Thanks to You

by Kelsey Cheyenne

  Thanks to You

  Kelsey Cheyenne

  Thanks to You © 2018 by Kelsey Cheyenne. All Rights Reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  Cover designed by Harlow Layne

  Editing by Anja Pfister at Hourglass Editing

  Proofreading by Alyne Hart

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Kelsey Cheyenne

  www.facebook.com/kelseycheyenneauthor

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing: November 15, 2018

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Epilogue

  1

  2

  3

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  MORE FROM KELSEY

  This book is dedicated to everyone who's ever said "I'm not a dog person." Come into the light.

  Prologue

  “How do I look?” I’m sitting on my best friend Hailey’s bed. She just got done giving me a makeover with the makeup our moms bought us for the upcoming homecoming dance.

  “You look gorgeous, dah-ling.” I giggle at her fake drawl. We’re both practicing our hair and makeup styles before the dance next weekend because we don’t want to wing it and show up looking like clowns. It’s our first high school dance, so we have to make a good impression.

  I climb off the bed and spray myself with some of her Juicy Couture perfume and pose like I’m on the runway. I check myself out in the mirror and admire the work Hailey has done. She’s right, I look good; the girl has some talent with a makeup brush.

  We hear the front door slam, so Hailey sprints to her bedroom window which overlooks the driveway in front of her house – or more like her mansion, honestly.

  Her room alone could probably house my home’s entire first floor. She has her own bathroom, a walk-in closet, and a massive king-sized canapé bed sitting in the middle of the room.

  “Hunter’s home!” She bolts out of her room and down the staircase, leaving me to trail behind her.

  Hailey’s brother, Hunter, goes to college nearly three hours away in upstate Pennsylvania. Hailey and Hunter have always been really close despite the six-year age difference between them. I’ve always been their third musketeer, never the third wheel. The three of us have been inseparable for as long as I can remember, which is lucky for me considering I have the biggest crush on Hunter.

  He has always been tall and broad-shouldered, but playing football made him extra fit. It’s also what drove him away for college. He got a full-ride football scholarship to one of the best football programs in the country at Penn State University.

  Not only is his physique drool-worthy, but he has messy sandy blond hair that looks attractive even when it’s unkempt. Plus, he has the dreamiest blue eyes, like the color of the ocean. Between the sandy hair and the ocean eyes, his head is basically like a vacation to the most handsome beach.

  Even as I remember how gorgeous he is, I’m still not prepared for the sight before me as I descend the steps from the second floor. Hailey has leaped into Hunter’s arms which are engulfing her in a big bear hug. When he finally sets her down, he lifts his head, his eyes trailing over to me. His gaze rises slowly, and when his eyes finally meet mine I feel the electricity sizzling in the air around him. It’s as if every fiber of my body is ignited solely from his stare, from my mop of strawberry blonde hair down to my red-colored toenails.

  “Hey, Kenz!” I hop down the last step and awkwardly lift my hand in a half-wave. Stupid.

  “Hey, Hunter.” As I get closer, Hunter’s face scrunches up, and his nose wrinkles in disgust.

  “What’s that smell?” He’s waving his hand in front of his face in an attempt to dissipate whatever odor it is he smells.

  “It’s probably my new perfume. I let Mackenzie borrow some,” Hailey explains, and now I’m totally embarrassed. He’s disgusted because of the way I smell? Kill me now.

  “Phew, be a little lighter on the trigger there, Squirt. You aren’t supposed to bathe in it.” He chuckles and makes his way up to his childhood bedroom, taking his bags with him.

  Squirt is a nickname he gave me several years ago, and it has stuck ever since. I was a late bloomer, always the smallest in my class, and he took advantage of that and gave me the nickname. I don’t remotely find it charming; I find it condescending.

  Plus, out of every boy in my grade none of them can compete with Hunter, and trust me, I always compare them. Sure, I have a date to the dance, but the only person I want to be with is him. I know he doesn’t see me that way since I’m so much younger than him, but it crushes me that he continues to see me as a child.

  Hailey follows Hunter’s every move, hanging onto every word that comes out of his stupidly handsome mouth. Who knew mouths could even be handsome? He tells us how he’s home for the week for fall break. Hunter wants to catch up with his sister so I’m prepared to call my mom to pick me up, but instead Hailey concocts this great plan – and I can’t roll my eyes hard enough.

  “Can you take us to the mall to buy our homecoming dresses? Mom was gonna take us, but I’m sure she’ll understand.” Hailey is ecstatic at the idea, and conversely, it is evident Hunter isn’t thrilled by the prospect of taking two teenage girls to the mall. Hailey’s incessant begging combined with her puppy dog eyes win him over, and he agrees to take us shopping. Poor guy.

  When we get to the mall, Hailey and I try on a variety of dresses from a bunch of different stores. There’s one dress, in particular, I’m really excited about. It’s more daring than what I would generally wear – definitely more formfitting and mature.

  “Hails! What do you think of this one?” I step out of the dressing room, and once Hailey sees me her jaw goes slack, and she emits a low whistle of appreciation.

  “Girl, you look incredible! Can I try one of them on? It would be tacky if we wore the same outfit, right? But wow! Can you at least be my date? I want to arrive with the hottest date of the night.” She giggles and wiggles her eyebrows at me, and I blush in response. I know she’s joking, but I’m not used to the attention – that’s why the bright red dress is a total shock factor. But red is my color – it complements my hair well.

  “I think you look ridiculous. That dress really isn’t appropriate for someone your age.” I spin around to look at Hunter who snuck up behind me in the dressing room. He wasn’t there a second ago, or I wouldn’t have come out parading this outfit. Now I’m blushing for an entirely different reason. I feel naked as he looks over at me with shame clouding his eyes.

  Instead of running back into the dressing room and allowing him to embarrass me, I jut out my chin and lift my head up high. I’m buying this dress, and I’m gonna rock the hell out of it.

  In the car ride home, I make sure to brag about my hot date, Spencer, and how he’ll lose his mind at the sight of m
e in that dress. “He’ll probably want to take my v-card.” I know I’m acting childish but since that’s how Hunter sees me I might as well act the part.

  I’m whispering all this into Hailey’s ear but intentionally doing a piss poor job staying quiet. I want Hunter to hear me. My best friend, however, doesn’t want her brother to listen to the things we talk about, so she slaps me and says “Shut up” through gritted teeth while nodding her head in the direction of her brother.

  Hunter clears his throat in the front seat and looks over his shoulder to glance at us in the back. “God, I really wish I didn’t hear any of that, but now I feel obligated to speak up. You guys are only fifteen and shouldn’t be thinking about looking hot and losing your virginities. You should wait to be with someone you love and trust, not just some boy trying to brag to his buddies. It sounds cheesy – I thought so too when Dad talked to me about it. I don’t know what Mom said to you, Hails, or what your parents told you, Kenz, but as a guy, you should trust me on this. I’m glad I waited and in the end, you’ll be glad you did too. Boys suck, especially fifteen-year-old boys. You’re both too special to throw it away and frankly, girls your age can be brutal. You don’t want to be labeled as a slut the rest of your high school career. That’s all I’m gonna say. Let’s go get some food.”

  Hunter drove the three of us to our favorite café. It’s a cozy little place with lights strung from the ceilings and books you can borrow and read scattered all around the tables. It’s like a modern library with a warm, rustic décor. Plus, they serve the best hot chocolate and pie.

  Still, I’ve completely lost my appetite. Hunter has repeatedly embarrassed me since he’s been home, and all I want to do is wallow in my room while my mom brings me my favorite pint of ice cream and cry into my diary.

  Whenever I write a journal entry, I try to find something I’m grateful about during the day. It’s a lesson my mom taught me to learn to appreciate life every single day. Tonight, when I get home and open my notebook, my diary entry is entirely sarcastic.

  Thanks to You I’m feeling like a silly child. Thanks to You I feel ugly. Thanks to You I feel like a fool. I don’t even want to go to the dance anymore. I don’t even want to go over to my best friend’s house. And it’s all Thanks to You, Hunter Blake.

  Chapter 1

  Mackenzie

  “Kenz! Hurry up! We’re gonna be late for class!” Hailey yells for me from the living room of our tiny apartment. It’s the week before fall break, which only means one thing – midterms. Hailey and I were lucky enough to both get accepted into the University of Pennsylvania, so we got an apartment – or rather, her parents got her an apartment and they’ve allowed me to live with her.

  “I’m coming!” I call back as I gather up the notes covering my bed. I’m scrambling to get in some last-minute cramming for this psychology midterm. I hop off my bed, scratch my cat, Mittens, on top of her little, black head, and then I’m out the door.

  Hailey is yammering on beside me as we walk to class, but I can’t focus on a word she’s saying. I’m too busy reading over my notes for the millionth time. Where I’m more uptight about school, Hailey is relaxed. She can ace any class with little to no studying. Lucky bitch.

  My problem is I partied a little too hard after my parents died three years ago. Hailey was the one to drag me out of my downward spiral and knock some sense into my thick skull. And it’s one of the many reasons I love her.

  My parents were on their way to visit me for parent’s weekend the college hosts every year for new freshman students. It was early October after we got settled into the swing of things, but before the stress bore down on us like a ton of bricks.

  My mom was a teacher and she always helped out in the city with underprivileged children as much as she could. My dad was a research scientist working in pharmaceuticals, but he was always present for special events. I told them they didn’t need to waste the day on a silly college tradition, but they insisted. They never missed a birthday, a holiday, or even my kindergarten graduation. They were the best parents I could’ve ever asked for.

  They got into a car accident on the way, so when they never showed up, I got worried. I didn’t get the phone call for three whole hours. I can’t begin to explain what I felt in that moment, and I don’t ever want anyone to experience that pain, though I know it’s inevitable.

  Now, I’m studying to become a grief counselor for other people who experienced tragedies like I did. I just really need to step up my game and ace this psych exam.

  Hailey, on the other hand, is a pre-med student, so she took the class with me as her elective. But like I said, when it comes to tests she has nothing to worry about.

  “Hello? Earth to Kenzie?” Hailey’s waving her hands in front of my face in an attempt to garner my attention. “Are you even listening to me?”

  “Um…no, sorry. I’m just nervous for this test. We can go to lunch after the exam, and I promise you’ll have my full attention.”

  “Fine, but you’re paying.”

  ***

  Hailey sits across from me in a booth at our beloved diner near the campus. I order my favorite item on the menu — ‘The Hangover Special.’ It’s a tall stack of pancakes slathered in butter and syrup with a side of greasy bacon and a mimosa because you need some hair of the dog.

  I feel Hailey’s stare on me as I’m savoring my pancakes. I quickly drop my knife and fork and push away the temptation in front of me. Still, I take a sip of my mimosa before addressing her.

  “Okay. You have my full attention. What’s up?” I cross my hands in front of me and everything so she knows I’m serious – and partially to resist the urge to pick up my fork once more.

  She rolls her eyes but smiles so I know she’s not actually irritated. “Finally! Okay, so, I know you usually spend Thanksgiving at your aunt’s house, but what if this year you come home with me? Traditional family dinner, your best friend, oh and Hunter’s coming home. It could be like old times.” Her eyes are wide with eagerness and her hands are clasped in front of her like she’s begging me to accept her offer.

  I feel my face heating at the mention of her brother. I’m sure Hailey knows I’ve always had a crush on her older brother, but she’s never mentioned it, thankfully. Although she always updates me on his life, but that’s simply because she misses him so much herself.

  I take another bite of my food – the temptation too strong to continue to resist – and consider her proposition. It would be nice to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. And the Blake clan has been more of a family to me than my own blood since my parents died.

  I always thought it would be best to be around my blood relatives for the holidays, but holidays at my aunt’s house are unconventional and exhausting. They tend to involve my cousins chasing around their obnoxious little rugrats, everyone asking if I’ve met the one yet, and my aunt getting a little too drunk and subsequently passing out after causing a scene at dinner. As for the food? She makes tofurkey. No meat. No carbs. It’s not even freaking thanksgiving without meat or carbs!

  “As long as your brother doesn’t call me Squirt I’m in.” She rolls her eyes at me again, but she knows how much I hate that godforsaken nickname. “Wait, is the fiancée coming too?” I nearly forgot Hunter got engaged to his long-time girlfriend. More likely than not, I just blocked it out of my memory because I don’t want to think about it. Or it’s because the night she told me I got so black-out drunk I didn’t remember it.

  “Oh, didn’t I tell you? They broke up.” She takes a few bites of her omelet before continuing, and it’s driving me crazy. I’m too impatient, and I need the deets. I’m looking at her eagerly, probably too eagerly to merely pass my expression off as one of a concerned friend. “I don’t know what happened. All I know is Hunter’s been pretty messed up about it, and he’s moving home until he can find a place of his own.”

  Hunter hasn’t lived in our hometown since he moved away for college. I’ve only seen him a handful of tim
es since then. Now, he’s some kind of successful engineer or something – according to Hailey. Why would he leave his job to move back home just to get away from an ex? It doesn’t make sense.

  There are so many questions I want to ask, but Hailey already said she doesn’t have the answers, so now what? I’m just going to have to get them myself. All I know now is fall break just got a lot more interesting.

  Chapter 2

  Mackenzie

  One thing I absolutely love about living in Pennsylvania is autumn. The smell of the air, the colors of the trees, sweater weather and knee-high boots – I could go on. I’m watching the scenery pass me as Hailey drives us back to her parent’s house. Our apartment is less than an hour from her house, the drive is short but sweet.

  Mittens has never been one for car rides so she’s incessantly mewling from her carrier in the back seat. “We’ll be there soon, pumpkin.” I use my baby-talk voice because, well, Mittens is my baby.

  “Did you just refer to your cat as pumpkin?” Hailey asks me and her light, lively voice is bogged down with cynicism as she side-eyes me with her question.

  “I have about twelve other nicknames for her. Do you want to hear them?” I raise my eyebrows as I look at her, totally serious about my list of excessive nicknames for my cat.

  “Nope, I’m good, thanks. Besides, we’re here.” She sings our arrival in a high-pitched, bubbly tone. Her excitement is infectious and I, too, am eager to see her parents and finally have a traditional Thanksgiving.

  How is it possible this house manages to take my breath away every time I see it? Even now, after all these years and the countless days spent in it, I appreciate the beauty of the Blake home. The house is a large cream-colored colonial with five bedrooms. It’s immaculate without feeling sterile. Their home has always been welcoming and full of love and friends.

  I follow behind Hailey through the massive oak front door with Mittens in tow. Right when I cross the threshold, I’m nearly taken out by a big black beast. I barely have a chance to save Mittens before we’re both taken down and trampled on.