Stuck With You

by London James

  “Yeah, but that was last night.” He frowns, as if I kicked his puppy or something.

  I roll my eyes at his sullen expression and sigh, glancing at my watch. “Fine, but we aren’t getting too crazy. I don’t want to be hungover or wasted when I get to my dad’s house. I’d never hear the end of it.” My father is a very wealthy man, but when I went to college, he made sure I had to work for what I wanted, just like he did.

  So, while many people never believed I didn’t have a dime of my dad’s money, I really didn’t. All the money I have, I earned, and I have to say, it feels fucking great.

  “No, just enough to feel great before getting on the plane.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and shoots a wink to a blonde chick with a lot of tattoos. Gray definitely has a type. The type that makes mom’s nervous. It makes me laugh because he is so clean-cut and preppy, yet the girls he likes are complete opposite.

  We pass a few friends and say bye as we make our way out of the front doors of the dorm. A car is there with our own driver—Gray insisted. And the older-ish man grabs my luggage and puts it in the trunk next to Gray’s.

  “Hey, Trevor. Can you take a photo of me and my brolio here?” Gray asks the driver.

  “Of course, sir.”

  Gray slaps me on the back, and we stand in front of the building that we have lived in for two years. The sun is shining, the grass is green, and it couldn’t be a better day to say goodbye and close a chapter to life. Gray throws his arm around me, and I smile.

  “On the count of three, sirs.”

  “Wait, on three or after three? Because that’s important,” Gray asks.

  I slap my palm against my forehead and groan, “Dude, just be ready.”

  “After three,” Trevor, our driver, says with a little smile.

  “So, four. That would be four,” Gray corrects.

  “Oh my god, Gray. Just shut up and smile already. You’re making me want to drink, and it isn’t even noon yet.”

  He rubs his hand down his shirt and grumbles, “It matters.”

  This time, I throw my arm around him and put him in a headlock. “It doesn’t matter.” I ball up my fist and give him a noogie, messing up his perfectly parted hair.

  “Not the hair! Not the hair!” he shouts.

  I let go and laugh as I see his precious blonde locks standing up. He looks like he got electrocuted. “Personally, I think it looks better.”

  “Asshole,” he chuckles with a teasing glint and throws his arm around me again. “Okay, let’s try this again. On the count of ‘after three’, which is technically four.”

  I don’t have time or the energy to get into that again, so I smile. Trevor seems to be having a good time, so it’s hard to be annoyed at Gray’s technicalities.

  “Looks good, sirs,” Trevor smiles as he hands the phone back.

  “Of course, it does. Have you seen us? We are good looking. You know what? Come here, Trevor. Let’s all take a selfie. You’re here for our new beginning, too.”

  “Oh no, sir. I can’t really impose like that,” Trevor tries to argue, but it’s too late. Gray already has his arm around the poor guy and tosses me the phone.

  I get in on the other side of Trevor and reach my arm out. “On the count of three.”

  “Oh, dear,” Trevor mutters.

  “Wait, on three or—”

  I start taking photos, and I know they are going to be real gems. Gray has his mouth open half the time, and Trevor is trying to get away. Poor driver, he’s probably scarred for life. Finally, ten minutes later, we are in the car and heading to town, stopping at our favorite bar. We invite Trevor inside, but he says no. Gray tries to convince him, but I slap his chest, telling him to leave it be. We can’t push the guy too much.

  The bar is a dive. The white paint on the wall is no longer white, but yellow from all the smoking inside. It’s peeling, chipping, and there are cracks along it. The carpet has stains, from probably every type of bodily fluid there is, and it’s matted to the ground. I don’t think it’s ever been vacuumed.

  “Fellas!” Mikey hollers from behind the bar. “There are my two favorite guys. You heading out of town? Beers on me.”

  I don’t turn twenty-one for another week, but Mikey doesn’t care. His family practically owns this town, so he does whatever the fuck he wants. And so do his friends. This isn’t the first beer I’ve had here, and it won’t be the last. I’m sure I’ll be back.

  “We are having one last beer before we strike out on our own, grabbing life by the horns, eating the oyster that is the world,” Gray announces, enamoured as he stares off into space.

  Mikey leans forward and throws the dirty rag on the bar top. “You sure you want to get in business with that guy? I’m a good businessman. I know people who know people. I can get you places, kid.”

  “Hey, I take offense to that,” Gray calls.

  “Good. You’re an idiot,” Mikey laughs, yanking Gray’s chain.

  An hour passes, then two, then we are on our way to the airport. We board the plane, and then it’s as if I blinked because I’m stepping off the plane in Spokane.

  I inhale the clean, crisp air and sigh. I’ve missed home. The air is cold since it’s winter, but I forgot to pack a jacket. I’m so used to California weather now, but the sharp frozen tendrils of the air feel good wrapping around my body.

  “Oh my god, my balls. I can no longer feel them,” Gray whines as he cups his junk.

  Another car is there waiting for us, and Gray runs to the back door, not waiting for the driver to open it. It isn’t that cold. He’s being dramatic.

  The entire ride to my father’s house, I’m on edge. Maybe it’s from Gray’s teeth chattering, I’m not sure, but something is telling me to be ready. Ready for what? I don’t know.

  Gray whistles as the gate to the house opens. “Fancy pants.”

  “Just my dad. Not me,” I reiterate.

  “Still,” Gray doesn’t say anything further as he gets out of the car once it’s parked in front of the house.

  I follow suit, grab my bags, and stare up at the large castle before me. At least, I always thought of it as a castle. It’s large and brick with a lot of windows and seems like a house royalty would live in. I don’t bother knocking, since it’s my house, and open the door.

  Laughter floats through the air, and my brows furrow. I know that laugh. I set my bags down and look up to see Everly’s mother holding my dad’s hand.

  And there, standing in front of her mother is Everly.

  Just what the fuck is going on, here?

  Chapter 2

  Everly

  Oh, this cannot be happening.

  I twist my fingers together and cast my eyes away from Rowan. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out he hates me. I see the angry gleam in his eyes, the hatred, the betrayal, and I can’t blame him. The way I treated him doesn’t deserve forgiveness.

  At the time, I thought I was doing what was right. When I woke up that next morning, in the cab of his truck, wrapped up in his arms, with an ache between my legs from the sex we had the previous night, I loved him even more. I was ready to give up everything in that moment to be with him, to follow him to California.

  And that scared me. I didn’t want to be that girl who gave up her entire life for a boy that maybe had feelings for her. I thought it was the right thing to let him go be free in college, to not hold him back, so both of us could still have the lives we wanted.

  We wanted to go to school. We picked those schools knowing we would be apart, and that shouldn’t have changed just because we had sex. I didn’t want him to jeopardize his future, and I didn’t want to jeopardize mine. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.

  And it is still the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with. It hurt every day not responding to him. It hurt every day knowing he hated me, and that I’ve lost my best friend, forever. We shouldn’t have had sex.

  Part of me doesn’t regret it. I’m glad my first time
and only time that I’ve ever had sex was with Rowan, but if we didn’t have sex, I wouldn’t have run, and none of this would have happened.

  I can’t take back what I did. So, I have to live with the consequences, even if they consist of admiring how handsome he got from afar. He grew into himself. He is taller now, broader, and more defined. Rowan’s light brown hair is a bit darker now, like he doesn’t get out in the sun as much anymore, is longer than he used to keep it. His blue eyes swirl with hostility, but there is a hint of sadness too. I hate that I’m the cause of it.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Rowan’s voice got deeper too, and the baritone sends shivers down my spine. My nipples bead, responding to him like they always did.

  I sigh and tighten my cardigan around myself to hide my breasts, hell, to hide my body. I glance up at him to see Rowan staring daggers at me. His friend is totally oblivious and waves at me. He takes a few strides and holds out his hand. “Hi. I’m Gray. I’m Rowan’s friend and business partner.”

  Right. Business partner. Rowan is all successful now.

  “I’m Everly.” Right as I reach out to shake his hand, Rowan pulls Gray back and curls his lip at me. Tears burn my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. I look down at my feet, wishing I had somewhere else to go.

  Gray gives Rowan a confused look, which tells me his friend doesn’t even know about me. I guess my plan worked. He has officially forgotten all about me.

  “What’s she doing here?” Rowan asks coldly, not even looking at me in the eye.

  “That’s no way to talk to your family, Rowan.” Mr. Michaels says, wrapping his arm around my mother.

  I thought we were here visiting. Just what is going on?

  “Oh, you crazy kids. You grew up together, and this is how you treat each other? I thought this would go a lot easier,” my mom grabs his father’s hand, making me gasp.

  “Yeah, let’s not talk about how we are supposed to treat each other,” Rowan huffs, and his eyes go down to look at their conjoined hands. “What’s going on?”

  “Well, while you were away at school, Barbara and I found each other and fell in love.”

  My mom stares up at Rowan’s father with adoration and holds up her other hand. “We are getting married!” she squeals. “I’ll be moving in here!”

  And at the same time, my stomach drops. This can’t be happening. The man I lost my virginity to, the man I’ve loved my entire life, is going to be my stepbrother? This day keeps getting worse and worse.

  And to add gasoline to already the burning blaze of fire? I still love him. And the worst part? I don’t even feel guilty for loving and wanting him. It isn’t enough to forget that amazing night we shared and the fantasies that one day, we would find our way to each other again.

  Now even that fantasy has been shattered.

  “You can’t be serious? Bringing them into our family?” Rowan shouts, his face turning red, and the vein bulging in his forehead. “What the fuck, Dad?”

  “You will not speak to my soon-to-be wife like that, young man. Where is your respect?” Mr. Michaels stands in front of my mother, protecting her.

  “It must have left two years ago when I went to school.”

  The words are a sword to the heart, almost making me cry. I know they are directed at me.

  “It had better change quick, or you won’t be welcome in this house.”

  Rowan doesn’t take his eyes away from his father. “Good because I won’t be here long.”

  He finally slides his eyes toward me, and the pain in those beautiful eyes takes my breath.

  “Show Everly her room,” his father says to him. “I can’t talk to you right now. I never knew my son could be so disrespectful.”

  “I wonder who’s to blame for that.” He never takes his eyes away from mine until he turns away and grabs his bag, “And I think she can find her own way. Let’s go, Gray.” Rowan goes upstairs taking two steps at a time, and Gray follows shortly behind.

  “Uh, it was nice to meet all of you, even if it was really awkward.” He waves, throwing his duffel bag over his shoulder.

  I rub my temples with my fingers and lean against the marble wall. Yeah, marble. I always felt so uncomfortable coming here because his dad is so rich. My head pounds with all the information, stress, and anxiety I’m feeling right now.

  “I’m sorry, dear. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.” My mom wraps me in a hug, and it takes all I have not to cry.

  I know exactly what’s gotten into him. “It’s fine. I’m going to go take a nap, though. It’s been a long day.”

  “Of course,” she says, but I can see the sadness in her eyes for their children not being happy for them.

  “You deserve love, mom. If Mr. Michaels brings you that, then that’s all that matters.”

  The little shine to her eyes returns, and she embraces me in another hug. “Thank you.”

  I pull away, tuck a piece of my long, brown hair behind my ear, and meander up the steps. I sigh, dragging my feet as I get closer and closer to the upstairs lobby. There are a million rooms in this house, let’s just hope I pick one far away from Rowan. I can’t wait until Christmas break is over. This is all too much.

  I drag my bag behind me, the roll of the wheels echoing in the hall. Gold chandeliers hang above me, the crystal dangling from the arms glittering along the walls. Old family photos decorate the wall with expensive wooden frames. I’m even in some of them.

  I do my best not to stop and look at them. I’ve seen them a hundred times, but this time is different. This time, Rowan and I aren’t friends anymore, and the only thing waiting in those pictures is pain.

  I reach for the silver door handle and twist, opening the heavy wooden door wide to expose a gorgeous room with a canopy bed. There is a Victorian-style chaise lounge in the corner and another chandelier hanging in the middle. To the left is a huge bathroom with a soaking tub and walk-in closet, but to my right is another door. It’s ominous and white. It doesn’t look like it belongs.

  I drop my bag to the floor and reach for the handle, only to find it locked. Damn, I really want to know what’s behind there. I give the mysterious door my back and step forward, when a murmur of voices has me peering over the curve of my shoulder again. The Nosey Nancy that I am, I press my ear against the door and listen.

  “What was the deal with that?”

  Oh, that’s Gray’s voice.

  A deeper voice that can only be Rowan’s follows next, “It’s a long story.”

  “I have all the time in the world. Who was Everly? She’s hot,” Gray says.

  “I don’t want to talk about her. Our friendship ended badly. That’s all you need to know,” Rowan says to him.

  My heart breaks a little more, and a tear finally falls down my cheek. I raise my hand to the door, holding it there, wishing it was his chest under my palm instead.

  “So, I can ask her out? You won’t care?” Gray asks.

  I wait, holding my breath to see what Rowan will say.

  “I really don’t care what you do, Gray. She isn’t my business.”

  The way he says it makes me stumble backward until the back of my knees hit the bed, and I collapse onto my back. I cover my face with my hands and sob silently. My shoulders shake, and my heart explodes into a million broken pieces. I flop over onto my side and grab the pillow to muffle my wails.

  I don’t want to give my location away. Not that it matters. He doesn’t care. I always knew he hated me, but a part of me had hope that he would forgive me. It is stupid; I know that. What I did to him doesn’t deserve forgiveness, but how he talks about me… there’s so much venom in his tone. And it hurts so damn bad.

  “What do you mean you don’t care?” Gray asks as they walk down the hall.

  The tears don’t stop falling, but I must be a glutton for punishment because I listen to see what Rowan will say back. This is why I really hate that this house echoes.

  “Ask her out. I don’t care but know she
doesn’t really care about you if she says yes. You can’t trust her, okay? She’s not a good person. I wouldn’t waste my time if I were you.”

  Don’t waste his time? Okay, I deserved that, but it doesn’t make it hurt less. Am I unstable? Is it still supposed to hurt after two years? It’s the guilt that won’t allow me to move on, but Rowan won’t let me speak to him, not that I deserve it. I was a coward two years ago, and maybe I still am, but now all I feel is fear, rather than uncertainty. I don’t know Rowan Michaels anymore. Does he really think that of me? That I’m not a good person?

  I know it’s my fault, but I didn’t think I deserved that. I can’t stop my thoughts from spiralling. I abandoned him, and now all I see in his eyes is rage. Deep in my heart, I know he would never lift a hand to me, and that the only way he would hurt me is with his tongue. Like he already has.

  Gray and Rowan’s voices disappear down the hall, and I sit up, wiping my tears away. No, fuck this. I’m not going to be this girl, even though I really want to be, and be hated because of a mistake I made two years ago. I’m not that woman anymore. I wouldn’t ever do that to anyone anymore.

  So, I do what any girl does to make a man jealous. They make sure their looks can kill, and that starts with shaving everything. I run to the bathroom and wash my face, shave my legs—twice—and put on my makeup. I never was the kind of woman to wear a lot of it, so just some mascara, gloss, blush, and a bit of brow gel to keep these caterpillars in place.

  Will he look at me? Probably not. And I have to remember that, but there are bars in Spokane. And it is time to put the past behind me and live for me now. I’ll apologize to Rowan, maybe. I don’t know if it’s worth it, considering it won’t change anything and he doesn’t think I’m worth it, so why waste any more time?

  I need to move on. Rowan has my heart, but he doesn’t want it, and I need to do what I can to get it back. Maybe, one day, I can find the strength to give it to someone else again.

  I slip on a pair of leggings, cute brown boots that pull up to my thigh that have a very small heel, and a tight dark blue sweater dress. I always loved a deep blue because it brings the honey brown tones out in my hair even more.