by L A Cotton
“Your accent is so cool. Say something British.” He flashed me a smile that had me cocking my eyebrow.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know, something posh or whatever.”
“Dude, she’s my cousin, not a freak show.”
“Kyle,” Laurie and I hissed at the same time, but his friend was watching me eagerly so I sat straighter and said, “How now, brown cow.”
Four pairs of eyes stared back at me and then the booth erupted with laughter, but the mood changed when someone came up to the table. Kyle grumbled something under his breath.
“Stone,” JB Holloway’s eyes flickered to me but I knew he was addressing Kyle. “You said he wasn’t going to be a problem. He came into my home, to my party—”
“Chill, JB, it was a misunderstanding. No harm, no foul, yeah?”
“You’re on the team because I say it’s okay for you to be on the team. Rein. Him. In. This shit is getting old.”
“Everyone needs to chill the fuck out.” Kyle laughed, but I heard the strain there. “You know how he gets.”
“I don’t need Prince fucking up the season for me. We clear?”
“Crystal.”
JB turned his attention to me. “Feeling better?” He slid his thumb across his bottom lip, the way he had in the kitchen at the party and it made me shudder.
“Much, thanks.” I flashed him an over-the-top smile.
“See you around, Stone.” I heard the same promise in his voice I’d heard before. What was his problem?
“What just happened?” Laurie broke the silence.
“JB’s just pissed Maverick turned up at the party looking for a fight.”
“But they didn’t fight, right?”
Kyle flashed me a knowing look. “No, because someone got in between them.”
Laurie craned her head around to me. “Seriously, Lo, you didn’t tell me it was you.”
“I…” She was right. I hadn’t. After my ride home with Maverick, I didn’t know what to make of it all so I did what I did best, pushed it down and acted like nothing had changed.
And it hadn’t, really.
When Maverick made a brief appearance in the kitchen this morning, he’d acted like the party never happened. So, I did the same.
“I can’t believe you did that,” her voice was low as the boys went back to talking about the giant stick up JB’s arse.
“What was I supposed to do? Let them go at it? Maverick looked ready to kill him.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.” She glanced back at Kyle clearly uncomfortable discussing his stepbrother with him present.
“You’ve been holding out on me.” I cocked my eyebrow but Kyle cleared his throat ending our conversation. “You girls okay?”
“Peachy,” I said. “I’m starving. What’s a girl have to do to get fed around here?”
The conversation turned to food, and all talk of JB and Maverick was pushed aside.
~
“Dad?” I stumbled over my slippers and reached out to steady myself. Light streamed in through the blinds even though it was the middle of the night. I didn’t need to flip the switch to see his bed was still made, and for a brief second, I understood how it must have felt for him all those nights I stayed out, too drunk or angry to make it home. But my empathy quickly turned to irritation. It was two-thirty in the morning. Where the hell was he?
I stalked over to the windows and I peeled back the blinds. The main house was pitched in darkness, except for a light in the kitchen. Maybe he was in there, back from wherever it was he'd been. Slipping out of the pool house, I cut across the patio to the back door. It opened with ease, but the place was empty. I tiptoed through the house to the front door and peered out of the glass panel. Gentry's car was parked in its usual spot. So where was Dad? Hurrying back through the house to return to the pool house, I stopped to grab a drink. When I turned around, I almost jumped out of my skin.
“Maverick?” I squeaked. He was in the shadows, arms folded over his chest, watching. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” My voice wavered as I tried to catch my breath.
“It’s late, London. What are you doing creeping around?”
Irritation etched into my face, I ignored the way his hooded gaze danced over my thin vest top, lingering on my chest for a little too long.
“Dad didn't come home yet.” I raked my eyes down his body. It was impossible not to look. The way his t-shirt rippled over his muscles. Ugh. But that wasn’t what caught my eye, it was the blood smeared across his knuckle. My gaze flickered back to his. “What are you doing up?”
He jammed his hands into the pockets of his sweat pants. The ones hanging far too low on his tapered waist. “You ask a lot of questions.” Maverick stepped into the room taking the air with him and I gulped, suddenly feeling exposed in just my summer pyjamas.
“That's not an answer.” I quipped back, searching his face for any clues, noticing an angry bruise forming around his eye. My hand moved to reach out for him, but I stopped myself, tucking it behind my back.
“It's the only one you're getting.” He leaned casually against the door frame. Maverick really was something else and I let out an exasperated breath.
“Do you have any idea where my dad is?”
“It's the middle of the night and he isn't home, where do you think he is?”
My jaw dropped at his insinuation.
No. Dad wouldn’t—
“He wouldn't. We...” My throat closed, and I had to force out the words. “We just got here.” And it was too soon after Mum. Dad wouldn't just move on like that. He wouldn't.
Something crossed Maverick's face, and he shrugged. “He might be your dad, but he's still a guy.”
Why would he say that? A fresh burst of irritation coursed through me. “Is that where you were?” I arched my eyebrow.
“Is that what you want to hear? I was out fucking some girl?” Maverick moved closer, stopping right in front of me. His eyes were hard on mine, pinning me to the spot. Tension rippled around us. And then his hungry gaze dropped to my lips. I stepped back shocked by his effect on me. I wanted him to kiss me.
Shit.
My façade slid away, and I hated that he saw my surprise. That he kept doing this … baiting me. Blowing so hot and cold.
“Whatever, Prince. I'm going back to bed.”
He didn't speak. He didn't move. With a soft shake of my head, I turned ready to leave, but I paused at the last second. “Oh,” I said glancing back at him. “You might want to do something about your knuckles, I can still see the blood.”
My heart galloped in my chest as I jogged back to the pool house replaying the conversation with Maverick over in my head. He'd been fighting without a doubt. And the idea bothered me far more than it should have.
As if things couldn’t get any worse, the next morning over breakfast, Rebecca and Gentry announced they wanted us to spend time together as a family. Macey kicked up a huge stink. But after Rebecca marched her out of earshot for a ‘talk’ she returned and gave Dad a half-hearted apology. In true Macey fashion, she ignored me. I hid out in the pool house until Kyle came and said Loretta was back with excessive amounts of barbecue.
“This should be fun,” he chuckled under his breath as we joined the rest of the Stone-Princes on the patio. It was a beautiful area with a huge canopy housing a long wicker sofa, a matching table, and two chairs. Gentry was in the corner, standing in front of a built-in brick grill. He smiled over at us. “Go find the others.”
Kyle nodded and disappeared off toward the house.
“I hope you’re hungry, Lo, Loretta bought the whole store.”
“I could eat a burger or two.”
“Burgers? When I grill it’s all about the steak,” he laughed.
“Sounds good.” Dad joined us dressed in board shorts and a Hawaiian print shirt looking every bit the surfer, with his easy smile and a bottle of beer in his hand. I didn’t know whether to be impressed or fre
aked out.
But I was still pissed how flippant he’d been about staying out for most of the night. When I’d confronted him this morning, he said he had been out with some of the team again. That it had turned into a late one at someone’s house so he’d stopped over. But I couldn’t help but wonder if Maverick was right … if there was something Dad wasn’t telling me?
I left them talking and went to sit in one of the chairs. Summer was already curled up on the sofa, listening to her music. I gave her a small wave, and she slipped the buds out of her ears. “Hey.”
“Listening to anything good?”
She shrugged, tucking her long hair behind her ear. “My friend is in a band. It’s their demo tape.”
“Oh wow, that’s cool. Does he sing or play?”
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise and I flashed her a knowing smile. “A bit of both. It’s his brother’s band but they’re letting him fill in until they find a new bass player.”
“My ex played occasionally.”
Something caught Summer’s attention behind me, and I rolled my eyes. Maverick’s timing was bordering on ridiculous. Choosing to ignore his presence, I continued, “Chris wasn’t really in a band as such, but he liked to jam at open mic nights, that kind of thing.”
Summer swung her legs over the edge of the seat and shifted forward. “Why’d you break up?”
It was my turn to shrug. “We weren’t good for each other and then Dad announced we were moving here. Seemed pointless, you know?”
She nodded.
“Summer,” Macey’s voice rang out across the pool. “Come paddle with me?”
The youngest Stone-Prince child sighed, flashing me an apologetic smile.
“It’s fine,” I said waving my hand at her. “Go have fun.” Although I wasn’t sure fun ever went hand-in-hand with Macey.
“Why don’t you get in, Lo?” Dad said. “It looks pretty inviting.”
“I’m good.” I slid my glasses down over my face. Maverick was close. I could feel him, but I didn’t acknowledge him as he sat down on the other end of the sofa, furthest away from me. We clearly rubbed each other the wrong way, perhaps it was for the best we avoided one another. Especially around the rest of the family.
“Did you tell her?”
My ears perked up, and I strained to hear Dad and Gentry’s hushed conversation. “Tell me what?”
Dad shook his head and gave his brother a stern look. “Hmm, Gentry and Rebecca invited your grandparents, they thought—”
“It’s fine.” What was another reunion?
“He’s coming here?” Maverick’s voice was strained, but Rebecca appeared and moved to him, laying a hand on her son’s shoulder.
“Yes, and I’d like you to be polite, Maverick. It’s one afternoon, it won’t kill you.” Her eyes bore into his as she looked down at her son. He wanted to bail, I saw it in his tight expression. But something held him back.
“Fine,” he conceded.
“Excellent. Now, Lo, I have been dying to ask, did your father give permission for that beautiful tattoo or is there a story behind it?”
Dad cleared his throat and let out a strangled laugh. “Oh, there’s a story, alright, Rebecca.”
I groaned, tipping my head back. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
“I beg to differ, Eloise.” Oh, I was in trouble now. Dad only ever used my given name when he was pissed. Damn Rebecca and her questions.
“Dad,” I pleaded, but he launched into the story. I got up and went to the pool, unwilling to relive it. So, I’d made a rash decision. It wasn’t like I’d tattooed an angel on my left shoulder and a devil on the right, or the words love and hate across my knuckles. It was art.
Elliot’s art.
He’d drawn the floral design as a present for me on my sixteenth birthday and until his death, it had hung proudly on my bedroom wall. So yeah, maybe it was an irresponsible decision to get it inked on my arm without parental permission, but it was my way of carrying a piece of him around with me. I wouldn’t apologise for that.
“Hey, you okay?” Kyle dropped down beside me, dangling his feet into the water.
“I’ll live.”
He nudged me with his shoulder. “Is it true?”
“Is what true?”
“That you let your boyfriend tattoo you when you were drunk?”
“Ex-boyfriend, and yes. I was …” I hesitated, feeling the pain bubble under the surface. “In a bad place.” Kyle knew the reason for the move—they all did—but no one had mentioned it. I didn’t know if that was at Dad’s request or because death wasn’t something people liked to talk about.
“Because of the accident?”
I nodded, swirling my toes through the water.
“Well, I think it’s badass. You’re not like most girls, Lo.”
My gaze slid to Kyle. He was grinning as usual. “I think there’s a compliment in there somewhere,” I said.
“There is.” He shouldered me again. “You’ve been in Wicked Bay a little over a week, Cous, and you’ve already made friends and have a line of guys falling over their feet for your attention.”
My eyes rolled skyward. Had it really only been a week? Kyle must have noticed my confused expression, and he barked a laugh. “You have no idea the stir you’ve caused, do you?”
“Stone,” a voice boomed, and we both turned around to find Maverick standing by the table. “Get over here.”
“The Prince calls.” He waggled his eyebrows at me and I frowned. But Kyle ignored my confusion, tapping the end of my nose. He whispered, “so much to learn still, Cous. Catch you later.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him go to Maverick. They sat on the sofa, huddled together looking at Maverick’s phone. Neither paid me any attention. The bruise around his eye looked sore but if it bothered him, he didn’t let on. No one had mentioned it, and I wasn’t going to be the one to bring it up.
“Let’s eat,” Gentry announced a few minutes later, and I reluctantly stood up and went to join them.
“This looks great, Dad.” Kyle was first up helping himself to one of everything. Macey and Summer joined us and for the next twenty minutes we ate like a family. But I saw the cracks. Macey and Maverick hardly spoke. Summer was quiet, speaking only when someone directed a question at her. Kyle overcompensated, cracking inappropriate jokes about his dad’s cooking. And the adults chatted on as if everything was normal.
“So sorry we’re late.”
I turned to take in the couple standing on the other side of the pool. Although we’d never met in person, I knew them to be my grandparents, August and Beatrice Stone. Yeah, this was completely normal. I pushed my plate away, suddenly not feeling hungry anymore.
“Eloise,” my grandpa had a thick accent. “Get over here and give your grandpa a hug.”
Oh, Jesus. I shot Dad a look that said ‘help’, but he pretended not to notice.
“Hmm, hi.” I stood up and offered the approaching couple a small wave. The woman, my grandma, smiled wide. She had warm eyes, and I felt some of my anxiety ebb away.
“Oh, darling, it’s so good to see you, at last. Come give me a hug.” She extended her arms, and I went awkwardly, aware of the seven pairs of eyes watching us. Eight if you included my grandpa’s.
“You look just like your mother.” Her voice cracked as she enveloped me in her slender arms.
“Now, now, Bea, don’t go getting upset. We don’t want to scare the girl away.”
Girl? My head whipped up, and I met my grandpa’s eyes.
“Eloise, this is long overdue, sweetheart.” He wrapped an arm around us both and squeezed. Maybe I should have felt something at meeting my grandparents for the first time in person. But they were acting strange. It wasn't like I didn't know who they were. They wrote, sent obligatory birthday cards, that kind of thing. It was just hard to feel excited about it given the circumstances.
“Where’s my hug?” Kyle called over. “It’s been at least three weeks
since I saw you both.”
I stepped away from my grandparents and flashed him a thankful smile. He always knew just what to say or do to cut through the tension.
“Robert, get over here and give your old man a hug.”
Dad came over to us and enveloped his parents, smiling from ear to ear.
“We're sorry we weren't here for your arrival.” Grandma whispered.
“It's fine, Mom. It gave us time to settle before you start worrying.”
She smacked his arm. “It's a mother's prerogative to worry. I'm just glad you’re here finally.”
Finally?
What did that mean?
“Is Ste—”
“Why don't we eat?” Dad interjected, guiding his mother to the table. “There's plenty of time to talk later.”
I followed, feeling Maverick's heated glare lingering on me. As if he knew what was running through my mind. As if he knew what she'd been about to say. I didn't want to believe it because it wasn't possible. It couldn't be. Dad wouldn't do that to me. To Mum.
I switched off after that. Sure, I smiled at the right times, answered my grandparents’ endless questions about the move and school, but I was checked out. Trying to figure out what was going on. What Dad wasn't telling me. I watched him discreetly as he joked and chatted with Gentry and their parents. My grandparents. He was like a different person. He looked like Dad and sounded like him, but something about him was different.
And I didn't like it.
Everything was changing. Coming here pushed them further and further away. But I didn't want to forget them or move on.
I didn’t want to let them go.
“Lo?”
I blinked over at my grandma. “Excuse me?”
“I said are you free next weekend?”
“Oh, hmm, I guess.”
“How would you, Summer, and Macey like to come out on the boat with me?”
Boat?
“I have practice,” Macey spoke up and my grandma rolled her eyes.
“You say that every time I invite you to spend time with me.”
Rebecca gave her daughter a narrowed look, but she shrugged. “What? It's true. We have to be on point for the opening game. Sorry, Mrs. Stone.” Her voice almost sounded sincere, but I knew it was a sham.