My Heart to Keep: A Maxwell Family Saga - Book Four

by Alexander, S. B.

  He set his backpack down then dragged a chair closer to me.

  “You don’t have to sit so close.”

  “I do, Quinn. I can’t read upside down. Besides, you smell good.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m not interested.”

  “Too bad. I make good boyfriend material.”

  Not as good as Maiken. “Let’s get started. We only have forty minutes now since you’re late. If you want my help, be on time.”

  Flicking blond strands of hair out of his eyes, he pulled out his algebra book from his bag. “I had something to do.”

  “Nothing is more important than your grades. Right?” If he wasn’t serious, then I was wasting my time.

  “Yes, teach.”

  “Good. Now open your book to chapter five. I think that’s where we left off.” I sounded like one of my teachers when she was frustrated with a student.

  Just as we were about to start, a brunette sashayed up. If I wasn’t mistaken, this was Claire. I wasn’t used to seeing her without her lips suctioned to Trevor’s.

  I growled under my breath.

  “Trev, babe, you forgot this.” She dropped a black thong on the table with a coy smile.

  Trevor didn’t blush or react. He grabbed the lacy undergarment and tucked it in his back pocket as I gaped at him. Disgusting. But then again, he had taken a video of Maiken and me in a compromising position, so I shouldn’t be surprised.

  Claire came around the table, leaned into Trevor’s ear, and whispered something I couldn’t make out.

  Trevor snaked his arm around one of her thighs. “Claire, I have work to do. We’ll pick up where we left off later tonight.”

  She kissed him on the cheek. “Counting on it.”

  I rolled my eyes as she wiggled her hips and blew a kiss over her shoulder at Trevor.

  “You’re late because you got a quickie?” I mumbled. “Unbelievable. Maybe this was a mistake.”

  He grabbed my wrist. “Don’t go. I promise I won’t be late again.”

  “It doesn’t sound like you’re as serious as you were the other day. Are you jerking me around?”

  His green eyes darkened. “Is that what Sloane put in your head?”

  “Sloane didn’t have to put anything in my head. I have my own studying to do, and I am not wasting my time with an asshole.”

  He slapped a hand over his heart. “I’m hurt.”

  I shook my head, ready to pack up. Anger fired through every nerve ending. Maybe Sloane was right for me to stay away from Trevor.

  “Quinn.” His tone was soft and sweet. “I’m sorry.”

  I huffed. “Time is precious to me, Trevor. I only have a small window to help you. I barely have time to do my own homework. With my brothers away at college, I’m the only one to help my dad on the farm. Maybe you should go back to Elise for tutoring.”

  “Please,” he said, batting his eyelashes. “Give me a chance.”

  I held up my finger. “One. And no girls at the table, interrupting us. Got it?”

  He saluted me. “Yes, commander.”

  I half smiled as we dove into algebra.

  The words on the page were fuzzy. I couldn’t read or study anymore. I closed my US government book. Politics wasn’t my thing. But it was either that elective or psychology, and US government seemed like it would be easier.

  Knuckles rapped on the door.

  “Yeah, it’s open.”

  Marcus strutted in, wearing a pair of sweatpants and nothing else. He glanced at Ethan’s bed. “It’s almost curfew.”

  I traded my desk chair for my bed. “Says the guy who almost always misses curfew.”

  The day Jasper had told Ethan and me that Marcus had gone to Ashford, none of us thought he would make it back before lights out. To our surprise, he had. Since then, he hadn’t seen Sloane or gone back to Ashford, at least not to my knowledge.

  “Ethan is working out. He should be back shortly.”

  Marcus sat on the edge of Ethan’s bed. “I have something to tell you, and I don’t want you to get upset.”

  On that note, my pulse sped up. “You’re running away with Sloane,” I teased. But deep down, I wasn’t. I wanted Marcus to be happy, and if Sloane was the gal to give him a purpose in life, then so be it. I couldn’t talk anyway. Marcus wasn’t enamored with Quinn, but he didn’t ride my ass about her, although I wasn’t drinking and acting out or running back to Ashford.

  Marcus regarded me, his blue eyes steady and piercing. He and I were the only two out of the eight of us siblings who had blue eyes. However, he’d come out with brown hair rather than the sandy blond I had.

  “Well, are you going to stare at me or tell me what’s on your mind? If it is Sloane, man, I’m cool.”

  His lips curled, barely smiling. “You mean you’re okay with us dating again?”

  I scooted up so my back was resting against the headboard. “Yeah.”

  “We’re not exactly.” He picked at a nail. “We’re trying the whole friends thing.”

  I cocked my head. “Why would that make me upset?”

  “This is not about Sloane and me.” He took a deep breath. “I told you about Sloane’s stepbrother.”

  He had when he’d returned from Ashford that day. Marcus had instantly hated the guy. Apparently, Sloane didn’t like how a stranger had waltzed into her life and her mother’s.

  But her stepbrother wasn’t my problem. “He’s a dick. So?”

  “Have you talked to Quinn lately?”

  I held the air in my lungs, nodding. “Why?”

  “Sloane is worried about her.”

  A laugh rumbled free. “Sloane? The girl who doesn’t like Quinn?”

  “That’s not the point,” Marcus said. “Quinn is tutoring Trevor. Sloane gets the impression he’s up to something with her.”

  Quinn had told me she’d decided not to tutor him. I wondered if Principal Sanders had forced Quinn’s hand. “Like?”

  “I don’t know. Neither does Sloane.”

  Ethan waltzed in, sweaty and looking upset. He tore his T-shirt off and tossed it in the corner with the rest of his dirty clothes.

  “What’s up your ass?” Marcus asked.

  He grabbed his shower gear. “Jessica. She won’t stop texting and calling me.”

  Marcus arched a brow. “I thought you liked her.”

  I hopped off my bed. “I’ll let you two figure out girls. I need to call Quinn.” I also needed a private spot.

  I inhaled the brisk night air two minutes later as I held the phone to my ear, waiting for Quinn to answer.

  The grounds of the academy were desolate as curfew approached. The landscape lighting glowed along the path as I walked down toward the football field.

  “Everything okay?” Quinn answered, sounding like she was yawning.

  “I just wanted to hear your voice before I crashed for the night.” That was mostly true.

  “Aw, I love you too. I was about to go to bed. It’s been a tense day.”

  My blood gelled. “Something happen?”

  “Not exactly. Tests, studying, chores, tutoring. You name it. Oh, and I… Never mind.”

  I settled along the perimeter of the football field. The moonlight provided an ominous feeling, like the calm before the storm. “Quinn? Did Trevor do something to you?”

  She sucked in a breath. “What? Trevor? Why would you ask me that?”

  “Marcus came to me earlier. Sloane is worried about you helping him.”

  “Oh my God. Seriously? Trevor is a nice guy. He needs to get his grades up.”

  I scraped a hand through my hair. “I thought you didn’t want to work with him?”

  “Coach Dean wants me to help him. Although I don’t think Trevor’s girl, Claire, wants me anywhere near him. She won’t leave us alone when we’re in the library. The other day, she dropped her thong on the table.” She giggled. “And Trevor took them and put them in his pocket.”

  I rolled my eyes, even though she couldn’t see m
e. “How long have you been working with him?”

  “A couple of weeks. Maiken, don’t worry, babe. It’s just tutoring.”

  I trusted Quinn implicitly. However, I didn’t share her sentiment that Trevor was a nice guy. “Didn’t you tell me he gave you the creeps?”

  She let out a breath. “Yeah, but I think I had him pegged all wrong. I think he was looking for attention.”

  “Baby doll, I won’t hesitate to come home if he so much as tries anything.” I made a mental note to call Noah when I hung up with Quinn. He could keep an eye out since both of them played on the basketball team.

  “Trevor isn’t going to do any such thing. I should get some sleep. Four a.m. comes super fast.”

  “Before you go, you were about to tell me something.”

  “It’s a surprise.” The sound of water running droned in the background.

  Surprises weren’t my thing, but I couldn’t help but grin as butterflies came alive in my stomach. “What’s the occasion?” It wasn’t my birthday.

  “I’ll tell you when you come home.” I could hear the smile in her voice.

  I wasn’t sure I could wait another week for Thanksgiving break.

  “I’m going to go before I ruin the surprise.” I could hear the smile in her voice.

  “You know if I were there, I would tickle it out of you.”

  “Ha. You could try,” she teased. “I love you to the stars and back.”

  “Quinn, dream about me.”

  “Always. Talk to you tomorrow.” Then she hung up.

  Man, I was the luckiest guy on earth to have Quinn as my girl. Grinning like the lovestruck dude that I was, I called Noah.

  “Hey, man,” Noah said. “Something wrong?”

  “I need your help. Tell me all about Trevor, Sloane’s stepbrother.”

  “Jeez, nothing to tell really. He’s a good ballplayer. Girls drool over him.”

  “Does Quinn?” I held my breath.

  One beat passed, then two, and still no response.

  My body was turning numb. I swore that if he so much as said yes, I was hitching a ride to Ashford tonight. “Noah, man, you still there?”

  He cleared his throat. “Do you want it straight?”

  I belted out a laugh, albeit not a happy one. “No, lie to me. Of course, man.”

  “He talks about her quite a bit. He definitely has a thing for her. But dude, I did too when I first met her.”

  I growled. “Fuck.”

  “Chill,” he said calmly. “Quinn is not interested in him, or any guy for that matter. I know. She pushed me away. Hard too.”

  “She’s not tutoring you, though.”

  “Do you need me to keep an eye out?” he asked.

  “Would you?” I hated to spy on her, but if Sloane was worried and felt the need to have Marcus talk to me, then I had to at least heed the warning.

  “Consider it done. Hey, on another note, my mom gave me the thumbs-up if I wanted to attend the academy. I thought a lot about it and decided I’m staying at Kensington. I’m just getting to know my cousin Dustin, and I really like playing for Coach Dean, although I think he might be stepping down next year, and your cousin Kade might be taking his spot.”

  Coach had been noodling on retiring when I played for him, and Kade had stepped in when Coach’s wife had gone through some medical issues. I was kind of surprised Coach hadn’t retired after last year.

  “You’ll like Kade.”

  “I already do. Cool-as-shit guy.”

  “Agreed. I gotta run. Curfew and all. I’ll see you when I come home for Thanksgiving. Call me if Trevor tries anything with Quinn.” I ended the call, feeling like a schmuck for spying on my girl.

  I bit a nail as I sat on an exam table in the gynecologist’s office. I couldn’t believe I’d almost spilled the surprise to Maiken on the phone the night before. I’d been dying to tell him I was planning on talking to Momma about going on the pill. I’d finally drummed up the courage to have that conversation with her last week.

  She’d been surprised I’d waited so long to talk to her. She had expected me to ask her before school let out my junior year. Nevertheless, she’d made the appointment the very next day.

  Mom sat idle on the only chair in the room, deep in thought.

  My phone pinged with a text.

  Celia: Well, did you get the pill yet?

  Me: I’m waiting on the doctor.

  Celia: Cool. I talked to my mom too. She’s going to make an appointment for me.

  Me: Yay. I better go. We’ll talk later.

  Celia: Trevor is looking for you. He told me to tell you he has to cancel his session with you. He’s got to take care of something. He didn’t say what, though.

  Me: Okay.

  Whatever he had to do was none of my business. I did wonder, though, as I set the phone in my lap. He’d been worried about his upcoming exam next week in algebra. If he passed, then that would give him the credits he needed to advance to Geometry and become an official junior.

  Mom smoothed a hand over her chestnut hair. “Everything okay?”

  “Trevor canceled his session with me.”

  “You look worried,” she said.

  “Nah. He has an important test coming up. I just want to see him do well.” If he did, then I would feel validated that my time and effort had been worth it. Plus, I really enjoyed tutoring. “Momma, I think I want to change my major from doctor to teacher.”

  “Why the change?”

  I shrugged. “I like teaching.” Trevor had been very astute in learning. He’d done his homework. He’d passed the short quizzes I’d given him. He’d even passed his test in his algebra class. I enjoyed explaining things and then seeing how the light bulb came on with my student.

  “You’ve always liked school. I can see you as a great teacher. You would also make a great doctor.”

  “It might be easier for me to get into a teaching program rather than premed.”

  She rose elegantly, brushing her hands down her pant legs. “By easier, do you mean cheaper?”

  “I would be up to my ears in student loans if I didn’t get a scholarship. And even if I did get a scholarship, that wouldn’t last. Premed, then medical school, then an internship.” I blew out a breath. “I don’t know.”

  “Well, you don’t have to decide right this minute. And you’re not filling out applications until after the holidays. Right?”

  That was the plan. But if I wanted to switch to teaching, then I had to rethink my options for colleges. I resumed biting a nail.

  Momma wrapped her delicate fingers around my wrist. “You won’t have any nails left.”

  I didn’t anyway. Farm work didn’t allow me to have those gel nails that most of the girls in school had on a frequent basis. I would break one in a hot minute for sure.

  I placed my hands in my lap. “You didn’t tell Daddy what we were doing today, did you?” College options could wait for the time being.

  Her brown eyes went wide as she resumed her seat. “It’s not a good time to tell him that his baby girl is about to lose her virginity.”

  I swallowed a clump of mud and cringed at the thought of how Daddy would react. He would probably have a heart attack. “Please don’t tell him until I leave for college… or never.”

  “I don’t plan on sharing this with him anytime soon.” She tucked my hair behind my ear. “You’re such a beautiful girl.” The sadness washing over her matched the tone in her voice.

  A stabbing pain gripped my heart at the notion of Momma alone in the house without her kids. She was having a hard time with Liam and Carter being in college. I’d overheard her and Daddy talking the other night about their plans for the farm when I left. Daddy didn’t have an answer for what he would do or if he would start to downsize and not have as many animals. Momma had suggested he hire two or three ranch hands in preparation for when I went off to school.

  Daddy wasn’t hearing it, though. He’d promised Momma he would find someone
at least for the holidays to work the farm and help sell Christmas trees.

  She wiped a tear from my face. “Honey, where did you go?”

  I blinked, and another tear fell. “It’s been a rough year. Is Daddy going to hire someone?”

  “You heard us talking the other night?”

  I nodded. “I’m worried about you guys. When I leave, Daddy won’t have any help.” Celia’s suggestion of posting the job on the school’s bulletin board came to mind. I decided I would do just that later today if, for no other reason, than to get help for the holidays. Carter and Liam were due home for Thanksgiving, but that was only for a few days. The Christmas tree business started hopping the day after Thanksgiving and stayed busy until at least a week before Christmas.

  Momma shifted her gaze back and forth over me. “You have a beautiful soul. You let your father and me worry about the farm.”

  That was easier said than done. While I could, I would help Daddy find someone. That was the least I could do.

  She tipped up my chin. “I’m so proud of you for coming to me.” Her chest heaved. “Does Maiken know?”

  I shook my head vigorously. “Not yet.” I was sure he would be excited, though. “Momma, will it hurt?” I whispered.

  She gave me a weak smile. “It will, but if you take it slow, the pain doesn’t last long.”

  I was certain Maiken would be as gentle as possible.

  She squeezed my hands, shuddering. “Your father was my first. He’s the only man I’ve ever been with. Are you sure you don’t want to wait until you’re married?”

  I bit my lip. “Did you and Dad?”

  She laughed, tapping my nose. “No. But I had to ask, because I can hear your father now. ‘They should wait until they’re married.’”

  I snorted. “For sure. He’ll have a cow if he finds out, Momma. Please don’t tell him.” I couldn’t face him if she did. I definitely would turn a million shades of red. Or better yet, I would run away.

  “I don’t like keeping things from your father. But this is one we can put on the back burner unless he asks.”

  “Has he asked?” Please say no.

  She nodded. “He has.”

  I closed my eyes for a solid ten seconds, willing the pounding of my pulse to ease. “When?” Suddenly, the video that Trevor had filmed of Maiken and me popped into my brain.