went on. She looked sadly at a textbook that she’d lain on her bed to pack. “What with finals and that project coming up.”

  Katy’s eyes bulged. The theater project! The small group mini plays were due next week, and finals were starting. What was Katy thinking, leaving campus when she had so much to do?

  Cassie must have picked up on her cousin’s anxiety. “Don’t worry about it, hon,” she said reassuringly. “Let me deal with the project.”

  “What do you mean?” It was a group project, so it wasn’t like Katy could get out of it entirely.

  “I’m going to write the play during our drive,” Cassie replied. “I have a plan for it. I texted David, and he agreed to be in our group, so I want to make sure he has a good part. If you know what I mean.” Cassie raised an eyebrow suggestively.

  Katy stared at her cousin blankly. She did know what Cassie meant, but she really wished she was mistaken. That was . . . just another thing to worry about.

  “What about Zeke?” Katy asked.

  Cassie rolled her eyes. “That’s exactly what David said. Obviously I’ll write a part for him, too.”

  She pulled her suitcase off the bed and stood it upright on its wheels, then yanked its long handle out of the top and looked at Katy with an exaggerated frown.

  Katy scoffed, hoping to mask her inner turmoil with playfulness. “I’ll be fine!”

  “What are you going to do while I’m gone? Other than miss me?”

  Katy looked pointedly toward a pile of books on her desk. “Cram.”

  “Good! At least one of us should pass our finals,” Cassie quipped. She grabbed her purse off the bed, slung it over her shoulder, and began lugging her suitcase toward the door.

  Katy stood and stepped forward, meeting Cassie in a goodbye hug.

  “Be safe,” Katy admonished, hugging Cassie tightly against her. “With boys and crustaceans.”

  “Last time I checked I wasn’t allergic to either, but thanks,” Cassie replied, pulling away. “Text me if you need anything!”

  And with that, Cassie turned and walked out of the bedroom, leaving Katy alone to stew in her guilt.

  She hated lying. She didn’t like lying to her housemates or David about her identity either, but at least she wasn’t the only one complicit in that. Cassie was in on it too, and she understood the reasons why it had to be done. But this . . . she was alone in this deception. And it made the whole situation feel treacherous . . . and lonely.

  Katy couldn’t really deny how she felt about David anymore. When he’d told her about his newfound family, she’d felt real, unbridled joy for him. And she couldn’t deny that even with her guilt about going behind Cassie’s back, she was over the moon that he’d invited her to New York City for the weekend. Afterward, as they’d walked through the crowded bookstore to pick out small gifts for his aunt’s birthday, she couldn’t help but walk as close next to him as she could to admire him whenever he looked away.

  She relished the moments that their hands brushed together at their sides, even when their hips occasionally bumped as they walked side by side. Katy felt herself drawn to him, completely disregarding her usual desire for personal space, even sneaking excuses to touch him—putting her hand on his shoulder or his back to show him something or leaning past him a little bit too close to pick something up. Standing next to him amongst the brightly lit shelves, pretending to peruse the titles, she’d found her eyes tracing his lips, admiring his strong hands, found herself basking in the subtle, inviting smell of him . . .

  But this was insane! Cassie had a huge crush on David and, up until recently, Katy had even been encouraging the relationship. Sure, if she actually had to tell her cousin about the New York trip, she could claim that she had just gone on a friendly trip to offer him support, but was that actually the case?

  Not to mention the fact that if cashiers in Cambridge might be able to recognize her, then a trip to a much larger and more worldly city was a big risk. And what if she was recognized and photos made their way into the tabloids? She could see the headlines now.

  Princess Katerina’s Sexy Co-Ed Rebound

  Famously Modest Princess Lets Hair Down for Secret Weekend Romp

  Alexei Who? Meet Princess Katerina’s New Mystery Man

  What would her parents think? Modesty and virginity were too important to them to even risk the rumor of improper contact. Alexei tried to claim that those strict requirements were what had caused him to stray in the first place. And, when Katy’s despair had been its deepest, she’d believed him. And she had blamed herself.

  Katy shook her head gently in an attempt to clear it. She didn’t want to waste any more thoughts on Alexei. That was the past. But David . . . well, maybe he was the future. She would just have to keep her head down in NYC and make certain nobody blew her cover.

  Michelle appeared in the door to the bedroom, pulling Katy out of her anxious headspace.

  “What are you going to do without your supervisor this weekend?” her housemate teased.

  Katy rolled her eyes. “I prefer to call her Cassie.” It was no secret that Cassie was protective of Katy, but the jokes occasionally irked her. “And I’m doing some sightseeing myself this weekend.”

  “Hope you’re taking a boy toy. While the cat’s away, the mice are supposed to play,” Michelle responded, irritatingly, with a suggestive smile. Then she continued on down the hallway, away from Katy and Cassie’s room.

  Katy sighed. She walked to the closet to fetch her own weekend bag and haphazardly began tossing clothes in.

  Michelle didn’t know how right she was.

  * * *

  Katy looked around nervously. She was alone at the bus stop and feeling conspicuous. There were a few other students hovering around, wearing backpacks and headphones, but she didn’t see anyone she knew. For now, at least. She zipped up her fleece pullover to keep out the cold New England weather and pulled out her phone again. Still no response from David. Her last message hung unanswered: I’m at the station. Are you close?

  Katy stuffed the phone back into her pocket and adjusted the bag’s strap higher onto her shoulder. She felt silly for asking him to meet her at the bus stop instead of just walking with him, but she didn’t want to risk anyone seeing them on the way to the bus with weekend bags. Rumors about Katy’s love life were already swirling, from tabloid headlines to the ridiculous things Mrs. Clarke had believed. She didn’t want to add fuel to that fire.

  So why was she here risking it?

  The question practically answered itself, as David strode up to her on the sidewalk. His dark hair was windswept, and a bright smile lit his face. Katy’s heart fluttered, and a rush of nervous heat rolled through her body like a wave.

  “Hope you weren’t waiting too long,” he said, his smile unwavering. “I just saw your message.”

  Katy tried to casually shrug, but she could feel herself blushing. “Not too long,” she replied. “I just didn’t want to miss the bus to the train station.”

  “I’m sorry about the old-fashioned travel,” David said. “I would’ve paid for plane tickets, but they were pretty expensive last-minute.”

  Another tinge of guilt passed through Katy, cooling her excitement. It hadn’t been her intention to make David buy the tickets at all, especially since she knew his means were modest, but he had surprised her with them.

  “No, the train is great. I’m looking forward to it,” Katy replied. She was excited about seeing more of the area. She had read up about California and the rest of the U.S. to make her made-up backstory more plausible, but she hadn’t actually seen much of the country at all. Especially New York City. It was such a romantic trip, really.

  And the
circumstances couldn’t have been worse for that. Especially with how casually handsome David currently looked.

  But this weekend wasn’t about Katy and her inner strife. It was about David. He was meeting his biological family for the first time. It was a big deal for him, and he needed support. So Katy was determined to push her feelings—and this irritatingly strong attraction—aside and be there for him.

  The hissing sound of brakes announced the presence of the bus.

  “Guess our chariot has arrived,” David joked.

  Katy readjusted her shoulder strap again. She really was excited about this journey. And if no one found out, what was the harm?

  22

  David

  Katy had a way of making even public transportation look dignified.

  David was trying hard to keep his eyes off her as she gazed through the bus window, but he kept wandering back to the aristocratic way she crossed her ankles and the graceful arch of her neck. He noticed that her dark hair was just beginning to lighten close to her scalp, hinting at a shade of blonde. What would she look like with her natural hair color? He imagined she’d be just as gorgeous either way.

  A text message zapped him back into reality.

  “Cerise is coming in for the weekend to meet you. So I’ll have one guest room available and the couch. Text when you make it to Penn Station.”

  David smiled to himself. Not even the prospect of spending the weekend on a couch could dishearten him. He couldn’t wait to finally meet his biological family. And, even if Katy just wanted to be friends, he was excited to spend some alone time with her. He cast another sideways glance in her direction to see her still staring out of the window at passing cars and pedestrians, seemingly enthralled.

  Not that he wanted to just be friends.

  “If you like this view, you’re going to love the train,” David said. They weren’t far from the station, and David was enjoying seeing Katy’s excitement.